#slowly but surely I'm making my way through Transformers content

[distort-opia]

Finally found the time to watch the first season of Transformers: Prime, and while Megop makes me want to chew on glass, poor Ratchet's perspective so far... is so tragically funny to me. (Spoilers oncoming, I guess? Just in case.)

Like. They pretty much start out with Megatron presumed dead, and you get Ratchet going "Yay! We should celebrate Optimus, a tyrant we've fought for millions of years is dead!" but Optimus goes "I did not want him to die... I wanted to fix him 🥺😔 " and sure, maybe you can sense Ratchet's impending headache. But then the season progresses, and in Sick Mind Optimus is dying of a plague only Megatron knows the cure to. And while half-dead you get Optimus dramatically going "Megatron..." and flopping down when he finds out Megatron's not really dead, with Ratchet right there, probably wishing he could jam himself into a smelter. And then there's the synthetic energon episode where Ratchet just goes damn feral and not gonna lie... I was cheering for him.

Because it's just good writing, the small things they set up in advance. When Ratchet goes off on Optimus about the way he's had so many chances to kill Megatron and end the war, but he's never taken them, about how Optimus is too soft-- you can see where he's coming from. Like yeah man, I'd be frustrated with these idiots too, goddamn 😅

[karush1fa]

🔞 | Flipping Pages

Warnings: NSFW. Smut without plot. F/M. Cunnilingus. Fingering. Dirty talk. Voice kink. Praise kink. Pet names. Aftercare.

AO3:

—

"The books you have are quite interesting, sweetheart. Want me to read a line for you?" He said, as you just walked in his room.

"Although it seems innocent outside, the contents are indeed the opposite. I guess this is what they say about don't judge the book by its cover."

You were frozen when you realized it was your favourite book you've purchased a few days ago. It was very explicit, and the only thing on your mind right now is to get out.

He smirks as he notices your right foot subtle sliding, trying to hide that you're about to escape.

"Come here. Sit beside me."

You were about to protest, but he stops you by pressing his index finger to his lips, signalling you. "Shh. No questions, just come over here."

Defeated, you walk towards him. You can feel his eyes staring at you while you sit down.

"Good. Let's read this book of yours."

You look at him flustered and surprised. There's absolutely no way you will read that book with him. Especially since you know it contains very detailed and explicit scenes. You wanted to snatch it away.

"You do know you can't escape me. Besides, why are you even running away, sweetie? We're just going to read." He said with those teasing tones of his that you find annoyingly attractive.

The anticipation of what chapter, what line he will read is slowly lingering inside you. You were getting flustered while you watched him flip the pages. He hasn't even started, and yet here you are; getting all worked up, nervous, and excited.

With his eyebrow lifted, he looks at you. Noticing your state, he chuckles.

"Why are you so nervous? This isn't an exam you need to pass in order to graduate."

He finally stopped, and you were so sure you saw him slightly smirking. "What is he smiling about?" You thought.

Just as you were about to say something, he read a line from the book that you know which part is it.

"Hearing her whispered response, he leaned in closer to her, his breath warm against her ear. He gently nibbled on her earlobe, just to tease her more."

"He chuckled again, enjoying the sound of her gasp. He loved the way she said his name, and he couldn't help but want to hear it again. He continued to nibble on her earlobe, his lips moving down to her neck."

You were getting flustered, and before he could continue, you covered his mouth. He chuckles against your palm, and you feel the vibrations from it, making you even more flustered.

"Sweetie." He mumbled against your palm as he gently grabbed your wrist, slightly removing it from his mouth.

"We haven't even reached the good part yet. Hmm, how about you read it for me?"

Your eyes widen, "No. There is no way I would read that for you." You said, all red as a tomato.

He laughs, "Come on, kitten, it'll be fun. If you do it, you'll get a reward after."

Raising your eyebrow, you ask, "And, what is this reward?" You were interested from his negotiation.

"I will do anything you want me to do. It's a win-win situation, right?"

You stared at his eyes for a moment, and then you heard him laughing.

"Are you checking if I'm sincere? You know I don't go back against my word." He said as he looked back at you.

With no hesitation, you agreed, and right now, you finally had your book back. The difference is that you can't escape. Why? He places both of your legs on his lap, making you unable to stand up and run away. You sigh. He knows you'll still try to get away.

"Should I just continue what you were reading last time then?"

He looks at you with those mischievous smiles. "Yes, sweetie. We wouldn't know what comes next if you skip some parts, no?"

"Of course, he would say that." You thought. Tracing your fingers through the words, you search for that line where he stopped. Unconsciously biting your lip as you saw what was written next.

"He chuckled again, his lips still on her neck. He moved his hands to her hips, holding her tightly against him. He nipped at her neck gently as his teeth grazing her skin."

You felt him placing his right hand on your thigh, his thumb slightly caressing it. Clearing your throat, you continue reading.

"He pulled back slightly, his lips leaving her neck. He smirked at the hitch in her breath, loving the effect he was having on her. Hearing her adorable sounds, and the way she say his name like that—he just can't resist teasing her. He leaned in closer again, his lips hovering just above her ear."

"He moved his lips down to her shoulder, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin there. Hearing the soft gasp that escaped her lips, he smirked against her skin. He continued to kiss and nibble on her shoulder, his hands still on her hips, holding her firmly in place. His voice was low and husky, turning her on even more."

"Am I going to read the whole book?" You decided to asked. Reading this book always gets you hot and bothered, and you reading it while he was here isn't helping at all. It's pure torture.

He looks at you, examining your face.

"Earth to Sylus." You said, waving your hand in front of him.

"Continue reading. I'll let you know when you'll stop." He said.

Sighing. "He's unbelievable," you thought. The next scenes will be more intense than this, and for the love of god, you don't want to read that out loud while he's here.

"He noticed her shiver as he tugged at her shirt, and he took it as a sign to continue. He pulled her shirt up further, exposing more of her shoulder and neck. His lips trailed down to her collarbone, planting soft kisses along the way."

After reading those lines, you decided to take a peek to see what's he's doing, but to your surprise, he was looking at you.

"Do you want something?" He asked. His voice was low.

"Nothing." You quickly answered. You averted your eyes back to the pages of the book, but before you know it, he moved his hands up to your chin, gently tilting your head up so you were looking directly at him.

"What's next?" He asks in a whisper, looking right into you.

"I, uh.."

Your eyes glance at the book, landing onto the next lines you're about to read.

"He's caressing her cheek, tracing her jawline to her lips.."

You flinched when he did the exact same thing the book said. You tried to compose yourself to continue reading.

"He watched as his fingers traced her bottom lip—"

Your breath hitch, and you looked at him as he did the same thing again.

"What are you.." Your voice soft and low.

"Continue." He whispered. You swallowed.

"His touch gentle yet firm. He leaned in even closer, his face only a few inches away from hers."

"Sylus.." You called. He was much closer right now.

"Don't stop. Keep reading." A mix of command and pleading was in his voice. It sounded madly attractive and you can't help not to oblige.

"His thumb brushing against her lip. He was looking at her lips with a mixture of desire and fascination."

You look at him when he did those lines to your lips. He stared right back at you.

"What's next? Tell me."

Without looking at the book, you answered.

"As far as I remember, she slightly opened her mouth."

"Could you do that for me?"

And you did. His thumb slowly slid inside your mouth, resting on your tongue, making you softly moan. The sound went straight to his groin, and he couldn't help but imagine how good your mouth would feel wrapped around something else.

"That was adorable, sweetie. I want to hear from you more." He whispered. His thumb still moves slowly in your mouth, rubbing against your tongue.

You look at him with half-lidded eyes, and he looks back at you. His gaze was intense and filled with desire.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered.

"Sy.." You managed to speak yet he let out a low growl at hearing his name with your voice combined with the feeling of your tongue on his thumb.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, a concern tone in his voice.

You gently grabbed his fingers away from your mouth.

"We haven't finished reading the chapter yet."

He softly chuckles. He tugs a hair strand to your ear and places his palm on your right cheek.

"How about.. I will do exactly what you're reading. Is that okay for you?" His voice was gentle.

You smiled. He's always like this; prioritising your comfort. He would ask your consent in every single thing, and you can't help not to fall in love over and over again. He has a heart that is 10 times bigger than his whole physique.

"It's always a yes when it's from you." You answered, placing your hand above his hand.

You saw him smile.

Though, that turned into a smirk. He leaned closer to your ear.

"Let's get started, shall we?" He whispered and gently lifted up your legs away from his lap. You were now sitting properly. His left arm resting on your shoulders.

You nodded and swallowed hard as you started reading.

"He slowly moved his hand up her thigh, spreading her legs. His fingers were tracing along the edges of her shorts, making its way inside."

Your breath hitched as he followed what the book says, as if it was guiding him.

He smirked when he saw how tightly you were gripping the book.

"You'll rip the book if you're holding like that. Wouldn't want that sweetie."

You glared when you heard him chuckling.

"Shut up and let me read." Trying to compose yourself as you glance to the next lines. Taking a deep breath.

"His fingers grazing the edge of her panties.."

You flinched again as Sylus leaned closer to your left ear.

"What did she say after? Read it and do it for me."

Without hesitating, you answered.

"I-I'll spread more for you." As the book says, you spread your legs more.

Sylus glanced at the next lines and read the dialogue loudly.

"Oh, you will? Will you? You're going to do whatever I want, aren't you?"

"Yes, I will do anything." You whispered. Staring at the book in a daze, you didn't even react when Sylus started reading.

"He smirked, loving the way she was so willing to do anything for him. He moved his hand higher, his fingers gently tracing the edge of her panties again."

"Anything, huh? You're going to be a good girl for me, aren't you? You'll let me do whatever I want to you?"

"Yes.." You whimpered. Sylus smirked.

"Can you still read, sweetie?"

A soft hummed was only your response.

"He chuckled, loving the way she whimpered. He could tell she was getting lost in the sensations, and he wanted to see her completely lost in them."

"Good girl. You're being such a good girl for me. So obedient."

Sylus whispered those lines right into your ear. As his fingers now gently brushing against your clothed clit, teasing you. He groaned as he heard you moan, his fingers continuing to rub against your clit through your panties. He could feel how wet you are.

"We barely even halfway the chapter, and yet you're dripping wet already. Did our book session turn you on so badly? Hm?"

You were about to close the book when he stopped you, removing his hands inside your PJs.

"No, no, not yet, kitten. We still haven't finished this chapter. Hold the book, and let's continue reading."

You obediently followed him and held the book to start reading again.

A soft moan escape from you as he slipped his hands inside your PJs once again.

"He loved the way she was begging for him for more. He slowly moved his fingers under her panties, his fingers gently sliding over her bare skin."

Sylus, read the next few lines, making your breathing hitched.

"You want more, huh? Do you want me to touch you properly?

"Yes."

"He grinned, loving the fact that she was so desperate for him. He slowly moved his fingers lower, sliding through her folds and dipping into her entrance."

You moan after he reads those lines. Throwing your head back, you felt his arms around your shoulders.

"You're so wet, baby. You're soaking."

Sylus whispered those lines. He continued reading for you.

"He watched her as she threw her head back, enjoying the way her body reacted to his touch. He pushed his fingers deeper into her, curling them slightly as he did."

"You're so responsive. I love it. I love how much you want me."

"Sylus." You moaned.

His hands from your shoukders reached out and gently grabbed your chin, making you face the book.

"Read the next line for me, sweetie."

Half-lidded eyes, you tried to read it.

"He increased the pace of his fingers, pumping them in and out of her, his thumb circling her cli—Ah!" You let out a loud moan, dropping the book. You didn't even manage to finish the line.

"I could listen to you all day." Sylus whispered.

"There, like that. Don't stop."

Sylus smirked, loving how vocal you were getting. He knew exactly where to touch you to drive you wild.

"Like this? Do you like it when I touch you here? Right here?" He said, continuing to hit that same spot over and over again.

Your moans were getting louder. Head throwing back, feeling his fingers deep inside of you as he fingerfuck your g-spot.

Grabbing his forearms as you bite your lip. You were a whimpered, moaning yet beautiful mess—that's what Sylus thought about while watching your expressions.

He loved the way you were getting more and more incoherent. He loved seeing you like this, completely lost in pleasure because of him.

"That's it, baby. Keep making those sounds for me. I want to hear from you." His voice rough with desire.

You cursed under your breath. It was nothing new when it came to endearments. You're used to it, but it's always different when he calls you other pet names other than 'kitten' and 'sweetie'. Especially when doing such activities with him.

"I.. want more. Talk to me.." You pleaded.

He chuckled again, loving how you were demanding more. He loved how needy you were for him.

"More? You want me to talk to you? What do you want me to say, baby?"

You look at him before answering.

"The things you want to do to me. Tell me.."

He smirked, loving how you were becoming more direct. He leaned in close to your ear, his breath hot against your skin.

"Oh, you want me to tell you what I want to do to you? I'll tell you everything. I want to taste you. I want to make you come with just my mouth. I want to feel you clench around my fingers. I want to hear you scream my name as you come for me."

"Ahh...hah... I love your voice.." You said, moaning in between.

He smiled, loving the way you were reacting to his words. He loved knowing that he was affecting you so much.

"You like the sound of my voice? You like hearing me talk to you like this? You like it when I tell you how badly I want you?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes." You whimpered.

He chuckled again, loving how easy it was to make you moan. He always loved how responsive you were to him.

"You're so beautiful like this. You're all flushed and needy, and it's all because of me."

His fingers are still working inside you, pumping in and out of you at a relentless pace.

"I want your tongue."

Sylus smirks. You were always so direct, and he loved that part of you. He moved his head down to your neck, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin there.

"Oh, do you, now? You want my tongue? I can give you my tongue, baby. I can give you everything you want."

He moved his lips to your ear, his breath hot against your skin.

"I'll give you anything you want. I'll give you everything. Just ask for it and I'll give it to you. I'll give you everything you need, everything you desire. Just tell me what it is."

"Your tongue. Eat me out. Please."

He groaned, feeling his own desire growing even more at your words. He pulled back slightly, looking at you with a hungry look in his eyes.

Kneeling down the sofa. He moved in front of your legs.

"Lift up your hips for me."

You obliged. He pulls down your PJs along with your underwear. He positioned himself between your legs, hands gripping your thighs as he spread your legs, drunkly looking at how wet you were.

"I can't wait to taste you." He whispered, leaning closer as you felt his hot breath down there. He hummed before burying his face between your legs, his tongue immediately going to work on you, licking and sucking and exploring every inch of you.

"Mm!" Your hands went straight in gripping his hair.

He moaned against you, loving the way you gripped his hair. He loved how responsive you were to his touch. He continued to eat you out, his tongue moving faster and harder as he sucked and licked at your clit.

"Mmm, you taste so good, baby. You taste so good on my tongue."

He increased the pressure of his tongue, his hands moving to grip your hips, holding you in place as he continued to devour you. He could feel you getting closer and closer to the edge, and he wanted to push you over it.

"You're so close, aren't you? You're almost there. Just a little bit more. Let go for me, doll."

You moan as you hear him calling you with that pet name. You were now rocking your hips towards his tongue. As he watches you moving your hips with him against his tongue. He could feel you getting even more desperate, and he knew you were almost there.

"That's it, baby. Keep moving like that. Keep rocking your hips against my tongue. You're so close, I can feel it. You're so close to coming for me."

"Sylus.. I'm..."

"Let me catch you." His hands snaking towards your clothed perked nipples, pinching them as he continued to tonguefuck you deeper.

"Coming! I'm.. coming!" You screamed.

He grinned against your cunt as he heard you screamed, loving the way you let go completely. He continued to lick and suck at your clit, his tongue moving faster and harder as he brought you to your peak.

"That's it, baby. Come for me. Come for me right now."

He watched as you came, his eyes never leaving your face. He loved the way you looked when you came, the way your body trembled, and your mouth fell open in a silent scream. He continued to lick and suck at you, riding out your orgasm until you were completely spent.

"Good girl. That's it. You're so beautiful, my beloved."

You were breathing heavily. Chest rising up and down as you felt yourself calming down.

He slowly pulled away from you, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Looking up at you, he smiled while caressing your thighs with his thumb.

"You're so beautiful when you're all blissed out like that. Rosy cheeks, messy hair, panting mess. My ethereal."

You pushed yourself to bend over to kiss him. He was surprised for a moment but quickly melted into the kiss, kissing you back just as passionately. You could taste yourself on his lips.

He pulled away, resting his forehead from yours.

"Can you walk?" He teased and you giggled.

"What do you think?"

"Well, I think you can. You're strong, brave, and even capable of working despite your backlogs. You can wash up by yourself."

You frowned. Looking at him in disbelief.

"Are you going to just—"

He cuts you off by laughing. That laugh. It was your favourite laugh of him—A laugh that you can describe between teasing you and purely out of happiness. He's happy with you.

He kisses the top of your head.

"I will always take care of you for the rest of my life, my beloved."

[urfavoritewriter]

Gym Bro

Content: M/M, Oral Vore, Fatal, Long-Endo

His name was Alex, and he was notorious for his obsession with bodybuilding. The gym was his second home, the iron his closest companion, and his sculpted physique the object of envy for many.

One fateful day, as he went through his usual routines, he spotted a newbie at the gym. This young man, named Mark, seemed lost amid the maze of exercise equipment. Alex couldn't resist the opportunity. With a friendly smile, he approached Mark, his chiseled chest and bulging biceps catching the light in just the right way.

"Hey there, buddy. Need a hand figuring out this place?" His voice oozed charisma, and Mark, who was clearly out of his depth, welcomed the assistance with a mix of gratitude and intimidation.

"Uh, yeah," Mark stammered, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar machines and weights. "I'm not quite sure where to start."

Alex patted Mark on the back, his touch oddly reassuring and commanding all at once. "No worries, we all start somewhere. I'm Alex, by the way, and this gym is practically my second home. I can show you the ropes."

Mark, relieved to have a friendly face in this new and intimidating environment, introduced himself. "I'm Mark. Thanks, Alex, I appreciate it."

With that, Alex became Mark's guide to the world of weights and reps. Under Alex's guidance, Mark gradually found his footing at the gym. His workouts became more structured, and his progress was evident. He marveled at how quickly he was gaining strength and confidence, and he couldn't have done it without Alex's unwavering support.

Days turned into weeks, and their bond grew stronger. After their workouts, they'd chat about fitness, nutrition, and life in general. Mark admired Alex's dedication and physique and looked up to him as a mentor. Little did he know that beneath the friendly exterior, Alex had much more in store for him.

Mark and Alex continued their workouts together, each day pushing the limits of Mark's endurance and strength. Mark's progress was undeniable; he was transforming under Alex's guidance, his body growing more muscular and his confidence soaring.

One day, after a particularly grueling workout, Alex suggested a "special training session" at his home. "I've got some equipment there that'll help you reach the next level," he said with a smile. Mark was eager to take his fitness journey to the next step, so he agreed without a second thought.

Unbeknownst to Mark, this "training session" was more unusual than he could have ever imagined. As they arrived at Alex's place, he began to sense that something was off. The room was dimly lit, and the air felt strangely heavy with anticipation.

Alex's charming demeanor took a sharp turn as he stepped closer to Mark. "You've been making fantastic progress," he remarked, "but I think it's time to take things to the next level." Before Mark could fully comprehend what was happening, Alex's powerful arms enveloped him in a suffocating embrace. Mark tried to pull away, but it was futile.

As Mark's world spun into chaos, he felt his feet leave the ground. His vision blurred as he was lifted, then tilted downward. He was drawn closer to Alex's face, and before he knew it, his head was engulfed in the darkness of Alex's cavernous maw.

Mark's initial reaction was one of sheer panic. He was being devoured, his entire body sliding into Alex's mouth. The world outside vanished, replaced by the stifling warmth of Alex's throat. With each passing second, Mark descended deeper into his predator's gullet, his struggles futile against the powerful muscles that guided him inward.

As Mark's torso followed, the tight grip of Alex's esophagus pressed against him, bending his body to a flexibility he never thought possible. His muscles strained, and he could feel himself slowly folding into a compact form. The journey was relentless, uncomfortable, and terrifying.

He felt the acidic moisture of Alex's stomach awaiting him, a grim realization that he was on a one-way trip to digestion. His voice, once filled with screams of panic, was now muffled beyond belief, reduced to incoherent whimpers.

"You'll be a valuable part of my training," Alex's voice boomed from above, but Mark could barely hear it from within his belly. He struggled to comprehend the fate that had befallen him.

Days turned into weeks, and Mark's existence was confined to the stifling confines of Alex's belly. His transformation had taken an unexpected turn, and he was now a captive in his own fitness journey. Alex couldn't help but revel in the power he held over his new training partner, and he wasn't shy about making his presence known.

"Enjoying your stay in there, Mark?" Alex's voice echoed within the confines of his stomach, the tone dripping with a mix of sarcasm and malice.

Mark's response, muffled and unintelligible, was a testament to his discomfort. The relentless squeezes from Alex's powerful stomach muscles made every moment inside a torment, a never-ending reminder of his unusual predicament.

"You know, I've got to admit, you're making me stronger," Alex taunted. "You're like a weight I never thought I needed. And with every workout I do, you'll feel the burn too. I wonder if you'll ever get used to the constant pain."

Mark's efforts to protest or escape were futile, and he was subjected to workouts even more grueling than before. The relentless pressure on his body was relentless, his muscles straining beyond their limits. Every day was a painful journey through strength training and endurance, and Mark was an unwilling participant.

"We've got a long way ahead, Mark. You and I, we're in it for the long run."

[m00nlight-ramblings]

Evergreen: Chapter 1

You (Atriss) are an elf sorcerer, who somehow ended up with a tadpole in your brain. After having met multiple companions, they take on the biggest journey of their lives to fight the evil energy behind their capture and looming transformation. All the while, you fall for a vampiric elf, completely changing your life, and your heart.

This is the first chapter of Evergreen.

Pairings: Astarion x original female character (but still using "you"), among others down the road

Warnings: none. There will eventually be hurt/comfort, smut, angst, fluff, etc. Each chapter will have their own warning. The entire story is 18+ so MINORS DNI!

Word Count: 1.96k

A/N: This is my first multi-chapter fic, and I am so excited to write it for you all! Please note this will be a SLOW BURN romance, filled with lots of emotions and feelings! Enemies to lovers. Buckle up, it's gonna be quite the journey.

The only thing you remembered after the Nautiloid, funnily enough, was the sun.

It felt so wonderful on your skin, tickling you awake slowly. With your eyes still closed, and a sense of confusion in your head, you imagined yourself on a tropical beach somewhere...perhaps, you had accidentally dozed off for an early-afternoon nap. The sun warmed your cheeks, causing you to sigh contently, wrapped in the warm embrace of nature...the cherry on top were the birds singing some ways away.

Until your brain had snapped you back to reality.

Soon, the memory of the capture - you on your way home late one night in Baldur's Gate - and your forced stay on the Nautiloid came crashing back to you. Your eyes popped open and you immediately sat up, a wave of nausea induced by the pain running through your body. Clutching your stomach, you leaned over slightly, ready to expel the bile gathering in your stomach. How funny that mere moments before, you had subconsciously tricked yourself into thinking you were on some sort of vacation, when in reality, you were puking your guts up and fighting a dizzy spell.

Slowly standing up - with the help of the giant rock you were leaning against - you took in her surroundings. A small, almost sorry excuse for a beach, littered with bodies, and said bodies' belongings. You turned and saw the Nautiloid behind, parts engulfed in flames. The once feel-good sun was now causing a pounding headache and you winced from the pain, slowly walking around the beach.

"Hello?" You called, your voice raspy and hoarse, "Is anyone here alive?"

The only sounds that met you back were the sounds of flames and creaking metal. You took inventory of her person - completely devoid of all your belongings.

Well, fuck.

Your groaned and continued to walk, trying not to look at the dead bodies littering the beach.

Okay, you thought, trying to calm your breathing, I was captured by mind flayers and forced upon their ship. I have a tadpole in my brain. Their ship...crashed? And landed here. And I somehow...survived?

How in the hell did I do that?

As you continued down the beach, you noticed something glittering in the sand next to a body...gold. Pursing your lips together, you stopped at the body and thought for a moment.

"I'm probably going to need some of that..." You said out loud quietly. Even though there was no one around you - no one alive, anyway - you still looked behind yourself, making sure no one was watching. You snatched the few gold coins scattered around the body and put them in the pocket of your tattered pants. While reaching for the gold, you noticed the body had a dagger attached to a holster. You sighed, quickly reaching for the dagger while trying to somehow not touch the corpse you were currently looting.

"Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me." You said pleadingly to no one in particular. It wasn't the first time you had looted a corpse - after all, you had been on plenty of adventures - but you tried not to make a habit of it if you could.

After you had attached the dagger in its holster to your body, you continued up the beach, avoiding the crash in case any of the mind flayers somehow had survived. You were fairly certain you would be able to fight them, but at this current moment you were a little worse for wear, and truly wanted to find some sort of town or village. Passing by a fishing boat in a small dock, a flash of hope struck you - maybe you would luck out, after all.

After about an hour of walking, and still not meeting a living soul, you heard voices in the path ahead. Something along the lines of arguing. Quickly, you ducked into the nearest bush in case of enemies - you stayed completely still so you could hear their conversation.

"And I'm just telling you that this is a waste of our time - we shouldn't be helping a group of random Tieflings...we should be trying to figure out how to get these damned tadpoles out of our brains!" A voice in frustration, it's sound of a lyrical lilt.

Tadpoles! You thought, almost jumping out of the bush, They must be survivors of the crash! I'm not the only one.

"I agree with Astarion - this isn't our problem. And we shouldn't be wasting our time." Another voice spoke. She sounded annoyed, her words cutting and sharp.

More words were spoken, but they were mumbled. Leaning a bit forward out of the bush, you tried to get into a better position for hearing the argument.

"But as we were told before, this druid, Halsin, may be able to help us," A third voice - deep and melodic - said, almost trying to reason with the other two, "With Wyll and Karlach on our side now, I think we have a fair shot of taking on this goblin camp, rescuing Halsin, and therefore potentially getting these tadpoles out!"

More grumbling happened as you leaned forward just a bit more to hear it. Steadying your footing, you scooted a bit closer to the conversation.

"Yeah, that sounds like a fine idea! Besides, what do you have against us tieflings, you two?!" A booming voice rose, laughter following it.

"Darling, I'm not against tieflings, but-"

Soon you realized you couldn't hear the rest of the conversation. Inching forward ever so slightly, you grumbled. Suddenly, you lost your footing, you foot slipping under you, and sending you tumbling out of the bush with a loud THUMP!

And straight in front of the group arguing.

Immediately the group of five shouted and drew their weapons, pointed at you. You shrieked and jumped up, throwing your hands in the air.

"I come in peace, I promise!" You shouted, backing up.

"Says the istik who jumped out of a bush, chk!" A githyanki woman said, her sword closing in your throat, "Speak, or lose your head."

"Lae'zel, enough. Give her some breathing room," The deep voice from earlier spoke. It came from a handsome man, with flowing brown hair and purple robes, "Let's hear her out before we decide to end her life."

"Yes, that is a fantastic idea!" You said, trying to catch your breath. You cleared your throat, trying to lower the adrenaline coursing through your body, "Um...hello?" You offered, trying to look all of them in the eye.

The group was a weird mix - a devilish-looking tiefling, a fair haired elf, two humans, a githyanki, and a heavily clad half elf all stood before you expectantly. The half elf crossed her arms impatiently.

"Out with it, we don't have all day."

Oh, big surprise - she was the annoyed one from earlier.

"My name is Atriss," You offered, "I was on the Nautiloid...I also have a tadpole...I heard you mention it earlier?" The mention of the tadpole made the party readjust themselves in some way. When no one spoke, you kept going, "I'm just...trying to find some lodging. And to figure out what happened to me."

"Well, you're probably going to want to find a cure for this tadpole before you find lodging," The devilish-looking tiefling said, "Apparently those things are what turn you into a mind flayer, so you should probably work on that, first."

A wave of panic washed over you, "...I'm going to turn into a mind flayer?"

"Ah, do not panic...not yet," The brown haired man said, "Apparently, it should have happened already, and it...obviously hasn't. So, we seem to be safe...for now."

You nodded slowly, looking at the man, who, for whatever reason, was smiling as he talked about becoming a mind flayer.

"Where are you from, Atriss?" The second human man asked.

"Baldur's Gate...are we close to there?"

The elf and half elf laughed, almost a snicker. You looked at the elf and narrowed your eyes - something about him was a little off.

"Darling, we aren't even close," He spoke, the lyrical lilt from earlier, "But you're in luck, because that's where some of us are trying to get back to, as well."

"Yeah, soldier! Stick with us and we'll go on an adventure together!" The tiefling said, punching her fist in the air, "But first, we have some goblins to slay."

"What Karlach means is, we are going to find someone to take these tadpoles out of our heads. But in the meantime, there seem to be some...obstacles we must defeat first." The brown haired human said. Suddenly, he took a step forward and bowed slightly, "I'm Gale. Wizard extraordinaire."

"Oh, okay-"

"This is Karlach, like I mentioned earlier. And that is Wyll, Lae'zel, Shadowheart, and finally, Astarion." Gale pointed to each person with their introduction and I nodded to all of them, my gaze resting on Astarion.

His hair was a fair shade of silver, and his seemingly-perpetual smirk was quite enticing. His eyes were an odd shade of red...you had never seen that before. Standing confidently, you noticed him sizing you up as you stood there, taking in the group.

"Can I help you with something?" You asked him, raising your eyebrows. His body stayed still as a statue.

"Whatever do you mean, darling?" He retorted.

"Well, it just seems that you have a vast interest in me, and I was wondering what I could do in order to squash your interest." You jutted your chin out a bit, crossing your arms. Karlach whistled and slapped Astarion's shoulders from behind.

"Seems you've got some competition in the Sassy Department, Astarion!" She said, cackling wildly. Wyll joined in on her laughter, and you could see a smirk playing on Gale and Shadowheart's lips. Lae'zel stood frowning.

Astarion did a quick once over on your body before turning on his heels, taking off, "If we want to try and fight these damned goblins sometime soon, then we should get going." He said to no one in particular. One by one, the group followed suit, Karlach making eye contact with you and rolling her eyes before falling in line with you.

"Don't worry, soldier. That's a warm welcome if I've ever seen one!" She said, "Welcome to the squad! Nice to have another personality on board - don't tell her, but Lae'zel's brooding was becoming a bit too much for me." Her voice lowered so no one else can hear.

"I can already tell she's the 'warm and welcoming' type." You said back. Karlach snickered.

"First things first, we must head back to the grove so we can get a bag of holding and supplies for Atriss," Wyll commanded at the front of the group, "Atriss, do you have any gold?"

"Um..." You absentmindedly put your hand in your pants pockets, fingering the 5 pieces of gold you had stolen from the corpse, "...not enough." You said, ashamed. You watched Astarion and Shadowheart roll their eyes and look at each other. A blush rose over your cheeks - what was it about you that made Astarion dislike you already?

"No worries...I can work something out once we arrive." Wyll said, offering you a kind smile, "Let's get going...we'll gather some more information from Zevlor this evening, prepare for our departure, and set off first thing tomorrow. Sound good?"

The group murmured their agreements, as they took off towards the Tiefling Grove, the fact of the matter hit you: you were now embedded in a journey that, from the looks of it, was about to be very long, very dangerous, and very life-changing.

You swallowed your fear, trying to keep up with the rest of the group.

After all, what else was there to do?

---

First chapter of "Evergreen"! This was a bit more of a build-up...I know there wasn't almost any Astarion/Atriss, but I promise it's coming!

As always, it means the world to me if you liked/commented/reblogged...it especially helps me know that you all are enjoying it!

[vixencrawley]

A Price To Pay |•Dark!Ominis Gaunt x Stripper!Mc

Chapter 1: On My Feet

Summary: 5 years after graduating from Hogwarts, Ominis Gaunt has shocked the ministry by taking over the Gaunt household, inheriting every single power that the famous family has from his brother, changing in ways Mc doesn't realize; Mc's prestigious family has gone into ruin after her father's arrest and her little sister developing a serious illness. Mc was desperate to get cash to get her sister back into a hospital, she thought maybe she could "borrow" some money from her dearest friend Ominis. Mc will soon find out that the new and improved Gaunt will take back what's supposed to be his no matter what it takes.

Genre: Dark Romance, Angst, Smutty

Word Count: 2,546k

Author's Note: This is my first time writing fanfiction so please be kind and send helpful critisim, i must warn the readers that this is a dark romance ff so please do not read if you are uncomfortable with it. and no smut yet thats for the next chapter hehehe.

BE. GONE. MINORS.

Warning: 18+, Kidnapping, Robbery, Dying, Stockholm Syndrome, Rough Sex, Master kink, explicit sexual content, aged-up characters, love triangle? Eye gouging, explicit dancing 

Footsteps collide with the muddy waters scattered around the dark street. I pant heavily as I try to run as fast as a scared fox, sharp edges of a gold plated porcelain plate dug through my skin yet I ignored the pain.

Sounds of my dark clock harmonized with the stomps of countless horses "Capture her!" yelled by a guard drawing their wands towards the running figure .

My skin shivered from the cold unforgivable air. I knew I shouldn't have stolen from the gaunts but this is the only way I could save her, Ominis will understand..right? Turning my heel to a secluded alleyway a wall began to slowly appear from the ground. I quickly grabbed onto a pile of boxes, threw them in the ground creating a quick makeshift ramp.

Without hesitation I ran towards the crowded pub across the street. I hid behind a few pedestrians and slipped through the backdoor. I dropped the sack of stolen items I was holding and quickly grabbed the bag hidden behind a few garbage bins, moving the stolen items in it. 

Shuffling around my pockets to pull out two veils of polyjuice potion. I saw a harmless sleeping homeless person and dosed the polyjuice potion onto them. Having them transform as a version of me, with a heavy heart I regrettably leave the homeless person posing as me to distract the guards who were following me. 

I calmly walked towards an alley while I drank the remaining polyjuice potion. Turning into a fine gentleman, my hair turning gray, facial hair starts to grow above my lip. I took off my cloak revealing a more high class three piece suit, no one suspects a man. 

Walking down the streets with the confidence of an innocent man as I hear guards capturing the 'suspect' on the abandoned alleyway. I look back ensuring myself that they would let the man go as soon they figured out they were actually innocent. 'they would be fine, I need to do this for Alice' 

__________________________________

Knockturn Alley became my home. No matter how dangerous it may be it was a place that unseemly turned into something familiar. I used to remember coming here with another of my old friends, Sebastian Sallow, he would always claim to protect me from the wandering eyes of passersby. Oh how much I missed the sense of safety, quickly walking to an almost rundown apartment building. 

Unlocking the door and opening it to see my younger sister, Alice making tea. Her body is weak from this muggle illness called cancer, her hair falling like a leaf in the autumn season. 

Small single bedroom with a few kitchen items on the west side of the room. It was lifeless, something I'm sure Alice isn't used to but was our home, it was the only thing i could afford with a hectic schedule.

I dropped my bag, quickly rushing towards her side "Alice, I told you not to strain your body didn't I?" I calmly said as I led her back to the one bed on the apartment floor. "I know sister.. I just thought I could make you some breakfast today" Alice coughed as she laid down on the bed. 

"You shouldn't worry about those things Alice" pulling the blankets over her fragile shivering body "If I'm not worried about such things who would sister?" She commented, causing me to smile from the corners of my mouth. 

"I can handle myself Alice, I'm your great big sister after all" I stretched my arm out flexing it, showing my little sister how strong her big sister is. She giggled at my gesture but her smile quickly faded. "Are you working late again?" 

It was hard enough to support the both of us after our father was convicted through the crimes of treason. Taking all of my family's wealth as compensation from all the lives he scammed away, I know leaving Alice alone in the rundown apartment wasn't the best idea but it was the only one I could afford…for now.’Getting her back to St. Mungos is my first priority’

Getting up from the floor I walk towards the kitchen, if you can call it that. I picked up the bag I threw on the ground and moved it to the dirty counter. 

"Unfortunately, yes.. but don't worry after my shift we'll be able to have enough for you to be back in St. Mungos for a couple of months and after you get better I'll take you to the carnival" I announced as I finished making breakfast from the unfinished food Alice created earlier.

I hear my sister squeal in excitement. She would always tell me she wanted to go to that carnival around the corner of Knockturn Alley. With the remaining cash that should be left after I give it to Eugene. 

As soon as I finished making breakfast I got two plates and set a portion for me and Alice. Intentionally making Alice's portion much bigger than mine, placing Alice's plate in front of her. She immediately started eating her breakfast.

"Did you get a promotion in your waitress job,sister?" Alice asked full of curiosity, I took a deep breath. It's hard to lie to my sister. I know she wouldn't approve of me being an exotic dancer or even a thief but it's the only way I could pay for her expensive care at St. Mungus not to mention the countless potions. 

"Yeah so you have nothing to worry about" I smiled towards her hoping she wouldn't push more questions. "Oh Merlin! I forgot to tell you something sister" she weakly grabbed a letter that was hidden inside the bedside drawer. 

"An owl came by earlier and left this letter, it was addressed to you" she handed me the letter, it was pristine it looked like it was written with the fanciest paper anyone could afford. I turned the envelope and a certain word got my attention. 

'Gaunt' "It's from the Gaunts, I think it's from Ominis, your best friend, sister!" Alice said excitedly but all I could feel was horror, maybe it was a mistake I made sure he wouldn't recognize me! 

"I missed Ominis sister! Do you remember when he would always give me sweets when his family used to visit us in London!" My sister reminisced about Ominis. I didn't want to tell her how much the gaunt family turned their back on us when father was imprisoned for treason. 

"Yeah I missed Ominis too.." I whispered as I got up to hide the envelope in the closet. 

Ominis Gaunt was my best friend, someone who I could play violin as he played piano, someone who I could sneak out of the bedroom to grab snacks in the kitchen, someone who would tutor me in charms class, or someone who would comfort you after Sebastian ran away.

“Ominis! Guess what I just found in the garden?” I said with a child-like smile hiding a small item behind my back. I knew ominous couldn't see but i still wanted it to be a surprise “Could it perhaps be another grimes fairy tale book?” Ominis proclaimed with a small smirk forming in the corner of his mouth, his head never leaving the book he held. “Nope! Guess again!” I shook my head, swaying my body weight back and forth as I looked down at my yellow gown.

Slowly looking up at young Ominis who wore a green plaid vest with a white beige linen shirt paired with a black trousers. He looked rather dashing in outerwear. He dropped the braille book on top of the table in front of his chair. Ominis took a deep breath and creased his chin “Ah ha! Could it be a pastry?” He declared with a proud smile.

“Nope! Do you want me to tell you?” I giggled at Ominis who hadn't guessed the item I was holding behind my back. He smiled defeatingly and looked at my general direction “ Okay fine please tell me what it is”. “Hold out your hand” I said as I reached for his tiny hands, he willingly reached for mine as well; gently opening his palms I placed a very delicate daisy onto it “It's a daisy! I found it in the backside of the garden!”

Gently guiding his fingers to ‘see’ the flower “Sadly there was only one i couldn't find a field of them! I heard from our muggle servant that in the  muggle world there is a field of daisies that exists in the countryside!”  Sitting next to his legs I placed my head on his lap.I so badly wanted to see a field of daisies..Do you think Hogwarts has a field of daisies?” I questioned him hoping he would answer yes “I don't think hogwarts has a field of daisies,little dove”

I pouted my bottom lip, knowing deep down I wouldn't be able to see a field of daisies ``urgh”. Ominis gently patted my head “Don't worry i promise you’ll see a field of daisies, i'll make sure you’ll see a plentiful” that statement alone still made me sad i was able to see a field of daisies what about Ominis? Disheartened, I gazed upon Ominis; he looked really handsome with his foggy blue eyes. “I don't want to see a field of daisies anymore”

“How so?” He asked with curiosity “Well if i can see a field of daisies then you wouldn't! I wanna experience that with you ominis!” He caressed my cheeks,feeling his warmth calmed  me in a way I couldn't describe. “ Its okay, i know without my sight im not able to experience things with you but as long as i am with you i am perfectly fine with it” 

I would be lying if i haven't said that ominis’s words often leave me blushing red. He let go of my cheeks and grabbed his want in his pockets and did a unfamiliar spell “Presavation Acentio!” He announced as he flicked and whipped his wand  casting an invisible cast around the single daisy. I stared at it in awe. “What spell did you just use?And where did you learn that Omi?” He giggled at my curiosity “Just some books i had been reading in preparation for my first year in hogwarts”

Sadly, I remembered that ominis would have to leave to attend Hogwarts in a few months; I wouldn't be able to play with him. “It's a preservation spell you can keep the daisy for decades” He placed it on the palm of my hands. I shook my head and got up to his level “No! You should keep it! You're leaving for Hogwarts and you don't have anything to remember me by!” I inserted the daisy in his dress pocket in his vest “When you go to Hogwarts I want you to remember me every time you see a daisy”.

Ominis chuckled at my gestures and grabbed my hand, he kissed the back of my hand “I couldn't possibly forget someone like you my little dove, but if you wished i will remember you as i smell a hint of daisy or even grazed upon one” I smiled proudly knowing ominis would remember be by a beautiful flower. 

__________________________________

After making sure my sister was well fed I quietly left and locked the apartment ensuring she wouldn't be able to wake up from me leaving so quickly. 

It was time for my shift at the pub, countless people flooded the place. It's surrounded by nobles who are dealing illegal crimes at the sideline, and obviously numerous drunkies who drink their lives' problems away. ‘How ignorant’. 

I sighed and entered the staffroom, changing into a laced corset with matching lace stockings. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder sending cold shivers down my spine. "Mc! There you are"  a enthusiastic tone said by the one and only Eugene O'Brien. 

"Well hello to you too Eugene" I said in a condescending tone towards him. "Don't be like that Mc, I'm the one helping you after all" he prompted his arm around my shoulder. 

Flinching from the sudden action I kept a straight face even if I was disgusted at his gesture, I know deep down he is not helping me with good intentions. But he is the only one who can get me jobs like a exotic dancer and even a thief at such short notice. 

I took a deep breath and avoided eye contact as he went on about a whore he banged. I clutched my chest trying to suppress my shaky hands. 

His laugh faded as he noticed my demeanor, he harshly grabbed my chin to face him "Don't give me that attitude Crawley! Remember the hand that feeds you" 

I looked up at him trying to look at his other features like his brown locks or that  scar across his lips. I know if I ever looked at him eye to eye he would sense my fear of him. He was right, Alice and I are only alive because he gave me a chance at numerous jobs. 

I nodded at his statement, my fingers trembled" I'm sorry Eugene.. I'm just on edge today..please forgive me.." I begged hoping he would let my unprofessional attitude go, legs felt weak as I tried to intimidate him back. 

He rashly let go of my chin, tossing me down on the ground. I stayed on the ground not wanting to look up at his tall figure. "You should be grateful I started a small conversation with a whore like you." He bent down and grabbed my hair, forcing me to look at him. 

"Where's the items I told you to steal?" I shakily pointed at the bag I came in a while ago, it is filled with the items I was instructed to grab. He let go my hair and snatched the bag "I'll get your share later slut"

I pant heavily frightened by his cruel actions towards me, I looked away trying to focus on the mold on the lockers instead of trying to suppress my panic at the situation. 

A knock was heard through the door and Eugene walked towards. I looked at the door's direction still avoiding eye contact, another staff member came and whispered something to Eugene and quickly left after. 

I reluctantly got up from the floor, even if my limbs slowly turned into jelly. Snapping his fingers, it rang in my ears and swiftly looked at Eugene's direction, I lowered my head not wanting to give him more reasons to get furious. 

"Mc! Get ready your regular Mr. Snake requested you" the mention of Mr. Snake somehow calmed my nerves, out of every regulars that had requested for me he had happened to be my favorite. 

He was a gentleman yet still carried a demanding aura. He would always request me and would often extend his time until my shift ends. "I understand I'll get ready"

"He's in the green room" Eugene commented as he left and headed towards his office, while looking through the bag. I swallowed the lump on my throat not realizing I was holding my breath. I opened my locker again and swiftly reapplied my makeup

tags: @littletealight @slootmagix @jakesully-sbabygirl @lizonzon @slytherinmodqueen @khamanix @belladorea @mehnotenoughtime @choccy-milky @cuffmeinblack @greedyforgarreth

[emilybahu]

Got a little something new for you!

Words: 1,927 | Rating: Teen and Up | Chapter: 1/1 | Part 1/3 in a series of one shots that I'm calling Quiet Mornings.

Snippet:

Eddie woke up slowly, confused momentarily, before taking in his surroundings and remembering that he slept at Buck’s loft last night. He listened to the sound of the rain falling outside as he stretched and turned in bed to find Buck’s side empty. He would be concerned by that fact if he hadn’t heard the sounds of Buck starting breakfast and music drifting softly upstairs from the kitchen. Eddie gave himself a few more minutes to wake up fully before slowly rolling out of bed, slipping on his sweatpants, and padding down the stairs. Once he reached the bottom, he just stopped and admired Buck for a moment, in all his shirtless glory, as he hummed and lightly swayed to the song that was playing. God, Eddie loves Buck so much…

Eddie walks farther through the apartment, making his way to his boyfriend. He sneaked up behind Buck and slid his arms around his waist, whispering, “Good morning, mi amor,” before kissing the soft spot behind his ear and hooking his chin over Buck’s shoulder.

Buck tensed for a moment, a reflexive response, before he relaxed into Eddie's embrace, his body melting into Eddie’s chest. He hummed in contentment as Eddie kissed him, then turned his head to press a soft kiss on Eddie's cheek. “Good morning, baby,” Buck murmurs. “How did you sleep?” he asks, returning to working on his pancakes.

“Mmmmm,” Eddie hummed into Buck’s shoulder, “pretty good until I woke up alone.”

“Well, you knew exactly where to find me; I didn’t go very far.” Buck lightly giggled.

Eddie huffed, “You went far enough,” before nuzzling his face into Buck’s neck and saying, “Besides, you’ve deprived me of my morning cuddles.”

Buck snickered. “Don’t worry, Eddie, you’ll be compensated for the missing cuddle time.”

“I sure do hope so!” Eddie said, leaving another small kiss on Buck’s jaw before pulling away.

Eddie unwrapped himself from Buck, going to prepare himself a cup of coffee. He leaned against the island's counter, watching Buck work as he held his mug with both hands, sipping his coffee. As much as Eddie loved spending time with Chris and enjoyed watching Chris and Buck’s dynamic change as his son ages, Eddie also cherished these quiet mornings alone with his boyfriend. As he contemplated this, Eddie closed his eyes so he didn’t see that Buck had finished the pancakes and was now smiling fondly at him.

“Have I ever told you,” Buck said, stepping into Eddie’s space, causing him to open his eyes as Buck placed his hands on his hips. “How gorgeous you are, baby?” he continued, pushing Eddie lightly against the counter.

Putting down his mug in favor of wrapping his arms around Buck’s shoulders, Eddie hummed, enjoying the feeling of Buck leaning on him, and said, “Yes, multiple times, if I remember correctly.” he paused, bringing a hand up to Buck’s cheek before continuing, “And I’d have to say the same to you cariño.”

[lustkillers]

LOVE & WAR !

PART I. the garden heist.

⊹₊ ⋆ summary. - clyde and you yearned for each other, but poison ivy and spider-man were mortal enemies.

┃ tags/warnings. ࿐ ❪ friends to lovers? yet enemies to lovers? a whole lot of crime fighting violence, fluff, angst, injuries, a whole lot of swearing, clyde/spider-man is a part of the sassy men apocalypse. ooc clyde?? ❫

⊹₊ ⋆ pairing - spider-man!clyde x poison ivy!reader.

⊹₊ ⋆ note - this SUCKS and it was long overdue... might make this a multi-part series! if you do want it to be a multi-part series, please let me know!! requests are open as well :)

[ @cc-luvr , @amandayoungluvr , @insxghtt ]

YOU walked into the now closed botanical garden, your hands gliding on each leaf you passed by, bringing them life.

You had always loved the botanical gardens ever since you were a child. The smell of fresh flowers and the sun shining down through the trees filled you with contentment and peace. Everyone at school had joked that it was your favorite place in the world, but truth be told they weren’t far off.

That was until it went downhill.

After years of neglect, the garden was now overgrown and unkempt. The once thriving trees were swaying lifelessly in the wind, and the place that used to be filled with laughter had become desolate.

But you still loved it all the same. You felt drawn to this place like a moth to a flame. No matter what kind of state it was in, you felt connected.

You made your way through the once-beautiful gardens, trying to ignore all of the signs of neglect and disrepair. You stopped at each flowerbed and examined it carefully, noticing a small patch of forget-me-nots that were still blooming despite the lack of care they had received over the years.

You knelt down and ran your fingertips along the petals of one of the flowers, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. As you did so, a small white butterfly fluttered out from behind one of the other flowerbeds, hovering over you for what felt like forever before flying away.

It seemed like a sign to you - despite how neglected this place was, you knew that it had the potential to be beautiful again.

And you were going to make them pay.

"Hands up where I can see them!" A voice shouted from the darkness, only a bright light flashing at you. You slowly raised your arms, revealing the thicket of rosebuds you had gathered in your hands.

"What do you think you're doing here?" The now revealed officer asked.

You took a deep breath and spoke with confidence, "I'm here to save this garden from neglect."

The man chuckled before raising his gun, "You're trespassing, little lady."

You stood your ground, raising an eyebrow. "If you shoot me, that won't save the garden. Instead, I'm offering to help restore it to its former glory. You can let me do that instead, or else."

"Or else?" The officer leaned into his comm. "We've got an intruder here who claims to be capable of revitalizing this garden." He laughed. "I'm sure the Chief will get a kick out of this, now c'mon. I'm taking you in," he said, coming closer.

"You're not taking me anywhere," you smirked.

Suddenly, vines wrapped around the man, tightly gripping on his ankles and hoisting him upside down. "I need backup!" He yelled. You sneered as you stepped forward. "Who's so little now?" you said, using your abilities to whip each rosebud into full bloom.

"What is this?" The man gasped, awe-struck but frightened by the transformation.

"This is what comes from corrupting and exploiting nature," you replied with a menacing smile.

You glared at the officer as he cowered in front of you. "Now what?" He wheezed.

"Now," You said menacingly, "I'm going to start restoring the garden and you're going to stay out of my way."

"So... Do you grow weed? 'Cause that would be dope!" A new voice echoed through the garden, making you whip your head around towards the officer. However, no one was there.

You turned back, only being met with Spider-Man. "Hey Plant Girl," he said casually, hanging from above. You groaned, not to happy that Spider-Man had showed up and interrupted your revenge. You knew that would never work out in your favor.

"Oh great, it's you," You spat. "I suppose you've come to save the day."

Spider-Man then replied with a sly smirk, "It's what I do best." He quickly swung himself closer and closer towards you until he was face-to-face.

“Hey, is that actual plants as your suit? That’s sick!”

You frowned. “It’s not a suit. It’s part of my abilities, and it's none of your business!”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, no need to get snippy! I was just wondering is all!”

His expression now turned serious as he continued on, "But if I were you, I'd think twice about taking on an enemy like me," He crossed his arms.

You scoff, "And why's that?"

He said simply, "Because I'm not someone you want to mess with."

You rolled your eyes, unable to suppress the smirk that was forming on your lips. "Is that supposed to intimidate me? Cause it's not really working," You crossed your arms and prepared for a fight.

"Did it work?" He smirked under his mask, raising an eyebrow.

You shook your head in disbelief and prepared to fight back. "Not even close," you said, scoffing.

You closed your fist, sharp tree branch jabbing him. He barely had time to react, as he quickly jumped back. You had hit him hard and you knew it, a satisfied smile creeping upon your lips.

He slowly shook his head and glared at you with confusion. "What did I do to deserve that?" He asked, pursing his lips together.

You rolled your eyes with a hint of amusement, "Are you serious?" You smirked, "You knew who I was and yet you still came here looking for a fight. What did you expect?" You mockingly laugh.

He shook his head, "I didn't come here to fight. I came here to protect the citizens."

You laughed again, not believing a single word coming out of his mouth. "Yeah right!" You scoffed and then pointed your finger at him menacingly.

"I don't need protecting, and I will do whatever it takes to protect myself and these plants!" You roared before launching yourself towards him in an attempt to hit him with your vines as he attempted to dodge out of the way.

He dodged your attack, flipping out of the way and landing on his feet. You barely had time to react before he charged towards you, a look of determination in his eyes. He punched you in the face and then kicked your stomach with enough force to make you stumble back.

"You're not getting away that easily," he said firmly as both of you continued to fight.

You and Spider-Man fought tirelessly, neither one of you ready to back down. You used your powers against him while he used his agility and strength against you. Despite all your best efforts, it seemed like he had the upper hand--that is until you finally managed to wrap some of your vines around his legs and trap him in place.

"I think we both know who the real winner is here," you said smugly as Spider-Man struggled to free himself from the vines.

"Game over." His hand extended, shooting a web towards your hands. The web covered your hands, trapping them and immobilizing you, your control over the plants letting both him and the officer go.

He gave you a couple blows, the last hit being at your face. With that hit alone, your mask fell off your face. You looked up and there he was, staring at you intently.

He knew who you were. And he knew your name.

"Y-You..." He said slowly, recognition filling his eyes.

You felt vulnerable, but yet a part of you felt some familiarity with the masked hero.

"So what now, Spider-Man?" you asked, a smirk beginning to appear on your face. You still hadn't moved from the spot and he had made no move to escort you away or handcuff you. It felt like there was something much more behind this whole exchange than just a battle between two enemies.

He was caught off guard, still staring at you with his hand gripping your outfit. Finally, he let go and stepped back.

"You give me your word that you won't cause any more destruction to the city, and I'll let you go," he said simply, crossing his arms against his chest.

You tilted your head, "Can't promise you that, Spidey." You smirked, flicking your wrist and tying him up with the vines again, now walking away.

Clyde watched as you walked away, his heart still beating faster. His crush was Poison Ivy.

"Shit."

[my-midnight-musings-xoxo]

Major spoilers for MadK!

---

We're returning to MadK, as promised. Makoto is one of my favorite manga characters, there's so much to him and I utterly adore the character writing in this story. I don't know if I've said this before but no one in MadK is a perfect victim, something I've noticed people expect, even subconsciously. Makoto is far from the perfect, even ideal victim if you view it in how people believe victims "should" appear. To refrain from a tangent, let's move on to his design!

(Laby has a great video essay on Jinx that dives into multiple topics including how Dan isn't viewed as a victim because he isn't a "real" victim, highly recommend it).

First the bolo tie. I've mentioned before how it represents J passing on his trauma. Still, in my research to find more symbolism for it I found it was appropriated by Westerners, specifically cowboys and ranchers because of course it was, leading to its worldwide fame. If you want to learn more, Palms Trading Company has an article on its history. I'm going to view the passing of it on to Makoto as an allegory, but that doesn't mean we're finished!

Kiernan's wings. In Japanese culture dragons don't fly as often as Chinese ones do hence they're depicted more serpent-like. I don't believe I'm qualified to deep dive into the symbolism through a cultural lens, so I'll analyze through a story and characters lens.

An interaction that stuck with me after I finished reading was Makoto confronting Kiernan about his..infatuation turned love (this is in Vol 3 Chapter 17 towards the end). Makoto says outright, "I belong to him, which is what makes me so attractive to you. You know you'll never make me yours. You pine. You feel safe." Kiernan partly agrees, thinking that now it's more like being with J himself. Both fail to gain what they truly want from each other, they want J through the other. Kiernan never achieves getting J, but Makoto does at the very end, becoming him only worsens this fate. Taking the wings from someone as obsessed with J as he is serves to contribute to figuratively and literally reaching J. In Vol 2 Chapter 12 after Makoto takes Kiernan's wings he flies up to J, along their wings spread out it's clear he's slowly but surely climbing up to J's position. He asserts he's not going to become a demon like he wants, despite him doing just that. Destroying himself entirely to mold himself into exactly what J wanted, what he was.

The werewolf teeth aren't talked about often, but I find them interesting. Werewolves aren't really a part of Japanese mythology, so I'll be analyzing this generally. They symbolize the duality of humanity and primality, along with repressed desires and the struggle with said desires. It's usually a curse that can be dealt with through a silver bullet. Through some skimming, apparently, that's a myth? Silver represents purity, protection, and along with other things it's associated with the moon. Werewolves turn beneath a full moon. Overall the moon is a symbol of emotion, with full moons symbolizing heightened emotions, completion, and transformation. The sun and moon are direct opposites in this position, adding to the dichotomy of werewolves.

J and Makoto reflect and oppose each other perfectly. Both are clearly victims, both destroyed by decades (even centuries) of suffering, and both reflect their inner child. Both wanted to be truly loved. In a way, they found each other. In J's case, he shed his facade, revealing a lonely child who simply wanted love, the very notion distorted from years of abuse, even from Kiernan, someone who was supposed to love him. We get little information about their relationship, and I know they're demons, but it's still tragic. Makoto lost himself the way J did, becoming nobody.

This manga is wonderful and has endless content to analyze and muse about! The day I can hold it in my hands I'll be over the moon, I just don't want to have to explain to my parents what depravity I've bought ehe.

I hope this was sufficient, or at least interesting to read. Not quite sure what I'll muse about next. I have a draft about MadK and how it'd function as a musical, unfortunately I have next to none musical theater knowledge so that probably won't be posted for a while. Maybe I'll muse over certain scenes I'd like in MadK.

Hope to post this weekend, no promises <3

[hiveworks]

Hiveworks Interview with Clover, author of Go Get A Roomie! and Little Tiny Things

June 2023

Go Get A Roomie! is a queer found-family slice-of-life comic that began in 2010, featuring Roomie and her friends as they work through their internal and interpersonal struggles, as well as journeys of self discovery.

This month, Hiveworks is hosting a crowdfunding campaign to print the fourth and final volume of beloved webcomic Go Get A Roomie! by Clover.

We asked author Clover to talk about their experiences with GGAR, webcomics, and staying creative.

As the creator behind several comic series, what drew you to the webcomic medium?

I first found out that webcomics existed around 2008 and had a few favorites I followed regularly. Being into drawing comics myself, the thought of doing a webcomic creeped into mind slowly but surely. I loved how accessible webcomics were, how easy it seemed to be to start one, how certain webcomic communities were. So I started one :)

Go Get A Roomie! started in 2010. The world has changed a lot since then! What was it like to post queer content online then and now?

There are way more queer webcomics now than before! Go Get a Roomie! probably partly owes its success to the fact that there weren't too many queer ongoing webcomics back then.

Readers demanded more queer content, more specific to their needs. Now there's more choice. If you don't like a queer webcomic, you can find another one without any hassle!

How has the landscape of posting webcomics online generally changed for you? Has your audience changed?

Posting for three different webcomics means discovering what it's like to have a different audience for each, though some webcomics are similar enough that the audience remains largely the same. Generally though, I've had very positive experiences with most of my audience! They've been caring, and understanding enough that I've never felt rushed, or judged for taking time off when needed.

Go Get A Roomie! has concluded and you're now onto your newest slice-of-life work, Little Tiny Things, which updates Tuesdays and Thursdays. How do you stay motivated with posting your comics regularly?

I do it because I love doing it! Not that it's always easy to maintain the same schedule, but I like knowing that the story advances at a "fast" enough pace. I want readers to discover more of what I want to show them!

In addition to LTT and GGAR, you are also the creator of Headless Bliss, a surreal comic that bends towards horror. It's very different from your slice-of-life work. How does Headless Bliss fit into your creative process and identity as an artist?

Go Get a Roomie! had a few surreal elements when a character dreamed, or told stories, and I had a lot of fun with those moments because it was so different from the slice-of-life, 4-paneled, jokes I wrote for GGAR. It meant I could explore more, narration-wise and tool-wise. But it wasn't enough, I had ideas for another story that was way more psychedelic, because I've always loved those kinds of stories too (comics like Sandman have inspired me a lot), and so Headless Bliss was born. I loved having two comics of two different vibes to jump from one to the other.

Go Get A Roomie! has been successfully crowdfunded into three books, with the fourth and final volume currently underway. What do you think are the benefits of transforming webcomics to print? What are the challenges?

Webcomics online are neat because they're accessible for so many people, for free! But having them on print means more people can enjoy them, and I'm one of those who prefer reading on print than on screen. Crowdfundings are a great way to make a little more money from your hard work, but they're also a challenge because of all the extra work that needs to be done! Preparing the book, the rewards, sure, but also managing everything else surrounding the printing and the shipping of the materials promised, and on time too! Thankfully, having Hiveworks as a partner in crime means being able to share some of all that work, it's an immense help!

Outside of comics, what do you do to refuel your inspiration?

I try to not work too much! Give myself time to do something else, to go outside, breathe a little, you know? All that is told within stories has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is you living things.

Any advice for comic artists who find themselves stuck in a rut?

Take a break and try not to feel too guilty about it. It's okay not to be at your best all the time!

What is something you're looking forward to?

Right at this moment, settling down in my new home, to be able to work once more on comics in a nice and welcoming environment. Once that's done, I'd like to try out the more "traditional" path to publishing and start a new comic for a publishing house! While still continuing webcomics because I love doing it :)

Go Get A Roomie! Book 4 crowdfunding campaign is hosted by Hiveworks. The campaign concludes June 16, 2023, at 12pm ET.

[topaz-carbuncle]

OC in 15: Valerie Michaelis

rules: share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

Thank you for the tag @crownleys! <3

I have been missing Val and Nate a lot recently, so it's been fun to go through my older stuff for this, especially as she's the OC who got the most love so far in terms of written dialogue!

Dialogue from posted works will be marked with " <x>"!

1: "Nate...I'm sorry, but I couldn't just sit and hide while you got hurt, especially not because of me. I might not be anything special, like you four are, but do you think I could bear to stand by and watch you get hurt either? I know that you are trying to protect me and I appreciate that so much…But you need to let me work with you, as a team. You need to trust that I can do this, that I can be a part of your world." <x>

2: “I promise. I’m sorry for worrying you, I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing you,” she gives him a watery giggle, a giggle that transforms into a shy smile as he raises a neat eyebrow at her- urging her to continue, “we really make quite the pair, don’t we? Constantly worried for the other, to the point of ignoring our own safety and how it would affect those around us.” <x>

3: As if on cue, Val’s melodic voice cuts through Adam’s rant before Nate could even raise a hand to interrupt him. “Aww, you do care about me!” <x>

4: With her hands still on his chest, she looks up at him bashfully, biting her lip as she considers her words. “Is this a bad time to admit that, despite being the one to suggest that we come to the beach, I don’t actually know how to swim…?” <x>

5: “Well, most children who have parents to take them on holiday probably do.” She struggles to keep the bitterness out of her voice, wincing slightly as she sees the sadness in Nate’s eyes, the same sadness that plagues him whenever she brought up her childhood...Or lack thereof. “But this is my first holiday! My first family holiday, so it would be nice if one of you could teach me…?” <x>

6: “Punishment… what punishment?” Before she can fully register the situation, a cold gust of wind brushes past her as she stares up at Mason in confusion, slowly realising that her vampiric defence had vanished from in front of her. “Wait… Et tu, Nate?” <x>

7: “I’m not exactly sure where to start,” Val runs her hands through her hair as she paces, the action doing very little to bring her comfort as she tries to pull at the stitches holding her heart and mind together, “or how to start actually… This might take a while. It might take a few days.” <x>

8: “No, she didn’t know. I had changed my emergency contact for the hospital to Tina a few years before that. If Mum knew…she certainly never visited, so there's a good chance she doesn’t know at all. She can’t know, Nate. I’m sorry to throw all this onto you like that.” <x>

9: She cocks an eyebrow up at him before giving him her best dramatic gasp, her hand planted on her chest, "Agent Sewell, do you mean to tell me that you've been snooping through my possessions? What would the others say?"

10: "Yeah well...It's about to sound a lot more like begging in roughly 2 minutes if that disgusting spider isn't dealt with. Are you all here to watch, or can one of you do something since Adam is more content to be a pain in the arse?"

11: "Are you proposing to me, Agent Sewell?" She peers up at him through her eyelashes, the humour in her voice falters as hope takes over.

12: "Am I doing this right?" She breathes out a small laugh at the adorably confused look he sends her way. "I'm not doing a very good job at coherently starting my sentence. It's just… I'm worried that I don't know how to love properly, it's not like I had an example to follow while growing up."

13: “A lot of people prefer putting their thoughts out for the public to read. This can work out well for me when the station finds evidence out in the virtual open like this, you have no idea how many people incriminate themselves through this. Books can be burnt, but this? This stuff is forever, so uh…be careful if you plan on committing any crimes and then posting about it online.”

14: "And you are a powerful man, Agent Sewell."

15: "...Yes Nathaniel ?" <x>

Tagging: @serenpedac @lucysarah-c, @humanitys-strongest-bamf, @youre-ackermine, @l3visthighs! (i'm not sure if some of you have oc's that you write for, but it could be fun to show some "reader" dialogues as well / instead of! <3)

[alexrosekey]

Old But Gold Pt.3

For today's episode of OBG, I'm going to introduce a fic that was written in 2004. That's right, pre Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! It's Inferno, by Ociwen.

This gem was originally posted on Skyehawke.com - an independent fanfiction site that no longer exists. I came across this fic while scouring the Lumione fanlore.org page. Without a doubt, this is one of the wildest fic I've ever read of this pairing.

Since this one was written pre book 6, there are many canon divergent details. Tldr, Lucius and Hermione found themselves stuck in the Muggle world together after facing one another on the battlefield. Here's the catch, Lucius is stripped of all magic because of Hermione!

Yes, the premise might sound familiar if not common - forced proximity, stranded in a strange place and having to work together to survive that sort of thing. Hermione's inner monologues, however, captivates me. They are insanely engaging, and suck you in as the events unfold.

Lucius in this fic is pre book 7. He is rough around the edge, with much more darkness than many of his post-canon portrayals. Through Hermione's observations, Lucius appears as a mysterious, prejudiced, cold and harsh figure at the beginning of this fic.

Hermione and Lucius' relationship starts out as antagonistic and seemingly incompatible. Lucius is de-magicked and hostile, Hermione is hurt, scared, and equally contemptuous. Slowly, as the time passes, we get to see a bit more beyond Lucius' tough exterior. He's not all venom and spikes. Like a true Slytherin, he makes the most out of the situation and manages to carve out something for himself despite the cards he was given.

Hermione goes through various stages of emotions following her growing relationship with Lucius. The author's emotive description of her thoughts and feelings is one of the strongest aspects of Inferno. Through their writing, we experience Hermione’s initial longing for her friends and family, her yearning for the life she has left behind. Gradually, like Lucius, she adapted to the situation and grew to care for Lucius, eventually accepting her new life and be content with what she has. 

Writing more would be spoiler-y. This fic is something that you need to see for yourself. Sure, there's a ton of smut - very steamy, I must say - but they serve a purpose. Though beware that despite my review, this fic is not your traditional Lumione redemption fic. It contains dubcon, some less-than-wholesome segments and other dubious, graphic scenarios. There might be some questions left unanswered, and you might be forever questioning Lucius’ true motives, but that’s what makes this story intriguing!

Either way, you are in for a ride.

[autumntouched]

https://at.tumblr.com/angelbabyange/glen-in-australia-looking-like-this-is-absolutely/999xnl4tldzc very much giving honeymoon jake 😮‍💨 both phoenix (and myself) going absolutely feral

😮‍💨🥵😮‍💨 this pic breaks me and yessss this is Jake’s honeymoon look and driving Phoenix and all of us absolutely feral. But two can play that game...

I hope you’re looking for smut, but if not, please stop here because it’s about to get 18+, NSFW. Sorry. Probably not my best work, but I couldn't move on without getting this out of my head and I'm already behind on answering your asks

Aphrodisiac

A light hand brushes her hair from her face, and Jake places a tender kiss on her forehead before leaving the bed. Natasha cracks her eyes open to watch his naked shadow in the pre-dawn dimness. She smiles into her pillow when she notices that he’s already hard. He pulls on linen shorts and the slate shirt that transforms his eyes into hypnotic green orbs. The short sleeve button down is new, and when he wore it to dinner last night she’d lost the thread of their conversation multiple times while appreciating how it looked on him and anticipating how he’d look when she pulled it off. Noticing her drifting gaze, Jake kept preening so obviously that the waiter thought to mention their meal and dessert were aphrodisiacs. That shirt is a fucking aphrodisiac. 

The shirt stays unbuttoned. Hair disheveled from sleep and several almost feral rounds of sex still tingling along her synapses, he grabs his book and steps quietly to the rotating glass doors of their villa. It may be their honeymoon, but Jake is apparently keeping Navy hours. The ocean breeze wafts through the floor to ceiling windows, fluttering the bed’s gauzy canopy. It wakes Natasha a little more.

The floorboards of their secluded, private deck thump hollowly under his feet before he settles onto the infinity pool-side chaise.

Natasha tries to drift back to sleep but thinking of Jake lounging partially dressed feet away floods her with heady arousal and propels her in the opposite direction. She sweeps off the covers and stands into the kiss of the early morning’s warmth. Her white, silk tank and shorts cling to her curves.

She brushes her teeth before following him out to the deck barefoot. Jake’s waiting for her, his book The 48 Laws of Power, lying unopened on the side table. The gaze that passes slowly down her body is all burning desire, hotter than the still rising sun. Wordlessly he opens his legs to her. Natasha slinks over to lower herself between his thighs, her back to his chest and legs stretched along the line of his. She wraps the ends of his shirt around her.

His hardening dick presses eagerly into her lower back, but for now Jake’s content to run his nose along her neck while he plays with the ends of her hair. Natasha closes her eyes and falls into a contented half sleep, lulled by his encompassing heat and the sound of the waves and the birds’ sunrise chorus among the tropical trees. She’s not sure how long she’s drifting in the cradle of his body before his hand makes its way from her hair to palm her breast.

Through the thin fabric, he teases her nipple into an aching peak that darts straight to her core. His chin moves to her shoulder so he can watch every little effect he’s having on her while he caresses and kneads her chest. “I wanted to spend all night touching your tits as soon as I saw you in this,” he says. She can hear the smile in his voice. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to fall asleep.” 

Natasha’s breath hitches at the friction of silk on skin as he rolls her nipples between his fingers, the double stimulation arching her back off his abdomen. Almost involuntarily, her thighs butterfly open. She curls her fingers into the hem of his shirt and bites her lip to restrain the desperate noises trying to escape her throat.

“This making you wet for me?” he murmurs, lips turned toward her ear.

The edges of her vision are already blurring. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” she gasps.

In answer, Jake squeezes her breast and dances his fingers up her inner thigh to the loose hem of her shorts. Her hips jerk to urge him on, and his dick twitches with his own arousal. His breathing gets lower and heavier as he skims the crease of her leg while his other hand pushes its way up her shirt. She presses her back into him when his firm grip closes over her bare chest. 

“Jake,” she whines, taking the forearm of the hand up her shorts and urging him toward her throbbing, heavy core. She can feel his chest rising and falling faster beneath her. He’s denying himself to make her beg, and she’s not above it this early in the morning. “Touch me, please.”

Nor is she in the mood to be patient. She drops his arm and maneuvers two of her fingers into herself, moaning loudly at her own touch.

“Fuck, Nat,” Jake swears. He’s leaking through the linen shorts now. She can feel the dampening spot on her back. Or maybe it’s the sweat pooling there from the growing heat around and within her. She leans her head into his shoulder, panting frantically in tandem with her strokes. He lifts the waistband of her bottoms so he can watch her milk the slickness of her core. “I didn’t realize you needed it so bad.”

“You,” she manages incoherently before gasping when the pads of his fingers land on and circle her clit, matching the pace of her own fingers. Her brain goes staticy with pleasure and need. 

Jake sucks the place where her neck meets her shoulder, and the breath evaporates out of her chest. “I got you, babe. Let me take care of you.”

He tugs at her waistband until she lifts her hips then legs so he can slide off her shorts. They drop to the deck, followed by his shirt. Natasha leans into the pillow of his bare torso and reaches up to draw him into a messy, hungry kiss. But Natasha can’t keep track of his lips, or anything for that matter, once his fingers take over. Like flame to fuel, driving inside her and over her clit, they ignite trillions of infernos across every atom of her being. 

She writhes in his arms, her hips heedlessly chasing combustion on his fingers even as she cries out from the pain laced pleasure of seeking it. Her vision goes dark, bursting with neon lights of ecstasy, although she can no longer tell whether her eyes are open or closed. Only Jake’s arm across her chest seems to keep her from exploding apart. 

Her orgasm erupts over her, her whole body lifting and shuddering with her release.

Natasha lays limply in Jake’s arms, struggling to catch her breath. The air sticks to her dewy skin, and she has to squint against the new daylight. Gently, Jake rubs her core to soothe the overstimulated nerves while he presses tender kisses to her neck, jaw, and cheek. At first all she can hear is the blood rushing through her ears. 

“Babe?” he says, shifting restlessly beneath her on the chaise. 

“Hmm?” she asks blissfully. 

He kisses a spot behind her ear, and she can feel the heat in his cheeks. He groans. “I, uh, need to get up.”

It feels like she’s moving her body against gravity to sit forward and turn to look at him. Jake’s bottom lip is caught between his teeth, his face set in a grimace. Natasha grins and rests a hand on his chest. “I think it’s my turn to help you out.” 

His pupils flood his eyes at the offer, but he ducks his head. “You don’t have to. I was a little rough.” 

She is sore, but he gave her exactly what her body wanted from him. And it’s their honeymoon. Who needs to walk when they have a deck, pool, and the whole day ahead of them right here?

“Come on, cowboy, take me away with you.” 

Jake hesitates then sweeps her up and carries her inside where he lays her across the bed and fucks her slow and deep until she loses the feeling in her face. She can tell from the veins in his arms and grit of his teeth that he’s trying to hold out for her. 

Natasha runs a hand down his torso. Every muscle quivers in the wake of her touch, and he cries out as he nearly comes with the clench of his abs. “Don’t do that,” he pleads raggedly, eyes squeezed shut as he holds himself still.

“Jake?” He still can’t look at her. “Jake,” she says more firmly. “Look at me.” His eyes flutter open, unfocused and dark. The handsome planes of his face are stretched taut. “I want to feel you come.” 

Whether it’s her words or the slight tilt of her hips, he moans and his dick throbs twice against her walls before he spills himself inside her. Natasha savors every pulse that coats her core with his hot come, the tingling sensations they send up her abdomen to her breasts. But most of all, she loves when his weight folds over her so that every line and point of their bodies blend into one.

He rests his face in the crook of her neck while she strokes the back of his hair. “Can I wear your shirt today?” 

“Yeah, babe,” he says, exhaling a hot laugh onto her skin. “But I can’t promise how long it’ll stay on.” 

Natasha laughs. “Seems only fair.” 

The shirt, along with the rest of what she’s wearing, almost comes off as soon as he sees her pull it on with her sunhat, black string bikini, and espadrilles. Jake won’t admit it, and heaven help whoever looks at her the wrong way or crosses a boundary, but he’s the kind of guy who likes when other men look at her but know she’s his. So their afternoon at the poolside bar with her in his shirt drives him absolutely wild and leaves them both too wiped to consider anything other than room service for dinner. Which she doesn’t mind because she gets to enjoy it from the comfort of her husband's lap.

[upismediacenter]

LITERARY: From Me to You (君に届け).

How much better are the sparkles in my eyes, footsteps on light puddles, gradual waves, tulips tickled pink, if not the figments of you I find in my most mundane days? Most people find solace in silence. I find the underlying tranquility in it because of you, the one I sit in silence with.

My fingers interlace with yours, slowly, my eyes transform into shutter-like lenses, wanting to film and preserve every moment. I’d never want a single second to fade. While most people would wager spending forever with their most beloved, eternity seems to be too heavy of a promise. I am not exactly eager, nor constantly aching. My heart is at ease wading stagnant waters and sauntering through the most arduous sonatas with you, and all I ever want to think about is,

I’d want to spend tomorrow even with you. That alone is enough.

In every universe I'll traverse, I'd exhaust myself to find every version of you, just to make you feel loved a hundred times more. I'm certain that the invisible string that connects my heart to yours will always endure.

Until tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. And for all of my tomorrows.

In every universe, I'd wax poetic for you—stringing words like a bouquet of flowers for you deserve to be described only by words ever so endearing, grasping every corner of your beauty tenfold.

You'll forever live in me. Lest I forget, I'd pour out hours to meet you time and time again, getting to know you for the nth time until you become engraved in every single memory, until your laughter echoes in every flash of nostalgia.

For you—I'd do it all in a heartbeat. And if anyone would take their time to get to know you, I'm sure they'd do the same too. I had no clue I was capable of loving in such a way. Yet, God forbid—it just feels too good to be loved by you.

I breathe you in like the fresh, wistful scent of home, and exhale with content and comfortable sigh. I've always been naive, always in my feelings—yet not once had you made me feel like every tear I've shed for you is for naught.

It's like you directly place the stars in my eyes—admiring the inexplicable cosmos that is you. I get so lost every time, yet, you bring me back immediately, already swaddled in a love-knitted sweater that is you.

This is love in its purest form. My deep affection for you. it's raw, it's right, it's real—from me to you.

[casspurrjoybell-24]

The Alpha's Brother - Chapter 1 - Part 2

Book Three In : The Alpha's Trilogy

*Warning Adult Content*

Cypher Ravenscroft

Simon Claymore and I been together for a six years now, the best six years of my life.

A lot has changed since I found the scared little shape-shifter in a cave on the coast of America.

I tried not to smile as I thought about it but I couldn't help it.

'This was his life now' I thought to myself.

'This was our life now.' was used to being on the run.

I've been running since my twenty-first birthday but Simons had just started.

We met by chance, by fate.

I was minding my own business, walking along the ocean in San Diego, feet in the sand of an unmarked beach.

It wasn't cold out but the sky was scattered with dark clouds and a humid wind was picking up it's pace, with the venom, of an oncoming storm.

I could smell him before I saw him.

The sweet smell of candy apple mixed into the sea salt.

It had been years since I had any sort of sweet treat like that and my sweet tooth prompted me to follow the intoxicating smell.

It took me all the way to a large, odd-shaped rock.

It curved like a cave, deep enough for a person to sit inside and close enough to the water to get your feet wet, I was curious, always have been, my mother always said it would be the death of me.

'Crikey, it nearly was.'

Wandering to the rockface, I had to step into the sea to go actually look inside of it and when I looked inside I was shocked at what I saw.

I don't really know what I was expecting when I looked inside but I know for a fact, I wasn't expecting to see a small, very cold-looking boy curled inside of the back of the cave, back pressed tightly to the farthest rock-wall.

He was cold, shaking, dark hair pressed to his temples like he had just come back from swimming.

He was asleep but he still managed to look exhausted.

There was a tugging in my chest, the familiar need to help.

'The one that always seems to get you in trouble? Yeah. That one.'

Walking in, my pants ended up getting soaked up the legs but I ignored the uncomfortable feeling of wet denim as I walked to the sleeping boy, only wearing a loose red t-shirt and black board shorts.

If I had seen him anywhere else I would say he was a local who liked to ride the waves.

Slowly I knelt down beside him, hand cautiously out to touch him.

Softly I swiped a hand across his forehead, moving his wet hair and that was my first mistake.

The boy jumped back, sitting up as fast as my eyes could watch his body move, it bent in ways that told me I could be in trouble had he been any bigger.

He shifted before my eyes into a grey mountain lion, teeth bared as his tired eyes filled with fear, anger and sorrow.

'A Shifter,' was the first thing that passed through my mind.

'Oh, Shit,' was soon to follow that.

I walked back slowly as the large cat slinked towards me, growling as I held my hands up.

"Hold up there matey. I'm not gonna to hurt you. I was just making sure you were okay."

Slowly I put my hand out, knowing full well, he already had my scent.

"My name's Cypher. I'm a... um... I'm a rogue, just like you. Listen I don't want any trouble."

I was trembling at this point.

This could be it, everything I've been through and I was gonna die at the hands of a rogue shifter but then, the mountain lion took a step back, eyeing me like he wasn't sure if he should really believe me or not.

A moment later, he transformed back, from the beast to the boy, kneeling in front of me in all his glory.

Slowly I stepped forward, cautious about how to handle the situation but then he let out a sob, a bone raking, body-shaking sob.

I fell to my knees in front of him, tightly wrapping my arms around him, his body flinching and tensing when I embraced him but I didn't move.

I just held him tighter and at that moment I swore I was going to protect him like I wish my own had protected me and nearly six years later, he was still letting me. 

[maria021015]

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTER 45!

“Okay, you two wait out here and keep watch.” Zaida instructed the redhead and brunette in front of her as they reached Danny’s hospital room at Beacon Memorial. She pointed a stern finger at Cora. “And you make sure you keep your hands to yourself this time.”

Cora simply rolled her eyes and collapsed into one of the chairs lining the hallway as both Zaida and Stiles snuck into the room silently.

“Here we go, just the two of us. Investigating. Doing what we do best.” Stiles whispered excitedly as he shut the door behind them with a quiet click.

“You mean snooping?” Zaida smirked and the boy’s expression immediately shifted into a disappointed glare.

“No, I don’t mean snooping, and you know that I don’t mean snooping.” He shot back as he stepped towards their sleeping classmate who seemed completely unconscious as he lay back, tucked into bed. Stiles reached out and tapped the boy on the face a few times to check, his touches becoming harder as he went on. “Danny, you awake? Danny?”

“He will be if you keep doing that!” Zaida whisper-shouted and slapped the boy’s arm, urging him to hurry up and get on with what they came here to do. She took Danny’s phone from the bedside table and began searching through his messages for any clues. In the meantime, Stiles bent down and slowly unzipped Danny’s backpack, rifling through its contents for any clues.

“What are you doing?” Danny’s weak mumble caused both Stiles and Zaida to freeze.

“I'm not doing anything, Danny. This is just a dream you're having…” Stiles paused his actions.

“Are you going through my stuff?” The clearly drugged-out boy questioned, still not having noticed Zaida on the other side of the room.

“Right, but only in the dream, remember? Dream. Dreaming.” Stiles repeated.

“Why would I dream about you going through my stuff?” Danny continued, his voice sounding weaker by the second as his medication-induced fatigue began to reclaim him.

“I don't know that, Danny, okay?” Stiles snapped irritatedly. “It's your dream. Take responsibility for it. Now shut up and go back to sleep.”

“Oh God,” Zaida muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at the boy’s antics and continuing to search through Danny’s messages. She decided to stop that when she stumbled upon a conversation between him and Ethan that she wished she could erase form her memory.

“Danny-boy, you might've actually found something here…” Stiles mumbled, drawing her attention away from the phone as she placed it back where she had retrieved it from.

“What’d you find?” She asked, kneeling behind him to peer over his shoulder to look at a research proposal for a paper titled ‘Telluric Currents’. Harris’ handwriting was scrawled along the top.

I strongly advise you to choose another subject. The ideas here, while innovative and thoughtful, border on pseudoscience. Not suitable for class.

“Bingo,” Zaida hissed and took the paper from Stiles’ hands.

“See, we make a great team.” Stiles turned his head to look at her and it was only then that Zaida realised how close they were to one another.

“Yeah, but that’s old information, right?” She let out a small puff of laughter, her heart beating quickly, sending the blood in her ears thrumming.

“Right,” He agreed, his amber eyes softening. “Nice shirt by the way.”

“Oh, yeah, I was gonna give it back to you at school, but things kind of went to shit again so it slipped my mind.” Zaida stumbled over her words, hands reaching towards her waist to untie the sleeves of his flannel.

“No, you keep it. It looks good on you.” Stiles' hands moved to cover hers, stilling their movement. “I’ve got plenty, anyway.”

“Oh…thanks.” She blinked in surprise and Stiles savoured the sight of a slight flush in her cheeks.

There was a slight rap of knuckles against the door, and the sudden sound caused the two to pull apart, getting to their feet awkwardly. “We should get outta here before someone sees us.” Zaida cleared her throat.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re probably right.” Stiles nodded in agreement, watching her head toward the door with a smile on his face. God, he loved seeing her wearing his clothes.

“Hey, did you see what Allison found?” Zaida spoke into the phone as she, Stiles, Lydia and Cora headed through the hospital back towards the Jeep.

“Yeah, her dad’s been tracking the places where people have been taken and where the bodies have been found. There are also six extra marks - we think they’re predictions.” Scott explained on loud-speaker. “Deaton's got to be at one of the six locations, but they're all over town. I don't know how we can get to all of them fast enough.”

“Well, we might not have to. Danny was doing a project on something for Mr. Harris' physics class, and I think it actually means something.” Stiles interjected, leaning in so he could be heard clearly.

“What project?” Scott questioned from the other side of the line.

“Something on…” Stiles gestured for Zaida to show him the paper they had nabbed from Danny’s bag. “Telluric currents.”

“...Did you say currents?” The werewolf clarified after a brief hesitation, which made Zaida think that it meant something to him.

“Yeah…” Stiles confirmed. “Why?”

“Just meet me at the Clinic.” Scott instructed, swiftly hanging up.

“Why are we going to the animal clinic?” Cora questioned.

“Why are you still here?” Zaida shot back, genuinely not understanding why the beta was still tagging along.

“It sounds to me like you need all the help you can get.” The young hale snarked stubbornly.

“Yeah, and I’m yet to see any actual help from you.” Zaida scoffed.

“When we do find Deaton, there’s no guarantee that he’s going to be alone. If we run into the Darach, we’re going to need a werewolf or two on our side.” Stiles reasoned and Zaida hated that he had a point.

“Okay, so what does this kid's homework have to do with finding Deaton?” Cora asked once they spread Danny’s documents over one of the many metal tables in the clinic, all crowding around it.

“Because it's not just homework, okay? It's a project on geomagnetic fields. They flow through the earth. They can even be affected by lunar phases, all right?” Stiles explained, tapping on the scrawled note on the front page of the report. “Now, look at this - this is a note from Harris on Danny's proposal.”

"I strongly advise you to choose another topic. The ideas here, while innovative and thoughtful, border on pseudoscience. Not suitable for class." Lydia read it aloud.

“Harris wasn't just a sacrifice - he knew something.” Scott noted.

“That explains why Danny was a target too - he just didn’t fit the sacrificial requirements.” Zaida added.

“Now, check this out - Allison's dad wasn't the only one with a map, all right? Danny had one, too.” Stiles unfolded a larger piece of paper that indeed had a map of Beacon Hills printed on it with multiple markings. “Danny marked all the telluric currents, okay? Now, the weird thing about Beacon Hills is that it actually is a beacon - you wouldn't believe how much energy flowing through the earth is around this town.”

“Stiles, you remember how I said the Celtics used to make sacrificial offerings to nature? Maybe Druids are like nymphs. I draw my powers from the element I’m connected to, and the Darach must draw power from nature, like the ground.” Zaida drew the dots together. “These currents would amplify that. The sacrifices have to be offered on the natural energy lines - like an exchange of power.”

“That actually makes sense. It’s why the Darach has been kidnapping victims and killing them at other locations.” The boy nodded.

“Stiles, look. They match!” Scott pointed out the similarities between the lines on Danny’s map and the marked points on Chris Argent’s, tracing them onto the larger map with a coloured marker.

“All right, there's multiple places, right? Where they're kidnapped and then the place where their body was found.” Scott pointed out crosses marked for both locations, all a little distance either side of current lines.

“Look, that's right on the telluric current.” Lydia tapped on the midpoint between the two markings.

“So, maybe where the sacrifices happen is somewhere in between where they’re taken from and where their bodies are found?” Scott deduced.

“Let me see that.” Stiles pulled Chris’ map towards himself, tracing along the lines near the animal clinic that led to marked spots where nothing had happened yet. “You said there's six more bodies to be found. Deaton's one of them. Gotta be somewhere in between, right?”

“I wonder if the power from the currents is stronger where they overlap.” Zaida reasoned as she inspected the map, a painted nail tapping over all of the places where the flows intersected.

“Stop.” Cora instructed and Stiles’ finger froze over a familiar destination on the map - it was the closest intersection of currents to the animal clinic. Beacon Hills National Bank. “He's in the vault - the same vault.”

“Guys, hold on-” Lydia started hesitantly but Stiles cut her off.

“Lydia, we don't have time-” The boy began, but then Cora interrupted him, checking her phone.

“It's Boyd.” She stated in alarm. “The plan didn't work. They cut the power.”

“If Aiden is there I can try and talk him out of it.” Lydia offered her help, hoping that the boy might listen to her.

“It's just like he said…” Scott mumbled under his breath.

“Just like who said?” Zaida caught his words, frowning in confusion. Scott didn’t answer her, he simply pursed his lips. “Scott, just like who said?”

“Deucalion. He was at the school. He warned me that someone was going to die tonight - either Derek, or Deaton. He knew I’d have to choose between them.” The werewolf answered reluctantly.

“He was trying to get into your head. Don’t let him.” Zaida warned, her gut twisting at the mention of the man - especially now knowing that he had only been a short distance away and she’d been none the wiser. "You don't need to choose."

“We need to think about this for a moment.” Lydia attempted to play the level-headed advocate.

“Go. I can save Deaton myself.” Scott nodded at the redhead and brunette beta.

“What? Scott, what about us?” Stiles asked, referring to himself and Zaida.

“Cora and Lydia can't get there fast enough without you.” Scott pointed out the girls’ lack of transport. “Go. We can save both of them.”

“...I’m coming with you.” Zaida spoke up, surprising them all when they realised she was speaking to Scott. She felt incredibly torn between her desire to protect Stiles, Lydia and Isaac, and her concerns about Scott going alone. Ultimately, the deciding factor was that there wasn’t much she could do in front of the alphas anyway. “I can’t expose my abilities to Deucalion, but I might be able to help you.”

“Okay,” Scott yielded, nodding in acceptance.

“Alright. Let’s go,” Stiles sighed in defeat and the group began moving out towards the car park.

“Hey, just be careful, alright?” Stiles gripped Zaida’s arm gently as the others headed out, pulling her towards him to talk in hushed tones. “If anything happens-”

“I’ll call you.” She promised, her heart warming at his display of concern for her. “You be careful too, okay? Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Since when do I ever do anything stupid?” He chuckled lightly and Zaida sent him a pointed expression that very clearly communicated, ‘all the time’.

“This place is creepy as hell. I hate it already and I’ve only been here for like five minutes. I don’t know how Boyd, Erica and Cora spent months here without going crazy.” Zaida whispered as she and Scott crept through the abandoned bank. As with all abandoned buildings, there was an eeriness blanketed over the thick darkness. “Also, how are there so many abandoned buildings in such a small town? The Hale house, the warehouse district, the railway depot, the mall, this bank…”

“It’s all part of that Beacon Hills charm, I guess.” Scott shrugged, leading the way to the vault where he had found Boyd and Cora all those weeks ago.

When they approached the vault the large circular door was open, moonlight streaming across the concrete beneath their feet. A shadow shifted between the light, and both Zaida and Scott’s eyes followed the stretch of black on the floor until their gazes were met with the figure of a man suspended by his wrists in mid-air.

“Doc?” Zaida’s voice came out in a hoarse whisper in her rising fear.

The man simply grunted as he lifted himself higher to catch a ragged breath, just barely holding himself there for a split-second before dropping back down. Soon he’d lose all of his strength and wouldn’t be able to pull himself up enough to breathe. Scott rushed forward towards his boss but was swiftly shoved backwards through the air with a bright flash of light. Zaida stepped forward, kneeling to peer through the heavy blackness at the floor. Reaching out her fingertips brushed an impenetrable force and light danced around the contact point between herself and the barrier.

“Mountain Ash.” She muttered bitterly. Before the girl could try and make a move, Scott got to his feet and threw himself at the barrier once more, groaning as he pushed against it with all of his strength. A blue light illuminated the room, causing Zaida to squint against it.

“Scott, there’s no use!” She pleaded, but the boy continued to push, his eyes glowing yellow and then - much to Zaida’s surprise - shifting into a far richer, deeper, and warmer colour. Did she really just see what she thought she saw?

When Scott was inevitably thrown to the floor once more, Zaida drew on her own power, pulling at the moisture in the air until a sphere formed, hovering above her palm. At her will, the substance morphed into a thin wall akin to a piece of paper. She snapped her palms outwards, flicking the water like a jet. The sharp pressure was enough to sever the ropes binding the veterinarian, and he dropped to a heap on the floor with a heavy grunt, immediately going silent. Scott got his feet under him once more and the two of them stood side by side, watching the unconscious man helplessly. As soon as Zaida’s racing pulse began to calm itself, the sound of heavy footsteps growing closer and louder struck anxiety into her breath once more.

“How do we get in there?” Zaida questioned frantically. She didn’t want to leave the man, but she also really didn’t want to be caught by the Darach either.

“Scott! Zaida! What are you kids doing here?” A familiar voice cut through the tense silence and Zaida’s tense muscles sagged in relief.

“Oh, thank God it’s you!” She exclaimed and clutched her heart as Sheriff Stilinski scanned the room with his gun, consciously focusing on slowing her breathing. Once he determined there was no imminent danger, Noah hurried forward through the Mountain Ash to Deaton’s side. His boots caught on the powder and broke the seal, allowing Zaida and Scott to follow him.

“Alan?” Noah checked the man’s vitals and Deaton came to, still appearing slightly disoriented, but alive. “Okay, back it up kids. Give him some space.”

“It’s about time we got a win,” Zaida whispered to Scott as they both stepped away and the Sheriff handled Deaton, getting him to his feet and leading him over to rest against a wall.

“We don’t know that yet,” Scott replied, his jaw locking with worry as his mind went to their friends. Zaida had her blocks firmly in place, but not for the first time tonight she had to resist the urge to open the doorway to that corridor and check on them. There was nothing she could do from here. The only purpose it would serve would be to worry herself further. Besides, if one of them was hurt she would feel it through her blocks anyway. It was that knowledge that reassured her enough to keep her curiosity in check.

“How'd you find us?” Scott asked Noah when he finally decided Deaton was in stable condition.

“The vials in the clinic with the Celtic symbols on 'em? I knew that one of 'em looked familiar…” The man answered and Zaida knew he was referring to the bank logo that Allison had used to track the place down.

“Sheriff, thank you,” Deaton’s voice was scratchier than usual, but he retained that placid quality that he was so well known for. “For being one hell of a detective.”

“You bet.” Noah nodded with a thankful smile. “Let's get you an ambulance.”

When the Sheriff moved away to speak into his radio, Deaton took the opportunity to beckon Scott and Zaida over. “Your eyes were red! Bright red!” The doctor expressed, an excited glint in his dark eyes.

“I saw that too! I thought maybe it was a trick of the light or something…” Zaida noted, her own eyes widening at the confirmation of what she’d witnessed.

“How is that possible?” Scott gaped at them both in shock.

“Paramedics are on their way! I'll be back in half a minute.” Noah called over from the entrance to the vault before disappearing outside.

“It's rare - it's something that doesn't happen within a hundred years. But, every once in a while, a Beta can become an Alpha without having to steal or take that power.” Deaton spoke quietly through heavy breaths, explaining the phenomenon as though he was particularly familiar with it. “They call it a True Alpha. It's one that rises purely on the strength of character, by virtue, by sheer force of will.”

“...You knew this would happen.” Scott decided after staring at the man analytically.

“I believed. From the moment I knew you were bitten, I believed.” The vet nodded proudly, looking at Scott as if he were his own son. Zaida hadn’t experienced anything even remotely close to that with her bosses at her job over summer - they’d simply occasionally thanked her by buying her lunch or giving her expired or damaged stock. But it was clear that Scott and Deaton’s bond ran much deeper than that.

“...You're not the only one.” Scott mumbled coming to the realisation before Zaida even began to consider it.

“No.” Deaton pursed his lips grimly. “Deucalion isn't after Derek - he's after you.”

“So everything he’s been doing to Derek and his pack…he’s been pushing Scott to see what choices he’ll make. He’s been pushing him to become a True Alpha faster.” Zaida added, dread sinking in her stomach.

“If we head to the loft maybe we can still get there in time to help.” Scott suggested as they walked out onto the street, headed towards his motorbike.

“Hold on - it's Stiles,” Zaida held up a hand to silence the werewolf before answering her buzzing mobile. “Hey, Deaton’s safe. Is it over? Are you guys okay?”

“It went wrong - everything went so wrong. Boyd…Boyd is dead.” Stiles’ shaky voice blurred through the phone.

“How? What happened?” Scott leaned in, muscles tensing in alarm as something heavy weighed on both of their chests at the news.

“We turned the power back on when we got here, but it didn’t work. Kali, Boyd and Derek all got electrocuted, but Kali recovered first. The twins…uh, they held Derek in place and Kali- she threw Boyd onto Derek’s claws.” Stiles swallowed audibly. “She- she forced Derek to kill him, and she said…if he didn’t join them by the next full moon, she was coming after the rest of the pack.”

“Oh my God,” Zaida gasped, imagining how awful it must have been to witness such a thing. She hadn’t known Boyd very well at all, but to Isaac, Cora and Derek, he was family. “How is everyone handling it?”

“Well, Isaac, Cora and Ms Blake stayed with Derek-” The boy began but Zaida’s brows drew together in confusion.

“Ms Blake? Our English teacher Ms Blake? What was she doing there?” The brunette interrupted.

“Well, apparently she and Derek are like together now which is…weird, to say the least.” The boy answered.

“Gross,” Zaida cringed at the thought. “How’s Lydia?”

“Yeah, she’s taking it kinda hard. She really thought Aiden might come through for her, but after what we saw…I don’t think we’ll be finding her in Coach’s office anytime soon.” Stiles sighed and it was a heavy sound full of exhaustion and dismay.

“And you? Are you alright?” Zaida checked in with the boy and silence greeted her for a moment longer than usual.

“Yeah, just peachy.” He lied and Scott shot her a worried look.

“Do you…uh,” The girl cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to brush her offering off as something casual. She wanted to be there for him desperately, the way he had always been there for her. “Do you want me to come over?”

“...You know, Lydia probably needs you right now.” Stiles answered lowly after a longer hesitation and dejection stung in Zaida’s chest.

“Right, of course.” She took in a deep, stabilising breath. “Well, I’ll see you at school, then.”

She didn’t wait for Stiles to answer before she hung up. Of course it was about Lydia. Zaida tried not to be jealous, she really did, but it was becoming harder and harder to hold it back.

“Lyds?” Zaida whispered into the dark room as she placed her house keys down on the dresser top. Scott had just dropped her off on his bike, waiting for her to let herself inside before speeding off home. Zaida wasn’t sure if the redhead was asleep until she heard quiet sobbing interrupted by the occasional sniffle. Once her hazel eyes adjusted to the darkness she could see Lydia’s form curled under the blankets as she cried.

“Oh, honey.” The brunette coed and crawled onto the mattress, drawing the girl into her arms. Her heart broke for Lydia, even though she’d warned her time and time again about Aiden. “It’s okay. Everything is gonna be okay.”

“I thought that maybe…he might listen to me,” She swallowed deeply. “But he just held Derek there as Kali impaled Boyd on his claws. He didn’t even just watch, he helped.”

“I hate to say I told you so, and I won’t right now because it’s not the time, but know that you will be hearing it later.” Zaida sighed and patted the girl’s hair in a soothing motion.

“You were right - I should have listened to you.” Lydia agreed in a small voice.

“You tried. All you could have done was try.” The brunette reassured her.

“He didn’t flinch, he didn’t even feel bad.” The redhead shook her head in disbelief as if she were replaying the moment in her head. “Why do I always go for the bad guys?”

“You’re a romantic, Lyds.” Zaida hugged her tighter. “But all the brains in the world can’t fix a boy unless he wants to change.”

[thexsanctuaryx]

{ CASE FILE: } 

☽✡☾ CODE NAME: Arielle { Elle } ∞ LEVEL { AGE }: 33  ☽✡☾ PRONOUNS: She/Her ∞ PLACEMENTS: Scorpio sun, Capricorn moon, Libra rising  ☽✡☾ ORIENTATION: Queer  ∞ OTHER BITS && BOBBLES:  Love Above All Else, Phoenix Energy, Healing, Spiritual, Mystic, Perpetual Student of Life, Constantly Transforming && Evolving, Disabled, Neurodiverse ☽✡☾ CONTACT: INBOX && DMs OPEN ∞ MATURE CONTENT && THEMES | 18+ | MINORS DNI

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{ IMPORTANT: } I'm slowly but surely finally healing, so I've got a shit ton of content saved in my likes to post/reblog/share. If I've liked your post, I WILL be sharing it. Not gonna be that guy that just gives things a useless Like. I just hadn't had the time or energy til now, but if it's in my likes, you can guarantee it will be shared as I make my way through everything. It just might be a while cause of how much is stored up.

➳ Revamp Theme - as much as I like this one, it's hell on the eyes ➳ Clear Likes -- aka where I store stuff to post later.   ➳ Share and Comment on Fics && Art I've been hoarding like a dragon.   ➳ Interact with all the lovely people I follow.   ➳ Update the blog.   ➳ And prolly other things I'm forgetting...