#so i'm eager to actually get it done and dusted

[turnyourankle]

Hard at work on my exes-to-lovers fake relationship fic, so why not post a teaser to perhaps entice a beta and/or Brit pick 👀

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Louis could feel his teeth; actually feel them, his mouth dry and chest tight.

He kept his expression as neutral as possible, even as he tried to keep the panic at bay. He looked at his phone again, the offending email not having left the screen since he opened it seconds ago.

The first shock came when he saw it was from Harry. A forward, no less, and he initially assumed it was an error, a hack, a virus. Something other than what it actually was.

But no, the email was intended for him. Harry hadn't added anything, letting the original email speak for itself. It was a courtesy notice that an old photoshoot of theirs was being released.

There were only so many unreleased photos out there, and since no one else had been notified, he knew exactly which photos this was about.

He swallowed, pressing his tongue into the roof of his mouth. He looked out the car window, the overcast winter sky that previously felt cozy now seeming oppressive. Oli was driving him home after a productive studio session, so at least he wouldn't have anything important to do for the rest of the day that required his focus.

Then again, he wouldn't have anything to distract him from spiralling.

"Maccy's or curry?" Oli's voice pulled him back to reality.

On autopilot, Louis said, "Sounds good." He picked his phone back up and hit forward on the email, quickly typed up a five-word message can we talk to azoff?  and sent it to Matt.

"Dealer's choice it is," Oli continued.

Louis made some sort of sound of agreement, even as he tried to remember his upcoming schedule. If Matt got a hold of Jeff, how soon could they meet? Tomorrow?

He opened Twitter; closed it, opened his texts, closed them. He had more business emails to read and process but— he couldn't stomach it right now. At some point, his leg started to bounce, and just trying to stay still took some effort.

"Y'alright?" Oli asked, glancing in Louis' direction.

Louis' phone lit up with a call from Matt before he had a chance to answer. He held a finger up to Oli before answering. "What do you think?"

"We can have a conference call in two weeks."

"Two weeks?!" Louis laughed out of frustration. "That's bullshit."

"Yeah. I agree. But we don't have much leverage."

Louis pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was this happening? Because they'd been foolish and naive enough not to take precautions before agreeing to a cover shoot to tell the world. Stupid. He'd been stupid. Of course, it would come and bite him in the ass.

Louis sighed. He could sense the weight of Oli's eyes on him. He closed off the call with Matt saying, "Send me the invite," before hanging up.

There was a beat of silence before Oli spoke. "So."

"Can we park somewhere?" Louis pressed his fist against his chin.

"Sure thing, boss."

Louis watched the road as Oli steered their way to a nearby car park. It was empty enough that their presence shouldn't be odd to anyone.

"What's up," Oli said once they were parked. Louis brought his fist to his face, pressing his knuckles against his brow before rubbing his temples.

Oli was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. Mouth tight, even as it pulled to the side. He wasn't going to pry, Louis knew.

"The spread is being released."

Oli remained silent as he mouthed the words himself. Then, out loud, The spread." The surprise was evident. He knew exactly what Louis was talking about. He turned away, looking out into the distance while letting out a low, “What the fuck.”

“Yeah. that’s, uh--” Louis barked out a laugh, a laugh that hurt coming out. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

"Okay, what now?"

A calendar invite popped up on his phone from Matt. Conference call with Full Stop, two weeks out. With his free hand, he pressed the heel of his palm against his eye. Two bloody weeks.

“Tommo?”

Louis rubbed his face. “Two weeks. They're making me wait to weeks to talk."

“They're making you wait," Oli repeated. It was a habit of his to process information. Normally, Louis might roast him for it, but today he got it. Sometimes you just needed to say things out loud to make sense of it.

"Does the 'they' include Harry?"

Louis shook his head. "He's the one who told me." Oli looked surprised at that, eyebrows knitting, prompting Louis to, "I mean, he forwarded the email about it. We didn't talk."

"Maybe you should." Oli said it so casually that Louis almost thought he'd misheard.

"I'm sorry, you're gonna have to repeat that, because that goes against everything the Oli I know would say."

Oli mock-rolled his eyes, bracing himself, "It's a special case, innit?"

"Just a little," Louis conceded.

"So call him. We can do it right now. I can go get the food if you want privacy."

Louis shook his head, he appreciated the support, but—"This isn't a phone conversation. It shouldn't be. And I don't think I could help myself if I got him on the phone. We need to share space or something.

"Right." Oli nodded, fingers tapping against the steering wheel. After a pause, "Okay. We can go to him."

"If he's even in the country."

"Right. Right. Okay, I got it— let me follow up with Jefe, play a bit of hardball."

Louis tipped his head, eyes narrowed. "Go on."

"I can narrow down his coordinates, or whatever, and we go from there." Oli plucked his phone out of his pocket, "Hopefully we don't have to jet a plane to where he is, or whatever."

"Hopefully," Louis repeated.

"Okay," Oli said, mouth tugging to the side. He didn't give Louis any more time to protest, saying, "Stay tuned," before he opened the car door and stepped outside to handle the call.

The cold air was a welcome reminder of the world outside. He took a deep breath and let it go with intent. There was a plan, kind of.

Louis watched Oli pace in the car park, gesturing wildly, as he was wont to do on the phone. A way to keep his tone even, regulating it with every wave of his arms.

When Oli got back into the car, it was with a curse and a shudder. "Christ." Dropping his phone in his pocket, he went on to rub his palms against his thighs. "Okay, so. He's on location in Hampshire. Leaving tomorrow, so not available for in person meetings. As if we can't make it to Hampshire."

"Right."

"He also said," Oli started with a broad smile, "that he'd have called if he wanted to talk."

Louis laughed. "He did email."

"I think he's just bitter he didn't get to drop the news on you."

Louis laughed harder. "I think you're right."

"What next?"

Louis bit his thumbnail, thinking about action giving him breathing room. "He won't go home before the flight."

There were few options for where Harry might be staying. He had his preferences, and he could never turn down some nice hotel amenities. He might not be alone, though. Louis wasn't sure what was going on on that front, had intentionally stayed out of the loop. That band-aid would have to be ripped off soon, anyway, might as well get it out of the way.

[realcube]

SUMMER HEAT pt2

summer sex with hq men

characters ☀ suna, daichi, bokuto & nishinoya

tws/tags ☀ handjobs // vaginal, size kink // semi public, fingering, breeding // oral (receiving)

SUNA RINTARŌ liked to laze outside in the hammock with you, sheltered from the blistering sun by the shade of the trees. one arm wrapped around your shoulder, and the other resting of your waist as you nuzzled against him. it was calm for a while, until you positioned yourself in such a way that your tits were pressed right against his chest. soon enough, you could feel his length stiffening and prodding against your thigh. suna chose against aknowledging it, but when you looked up at him with a devilish smile, you could see a gentle pink dusting over his features. "want some help?" you offer kindly, as you slip your hand beneath his shorts and stroke his cock. eyes closed, he nods, "would you, baby?" his question is answered as he feels your delicate hands wrap around his length and start pumping, eliciting hushed moans from your boyfriend, you could feel his biceps tense around you as he pulled you even closer towards him. "fuck, (y/n). you're so perfect."

DAICHI SAWAMURA goes on a camping trip every summer with his friends, but this year they are all busy with their own affairs so he convinces you to come with him instead. though camping with you is a little different than with his friends. your hands are pinned above your head by daichi, against the floor of the tent while his massive cock drills into your hole. your nipples perk at the cold night air, tempting him to take one in his mouth and suck. you arch your back and let out a shriek-like moan at how his girth rips you open, and he chuckles, while keeping his vigorous rhythm, "might want to be quiet, doll." he captures your lips in his own, keeping you in a ferocious kiss before suddenly pulling away, "you don't want to wake the bears." you whimper at the suggestion, remaining quiet for a couple of moments before you continue to scream at how your strained walls have to contort to accommodate his size. you figured nothing the bears could do to you would hurt more than daichi.

BOKUTO KŌTARŌ was very excited to visit the water park with you. but after he saw you in your swim suit, he spent the majority of his time in the park praying for your bikini top to get caught in the slide. and after going down together, with you on his lap, he has to drag you away to the changing rooms so he can relieve himself before he gets back in the pool. he has your wet body bent over against the door of the stall, thick fingers stimulating your aching clit while his cock rams into you, over and over again. with his other hand grabbing your ass, watching your shiny body bounce with each thrust, it doesn't take long before he's ready to burst inside you. his eyes are tightly shut and he grits his teeth together to avoid moaning your name in the public changing rooms, this is about the quietest he's ever been. he pants heavily in lieu of moans, taking deep, laboured breaths that guide him through his climax, as your tight hole wrings him dry and he spills into you. as much as he enjoys the feeling of your snug cunt, eventually he pulls out, but he shoves his fingers in immediately in place of his cock, causing you to yelp. "sorry, babe," he whispers, "can't have you leaking into the water though." you exhale out your nose, "i think i'm done with pools for today, actually."

NISHINOYA YŪ picked up fishing during his travels, and was eager to share his new-found hobby with you. so on a nice, warm day, he decided to rent a boat and take you out into the middle of a lake so you could join him. however, he should've known that the two of you plus a secluded area could only lead to one thing. the boat rocks and you hear the slushing of water with each fierce thrust. your wanton moans echo across the lake, in the stark contrast to the previous tranquility. "shh." he smirks, placing a finger over your lips, "you'll scare the fish away." you bite your lip in attempt to suppress your moans, but he only tosses his head back and increases the pace. "so fuckin' sexy." he grunts, pulling out, only so he can drop onto his chest and push his face between your legs, tongue lapping up your juices, desperate for your taste.

[thetempleofhades]

favorites pt2

this is mostly self indulgent. just fontaine being my favorite. this is an alternate version with imposter au creator! reader.

Maybe it was childish in the eyes of others that you preferred Fontaine over every other nation. You had been ridiculed and branded as an imposter in Mondstadt, you had been nearly killed in Liyue, had been nearly killed again in Inazuma, you didn't neven want to talk about Sumeru.

You didn't want to even think about the Fatui or their reigning Archon, The Tsaritsa. Fontaine had been the first place that you ran to that didn't try to kill you or accuse you of a heinous crime. You had nearly broken down crying at the realization that the residents of Fontaine weren't going to hurt you.

You looked out at the rain, watching it fall with trembling hands as you sat at a table, having tea with Furina and Neuvillette.

"....Your Grace?" Neuvillette called your attention softly, staring at you with a concerned look as he took notice of your trembling hands. "Are you alright?"

It was overwhelming. This was the first time you'd been asked if you were okay since the moment you arrived in Teyvat. It was.... strange. In a horrible way, running and avoiding death was something you got used to. you used to hide in caves and amongst the hilichurls for a moments of respite and look at your scars.

Your shaken eyes stared down at your scarred hands, "Um... Yes... I'm fine." It sounded like a lie from your lips. You weren't fine. Fontaine had refused to hunt you down, and the moment you entered it's borders, Fontaine protected you. Furina, Clorinde, and Neuvillette protected you and comforted you. Why was Fontaine the first to protect you? Were people truly that cruel?

Furina's eyes noticed your shaken state and she exchanged a look with Neuvillette. "Your Grace, please try the cake! It's of highest quality, as is everything and everyone that graces my table." Smugness radiated from her as she pushed the piece of cake towards you, eager to get you to eat something, anything.

You looked up towards her as her presence calmed you down from your anxiety. Your shaky hand reached for the fork. "Is it really okay for me to be here, won't it cause problems with the other nations?"

"Forget about those guys! Those Archons have rotting brains and feeble bodies. They should have just turned to dust instead." Furina scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "I don't really care about them, Fontaine welcomes you and we'll protect our beloved creator." She smiled at her and you relaxed slowly as you looked down at your cake before taking a bite.

"...!" Your eyes widened as you stared down at the slice of cake. "....It's good." You commented quietly, not noticing the pleased look on both Neuvillette and Furina's face.

"Everyone here treasures you, Your Grace. You don't have to worry about anything and everyone who has hurt you will never be able to come here so easily. Rest easy and enjoy all the things we have to offer you." Neuvillette's voice was soothing as you found yourself nodding.

Yes.... you did like Fontaine.... You liked being in Fontaine...

Okay, you liked slightly less now that you were in an actual prison.

"Why are going to a prison?" You asked Neuvillette, nervous as you shifted in the lift you were in. You tugged your jacket closer to your frame as you looked up at the man who had been by your side since you had arrived in Fontaine. "I'm... not being arrested, right?"

"No, of course not, Your Grace. You haven't done anything wrong in the slightest. This is the Fortress of Meropide. The administrator of this place, Wriothesley is a personal friend. I thought you should be introduced to him as well as you have decided to reside in Fontaine for now.

Before you could respond, the lift opened and you really weren't sure how to feel about this place.

You shyly waved to those who you past. They were all staring at you, it was a little unnerving but it didn't feel like they disliked you.

You currently found yourself in an office as said man, (Wriothesley was what Neuvillette called him) poured you tea. "It's chamomile tea, Your Grace. You seem a little nervous." The man smiled at you which only made a blush of embarrassment appear on your cheeks.

You wondered if anyone was ever disappointed when they learnt that you were the Creator of this world, you didn't fit the title of All Powerful. Your time being hunted had made you skittish and paranoid.

You looked to the side as Sigewinne, the Melusine that Neuvillette told you about entered and your hear jumped. You had always been fond of cute things and Sigewinne was cute, you had always been fond of children.

"Hello, Your Grace!" She smiled at you happily and you swore you could cry. She was so cute....

You quickly averted your eyes, to try and keep your composure, to not seem strange, "Um, hello to you too." You greeted her, the shyness leaving you as a soft smile curled at you lips.

You kept the steaming cup in hand, not yet drinking it.

"Their Grace has decided to reside in Fontaine for the moment as we sort out the issue with the other Archons." Neuvillette quietly informed Wriothesley while you were enamored with Sigewinne and talking to her quietly. "It will most likely be a drawn out affair. The other Archons will likely not admit their wrong doings." Neuvillette frowned, which was mimicked by Wriothesley.

You were oblivious to their conversation as you talked quietly to Sigewinne about the sights you had seen so far. "Neuvillette and Furina have been making sure my meals are good enough."

"I'll write out a detailed meal plan so you can recover quickly!" Sigewinne seemed happy to be able to do something for you and you couldn't refuse her after seeing her excitement.

Your eyes softened as you smiled. "I'll make sure to follow it fully."

Yeah... Fontaine was great.... You didn't mind staying her for a while...

[ddejavvu]

i want to do girly things with astrid :( i have no idea how you'd procure acrylics and a uv lamp on berk but let's suspend our disbelief here for a second and imagine doing her nails.

maybe you're new to the village, maybe they found you on a distant island and you make trips to berk to see everyone once in a while. either way, she's still getting to know you, and she finds herself inexplicably drawn towards you even if you're not doing anything special. She notices that your nails are painted but they're long, too, impressively long for someone who rides dragons. Her own are chipped and broken from Stormfly's overeager love for fetch, and you notice her face slightly darkened in concentration as she stares at your hands.

"Astrid? Are you okay?" You ask, your voice gaining the blonde's attention. Her eyes widen slightly and she nods, a little too fast, a little too sure.

"I was," She admits, almost sheepish, "I was looking at your nails. They're so long."

"Oh, they're fake." You laugh, showing off your set of acrylics, "I actually did them myself."

She knows people can get them done, but that's not exactly high on Berk's list of priorities. She's painted her own a few times but it comes out so badly that she usually removes it before anyone can see. Before her brain can formulate the thought that she wants you to do her nails for her, you're offering, 'if you want, I can do yours too?'

She nods, a strange daze over her that Astrid is not typically prone to. You smile, and the daze thickens, and now she thinks she knows what's going on. She likes you, and that could potentially be a very troubling thing for her.

"It's a long process." You warn her, "At least an hour, more depending on the designs you want. Is that okay?"

"That's fine." She nods, eager to please, but only after she agrees does she realize that you'll be holding her hands for at least an hour. Suddenly she's thinking of intricate designs, ones that will take you ages.

You both prefer the sanctuary of the sunny meadow you're chatting in, and Stormfly races around with your dragon, keeping themselves occupied. You take her hand and she feels her heart pounding in her temples, eyes honed in on your fingers carefully clutching her own.

"I'm going to buff your nails first," You explain, "And the nails are gonna be really long at first, but we'll cut them down to whatever size you want. Okay?"

"Okay." She nods dutifully, her blonde hair fraying from its lazy braid and flopping over her eyes.

"Oh!" You laugh, a melodious sound that Astrid thinks might be the prettiest she's ever heard. You reach out, still keeping Astrid's hand in your own, "Here. I can braid too, y'know. After this I can tie it back for you."

"Okay," She hums along as you tuck it behind her ear, despite knowing she can braid her own hair well enough, "Thanks. I think it's cool, that you can do all this stuff."

"I like doing it for people," You shrug, now concentrated on her nails, which gives Astrid the freedom to stare at you, to comb over every inch of your face, "I like giving people something special to look at."

Astrid thinks you are something special to look at. She keeps conversation with you going as you dutifully buff and prep her nails, finally gluing on large acrylics that you cut down to her specifications. Filing them gets dust everywhere, and Stormfly sends it flying into the breeze with one snort of her massive snout. You laugh at the dragon together, and Astrid reminds herself not to be too brash around you- not yet, not until she can be sure it won't offend you.

If Snotlout could see her now he wouldn't recognize her. She's nothing like the sharpshooting spitfire she's known as, she's weakened, starstruck, bashful as you take her hands in your own. Later you'll laugh at her quips, snickering into her shoulder to muffle the sound as Tuffnut sulks, but now she'll admire you.

Her nails are cured quickly but she lets them rest regardless, and you kneel behind her to braid her hair. You take the pesky strands that obscure her vision and twist them into one braid, peering at her face from the side to ensure there's no stragglers.

"Wait." You hum, neck craned to give you a view of her face, "I missed one."

She feels your breath on her temple as you carefully grab a strand of hair from her forehead, a small one that's tough to braid because of how quickly it ends. But you work it into the braid anyways, and she feels tingles erupt down her spine when you rake your nails through her hair and down her back. If you notice her shivering, you're kind enough not to say anything about it, and you begin braiding the smaller strand into the rest of her hair as part of one of the three sections. When it's done, you secure it with the hairband that had slipped out before, wrapping it one more time than she thought was possible just to ensure it wouldn't go anywhere. It's a style she's never worn before, but she hopes she'll have the pleasure of letting you do it again.

"There. Fresh hair, fresh nails," You grin, scooting around to her side and settling in on your knees, "Let's just hope Stormfly doesn't bite them off."

"She might try," Astrid muses, watching her dragon playfully pounce at yours, "How long do these last?"

"A few weeks. I can either fill in the gaps or take them off for you," You glance shyly at her, "Or I could do a new set? I don't mind, y'know, redoing them whenever they grow out."

A monthly nail date, Astrid realizes, she has the opportunity to sign up for a monthly nail date with you.

"I can teach you axe-throwing." Astrid blurts, and her cheeks redden at the stunned silence that follows, "I mean, if you're going to be sharing your skills with me, I- we can... I'll show you-"

"That sounds perfect," You beam, hesitating nervously for just one second before darting forwards to peck against her flushed cheek, "A set of nails for a round of target practice."

She can do that, Astrid thinks, she can so do that. She can sidle up behind you and correct your form, holding your body to hers and breathing against your ear. She can do that, a set of nails for a round of target practice.

[chadfallout76podcast]

Major Update: Life...is a changing for me/us (and a sneak peek of Vault-Tec Rises!

Good afternoon!

I wanted to give you all an update on Vault-Tec Rises as well as an update on myself and some major life changes happening this year that may impact our season while the dust settles. Firstly, I'm more than halfway done with our next major feature length episode, "Vault-Tec Rises"...which is technically episode 16, set BEFORE Little Sanctuary of Horrors. It essentially is the story of how everyone came to be there in the first place, what Vault-Tec and the Enclave are really up to, and is the start of our last 4 episodes of the season as the Battle for Appalachia begins.

Secondly, I've shared quite a bit about the journey of these past 10 years with my husband Travis and his struggle with mental health. Many of you were kind of enough to support or share our GoFundMe to help take the pressure off the crushing debt we were under with mounting medical bills and his bills, none of which was covered by insurance fully. Trying to keep us afloat financially has been a long-term struggle of mine and here's in New Hampshire we just haven't been able to get ahead. After having to cancel some of his services last week as we couldn't afford them, we made some major decisions.

The next few months I'll be doing a lot of painting, landscaping, plastering and prepping to list our home on the market. Financially we can't afford to buy again for a while, so we're stuck renting. Based on what things are selling for in the area, I'm not too worried about getting out of it fairly quickly. We'll be moving to Texas, in between Dallas and Fort Worth in a really beautiful, new planned community where leasing and the overall lower cost of living will save us $20k a year which will allow us to not only fix our debt issue permanently, but also they have one of the leading centers in the country for C-PTSD. Once settled, I'd be able to get him more direct help he's needed that we just don't have access to out here.

Texas is going to be a big, big change for us...a huge move, but one I'm eager to make. Our backup editor is continuing to plug away at stories as well as I've had my hands full with work trying to keep the lights on (literally). I wanted to explain all of this with clear honesty so you know what I've been doing, what I'll be doing this year and why it often takes us so long to ship episodes to you. Your patient and support of me really, really means the world to me. The other benefit of this move is that once I'm not strangled hustling for work 7 days a week, I'll have more free time to actually create. Something I really want to do...as there are still two more seasons of Chad and some other projects I really want to share with you all.

I hope to have our 3-hour feature length Vault-Tec Rises completed in the next few weeks, so stay tuned. :) And if you can please excuse how hectic this year will be between selling and moving halfway across the country I'd appreciate it.

Much love to you all,

Ken

[deathbxnny]

Hello Bxnny, how are you? I see that you open your request. You still remember about the god-slayer-entity-reader, right? Yeah i basically asked the same request but with the 4 archons (Venti, Zhongli, Ei, Nahida). Also the relationship is platonic (cuz' i'm in the mood for it). And have a great day/night/evening/afternoon

(I almost got anxiety while writing this to make sure you understand what i ask because i don't want to overwhelming you, but yeah i'm fine)

-----♡

A/N: I hope you're alright and please don't worry about such things! I'll always politely say something, if there is an issue, so no worries! Also thank you for the request, I really liked the idea!<33

Content: Kinda unserious, platonic relationships, summonings, mentions of alcoholic, mentions of battles, fluff, mentions of murder/death?, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

》Venti

You were quite confused, when you were suddenly summoned by an Archon. You used to slay many God's in your youth... so just what would he want from you? He should be afraid and worried, but instead, he just offers you a smile. "'Are you that legendary entity? That slayed God's and alike?" "Uh... yeah?" "Great! Let's go and get a drink together!"

You couldn't get a word in, as he just dragged you off into the direction of the tavern. He ordered a drink for you and began to sing his heart out on his lyre, never once telling you the purpose of you being there. So you just awkwardly watched him dance around with a drink in hand, your eyes nervously glancing at the red haired bartender, who seemed to stare at you suspiciously... Just what was up with these people here?

By the time you were finally allowed to leave, Venti dragged you back to where he summoned you. "Welp, that was fun... I'll be back next tomorrow! Goodnight!" He simply said, before skipping off and leaving you there dumbfounded... well now you were looking forward to tomorrow too.

-----♡

》Ei

You were really just summoned into her realm by accident, which left you stumbling out of the book that held your entity in it. Huffing, you stand up and dust yourself off, as you give the surprised Archon an offended glare, questioning why she summoned you of all people... or well, entities. "Did... Miko give me the wrong book?" She'd simply ask absently, making it clear that she didn't actually know that opening it would bring you here.

And so, you simply sit down and keep her company for a while, until you can finally return to your book. "So, you're a god slayer...?" "I was one... I don't do that anymore though." "Oh." The silence was a little awkward, but surprisingly calming, especially when she went back to just meditating in peace. Deciding to join her, you soon found yourself understanding realising that you both were quite similar in a way.

When it was time for you to return back into the book, you told her that she could summon you again anytime, which started a beautiful friendship between you two.

-----♡

》Nahida

"Can you tell me more about your need to slaughter God's? I'm very curious about the purpose behind it." "... Uh... how old are you again?" You rubbed your head in confusion, as you looked down at the young girl, who looked up at you with curious and eager eyes. You at first mistook her as a simple child, but even after learning that she was an Archon, things still didn't make sense to you.

Not that it really mattered to Nahida, as she just questioned you so throughly about your actions, that you began wondering if this was what therapy felt like. She was quite intelligent however and began noting things down mentally for further research, seemingly never satisfied with just one answer to something.

By the time Nahida was done, you were practically drained of your brain juice in defeat and sat on the ground with your head in your hands. The young Archon noticed none of this, as she just hummed and nodded. "Hm... I guess that's all for now... actually, I have one more-" "No."

-----♡

》Zhongli

You huffed in annoyance, when you were summoned by someone, your eyes looking around to curse out the person who disturbed your peace. Someone cleared their throat behind you, their hand clasping onto your shoulder tightly, as the person spoke up. "Greetings, old acquaintance. My apologies for the disturbance, but I wanted to apologise for-" "WHAT THE- NOT YOU AGAIN! AAAAAAAA-" You screamed in terror, as you tried scrambling away from him, but his grip on you was too tight.

Many centuries ago, you tried slaying the Geo Archon, arrogantly thinking that you could. But you were violently brought back to reality, when he threw a whole mountain at you with ease. You officially retired that day. Seeing him again now made you therefore think that he was back to finish you off as revenge, but it seemed like he had different intentions in mind. Especially when he dragged you all the way to Liyue Harbour to "drink some tea with you and talk".

Your cup shook violently in your hand, when Zhongli gave you a calm and reassuring smile. "Anyways... as I was saying, I wanted to apologise for throwing that mountain at you." "Oh... uh... t-that's alright..." You laughed nervously, as he laughed with you, before his gaze turned serious again. "Don't try that again." "Wouldn't dream of it, sir!"

-----♡

A/N: Alright, I hope this was alright! Thank you again for the request!<33

[templeofvengeance]

A PORTAL OF GOLDEN SPARKS swirls open at the Temple, and Stephen walks through, winking up at Khonshu with a smirk.

❝ I'm here to fulfill my CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION with you, Big Guy. ❞ Two fingers from each hand flourish outwardly, and a platter materializes before him. It floats toward Khonshu on a cloud of golden light, revealing an assortment of manitcore hearts drizzled in chocolate. ❝ Had a nasty run-in with these suckers a few dimensions over. I hope you weren't expecting human hearts, though. Might break some of that moral code I tend to get so horny about. ❞

A stick of Kyphi incense ignites itself at the alter, and Stephen flies up toward the god, pecking the side of a rather dusty skull before slipping through the opening in the roof of the temple. When he's nothing but a silhouette against the backdrop of the moon, Stephen grins.

❝ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, KHONSHU. What do you say to a midnight flight? ❞

( idk if there's a hole in the top of his temple but for the sake of this ask, it does have one sldfjsdlkj )

[The Contractual Obligations]

It had seemed fair to expect a dull night. With his Avatar occupied-- no work or vengeance being done to liven things up-- Khonshu had little to do but sit in his temple and watch over the world, seeing uncountable couples going about their date nights. He didn't feel envy-- even in ancient times, Khonshu had avoided romantic connections in favor of work and the company of his worshippers. Other gods felt the compulsion to connect, gather consorts, birth children, or even enjoy intimacy with mortals for fun. It was a pull Khonshu had never felt, the way Hathor once described it to him. (Though, Hathor had managed to pull him in anyway.)

He could not feel much ill-will towards what might as well be a holy day for her, even if it would just be another dull night to him.

… In theory.

The wizard's appearance and gift has him shocked-- it would be fair to say he had never received a Valentine's Day present, with how relatively new the holiday was. Manticores, he can sense-- he catches himself stifling a laugh, and not just at the idea of getting aroused at the Hippocratic Oath. 'Khonshu that eats hearts,' so the aspect of him is called in the Cannibal Hymn, refers to the hearts of other gods, not humans. Are Manticores closer or further away? It hardly matters. Khonshu is still… pleased.

What a strange set of circumstances to find himself pleased by.

He is picking up a heart to taste when the sorcerer is fluttering by like a manic pixie, and Khonshu drops the heart back on the platter to touch the spot where he was just kissed. Leaving a smear of chocolate on his 'cheek'.

"So eager. You would not allow me the time to properly enjoy your gift?" Khonshu notes, as though there's anything stopping the platter of hearts from coming along as an in-flight meal. He re-picks up the one he'd dropped anyway, opening his jaw to toss it in, savoring-- all of it. The taste, the incense, even the doctor's silhouette with the light of his almost-full-moon at his back is a nice visual. Khonshu must give full marks for presentation. Khonshu 'swallows,' the offering converted to golden dust falling into the hole where his neck should be. His form glows a faint white. Empowered by such quality worship, whether or not the man would call it that.

He had not turned down the offer of a night flight. Khonshu's form snapped to dust, trailing up out the hole in the temple ceiling to reappear alongside Strange in midair. "Very well. In the spirit of the holiday, I will accompany you. There are, however, my own contractual obligations to speak of. I believe I promised you something you have not yet seen."

The Duat would be an easy one. Giving him a glimpse into the Field of Reeds (letting him taste a manifestation of his inner peace, a bit dark and on-the-nose for 'something you haven't seen'--) would get Khonshu in major trouble if Osiris found out, but more importantly, he doesn't actually know what Strange has or hasn't seen. Only that his educated guess can't be wrong, if he plans to meet his own challenge.

"I enjoy the nights on earth," Khonshu hummed, and he did. "But it has been awhile, since I've flown across the Overvoid. Celestial Heliopolis." The birthplace of his race of gods. It was beautiful, last he remembered.

[specialinterestsgalore]

The First

An excerpt from the book I'm working on! Feedback welcome! (don't ask if I'm actually gonna be able to finish this thing, your guess is as good as mine)

The warmth is always the best part. It is splattered around our bodies and the room. Flowing out and over my hands, flooding my brain, seeping into my bones. She’s so beautiful like this, spread open for me; I can see all of her. The way the intestines twist together, weaving around the abdomen like snakes in a burrow. Their weight is heavenly in my hands, wet and warm. She is stunning like this, and I have the perfect place to display her. 

There is something wrong with me. It looks so beautiful; spread out near the river bank, intestines hung around the shrubs like tinsel, throat slit cleanly, though there’s not enough blood for it all to have been done here. Something is wrong with me. I should leave; I should call someone. Instead, I step closer. I want to touch it; I want to pull the skin back further, expose more meat and bones, see the path of veins and nerves through the body. I need to. I step closer, kneeling beside it and narrowly avoiding staining my one pair of jeans. The slice up the abdomen is impossibly neat. I could slide my hand into the opening and feel how the organs fit together in the space, though I’m sure they have shifted a bit to fill the space left by the intestines. The body is pale, with a dusting of freckles and a few light stretch marks, unblemished other than the wounds on its stomach and neck. And the face - her face - that reminder, that this was a girl, 16 or 17, I’ve seen her at the local high school, now here nude, eviscerated, and exposed in a small wooded area beside the highway, brings me back for a sickening moment. The gore seems to have a magnetic pull on me as I dig my claws into my skin and force myself to stand. I must keep moving. The birds have gone silent. I can not remember where I am. There is no wind. I must keep moving. 

There is a storage shed behind the library that they have forgotten about. It’s small and cluttered, but it has a cot and power from the main building. I think Bea knows I stay out here, but neither of us mention it. She has been my best friend since I was six. I walked into the Locust Public Library in awe of all the different worlds contained in one building. Beatrice Favor had been the library manager for five years at that point. It was always practically deserted, so she had plenty of time to entertain a child who had just finished her first chapter book and was eager to find another place to escape into. We have spent almost every afternoon together since then. I have no idea what she thinks of me. 

“Sorry. I was… distracted.” She just nods. In the ten years I’ve been officially working with Bea, I’ve only been late a handful of times. She never bothered to say much to me about it.

After dropping my bag in the back room, I can start my favorite part of the day, sorting and reshelving. I start around the local history section. Very few of these books can actually be checked out, but they get pulled off the shelves quite often. Mostly genealogy buffs looking for more information about great-grandpa. The monotonous rhythm of sliding books into their proper place soothes me. I almost forget about my morning. The body in the bushes. I’ve never seen anything like it in person before. But god, I’ve dreamt about it. Such a wonderful shade of red. It felt like artistry. It felt vile. She was just a girl. She will always be a girl. The clarity that I find in the library allows me to consider what I hadn’t before. Who is responsible? Finding the body had felt like a wonderful gift and vomit-inducing curse just for me, but it wasn’t. Someone killed that girl. He sliced her open and dropped her in the brush. I will never see her walking to lunch again. Why? It was one of the most beautiful, brutal scenes I have ever seen, but it didn’t appear that her actual death was particularly violent. It was methodical. Detached. It was what I would like to do. 

A woman is in the library with a little girl, about five years old. She comes in to use the computers often. The girl usually grabs a storybook from the children’s section and sits with who I presume to be her mother. Twice, I have used our puppets to act out her chosen fairytale with her. Today, she is screaming. The woman looks exhausted and embarrassed. The sound is piercing into my brain. I can not think about anything else. I can not see anything but the girl. Her face is red with anguish. 

The red is spreading, pouring forth from her like a fountain. She is still screaming. Is anyone else? They must be. The third time my hand brings the girl’s head down, I hear it. She is cracking, splitting open. I can feel her skull shifting. I don't know where her mother is. I don't know where anyone is. I can only see my hands gripping the girl's hair. I can only hear my own heavy breathing and the girl's gurgles through the blood. The girl’s brain is on the table, the computers, her sweater, my hands. 

I turn to look at her four times as I leave the library. The girl is still there. Still screaming, red-faced in her mother's arms. My hands are clean.

I've kinda been thinking about it as Dexter Morgan vs. Patrick Bateman. The woman narrating has been struggling against her urges for most of her life. She hasn't at this point, but eventually she starts killing abusive men in town while kind of dancing around this other killer. The italicized part is the internal monologue of the killer in the book. I'm planning to have that start each chapter. The indented part is the woman's hallucination/intrusive thoughts.

[liangxinn]

a little MW x mignon AU

Found this year-old AU collecting dust at the bottom of my drafts and decided to send it out into the world! I must have started it immediately after I finished Mignon. I just can't resist the pull of eager puppy x aloof cat combo ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯ I remember falling in love with the atmosphere, that gritty city bathed in red light, and wanting to explore the dynamic of Youngwon and Mignon's early relationship. You can find 1.3k of an opening scene below ^^

Mingyu's teeth are sharper than Wonwoo's own.

It's hard to ignore them when he's always flashing that huge grin of his as he pokes his head through the infirmary door. As if there's anything to smile about in this hellhole. But here he is again, smiling like a fool while Wonwoo patches up a cut on his forehead. It's not an injury from a fight, but the result of his clumsy nature. Smacked his head on the garage door at the mechanic's, supposedly, and he was a bit careless and reopened the wound.

The points of Mingyu's canines dig into his plush lower lip ever so slightly. Wonwoo's eyes flicker downwards, and he forces them back up. Mingyu's grin grows just a touch wider.

Try as he might, Wonwoo can't bring himself to hate the sight. It's what a kid like Mingyu should be doing, going to university and charming countless new friends into his pocket with his good looks. He shouldn't be stuck here getting roughed up on the regular just for some cash that'll be burned up by the weekend. Especially not when the majority of his modest earnings goes straight into the wallet of that piss-poor excuse for a man Mingyu calls his coach.

There's an earnestness in his deep brown eyes that the ring hasn't beaten out of him yet. Truth be told, Wonwoo doesn't want to see the day when Mingyu's toothy grin vanishes for good, which is why he tells Mingyu the same thing night after night:

"When are you going to find yourself a proper job and get the hell out of here?"

And flippant as ever, Mingyu will shoot back his usual response, "This is all I'm good for, ssaem."

The worst part is that he says it like he believes it. Heavens, would Wonwoo love to track down the bastard who taught him such complete bullshit.

Mingyu's a smart boy. Probably had a promising future before he got tangled up in all of this, though he's somewhat notorious for being tight-lipped about his past. He'd dropped by the infirmary one night just to quietly pore over a book in the corner. When Wonwoo succumbed to his curiosity and asked what he was reading, Mingyu showed him the cover of a second-hand anatomy textbook.

"I have a lot to catch up on," he'd said with a shy smile, "y'know, since I never finished high school and all. I was thinking it would be nice to go to university someday... ah, but that'll probably never happen."

If Wonwoo actually had some semblance of a spine, he would have agreed and told Mingyu to abandon that fruitless dream. But he couldn't bear to be so cruel as to rub salt into the wound when Mingyu already thought so lowly of his future, nor could he lie and offer up some nice words of empty optimism. In the end, all he did was ruffle Mingyu's hair in a rare gesture of affection.

The sound of Mingyu's voice calling for him drags Wonwoo away from his musings and back into the moment.

"Ssaem," Mingyu says lowly, breathlessly. His canines are still out on proud display, and Wonwoo can see the mole on the tip of his nose. How did Wonwoo fail to notice him getting this close? "Your eyes are so pretty. Have I ever told you that?"

Damn it all, Wonwoo thinks as he feels his ears growing warm.

"You must have hit your head too hard," he dismisses with a scoff, rolling his chair backwards and standing up to go to the sink. "You're all done. Now get out already."

Mingyu makes a noise of protest, most likely pouting, but there's a yell of his name from outside. It's that loud-mouthed coach of his, screaming at him to hurry up and get ready. Wonwoo really wishes the man would shut the fuck up for just one night.

Left with no choice, Mingyu bids Wonwoo goodbye in a rather dejected tone and slips out of the infirmary. He's one of the few people at the club who have the courtesy to close the door gently on his way out. He didn't get a chance to wish him good luck, Wonwoo realises with a sigh. Not that Mingyu will need it with the state of his current performance.

As Wonwoo reaches to turn the tap on, he catches sight of Mingyu's blood streaked against the side of his index finger. It's already tacky, half-dried and flaking on his skin. He inspects it idly while the water runs on and on, splattering against the basin.

Against his better judgement, Wonwoo brings his hand to his mouth and licks it clean. The rich taste of metal coats his tongue.

Mingyu loses the fight.

Wonwoo knows this not because he saw the match, nor did he hear the gossip circulating amongst the club's patrons. No, he knows because Mingyu flinches hard when Wonwoo places a light hand on his shoulder the next day.

Mingyu tries to put on a brave face, but he falters almost immediately beneath Wonwoo's gaze. Without a single word, he grabs the back of his collar and pulls his shirt over his head, then turns around. Even though Wonwoo knows what's coming, the sight still fills him with silent rage.

Bruises lash across Mingyu's back in long, red-purple stripes. It's a miracle the blows hadn't broken through skin. Wonwoo brushes his fingertips ever so slightly against one of the mottled bruises, and even that barely-there touch makes Mingyu's muscles tense up. It can't possibly be that he can no longer distinguish between a hand that holds no ill intent and one that means to hurt him.

"Why do you stay?" Wonwoo asks, no louder than a whisper.

"Coach didn't really hit me that hard. It looks worse than it is," Mingyu jumps to the defensive far too quickly for Wonwoo's liking. "I mean, he still gives me a roof over my head and he feeds me plenty, so... it's fine. It's 'cause I lost, anyway."

"Mingyu."

At the sound of his name, Mingyu peers over his shoulder. The corner of his mouth twitches up into a grin. He says, teasing, "Aw, you worried about me, ssaem?"

Yes. I am. I'm worried that living like this is going to tear you apart limb from limb. I'm worried that no matter how much I tend to your wounds, I won't be able to mend your broken spirit. I'm worried that someday, they'll push you beyond your limits and you'll just burn yourself and everything around you up like a supernova.

Wonwoo doesn't say any of these things. He stares at the tiles and forces himself to take a deep breath through his nose. Exhale. Once more.

"I'm going to have a word with your coach. How does he expect you to perform when he's already beaten you half to death?"

Mingyu snorts as he tugs his shirt back on, "I don't think Coach was worried about that at the time. Don't trouble yourself, ssaem. I can handle it."

Then, in a move so bold it shocks Wonwoo into total silence, Mingyu reaches out to trace a knuckle down Wonwoo's cheek and tips his chin up so their gazes catch and hold. Mingyu's eyes are gentle, and his smile has lost its sly edge. He looks so heartachingly young.

"Thanks for caring about me," he says softly before stepping back and leaving the infirmary just like that.

Late into the night, Mingyu's touch lingers like a phantom. The mere thought brings warmth to Wonwoo's cheeks as he prepares to lock up before sunrise, stopping at the spot where Mingyu had stood in front of him hours earlier. Not even a chilled bag of blood can quell the heat.

Wonwoo can feel his affection for Mingyu growing teeth and eyes and limbs, morphing into a creature of his own making and feeding upon the tender parts of his heart.

He would do well to kill it now before it has a chance to fester within him.

[natasha-in-space]

Just wanted to let you know I've been scrolling through your writings and I'm so in love. <3

As for my request.. GE Saeran or Ray planting flowers/ tending the garden with MC? I need a little more fluff in my life. :)

"Y/N? What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, Ray!" You immediately perked up at the sound of the voice you knew so well, jumping up onto your feet from the small patch of soil you were crouching in before and turning to face him fully, a giddy smile slowly forming on your face as you took in his curious gaze. It was akin to an instinct that you couldn't control. The sight of him there made you feel so happy that it was hard to contain your excitement. "Sorry. Were you worried for me? I knew I should have texted you..."

"No, no, it's quite alright... You're one of us now, and Magenta is your home. I'm just... surprised." He smiled sheepishly at you, his shoulders relaxing little by little as he took in your cheery demeanor. It was apparent to you that your new status was a strange change for him, despite his efforts to make you feel comfortable. After all, he has grown so close with you in the last couple of weeks... It was probably hard for him to view you as a fellow believer now, rather than his precious tester.

You quickly dusted yourself off before picking up a plastic water can that you were busy working with before. "Well, I wanted to plant some flowers! It was supposed to be a surprise for you, but... I'm, uh, actually kind of struggling here. The gardener I saw acted all antsy around me for some reason, so I didn't want to bother the poor guy. Say... if you, maybe, have some free time on your hands... could you help me out? Just a little?"

After all, it was worth a shot trying to ask him.

"Well, of course! You've done so much for me ever since I came here! I simply wanted to repay the favor. After all, I know how much you love your flower friends. So, can you lend me a hand so that I don't kill any of these poor innocent seedlings?" You chat with him in a lighthearted tone, eager to keep the mood pleasant and comfortable between the two of you. Ray had a tendency to get lost in his own thoughts at times! And, you wanted to distract him a bit from the recent mess up with the Savior that has kept him stressed and anxious throughout the last week.

Ray's eyes practically lit up as you said that, revealing a pale blush on his cheeks in a matter of seconds. He seemed to be rather taken aback by your invitation... in a good way, from what you could see. "A... A surprise? For me...?"

"O-Of course. I'd love to." Although there was a slight stutter in his soft voice, he took a small step towards you. His eyes locked onto yours with an emotion that was a mix between gratitude and admiration. It appears that he was ready for the task after all!

"Great! So, uh, I'm actually unsure of how much water the soil needs, so could you help me with that? Those are white camelia seedlings... I read up on the right way to plant them, but it's not as easy as I thought." You explained to him with an awkward chuckle, crouching down next to the small spot of fresh soil you've chosen to plant in and gesturing around all the gardening equipment you managed to bring out with you. Although the gardener believer was anxious, he was willing to carry all the heavy stuff for you, and you were grateful for that.

He made it look so easy... like it was second nature to him. You only wished he could have more time and freedom on his hands to pursue these small activities that actually brought him joy... but, since you didn't want to ruin the moment, you never brought up this forbidden topic at hand.

Soon, you were both working in comfortable silence, nothing but the gentle rustle of greenery and the evening melody of crickets interrupting the sound of your gradual progress. Although, by this time, you spent more energy on ogling Ray than actually gardening. You couldn't help yourself! He looked so graceful as his hands placed each tiny seed in its respective hole... You never knew something like gardening could even look graceful! But, oh, what you liked most of all was seeing how... peaceful Ray's gaze has become the longer you worked. He appeared completely relaxed at this moment, enjoying doing something he loved and not worrying about anything. For this brief magical moment, at the very least.

"Oh hey, that one looks like a kitty!" You called out, pointing out the specific cluster of clouds you were talking about, with a silly snicker falling from your lips. There was something so... relaxing about doing this with him. It's possible to forget the huge imposing castle made of white marble towering behind you and, for a brief moment, find yourself free as a bird amidst these fluffy clouds. It was bittersweet, in a way.

The initial plan was to help you with your gardening effort, but it turned out to be cloud-watching as you sat next to each other on the lush grass, your arms barely touching. The closeness is just right to make your heart race, but not too much to cause anything prohibited within Mint Eye. Sort of like a secret date.

"I'm afraid I can't really see that, but your imagination is something definitely worth of admiration." Ray chuckled quietly, shaking his head a bit as he glanced at you with amusement before returning his attention to the rosy evening sky above.

"Y-Yes?" He stuttered, his gaze now glued to you, even as his cheeks grew redder and redder as he inevitably took notice of just how close your faces truly were now that you laid your head on his shoulder.

As you laid your head on his shoulder, sighing with a sense of peacefulness that enveloped you like a warm blanket, he jolted and made a tiny adorable squeak at your sudden touch. You were aware that he didn't object to this. Ray was someone almost as touch-starved as you... although, it took you some time to realize that his jumpy reactions weren't made out of discomfort, but rather unfamiliarity with such gestures of affection. "...Ray?"

"Do you know the meaning of white camelia?"

"That's right. You're adorable." You whispered affectionately to him, as if it were a secret meant only to be shared between you, then leaning in and leaving a chaste kiss on the tip of his nose.

Your question caused his flustered mind to scramble and his eyes to grow wide. It wasn't long before a shaky gasp came from his lips, making you giggle in response.

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

Chapter 22- Part 20

Well, nowhere else to explore, so let's head down this hallway, that's probably where the security thing Anna described is.

Oooh, and there's an item! Now I've get extra reason to wanna go in there!

Hitting me right in the childhood with that one, the Diamond and Pearl anime was, if I recall, the first Pokémon anime I was really exposed to.

Well then, let's start with using Crunch on Pikachu, and by that point Piplup won't last much longer.

And this is a job for Crater, so let's switch in as Yanmega goes down yet again.

Masquerain? That's weird, Shelly usually sends in Araquanid next- not sure what happened this time. Well, it won't be too much of an issue, Crater can just use Earth Power on Magnemite, while Nosepass also goes down.

Okay, Prong can deal with both of these, so let's switch in to her now.

Masquerain���s probably gonna kill the Elgyem, so we'll focus on Prinplup with Charge Beam.

It takes two Charge Beams, actually.

Okay, now to do what we came here for- first, to check what that item is.

HM!? DATA CHIP!? Oh yes, PLEASE do give me that! I really needed that, actually! I know exactly what I'm gonna do with this!

AND the gate upstairs is now open again!! Heck yeah!

Now to get the heck outta here and back to the Pokémon Center to input a certain password…

That's right, I'm giving myself a concrete level cap! These battles are only gonna get harder as the game goes on, I'm sure, and I don't think I can afford to keep holding back my Pokémon just to avoid possibly going over the current level cap.

I'm sure I could maintain my current ability to manage exp. points like I have been, I'm decent with resource management- but it's still just one more thing to stress over on top of everything else. This way, I can focus more on proper strategizing for future fights without having to worry about the level cap on top of it.

Now I can go all-out on battles from here on, and my Pokémon can reach their full potential for a particular Badge and Gym battle! This is gonna be great!

And back at the orphanage, we find…

Yup, that gate is done and dusted!

But saving Noel and Heather is gonna have to wait for the next installment, this chapter is getting long enough as is. Thank you all once again for reading, and next time- there'll be even more excitement, I'm sure. Dr. Connal's days are numbered- whether that be in the sense of his job or his life, the jury's still out on that- and I'm eager to kick his face for what he's been doing! So I hope you'll join me next time for that inevitable confrontation- until then!

CURRENT TEAM:

Riptide

Species: Feraligatr

Gender: Male

Level: 36

Ability: Sheer Force*

Item: Quick Claw

Brave nature; Alert to sounds.

Glare

Species: Arbok

Gender: Female

Level: 36

Ability: Intimidate

Item: Protective Pads

Naughty nature; Highly curious.

Bloom

Species: Roselia

Gender: Male

Level: 37

Ability: Leaf Guard*

Item: Rose Incense 

Docile nature; Alert to sounds.

Prong

Species: Charjabug

Gender: Female

Level: 36

Ability: Battery

Item: None

Rash nature; Loves to eat.

Crater

Species: Camerupt

Gender: Female

Level: 37

Ability: Magma Armor

Item: Quick Claw

Hardy nature; Often scatters things.

Kirin

Species: Girafarig

Gender: Female

Level: 36

Ability: Sap Sipper*

Item: None

Quirky nature; Thoroughly cunning.

CURRENT BOXES:

NUMBER OF RELOADS: 14

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[afterdarkprincess]

Aftershocks Part 13

Hello again!!

We're back to very cute mushy feelings <3 And some aftercare!

Thinking one more part/epilogue to round this out (which I'm working on now) and that'll be the end of this fic but I have so many more ideas for these two and I'm actually enjoying writing again so there will likely be more content soon!

Samijey Post-Summerslam

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

Tags for @feelschicken @southerngirl41 and @jeyuwuso

Sami ducks around the corner into the bathroom, on a mission to return with a warm wet towel to clean Jey and himself off.

With this moment to himself, even after living everything thats transpired over the last few hours, he still has a hard time believing that all of this was real and not some liquor fueled fantasy he’d dreamed up for himself on a lonely night.

His dating history is shorter than most, what with living most of his life on the road, dedicating his life to his very first love of wrestling. The few times he’d dated women the relationships fizzled out pretty quickly, and the one man he’s been with?

Well he hadn’t lied to Jey earlier, at no point during the arranging of his travel did he expect to have one bed for Kevin and himself, and while he certainly loved his tag partner, it was truly the bond of brothers.

But all those years ago, when Sami had been questioning his sexuality, Kev had been an understanding ear and willing to help him out while he experimented.

It certainly hadn’t been good sex, and all of the sex he’s had in general has been firmly in the “vanilla” category.

Where had all of that come from?

The pet names, the spanking, calling the other man pretty? He knows those are things that probably should be discussed prior to being done in the moment, but it all felt so right and natural. Not to mention hot as hell.

Sami had felt so at home in his role in the bloodline, with his knack for taking care of others and his eagerness to please. It felt like an extension of that, caring for this man that he loves in a whole new way.

And Jey needed someone to take care of him, more than deserved it for the hell he’s gone through.

The thought brings him back to the moment, warm water cascading over the towel in his hand. He wrings it out, making sure its not going to drip everywhere, and heads back to the mini fridge to get a cold bottle of water before returning to bed.

Jey’s still in the same spot on the bed, cozy in the pillows and legs splayed, a pout on his face.

“Bout time,” He gripes.

Sami laughs in spite of himself, even when Jey’s irritated he’s so damn cute.

“Sorry, got distracted.” He kisses the wrinkle in Jey’s forehead as he puts the water on the side table.

He takes his time, slowly running the warm towel through the mess on Jey’s chest and abdomen, loving on his skin in a whole new way. Somehow its even more intimate, going back between Jey’s thighs and cleaning up the mess he left behind.

In hindsight, it probably would have been better to have used a condom. Sure he knows they’re both clean, they both get tested for anything and everything all the time, but it shows a level of commitment that’s showing his hand a little bit more than he intended.

After all things escalated pretty quickly tonight, and he’s in this for the long haul but he doesn’t want to scare Jey off.

He tosses the towel over to the corner of the room and gets back in on his side of the bed.

He spares a glance at the clock and its late. More morning now than night. And he’s tired for sure, body nice and relaxed from the orgasm if nothing else, but sleep is still far from his mind.

Sami settles on his back for a second, staring at the popcorn ceiling, silence stretching between them again.

Jey coughs and Sami looks over at him, and he smiles at the sight of another pout, with the addition of that beautiful flush dusting his cheeks.

“You jus’ done wit me now?”

He can only guess that this was meant as a joke, but there’s a bite of insecurity to the question that hurts Sami’s heart to hear.

He rolls over and takes Jey’s face in his hand. “Of course not,” He kisses Jey’s nose, so softly that its barely a brush of his lips. “You’re not getting rid of me now.”

Jey grins, responding “Good,” before kissing him on the lips. It’s just as sweet as the first time.

They exchange a few lazy kisses like this, unhurried and slow, their legs intertwined on the bed. It’s bliss, an earned reward for the literal trials and tribulations it took to arrive here together.

Sami pulls back a bit, licking his lips to savor the taste of Jey on his tongue. “We probably should uh, talk about what this means at some point.” Jey’s beautiful eyes bore into his, and its hard not to get lost in them. “I meant what I said, you’re stuck with me now.”

Jey nods, and takes one of Sami’s hands in his own. “Tomorrow, ‘kay? N’ uh, go easy on me. M’not so good at talkin’ ‘bout feelings.” He brings Sami’s hand to his lips, kisses each knuckle, gently. “S’important though. You’re important, Uce.”

It warms Sami’s heart but he can’t help but mirror the cringe that befalls Jey’s face when he realizes what he said.

“Shit, no more Uce for you, huh? S’gonna be a hard habit to break.” Jey’s fingers reach up to run through Sami’s hair absentmindedly, tucking a stray lock behind his ears. “Maybe somethin’ else, yeah? Pele? Manamea maybe?”

Sami’s grasp of the Samoan language isn’t the best, but Jey’s tone is unmistakable and the look in his eyes reassures him that they truly are on the same page here.

He kisses Jey again, for no other reason than that he wants to and can. It’s a treat to be able to do so, a gift that he’s never going to take for granted.

----

God I just love them so much 🥰

[assarivanguard]

wip wednesday but it's thursday because timezones

@optiwashere tagged me once again, and now i get to inflict everyone with my pre-edited half-done wips

i've had a few cooking since i actually have brain gremlins now so i just let ideas happen instead of focusing on one at a time. if this backfires i'll just go back to writing one at a time lmao

anyway enjoy

wip 1: wild west karivan (karlach/rivan) (working title) i just wanted to do something history related ngl

“Storm's brewin’.” The wind picked up, black-grey hair carried along with it. The rider adjusted her weather-worn flat-brimmed hat to block out as much sun as possible, her burn-scarred skin already reddened from the heat and wind. Her striped poncho lifted up in the breeze briefly, but she paid no mind. All she could do was watch the horizon, watch how the rolling clouds darkened further. Rivan Tavares readjusted herself again on her saddle. Her trusty steed, a lazy as sin paint horse named Calle, gnawed at a tumbleweed that had blown between her hooves. “Going to be a nasty one, I fear,” Wyll added. He had re-doffed his own Derby hat after shaking out some dust. While Calle was lazy as they came, his brilliantly white steed was pawing at the loose dirt, eager to sprint. Shamshir may not be the smartest horse, but what it lacked in intelligence it made up for in will and loyalty.

wip 2: untitled (future karlach/rivan) i began writing this when horribly depressed. it is what it is. also someone's gotta do monk lore and i will be the one to do it so help me god

The first time she felt something was when the nomads had passed down the street leading into Baldur’s Gate proper. A troupe of monks that were travel weary and mud splattered, but all so so beautiful. Muscles as far as her little eyes could see, women of all shapes and sizes of all races. Rivan’s heart fluttered, heat rising up her cheeks. With most of the hostels booked for the night, the monks had chose to stay at her family’s brothel. Most people would leer and grab and jeer at the flesh on display, she’d seen loads of travellers doing it, but the monks remained calm, almost at peace with the world, and little Rivan was fascinated.

also cooking is a wip about karlach meeting rivan's family and monk stuff, some lae'zel/minthara stuff, maybe some aylin/isobel stuff. i'm just being gay. and kinky.

[randomthunk]

We kind of sprinted to the end of season 5 in the DS9 watch, since things were really amping up and we wanted to get to that point before diverting off to watch some other stuff. (I'm really itching to show Mr. Thunk some more MST3K, he still has a lot to see.) Season 6, I know, starts with a six-parter which is where Mr. Thunk gave up on the show before. I'm eager for us both to be watching with the same eyes, that'll be fun.

Some end of the season thoughts:

Empok Nor was legitimately tense. I had stopped drinking my coffee and was grinding my mug into dust in the second half of the episode. O'Brien is such a non-obvious character and they still use that very well with him - he's done being a soldier and isn't hiding a bloodlust, and he will never betray his wife, thank you very much.

In the Cards totally bypassed all my predictions and expectations and was legitimately heartwarming and charming. I'm stunned that Jake and Nog-centric plots can be as good as they usually end up being. I'm only mildly disappointed that Weyun wasn't a massive baseball fan.

Call to Arms is finally when shit hits the fan, but I'm also glad that it happened the way it did. Not some big, grandiose incident, but like wind rolling through wheat and headed your way. I'm actually pretty interested to see where we go into season 6. Kira, Odo, and Quark being the ones left to greet Gul Dukat at the station...that's some chef's kiss stuff right there.

And some bonus SHIP CORNER talk because Call to Arms made it a thing so it's not my fault:

I love that Odo and Kira view the war as less of a problem than their inevitable Relationship Talk, and decide to shelve it for now so they can just focus on War Stuff.

I know 99% of the fandom will tear me to shreds for this opinion, but I don't care. I like Garak and Ziyal. What I also think is very funny is that Garak dating Gul Dukat's daughter is like the ultimate "hahaha fuck you" to the guy who he could've shot in the back but didn't.

[nsfwmiamiart]

Read this: Dialogue Between Crown Prince Angelo and French Haters

French haters be like: "Angelo, don't do this! Please don't write French screenplays. You will prove that you are the best screenwriter in France."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "You had seven years to talk shit about me and slander my name, from 2017 until 2024. Now the time is up! It's my turn to speak, and I will show the world who the greatest screenwriter is—was it me or was it you? You have no idea the type of entertainment about to flood French cinema; my screenplays are of the highest quality. I don't write wack shit like you clowns."

French haters be like: "Please, don't do this, Angelo! You will seize power in French cinema! What are we gonna do now? You became the most powerful man in French cinema?"

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "I will write some of the dopest screenplays in French cinema, and anyone who wants to challenge me is welcome! Don't forget that I'm highly talented, so you better prepare for an all-out battle for the French cinema throne. I'm coming for your thrones."

French haters be like: "Our thrones, you say? Man, we are so fucked! I guess we have to work hard now; we have been writing low-quality screenplays for such a long time. Now you will raise the bar and force the competition to write better or get left in the dust, forgotten and abandoned."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "Gee, ya think? You make way too many wack films in French cinema, and I will be the breath of fresh air that everyone has been waiting for. No one will stop my rise to the top. Do you know why? Because I have so many billionaires funding my movies; you don't know the half of it!"

French haters be like: "Marion Cotillard is a has-been, Vincent Cassel is a has-been—all these celebrities that came before you are has-beens now."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "Whatever they accomplished in their careers is of no value; they made 2% good movies and 98% wack movies. No one watches their movies. Fuck all these dumbfucks! I will refuse to shake hands with Marion and Vincent; I will never acknowledge their existence. I will have my gang in French cinema, and they will have their gang. We will see who is the greatest gang. The war for the French cinema throne has officially begun. The wack movies that you all make every year will no longer be tolerated; you will be forced to come up with original ideas if you wish to compete with my innovative team. It's either sink or swim."

French haters be like: "Marion and Vincent Cassel do not have your skills; you know very well that you are a greater writer than them."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "Yes, I know, but they keep lying to everyone and acting like they are greater than me. They have no idea they started a war, and I'm about to finish it. I will prove to the world who is the greatest screenwriter. I will launch a thirty-year war, and it will be painful for all these talentless clowns. Marion and Vincent will look like amateurs when I'm done writing my movies. They claim to be the greatest; I will show you that what they call great is actually wack as fuck. You have no idea the war that I will bring to their careers."

French haters be like: "This is a fair competition, and it is good to have a fair competition in French cinema. We are eager to launch this war for the French cinema throne; it's a fun concept. May the best screenwriters win the war."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "This is gonna be the most fun I've had in a while! I will crush their egos into tiny little pieces. They started a war; they have huge egos, and we will destroy their egos now. If they wish to escape this ego-crushing competition, there's only one way out—it's either sink or swim. They must write dope screenplays and enter the competition. If they fail to produce better quality screenplays, they will be exposed as wack screenwriters, and I will win the trophies, one after the other. I will keep doing this for decades. Fuck these two clowns! Marion and Vincent have bullied me for many years, and now I will expose their fakeness for the whole world to see. The war has begun."

French haters be like: "We all know they bullied you; we were there. We are witnesses; we saw everything. No wonder you want to start a war in French cinema."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "It will be a very destructive war that lasts many decades. It will be my team versus the teams of Vincent and Marion. We will see which team wins in the end."

French haters be like: "You know very well that your team will win; you have all the billionaires in your corner. They will fund your movies."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "Yeah, I know. I was just trying to make a point. We all know I'm gonna dominate the French cinema game for many decades. Fuck these haters! Marion and Vincent Cassel are has-beens; they are the past. I'm the future."

French haters be like: "Can we join your team? We want to leave the team of Marion and Vincent Cassel because you spoke the truth—they are wack. All they do is ride the coattails of Nolan and Brad Pitt all day. Everything you said is true."

Crown Prince Angelo be like: "I will expose their dick riding activities. Marion is a groupie, and Vincent is a groupie; they are wack as fuck. Nolan and Brad Pitt have two groupies in France, and their names are Marion and Vincent. They sell their country to America—two French traitors."

There will be a war in French cinema, and you better prepare for it.

A lot of the groupies will be exposed; we will go to war with them and expose their traitorous activities.

The end.

Angelo (Crown Prince) (Yes, I’m the Black Prince—I wrote this text).

P.S.:

Synopsis of the Dialogue:

The piece presents a satirical narrative where Crown Prince Angelo addresses French haters, declaring his intention to revolutionize French cinema. He contrasts his skills against those of established actors like Marion Cotillard and Vincent Cassel, claiming their careers are mediocre. Angelo proclaims a "war" for dominance in the industry, emphasizing his backing from billionaires and his commitment to exposing the failures of the current cinematic landscape. He invites competition, suggesting that only those who can adapt will survive in this new era of filmmaking.

Dictionary meaning:

Word #1:

The term "dick rider" is slang, typically used as an insult to describe someone who excessively and blindly supports, praises, or agrees with another person, often to gain favor or be seen as part of their group. It implies that the person lacks their own opinions or integrity and is just trying to ride on someone else's success, popularity, or influence. It's often used in contexts where people are perceived to be sycophantic or overly deferential to someone, especially a celebrity or person of power.

This term is very vulgar, so it’s important to be mindful of context and audience when using it!

Word #2:

"Has-beens" refers to individuals who were once prominent or successful in their field but are no longer relevant or influential. It is often used as a derogatory term to suggest that someone's time in the spotlight has passed, and they are now considered outdated or no longer capable of contributing meaningfully in their industry.

In popular culture, it can be applied to former celebrities, artists, or public figures who have lost their previous level of fame or success. The term implies that they had their moment but have since faded into obscurity.

Angelo says: "Why not?"😂😂😂😂

[manybcdthings]

"I literally never said maybe it's Turkish. I just said why it's not Swedish." Felix retorted, giving Emine a skeptical glance and then to her phone which was just a black screen by the time she pointed to it before slipping it away. Truthfully, he had no idea what question or answer she was referring to and he gave the witch a shrug as he sipped his drink. "I don't think I care, if I'm honest." he grinned before his head shook, mirroring Emine's head shake in the same moment. "I literally can't remember a single time I've been wrong about anything, so. You're wrong."

Felix had to laugh at Emine's profound words, but he never bought into the whole healing the inner-child thing. "He's not here, he grew up. Into this. Unfortunately for you." Surprisingly, it was the most he had sounded like Oskar in his life when he called it hippie waffle. Spoken like true men with healed inner-children. "Luckily for us, crimes that are punishable by fines, means they're free." Felix chimed with an obvious sarcasm at how pathetic the system was. As Emine continued with her own jokes, Felix fought back a laugh and raised a brow at her. "I'm getting worried that you're nicer to child me than adult me. Are you...you know? Creepy? Because, I'd prefer to find that out now before I officially accept the Knighthood thing." Did they even figure out about jousting poles?

Felix adamantly shook his head once, thinking Emine was trying to prove herself for another line. His selfishness reared, and he wagged a finger at the witch as he hoarded the powder for himself. "Absolutely not even going to let you find out if you can do it better or not." he laughed, gesturing to her. "That should work anyways, for a little while. How do you feel?" he was actually excited to hear that it had done the trick, even if these days Felix needed much more to feel the rush. He was eager to have a secondhand rush from Emine, feeling content that she could float on by her grief. But, he was quickly preparing himself another line, note to the start of it before Bella's name made him breathe out instead of in from surprise and yet more powder flew through the air. "No, shit! I mean, yes! Yes, text her!" he was caught between wanting to see her but then waving around the dust so it dissipated through the air. "I have to look sober. Well, not sober...just not on coke!" he gestured. "We have to look not on coke!"

Emine keep points at the screen, but she's forgotten what they're supposed to be looking at so she simply waves the phone and tucks it away. "No, no, I'm saying you said maybe it is Turkish. I said it is not." It's a matter-of-fact statement, a simple one even, but every word feels taxing and Emine laughs at his words. "Don't you wanna know what my answer is?" She shakes her head. "You're not an idiot, Fefe, you are just not always right." The witch wags a finger in his direction. "That's all. It's different."

She frowns at the mention of breaking the law and laughs abruptly. "Tell him to go away then! But I do not think he can. He's part of you." Emine says off-handedly. Then her eyes go wide. She looks from the table back to Felix. "We also broke the law by doing," she lowers her voice, "drugs." But she thinks he's probably done more with the powder on his face and as he leans down to do it again. "You just look sick sometimes. That's all. Maybe you come over and we go to the roof. We'll give you extra sunscreen." She says with a pat to his shoulder. "No burn for you Swedish Fish." Another chortle of laughter at the nickname.

"I am not boring! Even if I didn't do," she gestures, "I would be interesting." Emine insists, tapping his shoulder a few times as he leans in. "But I can do it better. I just wasn't expecting how it all," she waves a hand, spirit fingers in motion, as though describing the sensation. The way it still lifts her spirits even now, everything with a warm haze, each sound a pleasant buzz as she reaches for her glass. A hesitation, then she grabs the bottle by the neck, lifting it to her lips without thought. Better than refilling the same glass again and again. Emine stands now, swaying on both legs as she takes a swig, eyes closed to the music filling the air. "It's good I found you." The witch admits. "Sir bestie, Felix." Emine grins, opening her eyes as the song changes and her gaze brightens. "Oh! I should text Bells." It's a revelation and she's already pulling out her phone with her empty hand. The bottle is in her other as she takes another gulp before extending it to Felix.