#the wig..... dramatic reveal....

[blueiscoool]

How Hadrian’s Wall is Revealing a Hidden Side of Roman History

A party invitation. A broken flipflop. A wig. Letters of complaint about road conditions, and an urgent request for more beer.

It sounds like the aftermath of a successful spring break, but these items are nearly 2,000 years old.

They’re just some of the finds from Hadrian’s Wall – the 73-mile stone wall built as the northwestern boundary of the Roman Empire, sealing off Britannia (modern-day England and Wales) from Caledonia (essentially today’s Scotland).

While most of us think of Pompeii and Herculaneum if we’re thinking of everyday objects preserved from ancient Rome, this outpost in the wild north of the empire is home to some of the most extraordinary finds.

“It’s a very dramatic stamp on the countryside – there’s nothing more redolent of saying you’re entering the Roman empire than seeing that structure,” says Richard Abdy, lead curator of the British Museum’s current exhibition, Legion, which spotlights the everyday life of Roman soldiers, showcasing many finds from Hadrian’s Wall in the process. A tenth of the Roman army was based in Britain, and that makes the wall a great source of military material, he says.

But it’s not all about the soldiers, as excavations are showing.

A multicultural melting pot

Hadrian, who ordered the wall to be built in 122CE after a visit to Britannia, had a different vision of empire than his predecessors, says Frances McIntosh, curator for English Heritage’s 34 sites along Hadrian’s Wall.

“All the emperors before him were about expanding the empire, but Hadrian was known as the consolidator,” she says. He relinquished some of the territory acquired by his predecessor Trajan, and “decided to set the borders” – literally, in some cases, with wooden poles at sites in Germany, or with stone in Britannia. Where those poles rotted thousands of years ago, the wall is still standing: “A great visual reminder” of the Roman empire, says McIntosh.

It’s not just a wall. There’s a castle every mile along, and turrets at every third-of-a-mile point, with ditches and banks both north and south. “You can imagine the kind of impact that would have had, not just on the landscape but on the people living in the area,” says McIntosh.

And thanks to the finds from the wall, we know a surprising amount about those people.

Although historians have long thought of army outposts as remote, male-dominant places, the excavations along the wall show that’s not the case. Not only were soldiers accompanied by their families, but civilians would settle around the settlements to do business. “ You can almost see Housesteads as a garrison town,” says McIntosh. “There were places you could go for a drink and so on.”

The Roman rule of thumb was not to post soldiers in the place they came from, because of the risk of rebellion. That meant Hadrian’s Wall was a cultural melting point, with cohorts from modern-day Netherlands, Spain, Romania, Algeria, Iraq, Syria – and more. “It was possibly more multicultural because it was a focus point,” says McIntosh, who says that the surrounding community might have included traders from across the empire.

Soldiers were split into two groups. Legionaries were Roman citizens from Italy, who had more rights than other soldiers and imported olive oil, wine and garum (a sauce made from decomposing fish).

They worked alongside auxiliaries – soldiers from conquered provinces, who had fewer rights, but could usually acquire citizenship after 25 years of service.

Soldiers carved their names and regiments on stones to show which part of the wall they built – around 50 of them are on display at Chesters fort.

But the wall shows that women and children were equally present.

McIntosh says that pottery brought to the camps – from the Low Countries and North Africa – shows that the soldiers “brought their families, who cooked in traditional style.” Archaeologists have found what seems to be an ancient tagine for North African-style cooking.

A tombstone from Arbeia fort for a woman named Regina shows she was a freed slave from southern Britain who was bought by – and married to – a Syrian soldier.

Another woman buried at Birdoswald fort was laid to rest with chainmail that appears to be from modern-day Poland. “Perhaps she married someone in the army,” says McIntosh, who calls the wall a “melting pot of people from all over the world under the banner of the army.”

“They brought their own religions, as well as worshipping Roman gods and adopting local deities,” she adds. At Carrawburgh, a temple to Mithras – an originally Persian deity – sat near a spring with a shrine to a local water spirit.

‘Wretched little Brits’

Some of the most extraordinary finds from the Roman empire are coming from one site on Hadrian’s Wall: Vindolanda. Here, archaeologists have found a wealth of organic remains because of what curator Barbara Birley calls the “unusual conditions onsite.”

At Vindolanda there are the remains of at least nine forts over 14 levels. “When the Romans would leave, they would knock down timber forts, and cover the area with turf and clay, sealing the layers underneath,” she says.

“Because it happened so many times, the bottom five or six layers are sealed in anaerobic conditions, so things don’t decay. When we get down there, we get wooden objects, textiles, anything organic.”

Vindolanda has the largest collection of Roman textiles from a single site in western Europe, as well as the largest leather collection of any site in the Roman empire – including 5,000 shoes, and even a broken leather flip-flop. “We probably had a population of 3,000 to 6,000 depending on the period, so 5,000 is a lot,” says Birley. For Abdy, the shoes evoke the conditions of the wet borderlands. “Women’s and children’s shoes are hobnailed – you needed it in the mucky frontier dirt tracks. They’re very evocative.”

There’s even a wig made from a local plant, hair moss, which is said to repel midges – the scourge of Scotland during the summer. A centurion’s helmet is also crested with hairmoss – the ancient equivalent of spraying yourself with insect repellent.

The first woman to write in Latin

One of the most famous finds is the trove of wooden writing tablets – the largest found anywhere.

“They give a snapshot of what life was actually like,” says Birley. “We understand so much more from written correspondence than from ‘stuff,’ and, archaeologically, it’s the stuff that usually survives – things like metals and ceramics.

“These were written in ink, not on a wax stylus tablet, and we believe they were used for what we’d put in emails: ‘The roads are awful,’ ‘The soldiers need more beer.’ Everyday business.”

The tablets – or “personal letters” as Birley describes them – were found on the site of a bonfire when the ninth cohort of Batavians (in the modern-day Netherlands) were told to move on.

“They had a huge bonfire and lots of letters were chucked in the fire. Some have been singed – we think it may have rained,” she says. One of them calls the locals “Britunculi” – “wretched little Brits.” Another talks about an outbreak of pinkeye. One claims that the roads are too bad to send wagons; another laments that the soldiers have run out of beer.

Among the 1,700 letters are 20 that mention a woman called Sulpicia Lepidina. She was the wife of the commander of the garrison, and seems to have played a crucial role. There’s a letter to her from another woman, Paterna, agreeing to send her two medicines, one a fever cure.

Birley says it’s similar to today. “If you’re a group of moms, still today we say, ‘Do you have the Calpol?’ It’s very human.” For Abdy, it’s a sign that women were traders. “She’s clearly flogging her medicines,” he says. “It’s really great stuff.”

Another tablet is an invite from Claudia Severa, the wife of another commander at a nearby camp. It’s an invitation to a birthday party. Under the formal invitation, presumably written by a scribe, is a scrawl in another hand: “I shall expect you, sister. Farewell, sister, my dearest soul.”

Presumably written by Claudia herself, it is thought to be the earliest example of a woman’s handwriting in Latin.

Without the organic finds – the shoes and the letters that indisputably belonged to women, unlike jewellery or weaving equipment – it’s difficult to prove conclusively that women lived in significant numbers. Vindolanda “illustrate the missing gaps,” says Abdy. For Birley, they prove that women were as crucial a part of army communities as men. “Before the Lepidina tablets were found we didn’t really understand the interactions between the soldiers and their wives,” she says. Another tablet is written by what is thought to be a Spanish standard-bearer’s common-law wife, ordering military equipment for her partner.

“The Vindolanda collection is showing that there weren’t just camp followers and prostitutes; women were part of everyday life, and contributing to the military community in many ways,” says Birley.

Abdy says that Hadrian’s Wall is interesting because the resident women span “all classes of society,” from Regina – the dead freedwoman, who would have been “bottom of the heap” – to the trader Paterna and the noblewoman Lepidina.

And of course, there’s the wall itself.

“In the Netherlands and Germany the finds are often stunning and better preserved – you go to museums and are bowled over. But in terms of structural remains, Hadrian’s Wall must be among the best,” says McIntosh, modestly, of her site.

Abdy agrees: “I can’t think of many symbols so redolent of imperial will than that wall.”

By Julia Buckley.

[inlovewithfionaapple]

Hi! May I please request Miko showing her gf the short hair for the first time on set for Wassup?

wassup with the hair?

warnings: none

wc: 1.2k

an: i love young mikooo!!!!!

the hum of the city was quieter than usual in the early afternoon. golden light streamed in through the high windows of the apartments, filling long slats of warmth onto the hardwood floor. y/n sat cross-legged on the couch, rifling through a magazine, but their gaze returned repeatedly to the clock on their phone.

miko was late. not in the usual, lost-in-the-studio way. no—she’d been cryptic, almost mischievous in her texts that morning.

be home in 20. don’t look at my ig. promise?

y/n had responded with a string of eye emojis and a dramatic fine, but their curiosity had only grown since. miko had been working nonstop on her new music video for "wassup," dropping little hints here and there—a new vibe, a new look. y/n was used to their girlfriend’s spontaneous spirit. miko had always been a bit of a loose cannon, on the brink of edgy and untidy, but there was something going on here. the energy in her voice, the little tremble of expectation when she called last night—it was electric.

and y/n couldn’t help but wonder.

when the door finally swung open with a soft click, y/n's head shot up.

miko came in slowly, a black hoodie pulled low over her forehead, sunglasses perched on her nose despite the fact that they were indoors. her very presence hummed with electricity. she closed the door behind herself with her heel, then stood there, grinning like a kid about to perform a magic trick.

“close your eyes.”

y/n raised an eyebrow. “seriously?”

“come onnnnn.” miko bounced on her toes. “i want a dramatic reveal. full drama. give it to me.”

y/n set the book aside, their lips twitching. “fine. i’m trusting you.”

they closed their eyes.

miko’s steps padded closer across the wood floor, the faint scent of her shampoo—bergamot and something floral—filling the space. y/n could hear her breathing quicken.

“you ready?”

y/n nodded, smiling. “ready.”

“okay. one, two… three.”

y/n opened their eyes.

and promptly let out a soft gasp.

miko stood there with her hoodie pulled down, sunglasses now hanging from the collar of her oversized graphic tee. her hair—previously waist-length—was gone.

well, not gone.

now it was a sleek, razor-sharp bob that barely grazed her jawline, the ends curled ever so slightly inward. there were subtle streaks of ginger threaded through the brown, catching the sunlight like veins of moonlight.

it was bold and sharp, yet polished. and it made miko look older, cooler—like someone who’d stepped straight out of a edgy magazine and into y/n's living room.

y/n blinked.

“holy shit,” they whispered.

miko tilted her head, a little self-conscious now. “you like it?”

y/n stood, shuffling over slowly as if in awe that miko existed. they reached out, gently brushing a hand through the freshly cut hair, marveling at the silky texture and how perfectly it suited her.

“i love it,” they said, eyes shining. “you look like a pop assassin.”

miko burst out laughing. “a what?”

“like—like you just walked off the set of a spy movie where you kill people with killer vocals.”

miko did a dramatic spin, letting the bob swish around her jaw. “exactly the vibe. it’s for ‘wassup.’” y/n's eyes sparkled. “well, mission accomplished. you look dangerously hot.”

miko’s grin turned slightly crooked, pleased. “i was so nervous, though. like, what if you hated it? it’s such a big change…”

y/n gently cupped miko’s face, thumbs grazing her cheeks. “miko, you could shave your head bald and i’d still be obsessed with you.”

“even if i dyed it neon green and put spikes in it?”

“i’d buy a matching mohawk wig and we’d be the coolest couple at any club.”

miko leaned in, forehead resting against y/n's. “god, you’re perfect.”

y/n smiled. “only because you’re insane.”

they kissed—slow, warm, and familiar, like home—but with a fresh spark, something electric humming beneath the surface. miko’s new look gave the moment a strange, almost surreal edge. like kissing a new version of someone they already loved. reinvention wrapped in the same heartbeat.

when they finally pulled apart, miko pulled y/n over to the couch and flopped down beside them.

“so,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “wanna see the teaser?”

y/n's eyebrows shot up. “wait, you brought it with you?”

miko grabbed her phone from her back pocket. “it’s not out yet, obviously. but i got the near-final cut today. just a sneak peek. director’s being super protective, but i told him you were worth breaking the rules for.”

y/n mock-swooned. “flattery and contraband content? be still my heart.”

miko hit play and turned the screen toward her.

the screen filled with flashes of deep neon purples and blues. rain-slicked alleyways. motorcycle tires screeching across glistening asphalt. then—miko, center frame, hair whipping as she stepped into a spotlight, lips curled in a smirk, the bassline of "wassup" kicking in heavy and dirty.

y/n watched in awe.

miko didn’t just look different. she moved different. fiercer. tighter. every move was precise. her voice floated above the beat like smoke—confident, teasing, untouchable.

by the time the teaser ended with a close-up of miko smirking into the camera, whispering, “wassup?” before the screen went black, y/n was speechless.

miko looked at them. “well?”

y/n blinked. “i don’t even have words. you’re amazing, miko.”

“i was hoping it’d punch.”

“it slaps. it headbutts. it roundhouse kicks.”

miko giggled and leaned back, visibly relieved. “thank god. i was losing sleep over whether i’d pulled it off.”

“you did more than pull it off. you reinvented yourself without losing an ounce of what makes you you. that doesn't happen often, you know.”

miko glanced at them, eyes softer now. “that’s the thing. every time i try something new, i think about what you’ll say. you see me clearer than anyone.”

y/n reached over, threading their fingers through miko’s. “that’s ‘cause i love all your versions. the hoodie miko who makes weird late-night demos. the glam miko who kills on stage. even bob-cut neon assassin miko. they’re all you.”

miko leaned her head on y/n's shoulder, exhaling deeply. “this album’s a big leap. i’m experimenting with sounds i’ve never touched before. people might not like it.”

“people are going to love it. and if they don’t, screw them.”

miko looked up, lips twitching. “damn. can you come on tour and say that into the mic every night before i go onstage?”

“only if i get a glittery headset and a dressing room.”

“deal.”

they sat in silence for a bit, the warmth between them pulsing steady like a bassline.

after a while, miko spoke again, softer this time. “you know, i got the cut for the video, but… i also think i needed a change. i was stuck in my own head. this”—she gestured to the sleek bob—“it’s like shedding old skin. making space for something new.”

y/n turned, brushing a strand of hair behind miko’s ear. “you didn’t need to change for anyone. but i get it. and i think you look like the future.”

miko smiled. “you’re gonna make me cry.”

“if you do, it’ll mess up your eyeliner.”

they both laughed again, easy and light. the kind of laughter that filled cracks and stitched things together.

outside, the sun dipped lower, casting everything in amber. the world kept moving. but here, in their quiet corner of it, two girls held each other and marveled at how love could anchor and launch you all at once.

[i-drop-level-one-loot]

Happy New Year! (Yandere!Fortune Teller x GN!Reader)

A delighted squeal sharply cut through the quiet chatter of the line for the fortune teller. It was a small little illegal shop that popped up overnight and was all over (Reader's) feed. Their best friend, and the reason why they were outside in the cold so early, tugged on their coat sleeve.

"They must have gotten a good one." She smiled playfully, and still a little drunk.

The fortune teller was apparently incredibly accurate. Even skeptics had been posting all morning about how this guy was able to tell them full names of people in their lives and dates of events that already happened he shouldn't have been able to guess on the first try.

"Missy, it's cold as hell.." (Reader) whined, their head also hurting a tad bit from the amount their friend had them drink a few hours earlier to welcome the new year. ".. and I just want a burrito."

Missy clicked her long acrylics in front of (Reader's) face. "And I want a girlfriend. C'mon, just a few more minutes! Please! You don't even have to get your fortune done, just stay with me, emotional support!" She huffed and stamped her boots while dramatically letting her arms fall to her sides heavy enough to make a loud whump against her coat.

They knew their friend wasn't actually a brat, but it was a fun little "act" ; she enjoyed putting on, especially when she was all dolled up (as she called it). So, as what usually happens, (Reader) rolled their eyes theatrically in a show of pretending to give in. The woman with the pink and blonde fashion wig smiled wide and squeezed (Reader's) arm lovingly.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------------

At first, (Reader) thought that the man was a mannequin. A beautiful body propped up at a table, with a veil over the top of his head and silk clothes, but other than the fact that he was beautiful, there was something too basic about his features and too perfect about his skin to be human. Like a mall mannequin: with a dusty pale skin tone with zero blemishes or imperfections, his eyebrows looked so fine that they were maybe painted on, and the blonde hair under the veil was so light in color, (Reader) thought he was bald and that the lightly golden coloring was more silk.

Yes, he was beautiful, but looking at him was uncomfortable, like people describing the uncanny valley of robots.

He opened his eyes, revealing dull grey irises, that helped humanized him (at least, in (Reader's) opinion).

"Welcome, Miranda and (Reader)." His voice was also weirdly perfect, making (Reader's) skin crawl, but looking over at Missy they saw she didn't feel anything other than awe.

"Ohmygawd, how did you know our names?!"

He smiled very softly. "It's my job." A thin hand with long, delicate fingers motioned for the two friends to sit before him.

As the cards were laid out (Reader) allowed their mind to wander. Not only did the guy in front of them weird them out, but they believed that fortune tellers were scam artists. They knew it could be fun to just see what your future might look like, and wanted to be respectful for people who actually believed in tarot and stuff like that, but people setting up businesses promising to read your future and then just reading some generic script then charging you a hundred bucks is how you get vulnerable people to fork over their life savings. (Reader) only agreed to go because to make sure the "fortune teller" didn't try and change the price on Missy or sell her a bunch of unnecessary shit.

The man clapped loudly, startling (Reader) back into focus. "You will meet a woman this year.

You will meet her in two months, at the book store across from your job. The two of you will be searching for the same book, and it will feel like fate. Don't be afraid to ask her out for coffee, because she'd love to discuss the series with you."

Long nails scratch the back of (Reader's) hand as Missy impulsively grabs it. "Are you.. sure she's.. y'know..." she raised her eyebrows.

The man looked puzzled for a second before responding with, "The ending you always wanted for NaNa."

Missy nearly cracked her neck turning to (Reader) as quickly as she did, whining happily "Oh my god...." before burying her face in their chest. Then (Reader) felt the tears, and realized Missy was more drunk and exhausted than they realized.

"Uh, thanks, did she already pay, or?"

"Would you like your fortune read now?"

He seemed unfazed by Missy's minor meltdown.

"Ah, no thanks."

"I'll give it to you free. Call it a two for one deal."

Alarm bells were ringing in their head. "Why?"

He was silent for a second, like he was listening to something, just as he was when he told Missy she was going to be living out her headcannon fantasy. "Something's just telling me I should give you a fortune reading."

Missy wiped snot across (Reader's) chest before raising her head. "Oh, are you getting read too?"

"What? N-"

"Can we get burritos after this?"

They looked down at their best friend in the entire world, and sighed. "Yeah, if it's completely free."

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even compelling completely scrunched up in concentration, there was a concerning lack of wrinkles, leading (Reader) to the conclusion that if this man was in fact human, he most certainly had botox.

Suddenly, his eyes shot open wide. He looked up at (Reader), staring deep into them without blinking.

"What?"

He didn't answer. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. But his face began to change into an odd shade of pink.

The wig wearing woman loudly gasped "IS THEY DYING?!" while clutching (Reader's) arm in mock horror.

"I'm not dying!" (Reader) shoved their friend off, feeling overwhelmed by their current situation.

The fortune teller reached across the table, and without asking, grabbed one of (Reader's) hands, observing their palm intensely. But he could only do so for a second before they yanked their arm back and stood up.

"Missy, let's go, I told you this guy was a fucking scammer."

Like a switch had been flipped, Missy held up her middle finger and called the man a creep, apologetic for not trusting her best friend. "Why did he grab you like that? So gross!"

The two left. They would later get burritos and watch half a movie before passing out. This moment was creepy, but ultimately, nothing to them.

He had always been gifted.

But when they left the gifted medium on the floor, images of what he had just been shown were still fresh in his mind.

The tarot cards were a gimmick, just there because that's something people associate with being able to see the past, present, and future. Was he a scam artist? Maybe, to some. He never gave people the fortunes they didn't want to hear, and only reminded them of memories they liked. You don't get tipped if you tell someone their child is going to die. And we all need money.

Then (Reader) came into his pop up shop, another skeptic, and he figured if gave them a reading for free and made it really good they would be the type of person to tip him out of guilt. But for their future all he saw was... him.

Him?

He had never thought about himself. He was creepy and disgusting. His presence made people uncomfortable. If he focuses hard enough he can speak to the dead. No one wants to be friends with that. No one wants to love that.

No future is set in stone. There are hundreds of thousands of possibilities, and he can see them all. And while (Reader) sat in front of him, staring at him with their beautifully tired eyes, he searched through every single one.

It was.. exciting, he had to admit, seeing himself with someone. He didn't know this person at all, but it wasn't hard to feel some kind of affection for them seeing a future where they felt affection for Him.

He couldn't even remember the last time someone willing held his hand. Maybe when he had to cross the street with his mother? No, she required him to wear gloves.

While staring at his client, he couldn't help but watch their entire life. He was supposed to look through their memories briefly to get a sense of the "past", but like time didn't exist, he watched their entire life play out. They made him feel things.

Even when (Reader) called him a scammer, he still loved them. After all, he did kind of lie by omission to their best friend: Missy's new relationship would only last five months.

But it was okay if they thought he was creepy or a scam artist. Because he already saw the future.

And he knew every single correct step to take to make sure they were smiling at him like they were in that vision.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!

Let's hope that this upcoming year is better than the last!

I'm a really pessimistic person, so I'm trying to be hopeful. I'm also trying to find ways to reduce stress since I can't afford to take care of my mental health (haha). I'm getting white hairs. White. Ain't that crazy? It's stressful trying to not stress out lol

Does anyone else play future telling games on New Year? As a kid my family would all play MASH to see what our future is going to be like hahaha and a lot of my younger coworkers this year were talking about eating grapes under tables? Very cute <3

I hope you all had a great new year, and didn't get too drunk, stay hydrated, and if you have and future telling game memories for me years tell me about it!

Let's make 2025 better than 2024!

[thollandsgirl2013]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐂𝐮𝐭

Parings → Tom Holland x Reader

Warnings → fluff

Summary → Tom had to cut his hair for Cherry now he's nervous to show you.

Tom had been jittery all day, pacing in his trailer on set and running his fingers through what was left of his hair. Well, what used to be his hair. Today was the day he had to film the buzz-cut scene for Cherry, and it was done. He had been dreading it for weeks, not because of the haircut itself but because of you. He knew how much you adored his curls. He always caught you playing with them, tugging on them playfully when he leaned in for a kiss, or ruffling them while watching movies on lazy Sundays.

Tom had mentioned that today's scene was important, but he didn’t tell you what exactly. You and Harry were staying with him in Cleveland, offering him mental support through the intensity of the filming. He needed you close, especially for something as emotionally draining as this film, but this hair situation had him worried sick.

“Harry, she’s gonna hate this,” Tom muttered as they got into the car. His brother was driving them home, and Tom couldn’t stop fidgeting in the passenger seat. He tugged his hoodie over his head, trying to hide his freshly shaven scalp.

“You’re being dramatic,” Harry replied, giving Tom a sideways glance.

Tom shook his head, anxiety bubbling in his chest. “No, you don’t understand. She loves my hair. I’m talking, obsessed. I’m pretty sure she loves my hair more than me at this point.”

Harry chuckled. “Mate, she’s not gonna break up with you over a haircut. Just chill, yeah?”

Tom slumped in his seat, pulling the hood even lower. “I’m not so sure…”

Meanwhile, back at the house, you were setting the table, humming softly as you finished preparing dinner. Tom had been unusually cryptic today about the scene he was filming, so you decided to make his favorite meal to surprise him. You couldn’t wait to see him, but little did you know, there was a surprise waiting for you as well.

When the front door opened, you greeted them both with a smile. "Hey, Harry. Hey, love." You approached Tom for a kiss, and he kissed you back, though you noticed something was off. He was acting strange, like he was hiding something.

"Baby, why are you wearing the hood like that? I can't properly see your face, take it off," you said, narrowing your eyes at him.

Tom froze, clutching the hoodie tighter around his head. "Um...about that..."

"Yeah, Tom, take the hood off," Harry chimed in, grinning wickedly. Tom shot him a glare, clearly panicking.

"Please, don't be mad."

You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. "Why would I be mad?"

Before Tom could respond, he dropped the hood, revealing his freshly shaved head. Your jaw fell open.

“WHAT THE FUCK, TOM?!” You gasped, stepping back in shock. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?!”

Tom’s eyes widened, clearly startled by your reaction. “I-it was for the scene today! I had to do it for Cherry.”

You turned to Harry, desperate for an explanation. “Please tell me your brother’s wearing a wig. Please.”

Harry grinned mischievously. “Oh no, it’s real. Trust me.”

You turned back to Tom, your mind racing. “Tom, what am I gonna grab when you eat me out now?!”

Tom's red as a tomato now, looking both embarrassed and panicked. “B-babe! It’ll grow back!”

Harry immediately bolted to his room, throwing a quick, “And that’s my cue to leave. Good luck, Tom!” Over his shoulder.

Tom was left standing there, shifting nervously on his feet. He whined softly, stepping toward you. “Darlingg... I’m sorry! It’s not that bad, is it?”

You were still processing, your eyes glued to his shaven head. “It’s just…you look so different.”

Tom pouted, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you close. “I know, I know. But it’s just for the movie. It’ll grow back, I promise.”

You huffed, running a hand over his buzzed hair, feeling the short bristles. “I miss your curls.”

Tom nuzzled into you, trying to soften you up. “I miss them too, love, but you’ll still love me even without the hair, right?”

You sighed, leaning into his chest. “Of course I do. I just need time to get used to this new look.”

He gave you a hopeful smile. “So you’re not mad?”

You poked him playfully in the chest. “I mean, I’m a little mad, but I’ll survive.”

Tom chuckled, kissing the top of your head. “You know, if you squint, I kind of look like an army man now. It’s pretty cool.”

You laughed despite yourself, shaking your head. “You’re such a dork.”

Tom grinned, relieved that you weren’t as mad as he feared. “Come on, I’ll make it up to you. How about a back massage while we wait for dinner?”

You raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Trying to get on my good side, huh?”

“Of course,” he replied, flashing you that boyish smile you couldn’t resist.

You sighed, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Fine, but only if you promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“When your hair grows back, you gotta tell me before you do something again.”

Tom’s eyes widened, but he quickly nodded. “Deal. Anything for you, love.”

With that, he scooped you up into his arms, carrying you to the couch with a playful grin. “Now, how about that massage?”

°:. *₊ ° . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ° .•

[highprettybabyy]

Seeing Red?

Part ??

jenna ortega x fem!reader

summary: besties i have no clue

warnings: everything n nothing

AN: hi i love yall sm can i get a hug

—//—

You awaken in a bed that feels too soft to be real. Like clouds stuffed with marshmallow and guilt. The ceiling above you is not the usual cracked plaster of post-apocalyptic decay - it’s made of lasagna. You know this because a noodle slaps you in the face every time you blink.

Jenna bursts through the door, except she’s dressed in a glittering green ball gown, holding a sword made of live squirrels. “Wake up!” she shouts. “The Pope is fighting the moon again.”

“What.”

“There’s no time!” she bellows, slapping a sombrero on your head and handing you a gun full of Skittles. “Angelo has defected. He’s working for the French.”

You stumble outside - which is somehow also inside - and find yourself in a Walmart that screams every time you take a step. “You’re late,” says a flamingo with Jenna’s voice. “The trial begins now.”

Trial?

Suddenly you’re in court. Your judge is a giant worm in a powdered wig. Your crime? “Too sexy to survive.” Jenna’s on the witness stand dramatically swearing on a bottle of ranch dressing. Angelo is wearing a tie and giving your defence in perfect Queen’s English. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” he begins, gesturing with a paw, “my client is, regrettably, stupid hot. But that is no reason to imprison her inside a haunted vending machine.”

The jury is entirely made of Jennas. One sobs. One dabs. One performs a full monologue from Shrek 2. You try to object, but your mouth only produces the sound of goats in labour.

Suddenly the walls collapse and reveal the moon itself, flexing with muscular craters and glowing with the intensity of a thousand unspoken crushes. “It is I,” the moon declares, “your real father.”

You try to run, but Jenna grabs your hand. “No,” she whispers, “you have to marry him. It’s the only way to restore balance to the meat dimension.”

You don’t question it. You never do. You’re in a wedding dress made of used tea bags before you can blink. Angelo is the officiant. The moon leans in. You whisper, “Is this a dream? I thought the moon was a lesbian?”

“No,” he replies. “This is Ohio.”

The earth splits open. A hundred zombie Elvis impersonators rise from the soil. You scream - not because you’re scared, but because they all look better in leather than you do. Jenna is riding a unicorn made of IKEA furniture. Angelo has wings now.

Everything explodes.

-

You awaken.

Back in your bed. Jenna is beside you, holding a half-eaten granola bar and staring at you like you just tried to do algebra out loud.

“You okay?” she asks. “You were twitching like you’d been licked by a radioactive frog.”

You sit up slowly. “Did we… join a cult led by the moon?”

She blinks. “I was gonna say maybe lay off the expired pudding cups.”

Angelo sneezes, burps, and says, “Bonjour.”

You both stare at him.

“…nope,” you whisper. “Nope. Not unpacking that.”

—//—

[vanilladove]

❤︎ ₊ ⊹ get free (bonus)

based off of an anonymous request to see what would happen if reader tried to escape because trust was lost🫣 this is also the 'bad ending' reposted bc 'read more' wasn't working the first time.

pic creds luvpngs | gif creds akashi-tetsuki

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ pairing: asylum patient!nikolai x asylum attendant!fem!reader; slight fydor x fem!reader🤫

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ genre: angst + fluff? w/ dark elements; one suggestive scene with nikolai🙈read at your own discretion!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ content warnings: feelings of guilt, manipulation + violence, unhealthy relationships, slightly yandere nikolai, this is lowkey sad...😔

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ summary: you've become an accomplice to the doa. however, you've started to grow some doubts about your situation. are you really free or just in another man's cage? not to mention the demon lurking from a distance... ˚₊‧꒰ა read pt 1 & pt 2 & pt3 (good ending)໒꒱ ‧₊˚

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ word count: 4.7k

"So, what's your husband like?" Your coworker Juliette asked, sitting in a circle with your other colleague Anaïs, passing around a box of assorted chocolates.

It had been three months. You and Nikolai had successfully infiltrated Mersault, getting more information about the space-creating ability and honing in on potential ability users. Now you were alone, working for the government's IT department--your goal was to create a breach in their database for Fyodor to get into, so he could narrow down the Decay of Angel's targets and get their information.

Anaïs scowled and gave you the chocolates, muttering a word about how she was "low-sugar" before she primped her hair, preparing to brag, "Well, y'know, Louis takes me shopping and buys me new jewelry whenever I want. He just got me a new puppy, too, and he's the cutest little pomeranian!" You giggled a bit as Juliet pouted in envy, "Oh--and he's taking this weekend off, so we can go to the islands together!" You popped a caramel-filled square in your mouth as Juliet rolled her eyes playfully.

"You spoiled princess...Antoine spends all his money on the kids--plus he only gets one weekend off a month and always brings them to our romantic date nights..." Your coworker sighed dramatically, pretending like she wasn't equally as doting over her children, whose pictures and handmade gifts were all around her cubicle.

Ah, children, families, frequent romantic dates, marriage...those were all traditional things you gave up after running away with Nikolai.

You were lost in your thoughts as you popped another rich candy into your mouth--this one being filled with a creamy pistachio ganache that tasted a bit too artificial and made you cringe. Juliette called your name to snap you out of your daze.

"Well, what about you? What's your husband like?" She leaned forward and stared curiously at you, waiting for you to share your little gossip. You chewed slowly, trying to process the question as Anaïs nudged her friend's side lightly.

"Juliette, are you blind?! The girl doesn't have a ring on her finger--certainly she must have a man though--I mean look at her--she's a stunner." Your eyes widened at that as you twirled your wig hair and fixed your fake disguise glasses.

"Oh, well, Anaïs is right, I do have a...lover." Lover...you and Nikolai had never really put an official label on your relationship. You described Nikolai--dubbed as "Nikolas"--to the two other women, trying to stay as true as possible while not revealing his true identity.

Juliet winked at you, "Do you guys have sex? Is he rough, soft, kinky?" She giggled as Anaïs side-eyed her for her childish behavior.

You blushed, well, at least you could answer this question in earnest, "Yeah...he's good...really good." You covered your face briefly, feeling heat in your cheeks when you remembered your little Mersault moments. "But we haven't done anything in a while since he's away on a...work trip." You smiled sadly at that, despite missions being the new norm, you couldn't deny feeling lonely and missing Nikolai constantly.

"Ohhhhh?" Juliette and Anaïs exchanged coy looks, "You need that man to marry you before he leaves you...trust me, darling, I would know." Anaïs said, touching up her lipstick, "You wouldn't want to get knocked up and left alone, would you? Men are too unfaithful these days..."

Yeah, you knew all about that first hand.

You were about to interject until you supervisor knocked on the wall of the space you three were having lunch in. "Lunch break's over. Get back to work, ladies." You all got up slowly, and you held onto the box of chocolates, offering some pieces to Juliette before taking it back to your work desk and putting your headset on.

"You shouldn't eat so many chocolates, ptichka, you'll get a sugar crash." You straightened your back suddenly upon hearing the sultry, russian man's voice in your headset. Fyodor. He usually gave you instructions privately to hack into the system, but he normally only talked to you for mission purposes.

Rolling your eyes, you popped a sweet milk chocolate heart into your mouth, "Hush, I'm stressed. And how did you know? Are you watching me or something?" You looked up by the ceilings to glare into the nearby security cameras.

Fyodor only laughed on the other side. "Oh, milaya, I'm always watching you." Shivers ran down your spine as his voice faded out and you were back to staring at your log-in screen.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You waved goodbye to your coworkers as greeted Ivan--your personal chauffeur--and stepped into the backseat of the car, staring out the tinted window. The car was stopped at a red light when you noticed an animated billboard broadcasting a clip of the news. It was your parents and your in-laws begging for any information about you or your husband's disappearances and the award for either of your safe returns. While that didn't bother you at first--after all, your parents just saw you as a pawn they could marry away for a sound investment, and your in-laws didn't treat you much better either--you couldn't help but feel some remorse from their desperate pleas.

You knew what had happened to your husband--you and Nikolai had killed him. As much as you didn't want to admit it, his death was starting to haunt you. The eerie silence after you'd pulled the trigger and the horrible state he was in before replayed in your dreams, and it didn't help that your lover wasn't there to comfort you anymore. Especially now that Sigma was busy managing the Sky Casino, and you had to work your 9-5 office job, you really had no one to talk to openly. No one...except for Fyodor.

"Welcome back, milashka." Fyodor greeted you as you slipped off your heels upon entering the base. You smiled awkwardly at him, freeing your hair from the wig and slipping your glasses back into your purse. "How was work today?"

"Good...as always...you would know that, though since you're always watching me." You teased, still a bit shaken by what he'd said.

Despite how cold and reluctant he was towards you at first, you'd somehow gotten closer since it was basically just you two at the base. He'd held up his promise and gave you plenty of books to read, so you often talked about literature, which usually lead to deeper conversations. Additionally, although he never addressed you by your name like Sigma, he started giving you russian pet names--some of which were uncannily similar to the ones Nikolai would call you. You tried not to pay it much mind--it was probably some weird power dynamic thing--but you couldn't help but notice how he hid the nicknames and subtle flirting around Nikolai.

Fyodor motioned towards the small table by the fireplace, "I made some tea. Would you care to join me, ptichka? He smirked as you sighed and sat down next to him--you swore the chairs were closer than usual. You pulled the box of chocolates out of your purse and set them down next to a blue and white porcelain tea cup. You poured yourself some black tea before taking another chocolate, this one being filled with strawberry cream. You sulked after seeing a drawing of a happy family on the box, drawing Fyodor's attention. "Is anything on your mind, milaya? You seem bothered."

You eyed him curiously, surprised that he cared to listen to you. You figured you needed to get it off your chest, though, so you opened up, "Well...it's just that I've been alone lately with Nikolai gone, and I've been feeling like maybe this life isn't exactly for me..." You trailed off, a bit panicked when you saw a blank, stoic look on Fyodor's face. You put your hands up defensively, "N-not like I don't want to be a part of the Decay of Angels anymore, but just that I want more out of my life in the future."

Fyodor crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hand, gazing down at you, intrigued, "Go on."

You gulped, "I get so jealous when my coworkers talk about their families and settling down, going on fun vacations, or having daily board game nights...How they can speak so freely about their lives, while I have to live a lie and walk past my missing posters every day...I-I don't have anyone to come home to anymore, either..." You could feel tears start to cloud your vision as you looked down, never speaking this passionately before. You were sure you looked pathetic.

Your eyes widened as you felt Fyodor's frail fingers come up to wipe away your tears and brush across your cheek before landing on top of your hands. They were cold, not as warm as Nikolai's but at least somewhat comforting.

"Perhaps it isn't a different lifestyle you crave, but a sense of belonging and security." Fyodor started, bringing his face a bit closer to yours. "Your heart desires a deeper connection with those around you. After all, you abandoned everyone you knew before and suddenly went into an entirely different life. It's only normal that you would feel distressed after a while. You need comfort--and I'm sure that some part of you wants to give your parents some closure about your disappearance."

Fyodor was being...sympathetic? It was almost scary how well he could describe what you were feeling, along with how surprisingly empathetic he acted. You had quickly learned that he had little regard for others or for defective subordinates.

You looked up at him, "It's not just that, though. Even though it's selfish, I want Nikolai to marry me--or at least make things more serious and clear between us..." You didn't notice Fyodor slightly frowning at that as you continued, "He's just been away for so long, and it's not like I don't trust him, but he really has no obligation to stay loyal to me, and I've already been cheated on before...There's no way I can fall in love with another man being a double agent, so I need to know if he plans on us being long-term or not..." Rambling out the rest of your feelings, Fyodor stroked your hand slowly, his smug smile returning on his face.

"You should tell him that, then. If you speak from your heart and tell him the truth, I'm sure he'll listen to you. After all, he'd fulfill your desires if he really loved you." You pouted.

"But it's Nikolai...at the end of the day, he lives by his own convictions and philosophy."

Fyodor clicked his tongue, "If he loved you, he'd compromise." You weren't quite convinced, but you flinched when he brought your hand up and placed a soft kiss to the back of your hand. "Good luck, milashka." As soon as it happened, he was gone as he dismissed himself and left you alone at the table. You didn't know how to think or process the conversation as you lightly slapped away the faint blush across your cheeks.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Another long day of work had concluded as you wished your coworkers a good weekend and walked out the door. It had been two weeks since your conversation with Fyodor, but it was all that was on your mind. You really needed to talk to Nikolai soon.

Wait. Was that Ivan...holding a bouquet of flowers? Not just any flowers either--they were the same lavender roses you'd been gifted by your ex-patient in the asylum courtyard.

Ivan only gave you his usual twisted smile and laughter before handing you the bouquet as you shot him a questioning look. You muttered a quiet "thank you" as you got into the backseat and stared out the window again, smelling the fragrant roses and replaying Fyodor's words in your head.

It didn't hit you that the road you were traveling on was unfamiliar until the car suddenly came to a stop, and you realized you were in an abandoned alleyway. Uneasiness started to settle in as your driver exited his seat, shutting the car door behind him. "Iv--"

You were interrupted when the door to the backseat flung open and closed as Ivan crawled on top of you, pushing the flowers out of your hands as he pushed his body against yours and cradled into your neck, hysterically giggling. "I-Ivan--" You struggled to shove him off you, but he was too strong, "W-what are you---"

A familiar scent stopped you from speaking as your heartbeat increased. Wait, was that--?

Ivan pulled away from your neck before tugging off his bandages, his whole appearance suddenly fading away before being replaced by...

"K-Kolya! I-It's you!" Relief washed over your face as you looked up to see your lover staring back at you, clearly satisfied from whatever prank he'd just played on you. He kissed away the tears that had formed instinctively from your fear while laughing maniacally.

"Hehe~ Did you miss me, dove? I wanted to surprise you since I just came back. Your reactions were a nice little treat~" You pouted as you looked away, embarrassed that you'd lost yet another one of Nikolai's mini games. His features softened, "I'm afraid I may have gone a bit too far though. I really missed you, myla." His warm, gloved fingers traced over your bottom lip slowly.

"M-missed you too, Kolya. So much..." You sniffled as you pulled his head down to yours, tangling your fingers into his fluffy white hair and capturing his lips in a deep kiss. Your back pushed into the car cushions as Nikolai's hands roamed your body, needy to touch you again after so long--especially since he couldn't contact you. He fumbled with the buttons on your thick coat, hands working fast to get you out of all of your layers.

He groaned into the kiss as you tugged on his locks and wrapped your legs around his waist to press him further against you. By now, he had unbuttoned your light blue blouse to reveal your pretty skin. Nikolai pulled away from the kiss gently to take you in--the sight of you all flustered in just a thin lacy bra was turning him on, evident from his growing arousal that was pushing against your tights.

"Fuck, dove, you're so beautiful..." He dipped back to leave messy hickeys on your neck, whispering in your ear before slowly working his way down, "Your skin's so soft...were you touching yourself while I was away, pryntsesa?" You moaned at that, whining when his hand starting rubbing circles from your hips to your inner thigh, getting dangerously close. The trail of wet kisses traveled down your collarbone and your breasts to your stomach and eventually stopping where the waistband of your black skirt and tights laid. He was panting lightly at this point, devoid of air from worshipping your body. "It wasn't enough, though, was it? You need me to feel good, myla~" He heaved, his face pink and strands of hair falling over his eyes. His fingers hooked around your clothes and he resumed his trail of kisses, about to strip you.

"If he loved you, he'd compromise."

Fyodor's words hit you as you stopped Nikolai, lightly pushing yourself up again. "W-wait, Nikolai, I want to talk to you about something." He grunted, annoyed like a little kid, his bulge still pressing against you.

"Can it wait? I didn't bring you to this abandoned, sketchy alley for nothing, ptashka." You pulled away further, to his disappointment, and pulled your knees up against your body, pouting sadly.

"I know, but it's something that's been on my mind since you've been gone", Nikolai only sighed impatiently as you pleaded, "I promise it won't take too long..." You put your hand over Nikolai's, and he obliged reluctantly, sitting up a small distance away from you.

"Cockblocker...make it quick." He muttered, and you tried not to be immature and giggle. This was supposed to be a serious conversation.

You cleared your throat, "Well, I was just wondering about us...and our relationship..." You flinched when you saw Nikolai's eyes bore into you, "I-It's not what you think---I love you and want to stay with you, but, are we..." You trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed and unsure about what to say next. You looked down, mind a muddled mess, but you tried to remember Fyodor's advice.

"A-are we ever going to get married? Settle down and maybe start a family? Move somewhere nice and peaceful, where we can just enjoy each other's company?" Your mind went back to Anaïs and her husband, as you slowly started to look back up, "Go on a vacation together to the islands? Or your home coun--"

"No." Nikolai's dark gaze cut into you, stopping you from speaking any further. "Why would you want that, dove?"

You could feel your heart shattering. This wasn't how you thought he would respond. He was supposed to understand you, to listen to you, to compromise.

"I want a future with you, Kolya, that's why..." You started sadly, throat feeling constricted.

"But we're already together right now, myla. Isn't that enough for you?" Nikolai replied apathetically, his expression stoic and unreadable.

"It's--but my husband cheated on me, so I have to know if you're serious about us. I don't want to be in an unstable relationship anymore." Tears pricked your eyes, threatening to spill out as you could feel your heart breaking, "Anyways, you could just cheat on me, too. You're barely even around anymore, and I'm sure that you're always surrounded by beautiful women...All my coworkers are already married and in a happy relationship, so I feel so behind..."

"Oh, so that's why? Because society's telling you to live that way? Because you want to be accepted and imitate everyone else? That's the exact life I was trying to escape from, dove." Nikolai butted back, smiling cruelly.

"N-no! That's not--" You cried out, not being able to hold in the tears. Nikolai frowned and looked up from your face, reaching up towards your head.

"That hat? When did you get that?" He glared up at the white ushanka on your head. It resembled a certain someone's too closely.

You sniffled, "T-this? It's a gift from Fyodor. 'Cause it's getting cold out." Nikolai furrowed his brows in jealously upon hearing that name.

"From Dos...he's the one who planted those ideas in your head, didn't he?" His fists tightened at the thought of Fyodor wrapping you around his finger; it was his specialty, after all.

You wiped your tears sadly as you lowly shook your head no. At this point, Fyodor seemed to be the only one who understood you. He was the one who'd told you that Nikolai would compromise if he loved you. But he didn't. Did that mean...?

"Tch. Look, myla, stay away from that man. Dos may be my friend, but I don't trust him." Seeing your sad face and lack of response angered him more and he raised his voice a bit, "Stop talking to him, dove. I'm warning you--don't you dare even look in his direction."

Your sobbing resumed as you pulled your head back into your knees, hearing the backdoor shut as Nikolai left and started driving back to the base. You heard the sound of rain in the background as you clutched the white ushanka in your arms, the fluffy hat offering you some comfort.

The ride back was silent.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Fyodor awaited you both when you finally arrived back at the base, the same sly smile on his face. "Welcome back, you two." Nikolai only glared back, holding your hand tightly. He let go suddenly and walked past Fyodor into his stone room, implying for him to follow suit.

Once Nikolai's back was turned away, Fyodor gave you a soft, concerned glance. Your nose and eyes were swollen and red from all the crying. "I'm guessing it didn't go well, milashka?" You shook your head softly, and he whispered about leaving some cookies and tea in your room. He tried to approach you, but a strong voice cut him off.

"Dos, let's talk." Nikolai menacingly called out, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. You'd never seen him this stern or angry before. He never took anything seriously, certainly you weren't an exception, right?

Fyodor shot you one last empathetic look and went into his room. You shuddered as the sound of Nikolai slamming the door and immediately yelling loudly bounced off the walls. As much as you wanted to eavesdrop, you were worn out and tired.

You retreated to your and Nikolai's shared room slowly, too exhausted to even try the tea and cookies Fyodor had thoughtfully left for you. You barely stripped off your disguise before crashing onto the bed, just wanting the day to be over.

Things with Nikolai could never go back to normal again. You wished you'd just kept your mouth shut, but you also wished Nikolai had been more open to your desires. What were you to him, anyways? And you didn't understand why he was so mad at Fyodor. He'd kept you company while Nikolai was gone, and he'd been nothing but respectful and attentive.

You groaned and tried to shut your eyes to drown out the conflicting thoughts in your head. Everything was way too complicated now. You wished things could be peaceful again. You wished you could escape.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

"You want to go back home, ptichka?" Fyodor asked. You nodded in response. The next day, Nikolai was gone on another mission, never coming to your shared bed the night before or saying goodbye to you before leaving.

The russian man sighed, "That's a bad idea. You'll get caught before you know it, and once the press gets a hold of you, it'll be hard to rescue you. Plus you still have your job that could arouse suspicion."

"I know..." You started. "I just...have some amends to make...and I'll only be gone for a day or two...and stay in disguise." Liar. You didn't know why you wanted to go back, and if you were homesick or just trying to self-sabotage yourself. Either way, you knew you couldn't stay here and look at Fyodor or Nikolai any longer. Things were too tense, and you didn't know who was genuinely there for you or just manipulating you.

You couldn't trust either of them. Your plan was to either go back and get caught for your crimes or retreat to the Sky Casino for as long as possible. You bet that Sigma didn't like or trust the two men either.

Not to mention, you'd already left Nikolai a parting text, writing,

"I'm sorry. I'll always love you, Kolya. Thank you."

Not that you even knew if he'd see it, but you still wanted to say something.

"I'll help you." Fyodor finally said, making your eyes widen in surprise. "But I want to tell you something first." He took your hands and held them, running his thumb over your fingers. His touch was cold. "I admire you for wanting to confront your feelings and follow your heart. The rest of us have forgotten such feelings of humanity." He continued, "To see such a lovely, well-read woman like you leave pains me. I'll truly miss you and our intellectual conversations, milaya. So much so that I'll be awaiting your safe return."

You blushed as he kissed your gentle hands, "T-thank you, Fyodor, I'm flattered." Lying again, but you figured you would have to use your 'feminine charm' a bit to fully convince him.

He smirked subtly, "Escaping from another man's cage of lofty ideals and freedom into the outside world...Would you care to do me one last favor, milashka?" You nodded with doe eyes as he leaned into your ear.

"Give me a goodbye kiss." Shocked and flustered, you pulled away and broke contact.

Fyodor only stepped forward and held your face, his soft smile seeming more sinister now, "What's wrong, dove, you just have to kiss me, and I'll help you escape. Not a bad deal, no?" He got dangerously close to you, his hot breath fanning over your glossy lips.

You froze for a second, "I-I can't--" Fyodor only traced your lips ominously, like he was taunting you and asking you why.

"I'm still in love with Niko--"

"Dove? Dos?" Your heartbeat stopped when you heard your lover's voice behind you. Why was he here, and how'd he get here so fast?

You turned around, hoping he would save you, until you saw him holding a gun--the same one he used on your husband.

"Kolya, w-wait, this isn't..." You stopped talking when you heard the gun cock. There was no way you could explain your way out of this. You and Fyodor were just about to kiss, and you were trying to escape indefinitely.

Nikolai narrowed his eyes and pointed the gun at Fyodor, "This was your doing, wasn't it?" Fyodor only remained calm, however, and twirled a strand of your hair while smirking.

"No, quite the opposite actually. Our little dove here was just about to escape and go back home to 'make amends'. It seems like she may still be grieving over her husband and their traditional life together..." Nikolai's grip on his gun tightened, still pointed at his friend. "Actually, she was just seducing me to help her escape. A goodbye kiss, that's what you wanted, right, ptichka?" Your ex-patient's eyes narrowed after hearing the similar pet name.

He turned to you, "Is he telling the truth, dove?" You were shaking, still trying to process the situation in front of you.

"N-no! I was trying to escape with Fyodor's help, but that's it! I swear, I still love you--please believe me, Kolya!" You pleaded, practically begging for your life. Nikolai looked at you regrettably before removing the card over his right eye and laughing bitterly.

"And here I was, rushing back to see you once I saw your text because I was worried about you and wanted to talk things out properly. I'm quite the fool aren't I, dove?" He started laughing maniacally, scaring you. He then stopped suddenly and pointed the gun at you, "But I guess this decision was from your own free will. I was wrong for thinking you were the same as me..."

Anxiety settling in, you couldn't react. What was Nikolai going on about? Had Fyodor said something to or manipulated him, too?

"We got rid of your husband, but now you want Dos, too? You're aren't really mine, are you, dove?" He walked closer to you and pressed the cold metal barrel to your hip. "I'll be nice and let you play one last game, though~" He had a crazy look in his eyes--one dark and emotionless, and the other streaming tears; you were sure every feeling was spiraling through his brain.

Nikolai giggled as he pushed you out of the door onto the floor. You were about to get up in fear when you heard a shot in the background. Did he shoot Fyodor?

Deranged laughter was heard behind you as Nikolai peeked his head out the door, "Better start running, dove. Otherwise the next shot might hit you~" You backed up in terror, standing up and stumbling over to Nikolai, wrapping your arms around him and crying hysterically.

"K-Kolya, you're s-scaring me. I-I love you, s-so let's go back t-to n-normal." Nikolai paused against your shaky body and lifted your face up to his. Tears were falling out both of his eyes now, contrasting the wicked grin contorting his lips. You gasped as he wiped your eyes and licked away your tears.

"You look so pretty when you cry, angel. I'll give you an extra ten seconds for that. Ten...nine...eight..." Realizing you had no way to convince Nikolai to spare your life, you ran, not daring to look back behind you. The man you loved was gone, driven mad by his obsession over you. Your skin crawled as you heard his voice reverberating through the hallways.

"I thought you loved me, dove, but it seems I wasn't what you wanted. I got too attached to you, though, and you know too much, so it seems I can't just let you go or give you to another man. You won't escape my cage."

[femnoah]

I’m so curious, how would the rest of the cast react once it’s revealed that ‘Noah’ is actually Neha?

Plus I could only imagine Neha revealing this information in either a very dramatic way (ie a challenge where they have to tell a secret) or be hilariously nonchalant about it and acting like she thought everyone knew the whole time just to mess with the cast

Owen's reaction is basically just "my little buddy is even more adorable!" He takes his job given to him (ward off the pretty boys) by the brothers even more seriously after the reveal.

Most of the cast are just shocked.

Lindsey and Beth try to befriend her.

Heather begrudgingly respects her for it.

Justin feels like ripping his hair out cause 'Noah' may not be the first guy to not show interest in him but Neha is definitely the first girl, it just convinces him more that she's secretly a demon.

Alejandro has an 'oh shit' moment.

I've got so many different scenarios for the reveal but they mainly fall into three categories:

Third party in the future

Her family reveal it

Reveal in the competition

Third party in the future:

She does achieve her dreams of working as a host and becomes super famous (as Neha). She gets invited on a big talk show (one with a live audience, Eva and Izzy are in said audience cause they're proud of their sister) and is asked about her first experience in show biz.

She mentions total drama and the host gives her a pitying look, asking if she worked as an intern on the show. Neha just laughs and says she was one of the original contestants. Obviously, the host and audience are confused because they don't remember the girl in the first couple seasons.

(I honestly believe that Chris made intros for the more iconic groups after World Tour to reel in more viewers and since team escope were the fan favourites, they definitely got one and it became famous)

She gets Izzy and Eva to come up on stage with her and Izzy hands her something. She ties her hair back, prods at her throat a couple of times before nodding to Eva who presses a button on her phone. The three girls then turn around so their backs are to the audience.

Chris' voice rings out and there are a couple of gasps from those in the audience who recognise the intro.

"They're the nightmares of manipulative pretty boys! They're the natural enemies to the sane and the nice! They're the very unlikely friend group! They are-"

Neha turns around posing with her one hand on her cocked hip, with the wig on her head and in a very familiar deeper, snarky voice says "The brains"

Eva then turns around, cracking her knuckles and grinning in a feral like way and says "The brawn"

Izzy turns around and jumps on the two so that her arms are around the girls' shoulders and chirps out "And the Crazy!"

Chris' voice continues out from the phone's speakers "It's everybody's favourite trio.... Teaaaaaaam Escooope!"

It becomes a viral meme and coincidentally how a lot of the cast found out that she was a girl.

The host then asks about how and why she managed to keep this from the whole world for so long and she shrugs in response.

.....

"my brothers bet me that I couldn't do it so I did, then I kinda forgot I did it"

"were any of the other cast mates aware that you were a girl all along?"

"I-" she furrows her eyebrows and thinks for a second. "I literally have no idea, I can't remember if I told any of them or anything..... Did I?" she looks to the other two girls for help.

"No clue!!"

"dunno why you're asking me, I barely talked to any of them"

She turns back to the host "I'm going to say I did because I feel like either I did tell them or I thought about doing it, I honestly can't remember though"

She did not in fact tell any of them.

Her family reveal it

After World tour (ridonculous race isn't canon in this) had finished and most of the competitors had went home, Team Escope took a selfie on the Hawaii set in their total drama outfits. The only difference was that Neha wasn't wearing her wig, instead Izzy had it on on top of her hair, in a way you can tell it is a wig. It was posted on Eva's social media account captioned 'when one of your best friends cons the entire world and her competitors into thinking she was a boy for three seasons because of a bet #teamescope'. It goes viral.

The other one is that after World Tour the families come to pick up the contestants (free trip to Hawaii), talk with the staff and mingle. It's pretty calm until the doors slam open and a hoard of attractive guys come in (Katie faints and Justin looks offended) and practically runs towards the resident snark. A gorgeous woman trails in after them looking highly amused.

By now everybody who's in the room is watching them wondering what's going on (Alejandro is mildly horrified because that's A LOT of what he assumes to be brothers based on how old they look).

'Noah' gets lifted up so 'he's' sitting on one of the guys shoulders and all of the brothers just start chanting "Neha!" Like they're at a football match.

The woman walks over to Izzy and Eva who are just laughing at the antics and they start getting fussed over by said woman. Everybody else is confused.

'Noah' is flushed bright red and basically begging "put me down!!".

The woman then makes her way over to the larger group with the other two girls in tow and gives them a look. 'Noah' is put down and she starts fussing over 'him' as well.

.......

"Mamaaa!" She whines as her mama just peppers face with kisses in front of everyone, she had a reputation to uphold dammit!

"Aww, my कीमती छोटी लोमड़ी, I'm so proud of you!!" Her mama replied, clearly not getting how serious the situation is, she could hear Duncan, Heather, Courtney and some of the others laughing at her misfortune.

Her mama smiled down at her and no, Neha was not pouting- "but Neha darling, you won, are you not excited?"

She froze. "What?"

"I spoke to McLean out in the hall and he told me that your contract from the first season is officially over, and since you didn't sign one for this season specifically you are no longer contractually a part of the show!"

A sharp smile grew on her face as she felt her brothers freeze up behind her. She turned around dramatically and clapped her hands once. "So! My contract is over and I didn't give myself away. Those were the terms right?"

She walked over to her brothers, savouring her victory. She fully planned to boast as much as she could. It's not often that she gets to dictate all of her brothers' actions for a day and she was going to enjoy the payback for all of the embarrassment she went through because of the bet. She told them this.

"I won the bet and now I have the power to make you suffer like I have on this Godforsaken show!" Okay, maybe she was being a little dramatic but she's their younger sister! It's basically her job!

"I'm going to make you all regret making this bet so much" it was only thanks to her ingrained reflexes that she managed to avoid the youngest of her older brother's attempt to grab her (she is not getting tickled in front of all these people, that is a line she'll never let be crossed). Neha darted behind Eva. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to avoid the swipe at her hair so she didn't notice until it was too late when the wig came off and her hair fell down, framing her body. She glared at the offending brother.

Her mama just giggled and she felt even more betrayed. (Wasn't her little girl adorable, she looked like an angry kitten all puffed up).

Neha was not prepared for Izzy to suddenly pick her up and shove her at Eva before sprinting towards the door yelling "protect the baby!!!". Eva looked down at her and Neha shook her head trying her hardest to convey ' do not. Don't you even dare iron woman.' unfortunately it didn't work cause the other girl just smirked at her and sprinted to catch up with Izzy, still carrying her.

Not even seconds later her brothers all seemed to telepathically come to an agreement and they also all rushed to the three girls who had left the room by now. "Capture the triplets!" "We cannot let them steal our youngest sister! That's our job" "Charge!" "The baby!"

Neha's mother just looks to the closest person (who just happened to be Alejandro's mother) and cheerfully chirped "Children can be quite a handful can't they!" " Ah, si, though it seems as though you may need more hands than I do" "too right! You seem to be quite a reasonable woman, can I have your number? Perhaps we can arrange a play date between our children" she winked. The other woman just laughed and gave her her phone "si si, I'm sure my husband would be thrilled to see our boys making friends!"

Neha's mother then walks out of the room ignoring the catatonic state of shock her मीठी ग्रेमलिन्स left most of the room in.

Reveal in the competition

Either Neha gets into a scrap with one of the competitors (probably Duncan or Justin, she does not get on with either of them, like at all) and her wig comes off in the process or Chris designs a challenge where she has to reveal herself for the sake of drama.

The challenge could be a guess the secret one where all the contestants' greatest secrets are listed out plus a few red herrings. Whoever guesses the most correct secrets wins as well as whoever has their secret guessed correctly the least. Neha wins this challenge cause only 3 people correctly guessed her 'secret' (her, Eva and Izzy) and then she gets revealed as proof and spends the rest of the season as herself.

Another one is if they had all of the OG cast in a new season. Neha would 'reveal' herself to the viewers first. I think it would be funny if they are playing tag hide and seek with the contestants as a challenge in a city.

One of the teams are seekers and everyone else are hiders, they're out if they get tagged and join the taggers in hunting the rest down. The original taggers win if they get everybody. If they don't then whoever is left wins.

Neha wins the challenge.

She just takes off her wig and the first layer of her outfit, unbuttoning the top of her shirt and walks around. Multiple contestants walk past her but they don't notice her. She actually had a pretty fun day: she had a nice cup of tea, read a couple chapters of her book and explored the architecture in the city. At the end of the day she puts her wig back on and walks back to the hosts. When asked where she was she just says that she saw them multiple times and they were clearly just blind.

Basically the entire season is her gaslighting the rest of the cast. Like, she's not trying hard to hide it at all anymore, they just don't notice it cause they're kinda dumb. (-okay, maybe the eel does notice, she'll give him that) eventually Chref and Izzy join in on it.

"I keep tampons in my pockets to sell to Molotov, that bear is like really weird"

*After threatening Alejandro to get him to behave about Owen and getting a bit into it- crowding against him, forgetting that she was currently not wearing her compression vest and her boobs are kind of obvious* "what do you mean you could feel breasts pressing against you? Obviously it was my pocket books, I keep them in my breast y'know pocket. Pretty silly of you to get them mixed up dude."

"how do I know what periods feel like? Courtney... I'm kinda disappointed in you, I thought you knew I'm psychic"

"Noah's like the best person to talk to about wigs, he knows all about them!" "Wait, really?" "Yeah, apparently there's like a ton of different types of earwigs! I thought that there was only one tbh!"

Eventually she just walks out to a challenge as herself and acts like she wasn't pretending to be a guy the entire time.

"uhh, I've always looked like this, are you blind?"

"and finally the snark is here, you look a bit different, did you leave one of your books behind?" "Yeah" she gives herself a look over, ignoring the gob smacked expressions " I didn't think it was that noticeable though, I thought I should go for a change and I finally finished the book so why not. I honestly feel so much lighter without it already"

[nightwriter357]

Smosh Summer Games: Ships 5

Hello friends! Here’s Part 5 of myDamien x Reader series centered around Smosh summer games. This one is definitely smut(18+) so prepare for that. Hope you're still enjoying the story and my ask is always open for suggestions or just general questions.

Love you allll

Part 5: Why won't anyone dance with me? Cause I wanna fuck you.

The group gathered in the lounge, excitement buzzing in the air. You and Damien exchanged a look, a mix of anticipation and nervous energy building between you.

Courtney nudged you with a mischievous grin. "So, what do you think the next game is?"

Before you could respond, the door burst open, and Spencer sauntered in with exaggerated flair. He was previously seen in a long judge's robe with an old-timey wig, but now the robe was cut to the same length as a miniskirt, revealing hairy legs and red flip-flops.

The wig was gone, but he still wore the whistle around his neck. He strutted into the room, dramatically posing as everyone turned to look. For a moment, there was a stunned silence, followed by an eruption of reactions.

Spencer raised his arms theatrically. "Behold, the new and improved judge!"

Everyone burst into laughter, some doubling over while others clapped in amusement.

"Oh my God, my eyes!" Shayne groaned, shielding his face.

"That is the worst thing I've ever seen," Amanda said, unable to stop laughing.

Ian leaned back, trying to keep a straight face. "That's... certainly a choice."

Arasha shook her head, grinning. "Spencer, what happened to you?"

Chanse managed to get out. "Dude, you look ridiculous!" Before going right nack to laughing again.

Trevor, however, was all smiles. "That looks awesome, bro!"

Spencer rolled his eyes good-naturedly, striking another pose. "Alright, alright, enough with the comments. Clearly, someone tried to sabotage my look, but all they did was make me even sexier."

He shot a glance at Courtney and Shayne, who both tried to look innocent, but their eyes darted to you and Damien.

Arasha's eyes widened. "Oh my God, you guys cut up his robe!"

Noah looked between you and Damien, realization dawning. "That makes so much sense. That's why you were being so weird this morning, you were distracting us."

Amanda nodded, laughing. "Oh yeah, you guys were acting crazy. Now it all makes sense."

Shayne, catching on to everyone's comments and piecing things together, added, "We did it yesterday, actually," giving you and Damien a knowing look. His tone implied he suspected there was more to your recent behavior.

Angela raised an eyebrow. "So there's no explanation for you guys being weird this morning?"

Damien shrugged, smirking. "We weren't being weird."

You chimed in, playfully addressing everyone who had commented. "Yeah, you guys are weird."

Spencer cleared his throat, regaining everyone's attention. "Alright, listen up! The next game is... Just Dance! Each ship gets one duet, and Ian and Anthony will have the final dance duel!"

Ian and Anthony exchanged a look, their playful rivalry flaring up immediately.

"Oh, you're going down, Padilla," Ian quipped, puffing out his chest.

Anthony smirked, crossing his arms. "Bring it, Hecox. You're about to witness dance perfection."

Courtney leaned in closer to you, her voice low and teasing. "Are you going to be able to focus with Damien all up in your space?"

You felt a mix of excitement and nerves tighten in your chest. Being this close to Damien, especially in front of everyone, was thrilling but also made you a bit anxious. You shot Courtney a look, trying to play it cool, but the smirk on her face told you she saw right through you.

Damien, catching the tail end of your conversation, leaned in, his voice flirty but low enough that no one else could hear. "I guess this means I get to touch you after all."

Your heart skipped a beat as you met his gaze. "Just try to keep up."

Courtney watched the exchange, clearly amused, knowing there was more going on between you two than you were ready to admit. Shayne, who hadn't even been told anything explicitly, seemed to be putting the pieces together too, exchanging a knowing glance with Courtney.

As the game was about to begin, you couldn't help but feel both happy and nervous. Being close to Damien, especially under the watchful eyes of everyone else, felt like walking a tightrope between excitement and the fear of giving too much away. You weren't sure how much people knew, but with the way Courtney and Shayne were acting, you were beginning to suspect that maybe you weren't as subtle as you thought.

As everyone gathered around the makeshift dance floor, the Just Dance game loaded up on the screen. Spencer, still looking gorgeous in his outfit, stood at the front, twirling his whistle on its cord. "Alright, let's get this party started! First up, we have... Arasha and Trevor!"

The opening notes of 'Uptown Funk' began to play, and Arasha and Trevor stepped forward. Their routine was full of energy, with Trevor throwing in some goofy moves while Arasha added flair with her sharp, confident steps. The two played off each other perfectly, getting the group hyped up with their enthusiastic performance.

Next up were Amanda and Angela, who danced to 'Single Ladies.' Amanda leaned into the choreography with sassy confidence, and Angela matched her energy, both clearly enjoying themselves. The room erupted in cheers when they nailed the iconic hand flip and ring finger move, everyone clapping along to the beat.

Courtney and Shayne took the stage next, performing to 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody.' Courtney's enthusiasm was infectious, while Shayne's moves were surprisingly smooth, showing off his hidden dance skills. They had the group laughing and cheering as they added their own twists to the routine.

Shayne grinned at Courtney and then turned to the others, confidently declaring, "There's no way we're losing this one, guys. 'Peg-leggers' for the win!"

After Noah and Keith's electrifying performance to Michael Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal,' Spencer called out, "Next up, we've got Damien and Y/n!"

The familiar opening notes of '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' filled the room, and you felt a rush of nerves. Dancing had never been your strong suit, and the pressure of performing in front of everyone-especially with Damien-was making you feel a little clumsy. You exchanged a quick look with Damien, who gave you a reassuring smile.

"We've got this," he whispered, his hand lingering on your back as you got into position.

The dance began with Damien dipping you low. His grip was steady, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. But as the routine continued, you found yourself getting more flustered. Damien's hands on your waist, guiding you through the steps, were distracting in a way you hadn't anticipated. You stumbled slightly as you spun out of his hold, catching yourself just in time.

"You okay?" Damien asked, his voice soft but amused.

"Yeah, just... trying to keep up," you replied with a sheepish smile, focusing on his movements to steady yourself.

The dance continued, and though you missed a step here and there, Damien was quick to cover for you, his hands finding your waist again and pulling you back into rhythm.

His touch was gentle but firm, guiding you through the more complicated moves. You couldn't help but feel like you were messing up more than usual, the combination of your nerves and the closeness to Damien making it hard to concentrate.

The room's attention was on you both, and you could hear a few whispered comments and cheers from the group.

"Damn, they're really into it," Noah whispered to Keith, who nodded in agreement.

"Look at those moves! Go, leg-peggers!" Tommy shouted, his voice filled with encouragement.

As the song built toward the iconic lift, you felt your heart race. This was the big moment. Taking a deep breath, you ran toward Damien, who lifted you effortlessly into the air. For a few seconds, it felt like everything else disappeared. The room erupted into applause and cheers as Damien held you steady, both of you grinning like idiots.

"Wow, didn't think they'd pull that off," Courtney muttered to Shayne, clearly impressed.

The performance ended with Damien lowering you gently back to the ground, both of you out of breath but smiling. The group erupted in applause, with a few hoots and whistles thrown in.

"That was incredible!" Angela yelled, clearly impressed, sipping on a glass of paint.. water.. it's probably water.

You glanced at Damien, who gave you a wink. "Told you we could do it, lover."

Next up were Chanse and Tommy, who danced to 'Toxic' by Britney Spears. Their performance was full of exaggerated moves and hilarious facial expressions, clearly playing up the dramatics for the crowd. The room was filled with laughter as Chanse did his best Britney impression, while Tommy leaned into the over-the-top choreography with a mischievous grin.

Finally, it was time for Ian and Anthony. As the first notes of 'You're the One That I Want' from 'Grease' played, the room buzzed with anticipation. Ian, always the performer, threw himself into the role of Sandy, prancing around with exaggerated hip sways and dramatic hair flips. Anthony, taking on the role of Danny, tried his best to keep up but ended up laughing halfway through as Ian's antics became increasingly ridiculous.

As the song reached its climax, Ian and Anthony leaned into each other, their faces inches apart before bursting into laughter. The room erupted in cheers and applause, everyone clearly enjoying the playful rivalry between the two.

Spencer stepped forward, trying to keep a straight face as he held up his whistle. "And the winners of this round are... the Peg-leggers!"

Ian pumped his fist in the air, grinning with satisfaction. "Yes! That's how it's done!" He turned to face the camera, his expression smug. "The score is now: Seamen: 2, Peg-leggers: 1. We're coming for you, Anthony."

Anthony rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide his smile as the group cheered and laughed, everyone still buzzing from the excitement of the dance battle.

As you caught your breath, you couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and exhilaration. Dancing with Damien had been nerve-wracking, but it had also been... fun.

He leaned over to you, "you know, I've really had the time of my life, and I do owe it all to you".

You smiled back at Damien, "you swear that's the truth?"

The sun had set, casting a warm, amber glow over the dining area as everyone gathered around the long wooden table. After the intense Just Dance competition, the group had taken some time to freshen up, and now they were enjoying a well-deserved dinner.

You looked around the table, taking in the different conversations happening all at once. At one end, Arasha and Trevor were locked in a spirited exchange, their banter aimed squarely at Ian and Anthony, who were content to let the younger duo have their fun.

Trevor leaned in with a grin. "You know, Arasha and I were obviously the MVPs tonight. We're still in our prime, and sooo young compared to you old farts."

Arasha grinned mischievously. "You know, Trevor, every time I'm out in public, people ask me why I'm not at school. They can’t believe I'm old enough to be out on my own."

Trevor laughed, nodding in agreement. "Same! I get asked if I'm selling girl scout cookies all the time. I guess I just have that look about me."

Arasha smirked, leaning closer as if to share a secret. "Oh, and did you know that these guys," she gestured toward Ian and Anthony, "created a channel called ‘Smaush’ or something on YouTube… like 40 years ago?"

Trevor gasped, playing along. "No way! I didn’t know that, Arasha. Is that true?"

Ian and Anthony exchanged amused looks, but before they could respond, Arasha nodded seriously. " I saw it on tiktok so it must be true."

The two of them dissolved into laughter, high-fiving each other as the rest of the table chuckled along.

Across the table, Amanda and Angela were too absorbed in their own conversation to notice the banter.

Amanda pushed her chair back and stood up, gesturing animatedly. "Okay, so when we did this move," she demonstrated a quick dance step, "I was thinking, you could come up behind me and do this," she said, mimicking the action.

Angela nodded, standing up to join her. "Yeah, and then when we do that, we can hit the 'oh-oh-oh' part right on the beat!"

They both laughed, trying to synchronize their movements in the small space beside the table.

You couldn't help but smile as you watched them. The whole room felt alive, everyone caught up in their own little worlds of conversation and camaraderie. But despite the lively atmosphere, your attention kept drifting back to Damien, who was sitting in front of you, his presence impossible to ignore.

Every now and then, you felt his leg brush against yours under the table, a subtle but deliberate touch that sent a shiver up your spine. You tried to focus on your food, but it was hard not to be distracted by the warmth of his thigh against yours, the occasional graze of his hand against your arm as he reached for something.

Courtney, sitting across from you, caught your eye and smirked, leaning in slightly. "Are you going eat? Or is someone a little too distracted tonight?"

You rolled your eyes playfully, trying to brush it off. "I'm fine, Court. Just... enjoying the evening."

Damien, catching the exchange, leaned in closer, his voice a low murmur. "So, with the way things are going, do you think we could sneak off ? Just us?"

Before Damien could respond, a burst of laughter at the far end of the table caught your attention. Spencer had just made a playful jab at Tommy. "Spencer, you really don't think highly of me, do you?"

Your heart skipped a beat at the suggestion, and despite the temptation, you shook your head with a smile. "No way. That would be too suspicious, we've been going to bed early two nights in a row."

Without missing a beat, Spencer replied, "I actually think about you a lot when I'm high."

The entire table erupted in laughter, the unexpected punchline catching everyone off guard. You laughed along with them, feeling the warmth of the camaraderie wrapping around you like a comforting blanket.

As the laughter died down, Courtney leaned in again, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Okay, you have to spill. You guys definitely didn't just accidentally kiss just once. I saw the way Damien was acting yesterday. I mean, when we walked in and saw you two with the mattresses put together, I knew something was up. Damien would not let you sleep on the floor."

You sighed, realizing there was no getting around it. "Okay yes, we've slept in the same bed, but only because it was uncomfortable. And the proximity... it's the only reason we kissed. We just got caught up in the moment, that's all. Nothing more is going to happen."

Courtney smirked, clearly not entirely convinced but willing to let the subject drop for now. "Alright, if you say so. Just know, I'm keeping an eye on you two."

You glanced at Damien, who was engaged in conversation with Noah across the table. He caught your eye and gave you a small, reassuring smile.

As the evening wound down, the lively atmosphere of the dinner began to quiet. Conversations slowed, and laughter became a background murmur as people started to drift away from the table. One by one, guests said their goodbyes, heading to their rooms or heading out for the night.

Soon, the only sounds left were the distant footsteps of the last few stragglers heading to their rooms and the occasional burst of laughter from the hallways. Damien and you eventually made your way to your room, later than usual, but the quiet of the house reminded you that you were among the few still awake.

As the door to the room clicked shut, the quiet of the night enveloped you both. You turned to Damien, your heart racing with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. "I need you tonight," you confessed, your voice almost trembling.

Damien's eyes searched yours, a mix of desire and concern. "Are you sure?" he asked softly.

You nodded, your resolve firm.

Damien stepped closer, his hands brushing lightly against your skin, causing you to shiver with each touch. His fingertips traced a path along your arms, down to your waist, and across your lower back. His lips followed, placing soft, reverent kisses on your exposed skin.

You let out a soft moan as his hands roamed your body. His breath was warm against your neck and you felt yourself craving more of his touch. You wrapped your hands behind his neck and lifted your head up to meet his lips. Kissing Damien was just as nice as it had been the night before but this time there was something more.

The kiss grew more intense as you both found your way to the bed. You pulled your shirt over your head, barely noticing Damien's eyes taking you in before you went to kiss him again. You both undressed as best you could, not wanting to break the kiss or stop touching.

His fingers alternated between light feathery touches and nails digging into your skin. Mostly he was on your thighs, squeezing and letting his fingers stroke over every part of you except for where you really wanted him. You broke the kiss and gently guided his hand to show him what you wanted.

You shivered as his fingers pressed up against you panties, "Damien, I need you now."

He started with a teasing touch, feeling the wetness of your panties through the fabric. "You're already wet," he murmured, his breath hot against your skin. His fingers lingered, stroking the fabric as he watched you squirm.

The slow removal of your panties felt almost ceremonial. Damien's touch grew bolder, his fingers gently brushing against your bare skin. His gaze was intense, filled with admiration and hunger. "Your body is so fucking perfect," he breathed, his eyes never leaving your face as he explored your body.

Your fingers found their way to his hardened cock, your touch tentative yet eager. As you stroked him, Damien's breath caught, his pleasure evident. One of his fingers slid inside you, moving with a deliberate rhythm. Your bodies were close, the heat between you palpable.

Damien's hands were a masterful combination of tenderness and need. One hand worked skillfully by your crotch, pumping into you, while the other grasped your breast, his nails gently digging into your skin. You responded to his touch with an eager passion, practically riding his finger as you let your hand run up and down his throbbing cock.

Damien's gaze was locked onto yours, his expression a mix of awe and hunger. "You feel incredible," he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I can't get enough of you."

You panted, your breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as you moved against his fingers. "Damien," you whimpered, "please."

He pressed his body closer to yours, his eyes never leaving your face. "I want you so badly," he said, his voice a low growl. "Just seeing you like this, feeling you around me... it's everything."

The connection between you was electric, each touch, each kiss intensifying the moment. Damien's finger worked in you with a steady rhythm, pushing deeper, his movements expertly timed to match your needs. The way he touched you made you lose yourself in the pleasure, every sensation heightened.

Finally, as he positioned himself above you, his eyes locked onto yours. He entered you slowly, inch by inch, his gaze intense and filled with a mix of reverence and hunger. The sensation of him filling you up completely was overwhelming, his movements deep and deliberate.

The initial thrust was painstakingly slow, his cock stretching you out as he eased deeper, savoring every reaction on your face. His hands cradled your cheeks, his touch tender as he brushed away the sweat and tears from the corners of your eyes. He could feel you adjusting, accommodating his size, and he watched you closely, his breaths coming in steady, controlled pants.

As he continued to move inside you, each thrust was measured and deep. He could tell you were doing your best to take him fully, your moans growing louder with each inch he pushed deeper. His cock filled you completely, stretching you in ways that made every touch and movement feel profound and intimate.

Damien's hands roamed to your back, stroking and soothing as he watched the way your body responded to him. The overwhelming sensation of him filling you up was evident in your strained breaths and the way your hands clung to his back. Your legs wrapped around him instinctively, pulling him closer as if trying to meld your bodies into one.

Damien's voice was low, but commanding. "Can you be quiet for me? I need to fuck you harder. Look at me-I want to see you."

His thrusts grew faster and more intense, each movement hitting deep and hard. The rhythm was no longer slow but a relentless pounding that drove you both wild. Every powerful thrust elicited loud moans from you, your hands gripping his back desperately and your mouth finding places on his body to bite into to muffle your cries. Your body responded to his urgency, your legs clenching around him as he slammed into you with a fervent, almost frantic pace.

Damien's grunts and moans matched the intensity of his thrusts, his focus solely on the way you felt around him. He seemed addicted to the sensation, the feeling of you tightening around him, and he moved with a fierce, consuming need. The impact of his movements was overwhelming, a perfect storm of pleasure and pressure that had you crying out for more

As you neared your climax, you begged him, "Please don't stop, Damien. Keep fucking me like this, please."

Damien's response was a fervent promise. "I won't stop. I'd keep you like this forever if I could. Just watching that pretty expression on your face, hearing those sweet sounds from your lips... it's fucking perfect."

The intensity of your orgasm was overwhelming, your body clenching around him, driving him to his own release. He filled you completely, his final thrusts deep and powerful. You both collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily, the room echoing with the sounds of your shared pleasure.

As the last waves of climax subsided, you reached for each other, pulling into a tender embrace. The closeness was comforting, and you felt overwhelmed at what you had just shared.

'That was amazing," you whispered, your voice filled with wonder and satisfaction.

Damien nodded, his smile warm and genuine. "It was. I've never.. wow."

In the quiet of the room, with the weight of the night's passion settling over you both, you held each other close, savoring the intense bond that had just been solidified.

You looked over at him, with your cheek practically glued to his chest. " You are so not a shellfish lover."

He smiled at you, "but you do really grab everything with two hands".

Despite what just happened between you there was still a part of you that craved his closeness and still got a bit flustered and nervous when his lips touched yours.

You let out a small laugh as Damien pulled you into a kiss.

[thicccshady]

It's Britney, B*tch, tehe🎶

Eminem X Reader

✨️MasterList✨️

Content: Silly Fluff

A/N: For the sake of this story, please pretend FaceTime on a mobile phone was a thing in 2000!

Marshall sat in the makeup chair, squinting at himself in the mirror as a stylist added the finishing touches to his blond wig. The long, wavy strands framed his face in an *almost* perfect imitation of Britney Spears. His makeup was already done—glossy lips, a touch of blush, and eyeliner that made his blue eyes pop.

"OH MY GOD! I'M A GIRL!" Marshall made everyone in the room burst into laughter.

“Man, I look too good right now,” he declared, inspecting his reflection. He smirked, pulling at the schoolgirl skirt he was wearing. “Y’all sure y’all don’t want me to drop a pop album after this?”

The crew laughed, used to his antics. Marshall was in a particularly playful mood today, and nothing entertained him more than the absurdity of this skit.

Grabbing his phone, he turned to the stylist. “Hold up, I gotta call Y/N. She needs to see this.”

Marshall pulled up FaceTime and hit Y/N’s contact. When she answered, her face appeared on the screen, a mix of curiosity and amusement.

“Hey, babe—” Her brows furrowed as she got a better look at him. “What the hell is this? New haircut?"

“Surprise!” Marshall sang, striking a pose. “I’m Britney, bitch.”

Y/N burst out laughing, covering her mouth. “Oh my God, Marshall, what are you wearing?!”

“It’s not just *what* I’m wearing, it’s *who* I’ve become,” he said dramatically, flipping the wig over his shoulder. He imitates Spears' voice and bats his eyelashes rapidly “I’m Miss Britney Jean Spears now. You can call me Queen Brit from here on out.”

“Queen Brit, huh?” she teased, trying to keep a straight face. “I don’t know if I can take you seriously with that lipstick.”

“Take me seriously?” He leaned closer to the camera, puckering his lips. “Baby, these lips are serving looks. Admit it—I’m kinda killin’ this.”

“Oh you absolutely are. I might need to borrow that shade of lipstick.” Y/N said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “I can’t believe they talked you into this.”

Marshall grinned. “Oh, they didn’t have to talk me into it. I volunteered. Told Dre, ‘I���ll do it if it means I get to keep the outfit.’”

As Marshall panned the camera to reveal the rest of his outfit, Y/N couldn't hold in her laughter at his silly demeanor.

He laughed, clearly enjoying himself. “I’m just saying, I think this look might awaken something in you. Don’t lie.”

Y/N flipped him off. Marshall responded with a series of poses and duck lip faces.

Y/N smiled and giggled. “I love it. But I love you more.”

“Damn right you do,” he said, his grin returning. “All right, I gotta go film this masterpiece. You’ll be the first one to see it when it’s done.”

“Oh I look forward to it,” she said.

Returning to his Spears' impression, “Catch you later, Queen Y/N.”

“Bye, Queen Brit,” she replied, laughing as she hung up.

✨️Want to know when I post? Click here to join my taglist!✨️

[impactedfates]

Gayly crashes inside here/J

Anyways may I request a Jing Yuan with [platonic] bio-child reader.. Who has the most chaotic personality ever [ft sharing the same braincells as Yanqing] thank youuu

— 🫶🏻 Anon with a teddy bear gift 🧸

A/N: THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT, I’LL TREASURE IT FOREVER 🧸 I HOPE YOU’LL LIKE THIS

Genre/Trope: Platonic + Family (JY, You and Yanqing!) + Crack

Format: Bullet Pointed Scenarios/HC

Warnings: None

Extra: Reader is a teen in this // Single Father JY again but he loves his kids // Yanqing will be your younger brother for this // Reader works under Fu Xuan // Not fully proofread // Some mentions of modern day stuff but time is still taken in the HSR Universe

Loveable Headaches - Platonic Dad! Jing Yuan x Reader

Jing Yuan really does love his children, both you and Yanqing...but you two never seem to give him a break do you? From your brother always buying swords to you deciding to dramatically gasp about the future, causing them to be scared when all that happened was that they trip over a pebble the next day...

On a day where he wished he could be sleeping having done all his paperwork (or...most of them) Fu Xuan comes barging in dragging you behind her, glaring at the man. And although making people scared of their future is rather bad when you're a diviner...he can't help but chuckle sometimes Fu Xuan tries to make him lecture you.

Fu Xuan: General Jing Yuan, your kid started laughing when they saw someone's future. Jing Yuan: Is that so? What did they laugh at? Fu Xuan: A poor guy who got jump scared by a ca- Jing Yuan: Wheeze Ah ahem I mean, they did?

When you and Yanqing are hanging out together. It's either Yanqing being the responsible one and leading you out of trouble, or the other way around. Not one time have you two shared a brain cell and thought logically. At rare times, both of you would have no brain cells and Jing Yuan would have a Cloud Knight knocking at his office and bringing the two rascals who scared the trainee knights.

When Mimi first grew up and the family realised she was in fact a lion, you climbed on her back and began riding her around like a horse.

[Name]: Go Mimi go!! Jing Yuan: Sweetie…please get off her. [Name]: What why? D: We're both feline great Jing Yuan: *Trying not to laugh* G-good one…but you're gonna get hurt.

You and Yanqing probably on more than one occasion tried to go into R rated films when you both were younger. Unluckily for you, everyone knows the Generals kid.

The Dozing General loves his naps and sleep but he also loves you!...But if he hears you playing "We Will Rock You" at 3am in the morning with pots and pans one more time-

Honestly you give Fu Xuan a headache too sometimes. We already said you laugh at a divination you give that scares the other person but you also tend to act disgusted, concerned or any negative emotion when reading future moments...this can either lead to you telling them what happened which is usually such a small thing or you not telling them, simply stating "Can't say, ruins the future"

You probably stole a bunch of things from his room, it worked out for a bit as he wasn't sure where everything was going but you revealed yourself as the lil thief when you tried to steal his heavy sword. (It's a sword right? Or smt??)

You made Jing Yuan wear a powerpuff girls outfit once for Halloween. If he was a powerpuff girl or Dr whatever his name was I forgot, is up to you.

Jing Yuan seems like the type of guy to give kids the big chocolate bars for Halloween, so he needs to hide them from you and Yanqing before Halloween is here or else the kids won't have any as you snatched them with your lil brother.

I see that when you and Yanqing were younger, you tried dressing up as each other, wearing wigs and each other's clothing to try and trick Jing Yuan...however, your clothes were too big on Yanqing, and his clothes were too small on you.

Yanqing tried to jump scare you once when you were using the hose for something, needless to say. Yanqing came back in the house absolutely soaked.

Perhaps one day, the two of you dressed up as Jing Yuan, he found it so adorable!! He took so many pictures of the 'Mini Generals'...he may or may not have attempted to take a day off, gesturing to the 'Mini Generals' and how they would do the work.

Fu Xuan: General…they're kids, they're not ready for your job Jing Yuan: Kids! That want to be me, why not train them? Fu Xuan: General Jing Yuan: Ah, no fun Madam Fu, I'm going I'll do my work, I'll do my work.

He questioned if you were a dog in disguise when you were like 5 tbh. Cuz you bit a lot of things, heck he once came into a meeting with you hanging off his arm...by biting him...doesn't hurt him but he did question where you learnt that.

Yanqing was adopted as a kid, when Jing Yuan first came home with the lil guy, and introduced him to you as your younger brother...you tried to make him fly by throwing him off the kitchen counter, to which THANKFULLY Jing Yuan has the quick reflexes to save Yanqing, he scolded you of course. And hey, good thing Jing Yuan did save your brother as you wouldn't have your partner in crime otherwise.

Idk if I made the reader chaotic or not but hopefully this was alrightwfiof.

Sorry for slow updates (I say as if I didn't mention I'd also be concentrated on other things). I'm going to some resort or something for a school tour(?) and apparently it has no wifi/signal, so wish me luck...gotta bond with my classmates.

[astrinde]

Thoughts on Madō Soshi (the MDZS stage play)

I've been asked to share feelings - of which I have many - about the MDZS livestream last night, so I am taking a break from writing CQL fanfiction (lol) to compose this post. tl;dr: Everyone involved in this production should receive every award; it was a shining example of artistry, and I will be first in line to buy a recording if the team ever changes their mind about an official release.

The Good-> Music and sound design: Impeccable. The new "Wangxian" song sounds both free-spirited and gentle, the perfect musical portmanteau of WWX + LWJ, and has become my second favourite version (after CQL's "Wuji"). Sounds punctuated beats in the story instead of being used as ends unto themselves, and a point of particular (and very appropriate!) drama came when LWJ recognised WWX; the sudden musical cut-off was the flute equivalent of a record-scratch. The actors who played instruments did fantastic work in matching their hand movements to the melodies.

Lighting and projection: Also perfection. The Cloud Recesses felt ancient, vast, and elegant, and the effects of cultivator magic came to gorgeous life; I especially enjoyed Jiang Wanyin's dramatic cracks of Zidian and the luminous arrays and effects as the Lan juniors fought at Mo Manor. And the water-ghost battle was a work of creative genius! I had no idea how they would re-create this book scene, which involves multiple boats on a body of water, a boat being flipped to reveal a ghost clinging beneath, cultivators flying on their swords, and a whirling abyss nearly swallowing one of the characters. But they hit every beat believably; wooden boats swayed and drifted gently on the stage amidst the sounds and projections of water, and actors plus effects were used to craft the dangerous monsters. The result was a tense, riveting scene that left me amazed.

Costumes and makeup: I felt skeptical of these because I initially disliked the publicity photos; I thought the actors' wigs looked limp and fake. I'm glad that the show proved me wrong. The clothing and hair moved quite naturally on stage, and everyone wore their looks well. Special praise is due WWX's dramatic Yiling Patriarch robe with its exquisite embroidery, and the scars and brand rendered vividly on LWJ's back and chest.

Acting: Here is the heart of it all, and I'm astonished that the actors found new emotional depth in a story that's so famous with so many adaptations already. They all maintained excellent focus, and when placed in the background, they reacted appropriately to unfolding events without stealing focus from the main players. I enjoyed Lan Jingyi's bold personality and Jin Ling's perfect mixture of excessive pride with painful vulnerability. As for Lan Sizhui, did they find LWJ's actual child to play the role? He gave such a gentle, sweet, endearing performance. Lan Qiren, Jin Zixuan, and Wen Ning got far too little stage time, alas. Jin Zixuan came across as strong and arrogant but also quite charismatic, and it was easy to see why Jiang Yanli would be so taken with him. I don't think Wen Ning even had lines, though he did great with the physical performance of his role, and Lan Qiren definitely came across just as a teenager would see him, all brittle iron and rules. Nie Huaisang had a delightful energy and well conveyed the idea of being neither stupid nor weak, just uninterested in this stringent learning and therefore not well-suited to it. Jiang Wanyin did a fantastic job of shifting energy between past and present. His "present" self carried a sense of overbearing self-righteousness and even cruelty - which completely vanished when the story shifted to the past. Lan Xichen perfectly captured the warm, diplomatic energy of his character, while also conveying an ever-present smile that could mean one of a hundred different things. He showed familial concern with such vulnerability, conveying a "beloved baby brother" affection to Lan Wangji while also respecting the latter's distance. Wei Wuxian had extraordinary energy. Did he ever leave the stage? And yet, for the entirety of those two hours, he jumped and chattered, talked and strode and embodied his character fully without once looking tired or distracted. I would have liked to see more of the exuberantly loving energy that I associate with WWX - he got very few 'soft' moments in the play - but I also probably missed a lot, because I don't speak Japanese and because WWX's entire being is so outwardly focused and conveyed with words. Lan Wangji, my favourite! The actor showed the character's gentleness and loneliness without ever revealing too much. I never thought I would have so many feelings about someone staring, stricken, into the middle distance after refusing a loquat, or quietly picking up a stuffed rabbit as the light fades out. The early Cloud Recesses scenes usually emphasise WWX; he's so energetic, infuriating, and delightful that it's hard to look away. But the camera angles in the stage play invited the viewer to be with LWJ for some of those moments instead. To understand how overwhelming his feelings are, to see how desperately alone he is and how he isn't yet able to end his own isolation by reaching out to another person. LWJ is already intimately dear to me; this performance just further whetted that affection.

The curtain call: I couldn't understand what the actors were saying, but their love for their roles, their characters, and the experience of working on the play shone through. I adore passion projects - I produced and acted in one that I still remember with joy to this day - and I was so glad to see that the MDZS story seemed to be more than "just another job" to everyone involved.

The Bad-> *Meng Yao hasn't appeared yet at this point in the story, so I felt sad for both me and Lan Xichen. *Nobody kisses at this point either, despite LWJ's soul clawing through his flesh to reach WWX throughout the play. By the end, I wanted the curtain call to conclude with the two actors grabbing each other and performing a big, dramatic stage smooch. (To give the play its due, it actually followed the book very well; they kept in some of the loveliest moments, including the Cold Spring scene and the night of "stay here, then.") *It ended, and I had to turn off the computer and go to bed, and there was no more play to watch. *There is no official recording. *No sequel has yet been announced.

Please feel free to comment or PM me if you want to talk more about the stage play or about MDZS as a whole. I have no friends who are heavily into this fandom and would love to make some. :)

[t4tadrienette]

He's truly his mother's son. The deep and raspy voice, the dramatic way of entering and speaking. He could have literally entered the room without wig on, but he had to do a dramatic reveal

[st4rgiirll]

for you page

— a few rookies rent a house near silverstone and secretly film chaotic f1-themed tiktoks. netflix finds out only after one of the videos goes viral. now there's a race to secure the rights before it hits mainstream media.

all credits in my main masterlist!! <33

oscar piastri stared at his phone in horror. "guys," he called out to his housemates, voice cracking. "we might have a situation."

logan sargeant and liam lawson looked up from where they were attempting to do the dance for their latest tiktok.

"define 'situation,'" liam said, still holding a makeshift podium trophy made from empty red bull cans.

"remember that video we made last week? the one where we recreated famous team radio messages using only cat meows?"

logan froze mid-dance move. "the one where i did christian horner's angry voice as a persian cat?"

"it has four million views. and netflix just called."

the infamous silverstone share house fell silent, save for the distant sound of their neighbor mowing the lawn – which they were pretty sure was actually lewis hamilton in disguise, trying to figure out what they'd been up to for the past three months.

their tiktok account, @ f1rookielife, had started innocently enough. just three young drivers sharing a rental house, making content to pass the time between races. how were they supposed to know their "day in the life of an f1 seat (starring an actual racing seat)" would go viral?

oscar's phone buzzed again. "oh god," he muttered. "now will buxton wants to do a dramatic piece to camera about it."

"delete the drafts folder," logan practically screamed, diving for his phone. "especially the one where we did 'mean girls' but it's all about porpoising!"

but it was too late. netflix producer sarah wilson was already sending screenshots. somehow, they'd found the video titled "pov: you're toto wolff's table during a race."

"my dad's going to kill me," oscar whispered, thinking of all the videos where he'd perfectly mimicked christian horner's dramatic monologues while wearing a red bull onesie.

liam was frantically scrolling through their content. "maybe it's not that bad. i mean, apart from the 'whose team principal is it anyway?' series... and the 'f1 drivers as vines' compilation... and that interpretive dance about ferrari strategy..."

there was a knock at the door.

all three rookies froze. logan, still wearing a fake mustache from their "by gawd, that's fernando alonso's music!" wrestling parody, looked like he was about to pass out.

the door opened to reveal daniel ricciardo, grinning his trademark grin. "guys," he said, holding up his phone, "your 'brokeback paddock' skit about the ferrari mechanics? absolute gold."

before they could respond, more notifications started flooding in.

"charles leclerc just duetted our 'i'm just a girl, standing in front of a strategy team, asking them to pit me' video," oscar announced, voice weak.

liam checked his own phone. "max just shared our 'dutch anthem but it's played on simulator pedals' post."

"guys?" logan was staring at his screen. "why is fernando alonso requesting access to our private backup account?"

another knock at the door. this time it was the netflix crew, cameras already rolling.

"we want exclusive rights," sarah declared, stepping into their living room, which was still decorated with various props including a life-size cardboard cutout of günther steiner wearing a flower crown.

"but—" oscar started.

"is that a script for 'keeping up with the karmines'?" sarah pointed to a notebook. "and... is that a storyboard for 'the real housedrivers of monaco'?"

liam tried to subtly kick their box of fake wigs under the couch. "we can explain..."

more phones buzzed. their latest video had just dropped: "if shakespeare wrote team radio (feat. special guest seb vettel as hamlet)."

"how did you get sebastian vettel to—" sarah began.

"he just showed up one day," logan explained. "said something about the youth needing guidance in sustainable content creation."

oscar's phone rang. it was zak brown. "mate," his boss said, "your 'mclaren mechanics do surgery on a diffuser' interpretive ballet? that's getting you a contract extension."

outside, they could hear the sound of more cars pulling up. george russell had apparently seen their "powerpoint presentations but they're about overtaking strategies" series and wanted to collaborate.

"look," sarah said, "netflix wants first rights to all of it. the behind-the-scenes, the bloopers, especially the 'real reason for porpoising' musical number."

"the what?" came toto wolff's voice from the doorway. nobody had heard him arrive.

liam quickly closed the laptop that was playing their latest project: "drive to survive but every dramatic pause is replaced with yuki tsunoda saying 'bruh.'"

"we'll give you creative control," sarah offered desperately, watching as more drivers and team principals began gathering outside the house. "just... please tell me you got that video of christian horner doing a dramatic monologue about his coffee machine."

"that wasn't us," oscar admitted. "that was actually just christian being christian."

another notification: their "formula 1 drivers as vines (part 43)" had just been shared by f1's official account.

"fine," logan sighed, accepting their fate. "but nobody sees the 'real housedrivers' footage until after i retire."

"deal," sarah said quickly, just as lewis hamilton walked in wearing a gardening outfit that probably cost more than their house.

"so," lewis said, pulling off his designer sunglasses, "about that 'fashion week but it's racing suits' series you've been filming in my garden..."

somewhere in maranello, charles leclerc was already practicing for their next video: "ferrari strategy meetings but they're taylor swift songs."

the rookies looked at each other. they'd created a monster. a very entertaining, potentially career-ending monster.

"at least we didn't post the 'kardashians but it's team principals' series," oscar whispered.

liam checked his phone one last time. "about that..."

the sound of toto wolff discovering his role as kris jenner could be heard all the way to brackley.

[011sfootstool]

Ah, so, could I ask... if N and Uzi get yoinked to different timelines, where's V? Is she just chillin in the present? Oh, and how the heck did the whole time travel thing happen anyways? Or is that something to be dramatically revealed in the future-

sorry for letting this rot in my ask box for a week but I wanted to do a 'when I reach 200 followers ill drop the lore' thing. So here we go!

⚠️THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILER⚠️ for a summary + random extras click on strawpage.

The name suggests what the plot is, they are all lost in time. Each of them thrown around into a different universe or timeline. Like the past and future. Each of the three drones find themselves thrown into a different part of history.

1: Uzi

Uzi was thrown into the past. She doesn't know how but at first she didn't realise! It wasn't until she noticed just how different copper 9 was that she felt something was not quite right, including cyn's snarky remarks before the entire realisation.

After accepting that she was sent back in time somehow she remembered she could use this as an excuse to figure out what exactly is wrong with her and her entire past. She could learn about what her mother really was like, the truth about the absolute solver and what N was like before he became a 'soft drone'.

Did Cyn also creepily demand a wig similar to her hair to be put onto the tail she's trapped in? Yes. Yes she did. Even though Cyn constantly annoys Uzi they still find a way to get along.

2: N

N was thrown into the future. It was not exactly the 'dream future with my future wife' he was expecting. All he did was step outside and everyone was immediately wanting to attack him. All he could think about was that everything was resolved with the disassembly drones and the worker drones, why are they fighting now?

Well turns out that the drones Like V and the future N had moved their core into the body of a deceased worker drone in order to not be 'as threatening' towards worker drones. It actually worked pretty well! Years after peace and if they saw a disassembly drone after all that time, they have a right to believe somehow some more where sent to wipe the workers and the rebellious drones like N and V out.

3: J

(no images cause she is introduced later)

She got thrown into a random universe. One that looked nice, peace, harmony and a way to make nature thrive. It was covered in grass and moss and looked similar to earth. Only thing is she saw no other disassembly drones, only worker drones. It wasn't long until she was chased out with high tech weapons. It turned out the workers in this universe did something useful for once to get rid of the sky demons for good instead of hiding behind doors like a coward.

It wasn't until she met J, or well what looks and seems like j.

Psd-T, Otherwise known as 'Prototype serial designation T' comes across as a drone who is similar to J and uses J as a main nickname. Some drones names where different in this universe so V just took it as 'Well maybe her name is just different here's or maybe she's a completely different drone!

4: How did they get there?

The plot revolves around the drones trying to discover how they got sent to the timelines or why they where being shown it. They don't know why or how any of this happened but their goal is to get back to eachother, not after taking a snoop out of curiosity though.

So yes. The ways of how they get there are revealed later in the future!

Random questions nobody will ask but I'll answer either way

1: Can i make fan creations e.g fanart, headcanons, pfps ect ect / how *instert your oc or another character* would be in this series

Sure! Honestly I would love anything that you guys do! I love and cherish all art I receive because my dream is just to build a community where people can be themselves :) fan creations are honestly things that motivate me alot so it doesn't feel like 'im doing this just for me' (well I sorta am) but I also want to make people happy and to enjoy things!

And feel free to draw other characters and ocs based of this au! I would love to see what shenanigans they get up to.

2: can I use this as inspiration

YES! inspiration is something I wanna spread. If you want to make something based of this you can :)! I dont own the 'time travel' au's anyways.

Thanks for reading this far. Have an art dump of Nearly all the art I've done so far of them!

[shiorihyugawrites]

The Legendary Black Cat

Selena de la Rosa, known across Marley as the Legendary Black Cat, is the world's deadliest assassin—a master of agility, precision, and deception. When Marley turns against her, she is shipped to Paradis as a living weapon, chained and drugged, with her survival all but assured to be short-lived. But Selena is no ordinary prisoner.

Bound by no one, loyal to none, Selena plots her next move, determined to seize her freedom by any means necessary. Yet, her plans are complicated by the Scouts who captured her, particularly Captain Levi Ackerman—the so-called Humanity's Strongest Soldier. Selena is intrigued by his strength and reputation, but her pride refuses to acknowledge him as her equal.

Caught between Levi’s unrelenting gaze, Selena plays a dangerous game of manipulation. She’s biding her time, but when the moment comes, will her calculated escape bring her freedom—or will her path collide violently with Levi’s unwavering resolve?

The Black Cat has always landed on her feet, but for the first time, she might meet her match. (Levi x OC)

Chapter Nineteen

The rendezvous point was deep in the forest, far away from the grand ballroom where hours earlier they had all been blending in as aristocrats and waitstaff. Now, back in their usual uniforms, the Special Operations Squad gathered in a tight circle, debriefing the night’s events. The only light came from the moon filtering through the canopy and the faint glow of a lantern Armin had set between them.

Selena stretched her arms lazily, rolling her shoulders as if she hadn’t just spent hours executing a near-perfect infiltration. She was still in the blonde wig, though she had discarded the red mask, tossing it aside as soon as they had made it out of Wall Sina. Her brown contacts were gone as well, revealing her striking poison-green eyes that flickered with mischief as she sat on a fallen log beside Levi.

Levi, on the other hand, was still stiff as a board. His suit jacket was removed, sleeves rolled up, revealing his forearms. His tie was loosened slightly, and his expression was unreadable as he sat across from her, arms crossed, his sharp silver gaze flickering between the scouts and Selena.

Selena sighed dramatically. "Well, that was fun," she mused, twirling a knife between her fingers. "Can’t wait to do it again."

The squad didn’t immediately respond. Eren, Mikasa, and Jean were still unnervingly quiet, clearly still reeling from what they had witnessed back at the ball.

Armin was the first to break the silence. "So, Henri confirmed the remaining targets will be at the docks tomorrow?" he asked, ever the tactician, bringing the conversation back to business.

Selena nodded, all traces of teasing momentarily vanishing from her face. "Yes. He thought I was taking him to bed, so he got a little too comfortable with his words," she explained, stretching out her legs. "The remaining Marleyan agents are meeting with their buyer at the docks at sunrise. They think they’ll be safe since it’s private and under military jurisdiction, but they don’t know we’re coming."

Armin nodded, digesting the information while Jean scoffed, finally snapping out of his daze. "Right. Speaking of that…" Jean turned to Levi, his arms crossed. "So, uh… what exactly was the plan for dealing with Henri’s body? Because that was a little too smooth for my liking."

Levi barely spared him a glance. "What do you think happens to bodies when we kill people on the battlefield?" he asked dryly. "You think they just disappear?"

Jean paled slightly. "Yeah, but this was different," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, it was kinda insane how fast Selena took him out. One second she was making out with the guy, the next—" He snapped his fingers. "Gone."

Selena smirked. "What? Did you expect me to drag it out?" she asked, tilting her head. "Henri was just a means to an end. No point in playing with my food."

Sasha let out a low whistle. "Damn," she muttered under her breath, her usual carefree demeanor dampened by the weight of what they had witnessed.

Eren, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke. "I don’t get it," he muttered, his voice low. "How do you do it so easily? Just… kill without hesitation?"

Selena’s smirk faded slightly, and she regarded him carefully, as if assessing how much to say. Finally, she let out a small chuckle, though there was no humor in it. "Because hesitation gets you killed, niño," she said simply. "When you’ve been trained like I have, when you’ve had to survive like I have, you learn real quick that mercy is a luxury." Her eyes flickered, darkening slightly. "And I don’t have the privilege of luxuries."

Eren didn’t respond right away. He still didn’t fully understand Selena, but something about the way she spoke made him uneasy. Not because she scared him—though she did—but because a small part of him recognized something familiar in her words. He had killed without hesitation before too. And it had changed him.

The group fell into silence, letting Selena’s words settle. The only sound was the distant hoot of an owl in the trees.

Levi exhaled sharply, pushing off the log he had been leaning against. "Enough. We know the plan for tomorrow," he said, brushing dirt off his trousers. "We hit them at sunrise, eliminate the targets, and make sure this operation doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass."

Selena grinned. "Aw, Capitán, always so business-minded," she teased. "No time to celebrate our successful infiltration?"

Levi shot her a dry look. "We didn’t get all the targets. There’s nothing to celebrate yet."

Selena hummed in amusement but didn’t push further.

Mikasa finally spoke, her arms crossed, her gaze sharp as she looked between Levi and Selena. "You two work… well together," she admitted, though there was a hint of reluctance in her voice. "It’s… unsettling."

Selena’s grin widened. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Jean muttered something under his breath about how "well together" was an understatement, while Connie stifled a laugh.

Levi rolled his eyes and turned to Eren. "Make sure you and the rest of the squad get some rest. We move out at first light."

Eren nodded, though his gaze lingered on Selena for a moment longer before he turned away.

The scouts began dispersing, heading back toward the makeshift camp they had set up deeper in the forest. Soon, it was just Levi and Selena left.

Selena stretched her arms above her head, sighing dramatically. "Well, that went well, don’t you think?" she mused, glancing at Levi with a teasing smile.

Levi’s jaw ticked. "You went off-script," he muttered.

Selena shrugged. "And? It worked."

Levi didn’t argue, though the way his eyes darkened slightly showed he wasn’t entirely pleased with how she handled things.

Selena stepped closer, invading his personal space just enough to make him notice. "Aw, Capitán, don’t be mad," she purred. "I got the job done, didn’t I?"

Levi didn’t move, didn’t react, but the muscle in his jaw twitched.

Selena smirked. She was getting under his skin.

Again.

He watched from the shadows as Selena made her way to the river, finally peeling off the long blonde wig and letting her natural black curls bounce free. He had been watching her movements carefully, ensuring she wasn’t trying to sneak off or pull something suspicious, but the moment she rid herself of the disguise, something about her just looked… right.

The long, straight blonde hair had served its purpose in keeping her hidden, but it wasn’t her. Levi hadn’t realized how much he had gotten used to seeing her with her short, naturally wild curls until now. He had to admit—if only to himself—she looked better like this. Not that he cared about such things. Tch. What did it matter?

Annoyed at himself for even thinking about it, he was about to turn away when he heard Selena’s voice call out to him over the soft rush of the river.

“Capitán!” Her voice was a playful lilt in the quiet night.

Levi narrowed his eyes, already feeling like whatever she wanted was going to be unnecessary and annoying. He didn’t move at first, waiting to hear what ridiculous request she was about to make.

“I need your help,” she continued, turning her head slightly, glancing over her shoulder at him with that all-too-familiar mischievous glint in her green eyes. “Unzipping my dress.”

Levi knew immediately that was bullshit.

He could see the way her arms were positioned—she could easily reach the zipper on her own if she wanted to. This was a setup.

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose. “You’re capable of doing that yourself, stray cat.”

Selena turned fully now, tilting her head as she grinned at him. “Oh, but it’s much more fun when you do it,” she teased.

Levi clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes as he stalked over to her. “Tch. You’re impossible,” he muttered, standing behind her.

Selena only chuckled, not the least bit deterred. She turned her head slightly to the side, waiting.

Levi grumbled under his breath as he reached for the zipper at the back of her dress. His fingers ghosted over the smooth skin of her back as he pulled it down, revealing more of her moon phases tattoos, each pristine and perfectly aligned down her spine.

He had seen them before, of course—on the ship, when he and Erwin had first found her, unconscious and vulnerable. But now, in the dim moonlight, the white ink stood out even more starkly against her deep caramel skin.

His fingers hesitated for just a second, his eyes tracing the phases of the moon down her back. It was strange, Levi had never cared about tattoos before, but something about these—about her—caught his attention in a way he couldn’t quite shake.

Selena, ever aware, smirked slightly. “Like what you see, Capitán?” she teased, her voice a sultry whisper.

Levi scowled. “Shut up.”

Selena laughed, but then, for once, she actually explained something without teasing. “I got them when I turned eighteen,” she said, her voice taking on a softer tone. “They remind me that just like the moon, I have different phases.”

Levi furrowed his brows slightly. He didn’t say anything right away, but he thought about what she meant.

Phases. Different versions of herself.

Selena was like the moon—sometimes full of light, sometimes a shadow of herself. There were times she was bright and bold, flirtatious and cocky, yet there were also times Levi had caught glimpses of something else. Something darker. Something pained.

He pulled the zipper down completely, letting go of the fabric. He didn’t step back immediately, though, his gaze lingering on her tattoos. His mind went back to what she said earlier at the rendezvous point—how hesitation gets you killed, how she doesn’t have the luxury of things like mercy.

Levi understood that more than he wanted to admit.

“You got ‘em done in Marley?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

Selena nodded. “Yeah. It was the first thing I ever chose for myself,” she admitted, stretching her arms above her head before rolling her shoulders. “Everything else about my life was dictated by someone else.”

Levi frowned slightly but said nothing. He knew what she meant without her needing to elaborate.

Selena turned around then, facing him fully, the red dress now hanging loose on her frame. She smirked up at him, but her green eyes held something else—something deeper beneath the teasing exterior.

“You know,” she started, stepping closer, “I think this is the longest you’ve ever touched me without immediately throwing me or trying to stab me.”

Levi narrowed his eyes. “Don’t tempt me.”

Selena grinned. “Oh, Capitán, I live to tempt you.”

Levi huffed and turned away, shaking his head as he made his way back toward the trees. “Go to bed. We’ve got work to do in the morning.”

Selena watched him go, still smirking, though there was something thoughtful in her expression. She could tell Levi had been thinking about what she said. He was always thinking, even when he pretended he wasn’t.

She exhaled, rolling her shoulders again before slipping the dress off completely and stepping into the river, letting the cool water soothe her skin.

Tomorrow would be another long day. But tonight, for just a little while, she allowed herself to relax.

But Levi was already halfway into the tree line, trying to put as much distance between himself and whatever this was when he heard the unmistakable sound of water sloshing behind him. His instincts told him not to look. Don’t look, don’t look, don’t—

Curiosity won.

He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Selena stepping out of her dress, leaving her in nothing but her undergarments. The moonlight glowed against her skin, highlighting the toned definition of her body. Her curves, her tattoos, the soft way the water beaded against her skin—it was too much.

Levi immediately whipped his head away, his jaw tightening as his face burned.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” he hissed. “You have no concept of modesty?”

Selena merely smirked, stepping deeper into the river, the cool water sending goosebumps over her skin. She tilted her head slightly, watching Levi’s rigid form with keen amusement. He was as stiff as a board, standing there with his back to her like she’d burned his retinas.

“Oh, mi esposo, por qué eres tan tímido?” (Oh, my husband, why are you so shy?) she teased, her voice dripping with mischief.

Levi didn’t understand the words exactly, but he had a pretty damn good idea of what she was saying. His brow twitched. “Stop talking in that language when you know I don’t know what the hell you’re saying.”

Selena grinned, stepping forward just enough that the water lapped at her thighs. “Esposo,” she repeated slowly, enunciating the word just to rile him up. “It means husband.”

Levi exhaled sharply, his grip tightening into fists at his sides. He refused to turn around.

“Tch. You’re insane,” he muttered.

Selena smirked, crossing her arms over her bare stomach. “Lo sé, mi esposo.” (I know, my husband.)

Levi clenched his jaw so hard it might crack.

“I only said that shit to keep up the cover,” he snapped, trying to will away the heat rising to his face. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“Oh, pero ya tengo muchas ideas,” (Oh, but I already have so many ideas) she purred, her voice lilting playfully as she took another step forward, just enough for the water to ripple around her hips.

Levi could hear her getting closer.

“Stay in the damn water,” he ordered. “And put your fucking clothes on.”

Selena laughed, that rich, throaty sound that sent a strange sensation crawling up Levi’s spine. He didn’t know if it was irritation or something else, but whatever it was, he hated it.

“You know, Capitán,” she mused, “for someone who’s so serious all the time, you sure did play the part of a devoted husband well.” She sighed dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. “Telling Henri I was your woman… oh, how romantic.”

Levi visibly tensed. His ears burned. “Shut up.”

Selena took another slow step forward, the water rippling around her legs. “Maybe you enjoyed saying it,” she mused, her voice teasing. “Did it feel good, Levi? Calling yourself my husband?”

Levi let out a frustrated tch and ran a hand over his face. “It was improvising, you pain in the ass. That’s it.”

“Mmm,” Selena hummed, unconvinced. “But did you like it?”

Levi refused to dignify that with an answer.

Selena grinned, watching the way the muscles in his shoulders tensed. He was flustered—he’d never admit it, but she knew it.

“You don’t have to answer,” she continued, stepping fully out of the river now.

Levi whipped his head forward, focusing on the damn trees. Nope. Nope. Nope. He was not about to see whatever state of undress she was currently in. He was already cursing himself for looking the first time.

Selena wrung the water out of her short curls, then reached down to grab her discarded dress. “But Capitán, if you keep staring at me like you did in the ballroom,” she teased, “people are going to start thinking you really are my husband.”

Levi nearly bit his tongue.

“You’re ridiculous,” he gritted out.

Selena chuckled, shaking out her dress before slipping it back on, fastening the front herself since Levi was still too stubborn to look at her. She smirked at the back of his head, knowing full well she had him rattled.

She stepped forward, just enough to brush her fingers along his shoulder. Levi tensed beneath the touch but didn’t move away.

“Dulces sueños, mi esposo.” (Sweet dreams, my husband.) Her voice was warm, teasing, laced with something else Levi didn’t want to decipher.

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose, keeping his eyes trained on the tree line. “Go to bed, stray cat.”

Selena smirked, then turned and sauntered off, leaving Levi standing there, scowling at nothing.

He didn’t move for a long time.

And fuck—he hated that she got to him like this.

The moment Selena disappeared into her tent, Levi finally felt like he could breathe again.

The air around him, which had felt thick and charged with an unbearable tension just moments ago, finally seemed to clear. He exhaled sharply, his hand instinctively moving up to rub at his temple, as if trying to physically push away the lingering sensation of her voice, her touch, her presence.

Damn woman.

He settled himself against the nearest tree, arms crossed over his chest, staring into the dense darkness of the forest surrounding their rendezvous point. He wasn’t tired—not really. He rarely was. Sleep had never been something he indulged in often, even before the war. There was always something to do, something to keep his hands busy, something that needed fixing, or planning, or watching.

But now, even as he focused on his usual routine of night watch, he couldn’t shake the damn thoughts that kept creeping back in.

Selena.

Levi scowled at nothing in particular.

She had been nothing but a thorn in his side since the moment she set foot in Paradis, constantly testing his patience, getting under his skin in ways no one ever had. He had faced all kinds of enemies in his lifetime—Titans, traitors, criminals—but never had he met someone like her.

She was unpredictable, chaotic, arrogant beyond belief—but damn it—he couldn’t deny that she was as skilled as she claimed to be. It wasn’t just the way she fought, it was how she moved, how she thought. The way she calculated every step, every breath, every glance, playing the long game even in the heat of battle.

And the way she had played that bastard Henri at the ball…

Levi’s grip on his arms tightened, his jaw clenching at the memory.

She had been utterly flawless. Her disguise, her performance, the way she wove her lies with effortless ease, seducing the information out of him like it was child’s play. Levi had known she was going to do it—that was the whole damn point of the mission—but knowing and watching were two entirely different things.

Watching her run her hands along another man’s shoulders, whispering in his ear, pressing her lips against his—

Levi scowled, shaking the thoughts away before they could take root.

He wasn’t jealous. That was ridiculous.

This was Selena. She flirted with everyone, teased everyone, it was part of her nature. She enjoyed getting under people’s skin, toying with them just for the fun of it.

But somehow, somehow, she always managed to push his buttons the hardest.

Levi shifted, adjusting his position against the tree, narrowing his eyes at the shadows stretching across the ground. He could still feel the ghost of her fingers on his shoulder, the warmth of her breath when she leaned in too damn close, the way she had whispered mi esposo like it was a secret meant only for them.

His jaw tightened.

He hated it.

He hated that she rattled him so easily, hated that his mind kept circling back to that moment by the river, the way her bare skin had glowed under the moonlight, the way she had looked at him when he unzipped her dress, like she was testing him, waiting to see what he would do.

Levi let out a slow, irritated breath.

She was dangerous.

Not just in combat. Not just in the way she wielded her blades or executed her kills with the precision of a master assassin.

She was dangerous in a way that was entirely new to him.

A different kind of battle.

One he wasn’t sure he knew how to fight.

Levi shook his head, forcing his mind back to the mission. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow. The docks would be crawling with potential threats, and while he trusted Selena’s skills, he didn’t trust the unpredictability of their situation.

His eyes flickered back toward her tent.

For the first time in a long time, Levi felt the odd, unfamiliar sensation of uncertainty settle in his chest.

He hated that, too.

…

Meanwhile, Selena lay stretched out on her cot, her arms folded behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling of her tent, a slow, satisfied smirk playing at her lips.

Her body ached slightly from the long night, the tension in her muscles a reminder of the mission, of the ballroom, of Henri’s blood staining her hidden blade—but none of that was what occupied her thoughts. No, he occupied her thoughts.

Capitán.

Selena bit her lip, letting out a quiet laugh as she turned onto her side, curling slightly as she played the night’s events over and over in her mind.

Levi Ackerman was unraveling.

She could see it, feel it, in the way he looked at her now. It wasn’t just annoyance anymore, wasn’t just irritation at her antics. No, there was something more behind those stormy grey eyes, something deeper, something dangerous.

And Selena loved it.

For the first time in a long time, she felt a real, genuine thrill that had nothing to do with battle, with strategy, with assassination. This was something else entirely.

A new kind of game.

One she intended to win.

Selena flipped onto her stomach, her fingers absently tracing over the fabric of her blanket as she let herself savor the memory of Levi’s reaction when she had asked him to unzip her dress.

The way his fingers had lingered on her back.

The way he had stared at her tattoos, as if trying to decipher the meaning behind them.

The way his breath had hitched—so subtle, so brief, but she caught it.

And then there was the ballroom, the way his grip on her had been just a bit too firm when they danced, the way his shoulders tensed every time she leaned in too close. And of course, the jealousy.

Selena smirked to herself, turning onto her back again.

She still couldn’t believe he broke that damn wine glass.

It was rare for her to meet someone who could match her in both skill and in presence. She had spent her entire life outmaneuvering, outthinking, and outlasting every opponent she faced. But Levi was different. He wasn’t just another opponent.

He was something else.

Something exciting.

Something new.

For so long, her life had been dictated by orders, by missions, by survival. She had played the part of the ruthless assassin, the loyal soldier, the obedient tool of Marley’s war machine.

But now?

Now she was free.

And what better way to celebrate that freedom than by unraveling the one man in this godforsaken place who seemed unravelable?

Selena laughed quietly to herself, rolling onto her side again, biting her lip as she recalled the way he had looked at her when she teased him about calling himself her husband.

He could deny it all he wanted, scowl, glare, chew her out in that low, gravelly voice of his—but she knew.

She felt it.

The way he froze when she leaned too close. The way his eyes flickered to her lips when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.

He was fighting it, fighting her.

And that was what made it so delicious.

Selena ran a hand through her now free curls, her fingers idly twisting a strand as she stared up at the fabric of her tent, lost in thought.

For years, she had been trained to see people as nothing more than assets, targets, or obstacles. But Levi… he was none of those things.

He was something she wanted.

And that was new for her.

She had seduced men before, lured them in, made them believe they were special, only to slit their throats and leave them as nothing more than corpses in her wake. It was part of the job.

But this…

This wasn’t seduction for the sake of a mission.

This was personal.

Selena closed her eyes, exhaling deeply as she let the thought settle in her mind.

She wanted to see how far she could push him. Wanted to see just how deep that composure of his ran before she cracked it wide open. Wanted to know what it would feel like if he finally let go.

And more than that…

She wanted to know him.

Because for all the games, for all the teasing, for all the back-and-forth… she could see the pain in his eyes.

She recognized it because it was the same pain she saw in her own reflection.

Levi Ackerman was haunted. By what, she didn’t know. Not yet. But she would find out.

Because that was what she did.

She studied people.

She learned them.

And then she decided what to do with them.

Selena smirked again, closing her eyes as she finally let herself settle into the cot, her body relaxing against the fabric.

Tomorrow, they had another mission. More blood to spill, more targets to neutralize.

But tonight?

Tonight, she let herself enjoy the thrill of the chase.

Because now?

Now the real game had begun.

…

The next morning, the crisp air was thick with tension as the Special Operations Squad gathered outside their tents, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and shaking off whatever exhaustion still clung to their bodies. The sun had barely begun its ascent, casting long, golden streaks of light across the camp, but despite the early hour, two figures stood before them, fully prepared for battle.

Captain Levi and Selena.

Both of them were already clad in their uniforms and ODM gear, their blades gleaming under the faint morning light. They stood side by side, exuding an aura so intense that it sent a ripple of unease through the squad.

Eren, still groggy, ran a hand through his messy hair and blinked rapidly as he took in the sight. "Damn, they look like they're about to kill someone."

Jean, standing beside him, nodded in agreement, crossing his arms. "Tch. Look at them. They’re standing there like a pair of cold-blooded assassins. I mean, one of them is an assassin, but still."

Connie nudged Sasha, whispering, "Does it feel like they’ve been planning this all night?" His eyes darted between Levi and Selena, who were as still as statues, their expressions unreadable.

Sasha gave a slow nod, still half-asleep. "They probably did plan this all night." She yawned, rubbing her eyes before adding, "I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t sleep at all."

Mikasa, arms folded, remained silent, watching them carefully. She could sense something different in the air today. The way Levi and Selena carried themselves—it was sharper, more purposeful. As if they were completely in sync. She had never seen Levi stand beside anyone the way he stood next to Selena. There was something unsettlingly natural about it.

Armin was observing them as well, his analytical mind already piecing things together. "They don’t even have to speak," he murmured. "They just know what the other is thinking."

Eren gritted his teeth, feeling a strange mix of admiration and frustration. He had fought alongside Captain Levi enough times to know how precise, how ruthless he was in battle. But seeing Selena stand beside him, her own lethal energy a perfect match to his, was a different kind of intimidating. He had seen her fight before, had felt the sting of her blades, but now that she was officially on their side…

She and Levi together were going to be a nightmare for their enemies.

Selena, sensing their stares, finally turned to them, her signature smirk creeping onto her lips. "What’s the matter, amateurs?" she drawled, placing a hand on her hip. "You look like you’ve never seen two professionals before."

Jean scoffed. "Please, we’ve seen professionals. It’s just weird seeing you and Captain Levi standing together like some kind of… murder duo."

Selena let out a delighted laugh at that, tilting her head toward Levi. "A murder duo," she mused. "You hear that, Capitán? They’re giving us cute little nicknames now."

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose, his face impassive. "Tch. Call us whatever you want. Just don’t slow us down today."

Selena turned back to the squad, flashing them a grin that was all sharp teeth and mischief. "No promises."

Mikasa narrowed her eyes. "Are we actually going to talk strategy, or are you two just going to keep standing there looking scary?"

Levi finally shifted his stance, his voice low and commanding. "We leave in fifteen. Get your gear. And stay sharp—this isn’t some training exercise."

Selena hummed in agreement. "The docks are going to be crawling with rats today. If Henri wasn’t lying, our targets will be there. We’ll take them out before they can bring any more trouble to Paradis."

Armin’s brow furrowed. "If we neutralize them tonight, do you think Marley will send more spies? Or will this be enough to cripple their intelligence network here?"

Selena shrugged, her expression unreadable. "Depends. The spies here are just low-level scum. Disposable. Marley might take the hint and back off… or they might send someone better next time."

Eren clenched his fists. "Then we’ll kill them too."

Selena smirked, stepping closer to him, her poison-green eyes glinting in the morning light. "That’s the spirit, niño," she purred, patting his cheek playfully.

Eren scowled, jerking away from her touch. "Stop calling me that."

Jean muttered under his breath, "Could be worse. She could call you something worse."

Selena arched a brow. "Oh, don’t worry, Jean. I have plenty of names for you."

Jean groaned. "I walked right into that one, didn’t I?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Enough talking. Get ready."

With that, the squad finally broke off to prepare their gear, the tension still thick but now laced with anticipation.

As Levi turned to check his blades, he caught Selena watching him from the corner of her eye, a small knowing smile on her lips.

She didn’t have to say it.

He knew what she was thinking.

They were going to paint the docks red.

…

The air whistled past them as the Special Operations Squad soared through the towering trees, their ODM gear propelling them forward with practiced ease. The sound of compressed gas firing and cables retracting filled the early morning air, creating a rhythmic pattern that only skilled users could produce. The mission had begun, and the docks were their destination.

Eren, Mikasa, Jean, Armin, Sasha, and Connie moved swiftly, their eyes sharp and focused as they followed the two figures leading the charge.

Levi and Selena.

The squad couldn’t help but take notice of how effortlessly Selena maneuvered through the trees. She wasn’t just moving—she was gliding, twisting, and pivoting through the air with a level of grace that was unlike anything they had ever seen. Even Levi, who was known for his impeccable technique, seemed almost mechanical in comparison.

Selena moved as if she was born to do this.

Her form was different from theirs—more fluid, more… artistic. She used her natural agility and flexibility to make her movements sharper, more efficient, more beautiful. While the rest of them relied on sheer momentum and controlled precision, Selena blended those elements with an elegance that looked like an aerial dance.

Her long legs extended effortlessly as she twisted through the air, her back arching in a way that would have seemed impossible for anyone else. She didn’t waste gas recklessly—no, Selena was using her flexibility to her advantage, twisting and coiling mid-air like a cat leaping from one precarious perch to the next. Instead of relying solely on the force of her ODM cables, she timed her movements so that gravity and inertia worked with her, propelling her forward in the most energy-efficient way possible.

Jean, who had always prided himself on being a decent ODM gear user, cursed under his breath as he watched her. "Okay, seriously. That isn’t normal."

Connie, barely keeping up with her, let out a breathless chuckle. "Yeah, no kidding. How the hell does she move like that?"

Sasha, who was just as awestruck, grinned. "She looks like she’s dancing!"

And she did.

Selena wasn’t just moving through the trees—she was performing. Every movement was intentional, every flick of her wrist, every extension of her limbs, every small twist of her torso—it was art.

Levi had noticed it, too.

He had seen skilled ODM users before. Hell, he was one of the best. But Selena’s movements were different.

She wasn’t just fast.

She wasn’t just efficient.

She was graceful in a way that reminded him of a ballet dancer mid-performance. Even the way she landed on the branches was silent, as if she were weightless, as if she was born for this.

Levi had always prided himself on his ability to read people in battle, to predict their movements before they even made them. But Selena?

She was unpredictable.

One second, she was twisting in the air with a long arc of motion, the next, she would snap into a quick, sharp movement, using the recoil of her cables to send her into a completely different trajectory. It was almost hypnotizing.

And it pissed him off.

Not because she was better than him—no one was better than him.

But because she was enjoying it.

He could tell by the way she smirked whenever she effortlessly flipped through the air, how she would turn her body just a little more than necessary just to show off.

The stray cat was taunting him.

"Eyes forward," Levi barked, irritated by how easily she was capturing everyone's attention—including his own.

Selena merely smirked, easily spinning mid-air before coiling into a perfect landing on a branch ahead of them. She peered over her shoulder at him, her poison-green eyes gleaming mischievously. "Are you sure you're not just mad that I look better doing this than you do, Capitán?"

Levi narrowed his eyes at her, not dignifying that with a response.

Mikasa, who had been silently watching, couldn’t ignore it any longer. "How did you learn to use ODM gear this quickly?" Her voice was steady, but there was a hint of incredulity in her tone. Mikasa was naturally gifted, but even she took time to master ODM maneuvering to this level.

Selena let out a soft chuckle, flipping upside down as she swung under a branch before launching herself back into the air. "I didn’t learn," she corrected, effortlessly executing another aerial twist before catching herself on a cable. "I adapted."

Mikasa frowned. "That’s the same thing."

Selena merely winked at her before diving into a smooth spiral between two trees, her body barely grazing the bark before she launched herself forward again.

Levi clenched his jaw.

Show-off.

But he couldn’t deny the truth.

Selena was an assassin, and she had spent years perfecting her body’s ability to move exactly how she needed it to. If anything, ODM gear was just another tool—another weapon she had molded into an extension of herself.

And now, she was proving that she wasn’t just a skilled killer.

She was a phantom in the air.

As they neared the docks, Selena finally came to a stop on a high tree branch, crouching as she scanned the area below. The squad followed suit, landing on various branches nearby.

The docks stretched before them, a vast open space with large wooden platforms extending out into the sea. Several warehouses stood along the edges, dimly lit by lanterns and torches. A few workers moved about, but the place was mostly quiet.

Eren exhaled, his heart still racing from the intense flight. "Alright, we’re here. What’s the plan?"

Selena straightened, her eyes locking onto Levi’s. "We get into position. My targets should be arriving soon. We take them out before they even know we’re here."

Levi gave a firm nod. "We stay hidden until then. Move out."

The squad dispersed, each finding a vantage point.

Selena remained on her branch a moment longer, stretching her arms above her head with a pleased sigh. "That was fun," she mused.

Levi shot her a deadpan glare. "We’re not here for fun."

Selena merely smirked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Then maybe you should learn to enjoy yourself more, mi Capitán."

And with that, she vanished into the shadows, leaving Levi scowling after her.

…

The air was thick with salt from the sea, the scent carried by the gentle breeze that rustled through the trees. The sound of distant waves lapping against the wooden docks was the only thing cutting through the otherwise eerie silence. The docks were mostly deserted, save for a few workers loading crates onto ships, their muffled conversations blending into the ambiance of the early morning.

Selena perched high on a sturdy branch, her lithe form balanced perfectly as if she were weightless. The playful smirk she had worn just moments ago was long gone, replaced by an expression of cold calculation. Her entire demeanor had shifted—this wasn’t the flirtatious, taunting woman who lived to get under Levi’s skin.

This was The Black Cat.

She moved with deliberate precision, her muscles taut yet relaxed, coiled like a spring ready to snap. Her green eyes gleamed in the dim light as she scanned the area below, taking in every minute detail—the layout of the docks, the positions of the workers, the available hiding spots, the potential escape routes.

Levi watched her from his own vantage point, a few branches away. He had seen her fight, seen her move in battle, but this was different. This was Selena in her element, not reacting to an attack but preparing for one.

She was hunting.

The rest of the squad remained hidden in their designated positions, waiting for orders.

Eren, crouched on a lower branch, swallowed thickly as he watched her. “She’s... really serious about this,” he whispered.

Jean, crouching beside him, scoffed. “Well, yeah. She’s an assassin, remember? This is her thing.”

Mikasa, ever-watchful, narrowed her eyes at Selena’s form. “She’s focused,” she murmured, a rare note of respect in her tone. She had seen many skilled fighters in her time, but there was something different about Selena. The way she moved, the way she calculated every little detail—it was almost unnerving.

Sasha, positioned a little farther away, shivered. “She’s like a cat about to pounce on a mouse,” she whispered.

Armin nodded as he analyzed her stance. “She’s waiting for something. She’s not just watching—she’s listening.”

Levi, still watching Selena closely, knew Armin was right.

Selena wasn’t just looking for her targets—she was feeling for them.

Her ears were tuned to every sound, her body alert to every shift in the environment. Even in complete stillness, she radiated an aura of dangerous energy, as if at any moment she would explode into motion.

Then, finally, she moved.

It was subtle. A slow, almost imperceptible shift of her weight as she adjusted her stance, her fingers flexing slightly. Levi saw her expression flicker—something had caught her attention.

His voice was barely above a whisper. “See something?”

Selena’s lips barely moved when she responded. “No,” she murmured. “But I feel something.”

Levi’s brow furrowed. “Explain.”

She didn’t look at him, her eyes still locked onto the docks. “The workers below... they’re too relaxed,” she muttered. “Too calm. If our targets were already here, they’d be on edge. They don’t know what’s coming.”

Levi silently agreed. The dockworkers moved at a steady, unhurried pace, unaware of the impending storm about to crash down upon them. Their targets weren’t here yet.

But they would be soon.

Selena exhaled slowly, her breath controlled, steady. “They’re coming,” she whispered, barely loud enough for Levi to hear. “I don’t know when, but I know they are.”

Levi’s grip on his blades tightened. He had learned to trust his instincts over the years, but Selena’s instincts?

They were something else entirely.

He watched as she crept forward along the branch, silent as a whisper, her movements fluid and natural. It was unnerving how easily she blended into the darkness, how her every step was measured and deliberate. Even in her Survey Corps uniform, she didn’t look like one of them.

She looked like a ghost.

Levi’s voice cut through the quiet. “Stay sharp.”

Selena’s lips twitched, the closest thing to a smirk she had given since they arrived. “Always.”

She crouched low again, her fingers brushing against the bark of the branch as she steadied herself. She would wait, just as she had done countless times before.

Because patience was a hunter’s greatest weapon.

And she was ready.

Selena remained completely still, her body rigid with focus, as the minutes dragged into hours. The dampness of the early morning air clung to her skin, but she ignored it. Her poison-green eyes never wavered from the dock, scanning every shift of movement, every minute detail.

Levi crouched on a neighboring branch, equally still, equally watchful. The rest of the squad had settled into their positions in the trees and along the perimeter, waiting in silence, trusting Levi and Selena to make the call when the time was right.

But something felt off.

Selena’s instincts screamed at her, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in warning. The dockworkers below moved normally, too normally, oblivious to the hunters lurking above them. But Selena knew how to read environments, how to feel a situation rather than just see it.

And right now?

This wasn’t adding up.

Her lips parted slightly, her voice barely audible. “Something’s wrong.”

Levi didn’t look at her, but his body tensed at her words. He trusted her instincts—he had seen what she could do, how she sensed things before they happened. “Explain.”

Selena exhaled slowly through her nose, sharpening her focus. “They should be on edge,” she murmured. “The men we’re after...they aren’t small-time. They’ve been working deep in the underground for years. They know how to stay hidden. So why send this many men? It doesn’t make sense.”

Levi’s steel-gray eyes flickered toward her, brow furrowed. He understood what she meant. They had planned for at most six men, maybe seven if they had additional muscle. But anything more than that?

That was bait.

Before Levi could voice his thoughts, movement from the edge of the docks caught his attention.

A group of fifteen men emerged from the fog, their boots clanking against the wooden planks as they made their way toward the ship docked at the edge of the pier. They were dressed as simple merchants, but Selena recognized the way they moved.

These were killers.

She stiffened slightly, eyes narrowing as she honed in on the leader of the group. Recognition flickered in her expression, quickly followed by an unmistakable irritation.

Levi saw it.

He didn’t miss the way her jaw tightened, the way her fingers flexed slightly against the bark of the tree. His sharp mind immediately pieced together what this meant. “You know him.”

Selena’s voice was clipped. “He worked with me and Salamander on a joint mission years ago.”

Levi’s grip on his blades tightened slightly at the mention of that name.

Salamander.

The assassin Selena refused to talk about.

Levi had pressed her before, but she’d always dodged his questions, deflecting or twisting the conversation into something else. He knew something had happened between her and Salamander—something personal.

And now, the mere mention of his name was enough to shift her entire demeanor.

Selena inhaled slowly, centering herself before she continued. “He’s dangerous. One of Marley’s most trusted handlers. He’s done...a lot of dirty work.”

Levi arched a brow. “Dirtier than yours?”

Selena’s lips twitched, but the usual playful glint wasn’t in her eyes. “Even I had limits,” she murmured. “He didn’t.”

That was enough for Levi. He didn’t press further.

Instead, he turned his attention back to the docks, studying the way the men moved. They weren’t rushing, weren’t looking around anxiously. This wasn’t just a simple exchange of intelligence.

This was something else entirely.

Then, he saw it.

The leader of the group—the man Selena recognized—gestured to one of his subordinates, who promptly turned and disappeared back toward the far end of the docks. When he returned moments later, he wasn’t alone.

Levi’s stomach sank slightly when he saw the four large crates being wheeled toward the ship.

Something wasn’t right.

Selena must have come to the same realization because she suddenly cursed under her breath. “Mierda...”

Levi’s gaze flickered back to her. “What?”

She hesitated for a split second before answering. “They’re smuggling something.”

Levi’s brows pulled together. “You sure?”

Selena’s gaze was locked on the crates. “Absolutely. I’ve been on too many missions like this not to recognize it. If they were just exchanging intel, it wouldn’t require this much manpower. They’re moving something, something valuable.”

Levi exhaled sharply, his mind already working through the possibilities. “Weapons?”

“Maybe,” Selena admitted. “But it could be something worse.”

That caught Levi’s attention. His eyes flickered back to her, reading her expression. “What do you mean?”

Selena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Marley doesn’t just deal in weapons, Capitán. They deal in people too.”

Levi’s stomach twisted.

Selena continued, voice low but unwavering. “They could be smuggling captives. Or...something worse. I need to get a closer look.”

Levi immediately grabbed her wrist. “Wait.”

She looked at him, her green eyes flashing. “Levi—”

“I said wait,” he repeated firmly. “We don’t move unless we’re sure. We don’t have the numbers for a full-on confrontation.”

Selena clenched her jaw, but she knew he was right. Rushing in blindly was suicide.

But waiting?

Waiting meant wasted time.

And time was something they might not have.

Her fingers twitched at her side, the itch to act clawing at her insides. This wasn’t just about the mission anymore.

This was personal.

And now, Salamander’s name lingered in the air like a curse.

Selena exhaled sharply, forcing herself to focus. Then suddenly, Levi’s hand shot out and latched onto her wrist.

Her poison-green eyes locked onto Levi’s steel-gray ones in a silent battle of wills, neither of them willing to back down. The tension between them was palpable, a quiet yet intense power struggle that neither seemed ready to concede.

The rest of the squad held their breath, watching the two strongest people they knew stand off in absolute silence.

Eren glanced between them, his brows furrowing. “Uh… are they—are they talking with their minds or something?” he whispered.

Jean swallowed thickly. “I don’t know, but whatever’s happening, I think Captain Levi’s about to have an aneurysm.”

Mikasa said nothing, merely observing with sharp eyes. She knew better than anyone that Levi didn’t tolerate defiance. And yet, here Selena was—staring him down, daring him to yield.

It was the kind of challenge most people wouldn’t dream of making.

But Selena wasn’t most people.

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose, his hand still gripping her wrist. His fingers flexed against her skin, his grasp firm but not bruising. “We wait,” he stated, his voice low and authoritative.

Selena’s lips curled into a humorless smirk. “And waste time?” she countered. “I don’t do waiting, Capitán. You of all people should know that by now.”

Levi’s grip tightened just slightly. “This isn’t a game, stray cat. You’re acting reckless.”

Selena tilted her head slightly, the faintest glint of challenge flashing in her eyes. “Reckless? Or effective?”

Levi’s jaw tightened. “It’s reckless and stupid.”

Selena’s smirk deepened. “Tell me, Captain, do you call all your soldiers stupid, or am I just special?”

Levi’s eyes narrowed. “You’re special, alright. Specially infuriating.”

Connie swallowed loudly from his perch in the tree above. “Uh… should we—should we do something?” he whispered.

“No,” Armin muttered. “I don’t want to die.”

Eren grimaced. “This is so awkward.”

Meanwhile, the stare-down between Levi and Selena continued, neither budging an inch.

Selena was ready to fight for her stance. She had spent years working in the shadows, executing missions with precision and instinct. She knew when something was about to go south, and right now, every single one of her instincts was screaming at her to act before it was too late.

But Levi?

Levi wasn’t just her partner on this mission—he was her commanding officer. He saw things from a different perspective, and while she would never admit it, she knew that Levi was just as intelligent as he was deadly.

Still, she wasn’t about to yield without a fight.

Levi, for his part, knew she was boiling inside. He could see it in the tightness of her jaw, in the way her fingers twitched like she was ready to strike. But he wasn’t backing down either.

Selena had skills. That was undeniable.

But right now?

Her emotions were guiding her decision-making, and Levi wouldn’t allow that to get them killed.

“I said we wait,” Levi repeated, voice as sharp as his blades.

Selena let out a slow breath through her nose, her stare unwavering.

The silence stretched, thick and unyielding.

And then, ever so slightly, Selena took a step back.

It wasn’t an admission of defeat. No, Levi knew what defeat looked like.

This?

This was reluctant compliance.

Selena’s green eyes burned with irritation, but she relented.

For now.

Levi released her wrist, and she rolled her shoulders as if shaking off the moment.

“Fine,” she muttered. “But when I’m right, you owe me.”

Levi let out a scoff. “I owe you nothing.”

Selena smirked, but there was no amusement in it. “Keep telling yourself that, mi Capitán.”

Levi stiffened slightly at the phrase, still unable to understand it fully, but he could guess it wasn’t anything he’d like.

The squad, meanwhile, let out a collective breath of relief.

“Holy shit,” Jean muttered. “That was intense.”

Connie nodded rapidly. “I thought they were about to start making out or killing each other.”

Sasha shuddered. “Maybe both.”

Armin looked slightly shaken. “I think they respect each other too much to kill each other,” he reasoned. “But the making out part? Uh… not so sure.”

Mikasa crossed her arms. “They were fighting over the mission,” she stated simply. “That’s all.”

Eren, who had definitely seen Levi’s eye twitch in something that looked suspiciously like jealousy back at the ball, wasn’t convinced.

But he valued his life, so he didn’t say anything.

Levi shot the squad a glare. “Get your heads out of your asses and focus.”

The squad immediately straightened, all nodding vigorously.

Selena, still simmering from their silent argument, turned back to her vantage point, keeping her eyes on the targets.

Levi moved beside her, his posture rigid but focused. He knew this wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

But for now?

They waited.

The squad remained perched in the trees, watching the scene below with rapt attention. The long wait had only heightened their anticipation, but finally, something was happening.

Selena’s sharp green eyes zeroed in on the movement at the dock as one of the crates was carefully pried open by one of the smugglers. The sight sent a chill down her spine.

Weapons.

Not just any weapons.

Marleyan firearms.

Selena’s lips pressed into a tight line, her muscles tensing instinctively. Levi, crouched beside her, noticed the shift in her expression and subtly edged closer.

“You recognize them?” Levi asked in a low whisper.

Selena nodded, her eyes still locked onto the scene below. “Sí, I’ve seen these before. They’re Marley’s standard military rifles—semi-automatic, accurate, deadly. And if they’re bringing them here to Paradis, it’s not just for defense.” Her voice held a dark edge to it, a certainty that made Levi frown.

“They’re planning something,” she continued, her whisper almost a growl. “They wouldn’t smuggle this many weapons in unless they were building up an armed force. Either they’re planning to arm a resistance group here in Paradis, or they’re supplying someone who’s already working against you.”

Levi’s expression remained unreadable, but his grip on his blades tightened ever so slightly. His mind was already running through all the possibilities.

If Marley was arming someone within the walls, it meant that the enemy wasn’t just outside Paradis—it was already here.

His gaze flicked to the rest of the squad, who were all listening intently. Armin, in particular, looked as though he was calculating a thousand different possibilities in his head at once.

“This changes everything,” Armin murmured. “If Marley is supplying firearms, then they might be preparing for an outright war. If the Military Police or any faction within the government gets their hands on these, it could create an internal power struggle. The monarchy is still weak, and not everyone supports Queen Historia. A coup, maybe?”

Jean clenched his jaw. “Or maybe they just want to make sure we never stand a chance against them. A well-armed militia could wipe us out before we even see them coming.”

Eren, who had been silent this entire time, finally spoke up, his voice rough with frustration. “So what the hell are we waiting for? We should take them out now before they can distribute those weapons.”

Selena turned her gaze toward Eren, her expression calm but serious. “No, not yet.”

Eren’s eyes flashed with impatience. “Why the hell not?”

Selena’s lips curved into a sharp smirk, but there was no humor in it. “Because we don’t know who they’re working with yet. We take them out now, and we lose our chance to trace the weapons back to their buyers. We need to know who in Paradis is helping them, or else more of these shipments will just keep coming.”

Levi nodded slightly, approving of her assessment. “She’s right.”

Eren huffed but didn’t argue further.

Selena turned her attention back to the dock, her mind already working on the next step. “We need to intercept one of them, get information, and eliminate the rest quietly. If we play this right, we might be able to track the supply chain up instead of just cutting it off at the base.”

Levi’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Then let’s find our best target.”

Selena’s gaze scanned the smugglers, studying their movements, their ranks. She knew how operations like these worked—there was always one or two who weren’t just hired muscle. They needed someone who knew the logistics, someone with real knowledge of the operation.

And then she spotted him.

A man standing slightly apart from the rest, arms crossed, watching the crates being moved with a critical eye. He wasn’t lifting anything himself, wasn’t handling the weapons—he was overseeing.

Selena nudged Levi with her elbow and nodded toward the man. “Him.”

Levi followed her gaze and studied the target. He noticed the way the others deferred to him, the way he spoke in clipped, authoritative tones.

“The leader?” Levi asked.

Selena shook her head. “No, but close. He’s in charge of handling the cargo. That means he knows where it’s going and who it’s going to.” She turned her eyes back to Levi, a dangerous glint in her gaze. “We need him alive.”

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose. “Alive, huh?”

Selena grinned. “Sí, but I never said he had to be in one piece.”

Levi smirked slightly at that, his gaze flickering over to the squad. “Alright, listen up.”

The squad snapped to attention.

“We’re going in quietly,” Levi instructed. “We take out the grunts first, leave the target breathing long enough for her to get information.” He flicked his head toward Selena. “Once she has what she needs, we clean up. No loose ends.”

The squad nodded in agreement, their expressions hardened and ready for the fight.

Selena rolled her shoulders, cracking her neck as her fingers curled around the hilt of her blades. “Finally,” she muttered, “some action.”

Levi cast her a sidelong glance. “Just don’t get ahead of yourself, stray cat.”

Selena smirked. “Don’t slow me down, Capitán.”

Levi let out an annoyed huff, but there was something else in his expression. Something like anticipation.

The Black Cat and Humanity’s Strongest.

This was going to be fun.

~

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[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Forget about how the characters' intellegence drops with here lies, I just realized that the Lila-Cerise stuff could have ended as soon as she started to model with Adrien. Like... hello? Stylists are an essential part for modeling? So, like, her wig should have been discovered? But then again... its a "kids show", so things must be "simple" like Simpleman...

Alright, Miraculous is supposed to be a kids show, I get it. But I wonder if there is a limit on when that is reason enough for excusing how the writing went? Or how the logic and common sense are ignored? Penny for your thoughts?

It's a fair point, but not one that I wouldn't call a slam dunk. I could buy that she told her stylist some bs like that she got lice while on a charity trip, cut her hair, and now has to wear a wig while the hair grows back. So long as it's a human-hair wig, you can style it the same way that you style hair that's growing on your head. The only issue would be if Lila's hair needed to be cut for a specific shoot, but maybe she has backup wigs! For this to out her or cause suspicion, Nathalie, Adrien, or Gabriel would need to overhear the wig talk and be concerned about it.

I will say that it is amusing how she just pulled off that wig like it was no big deal. That implies that she was taking a major risk because the wig was not properly secured! It could easily fly off during an akuma attack or gym! Maybe that's why she sat out when they were playing soccer? At the same time, this one is definitely a nitpick and not something I'd actually hold against the show. I get why they did the quick change instead of showing her properly removing the wig. It's more dramatic that way! I wouldn't even hold this against a more serious show.

Final verdict: I don't think the wig is a major issue re Lila not being outed. If anything, it's yet another case of an overlooked opportunity for foreshadowing the multiple identity reveal because holy shit did that need a better setup. It's so dumb and comes out of nowhere! If you're going to have her wear a wig, why not have someone notice the wig and let her spout some bs about why she wears it? The gullible-is-our-middle-name class would buy it in a heartbeat while the audience would be clued in that Lila obviously wears a wig for some other reason since she lies every time she opens her mouth.