#the perils of tag bundles

[sailoreuterpe]

...Having now noticed, several dozen posts in, that I've labelled them all with "Logan Lush," I'll be hitting my head against a wall.

[zepskies]

Lost on You - Part 12

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x F. Supe!Reader

Summary: 1983 is a big year for you. You’re finally chosen to join the ranks of Payback, led by the most (in)famous supe in the world: Soldier Boy. He’ll never admit that he’s trying his damndest to figure you out. You’ll never admit that he’s actually growing on you. But the problem with this game is deciding who’s the predator, and who is prey.

AN: And here we go, with our Avengers: Civil War moment…

Song Inspo: “I Go to Extremes” by Billy Joel

Word Count: 5.1K

Tags/Warnings: Violence, blood, and death. Angst, peril, hurt/comfort, and fluff.

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🎙️ Series Masterlist

Part 12: A Fire in the Blood

Ben walked into the kitchen the next morning in search of coffee and food. He added some grounds to the coffeemaker on the counter and grabbed a bagel from the fridge, then slammed the door shut.  

“All right, get the fuck out,” he said, as if to an empty room. “I’m gonna lose my breakfast before I even eat it.”

Slowly, Charlie and Donna stood up from behind the kitchen island. Both of them looked wrecked. Her hair was wild and disheveled. He had dark red lipstick smudged all around his mouth and neck. Their clothes were bundled in their hands, but they needed no further prompting to run butt-ass naked out of the kitchen. Ben shook his head.

“Fucking animals,” he muttered.

But he didn’t blame them for being bored.

Meanwhile down the hall, Donna pulled Charlie into the shower with her. She got him to start washing her hair while she bathed the rest of herself with a bar of soap.

“He took it a lot better than I expected,” she said.

“Well, he’s probably known since at least last night,” Charlie said, smirking. “The man’s got super hearing, and you didn’t exactly keep it down.”

She reached back to smack his thigh teasingly. “That’s not what I meant. I just thought he’d raise more hell.”

She actually frowned at the thought. Part of her had indulged with Charlie because she thought it might piss Ben off, but to her surprise, he didn’t seem to give much of a fuck. In the past, he once snapped a man’s wrist for touching her ass at a gala. In fact, he’d ruined a lot of perfectly good hookup opportunities for her by being his jealous, caveman self, even though he was whoring himself out with any willing female.

So now, either Ben hated her that much, or…he actually did care about you.

Ben answered his cell when it rang. It was a familiar number.

Arthur. This better be fucking it.

“Did you find her?” he asked.

“Yeah, I found her,” Arthur said, with a grim sigh. “You’re not gonna like it.”

“Where?” Ben demanded. His hand clenched on the phone, threatening to crack the frame.

“Nottingham, West Virginia. It’s one of Vought’s most high-security labs. I didn’t even have clearance to know about it when I worked there,” he said. “It’s easy to miss though. Somewhere between a national forest and a couple of cemeteries.”

“Good enough for me,” Ben said. He finished his coffee in one quick slurp and headed over to his room to get the rest of his suit on. He was only half dressed.

“I hope you find her. Now I’ll be fucking off to Belize. Stan’s probably already got eyes on me,” said Arthur.

“Don’t you worry about Stan. After I get Sirena, I’m chopping the head off the fucking snake,” Ben said angrily.

“Okay, well, good luck to ya.”

After hanging up and lacing up his boots, Ben headed out of the room and down the hall. He banged a fist on the bathroom door, hard enough to rattle its hinges.

“Suit up, kids! We’re headed out.”

Arthur’s directions were direct enough. Donna had to park her car somewhere along the main road, but it was another mile or so before Ben finally found what they were looking for: a solitary building that looked like a nondescript farmhouse from the outside.

“This is their top secret high-security lab?” Charlie said. “Looks abandoned.”

“That’s exactly how they want it to look,” Ben said. It reminded him of the lab in Siberia. He was willing to bet that the lab itself ran several stories and floors underground.

Once they stepped out from the safety of the trees, gunshots rained from above and up ahead. There was a line of armed guards emerging from the front and the back of the building, while a helicopter descended from above.

Donna took out most of the guards on the ground, while Charlie shot his guns at the helicopter and took out the glass in the windshield. Ben threw up his shield at it, causing irreparable damage to the vessel. The pilot was forced to initiate a crash landing.

The helicopter doors opened, revealing Black Noir. He grabbed another man and jumped from the helicopter. The other man screamed, but the landing was swift. Noir made sure that Mindstorm landed on his feet, more or less, while the helicopter carved into the ground behind them and combusted.

Ah, the gang’s all here, Ben thought grimly. It saved him the trouble of hunting those two down as well.

“So it’s true,” Mindstorm said, taking in the sight of Ben with both astonishment and dread.

“Hey, Dan,” said Ben. “Looking rough.”

It was true. The man appeared to be a shell of his former self; thin, with lines of age around his eyes and across his forehead, his skin pale and splotchy. A decade of paranoia and reclusion hadn’t done much good for Dan. Noir must've scrounged him up from his hiding hole, like fishing out a rat from the sewer.

“Look, we don’t have to do this,” Charlie tried. “Just let him get Sirena out of there. After what you guys did, she doesn’t deserve that.”

Ben glanced at his former sidekick. He actually seemed sincere.

Too bad Noir wasn’t about to go for it. He had Vought’s dick so far up his ass, he wouldn’t likely take a shit without Stan Edgar’s say so. He crouched into a fighting stance and unsheathed his katana. The rest of the guards poured in to flank around him and Mindstorm.

Ben rolled a crack out of his neck.

“Fine. If it’s a war you want, it’s a war you’ll fucking get,” he said.

Noir started charging at him first, but Donna shot off a fireball in his direction.

Chaos ignited from there.

Something’s wrong. You felt it, with so many energies converging high above you. It must’ve meant that you were underground, yet again.

There were still men in the compound itself. You now felt their energies being stuffed out, closer and closer in your direction.

Ben? You wondered. You stood up from your cot in nervous anticipation, wrapping your arms protectively around yourself. After Vogelbaum dropped his news, you’d spent the entire night battling your shock, followed shortly by your panic.

No matter what they did to you now, there was no way you were going to let them hurt your child.

Ben…

More than anything, you wanted to see him. You wanted to tell him that his dream was coming true, whether he was ready for it or not…

But there was something coming, and it wasn’t him. You would’ve felt it if it was him. By the rate the men were dying somewhere outside of your cell, however, it was getting closer to your cell. For some reason, you just couldn’t identify the energy signature itself.

You got your answer when your cell door forcibly opened. You gaped in shock.

“Countess?” you said.

She was panting for breath, but she whipped a sweaty lock of red hair out of her eyes and reached out a gloved hand for you.

“Come on, before I change my fucking mind,” she said.

You were still in shock, but you managed to break yourself out of it to follow her out of the cell. You had to stop short though, as an entire unit of Vought security came pouring into the hall with raised guns.

You opened your mouth and began your siren song. Within seconds, every man curled in on themselves as they screamed in pain. Some of them managed to rip their helmets off as they gripped their heads. Tears of blood dripped down from their eyes, and they all soon fell into lifeless heaps.

You stopped singing, and your eyes faded from glowing violet to their normal hue. Donna looked at you, both stunned and wary.

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t work on women. Even frigid cunts like you,” you said with a grin.

She smirked back. “Come on then.”

“Where’s Ben?” you asked, joining her in hastening down the hall.

“Up there fighting,” she replied, pointing up to the ceiling. “You’re about fifteen floors down from the outside world.”

“Fucking figures,” you muttered, but your heart swelled to know that Ben was here, and he was all right. Your hand went to your lower belly on reflex.

“Wait,” you gasped, as something occurred to you. “We need to find someone.”

“What the fuck do you mean? We need to get out of here!” Donna said.

“There’s a kid somewhere in here, and I’m not leaving without him,” you snapped. You began opening doors where you sensed a presence inside. Most often it was a lab technician or other employee, and Donna vaporized them.

You opened one door and found Dr. Vogelbaum. Finally, you saw him react with widening eyes. You felt his fear.

Donna eviscerated him too, in a bloody mess of limbs.

You grimaced at the gore, but you paused, noticing a thick file on the man’s desk.

THE HOMELANDER PROJECT was stamped at the top in large red letters. You picked your way through the mess and grabbed the file. Then you and Donna continued heading down the hall.

There at the end was a red door. Something about it called to you. You reached out with your awareness, and you felt a familiar male energy, young and scared and alone.

You beckoned Donna over. The door was heavy and locked, but the two of you worked together to twist it open by its large circular handle, like the hatch on a submarine. It swung open with a creak, and inside the room was a bare white cell, not unlike yours.

A young boy sat against the wall, arms wrapped around his knees, wearing a white shirt and plain gray sweatpants. He was blonde and blue-eyed, and he felt familiar to you on-sight.

“John?” you said, stepping inside the cell.

He tilted his head, like he recognized your voice. He said your name uncertainly as he got up to his feet. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” you said, approaching him with cautious steps. “I’m getting out of here, but I want you to come with me.”

John looked reluctant, even as he glanced at your outstretched hand.

“Vogelbaum is gone. He can’t hurt you anymore,” you said. “John, please, let me help you.”

After a moment of his indecision, John reached out and carefully grasped your hand. You led him out of the cell, and encouraged him to stay close to you when you and Donna started back towards the elevators.

The three of you rode all the way up to the top level, where the sounds of an epic fight raged behind the doors of the building. Still, it was a familiar balm to your frayed mind to step outside those doors and find a bright sun beating down on a dusty clearing. Beyond it was layers of forest trees.

Donna said that her car was about a mile in that direction, but before you guys could attempt to get to safety, Noir landed right in front of you.

“Irving—” you said in warning.

Donna raised her hands, prepared to blast him into pieces, but John threw the first punch. It landed squarely in Noir’s chest and had him flying several feet away, into a nearby tree. Your mouth fell open in shock as you gave the kid a wide-eyed look.

John smiled up at you, in a—Did I do good?—kind of way.

“Holy shit,” Donna muttered.

You huffed a short laugh and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Good job, bud.”

You shifted your attention to the rest of the battle, and it caught on Ben with a gasp. He was striding toward Mindstorm with his shield held in front of him. He backhanded Mindstorm in the face and quickly got him pinned on the ground.

Charlie was already lying unconscious, trapped in his own mind. Donna went to try and help him, while you started running headfirst toward the other two men.

“Ben!” you shouted out.

He glanced up at you on reflex, but it proved to be an unfortunate distraction, giving Mindstorm the opening he needed to reach out a hand and touch Ben’s forehead. His eyes closed and he collapsed to the ground.

“No!” the ragged yell tore from your throat. You knew full well what Mindstorm was capable of.

You rushed forward and tried to capture Mindstorm with your siren song. It managed to hold him in place, making him grip at his temples with strain. You knew you didn’t totally have him under your spell, however. Not until you knelt down in front of him and grabbed his face with both hands. Your eyes illuminated brighter as you focused all of your power on him.

Mindstorm fought it tooth and nail, but ultimately, the pull of you was too much. He screamed as blood trailed down his face from his eyes, nose, and ears, until his voice faded, and his blue eyes became unseeing. When you released him, he slumped into a heap.

You fell back onto your ass and heaved for breath. All the while, you stared at his unseeing eyes. Part of you felt sick with yourself. The other part felt vindicated, and a little more free.

With a gasp, you remembered Ben. You turned over and crawled over to his body where he laid unconscious in the dirt and dead leaves.

Fuck. You shouldn’t have killed Mindstorm. He was the only one who could’ve brought him out of this.

Unless…

An idea struck you, and you knew you had to try. You shuffled onto your knees and took Ben’s face carefully in your shaking hands. You closed your eyes.

Focusing your powers on his being, you entered his mind. You waded through waves of darkness as they lapped at you, trying to draw you in. But you were a brighter light. You went deeper, layer by layer.

You began to see moving images, like scenes from a reel. You saw his father, berating him. You saw the moment Compound V was injected into his arm, immediately filling his veins with pain. You saw his mother’s funeral, a day marked by falling snow and a stoic set of Ben’s young shoulders.

You saw so many days and nights at the facility where you both were kept, but one in particular struck at your own heart—the day Dr. Eisenstein had you brought you into Ben’s cell and slammed you down on the table in front of him, prepared to inject an unknown experimental serum into your body.

Ben’s face seemed angry on the outside, but this deep inside his mind, you felt his anger, as well as his fear, and his desire to protect you.

You weren’t sure it would work, but you needed to get his attention somehow. You needed to wake him up.

“Ben!” you shouted to him.

To your relief, he actually looked over at you, meeting your gaze with surprise in his own.

Until you were ripped away from him, out of his mind and into the waking world. Your bleary eyes eventually focused on the dark shape above you. On Black Noir.

He hauled you up by your arms and began to drag you across the clearing, away from Ben.

“Stop!” you struggled. Noir ignored you, just tightening his hold.

He dragged you past Donna’s body. She was dying on the ground, with her throat cut and bubbling with blood. Your eyes widened, but you quickly took in the rest of the clearing.

John was trapped under the massive trunk of a fallen tree, struggling to get up. He was being swarmed by Vought security guards.

Just over Noir’s shoulder, you caught sight of Ben. He was starting to wake up, and he turned over and pushed himself up onto one knee. Relief filled your chest.

In a fit of desperation, you dug your heels into the ground. “Let go! Let go of me!”

You opened your mouth and took in a breath to sing, but how quickly Noir’s hand wrapped around your throat, choking the breath right out of you. He tightened his hold, little by little, until you began to feel lightheaded. Panic gripped at your heart.

“Stop, Noir, please! I’m pregnant!” you pleaded, with tears in your eyes.

Beyond him, you met Ben’s gaze. His mouth fell open as he stared at you, after half scrambling to his feet.

You returned your attention to Noir when you realized you could feel his shock, and the tension through your hand on his glove. He glanced over his shoulder at Ben, then back at your tearful eyes. You felt Noir’s disgust, swiftly followed by his anger.

You gasped when he let you go, just so he could unsheathe his weapon. Ben gritted his teeth in anger. Before he could throw his shield, Noir swung his katana down on you.

You instinctively raised up your arms to protect yourself, but the blade only shattered against your skin. You raised your head, blinking in shock. You clenched your fists, and you realized that you felt different, somehow. You were strong.

You shoved Noir hard in the chest, and he flew several feet away, rolling in the dirt as he landed.

Ben ran over to join you. He wrapped his non-shield wielding arm around your waist and pulled you tight against him. You melted into him in relief, resting your head against his chest.

“I don’t know how I did that,” you admitted.

“Looks like knocking you up comes with some added perks,” he said, grinning down at you.

Once you understood what he meant, another wave of shock hit you. The life inside you was not only carrying his genes, but some of his power as well, making you strong.

You looked up at his smug grin and rolled your eyes in amusement, but you also wanted to grab his face and pull him down for a kiss. The look in his eyes told you he wanted to oblige, but you both stopped short, coming to attention when you saw Noir picking himself up from the ground.

“I’ve got him,” Ben said darkly. He let go of you and took a step toward Noir, putting himself in front of you.

Two old enemies faced each other. This time, Ben began to make the first move.

Just then, a pair of red laser beams broke through the clearing and cut through Noir’s mask and skull. He dropped to his knees, and then fell to the ground.

What the hell…

Slowly you turned back to see that John had broken free of the guards. All of them lied either passed out or dead at his feet. He stepped over them and went to your side with shaky hands, shocked at even his own power. Had he known he could do that?

“Are you okay?” he asked you in concern.

You were still reeling, but you nodded and grasped his shoulder. Ben was unsettled looking at John. You knew the look on his face. He wasn’t sure whether the kid was a threat as well. Ben slid an arm around your waist and pulled you closer to him.

“Ben, this is John,” you explained. “He was a ‘guest’ in the lab, same as me.”

Ben seized up the kid. Eventually he rested his shield on the ground and reached out his hand.

“John, huh?”

The kid nodded and shook his hand. “Y-Yes, sir.”

“That’s a strong name,” Ben said. John smiled.

With that small peace won, you slipped away from Ben and went to Charlie. You knelt down and felt for his pulse at his neck. You shook your head in sadness.

“He’s gone,” you said. Ben helped you stand again.

You were disappointed about Donna too, even knowing she was the one who helped sell you out in the first place. You were sure it was probably under duress, but she had saved you today.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Ben said. You agreed, but first, you looked back at the lab.

“They took vials of my blood. God knows what else they have in there,” you said.

“They took your fucking blood?” he said, through furrowed brows.

“Yeah, that’s how I know I’m pregnant,” you said, again, holding a hand to your belly. Ben softened slightly at that.

He blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay, you and the kid hang back. Far back.”

You grasped John’s shoulder and led him over to the dense line of trees. You both hunkered down behind a fallen tree trunk and watched Ben approach the lab.

He set a firm stance and concentrated, until his chest glowed with power. Letting loose a yell of strain, he summoned a blast that destroyed the entire building. It not only created a backlash of debris and flames, but it also shook the earth. He stalked forward and angled the blast downward, so that it would consume the floors below as well.

You had to duck down further as the impact of the blast was too much. John covered you with his arms around your shoulders.

When it was over, Ben struggled to regain his breath. He even stumbled a bit on his way back to you, but he kept a steady pace, until he found you and the kid again. Ben reached a hand for you and once again helped you up from the ground, guiding you into his arms.

His chest still felt hot, but you didn’t care. You curled a hand around the back of his neck and brought him down to you for a kiss. It was relief, it was passion, and it was home.

You parted slowly, his forehead pressing against yours.

“I love you,” you whispered into the small space in between.

Releasing a subtle breath, Ben nodded. You opened your eyes and cupped his cheek.

“You can say it,” you prompted, teasingly. “It’s not gonna kill you.”

You could hazard a guess at what he was thinking. This close, you could feel him, and his reluctance. But his lips hinted at a smile.

“Yeah, I fucking love you,” he said. He thumbed at your chin, his gaze roaming over your face before he met your eyes. “I love you.”

Tears made your vision blur a little. You nodded, smiling, and reached up on your toes for another kiss.

“Are you guys done yet?” John asked. He shifted on his feet, all antsy and tired. “Can we go?”

Ben’s face fell into annoyance at the kid. You gave him a rueful smile, and one last stroke of his cheek.

“The car’s about a mile out,” Ben said.

“Yep,” you said. “I guess we start walking.”

John slept in the backseat of the car while Ben drove down the highway going northeast. His gaze roamed over you as you stared out the window, seemingly calm with that file you stole from Vogelbaum’s office resting on your lap.

With a sigh, you turned your attention to it. Ben couldn’t help but distract you first. His hand reached over to rest on your thigh.

“Hey,” he said. You perked up at him.

“You okay?” he asked. You smiled a little and slipped your hand over his.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Considering.”

He alternated between watching the road and watching you a bit closer.

“Did they hurt you?” he pressed. You shook your head, squeezing his hand.

“No. They pretty much left me alone,” you said, though his concern warmed you. You also sensed something else underneath…the sting of regret. It took him a few beats, but he eventually spoke.

“I shouldn’t have let you go out alone,” he said, briefly meeting your eyes. “I should’ve been there.”

It was as close to an apology as you’d ever gotten from him. You almost smiled.

“Look, we’re here now,” you said. “Pretty soon, this is all just going to be a bad memory we can put behind us, like everything else.”

You rubbed his arm and glanced down at the file sitting on your lap. Your curiosity had you flipping it open. The more you read over its contents, the more your face slackened in shock.

“Oh my God, Ben,” you whispered.

“What?”

“Pull over for a minute.”

“We can’t stop here. We need to get to the airport.”

“This is important. Stop the car.”

He huffed in annoyance, but he pulled the car over. He left the car running and got out along with you.

You later leaned against the passenger side while he read the file. You watched the shock descend over his face as it all began to click together in his mind. He turned and pointed at the backseat of the car.

“He’s…”

“Yeah,” you said.

“Christ on a damn cross,” he said.

“Yeah,” you repeated. You covered your mouth with a hand. “And the poor kid’s been kept in that basement his whole damn life… It was Vogelbaum’s project, but how did he do it?”

A realization fell over Ben. He joined you in leaning against the car. The file fell to his side.

“Back in…’81. No, beginning of ’83, before you joined up. Vogelbaum wanted a sample of my swimmers for an experiment. Something about genetics,” he said. He still remembered the Penthouse Forum he used to give his “sample.”

June. Danielle Deneux. Bush like a Pomeranian. He almost smiled at the memory, but the rest of it soured that part for him.

You gave him an incredulous look. “And you didn’t ask questions about what they were going to use your sperm for?”

Ben rolled his eyes and gave you the file. You shook your head.

“The point is, John is…more or less your son,” you said.

“What?!” John exclaimed. He spooked you and Ben when he popped up in the car window.

You should’ve known he’d have enhanced hearing. Just like his father.

John came out of the car, and both father and son looked at one another in assessing ways. Even though they had different coloring, you started to notice the similar shape of their jawlines, the line of their noses. John soon had tears in his eyes.

“You…you’re my dad?” he said.

Ben’s hands went to his hips. His posture was stiff and awkward.

“I guess I am,” he said.

He didn’t expect the way John literally flew over and hugged him with a strength that impacted Ben. He grunted and grabbed the kid’s shoulders.

“Okay, all right, lock it up. Don’t be a little girl about it.”

John’s face fell with dejection, but he dropped his arms and took a step back. You became both dismayed and angry.

“Ben!” you said sharply. “Let your son hug you, for fuck’s sake.”

He shot you a warning look, but you had your hand on John’s shoulder as you glared back at Ben. He crossed his arms.

Then he uncrossed them with an exasperated huff. He went to John and dropped a hand on his shoulder. Smiling in satisfaction, you moved back to give them a moment.

Ben looked down at the kid’s face. His blonde hair and blue eyes weren’t his. He must’ve taken after his mother, whoever she was, or whatever genetics Vogelbaum manipulated, but he did see his own strong jaw in the kid.

“Well, it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t meet sooner, but…looks like you’re my son,” said Ben. “I'm thinking you want to stick around with us.”

John nodded vigorously.

“All right,” Ben said. “Then let’s get going.”

John nodded again, quickly wiping at his face to clear away his tears.

Good, Ben thought with a quirk of his lips. He squeezed John’s shoulder and let him go, so he could return to the driver’s side of the car. You gave John a warm hug. Ben saw it through the window and almost shook his head. He could already tell that you were going to try to mother that boy.

Somehow, that thought just softened him, at least a little. Because it reminded him that you were carrying his child as well. Not to mention, his blood was making you nice and strong.

When you slid into the passenger seat, he grabbed your hand and pressed a kiss over your knuckles. You smiled at him.

“Where are we gonna go?” John asked.

Ben glanced at him in the rearview mirror. Ben's brows drew together as his expression firmed.

“To finish what we started,” he said.

You knew what that meant. He wanted to go to New York to finish off Stan Edgar, Stillwell, and anyone else who had a hand in their capture.

“Ben, they’ll never stop trying to get him back,” you said, gesturing at John. “And…when Vogelbaum took my blood, he said they wanted to monitor me. Apparently this has never happened before…a supe getting another supe pregnant.”

Ben paused.

“He talked like I was a rat in his lab, and he wanted to document the findings,” you said, as tears welled up in your eyes and made your throat tight with emotion, and the remnants of dread.

Ben frowned and squeezed your hand.

“That’s not fucking happening,” he said. You sighed and wiped at your cheek. After taking a few steadying breaths, you managed to get a hold of yourself.

“If we go back to New York, it’s a big risk,” you said.

This time, Ben actually considered what you were saying. He was stubborn though.

“I can’t just fucking let it go. What Stan Edgar did, what they all did—”

“If you take out Stan, they’ll just put another one in his place. I doubt it’ll ever end,” you said. You moved his hand to your stomach. “But if you want this. If you want a family, this is it.”

Ben glanced down at his hand under yours, and then your face. As much as he wanted the rest of his revenge, he also wanted, and needed to protect you. He couldn’t make another mistake like last time. If you were taken from him again, he’d have no one to blame but himself. 

That also posed a harder question. Where the hell could he take you where you’d be safe? Even Arthur had fucked off to Belize.

Ben stroked your hand in contemplation…until an idea came to him.

A grin raised his lips.

“All right,” he said. “How do you feel about Colombia?”

AN: Lol! Suffice to say, there's going to be a big BMD easter egg in the Epilogue, but did you like how the final battle shook out? Was there anything that surprised you? Do you wish some members of Payback had lived?

I went back and forth on how some characters would meet their end, but I felt that this is the story I wanted to tell, with her, Ben, and John escaping together and forming their strange new family. 😂💚

Next Time: The Epilogue...

A phone dock rested on the coffee table. The call was on speaker.

“That child represents a multi-million-dollar investment,” said Stan Edgar.

“You should’ve thought about that before you shipped us off to motherfucking Siberia,” Ben snapped. “Hell, before you decided to steal my goddamn DNA. But guess fucking what. He’s my son. He belongs with me.”

You gave him a look of pride, resting a hand on his thigh in support. He glanced at you and grabbed your hand.

“You’re not leaving me with much recourse here, Soldier Boy,” Stan replied.

Ben leaned forward. He took that as a very real threat.

▶️ Keep Reading: The Epilogue

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An extended mattress in two parts (left and right split)

A separated under-sheet to mix and match colors

A starter frame in 30 colors (keep an eye out for more to come)

Both Blankets and Sheets come in 3 color palettes, so pick which you'll use most, or select the mega bundle (if 90 swatches in one doesn't drive you up the wall!).

Blankets Come in 3 patterns - Basic, Knit, and Plaid

Before you download be aware: V1 has minor lighting problems

PATREON HAS IT ALL HERE, SIMFILESHARE LINKS BELOW

Basic: Picnic Plate Summer Vampire Forest & Feather

Knit: Picnic Plate Summer Vampire Forest & Feather

Plaid: Picnic Plate Summer Vampire Forest & Feather

Or Choose Bundles

Basic Knit Plaid

Under-sheets:

Picnic Plate Summer Vampire Forest & Feather

OR Bundled Swatches

**Bonus Sheets: 85 Swatches of EA Basics in the style of my Linen, Unlinked

Find Frames Here

TOU: These are based on EA meshes and pngs. They were a bloody pain to make. I don't want you to go through what I did. Seriously. Do what you want with them. Edit them (at your own peril), recolor them, throw them in a zip and share them with a friend. Please tag me when you use them! I'd love to see.

If you must put them behind a paywall, you may do so as long as you place the following visibly before the download: "The original creator thinks I am a moron for putting this behind a paywall. You can get it for free somewhere else."

Enjoy this early taste of the Lovestruck polyam that's sure to grace the platform later this month. <3 Happy simming!

[tavs-tressym]

Delicious Denial - Chapter One

(AO3 Link) | Master List | Ko-Fi

Rating: Explicit, 18+

Pairing: Astarion x Fem!Tav (You). F/M.

Word Count: 2100 (approx)

Tags: Fluff, eventual smut, Tav w/tragic backstory, graphic violence, domestic fluff, camp life, Tav has no magic/fighting ability, slow burn romance, sexual tension (A LOT).

WARNING: Contains graphic descriptions of violence and gore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A reimagining of the game's events if Tav had zero magical or fighting ability. But she's still pretty fucked up. 👍

(Lots of comforting camp life content.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One - Intoxicating

“Fucking-... Piece of-... Ugh!” Your fingers burn from the friction of wrestling with your chain. You let out a guttural growl as you fall back, flat on your arse in defeat. Yep, you’re definitely stuck. The cuff makes your ankle itch and the chain doesn’t seem to have weakened. Panting, you search your cell for some form of escape to no avail. Just in the cold cobbles beneath you and the bars that cast lengthy shadows on your bruised body. Your clothes are tattered and ripped, if you can even call them clothes anymore. They leave your injuries from your perilous journey here on full display. The last thing you remember was falling, then… Floating? Then black. Now, there’s goblins everywhere and your head hurts… A lot… It really, really hurts actually…

The room begins to spin as you focus on the sensation, then you remember the creature that lives behind your eye. You shiver at the thought as the room pulses around you. It’s searching for… something? It searches for… it’s own kind. You sense it’s kin nearing your cell. The creature writhes in your skull, burning your eyes from the inside. You cry in pain, holding your head to prevent it from coming apart. “This, is the human?” A raspy, deep, feminine voice commands. You squint, attempting to pierce your vision through a wall of warped pulsations. “Y-yes ma’am. We found her by the crash site.” Another voice responds, full of gravel and apprehension. Whoever he’s speaking to, he’s afraid of her.

“Hmm… Interesting.” Your creatures connect and you feel an overwhelming urge to open your mind to the intrusion.

You see her silhouette: Thin, tall and armoured. Then, her wisteria skin and light blonde hair comes into focus. “Welcome home, True Soul.” You do not see her mouth move, nor hear the words through your ears. Instead, her voice echoes in your mind. She pokes and prods at your thoughts, prying open your defences and harvesting your memories. She smiles and pulls out of your mind abruptly once satisfied. You gasp for air as the pain finally subsides and you crumble to the floor. “It will get easier.”

“Wh-what is this? I don’t-” You speak through tears.

“Shh. It will become clear soon enough. The Absolute has plans for you. For us all.” Her words almost sounded like comfort, but there’s something wrong. When she dug into your mind, it left hers open to you. She wants something.

She scans your deteriorating rags, then glares at the goblin by her side who shivers under her gaze. “Do you have no sense?! No respect?! Find some clothes for her. Now!”

“Y-yes Minthara! Sorry! Er-” He dashes away and returns moments later, bundle in hand, he slides it through the bars, shaking.

“Thank you…” You reach for it hesitantly.

“Once she is dressed, you will bring her to me.” She walks away.

“Y-yes Minthara.” The goblin responds. He flicks his eyes back at you and gestures for you to hurry up. You nod and dress yourself, trying to conceal as much of your body as you can from the worried eyes of the goblin.

You smooth down a dress made of various pelts over your wide curves. It wasn’t well made and it certainly could have been more modest, but it fit well enough and you were grateful for the change. The gate opens and the goblin hastily releases your ankle from the chain and pushes you forward. “Move.” You obey and walk in front of him, arms behind your back as he directs you through the camp by your wrists. As you move through what seems to be a lively party, all eyes are on you. Some goblins jeer and make obscene gestures, others inspect your body from afar as they glug their ale. Choosing not to let this phase you, you dare to ask your guard a question: “What are you celebrating?”

“Raid. Good one.” Despite his bluntness and reluctance to reveal information, you hear the smile on his face in his words.

Eventually you make it to the inside of a large, run down, temple-like building. It seems the party stopped here. The grand architecture allows for various phrases, commands and even cries of agony to echo and bounce off the walls. Minthara is observing a map as you approach her. She looks up at you, briefly. “Better. Leave us.” You can’t help but admire her authority as the goblins scatter at her command. She looks back down and traces her fingers along painted roads. Curiously, you look over to find that the map contains no location that you recognise other than Baldur’s Gate. “Is this where we are?” You ask hoping that maybe you aren’t as far from home as you once thought.

“Yes. But I’m hunting for something that isn’t on this map, or any for that matter.” She doesn’t look at you as she speaks.

“That doesn’t sound easy.” You try to sympathise. Powerful allies are always useful, especially in situations such as this.

“No. Especially when all you have are dimwitted pawns at your disposal.” She spits disgust through her words, you nod and move closer to get a better look at the map. “In usual circumstances, I wouldn’t care, but I plan to make great use of you, True Soul. Your name, what is it?”

“Tav. And you are Minthara?” She nods. “You call me True Soul, what does that mean?” She grins with excitement as she gets to be the one to explain The Absolute, the tadpoles and your potential. She does so with a fierce determination in her eyes and a proud loyalty in her voice that speaks to the darker cravings of your mind. You consider that maybe this creature in your head isn’t so bad, after all. “And your hunt? Is it to serve The Absolute?”

“Correct.” She pauses to consider whether or not to reveal her intentions. “There’s a weapon. Powerful and well sought after. I am sure that it is being protected by a grove of druids somewhere in this area.” She circles a section of the map for you. “No matter how many patrols we have sent, they return with little information. Pathetic creatures.” She grumbles under her breath. Her eyes light up, she looks at you and grins.

“We have a prisoner. Though, I believe our… ‘interrogators’ lack a certain finesse. His lips remain tightly bound. I’m sure The Absolute would have a fine reward for the one who loosens them.” Her eyebrow raises as she eagerly awaits your response. Torture isn’t your usual expertise, but you can see in her eyes the excitement and even arousal at the thought of you shedding such blood for The Absolute’s cause. You deduce that her disappointment in you would have far greater consequences than the pain of a stranger.

“I understand.” Your eyes are wide as you accept this unsightly task. You stretch a smirk over your teeth in an attempt to match her enthusiasm.

“Excellent. Follow the screams, oh, and do not come back empty handed.”

You do as she commands, following the pleads for mercy until you find two goblins and a human tied to a torture device. You try to put on your most authoritative voice as you speak. “I have orders from Minthara. I’ll take over from here.” The goblins grumble, displeased with the arrangement as they open a space for you, directly in front of the stranger. You move into position and look up at him. His eyes are dry yet his cheeks are stained with tears, his cracked lips part as he whimpers softly. You approach, he scans you, unsure of your next move. And honestly, you’re unsure too. You’ve never been in a position to hurt someone, before now there was no opportunity for you to take. In fact, you have grown accustomed to the opposite, but this is different. This is… Powerful. Powerful in a way that makes your stomach churn and your heart flutter. A questionable, undefinable mix of want and need. You graze your finger over your canvas as he squirms. His fear is intoxicating.

Hot pokers sit in a brazier, you take one and hold it in front of his face, just close enough to singe hairs. “Where is the grove?” You ask him calmly, allowing the poker to emphasise the question for itself.

“F-fuck… Y-you…” His response doesn’t anger you, it frightens you. Your eyes widen as you build the courage to transform your threat into action. Your breathing becomes deeper as you try to submerge your hesitation. You muster as much command in your voice as you can, trying to hide your pleading. You do not want to hurt this man, no matter how intriguing this sensation is. “Where is the grove?”

He lets out a desperate whimper before feebly grasping onto his loyalty. “I s-said… F-fuck you.” The emanating heat travels from his cheek, down his neck, down his chest, stopping at his stomach. He gasps and desperately tries to wriggle away to no avail. You look into his eyes, searching for the key to end his torture, you find none. He screams in devastating agony, the smell of his burning flesh causes the goblins around you to salivate. You look down to find your own hand gripping the poker. Although you had prepared and felt it’s movement, somehow the choice your arm made surprised you. “Okay! Okay! Please! Stop!” You hold on a moment longer, examining the strange appendage before you as it shamelessly displays it’s power over it’s victim.

You pull away suddenly, your mind inhabiting your arm once again. The man splutters and cries, riding out the unrelenting wave of soreness. Regaining composure, you look back into his eyes. You yearned for the ability to communicate that he was not the only victim in the room, that you don’t want him to feel such pain. Then again, you suppose that would offer him little comfort. “Where is the grove?” The tears in his eyes obscure his vision until you are nothing but a blur.

“P-please…” By now he knows his pleas are useless but he continues anyway, using them as a mantra to calm himself through the pain. “No more… I beg of you…”

“Where is the grove?”

“No… I can’t be responsible for their deaths… I can’t…” In all the chaos, you hadn’t even considered the possible slaughter that Minthara had planned for the grove. If these druids are guarding this ‘weapon’, it is doubtful that they will hand it over without a fight. You can only hope that their forces are stronger than hers, for there is nothing you can do now, you need this information to protect yourself.

You spot a rusted dagger on the floor and swap it with the poker. The man flinches at the possibilities you now hold in your hand. You place the tip on the left side of his stomach, below the steaming burn. “Where is the grove?”

“No, I-” His defiance is interrupted by a shriek as the dull blade buries itself into his skin. You push. “Stop! Stop!” You look at his pained face, he looks at you, you need not repeat the question. You begin to drag the blade to the right, rust snagging on flesh, his blood leaks in irregular spasms, it is and isn’t pretty. He cries and looks at you in terror as he realises that you have no intention of stopping and his innards will soon be spilled onto the floor. He submits. He submits to you.

“P-please! I’ll tell you! Everything! Please!” You step back, removing the dagger from his body and releasing it from your grasp. Once he regains somewhat control of his breathing, he speaks again. “E-East… P-past the ruins and… The bridge. They c-covered the gate with ivy…” His head lolls in defeat and exhaustion.

You look around to find goblins staring at you in awe. Before any could compliment you on your twisted success, you nod and leave to report back to Minthara. She leans back and hungrily gazes at you as she processes the information: satisfied, impressed, fascinated. Before you know it, you’re travelling by her side, her army marching closely behind. She steals glances at you, noticing your beads of nervous sweat. You’ve never been close to a battle like this, and you’re really, really bad at hiding it. She doesn’t comment, just smirks and continues her pursuit. Together you head to the grove, to the weapon, to the East. Once again, you hope that they can handle what’s coming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next Chapter

[justabigoldnerd]

Thank you so much @pippinoftheshire for the tag!!

From "So Make Your Siren's Call"

Reluctantly, he picks his way back through the trees, relying on his instincts to carry him in the right direction. More than once, spidery threads of apprehension skitter across his back and he has to pause and assure himself that he isn't being followed. Still, he can't shake the feeling of being watched until he exits the woods, coming out directly onto a cobbled street. Though he doesn't remember much, Illya knows he entered the forest from the beach, not a road, but he supposes he subconsciously followed the distant sounds of the village. Illya deliberates finding a phone to call a cab, checks his watch. It's a bitterly cold night, now that Illya can register the weather, but he is a fisherman accustomed to freezing temperatures and he’s bundled up enough that the icy air doesn't cut through his layers. In the end, he opts to take advantage of his renewed vigor and turns the collar of his jacket to the winter winds. He knows the town well enough, having stayed many nights at many inns in the area, but Illya lifts a pamphlet map from a tourist stand he passes just in case. Illya makes it back to the Diadema Inn with clouds under his heels, and even manages to dodge Victoria, who is too busy miserably pouring drinks for a rowdy crew of American sailors to notice his arrival. Sleep finds him with shocking ease, and the soft blackness of unconsciousness cradles him through the night. For the first morning since his injury, Illya rouses gently and without pain.

No pressure tagging @huggiebird @happybean17 @falling-into-peril @heytheredeann @bighandsforabigheart

@kcscribbler @mybelovedillya @cha-melodius @the-golden-comet @thattripleabattery

@too-young-to-fall-in-love @times-up-alone-tonight @vnyu73 @nicijones @prettyboynapoleonsolo

@fandom-meet-fanthem @agreeableartist @willtheweaver @area-fiftyone

And an Open Tag for anyone who wants to join!! 💕💕💕

[prettyboynapoleonsolo]

Seven Sentence Sunday

thanks for the tag, @pippinoftheshire! here's some more fluff (well, mostly fluff) from my Napoleon-goes-to-college AU:

Later, Illya finds Napoleon lying on the couch, Milashka napping on his chest, and Illya’s heart nearly bursts with love. “Peril, help, I’m trapped,” Napoleon says, pouting at Illya when he just smiles. “You could move her,” Illya points out. “I’m not a monster,” Napoleon protests. Milashka makes a displeased noise at the movement of Napoleon’s chest, and he stills, smiling gently at her. Illya has a vision of them, in a kinder world or time, where the bundle lying on Napoleon’s chest is an infant, not a cat, one with Napoleon’s hair and eyes. But Illya shakes the idea away; it is of no use to dwell on impossibilities.

no-pressure tagging @justabigoldnerd @falling-into-peril @too-young-to-fall-in-love @heytheredeann

[viperwhispered]

For the anything goes prompt: Cater to the rescue! He sees Jamil's cute younger sister with some fishy folk (including th lobster on her head?!) and decides to be an extra friendly upperclassmen.... Maybe brings Trey for back up!

(also, I'd LOVE to be added to the taglist this is SO FUN)

Thank you for the prompt, and glad to hear you've been enjoying this so far! I've certainly been having fun with this.

The 'Anything Goes' Story, part 8

The story where I write whatever you tell me to. You can find more info and the masterlist here.

“Thank you for the offer - Azul, was it? I’m quite fine though, I’m just looking for professor Crewel,” Najma said politely. However, before they could converse further, another voice spoke up.

“Heyy, Najma! Why don't you let Cay-Cay help you out if you've got a problem?”

Najma brightened when she saw the orange-haired young man with a friendly smile. A familiar face, at least, from when Jamil had brought some friends along for Al'ab Nariya.

In Najma’s hands, your lobster form was wriggling and clicking your claws. Najma was starting to worry you might fall out of the headscarf bundle soon, and hefted you up, adjusting her hold on you.

“Hi Cater! Good to see you here,” Najma greeted him, playing up their familiarity. After all, the best way to avoid any potential local swindlers was to be familiar with the locals yourself, wasn’t it?

As always, time for one of you to give me another prompt and we'll see what happens next. As always, first come first served (though no need to be shy, so far everyone's gotten their prompts in).

If you can give your prompt in the notes of this post (so reblog / reply) so that others can see if the next prompt has already been taken, all the better, though I will be updating it here anyway as soon as I see it.

Tag list:

@colliope @crystallizsch @diodellet @jamilsimpno69 @jamilvapologist

@lex752 @perilous-pasta @twstgo

If you'd like to be tagged for this thing (or my writing in general), let me know.

[chronicallybloodless]

Heavy to Hold - Chapter 23

Pathways

Pairing: Astarion x enby!tav Status: in progress Rating: Explicit (18+ only) Genre: angst/comfort | slow burn Alternating second-person POV Contains spoilers for the whole game basically TW: it's an astarion fic: descriptions of trauma, abuse, sexual violence, etc. | smut | full tag list on AO3 Read from the beginning: AO3 | Tumblr Listen to the Playlist

You heard Astarion huff behind you. He was being offered no such assistance, but from the corner of your eye you caught him straightening his collar and adjusting the laces on his trousers. He looked uncomfortable—the sudden interruption by your companions had left him in a foul mood, his confidence shaken by the night’s events.

Read on AO3

Read on Tumblr ↓

Tav's POV

You stumbled through the forest alongside your companions, struggling to dress as you walked. Shadowheart had gathered your clothing into a bundle and was handing you an item at a time while she recapped what had happened after you left the Tiefling party the night before. You nodded as you tried to listen, hopping along on one foot while you pulled on your boots.

You heard Astarion huff behind you. He was being offered no such assistance, but from the corner of your eye you caught him straightening his collar and adjusting the laces on his trousers. He looked uncomfortable—the sudden interruption by your companions had left him in a foul mood, his confidence shaken by the night’s events.

“So, you were gone all night?” Shadowheart whispered to you through a smirk. “And how did that go?”

“It’s not what you think” You huffed.

“And just what do I think?”

“You obviously think that we were fucking the entire time.”

“And? Were you?”

She was enjoying this far too much.

“No.”

“So we didn’t walk in on you two about to go at it?“

You felt your face growing red.

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“I don’t owe an explanation to you.” You deflected. If you told anyone, even her, about what happened with Astarion, he’d never forgive you.

“Gods, is he that bad?” She giggled mockingly. “What do you expect from a corpse, after all?”

“Shadowheart.” You growled through gritted teeth. “Drop it.”

“I didn't realize it was so serious.” She backed down, clearing having expected you to go along with her teasing. “It’s really not that big of a deal Tav, half the camp was gone all night for…various activities.”

“Is that so?”

“Obviously. Did you think you were the only one?” She sighed. “I spent half an hour this morning treating Wyll’s burns.”

You stopped in your tracks. Wyll was just out of earshot, trying to talk to Astarion. His hands were bandaged.

“You don’t mean…?”

“He didn’t fall in the campfire.” She said knowingly.

“Damn. How the tables turn.” You mused. You wondered how they managed that without him getting completely incinerated.

“Indeed.” She nodded.

“So how did you spend your evening?”

“That’s….none of your concern.” She balked.

“Oh so you get to be nosy and I don’t?”

“Precisely.”

You were adjusting your last buckle when you arrived back at camp, where you were promptly face to chest with a Druid.

“Tav!” Halsin grinned as he approached you, arms wide and welcoming. “Good to see you are well. I was a bit worried about you after you left the party without returning for our dance.”

You heard Astarion scoff. You didn’t have to turn around to know he had folded his arms and cocked his hip in his preferred indignant stance.

“Yes well they were perfectly fine; no need for your concern, Druid.” The vampire’s tone was flat, but you could detect a hint of venom in his words. Was he jealous that Halsin wanted to dance with you?

“Of course, I’m sure that you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself, Tav. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.” If Halsin had picked up on Astarion's hostility, he was choosing not to engage with it. “However, it does pay to be vigilant in such perilous times.”

“Right…” You weren’t really sure how to diffuse this. You needed information from Halsin, but you were preoccupied with Astarion’s feelings. Leaving him to stew in his insecurities never ended well.

“So, about the cult of the Absolute.” Halsin continued. “First of all, my sincere thanks to all of you for rescuing me, and for defending the grove from the goblin threat. This whole forest is safer with that camp dissolved, and we have you to thank for that. You righted a lot of wrongs in my absence; I am in your debt.”

“Well it’s always good to be able to lend a hand to the common man.” Wyll smiled. His level of pride in his work to protect the Sword Coast shined through.

“And it’s good to be with a fine group of adventurers who share that sentiment.” Halsin nodded warmly. “But, to move on to the problem at hand. From what I heard in the camp, your next stop should be Moonrise Towers; there’s some kind of stronghold there.”

“A tower? Sounds easy enough to find.” Gale mused.

“To find, perhaps, but to reach it presents much more of a challenge. The lands around the tower are cursed, driving men to madness or worse.” The Druid’s expression grew solemn. “There are two paths to reach it. The first would be to go through the mountains over the risen road. It can be a little dangerous, but not more than a well-equipped party can handle. It would, however, require passing over a large distance of cursed lands to reach the tower, which could present a problem. The other route would be to go through the Underdark. As I’m sure you noticed, that goblin camp was built in an abandoned temple of Selune. The adventurers I had been accompanying had learned of a passageway from that temple into the Underdark, which was supposed to lead them to a fortress deeper within, possibly with Shar worshippers inside.”

“Shar worshippers?” Shadowheart questioned.

“Dark Justiciars, from what the rumors say, defending a stronghold. Or did at one point, it seems the area may just be inhabited by Duegar by now.” Halsin nodded sagely.

“What do you think, Tav?” Wyll turned to you. “You’re from the underdark aren’t you? I feel like that would give us quite an advantage.”

“As much as I don’t want to go back to a temple of Selune, if it would lead us to somewhere that Justiciars frequented it seems worth pursuing.” Shadowheart added.

“Avoiding cursed lands does seem like a good idea. How bad can the Underdark really be?” Karlach leaded back, her posture relaxed.

“I….I’m not so sure.” You balked, trying to keep the sudden tension in your body from reaching your voice. “The dangers of the Underdark are subtle and sinister. It usually isn’t obvious you’re in danger until it’s too late.” The idea of returning to the Underdark—and potentially running in to other Drow—did not sound appealing to you in the slightest.

It had been years since you abandoned your apprenticeship and disappeared into the crowds of Baldur’s Gate. You’d heard nothing of your family since then. If they had tried to reach you in the intervening years, they had been unsuccessful, much to your comfort. But if you went back to the Underdark, the odds of another Drow recognizing the lost Szarkai “daughter” of House Despana would not play out in your favor.

“Tav, surely you’ve bested all these supposed dangers at least a dozen times already. Compared to a cursed land we know nothing about, the Underdark seems a wiser choice.” Shadowheart urged. The idea of finding dark justiciars had fully persuaded her.

“Do you know anything about what’s down there, Shadowheart?” Astarion objected. “Past experience or no, the creatures of the Underdark are not to be underestimated.”

“And creatures in a shadow cursed land would be so much better?” Lae’zel scoffed.

“Perhaps we should take a vote?” Wyll offered, eager to ease the tension.

You swallowed. It seemed clear that a vote was just going to reinforce what had already been established.

“All those in favor of traveling through the Underdark?” Shadowheart raised her hand, followed by Wyll, Karlach, Lae’zel, and Gale. You stood motionless.

You wanted to scream, to cry, to put you foot down and say no, the way you had to your family when you told them that you were never going back.

But you couldn’t find the courage. You opened your mouth to object and no words came out.

“Seems the ayes have it then.” Shadowheart nodded. The group splintered as they began to break down camp. You were still frozen where you stood.

You felt fingertips brush yours and refocused your eyes to see Astarion still standing with you. He laced his fingers with yours and stood by your side. You leaned your weight onto his shoulder.

“I’ve got you.” he whispered.

[brocoffeeengineer]

TikTok Shop and Gen Z: The New Era of Instant Shopping

Gen Z has grown up swiping, scrolling, and double‑tapping, yet even this digital‑native generation is pausing to marvel at TikTok Shop. Introduced globally in late 2022 and refined at breakneck speed, the in‑app storefront has transformed TikTok from a “pure entertainment” platform into an always‑open mall where discovery and purchase share the same screen. For marketers, founders, and creators, understanding TikTok Shop is now mission‑critical: the feature compresses the customer journey, redefines social proof, and sets expectations for every other platform Gen Z touches. Below is a deep dive—rooted in hands‑on observations, industry data, and the latest news—into how TikTok Shop is rewriting e‑commerce rules and why brands ignore it at their peril.

A Funnel That Fits the Thumb

Traditional e‑commerce funnels require shoppers to hop between discovery, research, and checkout. TikTok Shop stitches those steps together in a single vertical feed. Picture a creator demonstrating a color‑changing lip oil; a tappable “Shop Now” tag appears on screen; Apple Pay or UPI completes the transaction in seconds. This scroll‑to‑sale model eliminates friction just as Gen Z’s attention spans tighten. Internal metrics released in March 2025 show average checkout time on TikTok Shop is under 45 seconds—half the industry norm. For an audience accustomed to instant gratification, speed equals satisfaction, and satisfaction equals repeat purchasing.

Trust Reimagined: From Polished Ads to Peer Proof

Gen Z is skeptical of glossy campaigns but receptive to candor. TikTok Shop leverages that instinct by surfacing authentic voices: bedroom creators, micro‑influencers, and even shoppers reacting in real time. Hashtags like #Under500Finds serve as micro‑communities where viewers vet each other’s recommendations. Meanwhile, TikTok’s “LIVE Price Match” guarantee—announced in April 2025—commits to refunding the difference if buyers spot a lower price elsewhere within 72 hours. Layered on top are clear return policies and real‑person customer‑care channels, all of which align neatly with Google’s E‑E‑A‑T framework by showcasing real experience, credible expertise, platform authority, and consumer trustworthiness.

Live‑Stream Shopping: Reality TV Meets QVC

Live‑stream commerce isn’t new in East Asia, but TikTok has made it global and undeniably fun. Creators host spontaneous shopping shows where limited‑time coupons flash on screen, viewers tap hearts to unlock bundle deals, and product demos feel like casual hangouts. According to a May 2025 industry survey, 74 percent of Gen Z viewers report buying something after watching a TikTok Shop live within the past three months. The magic lies in three levers:

FOMO and urgency – Countdown timers and disappearing voucher codes spur impulse decisions.

Interactive Q&A – Hosts answer sizing or ingredient questions instantly, erasing uncertainty.

Entertainment value – Streams often include mini‑games, challenges, or behind‑the‑scenes cuts that turn purchasing into an event, not a chore.

The result is conversion rates that eclipse static product pages and nurture brand loyalty through shared moments.

Headlines Fueling 2025’s Surge

TikTok Shop’s momentum keeps accelerating. In January 2025, the platform reported that 58 percent of its global user base—more than one billion people—had made at least one in‑app purchase. By April, senior executives publicly targeted a 100 percent year‑on‑year jump in gross merchandise value (GMV), buoyed by aggressive expansions into beauty, fashion resale, and even fresh groceries through regional pilots in North America and Europe. The company is also testing generative‑AI assistants that recommend complementary items inside the cart, hinting at even tighter loops between content, discovery, and upsell. These headlines amplify buzz and push fence‑sitting merchants to launch their own TikTok‑native storefronts while the algorithm’s organic reach is still generous.

How Brands and Creators Can Win Now

Blend micro‑influencers with Spark Ads. Repurpose organic videos without losing authenticity, then add paid amplification to reach look‑alike audiences.

Package value bundles. Gen Z loves the perception of a deal. Pair two everyday products with one limited‑edition exclusive to raise average order value.

Use TikTok Fulfillment. In qualified regions, the platform now warehouses and ships, shaving delivery times and boosting customer satisfaction.

Monitor the comment section daily. Questions about fit, flavor, or usage can inspire new content and spark iterative product improvements.

Experiment with AI captions and subtitles. Auto‑generated on‑screen text improves accessibility and keeps viewers engaged even with audio muted.

Each tactic relies on strong storytelling plus meticulous data analysis—skills honed at any forward‑thinking digital marketing training institute that teaches short‑form content strategy and social‑commerce analytics.

Ripple Effects in Emerging Markets

While TikTok faces regulatory hurdles in several countries, including India, its commerce blueprint is influencing adjacent platforms—especially in bustling metros. In Mumbai, early‑stage fashion, skincare, and home‑decor brands are producing TikTok‑style vertical videos for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. The goal: replicate that signature “found in my feed” serendipity that drives spontaneous buying. Local creators set up ring lights in tiny studios, narrate unboxings, and time lighting transitions to trending audio clips. Even established retailers now dedicate budget to creator collaborations, realizing traditional catalog shoots feel static by comparison. Crucially, these businesses track conversion links and add live‑chat overlays to mimic the immediate feedback Gen Z expects. The shift proves TikTok Shop’s influence extends beyond its own ecosystem, shaping broader consumer expectations about how product discovery should feel—fast, fun, and fueled by peers rather than polished slogans.

The Road Ahead: Commerce at the Speed of Culture

TikTok Shop’s evolution is far from over. Analysts predict three trends will define the next 18 months:

Hyper‑personal storefronts. AI will auto‑curate feeds so tightly that siblings in the same house see entirely different product arrays.

Subscription drops. Brands will bundle monthly mystery boxes promoted through creator‑led story arcs, turning one‑off buyers into members.

Ethical transparency badges. Amid rising climate awareness, TikTok is piloting visible labels for carbon‑neutral shipping and cruelty‑free products—features that resonate deeply with Gen Z’s values.

Marketers who adapt early will ride the algorithmic wave; those who cling to last decade’s funnels may find themselves invisible to tomorrow’s shoppers.

Conclusion: Skills That Future‑Proof Careers

The ascent of TikTok Shop underscores a broader truth: Gen Z doesn’t just shop online; they shop inside content. To thrive, brands must blur the line between storytelling and checkout, mastering everything from live‑stream scripting to micro‑community engagement. No wonder young professionals are flocking to earn a digital marketing diploma in Mumbai, seeking firsthand expertise in short‑form video, creator collaborations, and data‑driven commerce. Whether you’re a solo founder, an agency strategist, or an aspiring content creator, now is the moment to learn these skills—because the next swipe could be your fastest sale yet.

[jnrinsurance]

Big City, Big Risks: Navigating Auto Insurance in Jersey City and Brooklyn, NY

It is interesting to know that Jersey City has the 5th worst traffic congestion in the US and Brooklynites log more miles than any other borough. To keep pace with schedule, individuals often meet accidents, leaving them in lurch. In other words, driving cards in these high-risk areas can be extremely challenging. Despite the best safety measures, accidents happen. The consequences can be dangerous if car owners don’t carry adequate auto insurance in Jersey City and Brooklyn, New York. 

Driving in crowded cities is always challenging. Getting stuck in the middle of the road is a regular occurrence. Plus, seeking reimbursement from a third party for expenses feels like adding salt to the wound. Top of Form In view of these, choosing the right auto insurance is essential.

While doing so, be sure to explore several factors like location, driving history, and vehicle type. These are aspects that can have an impact on insurance premiums in Jersey City and Brooklyn. 

Plus, finding the right insurance is no easy feat. After all, they are the ones who can guide one in comparing quotes, exploring coverage options, and choosing the right insurance company for their needs. 

A Few Important Facts:

Location, location, location: Living in these high-risk areas automatically bumps up premiums. Jersey City, with its proximity to Manhattan, often sees even higher rates than Brooklyn.

Driving history whispers: Clean driving records and low mileage can bring some relief, while accidents and speeding tickets scream for higher premiums.

Vehicle vintage matters: A shiny new SUV attracts a different price tag than a well-worn sedan.

Tips for Saving Money:

For many, auto insurance is a costly proposition. But, that’s not always correct. It’s about a few tips and strategies that can help save one money. 

Shop Around: 

Never settle for a deal right away. Get quotes from multiple insurers before choosing a policy. There are thousands of insurance players in the market. Explore their products, ask for their prices, and check out the perks of their policies, and then choose the right policy that meets needs. 

Consider Usage-based Insurance: 

Usage-based insurance is a game changer. Check out offers that track driving habits and promise discounts accordingly for safe drivers. 

Bundle Policies: 

Bundling auto insurance with homeowners or renters insurance for potential savings is a good decision. 

Additional Resources: 

Include links to helpful resources, such as state insurance department websites, consumer guides, and insurance company comparison tools. 

Whether it's getting a quote, reviewing their current policy, or learning more about safe driving practices, insurance companies are all set to help. Consult expert insurance agents who can help guide in obtaining right insurance coverage for the vehicle. 

Bonus Ideas: 

Interview local insurance agents: It’s recommended to consult local insurance agents and get their insights on the specific challenges and trends in Jersey City and Brooklyn.

Check out personal stories: Meet drivers who have navigated the auto insurance landscape in these cities. Their experience and insight can be helpful in picking the right insurance solution.

Auto insurance in Jersey City and Brooklyn, New York is a necessary requirement for car owners. Driving without adequate insurance can trigger penalties and imprisonment. Right auto insurance offers significant coverage against covered perils. So, find the right insurance company and get the right insurance coverage that meets the needs and budget.

[homesteadinsurance]

Why Buy Homeowners Insurance in North Royalton and Valley City, Ohio

There’s nothing like owning a home in the heart of the charming suburbs in North Royalton and Valley City. Bustling with life and exuberance, the cities are full of promises and expectations. The beauty and serenity of the place will definitely leave individuals cherishing a thought of homeownership over swigs of morning coffee. 

While many spend a massive amount of hard-earned money into buying a home or building a haven, only a few care for homeowners insurance. Protecting the haven is of paramount importance. Go for homeowners insurance, a steadfast companion and embrace the unpredictable journey of life. 

Now, let’s explore the nuances of homeowners insurance in North Royalton and Valley City, Ohio. It’s not just about policies and paperwork; it’s about cocooning a home in a safety net that feels like a warm embrace. An investment in homeowners insurance makes inhabitation more soothing and enjoyable. 

Embracing the Essentials:

One must pay attention to the details. Homeowners’ coverage becomes the cozy shelter, shielding a home from various odds of life. Be it fire, theft, or a lighting dance in the sky, this insurance stands out as a guardian angel, ensuring coverage against all such perils. Depending on situations, one may have to consider adding some extensions to it to cover the garage, the shed, and that white picket fence. A good homeowners insurance wraps them in a protective hug. 

Let’s not forget the cherished belongings. Choose personal belonging coverage for furniture, appliances, and treasures close to heart. Considering the unexpected twists and turns in life, liability coverage is a must. It supports when someone gets hurt on one’s property or their belongings meet an accidental mishap.

Navigating the Local Insurance Landscape:

It’s essential to have a comprehensive idea about the insurance needs of the community. A lot of things come into consideration when choosing insurance coverage. Check out the weather and climate, chances of potential storms and flood, and other metrics. Assess and evaluate the area’s risk factors, such as theft, burglaries, and other criminal activities. Problems like these can disrupt the harmony of the location, making residents vulnerable. Hence, tailoring coverage in view of these hassles is essential. 

The insurance options are endless. One has to gather the right quote from the right source. Compare the price tags and check out the perks available. Decide who needs to be dealt with - independent insurance advisor or a captive agent. The choice matters most. Both have stories to share, and both can guide impeccably. Again, it’s all about choice that decides fate.

Smart Saving Strategies – A Financial Symphony:

Let’s talk about orchestrating the budget. Bundling policies is always the best option. Many insurers offer discounts, and other rewards. Check them out and see how worth they are. Adjusting deductibles is like finding that sweet spot on a musical scale – a higher note might mean a lower premium, but it should feel just right for one’s financial harmony.

Home improvements are like adding soulful tunes to the home. Beyond aesthetics, they make one’s home less of a risk to insure. Picture installing burglar alarms, deadbolts, and storm shutters as giving one’s home a little spa day – not just for looks, but for a comforting melody of lower premiums.

Safeguarding a dream home is a journey of heart, not just a task. Whether for home insurance or car insurance in North Royalton and Strongsville, Ohio, choosing the right coverage is essential. While navigating the world coverage needs, be sure to compare quotes and discounts and check out the perks available. Discuss the insurance agents about the intricacies of the insurance and learn about the nitty-gritty of the insurance coverage.

[ameba-from-space]

I hope you don't mind me asking but i just went through all of your batfam/batman recommended fics and wondered if you had more? I'm super new to the dc fandom and finding good family/friend focused fics has felt like a challenge

Bestie it's not a problem, doing these lists has been loads of fun, I'm re-reading all my favorite fanfics and rediscovering all over again why I loved them in the first place

Let us begin

Of Bats and Robins (and Families) - is it too obvious that I fucking love fanfics where the league meets bruce's kids?

dying dream - Jason finds out what changed in the cave since he was gone

Trending - Tim is a sleepy baby

hit 'em up style - Bruce Wayne vs tampons: battle of the century

falling in love (is hard on the knees) - I know this sounds like smut but I promise it's not

Anything Like Me - Louis and bruce bonding

Reservations - The kids try to set bruce up for a date. Clark mopes.

I Measure Every Grief I Meet - What if Jason was not the one who died in Ethiopia?

We Alley Kids - Jason gets recognized and returned to where he belongs

Billionaire Down - Bruce and Oliver are asshole best friends

and it comes back around - Sometimes Brucie is a hero too

Bundle of Joy - Damian is a baby. Literally

sneaking into the Batcave seemed like a good idea until a bunch of bats glare at you - Guess what bitch, it's another fanfic where the JL meets the kids

Waynes? More like Wayne-kers - The Waynes are assholes and I love them so much

A Children's Story - No better words to describe it other than what the author said "Four batkids walk into a bank"

Hearth - Angst in my rooftop tag? It's more likely than you'd think

A Touch of Concern - Cuddle piles and overprotectiveness

The Bedtime Chronicles - Bruce figures a way to make Jason go to bed

Perils of a Job - Dick gets hurt, bruce worries

what a privilege to love you (to teach you all that I know) - A fucking masterpiece, beautiful and perfect, a story about the word "dad" and what it means to the batfamily. FUCKING BEAUTIFUL GO FUCKING READ IT

Their Five (Unexpected) Dates - The kids try to get bruce set up, fucking guess how well that goes

Clark Kent Reports - Brucie Wayne my beloved

Photos - Damian's baby pictures are found, feelings happen

The Arrangement - Bruce Wayne supports sex workers

Put My Money Where Your Mouth Is - Batman hears the league talking about bruce Wayne, pranks happen

A Day in the Life: Gotham's King - Lois lane writes about bruce Wayne

children of dust and ashes - Bruce avenges Jason

...And To All, A Good Night - Happy Chrismis, merry crysler

That the Ripest Might Fall - reverse robins short story about dick and his tendency to climb chandeliers

bad people don't live in our house - Baby dick is adorable

things kept hidden - Meta!dick Grayson is a ray of sunshine

The Superman Onesie - Dick Grayson owns my heart

What would you do, if it all came back to you? - Bruce makes video diaries after Jason's death, Jason finds them

The Jason Project - Bruce finds the bucket list of a dead child and finishes it

No Matter What - Queerness? In my Dick Grayson? It's more likely than you'd think

Hi Bi, I'm Dad - Bisexuality? In my Tim Drake? Its more likely than you'd think

Dad...I’m Bilingual - Bisexuality? In my Dic... Okay you guys already got the idea

Thinking back to the Season Before - Alfred is a fantastic grandpa

Proof - The boys meet each other before ever meeting bruce

Running Headlong into My Arms - In another universe with no superheroes, bruce Wayne still finds his family

In For a Pound - What if Damian entered Bruce's life much earlier. A GODDAMN MASTERPIECE BY @cdelphiki

I walk the streets at night (with monsters in my mind) - Bruce Wayne is a dragon, his hoard? Children

The Dark Knight Strikes Back - Bruce finishes Minecraft and the boy figure out how much he changed

Bat Out Of Hell - The batfam are a bunch of weirdoes

the lost sidekick society - The obligatory group chat fic

Slumber - sleepy robin

one shot, two shots in the night - Bruce writes a memoir, it makes me cry so hard, fuck, best shit ever

a hat fashioned from tin foil - conspiracy theories straight from Gotham

Anti-Social - Social media is a blessing

Not All Kidnappings are Bad - Bruce Wayne kidnaps a kid, no biggie

I'll Make the World Safe and Sound for You - Robins and band-aids

Built Together - Pillow forts! Pillow forts!

Oh god this list is way longer than I thought it would be, anyway enjoy my rec, just so you guys know I still have 4 more pages of bookmarks

Here are the links to the other ones I made: first part second part

[kiatheinsomniac]

KINKTOBER 2022

✩*⢄⢁✧day twenty-seven: sleepy sex - Melkor | Morgoth

tag: #Tyelpëlos Kinktober Event

notes: short and mean <3

word count: 0.7k

warnings: smut, NSFW content, MDNI, sleepy sex, creampie, cockwarming, Melkor being too sleepy and mushy to be the sadist he is

You relished in these sweet moments with Melkor. None would think that he could be so tender but here you were, kept from the world and all its perils in his arms, his slow breathing tickling the top of your head where he had tucked you under his chin. You nuzzled your face closer to his chest and felt him squeeze you a little tighter as you adjusted where your leg was hooked over his, your limbs all tangled under the blankets. You let out a soft moan at the friction but didn’t chase any stimulation beyond that, more than content to simply stay in his moment. 

However, Melkor seemed to be spurred on by your little noise, turning his head down to graze his lips against the crown of your head, sighing as he held you tightly for a moment. He could be so sweet and tender when it was just the two of you and it almost made your heart burst to be in this moment with him, longing to freeze time just so that it would never end. 

“Turn over, sweet maia.” He hummed and you let out a little groan as you spun around in his arms, your back now facing him and sighing contentedly at the warmth of his body against your back, one of his arms now resting under your head while the other wrapped around your waist, pulling you close. You could feel his hips press to the softness of your ass and you let out a low hum before returning the gesture and pushing back into him. The arm over your waist withdrew enough for his hand to rest over your ribs before sliding past your hip and to your thigh, coaxing you to raise it enough for him to slip his hand into your panties, your nightdress having ridden up to your waist when you turned over. 

Sleepy, you didn’t have the mind nor the energy to quiet any of your soft moans as he touched you, the fabric in between your skin acting as a buffer. Typically, you would be aching for more but, close to sleep as you were, you were beyond content to feel any form of his touch upon you while you laid beside the warmth of his larger body. 

His name dripped from your lips as the fabric was pressed aside and his fingers were replaced with the head of his cock pressing against your entrance. You let out a keen as he pressed into you and the hand that had guided his cock inside of your hole moved to help you keep your thigh raised and legs parted instead, lazily bucking into you and your inviting heat. You weren’t sure whether you wanted to allow yourself to drift off with the comforting weight and stretch of his cock within you or whether you wanted to stay awake long enough to feel him finish just to assure that he would let you cockwarm him afterwards as you both fell asleep. 

You slowly rolled your hips against his and turned to look over your shoulder just enough that you could feel his lips against your temple, hearing all of his heavy sighs and quiet moans. The arm beneath your head moved to coil around your waist from beneath you instead, thumb lovingly caressing your side as you both lazily bucked against each other, panting lightly and moaning. 

“Touch your clit for me…” He whispered as his lips pressed beneath your ear and you let your hand drift down to rub at your sensitive bundle of nerves, hearing a louder moan from your vala behind you as your walls squeezed him tighter. Your body already exhausted but you found yourself quickly reaching an orgasm, nothing like the overwhelming ones that would leave you in a daze like the ones Melkor would usually give you but you were filled with a pleasant, warm buzz as your orgasm milked his cock and you could feel him spill inside you as he pressed as deep into you as he possibly could. 

Your hand left your clit to reach back and hold his hip still, keeping him from pulling out of you. 

“Stay like this?” You asked in a murmur, “Please?” 

“Anything for you, my sweet maia…” He replied in a rumble against the back of your head where he had buried his face in your hair. You found yourself quickly drifting off as he set your thigh back down and held you close with his arm over your waist once more. 

☾ ⋆ﾟ  MASTERLIST / RULES / TAGLIST FORM

☾ ⋆ﾟlike my work? why not: 

∘ buy me a coffee? ∘ join my taglist ∘ consider following/reblogging

🏷️@clumsycopy @edensrose @augustwithquills @involuntaryspasms @eunoiaastralwings @welcometomordor @spidergirla5 @hiddenflowerx

[bullet-prooflove]

Fantasy - Hasim Khaldun x Reader (NSFW)

A special birthday treat for my girl @adarafaelbarba

Tagging: @witches-unruly-heart @xoxabs88xox @wooshwastaken @im-just-a-mississippi-girl

It started with slow teasing hands and a mouth made for sin. Hasim’s bare skin against yours as the stubble from his cheeks brushed over your thighs. His grip tightened as you tried to move, holding you in place as his eager mouth imprinted on your skin. You tasted so good underneath his tongue, he lapped up your come like it was the sweetest fucking nectar. He pressed a butterfly kiss to your clit, sucking it into his mouth before his fingertips traced over your folds, soaking them before they travelled lower. His fingertip circled the rim of your asshole causing you to moan out loud.

“You still want this baby?” he rasped; his voice hoarse as murmured against your inner thigh. “Still want me to fuck you here?”

“Yes.” You drawled arching up as his finger brushed over it once more.

He penetrated you slowly, his finger filling you as his tongue flicked over your slick nub. He worked it inside of you, drawing out your pleasure and giving you just a little bit more each time. Hasim was the only man you had ever let touch you like this, the only one you had ever explored this fantasy with.

“Fuck you feel good.” He whispered, as you took him right down to the knuckle. “So tight. Imagine how good you’ll feel around my cock.”

The rough tenor of his voice, the thought of him entering you with his dick, claiming that part of you. It was a primal urge, one that you hadn’t stopped thinking about since you’d accidently stumbled across it in the book that you’d been reading.

The was pressure building in the pit of your stomach as he fucked your ass slowly, his mouth returning to your clit. His tongue flicked over that sensitive bundle of nerves before he slid lower, thrusting his tongue into your pussy. You cried out at the sensation, fingers clutching at the sheets as he moved in tandem. A wildfire was building inside of you, it seared through your synapses as Hasim pushed you to the edge, holding you there for one perilous moment.

It hit you in a rush, a thousand tiny fireworks exploding through your system all at once. You thrust down on his tongue and finger, crying out his name as you came so hard your vision tunnelled, and your ears rang. He withdrew from your body, his dexterous palms skating over your skin as he peppered your thighs with gentle kisses, his dark honied gaze sweeping up to meet your eyes as he spoke.

“Do you want to take the rest of me baby?”

Love Hasim? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[justabigoldnerd]

Ten Opening Lines

Thank you so much @cha-melodius and @pippinoftheshire for the tags!!

Rules: list the first line of the last ten (10) stories you published. Look to see any patterns you notice yourself, and see if anyone else notices any.

1. "Command Me To Be Well"

God-fucking-dammit.

2. "Where We've Been, Where We Have Bled"

All the air in the room evaporates in an instant.

3. "Take My Hand (Take My Whole Life Too)"

The lights are dim, the music a low, steady pulse.

4. "You Arrived Like Sunlight In The Gloom"

Thunder cracked across the dark sky, making the young tiefling flinch and duck.

5. "And This Little Masochist"

A hitch of breath.

6. "My Very Thoughts Are Cursed"

Ithaca goes four years without so much as an overcast day.

7. "Needing/Getting"

The air changes, and all the eyes in the room turn predatory.

8. "Got A Room And A Place For Two"

He's not sure why, but Illya is a bundle of nerves as he tacks Alexei, his work lit by the falling rays of a dying sun.

9. "A Thousand Teeth (And Yours Among Them)"

The saloon is old.

10. "When The Winds Begin To Sing"

The event was a black tie dinner party, thrown by the affluent Madame Emilia– a powerful T.H.R.U.S.H. official with deadly secrets.

It looks like I've been opening with the building of atmosphere, lately!! Interesting!!

No pressure tagging @huggiebird @happybean17 @falling-into-peril @heytheredeann @bighandsforabigheart

@kcscribbler @mybelovedillya @the-golden-comet @thattripleabattery @too-young-to-fall-in-love

@times-up-alone-tonight @vnyu73 @nicijones @prettyboynapoleonsolo @fandom-meet-fanthem

And an Open Tag for anyone else who wants to join!!! 💕💕💕

[serasvictoria]

@ritual-unions-gotme asked for

Okay I picked one 😈 “I told you, you would eventually start begging” for Ubbe

First off, apologies for taking so long to fill this request. I typed out 4k in words in no time and after that it was nothing but crickets followed by some random spurts over time, but I finally finished it! Hurrah!

Title: Lose My Breath

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 15.315 😅

Summary: When you took a job at Lothbrok Kvinde, a porn company that’s run by Aslaug Lothbrok, you never once thought that one day you’d be working with her son, Ubbe, one of the company’s hottest commodities. Completely unbeknownst to everyone, he has played a starring role in all of your fantasies for quite some time. So the question now is, will you be able to cope when fantasy becomes reality?

Notes: Huge thank you to @punkrocknpearls for beta’ing this for me. You really helped me make this absolutely perfect ❤️

Also, this got ridiculously long (hence why it took me ages to finish this prompt) and also why I am only going to be posting this on AO3. A lot of it is backstory, which I love, and the smut is… well… read at your own peril I guess? Not gonna lie, it’s a spicy one.

This is also in no way an accurate view of the porn industry.

Naturally on the day you were due to start filming, you were a bundle of nerves.

Aslaug had sensed it perfectly and had done her best to make you feel better. Your workload had been lessened significantly and Aslaug had given you a longer lunch break than usual, even if you had barely been able to eat anything. She had also assured you multiple times throughout the day that her son would take perfect care of you, but it hadn’t exactly helped ease your nerves.

It wasn’t the fact that soon there would be a video out there of you having sex. If you had a problem with porn videos, you wouldn’t have taken this job to begin with.

No, it was the fact that Ubbe Lothbrok was going to be the one that you would be having sex with.

The man existed on a whole other level from you. You had seen all of his movies so you were well aware of the type of women that he was usually paired up with and you definitely didn’t fit that bill. What if you were a disappointment? Or even worse, what if you didn’t manage to turn him on? He was a consummate professional, but that didn’t mean that something like that couldn’t happen.

Oh god.

This wasn’t good. You wanted to throw up, even though you had already done that about an hour ago.

Read it on AO3!

Tagging @adrille88 @actual-queen-of-hell @youbloodymadgenius @zuxiezendler @whenimaunicorn @grimeundglow @istorkyou @underragingwaves @quantumlocked310