#this thing has 23 tracks now i just counted

[chatter-p]

my pc is in agony

[blueparadis]

╰┈➤ BLOODSTREAM ✦ NEUVILLETTE.

⟣ ──┈ · · · + synopsis ➢ Neuvillette has always avoided you when he is in heat, more like ghosted you but not this time, not when you are knocking at his doorstep to take care of him.

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⟣ ──┈ · · · + cw ➣fem!redaer, abo dynamic,heavy marking, nipple stimulation, blood k!nk, cockwarming, knotting, piv + unprotected, monsterfucking, mention of rut, oral acts, mild dub-con; 1k word count. | blog navigation + koct’23 masterlist. |

There is a rustle of rumor amongst the people in Fontaine ever since you came to Fontaine in search of work, that Monsieur Neuvilette has a separate chamber, adjacent to his main office, where he spends his time when in a rut. Some people even say that he is just a pesky knockoff of god, inhuman, a puppet and so many more just because he enacts impartial judgment devoid of any feelings and emotions. But you begged to differ. They have not seen him closely like you. They have not seen him soaking himself wet when the sky weeps. They have not seen him when he is in your embrace. Like now.

Your fingers partly cover your face leaving room for the eyes as you inhale deeply, moaning and feeling a stinging pain inside your lower belly that makes you arch your head backward with a long inhaling moan. This is perhaps the fifth time he has made you cum and just by eating you out, surlping your juices and fingering your whole. You have lost track of it since every time you feel less sane, less human. As you gradually straighten your head again, accompanied by cloudy vision, shaky breaths, and sweaty skin you see Neuvillette licking the wounds on your supple skin. They are just love bites, you remind yourself feeling the sharp end of his fangs graze along your boobline. His tongue encircles around your pebbled nipple making you moan again. 

“Monsieur Neuvilette, Are you feeling better now?” you ask feeling his fangs sit along your boobline. He does not bite. He never does yet you find yourself crawling back to those evenings when he would keep you in his embrace, let his teeth touch your skin whenever he kisses you. He is cautious around you. You do not understand why he is like that even though there is no risk if he crosses the line more than that. Your relationship with the iudex is ambiguous at best, but those little moments always come back to haunt you. He has never fucked you before; sure there were intimate moments but never went to the point of sex. It is frustrating at times given he has confided so many things in you.

Neuvillette mouth pauses, hung open around your boob.He does not answer but rather poses a question.“Why did you come here again?” You recall having a need to visit him to submit some papers and also, to get some official papers signed by him. You wince as his tongue lapped over one of your wounds. “Remember. You asked for this.” He states before taking your nipple in his mouth, pulling it away by holding it with his lips. He is careful not to let his fangs touch, not to get swayed by desire. 

You do not deny any of it. It is true that you came to visit him during his rut when he strictly forbade you do so. Not only you but it is forbidden to visit him in his inner chambers for a certain time span once or twice in every month. Curiosity got the best of you, and the pressure of piles of papers had you totally forgotten about this rule. Breaking rule in Fontaine is not tolerated at any cost but perhaps once the chief justice regains himself he might punish you; maybe he is already doing it. 

“I know. I’m aware.” You exclaim and he holds you by your waist, curling his arms around them letting his eyes fall upon you. They seem to sparkle or maybe it is just the lightning. “I’m just a beta. There is nothing to worry about of we … if we.” 

Such a naive little thing you are. You stutter to say the very thing you wanna do. It makes his stone-cold heart warm. “You know nothing. But need not worry, I’ll give you a taste of it,” he whispers in your ears before focusing on what he was doing before. Your innocence tempts his desires so much. You try to laugh it off but then he says, “The rumours, they are not just rumours. Rumours grow when some of it is at least true, won’t you agree?” He arches you a little to align his cock with your entrance. You do not resist as he pushes his cock inside you.

The tip of his cock hits deep inside you as his knot starts to mature making you shut, tears pooling at the corner of them. His palms latched around your waist and they almost covered your whole waist now. His touch is cold, slippery, and wet. Neuvillette starts to make you bob up and down his cock as his cock grows inside you. The scales on his arms which you have so longed to see before were now slowly developing. He was transitioning. You want to see him but something blocks your eyes. It is not his hands, they are on your waist. A rumor that is shaping into a reality. 

You moan and whimper as you feel another orgasm approaching. You can feel his high emerging too but you can not see. Your eyes are wrapped with something but you can not focus on what it is because his cock is hitting your sweet spot with so much precision that all the pain you have endured so far is now becoming pleasurable. Hot spurs of liquid shoot inside of you while his fangs sink at the dip of your neck, biting and sucking your blood. You can feel it. The flow of your blood from your vein to his mouth. You can even hear him gulp. You think you are going to lose consciousness but you did not. 

You can see him now. His true form is in full glory. “You’re mine now.”  He exclaims letting his tongue clean the blood over your neck as he twirls and swings his tail. “It will take a while for me to get back to my human form. You can rest now.” he says, guiding your head along his nape as he keeps himself busy licking those two symmetrical wounds clean. It does not hurt, nor sting. Maybe it is him who is healing it.

[otomiyaa]

Day 23: Money

Jinshi x Maomao | Nim's Lovely Tickletober 

Word Count: 1.4K

Jinshi was shaking. No, no, no. Calm down. Don't panic. Too late, he was totally panicking and breathing heavily.

The knocks on his door startled him.

"C-c-come in."

As requested, Maomao entered and she bowed politely. "You called for me?"

Jinshi stared at her. She looked so casual after, after.... Jinshi shuddered as his mind went back to that moment earlier in the day. He was wondering what Maomao was up to in her free time lately so yes, he kind of followed her.

Staying behind, Jinshi ended up losing track, but he did go in the same direction as she did and looked around for her. That was when, from an abandoned shed, he could hear voices. Groans, and moans, mostly....

"Does it feel good?" That was Maomao's voice!!! More groans.

"Yes."

That was a man and he sounded so happy. Jinshi was already losing it. It didn't take long before the door opened and first the man came out: Lihaku. Jinshi stared in disgust as he walked away. Then Maomao came out. She looked all smug and proud while she admired the money in her hand. She then merrily pranced away.

Jinshi couldn't believe what he witnessed. Maomao was earning extra money doing things.... things like that? In places like that? WITH MEN LIKE THAT?

Not sure what to do with this new information, Jinshi had decided to summon her to his room to try and subtly discuss the matter. If Maomao was having money problems, she should come to him. Not do some nasty business with other men. He knew she was raised in such an environment, but this was still really shocking for a person like Maomao.

"I j-just wanted to talk. Are you doing well?" Jinshi asked, trying not to sound as if he was dying inside.

Maomao nodded. "I am doing well."

"H-how about financially? Is there anything... you need?"

Maomao made a face. "I need a lot of things. But not particularly." Another painful arrow through Jinshi's heart. Yes, loving poison and experimenting with all sort of things wasn't the cheapest hobby and she was drooling over any valuable ingredient at the market, he knew that.

But if she didn't need anything in particular, was she even just randomly doing this side hustle for like, no important reason at all?

Jinshi had no choice but to cut to the chase, especially when Maomao asked first: "Why do you ask? Are you raising my salary?"

That smug little girl. Jinshi glared at her and finally said the truth. "Because I saw you this afternoon."

Her expression changed. She looked surprised. "Oh." She then looked smug again!

"It can't be helped. My skills are so good, people want to buy a session all the time. And I can use the extra money."

Noooooooooooooooo!!!!! Jinshi almost stumbled as he rushed forward and he grabbed her shoulders.

"Y-you can't do things like that!!!" he screamed. Maomao looked unfazed.

"Why not?"

"B-b-b-because......! It's....!" Jinshi was almost fainting. Maomao looked like nothing was wrong at all.

"I don't see the problem. If I compare my work to any doctor's, I have the right to get paid for my services."

"You...!!! Eh? D-doctor?" Jinshi asked when he realized what she was saying.

"My massages really improve the physical health." Maomao nodded proudly. Massages. Jinshi sank through his knees and breathed out. They were just massages. He clenched Maomao's robes to not fall over completely and he sighed.

"M-massages. So... You're that good at them, hm?" he asked tiredly. Maomao nodded again.

"Do you want to try it?"

Jinshi blinked and slowly looked up. Was she offering him a massage now? He tried hard not to appear too perverted when thinking that thought. He then slapped his own cheeks. No, no, it's not like that! Maomao has been selling these massages to other men. Surely he could get one too.

"I'll give it to you for free," Maomao said. Jinshi almost gasped. Special treatment!!! He nodded his head profusely.

"Yes," he said stiffly. Within the next moment, Jinshi sat down and Maomao stood behind him. Her small hands were working on his shoulders, and Jinshi started to question this whole massage thing again. It did feel kind of erotic... Then again, maybe that was just his own silly and problematic mind.

"Does it feel good?" she asked. Oh yes definitely. Jinshi couldn't even answer. Maomao's fingers traveled more to the side, her thumbs rubbing him firmly in circles and making his muscles tingle. But then...

"Yah!" Jinshi jolted, and Maomao paused.

"Does it hurt? Your muscles sure are delicate," she commented.

"No! No it doesn't," Jinshi said. It didn't hurt, but worse. It tickled.

"Alright then." Maomao continued and Jinshi started to try and control his breathing. As if it wasn't already bad enough (in a good way) that Maomao was voluntarily touching him, her massage started to tickle, and the more Jinshi tried to convince himself it didn't, the more ticklish it became.

"H-hehehe.... mhmhmhm....." To his horror, Jinshi realized giggles were escaping his lips, and he quickly covered his mouth.

He hoped she didn't hear that embarrassing noise.

Maomao hummed. "Oh... If you're the sensitive kind of person, my massage can indeed tickle," she said. SHE TOTALLY HEARD IT.

Jinshi started to shake a little, holding back his laughter. "It d-doesn't t-ti-tihihickle."

The ticklish sensations only worsened though and he started to think she was doing it on purpose now.

"It doesn't?"

Jinshi continued to giggle and he squirmed, especially when her fingers lowered to his lower back, and he arched his back suddenly and gasped.

"W-wahahait!" he laughed. Maomao giggled as well.

"I'm amazed. I never had such a ticklish client before." Jinshi couldn't help but see it as both an insult and compliment. He was embarrassed that he seemed to be the only man giggling like a child because of her massage. But Maomao also took her precious time to make Jinshi laugh. It tickled a lot, but he also kind of didn't want her to stop...

"Y-y-you're dohohoing it ohohon purpohose ehehe!" Jinshi had fallen on his side now and giggled while Maomao continued to tickle him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. You are the one who is too ticklish for my massage."

She kneaded his lower sides and back, and Jinshi had never felt such a pleasant and ticklish sensation before. "Wahahah!"

"Do you want me to stop?"

Jinshi shook his head. "I cahahan tahahake it!"

Maomao laughed playfully. "We will see about that." The moment she aimed for his ribs, Jinshi's suspicions were confirmed that this girl had the actual nerve to tickle him on purpose.

"Nohoho! Not thahahat!" Jinshi howled.

"It's all part of the massage," Maomao lied. She made him laugh more than Jinshi had in the past... years. In his whole lifetime maybe. Those who would bathe and care for him knew how sensitive he could be and would avoid it whenever Jinshi's ticklishness threatened to make him laugh.

But Maomao here, she didn't hold back and exploited it. Surely it was rude and shameless, but Jinshi couldn't help but enjoy it. The feeling, the attention, and the uncontrollable laughter.

When Maomao finally stopped, he was breathing heavily and looking up at her smug face.

"Did that feel good?" she asked. Jinshi was still catching his breath. He knew she was teasing him, but... He wondered how he could get her to do this again to him without appearing like a crazy pervert.

"Y-yes. I admit it tickles, but it's a good massage," he sighed. He then added: "If I pay you money next time... Would you do that again?"

Maomao looked suprised to hear this answer. "Are you sure?"

Jinshi blushed and nodded. "It d-does improve my phyiscal health, as you said..." Jinshi said shyly. He wasn't going to say this out loud, but he was convinced that laughter was definitely a good medicine too, especially after a bad day.

"I'll pay you extra..." he said.

Maomao first gaped at him. She then smiled radiantly. "Hehe! Well, of course!"

Jinshi knew it would be weird to give her money for extra 'services' like that. But at least it was less weird to treat it like a paid massage service, rather than just ask her to tickle him again and again.

And besides, if this would keep Maomao off the streets and her precious hands off any other man's body... yes, Jinshi would pay her the double amount and would take her tickle attacks as a well-earned bonus.

[morganski-19]

Chills Right to the Marrow Part 26

ao3 link| part 1 . . . part 23, part 24, part 25

Wayne walks into the hospital, the information that he’s been given still running a marathon he can’t finish. Too caught up stumbling in all the unbelievable hurdles. Struggling to keep his footing on ground he thought was solid. But it’s cracking underneath his feet.

All these kids, all this time, went through that. Something that the authorities should have dealt with, but left up to children and regular civilians. Causing people to die and get hurt. Be left with trauma the regular public will never understand, and might not even believe.

Wayne doesn’t even know if he believes it. Even though he knows it’s true. It’s just his brain trying to find the fault in the truth to market it as a lie. So he can be mad a something a little more real. More feasible.

“Hey, Wayne,” Dustin calls out to him, causing him to stop in his tracks. “Did Steve talk to you, he said he needed to. I don’t know what about though.”

“Nothing you don’t already know,” he says simply. Each work breaking a small line in his heart.

Dustin rolls his eyes. “So you won’t tell me either, great.”

“Woah, I was tellin’ you the truth. No need to give me that tone.” Wayne might be slightly out of practice, but that parent voice came back real fast.

“Sorry,” Dustin mutters under his breath, crossing his arms. “I’m just sick of people hiding things from me. I’m not a kid anymore.”

But he is.

“But you are.”

He groans. “Sure fine, I’m still technically a kid. But I’m older now, I understand things more. That has to count for something.”

“Sure it does. Doesn’t mean you’re going to part of every conversation though. There are some things that you don’t need to be a part of. Things you don’t need to worry about.”

“People always say that, but I don’t believe them. First they say it’s nothing to worry about, and they they’re almost dying. I’m tired of that.”

And there lies the real reason for this frustration. The need to be involved so he knows exactly what the problem is. So he can try to get ahead of it. Stop it before it becomes catastrophic.

This kid has already had some much of his life change before his eyes. Without question, straying from the established plan. There’s no planning for life, but especially not the way Dustin’s had to live it. The way any of these kids had to live it. Or the adults.

Wayne sees the pain that imbedded itself into all of their beings. The way their eyes dart around, trying to see the unseen. And their bodies to predict the unpredictable. Pulled taught with string, ready for the next fight. For the next big thing.

If he could give anything to help them get one moment’s peace, he would give it. No one deserves to live like this.

“Look,” Wayne places a hand on Dustin’s shoulder. “I don’t have all the answers for you, and I’m not sure what specifically you’re talking about. But I do know that these people care about you, and know that you care about them. There are always going to be things left unsaid, and things kept from you. And you’re not going to get anything if you come from a place of anger instead of compassion. Explain why you want to know, then maybe they’ll tell you.”

Dustin nods, taking a moment to think. Wayne watches as he processes where to go next. Sees the fragility that lies beneath his frustration.

“Do you think they would really tell me?” he finally asks, so unsure of it all.

“They might. And if they don’t, they might give you a better answer than telling you it’s none of your business. That means they listened to you.”

It’s what everyone wants at the end of the day. To be heard.

“That’s at least something, isn’t it?” Wayne finishes, looking Dustin in the eyes. Showing him that he listened. That Dustin was heard.

Dustin nods. Still not looking completely satisfied, but better. “I guess so.”

Wayne gives Dustin’s shoulder a clap before letting go. “You off to see Eddie?”

“No,” he shakes his head. “I just came from there, my mom wants me home for dinner.”

“You have a ride?”

Dustin nods his head.

“Alright. Tell your mom thanks for me, for the dinner. It was very nice of her.”

“I won’t tell her that bit. Unless you want an entire casserole on your doorstep tomorrow.”

Wayne chuckles on his way to Eddie’s room. A real laugh. It’s starting to feel less foreign now.

Eddie’s playing with a stress ball when Wayne enters. Or less so playing and more like squeezing. Mumbling something under his breath before letting go.

“Hey Wayne,” he says. Concentration still on the ball.

“What do you got there?”

Eddie groans, head dramatically hitting the pillow. “Some stupid exercise the new nurse gave me to do. Something about starting to get back ‘motor functions.’ I’m supposed to count how long I can squeeze it.”

“What’s your record?”

“Ten seconds. Trying to get it to fifteen.”

He squeezes the stress ball again, fine for the first few seconds, but starting to shake around the halfway mark. Fingers twitching as they start to release the grip. Eddie’s face scrunching, trying to get them to stay just a bit longer.

“Ha, eleven.” He releases his fist, the momentum of the ball causing it to roll out of his hand. “Take that.”

The ball rolls off the bed toward Wayne’s direction. He picks it up, taking a second to give it back to Eddie. Wondering if it’s right to bring up that he knows.

“You just missed the guys, by the way,” Eddie starts before Wayne gets the chance to. “Finally got off their asses to come see me.”

“They came by a few times while you were in the coma.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, like that doesn’t matter. But really Wayne knows he’s just annoyed. These kids were his friends before spring break. He thought they were going to be after too.

“Yeah, but not while I was awake. It’s one thing to come and see me when I’m asleep, it’s a different thing to come and see me when I’m awake.”

“That’s true. Did you ask them why it took them so long? Maybe they had a good reason”

Eddie groans. “You can’t go a few weeks without trying to give me a life lesson, can you.”

Wayne laughs again. Sits with how the air sits in his lungs so light. Makes his whole body so much lighter.

He doesn’t need to talk about what happened with Eddie right now. Not yet. Not when Eddie’s trying to figure out how to live again. Not while he’s still trying to get them a place to call home.

Everything will come out when it’s time. He knows that. Right now, they can forget for a while and just be.

next part

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@papergrenade, @waelkyring, @sweetheartprincess28, @katouasobj, @astercomoasflores

[3xiles]

Sweet lies part two

Pairing •Toji x gn!reader

Warnings• Angst!, Cheating, suggestive (they like lowkey make out), manipulation, UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP!, Cursing. Lmk if i forgot any!

Word count • 1079 words

A/n • I had this pre written ever since i put out the first part but was so hesitant on posting it LMAO! Enjoy! Masterlist is pinned!

You knew life after the honeymoon phase was rough but nothing could’ve prepared you for the drastic switch in you and Toji’s relationship. About two months the after you guys got married is when you realized the mistake you made. Your days went from him coming home from work and showering you with affection to him coming in with an inaudible hello. You were confused on what you could be doing wrong. He was coming home to a clean house with food on the table, a bath prepared and you all dolled up for him, just how he liked it. This went on for months and throughout those months he’s just been coming home later and later. The man who was once coming home every day at five now walking through the front door as late as ten at night. It didn’t bother you until your 26th birthday.

You woke up excited to celebrate your first birthday as a married woman. For your birthday last year Toji went all out so you couldn’t help but let your expectations be high! Toji wasn’t there when you woke up, which was normal because he usually leaves extremely early in the morning. You spent your day pampering yourself to the max, expecting to maybe go out later. Soon enough five o clock rolls around. You sit pretty and patient on the couch, telling yourself he’s just running a little late. You wait… and you wait.. sending text after text to your husband every hour.

Hubby💍❤️

5:30pm

Y/n: Hey babe coming home soon?

6:15

Y/n: Toj idk what you have planned but i’m super excited! see you soon❤️

7:23

Y/n: Hey is everything okay??

8:54

Y/n: Hello?

9:46

Y/n: Toji it’s almost 10 where are you?

10:27

Y/n: Toji?

You send your last text with tears falling from your eyes. You hate to think he forgot your birthday. It can’t be. He just got caught up in something. It has to be. You check the time one last time. 11:03. You then tell yourself you need to go to bed. As you stand up from the couch the door opens and the man you’ve been waiting for finally shows. You do nothing but stare at him, tears mixed with mascara running down your puffy cheeks. “The hell happened to you?” he says, taking off his shoes, tie, and blazer. He begins to unbutton his shirt, purple marks adorning his chest. That was in that moment when something in you just… snapped.

“Toji, what is today?” you slowly walk towards him. He shrugs, scratching the back of his head. “Look doll, i’m beat. Can we talk tomorrow?” he begins to walk towards the stairs that lead to your shared bedroom “No. Absolutely the fuck not.” oh crap. did you just say that? he stops in his tracks and turns to you. “Excuse me?” Shitshitshitshitshit what do you say? why did u say that? “Toji i asked you a question. What. Is. Today.” you keep up the tough girl act, too deep to back out now. “Y/n.” he walks closer to you but you back away “Toji today is my fucking birthday. Today is my birthday and i’ve been home all day thinking my ‘husband’ was going to at least come home on time but you were out fucking some bitch!” You begin to yell, crying harder than you were before. “The fuck are you talking about?” You weren’t stupid, you knew he was cheating but who were you to say anything. You were nothing without him. You didn’t want to ruin things. You can’t lose him. “Toji, i know you’re seeing someone else but i at least thought you would have some type of respect or decency to not do this to me on my fucking birthday.”You’re falling apart in front of him.

The silence is strong. He walks towards you and wraps his arms around you, holding you close. “Things just haven’t been right with me, i don’t know why i do the things i do. You know how much you mean to me baby, i never want to hurt you.” i never want to hurt you. Those words replay in your mind. He brings his hands to hold your face, wiping your tears with his thumbs. “You know I love you and only you, right?” you wanted to yell at him. You wanted to kick and scream but something in you made you believe every word he was saying. Instead of doing any of those things you just nodded. Shame rose in you but it all started to fade away when his lips connect with yours. You know this isn’t right, this isn’t healthy but that doesn’t stop you from wrapping your arms around his neck and letting his hands wander. “I’m so sorry baby.” his lips travel to your neck. You try to hold back sounds but he knows just what to do to get it out if you. “Gonna let me show my girl how sorry i am?” you just started at him. not wanting to say yes but you didn’t want to disappoint him by saying no either.

You have to draw a line somewhere. “I think i just wanna go to sleep…” Removing your hands from him and stepping back. His looks confused but he doesn’t press further. Is it bad that part of you wishes he did? You wished he would’ve showed some kind of kind want, not just wanting to fuck out of pity. You know why he didn’t tho, he already got his fix of pussy for the night and it didn’t come from you. What a shame.

That night you couldn’t sleep, you were up all night silently crying. Is this really what your life was? You had lost yourself in this relationship. Your 26th birthday was a wake up call. The next few days were rough, he was just coming home later and later. Not to mention he wasn’t even trying to hide his affairs, He started to be careless. Not bothering to cover the scratches or hickeys that covered his body, leaving his phone open when you could see messages from the multiple girls and having panties and various other items in his car that didn’t belong to you. It’s like he was trying to hurt you, but isn’t that what he said he never wanted to do?

[lowtaperfeyd]

A Scintilla of Excitement (Chapter 1)

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen x Mentat!reader

author's note: This is the first chapter of the mentat series I am writing! I'm so excited for you to see what else I've come up with for this :D (It has now taken the spot for longest thing I've written.) Also go check out my beta-reader @zzleeper!!!!

warnings: house harkonnen, death, mentions of knives,

wc: 1529

You sat on the cold, metal seat of the ornithopter the Harkonnens sent to come and get you from the heighlinder. The scraping of metal startled you when they screeched unexpectedly.

 How tragic, you thought, my final moments will take place in a world with no normal sun. And no normal sons either. 

The entire two day trip on the heighliner was not so bad. You were allowed to wander the empty ship corridors and explore even up to the staff decks. The only part that was scary were the ‘servants’ aboard the ship. Their bald heads, that seemed to engulf any light that shined on them, made you feel uneasy. 

If this is how I feel when I see people like this, I wonder how I’ll feel when I see the baron. 

They always seemed to look at you as if you were an alien. Which I supposed you were. The color to your skin that made you look more alive than them. It probably scared them just as much as it scared you. 

As you continued to sit there in the cockpit, thinking about the heighliner, you fiddled with your fingers and did not sit fully still. 

“We have a nervous one I see!” Shouted a voice from the front of the cockpit where the pilot was. A voice that had a distinct inflection that just screamed Harkonnen, even if the owner of the voice was whispering, 

“Don’t worry the baron doesn’t play with his food.” The pilot laughed out, “But the Na-Baron, oh boy watch yourself around him!” 

As you sat there, mildly disturbed at what you just heard, the pilot went on and on about the things he had seen the Na-Baron do. Almost like he was proud of him,

“There was this one time Na-Baron took a butter knife off the table and stabbed one of his uncle’s advisors because he didn’t agree with what he was saying!” He exclaimed, “One of my friends was there, he barely survived with just one eye left. Told me all about the story.” 

“That's,” you swallowed so as to not hurl at what you heard, “really something…” 

FACT: HARKONNENS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE PLANET, IN GENERAL, ARE USED TO THIS VIOLENCE AND ENJOY IT. 

INFERENCE: DON'T ACT LIKE YOU HATE THOSE THINGS, BE VERY NEUTRAL ON IT.

HYPOTHESIS: IF YOU CAN ACT LIKE YOU FEEL INDIFFERENT ABOUT THESE THINGS MAYBE THEY'LL PUT IN A GOOD RECOMMENDATION TO KAITAIN. 

“It’s incredible, ” The pilot responded, “But the real question is, why does the baron need another Mentat?”

“Another good question is where’s the store that doesn’t sell chatty pilots?”(Y/N) retorted, feeling a little sick and tired from the traveling and what they had just heard.  

The snap seemed to shut him up just long enough before you landed on Giedi Prime. 

“About an hour before we land on the surface, Mentat.” The same pilot muttered in annoyance. 

Actually, 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 23 seconds. But who's counting or keeping track? Definitely not you. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the heighliner ramp went down, it allowed you to fully see the polluted land around Geidi Prime. The black sun changed the red, metallic bracelet you were wearing to a dark and shiny gray, almost sliver, instead of its normal vibrance. You saw the guards and their multitude of weapons and dark armor. 

If they were standing inside, that would be black. You thought, but that isn’t a surprising detail.

“Are you ready to walk down, Mentat?” one of the other workers on the heighliner asked.

“Yes.” You responded courteously, because you had a pretty good idea of what would happen if you disrespected someone with all the guards and important people around. 

The ramp underneath your feet was extremely slippery and steep and forced you to take very slow and precise steps to reach the end. At the rate I am moving I’ll get to the end after the sun goes down. You eventually got to the end of the ramp. But, you only looked at your feet the entire time. Once you looked up you saw a man with a black hood and robes, as well as the lip tattoo you had. 

That’s Piter de Vries. 

You took the final ten steps to walk to him. As you walked you noticed him look you up and down in an arrogant and almost disgusted manner. 

You put your hand out waiting for him to shake your hand. As you did this you said, “I’m (Y/N) (L/N), the new Mentat.”

Instead of him talking your hand he just continued to look up and down. Most likely reviewing the clothes you were wearing and the way you held yourself. Awkwardly, you put your hand down back to your side. 

“Well your arrival in the ornithopter was on time. But, the way you traversed down to the ground was quite untimely.” He remarked, “It must be quite exciting for you to have your first assignment.” He added sarcastically. 

Just a scintilla of excitement, it would be more if I was not here. 

“But, there is no time for talking,” he exhaled, “I can’t have you seeing the baron in such attire.” 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You looked around at the small bedroom you were given. The room had a hospital type of antiseptic-ness. The walls were bare besides small vertical groves and bolts into the walls holding things together. There was a little gray desk that had shelves that were indented into the walls above it. Beside your desk, was the little chest of belongings that were sent before you had departed from Tleilax. 

I’ll unpack that before I go to bed tonight. 

You turned toward your bed, a relatively small bed with dark covers and pillows. On top of that was a black butcher paper package. On the front of it, in clear print was, TO THE MENTAT, (L/N). In the package was a set of black clothes that looked similar to the ones you see de Vries as well as other people wearing, except without the cloak. On top of the clothes was a note from de Vries himself. 

(L/N), I have taken the liberty of getting rid of all the unnecessary clothes in your trunk and replacing them with more suitable attire for a Mentat. In your closet, you’ll find more of the same kind in the package.

De Vries.

What an asshole.

Quickly, you walked over to your closet and sure enough when you opened it. It was like the same outfit had been cloned over and over again. Black shirt, black pants, and a shiny black belt. Three pairs of black, leather dress shoes were in there too. At the back of the closet, there was a small amount of colder weather wear. A couple of insulated black coats and cloaks. 

Unwillingly, you shed your bright clothes from the academy for a dreary uniform instead. The fabric of the shirt was silking and smooth, but the pants itched badly when it met your skin. 

Once you were done, you exited your room to see two, bald headed, slave girls standing outside of your room. 

“Why are you here?” You questioned. 

“We are here to take you to the baron. Under the order of Mentat De Vries.” The girl on the left said timidly. 

“Alright…” you whispered as you closed the door behind you. 

As you walked through the halls of the Harkonnen’s castle you saw portraits of past rulers who were equally as bald as the next. After four minutes of walking, you ended up in front of a heavily guarded door. From outside the room, you could hear the sounds of yelling, screams, and a thud against the wall.  

Remember, indifference, and then you’ll get your way. 

You nodded toward the guard, signaling to him you were ready to enter the room. Slowly, the guard opened the heavy, metal door with a slight grunt. Walking inside, you saw a long table that had chairs on either side of it and a huge spread of food on top of it. But, there was only one chair at the head. The Baron was sitting there enjoying the elegant feast on the table. 

For the baron… all that food. 

You walked past important officials and advisors to Baron Harkonnen sitting in the chairs. You noticed De Vries sitting right next to the baron and opposite two bald headed men. These men were dressed not like the slave or advisors, but men of higher standing. 

The baron’s nephews Count Glossu and Na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Rabban. 

Beside De Vries, there was an empty seat. As you walked to sit in that seat, you noticed the younger man who was sitting opposite of you, the Na-Baron, eyeing you down and biting his lips at the same time. 

He probably picks the member of staff that gets eaten when a couple mess up. Is he imagining me fried or boiled?  

“I appear to be late, I’m sorry about that, my baron.” You apologized as you pulled the chair out and sat.  “Don’t be sorry, Mentat." The Na-Baron jested, "It’s not a good look for you.”

[loftec]

Shameless DVD Commentary: None the wiser

I was tagged by a lovely anon over at @shamelessdvdcommentary to do this, thank you! Here we gooo

Which fanfic is your DVD commentary about?

The people (11 out of 20) have spoken! None the wiser

Give us some stats - (when you wrote it, word count, how long it took to finish, is it a one-shot/multi-chapter, etc)

First published: 2015-09-23 (coming up on 9 years what is time??)

Last updated: 2021-12-11 (holy heck that's... shit! I'm sorry!)

Words: 218,480 and counting

Chapters: 53/68

What was the initial inspiration for your story?

A little bit of everything, mostly I'd been reading a lot of Shameless fic at the time and really wanted to write something that was both a really quite basic diner/coffee shop AU, but The Most version of it. The slowest burn, the most diner AU. I had no ambition for people to like it but I wanted it to be Known. If anyone ever asked for a diner fic, they'd HAVE to say, well, NTW is The Most diner fic we've got. If someone asked for slow burn, people would sigh and say, WELL, this one over here is the worst, but it is very slow. And also I was inspired by Before Sunrise / Before Sunset, and working in the music industry.

If the story is written from a character’s POV, why did you choose this character?

I chose Mickey specifically because of the Concept, that Ian decides when the chapters start and end (with some exceptions) by going to the diner, but we're limited to Mickey's POV. Generally I think Mickey is easier for me to write, too, he's got a really strong voice and I like looking at the world (and Ian) through his eyes.

What was your favourite scene to write?

The whole banter/walk scene in chapter 44 when they leave the venue:

“Sure you and your lips can do whatever you set your heart to,” he says, “I believe in you.” Ian is silent, and when Mickey risks a glance in the direction of him and his non-trumpeting goddamned marvelous lips, Ian is looking at him like he’s some kind of unsolved mystery. ”What?” Mickey asks, frowning at him when Ian smiles. “Just a thought,” he says. ”You’ve been flirting with me since we first met, haven’t you?”

I had that whole back and forth leading up to the first kiss in my head for years before I got to finally got around to write it and I still love it.

How did you come up with the title?

It's from a song, one of the core songs I associate with this fic. My playlist now has 149 tracks on it, but the ones I consider "core songs" are None the wiser, Day After Tomorrow, Let's Dance, How I Made My Millions, Not Dark Yet, and Mosquitoes. I'm not sure I can explain why, but None The Wiser came on randomly when I was doing dishes and thinking about this fic I was writing, and the vibes just lined up in my head. Also I think it fits this version of Mickey I'm writing, who knows so much and has so much experience, but refuses to understand what's happening when Ian walks into his life.

Are there any little moments or references you hope readers will notice?

Oh, wow. Yeah. I always reference silly little things and I just have to hope people understand them, or tolerate them at least. I think one of my favourite bit of foreshadowing is in chapter 39 when people keep staring at Ian because they obviously recognise him, but Mickey thinks staring at Ian is a completely reasonable thing to do and is mostly just annoyed over how blatant they're being.

Was there anything you struggled to write? If so, how did you overcome this?

I am struggling right now lol, I had meticulous notes for what I wanted to happen for every single chapter up until 45, and now half of them say "they text all day" and I'm like THANKS!!! VERY HELPFUL!! Also life and writers block etc etc.

Favourite line in the story?

This is such a hard choice, so I'll just go with this one from chapter 42:

“So,” Ian says, sitting back to sweep his arms out in a wide motion, presenting his solution. “I think we should go out for breakfast sometime.”

Because to me it pinpoints the moment when Ian breaks the format, in a way? They have met outside the diner before, but only on accident, and here Ian realises that it might be a problem that they only ever hang out at Mickey's job. But metatextually, he also highlights the narrative crux they're stuck in. I don't know, is that a boring favourite line? I have many, and I grabbed the first one I saw so I wouldn't get stuck rereading the whole fic lol. Do you have a favourite line?

Did the storyline change in any way as you wrote the story?

So much, it's hard to believe because there isn't too much of a plot, but so much. My planned ending is so far from what it was when I started out, which is maybe one blessing that comes from how long it's taking me to write it, I have time to rethink things. I can't really talk about it now without spoiling the actual ending, but you better believe I will expose myself once we get to it.

If you are writing a particular trope or genre, was it your first time writing this?

I'd written fic for a different fandom ten years earlier, but nothing in this style I don't think, and this was my first time writing since I was 20 and stopped writing jrock rpf. I suppose I'm still writing about music, though!

What are you most proud about in the story? (plot, characterisation, dialogue, twist/cliffhanger, etc)

One of the things I've always wanted to do with writing for Ian and Mickey is to let them have conversations, have things in common, and be friends. Because I think they were in canon, we just never got to see it (in the first 5 seasons, careful what you wish for). Guess I'm saying I'm proud of the bants!

Are there any deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the final story?

I don't think so! I mean, maybe the last 15 chapters? I kid! They will make it!

Are there any ‘behind the scenes’ info you’d like to share - e.g. what’s going on in a characters head in a certain scene or how you came to write a certain line?

There is one line Ian says where, when I wrote it, I was like; this is the first time Ian thinks "I love you" but says something else. Cannot remember what or where right now, and I don't want to try and find it, it's late! Submit your guesses here, I might find it over the weekend if I have some time to look. Also, it's like one of those silly I love yous, one of the early ones, full of potential and feeling but perhaps lacking a bit in substance, but he thought it and I saw him thinking it!

Reading back the story now, is there anything you’d change or add?

Eh *coughs* I might already have, and I apologise. The worst part about writing something this slowly and posting the chapters as I go is that the fic isn't finished and so I feel like it's fine for me to sometimes go back and edit already published chapters. It's not right but I... will still do it. Sorry! A most embarrassing example is when, not too long ago, we discussed the layout of the diner here and I went back to the first chapter to see how I had described it, and it had changed in so many ways over the years? Small round tables?? The tables haven't been round since 2016!! So that's a very clear case of something having become canon for all the hundred little times I've thought of the tables as square while writing vs that one time in chapter one I carelessly said they were round.

Would you ever write a sequel to this story?

Yes! So many! Or maybe not a sequel, that suggests another part of equal size. But little bits of stories, yes!

If you’ve chosen your most popular story, are you surprised by the popularity?

Yes! Like I said, my only aim was to annoy my way to fandom infamy. Turns out it's so much more fun to actually connect with people and write something with someone else in mind, besides myself. I feel so lucky that so many people have connected with NTW over the years <3

Were you nervous or excited to post this story?

Mostly just excited, I think! I still am, whenever I get to post something : )

Did you have a beta or a friend who helped you as you wrote?

No, I probably should have but I have a very hard time showing things to people when they're not finished.

Ask your followers to pick a snippet (no more than 500 words) and share your thoughts about it.

Add snippets in the replies and I'll share thoughts, if you want!

Thanks for reading! <3 <3 <3

[tenthgrove]

Reverse Engineering the OIAR Tagging System: Part 2

I've had another look at things and I have managed to create a more concrete theory for how the tags work, though at this stage I would be very surprised if it were all correct.

A reminder for the unfamiliar- every TMAGP statement comes with a long code, consisting of a CAT (category?), R (rank? - two statements do not have this), a four digit number which seems to be totally random, and the dates of both the statement's origin, and when the episode is set.

I've created this theory by identifying patterns between the CAT and R values and the themes, characters and dates of the statements. It is clear we need some more statements to be sure, so I will update this as new episodes come in. That said, here is my theory.

CAT = Is the Monster an External and/or Being Actively Taken Advantage of by the OIAR?

CAT 1 = Yes. CAT 2 = No, but there are plans to acquire it. CAT 3 = No, and there are no plans to acquire it. CAT 23 = The monster possesses some special quality which the OIAR would like to take advantage of, but currently has no means to do this (hence making it both a CAT 2 and 3 in a sense).

Our only confirmed external, Mr Bonzo, is a CAT 1. The two other CAT 1s are monsters that could very well function as OIAR assassins. Granted, Needles seems to be killing for his own pleasure and seems very ‘green’. BUT- how in the living hell did he murder a man on the streets of London and it wasn’t national news? Maybe, just maybe, Needles was recruited as a result of that incident and the OIAR pulled strings to clean up his mess. Additionally, two of the CAT 1s are delivered literally days before we learn of them. One is older but refers to Bonzo, who we know for a fact is still active. The other was delivered in May 2022. All these statements are live matters, referring to beings who are almost certainly still out there making body counts.

Moving down to the lower rankings, the current CAT 2s are plant guy, Vouyer, the charity shop volunteers and the backrooms service station. These are all statements that leave huge question marks. None of them are delivered by a primary source. They are all 1-15 year old statements. This could mean the OIAR is trying to locate the beings within the statement to potentially take advantage of them, but have not yet tracked them down.

The current CAT 3s are InkSoul, the violin guy, and the bone dice guy. Violin and dice guy are both dead, and the dice were presumably lost in the destruction of the Magnus Institute. It’s clear why the OIAR wouldn’t be interested in them. Now what about InkSoul? Well there are a number of reasons why the OIAR would not want to recruit them. Maybe their power is not reliable? After all, it seemed the effect they had on their victim in the statement was linked to her being an artist. Maybe they’ve already tried to recruit InkSoul and it didn’t go well. Or maybe InkSoul has become inactive since the statement in 2022.

Now, what about CAT 23? I’m really not sure about this one (there are only two CAT 23s so far, one of which is the Red Canary statement) so my theory here is a stand-in. I previously suggested CAT 23 could refer to dimensional cracks and it’s possible that is also the case. It could be that CAT 23 IS the ‘Magnus Protocol’, and that ‘Magnus’ doesn’t specifically mean ‘pertaining to the Magnus Institute’ but ‘pertaining to the Magnus Institute or similar known cracks in reality, of which the Magnus Institute is the one we know most about’. It could be that the OIAR has an active interest in manipulating dimensional cracks but hasn’t yet figured out how, and CAT 23 is created to reflect this.

R = How Useful is this Monster to the OIAR?

A = Frighteningly powerful, possibly equivalent in its impact to the rituals. AB = Between A and B value. B = Pretty useful, but not going to massively improve the OIAR's position by itself. BC = Between B and C value. C = Not especially useful for the OIAR's purposes. Unranked = Value either not investigated or pending investigation. We have no Rank As thus far, and the only rank AB, the Red Canary statement, is widely believed by fans to be the most crucial piece of the puzzle so far to the wider mystery. I believe the first rank A statement is going to be truly massive.

Current Rank Bs include Bonzo and Needles, as well as the bone dice and the Voyuer movie. Bonzo is a known OIAR assassin and as above, Needles very well could be/could become one if the OIAR wanted that for him. However, they can't exactly take down society. Equally, the dice and the movie have limitations that only allow them to target one person at a time - the dice only affect the person who rolls them and the movie relies on only having one audience member to customise itself for.

The Rank Cs are, so far, just the charity volunteers and the ship tattoo. I admit this may be the weakest part of the theory as it's not clear how these two are 'useless', especially if CAT 23 means what I theorise above. Maybe Rank Cs are useful to study but not important to the main goals of the OIAR, whatever they be.

The two unranked statements are the plant guy and the violin. The violin statement could be unranked because it is just that old, and the plant guy could be unranked for a number of reasons. Maybe he is CAT 2 because the OIAR want to study him, but they don't actually have a use for the anomaly that sired him.

Conclusion

As you can see there are various weaknesses to the theory and I would be very surprised if it turns out to be entirely right. The biggest gap right now is the rank C/unranked theories which are not entirely apparant why they're so low. If Protocol is anything like Archives, almost all these monsters will be revisited, so reasons for their placements could still be revealed to us. I am fairly certain the OIAR already knows more about most of them than is let on. I will revisit this theory as more information becomes known.

[its-all-papaya]

can we get a lestappen or a landoscar + 13? maybe after waiting for a long time? or after one of them thought the other had been injured? 👀

heyyyyyy bestie anon, I come with gift ! it didn't end up that desperate, but I started in a direction and loved it too much to abandon, so if you want, I'll write that injury landoscar for you down the road as an apology.

other disclaimers include: I do not speak any of these languages & I am not remarkably well-versed in lestappen lore. ALLLLL that being said, I am quite fond of this one.

send me a ship and a number and i will write a kiss

13. desperately | lestappen | ~800

Charles thinks he’s been in love with Max since before he knew the word for it. He had amour and he had amore, but Max had neither of those. And by the time they both had love, there were too many other words between them in all their varied languages, a mess of translations.

Because before Charles had love, he had colère, fighting back from P7 after Max edged him off the track in France. There was envie, watching his childhood rival slide into the seat of an F1 car through the screen of his laptop, balanced on his knees where he sat on the floor of his bedroom. With Ferrari, there was frustrazione from the garage as Charles watched Max take the chequered flag in front of a backdrop that he’d been looking at for 23 years. It was Charles’ view before Max knew it existed, and that was devastazione, heartbreak.

(Charles knows now that for Max, before there was love, there was pijn and there was snelheid and there was very little else.)

He’s known how to battle Max since before he knew English. He learned how it felt to overtake Max on track before he learned how to fit his mouth around the word - ‘overtake.’ Before he knew disappointment, before he knew victory, he knew déception, watching Max beat him and la victoire, beating Max.

In all of Charles’ memories, in each of his milestones, Max is there. In the pits, on the podium, thighs pressed together in the curve of the couch. For as far back as his memory extends, there has been racing boots and rubber, and around the apex of every turn, always there is Max.

Seven months after that afternoon in Monaco, Charles watches Max take the top step of a podium for the tenth time in a year and the hundredth time in his memory. He looks up at the boy he’s been battling nearly all his life and it’s the first time he’s seen him and thought fierté, proud.

Somewhere between that night in Abu Dhabi and two and a half years later in Imola, though, the weight of the world has switched shoulders. Charles has never been unburdened in F1, has never been light (if he’s allowed for a moment to be maudlin, he’ll admit he doesn’t know anybody who’s donned rosso corsa and come out the other side without an ache in their bones from the weight of it), but that has always been just another thing he shares with Max. He’s been comparing them one to the other for so long that it has become a part of his every weekend, like strapping his helmet, like saying his prayers. Max has never been soft, but his success has settled his fury, and when they interact now – more than ever – often he is doux, gentle. There are three World Championships between them and enough points that Charles doesn’t bother counting. He should look up the grid and feel jalousie, but instead he looks up from P3 through a mist of champagne and realizes the feeling (next to his motivation) is friand, fond.

Every weekend there is Max, and every summer there is Monaco. They occupy adjacent places in Charles’ chest: constant like racing, glittering like trophies. Always what he is chasing, always out of reach.

Only this summer, impossibly, there is no devastazione. There is no frustrazione. There is just vittoria, euforia, victory in Monaco.

He’s won, and it’s not a Championship but for now, for today, he can’t imagine winning anything that would matter more. Fresh out of the harbor, the Monégasque salt still stinging in his eyes, he thinks of every kilometer he’s ever driven, every podium he’s ever stood on, every moment he’s spent fighting for this, and always, toujours, sempre the person beside him. Monaco is Formula 1 and Monaco is home – a pair of associations that belong to the streets of Monte Carlo and only one other thing.

The champagne is sparkling in his bloodstream when he returns to the paddock, but it dims in comparison to the feeling he gets when he meets Max’s eyes. It is nothing to run to him and it is everything to reach him.

Max whispers words and they are English, but they could be any language and Charles would still understand. It is Abu Dhabi, it is Val D’Argenton, it is Monaco in Max’s gaze when his arms fit tightly around Charles. When Charles kisses Max, there are no words left. It’s desperation, it’s passion, it’s two decades in the making. It’s wet with Charles’ tears – relief like a victory lap – and it’s amour, amore. Charles’ hands bracket a face he’s spent his whole life watching and his mouth slides against a mouth he’s loved since before it could even speak to him. It is a long time until they part.

Charles thinks enfin, finally, and pour toujours, forever.

[hazel-of-sodor]

Day 23-Tap Out

Day 23-Beyond

Other Stories

Other Day

A Western Summer

Thomas rolled onto the docks smoothly, humming contentedly, whistling a hello to S.S. United States as he looked for his friend, the liner replying back.

He soon found Percy, cursing at the truck management.

“May I remind you my siblings taught Salty?” he called out amused.

Percy looked back with a glare, “No wonder it's a mess then.”

Thomas chuckled, and began helping Percy sort out the mess.

“Its due to the storm,” he explained, “several harbors are closed for repair, and it's all coming through here. Plus everything meant for past Elsbridge…”

“Has nowhere to go.” The saddletank sighed, “I guess that's why they needed me here so much.

“How was the trip?” Thomas asked innocently.

“Never again.”

Thomas laughed, “I thought it would be better than being stuck in the shed.”

“...of course it was your idea.”

“Come on, where is your love of the water?” He teased.

“I’ll leave that to your boyfriend,” Percy snarked. He then paused and looked back towards the sidetank, “how are you by the way?” He asked, suddenly serious. “I know the storm was harder on you than anyone else.”

Thomas actually considered the question, “I’m alright.” He said finally, “Duck’s been keeping my mind off things, so a lot better than I expected.”

Percy snorted, “I half expected you to have run off to save a scrap yard…”

He stopped when he didn't get a reply. He looked over to see the tank engine staring at the tracks before him, the trucks looking at him in concern.

“I…I can't.” Thomas said, he looked up at Percy, “you hear about the other night?”

Percy nodded slowly, “something about a demon battleship?”

“Not a demon, just one who failed to pass on.” Thomas sighed. “The whole time…I was just tired, not physically but…”

“You're not sure how much more you can take.”

“They’re withdrawing the Class 26s, and the 40s…the peaks will start being withdrawn next year. I thought I would be done. That the end of steam would signal the end. They would scrap the unsuccessful diesels and electrics then I could rest. They're scrapping successful engines now…just for being non-standard.”

Thomas looked exhausted.

“Tap out.” Percy said.

“I can't.” Thomas snapped.

“The hell you can't,” Percy snapped back, “you have an entire island of engines willing to step in, and that's not counting beyond the NWR. Tell us where to go and we'll see it done.”

“I can't just hand off my duty…”

“You're not.” Percy said firmly, “no one expected this to go on so long. You may not be able to hand control over to anyone else, but we can do the heavy lifting.”

Percy paused and continued more gently, “it's been twenty years since they announced the plan. No one can blame you for taking our help…I'm afraid you're on your own with the battleships though.”

Thomas burst out laughing at the unexpected statement, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

[domaystic]

Domaystic 2023 is back!

link to bigger image: click here

[Image description: a blue clothes hanger with clips where socks are drying under the sun; among the socks the word domyastic is separated in three parts and hanged as well. On the right side: the list of 31 prompts and 5 alternatives.]

Hello! This is THE post for DOMAYSTIC 2023 :D

Domaystic is the combination of “domestic” and “May” and it's a prompt event run on May based on the domestic trope: anything inside, outside, beside the house or that has that normalcy flavor of everyday life.

If any of these prompts inspire your muse, please, don’t hesitate and join!

Text prompts

01 Housewarming   02 A stash of...   03 List   04 Packed lunch    05 Learning something new   06 Under the same umbrella    07 Stained clothes   08 The things in that drawer    09 Mistaken identity   10 Bath   11 Volunteering   12 Crisis    13 Taking turns   14 Parade   15 Junkmail    16 Sleeping habits   17 Marked date on calendar    18 Discount at favourite store   19 Police at the door    20 In the nearby park   21 Handmade gift   22 S/o on the local news    23 Small couch   24 Secret language   25 Misdialed calls    26 Sounds from above   27 Passage through a fence 28 Recycling   29 Lottery   30 Feeling of doing nothing    31 Midnight snack

Alternatives

A. No, no, don't lift it!   B. There's a ... in the room! C. Stop the car, now!   D. Look, I made it work! E. Oh, I can't wait to do it!

Text prompts in German: click here Text prompts in Spanish: click here Text prompts in Italian: click here Text prompts in French: click here

Lots of text under the cut!

General rules and guidelines

All fandoms or original content are welcome.

Any kind of media is welcome: fanfiction, fanart, fanmixes, puzzles, diy art, quizzes, podfics, edits, fic recs or whatever it is you feel like doing. That’s all good.

No restrictions in ships, size, min/max word count or the language you want to write into.

As last year, feel free to mix the domestic prompt with anything you like: more drama and lots of crying? YES! The thrill of an investigation for the disappearance of your characters’ fave socks? YES!

There's one prompt for each day for a total of 31 prompts + 5 alternatives with an exclamation point at the end (predictable!).

You can share your work on any platform you like. If you share it on tumblr and tag the blog, I’ll reblog it.

Combine more prompts together? That’s fine but I will reblog the entry only once here on tumblr.

Combine these prompts with another event? Fine too.

You don’t have to do all the prompts to join the event. Do the ones you enjoy.

The event is consistently checked upon during the month of May, but in case you want to share your creation at a later date, you can. I just reblog on a lower pace after May is over.

As for the reblogs, last year I gave myself a bit of an headache, so this time I’d like to try it this way: once the day of the corresponding prompt comes, people will post their work and then I’ll reblog it when that day comes for me too. Does it make sense? I hope so. I’ll miss the world clocks but let’s just trust each other.

AO3 collection

The domaystic2023 collection is open from May, 1st: click here - all the info and prompts are also on the profile page of the collection.

In your tumblr post I ask you to:

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[ughgoaway]

midnight kisses // day 12

content warnings; kissing? maybe swearing? but like nothing really!

a/n; mmmm I hate this... but ahhhh who cares!! here is the final 12 days fic, despite this actually being the first fic i wrote for it all lol. hope this isn't too cringy <3 (it is oops)

(p.s this is so short I apologise)

word count; 1.6k

(this fic takes place after they've gotten together)

12 days masterlist

✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿

Snow falls out the window as Matty wakes up with a chill in his bones, groggily he reaches over to his phone, the light of his screen briefly blinding him. The numbers 23:45 flashed back at him. God, he must have passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

He slides out of bed carefully in an effort to not wake you. But he quickly notices the lack of heat in the bed and sees you aren't where he expected you to be, mouth open and fast asleep with your hair spread over the pillow in a fan.

He hums thoughtfully as he slides his slippers on and potters downstairs, his throat quickly feeling like sandpaper. He tiptoed past Annie's room, not wanting to wake her. It was Christmas Eve after all, and it had taken a full week of convincing for Annie not to stay up and wait for Father Christmas. 

Matty finally managed to convince his daughter when he pulled the social anxiety card. He claimed Santa was a very nervous person and didn't want to meet Annie because he was too scared. This was the only thing that got his stubborn daughter to give up and admit defeat.

However, she insisted on writing him a letter so he could meet her next year. That way, he knew her through the letter, so he had no excuse. Matty decided that the problem could be for next year Matty, and agreed to her terms.

Once he had slithered past Annie's room, he walked down the stairs and down the long concrete hallway, his arms wrapped around himself at the chill that emanated through the house. Maybe living in a concrete bunker did have its downsides. 

Soon, his slippers met the rug of the front room, and Matty felt the chill leave his body. He began to walk into the kitchen but stopped in his tracks at the sight in front of him. You sat below the tree with a mug of something in hand, tapping on the ceramic mindlessly.

The lights illuminate your face in a way that has Matty blinking to assure himself it's real. The glow in your eyes makes his heart flutter. The soft, warm light spreads over your cheeks, highlighting the red flush from the hot drink.

Your hands are clasped around an old mug of his that continually embarrasses him but that you love. His “lol you're not Matt Healy mug” is your prized possession. Red nails click against the mug in the tune of a vaguely Christmassy song Matty can't put his finger on.

You sit at the base of the tree staring up in childlike wonder. Matty briefly thinks maybe no one broke the secret about Santa to you based on how wistful you look.

Swallowed in his jumper and cross-legged on the floor, you sit drinking in a state of peace that Matty isn't sure he can disturb.

He used to dream of you in his clothes, and still, the sight made his head spin. His penchant for oversized jumpers had never made him happier.

Well, he's just generally never been happier. You make him a brighter and better person than he ever thought he could be.

Matty thought he was done. He tried the whole madly in love thing, but all it did was break his heart and make him a single dad. Not that he didn't love Annie, he loved her more than life itself but he couldn't help but think it wasn't right. That life didn't go the way he wanted.

But now he knows that all the roads in his life were simply leading to you. You were it. The big love he's tried to write about for decades was there sitting below his Christmas tree. The big love he’s yearned for was simply there, in front of him. 

Matty grew restless just staring, so wandered over and plopped down beside you. You jumped at his presence but quickly realised it was just him and leaned into his shoulder. Making your home in the junction between his neck and shoulder, burrowing in and breathing the lingering scent of matty that you love so much. 

Silence fell over the two of you apart from the occasional hum from either one of you as you got comfier, soon ending up on the floor in a tangled mess of limbs lying face to face illuminated by the string lights around the room.

You may have seen Matty in every light in the world, but he's never looked as beautiful as now. The slope of his nose is accentuated in a way that demands you to trace it with your finger.

so you do.

Soon, your finger makes its way to his cheekbones, feeling over the sharp bone with a gentle smile on your face. 

You trace his face like you're trying to memorise his features. As if you've never seen it before, and you're nervous you won't ever again.

and you certainly won't ever see it like this again, aglow with love.

Your finger continues its journey to his lips, and you follow the line of his cupids bow down to the corner of his mouth. You feel over his plump lips as Matty presses a kiss to your pointer finger, grinning as he does. You can't help but break out into a grin at your boyfriend's cheesy smile. 

“I never thought we'd get here, you know?” you say, finally breaking the shroud of silence that surrounded the two of you. Your hand slides down and interlocks with Matty's. He brings your linked hands up and presses another kiss to them as he sends you a confused look.

“I never thought I'd get you. I remember last year, it was Secret Santa, and I knew Annie was my secret student. You know she couldn't wipe that toothy grin off her face all day. It reminds me of you when you get me a present” you say giggling. Matty matches your laughter and shamefully nods, knowing neither he nor Annie can keep a secret for more than 5 minutes. 

“But getting those gifts was more painful than I expected.” Matty shot back and looked at you with wide eyes. Quickly, you cut in and corrected yourself.

“No no- not like that. They were perfect and so thoughtful, but I could feel the effort you put in. Each piece just screamed you. The tissue paper even smelt like your cologne.”

Matty chose not to share he sprayed it to make it that way, just nodding and slyly smiling to himself. 

“It was all amazing, but then I got to that book. It was just a physical representation of all the feelings I knew we shared. The fact you listened to me and took note of my likes and dislikes to the point where you remembered my favourite book from childhood? It broke my heart that I couldn't just run and kiss you then and there.” tears mist your eyes, but a hard blink causes them to disappear. Matty can't say the same, tears collecting in his lash line and looking as if they could fall any second. 

“That night, I went home and read the book over and over. I sat on my sofa and cried over the little prince just like I'm sure I did however many years ago.” You pause for a second a suck in a stuttered breath.

“I think that night was it for me. The night I realised this wasn't just an innocent crush. That I was in love with you. And it was simultaneously the worst and best realisation of my life. Because I never thought we'd get here. I never thought I'd get to lie with you in front of the Christmas tree in the house we share.” You smile and look back into Matty's eyes for the first time since you began only to be met with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Your hands shoot up and wipe them away, and you giggle wetly, feeling the tears collecting in your own eyes.

Cutting the tension you say, “You sap. Crying on Christmas is very cliche, you know?”

Matty laughs as much whilst crying and nods thoughtfully. 

You stare briefly, every emotion swimming in each of your eyes. Silence took over the pair of you again, and you simply stared, watching the life you're going to live play like a movie between the two of you. 

Eventually, the tears stopped, and Matty lent in pressing kisses all over your face as you giggled and playfully pushed him off. “Stop! I'm all gross and blotchy from crying!” 

Matty leans back and catches your eyes before once again leaning in, but this time, instead of random kisses being littered over your cheeks, he simply presses one to your mouth. A quick peck, nothing mind-numbing or life-changing, but it held the weight of the world in it.

Your hands slid up his back as he leaned over you, fingers snaking in amongst the curls at the base of his neck. You pulled him in slowly, just lingering in the moment the two of you had created. But soon your lips touched.

Each movement from your lips felt as if it was choreographed, working together seamlessly. The clock ticking over onto Christmas day was missed by the two of you, time quickly becoming an illusion.

[uniquexusposts]

Her || Charles

Main characters: Charles Leclerc x OC Genre: fanfiction, fluff  Story type: novel  Part: 25/? Word count: 3369 Co writer: @mistrose23

Story summary: Matilde Jørgensen, the new Scuderia Ferrari team principal, faced the nerve-wracking challenge of reviving the team's fortunes and aiming for a championship. Leading a historic team as a 'newbie' and separating her work and personal opinions posed a significant challenge. The big question: is she capable to do so?

Previous chapter

Chapter 23. My Team

Matilde yawned and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. She looked around; was it the Spa Grand Prix if it didn't rain at least one day? The car in front of her moved, driving for five metres, making Matilde join the queue. It was the first time in three weeks she had driven her car. It was the first time in three weeks she had set a foot outside of the UK. It was the first time in three weeks she went back to a race.

"Do you think I can pass them?" Matilde asked her dad and looked at him, he sat next to her.

Living three weeks with a parent after ten years, was odd, somewhat annoying, but also trusted and fun. Matilde and her father were best friends. However, Matilde was looking forward to living by herself again. The summer break was about to start and her entire family would celebrate it in Italy, and Matilde and her father were on their way to Italy now. With just an extra stop, they would pass Spa-Francorchamps, so it wasn't even a question to visit the track during the Grand Prix. Besides, Matilde's father hadn't visited Spa-Francorchamps before, or even visited a race with Matilde as Ferrari's team principal.

"Hmm," her father hummed. "You are Ferrari's team principal."

"Yeah," she sighed.

"But it doesn't mean you can break the rules."

"I know," she agreed. "But at this point, we will get there when the race has already begun." Perhaps, she exaggerated, it was still eight o'clock in the morning, but it was busy and they weren't even close to the track. "And technically, I'm not working, so I don't know if I can follow those rules."

Matilde didn't dare to act like she was the team principal now, so she waited and stayed in the queue.

Her father was looking at his phone. "Thomas can claim tickets for speed skating in Stavanger, Helen will join as well. Do you want to come too?"

"When is it?"

"First of December."

She blew up her cheeks. "It's the week after the last race," she mumbled. "Uhm..." She blinked a couple of times, trying to think of an event she possibly had that weekend. "It's the world cup, right?"

"Ja. We can claim a ticket for you and otherwise we can sell it, or someone else will come with us," he mentioned and said to his friend that he needed to claim a ticket for himself and Matilde. "It will be a standing ticket, though."

"Perfectly fine," Matilde replied. "That will be fun. I will ask Galileo tomorrow if there's something planned, but I don't believe so." When the words left her mouth, she realised something. "Gosh, I'm dependending on my assistant." A disgusted look washed over her face. "This is something I did not want."

A laugh rolled over her dad's lips. "Times are changing."

"Awful." Matilde ran her hand through her hair. She looked in the mirror and a car that was being escorted by some policemen on motorbikes passed them. "If you need help with looking for accommodation or other things, just let me know. Happy to help."

"We will probably go to the same B&B."

"Hmm-hmm, and 'accidentally' brunch in the same hotel as the speed skaters."

They both began to laugh. Last year, also during the speed skating world cup in Stavanger, they had a quick coffee break in a hotel when driving to the ice hall and they bumped into every delegation. It was by accident, they had no idea that it was the hotel that all the speed skaters were staying in, which made things more fun. Every time they went to a speed skating world cup, something ordinary would happen to them. And they visited the world cup almost every year.

"It was a success," her father added. "We're just gonna do it again. They don't know we're there for them. We are just random tourists, we don't know anything about speed skating, everyone is happy."

A shock went through Matilde's body when someone was standing next to her; it was a police officer. He couldn't help, but laugh. Matilde awkwardly smiled and rolled down the window of her car.

"Bonjour, madame," the police agent said.

"Bonjour, hello," Matilde replied.

"Sorry to scare you, I thought you knew I was here," the man apologised. "What are we doing here?"

Matilde's face straightened, the stress flickering through her eyes. Did she do something wrong?

"When passing, I noticed the sticker." He pointed at the special F1 parking sticker on the front window. "And you are aware that you don't have to wait here with a sticker like that?"

An even more uncomfortable smile came on Matilde's face. "Oh. I didn't want to break the traffic rules by just doing something."

"I see. But as team principal you can call us and then we will escort you to the track."

"I know, but I'm not really working."

He nodded impressively, like Matilde was the first one to follow the rules. "Where do you need to go?"

"The paddock."

"Put on your blinkers and follow me." The police officer put down the visor of his helmet and drove away on his motor.

Matilde started the engine of her motor and left the queue, checking if it was safe to go. Her dad quickly put on the emergency blinkers. They passed the long queue.

"Don't be modest," her father smirked.

Matilde's cheek started to heat up. "How am I supposed to know this?" She sighed. "And we can't go casually to that hotel for a coffee between the speed skaters. They will recognise me straight away."

"Oh, my god," her father fangirled.

"Dad."

Laughter filled the car.

After ten minutes, they arrived at the parking of the paddock. Matilde parked the car and stepped out of the car, stretching her limbs. She looked at her father, who was taking in the surroundings. They weren't even in the paddock, but the impressive look on his face made Matilde smile. Matilde walked to the boot and opened it, grabbing her Ferrari jacket and purse.

"Do you want a jacket?" She asked her dad and put on the red jacket.

He was shaking his head. "I will take the cap."

She grabbed her paddock pass and put it over her head. She grabbed the second, personalised pass from her purse and handed it over to her dad. He looked at it, his eyes slightly widened and he widely smiled. They looked at each other and shared a proud moment.

They walked towards the gate. A few photographers noticed Matilde's unannounced appearance and made sure they had her on camera. Matilde's dad walked a few metres behind Matilde, taking some photos from her.

"Mati," he called her.

Matilde turned around and noticed how her dad made photos of her. She felt slightly embarrassed when she looked around and saw people looking at her, but she made sure she looked nice in the photos anyway. Then her dad wanted a photo of himself in front of the gate, and a selfie. A photographer walked up to them and proposed to take a photo of the father-daughter. Other people looked at them catching the proud father moment and they caught the moment with their camera as well. Little did they know that the moment went viral later that morning.

* * *

It was time for the pre race briefing. Everyone who needed to be at the briefing, made sure they were on time in the meeting room. The atmosphere was a mis of anticipation and focus as team members settled into their seats, each occupied with their own preparations. The room buzzed with quiet conversations.

As the designated time for the briefing approached, a collective hush fell over the room. Narciso wasn't present yet. Charles looked at the notes he had made yesterday and then looked around the room. Carlos was drinking a cup of coffee and talking to his engineers. Someone from the team made the decision to postpone the briefing by five minutes, since Narciso wasn't there yet.

Everybody was happy it was the last race before the summer break, but also excited to do one more race; Spa-Francorchamps meant a lot to some people, and others just liked the track.

And most were just happy that it was Narciso's last race.

A soft knock on the door made people look at the entrance of the door, expecting Narciso to open the door. However, Narciso wouldn't just knock, he would open the door without an excuse. The door slowly opened and a head popped around the corner.

"Good morning," Matilde smiled and looked around. It seemed like the briefing hadn't started yet, and Narciso was missing. She opened the door fully and stepped inside the room. "Hey," she said again.

Smiles appeared on many faces. "Matilde," a few happily said.

The room immediately brightened as Matilde entered. Her unexpected presence brought a wave of relief and comfort to the team members who had been silently dreading Narciso's briefings. Charles couldn't help, but offer her a warm smile. A sense of relief washed over his body when he saw her.

"We did not expect to see you here," Carlos exclaimed, his expression turning from surprise to genuine delight.

"I was in the neighbourhood," she casually replied. "And I couldn't just stay away because I miss this," she quickly added. Laughter filled the room. "Am I disturbing?" Her eyes were scanning the room.

"No, no, not at all," someone said. "Are you leading this briefing?" Even though it was a joke, hope flickered through their eyes.

Matilde shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. It's still Narciso's day," she mentioned.

"He's fashionably late," another engineer said.

"As always," someone else added.

"Probably appendicitis," Matilde jokingly said. Her eyes met Charles', and she offered a subtle nod, acknowledging the punctuality issue. He quickly raised his eyebrows slightly, sharing he understood her joke. "But," Matilde said to everyone. "Now that you have to wait, how is everything going? How are you doing?" She sat down on her chair, as head of the table. Narciso wasn't present yet, so she could sit there while he wasn't there.

The room buzzed with renewed energy, the tension that had been building prior to Matilde's arrival dissipating. Matilde listened carefully to everything that was being said. Team members shifted in their seats, suddenly more at ease. It was as if Matilde's presence alone had the power to transform the dynamics of the room.

"If we knew you were coming, we would have gotten something for you," a manager said.

"Please, it's fine," Matilde replied like it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't a big deal to her. The fact that she saw how the dynamics changed within seconds of her arrival, made her realise what was going on within the team. And they thought of her.

"But how are you doing?"

"I'm good, as good as recovered. Glad I can finally leave the UK - not that I don't like the UK, but being stuck there is something else," she said.

Charles couldn't stop looking at her while she was talking to everyone. She genuinely was interested and she made sure everyone was heard. The way she listened to everybody was just delightful. She smiled warmly, nodded every now and then, when she was thinking, her eyes slightly narrowed, she played with her hair - that was blown out again - and she just showed positivity. She felt like coming home.

Then Narciso entered the room, he was surprised to see Matilde sitting on his seat. "Matilde," he replied, perplexed. "I didn't expect you here." He placed his stuff on the desk, like it was a sign for her to move out of his way.

"Narciso," Matilde replied. "Good to see you, too," she said and got up. "I came here to say hi to my team. And there was time for it," she smiled friendly.

"We were just about to start the briefing," Narciso said, his tone indicating a mix of annoyance and impatience.

Matilde passive aggressively stepped aside, giving Narciso his space. It became difficult for her to stay professional, as she didn't like the man. The way he treated her at the office during board meetings...Perhaps he couldn't handle it that a young woman is the team principal instead of a white man in a suit; him. "I am aware," she replied, maintaining her calm demeanour.

Narciso raised an eyebrow, seemingly unamused. He sat down and prepared himself for the meeting by organising the documents and opening his laptop. "We are about to begin. Kindly excuse yourself from this meeting." He looked over his shoulder, not wanting to look at Matilde.

Her eyebrows raised, that was direct. She looked around, reading the reactions of her team; they all looked surprised, offended and disbelieving. She threw her hands up in the air. "I wasn't planning on staying. It's your domain today, after all. Your day, your Grand Prix," she responded. She noticed how a few faces dropped to disappointment. How badly she wanted to be there for everyone today, she knew she couldn't do it and Narciso was in charge. "Good luck, guys. Don't let anybody fool you." And with that being said, she left the room again.

As the meeting began, it was confirmed to everybody what the massive contrast between the two figures in charge were. Matilde's approachability and genuine interest in her team stood in stark contrast to Narciso's more authoritative and sometimes abrasive style. And the team seemed to respond differently to the two leaders.

While every team was in a briefing, Matilde walked through the paddock to find her dad, who was just strolling around in the calmth. The guests would show up later, the teams from F3 and F2 were preparing for their races. And of course, reporters were eager to get a glimpse of Matilde or wanted to get a quote from her. However, Matilde told them kindly she was not here for photographs or any interviews. She found her dad and they walked back to the Ferrari facility for some coffee.

"And? How did they react?"

A smile covered Matilde's face. "Surprised, but happy, I think," she responded. "It was good to see them. I missed it."

"That is good to hear," he reacted surprised. "Never thought you would say it, though, after everything that has happened."

"Well, we're in a different situation now. I'm not the annoying team principal, I'm me. Chances are so big that things are changing in a couple of weeks again," she observed.

The morning slowly passed and the news of Matilde being present spread fast. Multiple team principles came by to say hello and Matilde went to visit some people. She went to Mercedes, to thank Toto for his help. She went to Red Bull to quickly say hi to Christian and Max. Kevin was ahead of her to say hi, as he had seen the photos on social media already. And she just enjoyed being around the track again, enjoyed this event with her dad and stayed in the shadows so the attention wouldn't differ from the drivers and the teams.

When the race was about to start, Matilde and her dad took a seat in the back of the garage. Matilde was aware this was probably the only time she and her dad could watch the race together at the track - unless things change, but Matilde was almost completely sure things wouldn't change.

To many surprises, Ferrari recovered from the bad weekend. After the start, they climbed to the top three. For a moment, it was undecided who would win as Max, Charles and Carlos were in a tight fight for first place. The dynamics within the teams drastically changed and people picked it up.

Matilde liked to watch the race from the back of the garage as she could oversee each and everyone. She observed her people. The way the mechanics smoothly moved during the pitstops, how everyone was communicating clearly. Things were different before. However, Narciso didn't like how it was going; his body language showed he was not amused. The team was the leader themselves instead of Narciso managing them. And she sensed some stubbornness during some discussions over the radio; different from the stubbornness Matilde knew from them.

The team was in a good spirit and once again, they were doing things without Narciso's consent. It was an unspoken statement from the team towards the board; they were running the team like Matilde taught them and how she would lead the team. And her presence at the back of the garage made a huge difference; they were racing for her, to make her proud and satisfied.

And fans were excited as well, since there was a fight going on. Not only in the front, but also in the back. The Orange Army liked the fire that was thrown on the track and its battles, the Tifosi found themselves hungry for a win and other fanbases just enjoyed the excitement.

Max unleashed a masterclass in precision and determination. His car danced through the famous Eau Rouge and Raidillon with an elegance that belied the sheer power beneath.

Charles painted his own masterpiece on the asphalt canvas. The Ferrari Roared through the challenging corners of Spa, guided by Leclerc's deft hands.

Carlos proved his mettle on the legendary track. His racecraft was a symphony of calculated aggression and skillful navigation.

The battle for the win raged on, each turn and straight adding a new chapter to the sage. Max' Red Bull soared across the finish line first, claiming the victory. Charles claimed the fastest lap by finishing a few seconds behind Max. Carlos completed the trio, securing a double podium for Ferrari.

Even though Matilde wasn't particularly waiting to celebrate the double podium around the podium, her mechanics went to the back of the garage to personally pick her and her dad up. Together, they walked to the podium. It was busy.

"It's good to see you back," Abele said to Matilde, he was the mechanic who stood up for her during the night shift after Miami and the disaster.

A smile came on Matilde's face. "Thanks, it's good to be back, to see all of you again. Well done today!"

He smiled and introduced himself to Matilde's father before returning back to the conversation with Matilde. "What does your summer break look like?"

"With my family in Italy. It doesn't feel right that I have summer break, though. I just did barely anything for three weeks straight."

"Very nice. I'm going to Portugal with my girlfriend. Finally some time off," he said. "And you shouldn't feel guilty about the summer break. You recovered, you couldn't prevent it, so you need to rest without the stress of us."

"I know, but it feels off," she breathed.

"We missed you during the night shifts, though."

"Two weeks. Then I'm there to annoy you again," she said. He smirked. "Enjoy your holiday, you deserve it."

They watched how the top three cars arrived under the podium. Yet again, Matilde didn't want to steal away the attention from Narciso. It was his double podium, he sat on that chair and led the team through the entire weekend. Besides, Matilde felt uncomfortable enough to stand between her team while she wasn't working. She looked to her left where Red Bull was celebrating their victory. Then she looked in front of her where Carlos was meeting his team. And finally, she looked at her right where Charles was meeting with his team.

"Incredible to see this in real life," Matilde's dad said to Matilde. "On TV you only see the emotions, now you witness it." There was a smile resting on his face, a precious smile.

Matilde looked at him and smiled as well. "I know, right." Her eyes met Charles' eyes; she clapped proudly, smiled widely and winked. Charles' smile was bright and grateful. Then she looked at Carlos; he didn't see her, but she was also proud of him.

It had been a while since she felt this kind of happiness, euphory. She hoped this spirit would stay, but she was aware things could change easily.

Next chapter

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos@crashingwavesofeuphoria@maryvibess @chocolatefartstrawberry @snzleclerc @ironmaiden1313 @blodwyn4u

[skeefee-sky]

'Song of Memory.'

@thunder-tober Day prompt: 23- Song Characters: Virgil Tracy, Thunderbird Two Word count: 585

Everyone has a song that reminds them of a loved one that’s passed, or one they associate with that person – their song. Haven’t mentioned the song in particular; gonna leave that up to reader’s interpretation <3 During a maintenance check, Thunderbird Two asks Virgil about the song he’s humming. She finds out it has deeper meaning than she thought.

💙💚TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB ~~~ TB 💚💙

“What are you humming?”

Virgil had expected the question by now. He’d make some sort of musical noise to pass the time during maintenance. And his Thunderbird would always inquire the melodies. He personally loved her curiosities in music, one day promising to play her a few tunes from the piano.

“Just a song…” he started, glimpsing over one of the scans as he walked past.

“Captain, it’s not ‘just a song’,” Thunderbird Two lightly poked. She had been listening; it definitely wasn’t just all that. Virgil softly scoffed.

“If you’d let me finish… It’s, just a song I used to listen to with my mother… It’s her song.”

The Thunderbird quietened at that, softening her engines as best she could out of courtesy. She hadn’t quite been expecting that answer... She hadn’t heard much about the boys’ mother – they rarely spoke about her at all. But she did know they’d all been fairly young when she had passed. Being a machine, Thunderbird Two didn’t quite understand the feeling of loss, but she had to imagine it hurt something awful…

“Sorry…”

“You’re fine, Two,” Virgil reassured, a soft chuckle escaped his lips as he paced her module. “I know I… we don’t talk about her as much as we do Dad but, we definitely should. I feel like, some of us are starting to forget her…”

He turned to input a few details into the monitor behind him, frowning at some of the data already on the screen. Well that was something he’d have to get Brains to check later… Fingers swiftly moved as he typed, and he started to hum again unconsciously.

“It sounds like it’s a sad song…” Thunderbird Two spoke up suddenly, softly. She didn’t mean to keep interrupting him; she wanted to hear the whole song out. But, something felt different about this song, and know that she knew it related to his mother, her curiosity was getting the best of her. Unnatural for a ship, but not a Thunderbird.

“Can you, tell me some things about her? Your mother?”

Virgil lifted his hands from the keys, breath caught in his throat as he paused. He then swiftly put in another command and moved away from the monitor, leaning up against the side of the module as he exhaled.

“She’s who encouraged my musical talent, you know… She’d be at the piano at any given opportunity, plunking for inspiration or playing a few notes of a song,” he started, tilting his head back a little as he spoke. “This song in particular, it was by one of her favourite artists. She taught herself the piano track to it, and would sing it to us before she tucked us into bed. It’s, not so much sad, as it is, reflective, in a way.”

Thunderbird Two listened intently, playing the song silently along her processor so she could try and picture what her pilot described. She could only imagine…

“I’d sit with her when she played; sometimes John was with us… She taught me right-hand, then left, but for some reason I struggled so much to put it together at first.” The laugh that left her pilot’s lips had the Thunderbird rumbling softly. He didn’t have to, but she was glad she’d gotten him talking. The conversations they had between each other during her maintenance checks did always seem to make them go faster.

“Maybe… Maybe I can play it for you one day, Thunderbird Two…”

“I’d like that, captain… Thank you.”

[dertaglichedan]

Max Factor heir and convicted rapist Andrew Luster is set to walk free after being granted parole - as victim slams Kamala Harris reform law

The disgraced Max Factor heir who was convicted of 86 counts of drugging and raping unconscious women in 2003 is set to be released early after his crimes were reclassified as 'non-violent' under a 2016 law change masterminded by Kamala Harris, DailyMail.com can reveal. 

Andrew Luster, now 60, infamously fled to Mexico during his rape trial – only to be tracked down by Dog the Bounty Hunter and hauled back to the US in chains.

Now one of his victims has bravely come forward in an exclusive interview to talk about her fears at his imminent freedom.

Tonja Balden, 51, who was just 23 when she was drugged and raped by Luster after a night out in Santa Barbara, told DailyMail.com. 'I'm afraid that when he is released he may continue the same crimes. He just turned 60. That's not very old.

'It is so psychopathic to set up this type of thing where you find a woman, drug her, and then she's an unconscious body and to do all of these things to her while you're videotaping it. That is a real sadistic way of thinking that I don't know if that can be fixed.'

Initially handed 124 years in prison, depraved Luster's sentence was revised down to 50 years in 2013 on appeal.

And now the serial rapist will walk free from Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, in a few months' time after being granted parole in August, having served just half his sentence.

[akiranzee]

📃 • ° ` — “MARRIAGE IN PAPER”

-> PAIRINGS: Tengen Uzui x f!Y/n -> SUMMARY: You’re a hopeless romantic who was always fooled by love, but one day, this certain man comes in and changes your perspective in love. -> WORD COUNT: 2.5k+ -> CONTAINS: fluff, angst (reader’s backstory), a little swearing, too many exes/breakups, cold/mean reader, talks of trauma and abuse, & tengen is 26 while reader is 25. -> A/N: this is modern au lol. also, his wives js play the roles of his ex gfs, so yeah u have him all by urself no sharing😉.

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------------Complete!------------

May 15, 2000.

It was in the heat of summer when your parents decided to take home a tall, muscular, and handsome young man together along with his parents, whom your mom called “son in law”, while his parents called you, “daughter in law”.

Everything was going great so far, and you didn’t like it. Not even a single bit.

Because 1st, the fact that your parents never told you about this kind of shit until now, and 2nd, because they knew damn well you had a boyfriend, but still decided to push this “arranged marriage” contract thing.

The guy’s name was revealed to be Tengen Uzui, and his parents’ head whipped directly towards you and started to ask you questions.

You were not comfortable about it, and fortunately enough, your phone started to ring, and it was your bestfriend that was calling.

Oh, thank the lords for this amazing best friend you have.

“I’m sorry, but I have to answer this. It's an urgent call.” You say, standing up while putting the phone to your right ear.

Uzui’s parents whispered “go on”s, and off they go ahead with their chatting.

You then answered your bestfriend’s call.

“Oh lord, thank god you called me! I was almost gonna be interviewed in this whole marriage thing! Like, can you believe it!? They actually set me off to date someone when I don’t even know him. Plus, the fact that they know my boyfriend Luke is still here!? Ugh! They don’t know how to consider my feelings!” You ranted on your bestfriend, not even giving her a single chance to speak.

“Okay, calm down girl. I just called you to update you that your boyfriend Luke is in a cafe all sweet while holding another girl’s hands! So yeah, you maybe wanna reconsider about Luke being your boyfriend now.” She said, her last sentence saddening.

“...Wow. That fucking jerk. I’m gonna beat him up to a pulp once I see him. I swear to god, that motherfucker doesn't know how to be grateful!” You said, really feeling angry now, but deep inside, you hate yourself for loving and trusting someone like him.

“Well, you should give him a taste of his own medicine, right?” Someone behind you spoke up, startling you with his tall figure.

“Is this what you call as ‘urgent’?” He asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“What are you doing here?” You looked up at Uzui, but not really high, just enough to meet his eyes who strangely has an amusing expression while putting your phone down from your ear.

“Well, you’re taking quite a while aren’t you? So, your flashy husband comes in and saves the day!” He grins widely.

You just cringed at that, looking at him with a look on your face as if he was the most disgusting creature to ever deal with.

“Stop acting like you’ll be the greatest husband in the world, every man is the same.” You said, walking pass by him while bumping your left shoulder on his right shoulder.

“Oh? Damn, did this Luke guy hurt you really hard? Look, we may not know each other yet, but in my past relationships, I have not seen one of my girlfriends cry because of me, like seriously, never. I never hurt them.” He tried to explain.

“Oh really? How come you’re now single huh?” You replied, sparing him a side eye glance.

“Well, that was because you came along.” Was all he said, and it was simple, but that stopped you in your tracks for a minute, and you could feel your cheeks warming and heart beating.

~~~~~

October 23, 2000.

“You may now kiss the bride.” The priest said, and everyone cheered on the both of you as both your lips touched. You didn't want to do this, but for the sake of your parents’ and families’ reputation, you’re forced to go along with it.

As the kiss ended, the both of you smiled brightly, but the both of you also know that you’re only faking it.

And then the crowd goes cheering on.

~~~~~

“That was a hell of a wedding, was it?” He asked, laughing slightly. But you found his joke no fun at all.

“Let me get things clear, for the next 5 or 6 months, we’re getting a divorce. And within this house, you can drop your sweet husband act and you can go to your girlfriends. And you’re sleeping here in the bedroom, while I’m sleeping in the guest room. I hope we don’t mind each others’ businesses by then.” Was all you said, and bam you left the room.

And of course, your husband didn’t find that quite agreeable.

~~~~~

9:00PM

You were about to head to bed, when suddenly there’s a knock on your door.

You sigh, and opened it up only to reveal Tengen.

You looked up at him with a confused look, but he just smiled and said,

“Um, it’s kind of hot in there, so I thought maybe I could-” He hadn’t even gotten a chance to finish the sentence, when the door slammed right in front of his face.

You feel bad, of course. But you can’t allow another man get into the way of your life again. Luke was the 7th time. And you can’t let the 8th time happen. Never again.

Not with Luke, Haku, Sendo, Kaedo, Andres, Davin, and Caesar.

Those were the names you hated the most, that made you remember the most pain.

Caesar that bastard, he was decent at first sight, but after the both of your engagement, he took a wild turn and almost killed you. Luckily, your father stepped in and stopped him right on time.

Davin that prick, fooled and manipulated you into giving him all your money, but luckily enough you had your bestfriend by your side to expose him.

Andres that rapist, raped a lot of women and child, and you were the next victim. Luckily your neighbor was there to hear your scream.

Kaedo that criminal, who killed a total of 16 people threatened you to not say anything and play the role of his sweet innocent girlfriend. Luckily there was a bottle of wine in front of you, and knocked him down. He was said to be in a coma.

Sendo that robber, tried to rob your money to help his poor family, and yes, you feel sorry for him, but that was no excuse to rob you. He should’ve just asked for your help. Luckily you caught him red handed when he snuck up to your room.

Haku that drunkard, abused you way too many times that you had enough of it. Luckily enough, when he was about to hit you with the bottle of beer he was holding, there was a knife beside you and you instantly had to stab him. It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t given enough choice anyway.

And Luke that cheater, dated with another girl behind your back. Luckily, your bestfriend was there to see him.

And with all of this that happened, did you really think you could trust ‘love’ once again? It had hurt you way too many times than you’ve hurted yourself.

And what, you’re gonna give this Tengen an 8th chance so that he’ll betray, hurt, or even to the point he’ll kill you?

No way, you don’t want that to happen. That’s why, starting from now on, you’re never gonna trust love for the 8th time. Never again.

What if this Tengen turns out to be like Caesar? Decent at first, then now plays an opposite part once married.

You can’t blame yourself. You can’t help it. You’re just afraid to trust again, afraid to get hurt again. It wasn’t your fault they turned out to be bastardous rodents. But yes, it was also your fault for trusting. And you hate yourself because of that. Because you’re dumb, fool, and a fucking useless bitch.

And you swore to God that Luke is gonna be the last one to hurt you.

Although you won’t admit it, but you felt bad for slamming the door in his face.

You wanted to say sorry, but it's better this way. To be a cold, heartless wife than a soft, foolish wife. It’s better this way, if you keep being mean to him, then maybe, he will come to hate you.

Or atleast that’s what you think.

The next day, you found yourself waking up to smell a delicious meal, and when you went downstairs, the food you smelt revealed a drooly meal served in the table, with the chef fixing and preparing it.

“Oh, you’re awake now? I was about to head upstairs and wake you up.” He said, smiling gently at you.

Your heart almost melted at the scene right in front of you, but you know better to not get fooled again. So, you went back upstairs and locked yourself up in the guest room.

It was followed by a knock then, with Tengen asking if you were okay or not. You really wanted to open up to him, you felt pity and weak, but your past experiences taught you best to never feel that way once again.

And then the knocking stopped, thinking he already went away, so you opened the door to find him sitting down on the floor, patiently waiting for you.

“Ah, did you calm down now? Guess what, I made you a flashy breakfast!” He said, standing up and smiling brightly.

“I don’t need your stupid breakfast, just leave me alone, okay?” You sighed out, walking past him and going straight to the bathroom.

“Oh well, guess that didn’t go well as I thought…” Tengen thought, scratching the back of his neck.

~~~~~

And then the next day, you find Tengen tending to your flowers when you came back home from the supermarket.

“Ah, welcome back, Y/n! Your poor flowers here wanted something to drink, so I gave them water!” Tengen smiled brightly.

You decided it’ll be hard to brush him off if he acts this way. Maybe this was apart of his plan after all to make you feel attached to him, then break your poor, sorry, heart.

And then the next day, you were asking him if he got the water and electricity bills only to find out he had already paid for them, so you grabbed your wallet and give him the money bill, but he insisted you keep it, so you ask him why. His answer being,

“Because you are my wife, and married couples look out for one another.” He said and it sounded so sincere, but you thought this was just apart of his ‘plan’, so you just ignored and walked away.

And then the next, then the next, then the next next next next day, he still made you breakfast, drove you to work, gave you gifts, and kissed your forehead while sleeping despite you being mean, arrogant, and cold to him.

Days went on like that, up until you grew sick and tired of it.

“Seriously, what do you want?” You asked, while chomping down the food inside your mouth.

“What?” He asked, talking while his mouth is full.

“You keep on trying to make amends with me, while me on the other hand, visibly don’t like you. Why do you keep pushing yourself to me?” You question, putting down your fork and spoon.

“Because, Y/n… You are my wife.” He said, smiling gently while wiping the sauce off of his mouth.

“So, if another girl was your wife, would you have treat them this way?” You asked, looking deep into his eyes, trying to look for the true answer.

“No, Y/n. That will never happen. For me, you are the only one.” He said, continuing to eat.

And you can’t help but fall in love with him little by little, even when you think or maybe know, he’s just gonna break your heart, just like what your exes have always done.

For you, it was a sin to fall in love again.

So, you can’t. You never can and never must let this man turn your once cold heart go back to the once kind heart.

~~~~~

You were out in the market to get some groceries, when all of a sudden, you accidentally bumped into someone, his figure tall and muscular. You expected it to be Tengen, but no. You were dead wrong.

“Pfft, you’re still the old short Y/n I knew, huh?” It was Kaedo.

You dropped the eco-bag you were holding on, terrified to see the face of one of the men who brought you terror.

You faced your back to him, about to run away, but was stopped with him holding your wrist tightly.

And everything around you just… started to get blurry. You were filled with nothing but panic and rage, but mostly it was because you were traumatized.

He was about to drag you somewhere, when someone spoke and held his hand that held your wrist.

“Hey, what do you think are you doing with my wife?” A familiar voice interrupted, that the panic you were feeling suddenly went away and now you were feeling safe and comfort.

“Wife? This bitch is your wife?” Kaedo asked the man, who you now looked at to be the one and only flashy man, Tengen Uzui.

“Yes, and don’t call her ‘bitch’, that’s so not flamboyant.” Tengen replied calmly, but you could see a vein popping in his forehead.

“Seriously? You defend someone like her? That’s the bitch that put me in coma for 4 months! Plus, she’s a filthy spoiled brat anyway. She only depends on her parents’ money, and then claim that it’s from her own hard work. Seriously, you women are pathe-” He was cut off by a large fist hitting his right cheek, leaving you shocked and gasp by the way 2 of his tooth fell out.

“If you ever come near me and my wife ever again, I’ll make sure I’m gonna be the one to put you to coma again.” Tengen warned the man with a death stare, and pulled you out of the scene.

“Hey, hey, are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did he touch you? Did he-” Tengen frantically looked around your body, but you cut him off saying,

“Why would you do that?” You said, feeling an unknown feeling that was familiar to you, but was unfamiliar.

It was you falling in love. Heart thumping rapidly, cheeks flushing, palms, neck, and forehead sweating, and hands and knees trembling.

What happened? What has happened to the swore you made, to never get fooled again?

But can you even ever call this getting fooled?

In all those years that you’ve wasted finding the perfect boyfriend for you, you’ve finally found someone.

Someone who treated you better, someone who cared for you, someone who protected you, someone who truly loved you, and someone better than them.

“Because I love you.” He looked down to you, and just from the look of his face, he is obviously smitten and in love with you.

Maybe a marriage in paper isn’t so bad. Maybe, just maybe, he might be the right one.