#tumblr really is somethin else

[mira0000000-blog]

How the heck did that shit ass doodle get over 600 notes lmao

[jalules]

weird longshot, but does anybody know what kind of flowers these are supposed to be on the first dvd in the set of mediocre-yet-buckwild boys love anime sukisho?

i owned this box set years ago and the mystery is haunting me

[grayve-mistake]

I was on here at 11 years old! I just didn't have an account yet lol (I made this one at 13). Anyway it would be entirely mlp ask comic reblogs

If you guys were on here at 11 years old what would you be posting about

[futurewdclandonorris]

Dinner Reservation | Lando Norris⁴

Pairings: Lando Norris x girlfriend!reader

Summary: you had plans to go out, Lando had other. Watch what happens when you tell him no

Warnings: barely any plot just smut, light dom Lando, kinda bratty both Lando and the reader, and assholes too (idk what came over me, I thought I was being funny) some cringe bits for the sake of the 'plot' but we move, kinda long that's why I included word count, hint of exhibitionism, unprotected sex

Word count: 5389

A/N: Okay, I really need to learn how to write summaries, if anyone wants to be my editor you can hit me up. Perks are you get to see the original copy before I rewrite it for tumblr

Credits to @twinkodium for prompting this idea and brainstorming it with me ♥

You stepped out of the shower with nothing, but a towel wrapped around your body. Not bringing any clothes with you, you proceeded out of the bathroom to the bedroom you shared with your boyfriend. He was sprawled out on the bed, obviously dissatisfied about something–still in his hoodie and black sweats–but the moment you opened the door, his whole demeanor changed, his hungry eyes following you as you strolled across the room to your still unpacked suitcase. Bending down to get your underwear, you felt two arms wrap around your waist, stopping you mid motion.

You smirked, popping your behind and pressing it harder against his pelvis as you fished a pair of panties from the case. He lowly grunted, removing your hair from one shoulder to another, which gave him a clean access for planting a kiss on your neck.

"Plans canceled, why don't you get on the bed for me, gorgeous?" he murmured against your skin.

You tried to sustain your smile, finding the whole situation amusing. Getting a hold of yourself, you turned around to face him.

"We can't cancel plans just because you suddenly got horny." you playfully rolled your eyes. "They're waiting for us."

The plan was to go out and grab dinner with Oscar and Lily. Something like a double date and get together outside business hours.

"They can wait." he still had that stupid grin on his face, brushing his fingertips over the side of yours, his eyes roaming all over your features.

"No, they can't. You're acting like a spoiled child, you know that?" you teased, giving him a playful shove. "Now go get ready, we're already late as it is. They're probably wondering where we are." you urged and knowing there was no point further arguing with you, he scoffed and walked over to the dresser.

"You're acting like we don't spend three weekends a month with them," he protested, buttoning his shirt only a halfway up. "But fine. If you won't listen to me now, I'll bend you over that goddamn dinner table and fuck you in front of everyone. Maybe that will be more appealing to you-"

"Don't be ridiculous." you snorted a laugh.

"Say I won't do it." he stood tall and incredibly close in front of you, his eyes boring into yours making you feel smaller than you were. And you could swear, you didn't know if your wetness was from the shower or somethin else entirely different.

"Please, dress up, sweetheart." he finished, his voice somewhat mocking, leaving you to clutch your panties to your chest standing in the middle of the room.

This whole ordeal may or may have not resulted in you changing the outfit you had in mind from the top. Instead of an orange sundress, you slipped into a white linen bodycon dress that perfectly hugged your curves, cut out sides exposing your toned waist and highlighting your hip bones. Deep v neck brought exposure to your cleavage as well.

Studying yourself in the mirror, the material was so thin it was almost see through. Lando absolutely hated loved this dress. You completed the look with some white sandals. You were in the process of putting on your gold earrings when Lando walked in.

"Are you anywhere near do-" he choked out, eyes turning a darker shade of green as they scanned you from head to toe. He cleared his throat before speaking "You look amazing, darling." he complimented, with a little bitter taste to the pet name he just called you, obviously not approving of the attire. Jackpot.

"Thank you, darling." you grinned as you walked up to him and pecked his cheek, completely ignoring the fact he was fuming.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Lead the way." you responded, your lips still curved into a smile, and laced your hands together.

On the drive to the restaurant, his knuckles turned completely white from how strong his grip on the steering wheel was. His eyes never darted from the road, not even once. No hand holding nor even one kiss at the red light. But instead, you drove in silence, only soft music playing from the radio making any noise as you tried to hide your satisfaction, which you will probably come to regret later, looking out the window.

As expected, Oscar and Lily arrived before you. You apologized for keeping them waiting, but they said they only just got there a few minutes ago due to traffic. A waiter immediately approached you and had your orders right under way in a few moments.

During dinner, Lando wasn't completely ignoring you, but he wasn't really paying attention or engaging with you either. Which didn't come off as strange or like something was wrong between you. You girls had your girl talk and boys had their boy talk. Lily couldn't always attend a race weekend and it's been a while since you last saw her. But there was a mischievous spark in his eyes, only someone who had known him for years could notice, telling you he was planning something.

First, he'd casually drop his hand on your thigh under the table and just rest it there, and then remove it without a second thought, continuing his conversation with Oscar like nothing happened. After a while, he'd put it back on, only higher this time and gently grasp the skin, his thumb drawing circles. Your muscles tensed and made you jump in your seat. He noticed, of course, without sparing you a second glance and dragged his palm up and down your inner thigh like that was going to soothe you. He stopped and left you alone once more when your main course arrived.

While waiting for dessert, his fingers brushed the fabric of your panties without previous warning that made you gasp audibly and place your elbows on the table to support your forehead with your hands, making all cutlery clank. That finally drove some confused looks from Oscar and Lily.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked, curiosity getting the best of her cause this wasn't the first time you jumped in your seat during the conversation.

"I'm fine." you breathed, faking a smile. You turned towards Lando and hissed, covering your mouth "What are you doing?"

He leaned closer into your side, his lips brushing your earlobe as he whispered "I'm thinking about having my dessert now." his fingers still feathered over you. You gave him a wide eyed look. "Say I won't do it." he repeated his words from earlier that instantly made you blush.

"You... you're crazy." you whispered back, glancing sideways at the confused faces around you, most likely thinking you were talking about the weather. God, you hoped they were thinking you were talking about the weather.

"Say it." he insisted, his palm coming to a stop on your pussy.

You bit your lip, getting a clear image of him bending you over the table while Lily, Oscar and the waiter looked on as Lando fucked you right in front of them. It made you wet and you hated yourself for it.

"I... I'm saying it." you mumbled.

"What?" he took a sip of his drink.

"I'm saying it." you leaned closer as the people around you were now completely involved in their own conversations, acting like they didn't hear you the first time. "I'm saying you won't do it." maybe one thing Lando often forgets is how stubbornly bratty you can get.

Lando started, but was interrupted by the waiter coming to pick up your dessert orders. He only quickly added that you will settle this later. The Great Dessert Debate concluded after you were done with your meals. Lily was lobbying for ice cream, Oscar insisting on sorbet, Lando not really giving a damn as long as he wasn't going to have cake and you, of course, wanted something naughty. Oscar finally convinced Lily that sorbet would taste better than ice cream and they decided to get it to-go to bring home. You sighed and ordered cheesecake eventually.

"I changed my mind." Lando started. "I won't be having any dessert here." he smirked and glanced at you.

Idle as he was, he didn't waste an opportunity to dip his hand between your thighs once more and stroke you up and down as soon as you dipped your spoon in your cheesecake. You could've made a scene, but how you were practically purring in your seat, you decided not to.

"Don't move and finish your little treat," he murmured and brought his lips to your cheek and kissed it. "I'm sure sugar will give you enough energy for what's about to come later." you could almost choke as you swallowed.

He squeezed your thigh again under the table, giving you a once over and letting his eyes settle on your mouth. You knew what he was trying to do. He was attempting to turn you on in public while everyone else was almost done with their desserts and it worked, damn it. He didn't stop touching you until dessert was over and the bill was paid, but this time he slid his palm all the way up to your slit and stroked you through the fabric while you were busy–struggling–saying goodbye to Lily and Oscar.

You almost didn't want to get in the car with him, but to drag him to the nearest restroom and have him there. You were just on the verge of exploding, burning and dying a death of a thousand orgasms that needed to be let out, and let out now.

He put the car in drive, with you sitting right next to him, still wet and hard and throbbing. You didn't bother to keep your voice low this time. You huffed and fumed, wanting nothing more than to choke his pretty little neck.

"What is wrong with you?" you hissed.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, looking at you out of the corner of his eye to avoid a car accident with a grin on his face. He really is fucking crazy, you thought.

"You're so damn frustrating. Why haven't you touched me yet?"

"I'm touching you now." he smirked.

"You asshole! You're not touching me-Ah!" you yelped as he dug his thumb into your wetness and began rubbing you, his left hand steadily steering. You spread your legs as far as the car allowed and pulled your knee up, giving him as much access as you could.

"Oh god..." you relaxed and succumbed to your pleasure, making his thumb work at its full potential.

His other fingers were busy playing with your pussy, tracing the fabric to your entrance, but never actually going inside. You were breathing heavily as his fingers grazed closer to your clit each time he would repeat his movements. His thumb found your clit and started massaging it while his pointer and middle finger pulled your panties to the side and slipped in, parting your walls. You shuddered and moaned, but kept your eyes on the road ahead of you.

The way he was touching you was incredible, you were so wet that you could already feel the heat radiating from your skin. And he was doing all that while driving. One hand on the steering wheel, the other one down your panties.

He looked really hot, you had to admit to yourself, as you bit your lip glancing over at him. His eyes fixed on the road, concentration evident on his face as he drilled into you with his right hand. You wanted to lean over and kiss him.

His fingers curled inside of you, hitting that spot. Pumping in and out, you were getting more and more jerky in the passenger seat, only the seat belt restraining you from bucking your hips forward. It was getting so good, so painfully good when he pulled his fingers out of you.

"Don't do that." you whined, as he noticed your hips jerking and tried to move his hand to make you come.

"What?"

"That," you breathed, "Pull your fingers out of me."

He chuckled and put his palm over your pussy again, stroking you from the top. You started getting wetter and your breaths got faster and louder.

"Lando... Please! Don't." you muttered, knowing that in a matter of minutes you'd achieve sweet release.

He continued nonetheless, his nails scratching your skin every time the pad of his thumb would meet with your clitoris. You groaned and spread your legs wider, moaning Lando's name as you came.

"Seriously?" he chuckled again, stopping at the red light.

"Shut up." you glared at him and puffed your disheveled hair out of your face. He was still smiling. "That was not funny." you hissed, removing his hand from you.

"I agree." he said, undeterred by your actions. He brought the hand that was on your pussy up to his mouth and licked his fingers clean. "Mm, now this is what I call dessert." he moaned, licking his lips and savoring the taste. "And that was your first orgasm of the night, babe."

"You're an asshole." you pouted.

"So you've told me." he drove off, his hand coming back to rub your thigh.

"Lando, I'm serious," you grabbed his fingers and pushed them away. "Stop."

"Babe, you should really learn to finish what you start." he said, his cottage cheese fingers now replaced by the dripping wetness of his mouth. "Did you forget?"

"I hate you."

"You love me."

"I'm marrying you for your money."

"And your body." he added, letting his fingers lick your inner thigh.

"You bastard."

"We still have business to run when we get home." he announced, glancing quickly over at you. But your eyes were already half-lidded and there was a pleasant ache between your legs.

"Just drive." you muttered.

"I'm serious." he lightly chuckled, putting his right hand on your leg and rubbing you solidly through your skirt.

"We'll see." you adjusted yourself in the seat. You closed your eyes as you made yourself comfortable, enjoying the rest of the ride home.

Like he knew you needed a bit more rest, he took a longer route home. Pulling into your driveway, you smirked as the lights illuminated your face. You cleared your throat and fixed your skirt before exiting the car and sauntering over to the front of the house without giving a second glance to Lando. You made sure to sway your hips a little extra to grab his attention which worked, considering you were already unlocking the front door when you heard a soft click of his car door, meaning he stayed behind. Your feet were killing you and you only got to kick off one shoe when a pair of strong arms wrapped around you.

"Back where we started," he whispered.

"Something like that." you smiled, your hand grabbing the nape of his neck as you kicked the other shoe off. You stood flat on your bare feet, significantly shorter than him now.

He traced your shoulder with kisses up to your neck, his palms riding up your waist to cup your breasts. A low moan escaped you as he thumbed your nipple. You let your head fall back on his shoulder as your hips began to grind against him.

"I want you." you breathed into his ear.

He was hard against you and you could already feel yourself dripping wet for him. He turned you around, smashing your lips together as he picked you up and carried you to the living room couch. He sat down with you straddling him, your kissing already turned into a heavy make out session, his tongue exploring the depths of your mouth and vice versa.

One hand on your hip helping you rock back and forth, the other one on your jaw and throat, choking lightly and keeping your head in place. His hips buckled up as you sped your movements, making him hiss into your mouth and bite harder on your lower lip. You let out a soft cry, but didn't let that stop you.

Now both of his hands roamed the open back of your dress, his face pressed flat in your cleavage until he brought one of his hands and tugged harshly down at the top of your dress, afraid you heard something snap.

"Oh, did I rip it? Did I rip it for good this time?" he got a bit too overly excited for your liking.

"Yeah, I think one of my straps snapped." you breathed, flustered.

"Thank god!" he exclaimed, rubbing his nose in your cleavage. "I've been waiting for this day."

"I didn't realize you were such a fan of this dress." you sarcastically remarked, rolling your eyes, knowing damn well how he felt about it. You glanced down and saw he had torn the top of the dress almost to your belly button.

"Sorry." he grinned.

"No, you're not." you couldn't help but laugh. "You're going to make me buy a new one." you said, trying to push his face back into your cleavage.

"I'll pay for it." he nodded. You shook your head dismissively, deciding to let the subject go.

Coming up to your breasts, he pressed his palms over them before rubbing his thumbs over your nipples. You moaned as he did, his breath hot on your skin. He moved his mouth to suck on your left breast, closing his eyes and taking in your scent. You let your hand fall to his waist, pulling at his belt. He glanced up, his eyes meeting yours, but only for a moment, before his tongue swirled around your right nipple. Your breath hitched when he grazed you with his teeth, your right hand tugging on his curls. He let your nipple pop out of his mouth before dragging his teeth over your skin, the sensation sending electric currents through you.

"I have an idea-"

"Oh no-"

"Can you stand up for me, please, love?" he innocently grinned up at you.

Just out of pure curiosity you listened to him. He turned you around so that your back was facing him.

"You're going to rip the rest off me, aren't you?"

"Guilty." he pulled the remaining strap down. Your hands were on the couch now, bracing yourself and waiting for his next move.

"You're so dirty." you said, unable to resist sounding disappointed.

"And you're so wet." he said, his fingers pressed up against your drenched panties.

"Shut up." you shuddered, his breath warming the back of your neck.

The fire in you was burning now. You felt his hands snake around your neck and his hot breath on your ear.

"Just because I don't like this dress doesn't mean I don't love you. I love you so much." he whispered.

"I love you more." you replied, relaxed.

He leaned in and kissed your back, all the way down your spine, making you shudder at the feeling of his soft lips against your skin. His hands gently grabbed the remaining fabric of the dress on your hips and in one swift motion, tore it off your body.

"Whoops," he said, dropping the shreds that once made up a dress on the floor.

"You tease." you smirked over your shoulder.

"You love it."

You nodded. You felt his hands gently grab your hips as he pushed you forward a bit and stood up behind you. One of his hands spread across your lower back and the other reached down to grasp on your thigh. He pulled you back against him and you could feel his hardness in between your ass cheeks as he kissed your shoulder. You felt his hand wander up your inner thigh and lightly graze your clit. You moaned in approval and he took that as a cue to keep going. He slipped a finger or two inside you and it was almost instant that he was tapping your g-spot.

"Lando." you breathed, fully leaning on him for support.

"Yes, love?" his voice was deep and low.

"I want you." you whined for the second time that evening.

"And you'll have me." he said, without providing much information on when that will be.

He laid you back on the couch, opening your legs to slide his arms in between your thighs. He lifted your butt off the couch and you wrapped your arms tight around his neck, anticipating the moment where he'd have his face between your legs.

He descended on top of you, his lips kissing your neck before moving over to your ear. His teeth grazed your earlobe and you shuddered as he sucked.

"More." you panted, your fingers clawing at his shirt.

He smirked, giving your ear one last lick before moving his attention to your lips. His rough hands maneuvered over your skin, finally gripping your breasts and pinching your nipples. Your hands cupped his face as he roughly bit down on your lower lip, then moving to your jaw and then your neck.

You pulled off his dress shirt as he attacked your neck with his mouth and his teeth. Your eyes fluttered close as his teeth sank into your shoulder. He pulled away, leaving a series of hickeys on your skin. He climbed back on top of you, his hands snaking down to grab your ass. He looked into your eyes, biting down on his lip as he pushed his hardness into your thigh. You wiggled your hips, getting impatient for him to be inside of you.

"So impatient," he remarked. "Can't you see I'm trying to take my time with you?"

"This is torture." you said instead.

"Now, baby," he said, kissing his way down from in between your chest to your stomach. "No need for dramatics."

Positioning his face just above your pussy, he gently removed your panties as he pushed your legs a bit more forward, angling you just the way he wanted you. Without previous warning, he ran his hot tongue all over you. Oh, god, real torture begins now, you thought.

A moan chocked in your throat as your mouth hung agape. It didn't take long for him to start lapping around your folds, suck on your clit and fuck into your entrance with his pointy tongue. You were a squirmy and moany mess, one hand pulling on his hair, the othe one gripping the couch, but he didn't cease. In fact, it only encouraged him to flick his tongue over your sensitivity and keep tasting you up.

Thighs shaking and repeatedly panting his name, your climax arrived sooner that you anticipated. He licked you clean one last time before getting on top of you once more and kissing you, making you taste yourself on his lips. You sank your teeth into his bottom lip as you sucked on it, receiving a moan into your mouth from him. He gave you a few more pecks before pulling you up by your arms into his embrace.

"What do you say we take this to the bedroom?" he questioned.

You nodded, resting your head on his shoulder as he carried you like a child in his arms, your legs wrapped around his waist.

He dropped you on the bed and fumbled with his pants. That gave you an opportunity to quickly get on your knees and take his belt off and unbutton his pants. He got the hint, taking them down. You rested your head on his thigh, looking up at him–pouting–as you stroked the bulge in his boxers. You probably couldn't count how many times he actually got a boner this evening and had to fight it. His lips parted, shaky breaths escaping him.

"Please..." he begged, fingers raking through your hair.

He didn't have to tell you twice to take his boxers off. After all, you could no longer deny him his pleasure after everything you've put him through this evening. He deserved his little treat. His length sprung forward and you rested it on your tongue. He shuddered, holding your head as you bobbed on him. You started going faster and it wasn't long before you could feel him twitching in your mouth.

You usually didn't do this, but you wanted to tease him as much as you could. When you felt him starting to lose his grip, you stopped and smiled as you looked up at him. Strands of saliva connected your mouth to his cock. He looked at you with a desperate look, his hands holding your head still.

"Why did you stop?" he asked, his voice husky.

"Because you wanted to," you said, beaming.

He shook his head dismissively, returning a smile. You wrapped your lips around his tip again, sucking on him as hard as you could. His head fell back onto his shoulder, his eyes closed in ecstasy. You gripped him in your hands, stroking him as you bobbed your head up and down.

You stopped when it felt like his cock was about to burst. You let go and looked up at him and he caught you before you could say anything. He pulled you up and his lips crashed onto yours. The taste of him was still on your tongue, but you didn't mind. He kissed you tighter, his hands wrapped around your body, his fingers clawing at your lower back.

"Please, stop fucking teasing me." he groaned.

"I'm sorry." I pouted. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Want to show me just how sorry you are? Huh?" he grabbed your jaw, fixing your eyes on him. You nodded in response, this play only turning you on. "I'm going to fuck you right here." he muttered, his voice husky with lust. "Right on this bed, where I have fucked you numerous times before." he took your arms and pinned them to your sides. "Don't. Fight. Me." he warned, making sure not to repeat previous mistakes.

You shook your head and let out a nervous giggle.

"That's my girl." he leaned forward to kiss you again.

You moaned into it, pressing your body against him. His palm rubbed up your leg, parting it wider as he went to your thigh. He held your leg as he slipped it over his shoulder, his fingers brushing faintly over you, your hips bucking against him, urging him to go. He obliged by slipping two fingers. Your back arched up, your head falling back as you groaned.

"So wet for me." he grinned.

"You just don't know what you do to me." you explained, rocking your hips, enjoying the feeling of his fingers filling you up.

"I'll show you what I'm going to do to you." he claimed, gripping your hand and intertwining your fingers. His other hand was working its way further up your thigh and stopping above your knee.

"Do it, Lando." you pleaded.

He hoisted your other leg over his shoulder as well, changing the angle of your body and pushed himself into you. You twisted your head to look at him, your mouth hanging open as you let out a loud cry.

"Oh, fuck me, Lando..." you said breathily.

"Say my name." he rocked his hips faster.

"Lando," you gasped, your thighs beginning to shake.

"Louder." he commanded, squeezing your ass in his hands. "You're louder when you come."

"Lan... Lando!" you moaned, throwing your head back again.

The feeling was so overwhelming that you could feel yourself on the brink of climax. Your thighs started to shake violently and your stomach felt like it was being tickled on the inside. You moaned his name, trying to stifle a scream as you felt the most intense orgasm wash over you. You felt like you were going to pass out. It really had to be the most incredible feeling you ever experienced. You could feel him still hunched over you, filling you up.

"Lay down," he ordered.

"I can't even move," you gasped. "I'm numb."

"Good." he chuckled. "It means you enjoyed yourself."

"What about you?" you asked him.

"I'm covered in you." he kissed you. "That's more than enough."

"I want to make you feel good." you said, trying to catch your breath.

"That's something I'll have to work for." he smirked at you, rolling his cock inside you.

You bit your lip to keep you from moaning as you twisted your hips and dug your nails into his skin. He started kissing and sucking on your neck and your hands fell to his shoulders.

"I think you've had enough fun." he said, nibbling on your ear.

"Too much is never enough." you giggled. "Just stay inside me." you whispered as you put your arms back around his neck.

"I can do that." he smiled before kissing you.

He started thrusting in and out of you slowly, changing the angle again. You moaned into the kiss, your arms tightening around him. You started rocking your hips in sync with his thrusts, filling you up even more. He let go of your arms and cupped your face, still kissing you. You moved your hands to his neck and tangled your fingers into his hair.

"Oh, my god," you moaned into his mouth. "This feels so good."

"Tell me what you feel," he said between kisses.

"I feel full." you said breathily. "Like your cock is stretching me out." this dirty talk made you giggle.

"Tell me how it feels filling you up." he encouraged.

"I feel like I'm ready to burst," you said, shuddering. "I love it."

He pushed into you deeper and his lips found your collar bone.

"Good," he groaned. "I want you to feel good."

"I do." you breathed. "Oh, my god, I do." your eyes rolled back.

"Are you going to come again?" he asked, changing the speed of his thrusts.

"I don't know." you said. "Don't stop." you hugged him closer.

You felt the muscles in your body tightening and you knew you were about to climax again. He pulled back and looked down at you.

"Stay with me." he said, thrusting harder.

"I can't." you moaned.

He lifted you up, changing the position again. He slid out of you slightly then pushed in hard, hitting you in the right spot.

"Oh, fuck," you moaned, arms falling back to your side. "Fuck!" you screamed.

"Good girl," he pulled your face up and kissed you.

You came so hard that your vision went blurry and you felt like passing out again. You could feel him still thrusting into you, trying to keep pace. You bucked against him, your hips constricting as he came inside of you, groaning your name. He put you back down on the bed, his hands still on your body, gently rubbing your skin. You felt like you were on top of the world.

"I love you." you said, turning your head to face him. "So much."

"I love you." he replied, kissing your forehead.

"I'm sorry if I was a bit bratty today." you snuggled closer to him.

"Nah, I deserved it." he played with your fingers on his stomach. "And if I didn't, I know why you do it anyway." he shot you a quick glance.

"Oh, really?" you challenged.

"Uh huh. Don't get me wrong, it's hot and all, but babe, if you want me to fuck you hard all you have to do is ask."

"You're unbelievable." you shoved his shoulder and turned around, getting further away from him as possible. "Let's see the next time I behave like that and you don't get anything." you tucked yourself in with a duvet.

"Babe," he called and rolled his body closer to yours, hugging you from behind. "It was a joke. With some truth in it, but you know-"

You turned around just to hit his chest."

"Asshole."

"Princess."

You snuggled into the crook of his neck as he rested his chin on top of your head, your limbs tangled together.

"Prick."

"Babygirl."

"Wanker."

"If you want round three just say that." even though you both laughed, you still hit him with your fist.

"Fucking idiot."

"Love of my life."

You're not sure when exactly did he stop whispering names of endearment in your ear for you fell asleep in his arms to the sound of his voice with a hint of a smile plastered on your face.

[shadamyheadcanons]

For me, Shadow and Amy's dynamic is basically two different types of touch starved in a person

((If any of the gifs on this post aren’t loading for you on mobile--like they aren’t for me--you can download them or check the sources listed. As for desktop, they play just fine, but they won’t line up next to each other like they do on mobile. Tumblr is a comedy of errors.))

Yes! Absolutely. I’ve seen tons of fans say Shadow is prickly and would respond badly to hugs, but canon says otherwise. This is a bad reaction:

[Sonic 06]

Whenever I feel like being sad, I wonder if Bad-Future-06 Silver has ever been hugged.

This is a bad reaction:

[Sonic Unleashed, gif source.]

And I shouldn’t have to say this, but...yeah. These are very bad reactions:

[Sonic X]

[Sonic Generations]

Yikes. I feel bad for both of them.

But this?

[Sonic Adventure 2, gif source.]

This is Shadow’s only canonical hug in the games, and aside from jumping slightly from being snuck up on, he seems to like it just fine.

Just look at that smile! He’s happy. He finds it endearing.

It was a hug from a complete stranger meant for someone else, but he still drank it in--and, given that he’d effectively just lost Maria, he really did need it. It’s the combination of Amy’s gentleness AND her speech that changed his mind. After all, if someone as sweet as her sees something in the humans, maybe they’re not so bad.

My buddy who runs @shadowxamyweek recently reblogged a post about this hug, and their tags sum it up perfectly:

[ID: A screenshot of tags on a post. The tags read:

#official art #4kids #shadow the hedgehog #amy rose #YEAH 😭 #listen I read nothing that has happened with them in SA2 as shippy - and i ship them #THIS HUG? THR SPEECH ON THE ARK? #those are two lonely kids #those are two left behind kids #those are two kids so desperate for affection #for two vastly different reasons #Amy loves with her whole chest and will never stop doing so- no matter what happens #and Shadow does too- that is key to remember- Shadow loves... so fucking much... that it hurts #you are RIGHT op when you say this is probably the first time someone has been gentle with him in a long long time #he doesn't even run away #in the game- when Amy flees- he takes a step after her- a moment's hesitation- a 'wait' #this kid NEEDED a hug #and i firmly believe part of the reason Shadow listens to Amy in the end is BECAUSE she is the only person who showed him gentleness #softness and kindness and affection #if only for a moment #fjdodhdofjgor THIS is what i mean when i say 'be gentle- be kind' #it MATTERS #it FUCKING MATTERS

End ID]

Shadow doesn’t hate hugs inherently; it’s just that no one hugs him in the first place...

...aside from one person.

Amy’s easily the most affectionate character in the cast. It’s cute at first glance, but there’s a common thread to every instance that puts a damper on it.

She’s always, ALWAYS the initiator.

She puts more into each hug than anyone else does.

She’s always the last to pull away.

The most reciprocated Amy hug I know of in canon is this one:

[IDW Sonic issue #22]

Which is absolutely adorable...but Amy still initiated. Because it’s always her job. Even the characters who like affection don’t need it the way she does...with one exception.

And this tiny detail just killed me. The little, “wait, come back 😟”

It’s the only time I know of when someone has actually stepped after her like this. In a game where everyone left Amy behind, he wanted to follow her. Mister so-called-prickly didn’t want the hug to end.

Because he’s the only one who needs it as much as she does.

He wants to be held as much as she wants to hold someone else, and no one else is warm and sincere enough for it. Compare these instances:

[IDW issue #6]

Sonic thinks Shadow is wrong about something, so he grabs Shadow’s arm to stop him, and Shadow aggressively wrenches it away and leaves.

[Archie Sonic Universe #23]

But when Amy thinks Shadow is wrong about something and grabs his arm to stop him, he gently removes her hand and thinks about what she has to say.

Even when he doesn’t want to be touched, he makes the distinction between “don’t touch me” and “not right now, please.” These are from two different continuities, of course, but I think the point stands. Amy’s special. He’s gentler with her than he is with other people, and that’s consistent across all canons.

Side note: how often does Amy get to feel special like that? I actually really like that Sonic doesn’t place others in a hierarchy of importance, and I wouldn’t change that about him even if I could...

[IDW issue #2]

...but Amy does play favorites. I want her to feel like she’s someone else’s favorite, too. I want her to have someone who puts her first and likes her best. I think Shadow’s more than capable of that. I believe he craves clinginess like hers deep down, even if he hasn’t consciously figured that out yet.

I have an entire tag for these two being affectionate. My favorite is probably this one.

Of course, there may be those who say I’m reading too much into one (1) hug. And you know what? Maybe they’re right! We need a bigger sample size. Sega, make more characters hug Shadow, please. Let Rouge comfort him after he confides in her about something. Have Omega give him an awkward metal embrace because he read on the internet that organic beings like that kind of thing. Make Shadow himself pull Silver into a hug when he’s breaking down crying from the stress of always having to be a hero. Show Tails accidentally grab onto him out of fear when they’re trapped in a lightning storm, and when he gets embarrassed and pulls away, have Shadow hold him for the rest of the storm and admit he’s not fond of bright lights, either.

[Sonic Boom]

That scene where Shadow and Amy rescue Cream and Cheese from Cryptic Castle? That easily could’ve turned into a cute group hug.

[Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)]

And I have seen some absolutely adorable fanart where he holds Cream’s hand while he and Amy lead her through Cryptic Castle to make sure she doesn’t get lost 🥺

Have Knuckles give him an empathetic bro-pat on the shoulder when he finds out Shadow’s the last one of his race, too.

[Archie Sonic Universe #89]

Have Sonic try to hug him, and then when Shadow inevitably pushes him away and says he doesn’t do hugs, have Amy arrive and latch onto Shadow instead while he tries to stutter out an excuse as to why she’s allowed to and Sonic isn’t.

The most affection Shadow has in recent history is stuff like this...

[Sonic Prime season 2 episode 1]

...where Sonic tries to hug him and Shadow immediately pushes him away, knocks him over, and tries to punch him in the face. Kind of says it all. Amy stands out as the only one with a good track record here.

[IDW issue #36]

Especially when you have him look at her like this when someone else is on the receiving end of that affection.

So in the absence of further evidence, I have no choice but to interpret this in the most Shadamy way possible. Your move, Sega.

[casually-salad]

cutie pox chronicles, full master-post.

welcome to my sick and twisted world.. everything will be found below.

so firstly! i know theres a couple people coming from off tumblr sites to check this out (( hi jay!!! )) so ill explain somethin real quick!

All of my comics have hand written text! now sometimes these can be hard to read, and so if you press this button ( image below ) and ive wrote out all the text in there for your convenience! make sure as well to read the body of the post and also the tags! usually i have some post upload thoughts or feelings i talk about there - some add context and some are fun!

normally i would recommend going through my archive and searching for "mlp infection au" or "cutie pox chronicles" but you wont have to do that here - but for nontumblr users if you want to check out other blogs i recommend that method.

now before reading there is a massive trigger warning: on all posts with these topics everything is tagged as "tw (topic)" and so i would recommend blocklisting ones that make you uncomfortable or understand what youre going into! triggering contents include: blood, gore, body horror, eye horror and eye trauma, child death, dismemberment, and cannibalism.

now! all posts will be in upload order, liked here with the title and the in story date ( as it changes. ) as well as which posts are single images and which ones are comics. when looking at stat sheets, the more full the better! 0% - or empty health is death, and 0%- or empty, composure is maina. alright!!!!! here we gooooo!!

The Cutie Pox. (day 0) comic

stat sheets ( day 1 ) comic?

Lillys last cutiemark. - single

first sightings -single

first nights out. - comic

how far away does a home stray? - single

lillys last mark - comic

the everfree - single

from hell and back - comic (day 0)

imbalance - comic (day 2)

finding the spark - comic

moon dancers melancholy part 1 - comic

moon dancer sheet - single

fleeting feelings - comic

helping hoof..? - comic

moon dancers melancholy part 2 - comic

freezerburnt - comic

fleeting calmness - comic ( day 3 )

dreams fall hard today - comic

princesses stat sheets - comic?

wilting lilly - comic

youre going to live with that guilt - comic

home - home again. - comic ( day 4 )

hurt everywhere you go part 1 - comic

bracing for impact ( hurt everywhere you go part 2) - comic

get well - comic

fly free canary. - comic

getting worse - comic

a storm on the horizon- comic (day 5 )

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

i really never thought this comic would get me as far as it did, seince i started posting i went from having 100 followers to about 210, thats more than double! thats insane. i wont lie i am SOOOO ANXIOUS to have such a following!!!!! usually my posts prior wouldnt get more than 5 notes but now!! almost all of them ( at least of this comic ) have over 30 on every one!!! thats just, so crazy. i hope everyone continues to look forward as i begin preparation on chapter 2, and what else i have to offer on here - i have a whole lot more story to tell and im excited to!

[simpstantruther]

Hungry Heart ch. 1 | (Mullet) Stanley Pines x Reader

(Sorry, should have posted it this way the first time. First time posting fanfiction to tumblr).

Summary: Stan needs to go to Oregon. You need to get to California. Stan has a car. You have a cunt. (Can I make it any more obvious~)

Tags: 80s Americana Roadtrip Partners-in-Crime Stan x Reader fic. Smut. You can fix him, but you're worse.

TW: Alcohol Use

Preview:

His voice gets surprisingly soft. “Can I take you home?”

“You kiddin’ me?” You spit out the ruined lime slice. ”I thought you were a bum. What home you gonna take me to? Lovely spot under a bridge?"

“I got a motel room.” He adds defensively. “It’s somethin’.”

Read on AO3.

Your arms stick to the bar top. It’s sticky enough on its own. It smells like fruit cocktail and jaeger and all the other sickly sweet mixings that bar tops get coated in, with a lovely note of pissy beer over it all.

But it’s sweltering, even with the door kicked out and the flies starting to buzz inside. There’s a sheen of sweat over all your bare skin, sticking your thighs uncomfortably to your wooden stool. Your jean shorts are too short, and the high waist is digging into your ribs. 

You hate Dallas.

Stupid bartender cut you off two songs ago.

You hate this stupid bar, too.

You weren’t drunk. Not really. Just buzzed enough to tell him to shove a broken bottle up his ass when he snapped your bra strap from across the bar.

But he let you sit at the bar anyways. He was sweet like that. You feel pitiable, alone like this. Maybe he can tell. Maybe he hopes that if he lets you stay and no one else picks up the slack, you’ll let him take you home.

You’re not drunk enough for that. And you can afford to be choosey. Daddy always said you were a pretty girl. He told you to kill yourself before you weren't, but that was besides the point. 

You look at the stained mirror backing the bar. Dark circles under your eyes. Your hair is a mess. Your eyeliner is from three days ago, a dark stain under your bottom eyelashes. You're young, but you don't want to guess how much longer you'll have left by dear old dad's measure. Not the way you're living.  

You're not drunk, you're just reminiscing. 

“Got a wife and kids in Baltimore jack—“

You snap over to the juke box, playing the same fucking song again for the fifth time. Some mulleted asshole with sweat and beer stains over his white t-shirt croons along poorly, drunkenly leaning against the wall beside it.

“I go for a drive and never come back—“

“Not a-fucking-gain.” You groan, head in your hands. 

“What? Who’s got a problem with Springsteen?” He barks. The mellow rock continues without him.

You don’t turn. You’re not drunk, just a little on edge from the heat. You slide off your stool painfully and stumble. And okay, you’re drunker than you realize.

You point an accusing finger at the blurry man who stomps toward you. 

“If I wanted to hear someone butcher Bruce Springsteen songs, I’d toss quarters at the poor bastard with the chipped cup outside. At least he knows the god damn lyrics—“ 

You blink as he comes into focus. 

Dammit. 

He was cute, in a bring-me-home-and-disappoint-your-parents kind of way. Or if Kurt Russel had like, a really bad year. Square jaw. Scruffy chin. Bulbous nose, broken at least a few times. Baby beer gut. Big, broad shoulders. Narrow hips. God. Was he wearing fucking football gear or something? 

His lips stay parted like the mouth-breather he is. He looks you over too. Your loose tank top has a fallen strap, the hem hangs low over your chest. With your arms crossed, your tits look better than they are. His eyes fall to the bit of lace on your bra peeking out. It’s fine. That’s what it’s there for. 

You swallow thickly, feeling sweat crawl down your neck. 

“You played the same song five times in a row. Don’t you know the fuckin’ lyrics by now?” You mutter quietly, just enough to make him lean in and listen.

You feel his hot breath against your ear, trying to talk over the music. It smells like tequila and cheap cigarettes.

“You wanna teach it to me, Sweetheart?” 

You huff with amusement. A jersey dirtbag just like you, so far from home? What are the odds. 

He stands over you.

You imagine your thighs around his big dopey ears for a second, but the idea of his stubble tearing up your already irritated inner thighs feels unappetizing.

“Nah. Learn it yourself.” You turn. His meaty hand grabs your arm. 

“Can I buy you a drink?”

“I don’t know.” You tilt your head. “Can you?” It’s a genuine question. You both glance at the bartender who curls his lip.

“Hermano! One for the lady, por favor!”

Surprisingly, the bartender nods. You both cling to the bar, like the railing of a ship tipping over.

“He’s Italian.” You mutter under your breath, watching the bartender mix you another vodka-soda.

“Huh?” He leans his elbow on the bar beside you, his other hand coming around your other side. He’s like a furnace. You are sweating out his beer through osmosis. 

You nod to the flag hung behind the bartender and fan yourself with a damp coaster.

“It’s an Italian flag. The Mexican one has an eagle.”

“I know. I did time in Mexico.” He says it like he’s proud. Like you should care. Stupid cute smug grin. 

“Small world!” You turn towards him.

“Gettin’ smaller.” He looks amused and he coils a strand of your hair around his finger, now leaning his arm on your shoulder. “You serious? You got locked up there?”

“No.” You say, deadpanned. He laughs. You feel it, tucked against his chest.

“You’re funny.” 

“And you’re just an asshole.” You say as you sip your drink, faster than you should. 

He shrugs one shoulder dismissively. “So, you from Jersey?” He asks, knocking back a shot of tequila with only a grimace. “You sound like my Ma.”

“Born and raised. You?”

“Born and raised. Small world. Why’d you ever leave Jersey?”

“To leave Jersey. ”

He sucks his teeth. “Ain’t you got a family or somethin’?” 

“What, are you gonna kidnap me?” He laughs again. His laugh is stupid, loud, makes you wanna laugh with him. Maybe just at him. You shrug. “Followin’ my old man out west.”

“New family?”

“New everything.”

“Lucky guy. It’s harder than it sounds, starting a new life.” He sighs bitterly, nodding as the bartender refills his shooter. “Some fuckers have all the luck.” 

You hold your glass out to him. You long since drained it of alcohol, but the ice remains. You suck on one melting cube in your cheek and crunch it between your teeth. “To the unlucky bastards, then.” 

He tuts his tongue and takes the empty glass from your hand, replacing it with another shooter.

“That’s better. To the unlucky bastards.” 

You hate tequila. 

But you love free liquor.

“Salud.” You wince as it burns down your throat, shutting your eyes tightly for a moment before you open to see him watch you with his elbow on the bar top.

“Love seein’ a beautiful chick knockin’ back tequila like a champ.” He smirks.

“Love it from a distance. You’re in the splash zone.” You groan, setting back down the glass and snagging a lime from behind the bar to suck against your teeth. 

“I don’t scare easy.” 

You narrow your eyes. “You want me to yak on you?”

“If you would do me the honors.” He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t lose his easy smile.

You smirk briefly. “Freak.” 

“I get that a lot.” The smile loosens. Just a bit. He swallows and you watch his adam’s apple bob. His voice gets surprisingly soft.

“Can I take you home?”

“You kiddin’ me?” You spit out the ruined lime slice. ”I thought you were a bum. What home you gonna take me to? Lovely spot under a bridge?"

“I got a motel room.” He adds defensively. “It’s somethin’.”

“Livin’ large.” You draw out the vowels condescendingly. As if you’re any better. “You ain’t worried I’ll rob you blind in the night, big shot?”

“Don’t got much. And if you can sneak it past me, I figure you deserve it.”

You look over him again.

You consider it, you really do. He could have been worse. You’ve had worse. Half the nights you spent on your way west were spent banging for room and board. Or at least picking guys drunk and rich enough to pay for the taxi home and pass out before they remembered to touch you. 

You should be dead. A dozen times, you wished you were. Easily, you could have been. And no one would go looking for you.

You have a feeling he understands what that’s like. Poor bastard.

But tonight, you paid for a room. And for the love of God, clean(ish) beds to yourself were in short supply. The T.V. in your room was busted and the liquor store was closed. You came here for the lovely conversation.

“Sorry. Not tonight, buddy.” You avert your eyes. “But thanks for the drinks.”

He frowns and nods, not happy with the rejection clearly but respectful enough to accept it anyways.

“Well, I’m in town a couple more days. If you need somethin’, give me a call, okay sweetheart?”

He fishes out a business card from his front jean pocket. It’s wrinkled and damp with sweat. 

The Loveshack the card says.

You pick up the card and turn it on both sides. 

“Cute.”

“I’m in room eight.” He eyes the card nervously. “Or ask for Lee.”

“Lee.” You repeat. “Thanks, Lee.” You hold your hand out to shake and give him a fake name. He holds your hand and your eyes. 

“I mean it. Give me a call.” He pleads.

You huff with mirth, sticking the card in your pocket. You haven’t heard a boy beg for a call like that since highschool.

“Alright, alright.” You slide off your barstool again, slightly more graceful than the first time. 

“Goodnight, Lee.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

“Stupid.” You smirk at eachother as you step back towards the exit. You know he’s waiting for you to turn so he can stare at your ass.

Bruce Springsteen croons you out as you leave the bar. You hear Lee belting along. 

“Everybody’s got a hungry heart. Everybody’s got a hungry heart.”

[vee-crytraps]

Kiss Me More | Ch 2 | {Burning Down the House}

Chapter Summary: Coffee, tea and the third degree. It's breakfast time at Wayne Manor. AN: New to posting fics on Tumblr, feel free to read here or over on Ao3 under the username VenusCrytraps. Same bat time, same bat channel.

{Trigger warning/Themes Masterlist}

Jason is up first, long before most of the other members have gathered for breakfast. His hair is messy, but his face is clean shaven. He had elected to ‘forget’ his shaving kit back at his apartment in the East side in protest, but Alfred always made sure that Jason’s manor quarters had spares on spares.

Not one to waste the old mans effort, Jason saunters down the wide staircase in a nice shirt and black pants, with his jacket slung over his shoulder. He looks much more put together than usual, a self satisfied smirk on his face lingering from the memory of last night’s encounter. 

Bruce eyes him from over his morning paper, watching Jason load proteins and even a few pancakes onto his plate. Everyone else just seems relieved that this holds the potential for a rare, drama-free morning, and greets him with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

You’re the last to arrive, well rested and robed, a modest nightgown peaking out from underneath. You greet everyone individually, even taking the time to ruffle an annoyed Damian’s hair and press a quick appreciative kiss to Bruce’s cheek.

Sitting down next to Jason, you begin to load up your own plate.

“Have some breakfast with your coffee,” You tease, watching as Tim pours himself what is no doubt his second cup since sitting down.

Spirits seem a little less lively than usual, considering this is the first breakfast you’ve had in a long time with all of your brothers in attendance. The silence eats at you. You hate being able to hear yourself think. And chew.

“Soooo,” You start, sliding your gaze across the faces of your seated family members. “How was patrol?”

“No Bat talk at the table,” Bruce reminds you. He doesn’t even bother to look up to scold you, and that kind of ticks you off. He turns the page. “Eat your breakfast.”

“Sir, yes sir,” You lift your fork in a mock solute, and your dad barely manages to grunt in acknowledgement. He’s clearly tired. You suspect he hasn’t slept much. 

In comparison to usual, anyway.

Damian, on the other hand, is as eager as you are to fill the grating silence. Which would make you suspicious if you weren’t so desperate for some conversation. “What else even is there for us to talk about?” He questions, but it goes unanswered.

“I got somethin’.” Jason, ever eager to get you back for your stunt last night, decides it’s a good time to put the fear of god into you. “Noticed you were up late last night. Don’t know what business you had getting dolled up at seven PM.”

It’s difficult to glare and chew at the same time, you realize. Choking, you just barely keep yourself from stomping on his toes. Retaliation is an admission of guilt, you remind yourself, forcing your shoulders to relax as you took a long, slow sip of your orange juice. Maybe if you don’t dignify it with a response, it’ll blow over.

Damian is the first to catch on. He stops eating and looks up at you. 

“You stayed up for a date?” Damian asks.

You choke again. It’s more embarrassing this time. Your father clears his throat, but seems to still be reading.

“What? No way.” Just roll your eyes. Lean back in your chair. Look relaxed. 

If anything that brings more attention your way. It was not to your advantage that every other person at this table were seasoned detectives.

“This is really embarrassing for you.” Tim informs you, at the bottom of that second cup of Café Bustelo. Maybe his next cup will stop his heart. That would totally draw attention away from you.

“Since when did you guys start being so nosy,” You tease, but man, the tension in your shoulders gets worse. Your fork cuts your toast into the crude shape of a throwing star, and you chuck it at Damian limply. It doesn’t even make it across the table.

“Since you started acting suspicious,” Damian says with a matter-of-fact tone in his voice. His eyes flash towards you, and leans forward to rest his elbows on his table. “Who was he?”

Bruce turns a page. “Damian.”

"Tt," Huffing, Damian loads your shitty bread weapon onto his fork and flings it back at you, his face unchanged. “It was obvious a guy. So who was it?”

You gaze slips to Bruce, hoping he’ll interject again. He doesn’t.

Okay, you think to yourself. Any more denial and it’ll start to be a little too stupid and obvious. If you gave them an inch, maybe you won’t have to reveal that Jason lent you nine.

“Oh, you know,” A laugh escapes you, and you pour yourself some of Tim’s jet fuel. “I was just…socializing. You should try it sometime.”

That’s good. A half-truth, mixed in with a little good natured sibling teasing. Maybe there was hope for you after all.

“With who?” Tim pipes up again, his curiosity clearly piqued. “Anyone we know?”

“Come on, whose the mystery guy? Can we meet him?” Dick adds, shifting forward.

“Yeah, Baby Bat,” Jason bears a wicked grin. He’s got his revenge and more, and you wonder if he trusts you to navigate this situation without getting the two of you caught, or if he just doesn’t care. “We just want to make sure he’s worth your time.”

He’s kind of getting off on this. Seeing you, sitting next to him in your little rich girl pajamas, your dad at the head of the table none the wiser. There was no way he would have believed you were a ball of sexual frustration under those frills had he not seen it with his own eyes last night.

“What’s with the third degree? I didn’t realize I was on trial.” You toss your hands up in the air in mock defeat. And real defeat, now that you think about it.

This ship was sinking fast. Time for a diversion tactic. “What about you, Tim? Any hot dates recently?”

Tim grins widely, taking in pleasure in seeing you crack. They must be on to something. Even you couldn’t pretend to be this bad at lying. “I can neither confirm or deny.” He burns the new dialogue tree to the ground before you can turn anyone else’s attention away from this brutal line of questioning.

Damian huffs once more, lacing his fingers together. The look on his perfect, beautiful face would otherwise suggest that he’s bored, but you know it’s far from true when you meet his gaze. He’s got that investigator stare, and if there was somehow any doubt in your mind that he was Bruce’s blood, it was quickly blitzed. “You should just tell us. You know we will find out.”

“Yeah, BB. It’s in your best interest.” Leaning back in his chair, Jason tosses an arm over the back of yours, sipping his orange juice with wicked amusement. This could not have been less in your best interest. His too, actually.

“Oh, whaaat?” You quickly stand, your chair shooting backwards and nearly causing Jason to drop his glass. It would have served him right, but every once in a while gravity favored him despite his size.

 “You know what? I totally hear my phone ringing. I’m gonna go take care of that, but like, I’m so happy to do this another time.” You’ll pencil them in for after the apocalypse. “See you at the gala!” You head upstairs, genuinely not planning to emerge from the safety of your room until it was time to go.

You think you’re in the clear until you hear Damian’s chair push back, and then you start taking the steps two at a time. Damian warms to the thrill of a physical chase, watching you bound up the stairs like the prey animal you are.

It’s cute, really. That you think a pair of solid oak doors would stop him from dragging you for information. There wasn’t a thing in this house he didn’t know, and you were soon going to be made aware of that.

[atlasofthestaars]

[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .010

first part | previous part | next part

NOTE: Finally to chapter 10! 

Don’t think too hard about this poll, it’s only kinda relevant to the plot, but not in a major way. You can theorize what this means, but I won’t really confirm what it means.

Please let me know of the love interests the reader has interacted with so far is your favorite! Preferably in the context of the story ! 

A list of the choices I’m talking about are: Liu Kang. Bi-Han, Kuai Liang, Tomas, Kung Lao, Raiden, Kenshi, and Johnny Cage.

As usual, taking these opinions for about a week after this goes up, aka when the tumblr poll ends!

Kitana made it in as a love interest! I was NOT expecting the total landslide victory she had haha

As a friendly reminder, this story is canon divergent :) Also, this is Mortal Kombat, but I did feel the need to warn for gore near the end!

FROM THE EYES OF ONE WHO WITNESSES SOMETHING TRULY IMPORTANT

Today was finally the day.

Basking in the sunrise, a large grin spread across your face. The gentle beams of light warmed you up to combat the light breeze that passed by. You felt the excitement that surged through you, reminding you of how you felt the day of the entry exam for Kung Lao and Raiden.

That was months ago, and you could hardly believe how much time had passed.

“I see that you are eager for today.” Liu Kang remarked. You turned your head to look back at the god, unable to hide your excitement. The fire god smiled just as brightly as you did, amusement sparkling within his glowing eyes.

“It’s hard not to be.” You quipped, your fingers tapping the wooden railing. You closed your eyes as you envisioned your students that you had trained hard to get to where they were now. Sure, you had been given students that had been trained well, but it was undeniable that you left a positive influence in honing their skills. “We’ll finally determine who Earthrealm’s champion is.” 

“We shall indeed.” Liu Kang stepped beside you, his shoulder brushing against you gently. You enjoyed the warmth the fire god radiated, it felt comforting as usual. He looked at the sunrise. It was funny to you how, despite being a god, he always seemed to enjoy these mundane early mornings with you. Then, he returned his gaze back to you. “Do you have any predictions on who it will be?”

“That’s like picking a favorite.” You pointed out. Still, you pursed your lips and sighed as you deliberated over the answer. You let out a small hum, scooting just a touch closer to Liu Kang. It was colder than usual, and you sought out his warmth. The demigod did not complain as your arm brushed up against him. “I think in my heart I believe in Raiden, but I know he has not beaten Kung Lao yet.”

“I see.” Liu Kang replied. There was something to his tone of voice that you couldn’t quite place. It was as if he expected that answer, but there was also something else there. “Thank you for undertaking the training for the champions.” 

“Thank you for believing in me.” You countered, looking at the god. You paused, trying to remember the words he told you long ago. “I remember how you told me that you trusted me to do this task, all those months ago.” Your gaze dropped to your fidgeting hands. “It really inspired me to hear those words from you. Not just because you’re a god, but because it’s well…you who trusted me, if that makes sense.”

A gentle hand rested on your shoulder. Yet this time, it was on the shoulder furthest from Liu Kang, making his arm gently wrap around your shoulders. He gave your shoulder a squeeze, bringing you just a little closer to him. It was comforting. You looked over to the fire god beside you to see an expression that told you that he was so proud of you.

“I am honored to have inspired you.” Liu Kang said, his voice a bit quieter this time. There was pride and joy within his voice, but you could sense a hint of something else within his tone. It was something you couldn’t quite place, but it made you happy regardless. He paused, eyes searching you. For a moment, you saw his eyebrows furrow and there was an almost imperceptible sadness in his eyes. Then, in the next instant, it was gone. 

What was that?

“Not many can say that a god was honored to motivate them.” You pointed out with a chuckle, joking around to push out the confusion you felt. Were you just seeing things? Or had Liu Kang truly been sad in that one instant? And if he had…why?

“It is only because few are worthy of such praise.” Liu Kang pointed out, and you felt your cheeks grow warm at the compliment. You focused your eyes upon the sunrise once more. You both stood there, side by side, enjoying the early morning peace. “Are you excited to see Outworld?” The god inquired, breaking the silence.

“Excited feels like such an understatement.” You admitted watching the sun rise high into the sky. The oranges and pinks faded out, giving way for a soft blue. “I feel like I might finally learn something about myself once I finally go there.” You told him, alluding to the memories the two of you had long since stopped talking about.

“I hope that you will.” Liu Kang said, though there was a strange tone in his voice. Hesitance? There were a lot of emotions you couldn’t decipher well from him at the moment. You felt his fingers twitch on your shoulders. “Would you ever consider staying in Outworld, given the chance?”

“I…” You began, but your mind blanked. You blinked as you took a deep breath in, trying to think of what you would do. In all honesty, you weren’t certain. The voice in your head told you that you needed to leave this place and go explore in order to figure yourself out. But on the other hand, if you left, you would be leaving the whole life you had been building up behind. “I’m not sure.”

“No need to concern yourself over such a choice right now.” Liu Kang told you, concern in his tone as he noticed how torn you were. Had you been looking over, you would have seen a hint of relief on his face. “It was merely a hypothetical.” 

“I know.” You said, shrugging. “I just never really thought about it.” You admitted, sighing. “Plus, I doubt they would let an Earthrealmer wander around, from what you told me.”

“They are not often fond of Earthrealmers, but that does not mean it is impossible for you to go there and be accepted.” He consoled you. “Do not forget that you are not exactly a normal Earthrealmer.” He told you, reminding you of your potential origins.

You looked at your arms again, remembering the innate magic running through your blood. 

Right. There was a high chance you were an Edenian. A theory only you and the fire god knew. You sighed leaning against the railing. Would it really make a difference if you were of Outworld blood? You were essentially a stranger to everything in Outworld, making you no different than an Earthrealmer.

Sensing your distress, Liu Kang squeezed your shoulder again.

“My apologies.” He said softly, his gaze gentle as he scanned your face. “I did not mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t.” You reassured him, turning to look at him. You brought a hand up and placed it on his hand, squeezing it. “I just worry too much, sometimes, you know me.” You said, poking fun at yourself to lighten up the situation.

“Your worries are not unfounded.” The fire god reassured you, nodding. “But just know, no matter what choice you make in the future, you always have a home in Earthrealm.” 

Your heart swelled, knowing very well he was right. No matter where you went, you knew that you at least had a place to call home. It was a comfort not many had to fall back on. You closed your eyes, unable to hide the smile that spread across your face.

“I know.”

“Here you go.” 

“Finally!” Kung Lao grinned as he took the box from you. You grinned back, watching as he opened the box up and held up the final product. He took in a deep breath as he looked between you and the hat, unable to contain his joy. 

“Go on, put it on.” You encouraged him, gesturing for him to put the hat on. With a nod, he lifted the hat and placed it on his head. You inhaled, feeling that all too familiar wave of nostalgia wash over you. The hat just looked so…right.

“How do I look? Perfect, right?” Kung Lao asked, cockiness in his voice as he struck a pose for you to show off the hat. You snapped out of your stupor.

“I think you’d look a little better like this.” You said, raising a hand up to put a hand on the brim of the hat. You laughed as you pulled the hat down, covering his eyes. He let out a shout of protest as he adjusted the hat back up.

“Foul play!” He huffed, a small pout on his lips as he pulled it back up. He shot you a playful glare, to which only made you laugh again. “I know you’re just jealous though of how good I look.” Kung Lao tacked on, making you roll your eyes. “Oh, here, by the way.”

“Hm?” Confused, you grabbed the small box the former farmhand shoved into your hands. You looked down at it before looking back up, sending him a confused look. “What’s this?” You inquired, lifting the box up to try and inspect it.

“Well, typically when one wants to know what’s in a box, they open it.” Kung Lao pointed out sarcastically. You shot him a narrowed look, making him hold his hands up in surrender. “Just open it!” He insisted, nodding towards the box.

“Alright.” You relented. You opened the box slowly, not certain of what waited for you. You let out an involuntary gasp as you saw the contents. It was a necklace with a chinese dragon engraved intricately. In its hands held two small jade orbs. “When did you…?”

“I made a small request for the blacksmith to make you something too.” The former farmhand admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He sounded humble as he, in an almost shy way, looked away. He was trying to play it cool. “I got Madam Bo to help design the dragon, and she also provided the jade, Lord Liu Kang also approved of the design too.”

“This is amazing.” You said, unable to hide a grin that spread from ear to ear. “Thank you, Kung Lao.” 

“It’s nothing.” Kung Lao said, putting on his best cocky smile. “You helped me make my hat dreams come true, it’s only fair.” You lifted up the necklace from the box, admiring the craftsmanship in the light. It was truly breathtaking.

“Can you help me put it on?” You asked, looking at the man. He nodded, and you handed it to him, and turned around. Delicately, he placed the chain around your neck, his fingertips brushing against your neck in a gentle way. “Thank you.” 

“Just know now you have something to show off now whenever you talk about Earthrealm’s champion.” Kung Lao bragged as you turned around. You rolled your eyes again, but was unable to hold back a laugh at his bravado.

“We’ll see today if that rings true.” You told him, before turning your attention to Liu Kang who you saw walking into the Wu Shi. “Go back to the others, we’re starting soon.” You instructed him, before quickly running off to go meet up with the fire god.

“I see Kung Lao has his hat.” Liu Kang observed, watching your student run off towards the courtyard. You nodded, smiling as you joined the god’s side. Said fire god’s gaze drifted down and looked at your new necklace. “And I see you have your new necklace.” He said warmly. a smile pulling at his lips. “It looks lovely on you.”

“Thank you.” You said, accepting the compliment. You looked around, sighing. “It’s hard to believe that we’re leaving for Outworld in a week.” You commented, staring up. “I know we just discussed it earlier, but still…it’s hitting me in waves of realization.”

“Indeed. Time passes quite quickly.” Liu Kang said, nodding. You wondered just how mere months felt to the god who, as far as you were concerned, was immortal. “Come, let us go and begin the exams.” He said, tilting his head to the path ahead. You followed, matching his path to the courtyard. 

Once you reached the courtyard, you spotted the four. You smiled, observing them as they discussed amongst themselves. You assumed they were probably bickering, from the expressions on their faces. You blinked as Liu Kang handed you a mallet, gesturing to the gong. You nodded, understanding what he wanted, and swung at the gong. the sound reverberating throughout the Wu Shi.

“And today, one of you will be chosen to fight for it at the tournament.” Liu Kang said, his arms spread out. He walked towards the four men, stopping just before the steps. You followed behind, hands behind your back as you put on your display of teacher professionalism. As the four stopped in front of you two, you stepped to stand beside the god.

“Only one of us, Lord Liu Kang?” Raiden inquired, looking at the two of you. You nodded silently. “Isn’t Outworld fielding several champions?” 

“The tournament’s rules give the host that advantage.” Liu Kang explained, looking around at the four men. “And it is Outworld’s turn as host.” 

“You know…I don’t why I’ve never asked this…” Johnny piped up, placing his hands on his hips. He looked towards Raiden, chuckling before looking back at Liu Kang. “What’s our record at this tournament? Also uh,” The actor gestured towards you, “Why doesn’t teach over there participate either?” 

“Outworld and Earthrealm are pretty even in wins.” You explain, speaking up once Liu Kang looked towards you. “Though, as of late, Earthrealm has been on a bit of a winning streak.” You say, remembering what the fire god had told you about the tournament. “As for me not participating, it’s not my place to participate.” You explained vaguely. You watched as the four looked at you perplexed.

When the tournament had been brought up to you years ago, Liu Kang and you had both agreed that it was probably best for you to not participate. Your potential status as an Edenian, though no one knew of it, would probably be the topic of controversy if that ever got out. It was just better this way.

That and…you had a feeling that someone else was destined for that title.

“Indeed, Earthrealm has been on a winning streak as of late.” Liu Kang said, picking up where you left off. “However, in retaliation, Outworld has been gaining strength.” His voice grew more serious. “Should it win, it’s more militant factions will be emboldened.” 

“I thought you admired Outworld?” Raiden questioned. His tone was polite, though it did drip of confusion at the statements Liu Kang had just said. You figured that was fair, Liu Kang spoke very little ill of the other realm.

“It is a place of great knowledge, wealth, and beauty.” Liu Kang said, walking down the steps. You followed in tow. It was hard to believe the words that left Liu Kang’s mouth, the old version of Outworld burned into your mind. It made you all the more eager to erase those negative memories, and see the new realm he spoke so fondly of.

“But our realms do not share goals and beliefs.” The protector of Earthrealm continued. He walked forward with you by side, and the four candidates for champions followed behind. “We coexist peacefully because Outworld respects our strength.”Should we show weakness, our rival…will become our enemy.”

You held your breath for a moment, briefly remembering Earthrealm in ruins after an attack by a powerful tyrant.

That could not happen. You surely had trained the four enough, right?

“I will not lose, Lord Liu Kang.” Kung Lao spoke, snapping you out of your memories. You glanced over to Kung Lao, holding back a huff. Ever the proud man, but you knew very well that he could back it up. He, after all, won the most during spars and had a lot of potential. His pride was not unfounded.

“First you must win the right to represent us.” Liu Kang told him. You all approached the monks, standing respectfully for you all. In front of you, in the center of the monks was a luxurious wooden chair. Liu Kang stood in front of it, and you took your place behind the chair, standing vigilantly. “Whichever outlasts the others will be chosen.”

Liu Kang sat, and the monks all sat as well. You remained standing, looking carefully at the four you had been in charge of training over several months. You took in a deep breath as silence settled in. Liu Kang had put you in charge of deciding who to test.

“Raiden.” You spoke up. Quickly, the man’s eyes met yours. You stared back, scrutinizing the man before gesturing. “You will go first.” You instructed, following the instinct you had in your gut. You watched as Raiden stepped forward, bowing towards you and Liu Kang. You smiled at him. Then, you heard Johnny Cage’s laugh.

“Good call.” Johnny said, his arms crossed as he looked at his peer. “Cull the weak first.” He said with the utmost confidence. His arms uncrossed, placing his hands on hips. His chest puffed out, showing off his confidence. A smug smile appeared on his face.

“Johnny Cage.” You addressed, meeting his eyes. You held back a sly grin as you nodded towards the place next to Raiden. “You will be his challenger.” Despite the instruction, the confidence did not falter at all, which was expected.

“Ready for your close up?” Kenshi commented.

“Alright, let’s do this.” Johnny Cage confidently said. He leaned forward, stretching a bit. Then he looked over to Raiden and pointed at him. “But remember, farm boy, I’m a global martial arts icon.” The actor bragged. Kenshi and Kung Lao left for the sidelines, allowing the two to get in their positions. “I don’t think you can handle this much boom.”

“I am ready, Johnny Cage.” Raiden replied simply. He was not deterred from the swagger the actor brought. You smiled, glad to see that over time, his training had instilled more confidence within his abilities. “My mind and spirit fight as one.”

“Fight!” Liu Kang’s voice rang out.

You held your breath as it began. Early on, you watched as Johnny Cage took the advantage, going aggressive against Raiden. Predictably, his reckless style was soon countered by the defensive and reactive way Raiden fought against him. 

It did not take long for Raiden to take down the actor, in the end.

“This fight was an honor.” The former farmhand remarked. He stretched out a hand towards Johnny, who sat on the ground. There was a moment of hesitance, and you saw the unhappy look on the American’s face. Still, he took the hand and got up with the winner’s help. 

“You’re welcome.” Johnny replied, a slight disgruntled tone in his voice. Still, he took the loss as it were.

“Kenshi Takahashi.” You spoke, watching as Johnny Cage walked off, shaking off the loss. Your eyes traveled to the swordsman, who was now alert. “You will face Raiden next.” You instructed. The man nodded, stepping up to the fighting grounds, his sword already unsheathed. 

“You have skills, Raiden, but you’re inexperienced.” Kenshi remarked, staring down his competition. Your eyebrows raised at the barest hint of trash talk. 

“Whatever experience I lack, I make up for in heart.” Raiden countered, once again not thrown off by his opponent’s insult. He even did not go to insult them back, remaining humble as ever. Determined, he matched Kenshi’s gaze.

“It’s nerve, not heart, that wins fights.” The swordsman berated. His eyes narrowed, at what he thought was the folly of his opponent. The two settled into their fighting stances, ready to duke it out for the position. “I should know, I’ve been in hundreds of them.”

This fight was much slower paced. It was a patient battle between two fighters who did not dare to show weakness to the other. Blows were traded with caution, and you noticed how every moment of weaknesses from either one was exploited. It was tense, despite the defensive fight. 

Still, in the end, Kenshi had underestimated his opponent. Ultimately he went for an attack that was too risky. Taking advantage of it, Raiden took the chance and toppled his opponent, leaving Kenshi lying on the ground in defeat.

“Do you still question my nerve?” Raiden inquired, staring down at the defeated swordsman. 

“I do not.” Kenshi replied, getting up from the ground on his own. A sorrowful and disappointed look appeared on his face. “Yours was a well earned victory.” The man admitted. Although you could sense the disappointment in his own ability lingering, you watched as Kenshi bowed respectfully to Raiden. Raiden returned the bow.

“You may rest.” Liu Kang spoke up. You watched as the god stood up, walking towards the victor. You walked past the monks, joining by his side. “This evening you will face your final opponent.” You both looked to the left, to Kung Lao.

A smug smile appeared on the man’s face. This was the fight you had been expecting. It made sense. The most naturally talented of your four against the hardest worker. Not only that, but they had been together since their origins. To you, it felt as if it were to be.

“Come, I’ll make you all dinner.” You told your students, looking around. You watched as they perked up, following you to the dining hall of the Wu Shi. As they followed you, you turned to give them all a bright smile. “I’m proud of all of you.” You told them, and you truly meant it.

Liu Kang watched as everyone dispersed, including the other monks. He was left in silence, observing the peaceful courtyard around him. He heard something, and turned around. A hint of surprise appeared on his face as he watched as Geras appeared before him.

“Geras.” He said, a hint of surprise in his voice at the sudden appearance. 

“Lord Liu Kang.” The construct spoke, dipping his head respectfully. He looked at his creator, a serious look on his face. “I need to speak to you.” He said, a tone of urgency in his voice. “It’s about…” His voice dropped to a whisper, speaking your name.

For the first time in eons, Liu Kang’s blood ran cold.

“Lord Liu Kang, where have you been?”

You let out a sigh of relief as you spotted Liu Kang approaching the Wu Shi. You walked up to him, a furrow in your brow. Night had already settled in, and you had to arrange the fight yourself since the fire god had been absent. While you went out to look for him, you had put Kenshi in charge, much to Johnny’s distaste.

“I simply had to retrieve something.” Liu Kang told you, holding a small box. He handed it to you. “Give this to the victor.” He instructed you, and you nodded. You looked at Liu Kang a moment longer, a pit of worry in your stomach.

Why was he avoiding your gaze?

“Alright.” You said, pushing out the paranoid voice in your head. You shouldn’t linger on what was surely something insignificant. You looked down at the box, gripping it tightly. There was a tense moment between you two that passed before Liu Kang walked off, and you followed.

Masking your concern, you put on a neutral face as you both made your way to the courtyard. Kenshi and Johnny looked back, varying looks of relief on their faces as you both appeared. Kung Lao and Raiden, ever vigilant, remained in their sitting positions. You ignored the looks Kenshi and Johnny sent your way as you stood behind Liu Kang’s chair.

You were being paranoid.

“Proceed.” You instructed breaking the silence, after waiting for Liu Kang to fully settle in his seat. Wordlessly, Raiden and Kung Lao stood up. A smug smile was plastered on Kung Lao’s face, which contrasted Raiden’s determined look. 

“Fifty bucks says Kung Lao wins.” Johnny Cage whispered, leaning behind you to bet with Kenshi. 

“Make it interesting.” Kenshi replied. “Bet me Sento.” 

“Hah!” Johnny let out a laugh. “Not on your life.” He declared. You found yourself smiling at their antics, lessening your tenseness. Johnny Cage proved to provide some relief from the stress that followed you once again.

“Raiden. Kung Lao.” Liu Kang addressed the two men, after standing up. He approached them, looking between them. “The winner of this match will represent Earthrealm against Outworld. It is a grave duty, not to be undertaken lightly.” He reminded them. “You may step back now, and suffer no dishonor.” 

“I choose to fight, Lord Liu Kang.” Raiden declared first, stepping up. His determination did not waver as he stared at the god.

“As do I.” Kung Lao piped up. His voice held a cocky tone to it, as if he already knew the winner of the match. 

“Then may the best person win.” Liu Kang declared. He bowed to both Raiden and Kung Lao, who both bowed respectfully in return. You shifted, gripping the box in your hands tighter. Anticipation grew as you wondered what exactly was in the box. Liu Kang returned to his seat.

“Concede Raiden.” Kung Lao goaded his fellow peer, after letting out a small confident laugh. His hand gestured to him. “You have never beaten me.” He reminded him, pointing at the other man who also hailed from Fengjian. “That won’t change today.”

“No?” Raiden replied. “If there’s one thing I learned…” You watched as Raiden glanced to you before returning his gaze to Kung Lao. “...the only constant in the universe is change.” The two, almost simultaneously got into their fighting positions. 

The match was almost electric. 

Kung Lao started off confident, strong, as he always did. Not deterred by Raiden’s words, he fought with precision and grace. Raiden, on the other hand, was more bold in this match than his last two. It was as if he were trying to match the confidence his friend had. 

Blow for blow, the two fought as if it were an intense dance. The spirit the two had did not waver, even as they chipped each other’s defenses. You had to remind yourself to breathe at times, captivated by the way they fought. It was almost like a performance with how it all went down.

All things had to come to an end, and just when you expected Kung Lao to overtake his fellow farmhand, your jaw dropped as Raiden sent Kung Lao toppling to the ground.

He had finally won.

“There’s a first time for everything, Kung Lao.” Raiden remarked. He helped Kung Lao up, who although baffled, accepted the help. You sensed the confusion and disappointment within the loser of the match. The monks all stood up and Liu Kang approached the two. You passed by the monks who were now dispersing, moving to step beside the god.

“Although you have all trained well, Raiden has excelled.” Liu Kang declared. “This outcome does not surprise me.” The god looked between the two, before looking back at you. You held up the box you had been entrusted with.

“How could I have-” Kung Lao muttered to himself, his head bowed as he lingered over his loss. You felt a twinge of pity for the man. He lifted his head, meeting your gaze before looking towards Raiden. “Congratulations Raiden.” He said, bowing respectfully. The rare hint of humbleness shone through his voice. 

“For the tournament, you will need this.” Liu Kang spoke, gesturing back to you. You lifted your hand, hesitating for a moment before you opened it. You froze as you saw the amulet within. An intricately carved amulet, the middle made of glass with a glowing dragon etched into it. It crackled with electricity. 

Raiden lifted it up, inspecting it, but you were lost in your mind.

That was the amulet you remembered. The very same amulet that…

Looking up, you froze as you saw a vision of an older Raiden. glancing down at the amulet. It was cracked and nearly shattered. The thunder god’s eyes glowed as they stared down. A grievous look was on his face.

You were in a cathedral of sorts, yet the scene around you was anything but holy. 

It smelt of death. In the distance, you saw the bodies of people you could only remember as allies, but in the state they were in, you could hardly recognize them. Guts were strewn about, blood was split. It all smelt eerily fresh, but you had no idea how they became that way.

Breath quickening, you glanced down. Tears instinctively filled your eyes as your hands grabbed at a person in your lap. Who was this? You hand moved to cup the cheek, wincing as you felt fresh blood coat your palm.

Her breath was shaky, and you couldn’t make out the words you were saying to her. Tears clouded your vision, dropping onto the face you couldn’t make out. Her hand grabbed yours, and you watched her lips move weakly.

What was she saying to you?

“Tell me Raiden, how will we honor their sacrifice!?” Liu Kang’s voice rang out, the only clear thing you could hear. It was angry, mocking, distressed. You looked up and around, trying to see where he was. Through your tears you could see him.

Liu Kang was mortal. Dressed in red and black, he did not have the grevious wounds and blood like the others did. He was clean and uninjured, much like you. You watched as he glared at Raiden who looked distraught. His intense glare looked over to you, and softened.

“Are you okay?”

Lightning crackled.

Flinching, you blinked, snapping out of your stupor. You sniffed, shaking your head. Your breath calmed as you looked around, remembering that you were here, in the Wu Shi academy. Not in a cathedral full of death and despair.

You avoided the concerned look Liu Kang sent your way, forcing a proud smile on your face. You watched as Raiden, with the amulet, continued to blast away at one of the four statues holding the middle arena up.

“Holy Ark of the Covenant!”

“It is incredible.” Raiden remarked, staring down at the amulet he held. You took in a deep breath, avoiding looking at the object in his hand, instead looking at the man himself. You swallowed, trying to nod encouragingly. “But is it necessary?”

“In addition to possessing great might, the Outworlders you will face also wield great magic.” Liu Kang stated, his eyes glancing towards you for a mere moment. “The amulet levels the playing field.” He told him. folding his hands together before returning his attention to you. You held your head up, trying to not show the weakness you had previously displayed.

“You must be careful, Raiden.” Kung Lao said, a concerned tone in his voice. He placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, looking at him. “You could get hurt. Even killed!” You tensed up, the words sending panic through you.

“No tournament participant has ever been greviously injured or killed.” Liu Kang informed him. Yet, at the same time part of his words seemed to be directed towards you. Was he trying to reassure you as well? You figured it was better he assumed you were worried over Raiden than what you were actually freaking out over. “I would never send my champions unwittingly into mortal kombat.”

The words he spoke, though meant to be comforting, felt like a jab after what you remembered.

“We leave in seven days for Outworld’s capital, Sun Do.” Liu Kang spoke, and you once again had to snap yourself out of your stupor. “The tournament will be held at the Palace of Empress Sindel.” He said, and then he dismissed the four.

You stood there, watching as the four dispersed, not knowing what to or what do say after the frightening memory you had regained.

“Are you okay?” Liu Kang inquired, standing next to you. 

What should you do? Tell him the truth? Spill your heart out about the horror you witnessed, and the many worries you had about the memories you had? Tell him how you were confused and terrified why you had these memories?

You opened your mouth, swallowing nervously as you found it had become dry. You gripped the empty box, your mind bitterly reminding you of what had just lay inside. Your heart pounded, and you felt the urge to collapse.

“I was just worried for Raiden’s sake.” You lied, the words slipping out before you could think again. You watched as Liu Kang assessed your face, before he nodded. You couldn’t tell if he believed you or not, the glowing eyes he bore now much harder to read than the mortal ones.

“He will be fine, you have trained him well.” The fire god reassured you, a hand reaching out to touch your shoulder and to squeeze it comfortingly. You smiled at him, trying to ignore the pit of guilt and worry that built up in your stomach.

“I know.”

You didn’t know why you lied, nor why you felt like it was better that you did.

part eleven

[luffyvace]

Obanai x chubby gn reader!!

This won third place in the poll so here you go<3 enjoy kny/obanai stans!! I actually like obanai very much he’s one of my favs from kny i just don’t talk abt him often

also just for the record let’s say this is a au where obanai and mitsuri are close friends :)

In this you’ll be a hashira as well

I don’t think Obanai is one to judge

especially when he wears bandages since people do

if anything he’s worrying about his looks

so in this case it’s not that he dislikes it, it’s just that he saw through your physical appearance and went for personality

and if you have a crappy one?

well then he doesn’t know what draws him to you but somethin’ does!

he tolerates no disrespect from anyone.

like we all know how sharp tongued he is- 😜

and just because he’s one of the “weaker” hashira’s doesn’t mean he’s not one!

he is DEFINITELY above average and CAN do damage

so somebody would be a FOOL to see you with him and decide to screw around and find out

as well as you!!

your strong too!

and they’d better have respect for you!

getting one tapped by two hashiras don’t sound very fun to me..

🤷‍♀️

but yeah if someone is like drunk off they’re end and tries to insult or harass you?!

obanai steps in before you can even do something yourself

depending on the level of what they said or did,

he either flames them so bad they can’t recover

or straight up punches them

maybe even beating them up

who’s going to stop him? The police? 😂

he calls it self defense

tbh it was like, that person was harassing you????

🤨

bro thought he was gon let that slide

this why you can’t pull up on everybody 🤦‍♀️

anyway if your feeling sad bc of what someone says

obanai gets you a gift to make you feel better

He’s really thoughtful and pays attention/remembers everything you tell him you like

which makes perfect gifts for situations like these

ngl this is like idk the year 1500?? IDK BUT ITS THE TAISHO ERA SO THIS WAS A WHILE AGO

which means beauty standards were 📈📈

but for obanai? You ARE his beauty standard 😍😍

everyone should strive to look like our majestic (name)!!

as far as the hashira’s opinions☝️

they don’t mind at all and are completely nonjudgmental

gyomei can’t see so when y’all described how you look it doesn’t necessarily make a difference 😅 although, again he doesn’t mind :)

mitsuri is literally the love hashira she adores you just as much as obanai does <3

shinobu is more mature than to make fun of someone over they’re appearance

now tokito will either

1) be rude at first (the hashira’s have to set him straight)

2) won’t care

3) likes you from jump so he doesn’t mind

sanemi would never judge a women like that (if you know what he did for mitsuri and shinobu and they’re uniforms yk what I mean)

Giyuu is completely unfazed

Rengoku loves you all the same

now uzui…….bc of his standards and 3 wives….it can either go one of two ways

1) him and obanai are now mortal enemies and he keeps you away from him

2) he thinks your THICC and FINE 💖 (dis one better fr)

Ngl it’s even worse if a demon insults you

bc now he gets to KILL them

He goin all out too

who are they to talk anyway demons be the most horrendous looking BEASTS-

fluff time~ 💕💗💖♥︎♡

obanai loves to cuddle!

he’s shy but once you get sometime into the relationship he likes gentle and intimate affections such as cuddling, hugging & hand holding

he holds you in his arms before falling asleep

and he makes sure you sleep first

If you have a nightmare he’s on it!

he’s got water, blankets, comfort food…what else you need??

on it! 🏃💨

That’s literally him

he’s always prioritizing your comfort and happiness in your relationship ★

Get this to the obanai stans, tumblr!! Go go go!!

;3 - Brook

[astrangeavenue]

excited to announce that you can give me money now!!!!

thats right. you can give me at least 5 dollars and ill draw you a lil somethin nice. you can give me more money and ill draw you something even nicer. you could even throw money at me for nothing in return if you really wanted to. i wont complain

big boy commission info can be found on ko-fi and also below this here cut

all prices are approximate and vary depending on character or drawing complexity!! for a more refined price please contact me with what you want and i can calculate it for you. also contact me if you have any questions or concerns

HEADSHOTS/BUSTS 

lines - ~$8 

colored - ~$12 

rendered - ~$16 

HALFBODIES 

lines - ~$15 

colored - ~$25 

rendered - ~$35 

FULLBODIES 

lines - ~$30 

colored - ~$45 

rendered - ~$60 

OTHER 

icons - ~$15 

custom character designs - ~$80 (varies heavily based on complexity) 

multiple characters - ask! (generally ~75% of base price per additional character) 

backgrounds - line only pieces have a solid bg but colored/rendered pieces can have a simple background for no additional charge upon request. complex backgrounds have an additional price that varies depending on complexity, just ask me! 

scenes - ask! 

anything else not mentioned here - get into contact with me and i will see what i can do! 

examples of my work can be found on my instagram, twitter, and tumblr. you can also contact me through those social medias or through discord (all accounts are under the user astrangeavenue) i will draw just about anything besides nsfw or hateful content. if you are unsure or have questions just ask

half of the commission price must be paid up front and half upon completion. i can (hopefully) accept payment through ko-fi, paypal, and venmo. there will be no refunds once the commission is fully completed please notify me if you need a commission for a deadline; depending on the deadline it may incur a small fee revisions may also incur a small fee depending on number and/or complexity if i think i am unable to complete a commission i accepted i will offer to refund it

[sunwarmed-ash]

Thank you guys 🖤

for taking care of me yesterday, I really am feeling so much better. I've been SINGING all day. I dont remember the last time I feel good enough to sing loudly in my house.

As a treat I'm gonna give you an exclusive, tumblr only, sneak peak to the Eden club sequel 💙 (the title card is a spoiler so if you HAVENT read the eden club yet, be warned, below is spoiler territory)

Title Card WIP

Brothers-First Chapter WIP:

Em & Andrea's

“What the hell just happened?” Hank asks, appearing suddenly Gavin’s flank. Which is fair, Connor’s sudden mass exodus wasn’t exactly subtle. 

“I dont know, he was freaking out and then he ran inside!” Gavin explains, still trying to understand himself.  

“Well, we gotta go check on him!” Hank insists, huge stride already half through the doorway. 

“Just, give him a sec Hank,” Gavin insists, stopping his boyfriend by his arm. 

“What?” 

“You shoulda seen him... He looked… phcking terrified. Somethin’ spooked him.” 

“All the more reason!” Hank huffs, anxiety masking as fury. Gavin doesn't take it personally. He’s just as worried as Hank is. 

But as it turns out, they didn't need to go anywhere. Connor was coming to them, a furious determination on his face. 

“Con, baby?” Hank asks, but Connor’s eyes don’t move from their gaze ahead. In fact other than his feet, nothing else about him changes. He's a walking, stoic statue. 

Connor makes no indication he’s heard Hank’s call and walks out of the party.  and away from his two shouting and concerned partners. 

The Eden Club

The since reattached door to Kamski’s office slams open with the full force of Connor’s anger. 

The human inside doesnt flinch. Instead he stands almost expectantly in front of his desk, arms linked behind his back.  

“Hello Connor.”

“You planned this, all of this. From the start!” 

“Well,” Kamski smirks, “Certainly took you long enough.”

Connor scoffs reflexively, shaking his head. 

“You’ve been using me,” Connor spits, and it’s not a question. “It wasn't Emily who texted me it was you.”

His creator's grin only grows. 

“Yes.” 

“WHY!?” 

“Oh come now Connor, I designed you smarter than this. I practically hand fed you all the clues.” 

Connor doesn't want to admit it, but he knows the answer. Probably knew it the whole time, just didn't want to accept the possibility it could be true. 

“...Gavin.”

“Obviously.”

Connor’s furious enough he’s moments from snapping the shorter man’s neck. If he was sure he could get away with it, he would. 

“But why me? You could have used any of your other androids!” 

Elijah looks at him like he just said Thirium was purple. He gives the android another moment to correct his statement before exhaling a little irritably, 

“Gavin isn’t in love with any of my other androids.”

That snaps Connor’s smart mouth closed. For a few reasons. 

“H-How much have you seen?” Connor asks. 

The smarmy grin that comes over Elijah's face has Connor’s artificial guts squirming. 

“Everything.”

[piowasthere]

Ok, I'll say this for the first and hopefully only time.

(I know it's long, but it's quite important, so please read.)

If you ask me to draw anything in a form of a request (but also applies to trades or even commissions in a way)

I am not obligated to do it. If I do decide to do so, it's because I have the time, strengths, and will I am kind enough to do it for you. I do not. Owe you. Shit.

If I say I'll be willing to do something before discussing the details, I am 100% free to just say no if the thing you want is not something I am comfortable with.

And I do not need to give an explanation why. Most of the time I'll just go silent about it. Because I am not good with serious talk, I don't like it, I am awkward, social anxiety etc. And because I also want to try and be kind.

So if I ghost you after such a thing. You may text me again. Once. To make sure I didn't just forget, it happens. If I still go silent, that means it's not happening. Give up.

Weird shit includes oversexualizing characters or putting them in weird scenarios.

Sure, I do some questionable shit, but I don't usually go outside of suggestive or just thirst traps if I feel like it. I don't do explicit NSFW. (in a sexual sense, I use curse words and enjoy some heavy gore quite often, but those are not the focus of this.)

Or weird kinks or somethin'. No kink shaming. Just don't ask me to make shit I don't like. I think it's that simple. If You're aware, what you are going to ask for is questionable - make sure the artist you're asking is ok with that - and if you won't find anything about it - don't. At the very least, ask about their boundaries. Don't just slap them with that.

I legit am traumatized by some shit some people asked me to do. And I am not easy to get a reaction from.

It's ok to ask me for stuff I've done already - take for the example the 'Solar's hips' joke I have going on. Some people would probably consider it weird in some way, but it's just harmless simping and poking fun at a character that canonically has been called out for being a twink

It's a small gag I have going on with some people I know on Tumblr

if I was uncomfortable with it, I would not take it as far as I did. I think it's funny, and I do enjoy drawing that candy corn, so it's win-win for everyone.

This also comes down to me drawing characters suggestively only if I myself find them attractive in some shape, way or form. I find it funny or there's other context behind it.

Even if it's a character I like, not always will I do that to them.

I can draw shit out of Shadow, but I will not touch Tails with that. I love both of these characters, but I see them very differently. Also, Tails is literally like 8yo, but that's a completely different discussion.

When it comes to commissions - yes. You pay me to do something for you. But because of that factor - I am willing to do more and get more out of my comfort zone than if I was doing it for no profit. (still not NSFW. I mean, more character design or somethin') And the thing is discussed before payment. I will not agree to it if it makes me feel in any way I do not enjoy.

This issue appeared only on DeviantArt, thus far, and I am really happy Tumblr doesn't put me though that too. (update: I actually got one kinda weird ask there once, but it was more of a cursed thought, a laugh and that's about it)

if I ever get anything like that again and don't break my arm while trying to break the monitor, I'll just be deleting everything that person said and if they keep on pushing, I'll just block. I don't usually block people, but I am kinda tired at this point.

Apologies if it's a very long, aggressive rant but-- idfk I'm fed up with that bs.

TL;DR

don't ask any artist to draw you weird shit that might make them uncomfortable, don't act/sound demanding and behave like they owe you their work for any reason, bc in this situation you're the one begging somebody else to do work for you for free. Basically.

I had to rant.

This post goes onto both Tumblr and DA btw. DA to hopefully stop that bs and Tumblr to hopefully prevent it from happening.

[yourfav-ashy]

inarizaki 2nd year trio reacting to you being in the community, part one (suna😋)

a/n: hihi, i'm really excited for this :) not proofread 🥲 light swearing! this are tickle headcanons, if you aren't comfy with that then scroll

~suna~

-ahh my favorite💞

-there's two ways he would find out, and it could go either way. one: he's being a sneaky little shit and snoops on your phone, finding your tumblr, or two: you find the courage to tell him after building enough trust with him :)

-the first way would go like this: you're at his house, or he's at yours, and you had to go do something, ion know like maybe you went to get something to eat or get water, and you leave your phone in the room with him. BIGGGG MISTAKE MAN

-y'all knew each others passwords but didn't do much with it unless you were mad or somethin or felt the need to check on eachother if u don't open up abt smt, but suna was a little suspicious, cuz you were acting really flustered around him lately. a little jumpy whenever he touched you, more sensitive if you must

-so he got on your phone, the last thing you had opened being tumblr, more specifically a tickle fic.

-bro let out the most sinister giggle 💀 heard your footsteps, quickly putting your phone back where it was and later back, awaiting your arrival

-as you walk in and sit down beside him, grabbing your phone and swiftly closing the app, you show him a video, he sneaks in a light pinch to your ribs as he wraps his arm around you

-causing you to giggle and cover your mouth, he looks at you and does it again. as you look away and "try" to push his hand away, he intertwines his fingers with urs and js smiles at you bc it's so adorable‼️‼️

-"what, you're really gonna try to push me away even though you love it?"

-you're so caught off guard hehe🤭 once he reassures you that he finds it utterly adorable and not weird at all, you feel more confident about it with him. he'll give you tickles whenever you want, but don't think he won't make you ask for it :)

aight aight so the SECOND way, if youre able to tell him, this is how it'd go ‼️

-i feel like he would kinda tease you abt it at first if you're embarrassed to tell him

-like he'd make sure u don't think he's judging u tho

-ykk maybe later on he tells u he doesn't mind it either ("doesn't mind"= likes it)

-he'd be the type to text u teases or like wiggle his fingers at u in a public place bc obviously no one else would get it and then if someone notices ur flustered? bro u js gotta thug it out man😭🙏🏻

-he'd probably be accommodating about it too like if ur brave enough to tell him u want it softer or rougher/more playful he would comply, he loves ur smile/laugh bestie😋

-he might record it too, or take a picture of your smiling face to either embarrass you or bc he wants to be able to see ur adorable smile even when he's not with you (even if it's to embarrass u he still keeps it bc he loves ur smile)

-if you're insecure about ur smile/laugh tho? that's js smt else. he'll tk you and make you admit ur smile is adorable, or that u have an adorable laugh✨ he js can't stand seeing his bsf/parter being insecure abt themselves🙄

THATS ALLLL BYEBYE ILY ALL (@giggly-squiggily i think u said u would like me to tag u when i post tk headcanons for this, way back when i had the idea lolol)

[meeks-just-wants-to-scroll]

Fantasy AU Vanderbell ❄️❄️

Naha Micah nearly fucking dies by freezing outside on Mount Hagen.

Enjoy on AO3 or Tumblr…

Author notes:

I am not the proudest with this work but OH WELL.

Micah and Dutch can be interpreted as sexual lovers, romantic lovers, or toxic friends, or something else if you wish.

Dutch uses “son” in this fic as a general form of endearment. It doesn’t mean he sees the person literally as his son.

Dutch has good ol complex mourning that really fucks with him. Can interpret it as a variety of PTSD if you’d like.

——-

Distinction between fall and winter was a concept that existed in the gut of animal and man but yielded no visual tell in the valley of Mount Hagen: It was white, cold, and hostile year round. And yet every man in the Bell Gang knew winter was climbing handhold by handhold in the rock face.

Fire crackled in the abandoned cabin the two outlaws had shaped up to become their temporary sanctuary. At one corner was a curled up beast, larger than the house was intended to house. The other, a long-bodied serpent man huddled next to the pseudo sun.

The larger beast lifted his head to cast a solemn look over his jacketed shoulders. His once silky curls of raven fur were now matted on his long neck, at one end was the body of a sphinx: a black leopard with wings of a dragon. The other end held the taut face of Dutch Van Der Linde, cheeks sunken and bearded with neglect.

Micah looked grayer in his age; his gold hair got silver at the roots til he had enough of it and cut it short. Even the scales running his Crotalus atrox body turned to cobblestone with each shed. Yet his eyes never dulled. Even now, staring into the fire he looked stronger than Dutch. The snake in him allowed for longer bouts without meals; unlike Dutch’s large stomach that demanded constant upkeep. Upkeep that hadn’t been happening for a day now that they came to the mountain.

Micah’s eye twitched to the side, “you’re lookin’ at me like you wanna eat me. Didn’t your mommy cuff you over the ear for starin’?” Dutch’s leopard ear twitched.

“We need food.”

“What would we catch: Deer, elk, moose?” He snapped.

“Don’t talk about killing deer,” he calmly said but the vibrations in the floorboards told of the withheld growl.

Micah slithered before him in a beat and arched over the sphinx’s lowered head, his last nerve was stretching thinner with his overgrown companion. “You need to get over yourself. Deer is all we have up here, now eat what my boys have caught or shut your snout and ssssstaarrrrve.”

Dutch’s dark eyes were glossy: He got despondent like this at times. Since reuniting to lead the gang, Dutch’s little grieving act had been making Micah question why he even liked this male. He’s nothing like what he used to be way back in 1899.

Micah rattled his tail, face growing redder. “I’m not helpin’ you! If you really cared about us then you’d listen to me and eat somethin’. I’m not goin’ to treat you like some damsel in distress who needs to be spoon fed.” Dutch barely twitched a whisker in response. “Die! Die and make room for those who want to live. If you come to your senses, you can find me outside: the men and I need to blow off some steam. You know, keeping the moral up. The shit you used to be good at!” Sliding scales turned to boot stomps and a slammed door. Dutch glanced up, the jacket that hung on the wall was gone; going with the nasty-tempered snake in men’s clothing.

The wood breathed its last will and collapsed into ash the same gray as his beard. The drawn curtains and fall of night made the darkroom gluttonous in its swallowing of Dutch. His mind grasped for stimulus: conjuring images of faces, trees, summer warmth, and what he could not return to; the familiars he could not return to life. Heavy paws covered his eyes, then ears, but aided no relief.

Micah in his infinite wisdom would have begun talking at length to provide distraction, or the polishing of blade and bullet would glimmer in his peripherals and pull his mind from the intangible. In the valleys of shallow sleep, his body would coil along the length of Dutch’s and squeeze tighter than a mother clings to her dying son. It was secret and they never spoke of it before, during, or after.

Longing for that security got him to balance his old bones and plant unsteady paw after unsteady paw towards the door. The human-sized exit laughed at his magnitude. A sphinx, even as thin as him could never fit through. To the door’s surprise, magical creatures had tricks up their sleeves. The long neck rose to the rafters before it began shortening. Muscled arms, dragging tail, and atrophied wings flexed then shrunk down till they were figments. Fur changed texture and shape till it was no more, and or repurposed into clothing. The large jacket shrunk in time until it rested snuggly on a human’s body. Dutch pushed open the door and pulled his gloved hands to his face as a wind gust welcomed him like dog licks.

His reputation as a legendary monster preceded him in papers and by word, and yet few men under Bell knew of the fantastical secret right under their noses. Micah too slipped under the radar of his men: it’s just how they had to live in this world.

The human men smoked and drinked and picked at their teeth around the miniature campsites they rooted in the rock. The trees that tolerated the beating above and the snow below provided ample defense from the elements. The men glanced at Dutch as he walked by with his head low. He wasn’t Micah, and that was all they cared about; he was Bell’s plus one and that was that.

He approached one of the men. His dry voice cracked under his breath, “Have you seen Micah?”

“Big man? Sure…” nodded the man with skepticism. He wasn’t going to ask why Micah was needed, no one did because they feared what answer they’d get on why the two men spent so long in their private cabin. “Last saw him headin’ that way. Was loudly talkin’ about sendin’ a huntin’ group out for something special.” Dutch didn’t thank them for their time, simply departed as a wind-blown ghost down the mountain.

He followed the footpath baked into the slope. So many desire paths, it felt like one big snake carved through like butter. But no snake no matter its size could survive slithering so far; all cold blooded monsters must slow to a stop at some point.

Deer musk struck his animal olfactory bulb before he saw it, a quiet bunch of men heaved deer over their shoulders towards Dutch. The cold air made the warm smell of recent life all the lighter, it sucked into his senses against his wishes and circled him like a noose. His boots flash frozen in place, the hoarse shouting of a sickly buck echoed down the mountain but no man could hear it, only Dutch.

Finally, he snapped from his moment. The men were still coming his way, he could smell the activity of the men behind him as they came to investigate the newest catch. His disguise was slipping with his self-contained torment scrambling his mind. He could feel his bushy tail developing under his pants, if he spent more time in view, he would surely be caught. His legs twitched to run and he only had one way out.

He fled off the beaten trail and trampled up to the dense forest. He kept going, going, going, til his clenched jaw could finally melt and his breathing no longer whited out his vision. His gate grew uneven, caught between walking upright and dropping to his hands and knees like his gut desired.

He dropped to his senses, retching and quivering but not to create bile, but to return to form: his large sphinx body popped its joints as he stood and took a deep breath, at last able to breath with his full lung capacity and not the fraction accessible in that minuscule humanoid body.

Dull though it was, the smell of gun oil and deer blood caught his twitching nose. So cold and far from camp, no sane man would be out here shining a weapon. The specific gun oil was familiar, one Dutch had smelled day after day during the downtime of the past year. His boulder-sized heart dropped.

Wide paw after paw, he bounded through the icy stalagmites of trees, keeping his head extended outwards to pinpoint the origins. Untouched snow fought him and pulled each arm and foot down like Mother Nature wasn’t sated by just one frozen victim. He endured with a ferocity to save that he wished he had all those years ago when it mattered most.

He passed blood spattered snow; A shallow bloody divot in the snow where something was shot. Human boots stomped through the snow and lead back to camp, but one set kept going. Dutch smelled gunpowder in the tracks. He followed them til they grew uneven in stride, then where the person collapsed. The tracks went on as a wiggling line, like a massive branch dragged through snow.

Ahead of him the tracks grew shallower in their ungulation til it ended at a circular hole melted in the snow, it was deep enough that he couldn’t see inside until he was upon it and curved his head over the lip.

In the basin was Micah’s curled up form, jacket gripped tight til his claws punched through the lapels. Snow drift landed on his form and stayed as pristine as if it touched ice. Not a twitch racked his frigid body.

“Son!” His throat felt sore uttering that word for the first time in a year. He leapt into the hole carved by body heat and scooped up Micah. Limp as a rag doll. cold as rock and pale as snow. To expect a response from his fanged lips would be to expect dirt to talk.

He panned down the rest of Micah’s body: his legs reverted back to their natural scaled state out of stress. His long lower body was unguarded to the cold, sapping him of body heat until he had nothing to do except die.

“Stupid, stupid snake,” Dutch grit through his teeth. He wrapped him around his neck, like Micah would do when hitching a ride. He popped his collar to shield his living scarf from the cold.

With each leap through the snow, he felt Micah’s body flop jaggedly up and down. He had to pause momentarily to readjust him, pull him tighter. If it wouldn’t result in Micah’s bone’s breaking, Dutch would have tied him in a knot to keep him stable.

Dutch always had a plan, but now? Nothing came to his feverish mind. All he had was the white expanse before him and the black speck of cabin in the distance.

What if the men spotted him? Mythical creatures had no place in America anymore, the Pinkertons showed them that when they hunted down his gang. Now was the century of humans: gangs of humans organized by humans to hunt down mythical creatures. The Bell gang had been in need of a score, maybe seeing a black sphinx contrasted by white snow would look like gold and jewels to their alcohol-swollen eyes.

The time to decide was cut short each second he sped closer to the forest edge. The cabin was at a lower elevation than they were; the forest claimed a raised slice of land that looked down on the cabin. The cliff edge and the cabin were a mighty distance.

Cold air rushed in from the edge, snowflakes darting for Dutch’s eyes to blind him. He squinted through the blur and could make out the dark-gray rock where the ledge ended and tree roots jutted out. He had no good option except doing what he did best: be a careless leader.

He lowered his head and pushed harder with each landing paw. The sky egged him on, chanting that he’d miss his step and fall. A body-length from the edge, he bunched his hind legs, when they came down at the cutting tip of the rock, he launched himself.

Wings fanned out, quivering as the thin membrane grew fragile with the cold near instantly. In a long fluid arch, he glided through the air, arms outstretched for the cabin roof. It was only seconds before the black tiles lunged for him.

He landed on the slanted surface with a thunder clap. The wood beam inside groaned with a splinter but kept its shape. The roof tiling fell under Dutch’s weight, sliding him backwards towards the rocks below. A misplaced hind paw dislodged a tile and lost his footing. He threw his clawed fists into the ridge beam at the peak, they sunk into the tough wood and cured tar, providing enough traction to pull himself up.

He sneaked down the front of the cabin in a controlled manner. Crouched at the front door, he allowed Micah’s body to slip from around his neck. Dutch transformed and yanked his monster counterpart up the stairs and through the door swung wide open. Micah, even if resembling half human in his current form, was larger and heavier than Dutch. It took multiple attempts to get Micah through the open layout and in front of the dead fireplace.

Men shouted down the mountain, they must have heard the echo ripple through the mountain. Hastily, Dutch ran to grab the living rug that laid lamely in the snow. He shouldered it past the threshold and slammed the door behind him. He stared at the pathway, anticipating a mob of men to come running with guns drawn. But the voices stayed distant, sounding like men more drunk than in the mindset for monster hunting. Dutch sighed and slipped back inside.

Micah was out of it. The degree of his rigidity and colorless features was emphasized by the hard, rich floorboards that contrasted him.

He shoved his companion into a pile before the fireplace. With fresh wood, paper, and a match or two, the fire came to life.

The human act was pointless in the privacy of the walls now. Dutch unfurled his long body from the constricting skin and curled around Micah. His neck ran across the pointed scales running Micah’s curves.

There was a twitch, sounding like falling sand in a glass bottle. Dutch peeked his eye open and looked at Micah in his arms. His tail fell from side to side, the segmentations knocking into each other dryly. The wagging became stronger until it was the fur-raising warning of a rattlesnake.

“Micah,” Dutch commanded alertness. He took Micah’s cheeks in his paw and shook him awake. Gray eyes struggled to break the crust of ice sealing them. His pupils were sluggish to constrict, then dilate to fine tune his vision. Micah stiffened and tried to wriggle away, out of the pan and into the fire. Dutch gripped him tighter and yanked him back. Pinned to the ground, Micah’s slitted eyes finally focused.

“Duuuuutchie, knew you wouldn’t let me die,” he slurred. All the worry in Dutch’s body drained like the blood from his cheeks hearing that insidious voice once more. He felt the weight of a body in his hands, perhaps as light as Arthur may have weighed at that moment Dutch turned away from him and chose this snake instead.

Dutch couldn’t grasp what to say to his face. His claws itched to sink in between his scales and show how he felt. He forcefully snorted in Micah’s face. Dutch released him and paced the opposite end of the room.

“Come on, don’t give me the cold shoulder,” gasped Micah at the loss of heat. His lower body was unresponsive, he used his arms to claw each floor board and drag himself forwards. A paw came down on his back and squashed him like a bug.

He was a spinning dime, “You can’t fault a man for trying to save his second in command! I was huntin’ with the men, they caught a deer but I needed to get somethin’ for you.”

His sickly sweet tone felt slimy under Dutch’s sweaty pads. He wiped them off on his chest fur and lumbered to the fireplace at the other end. Micah followed behind, quicker than before. He wrapped around Dutch’s torso and squeezed. The extent of Dutch’s thinning was felt in how tight Micah’s plump rolls could indent his abdomen. Grim as the reminder of his health was, Dutch felt reassurance in the quiver of his heart; winter was finding its way inside him with Micah as its Trojan horse and he welcomed it. Dutch crumpled to the floor, Micah grunted with his body being crushed. He wriggled to get comfortable amongst the salt-and-pepper fur.

“I haven’t slept well. Excuse me… I’m…” Dutch trailed off, eyes sinking into the fire. “I haven’t been myself, since…”

“That was a long time ago,” Micah brushed off the memory so easily. Dutch was still going in circles trying to untangle his fur of these burs. In between brief silence, Micah apologized, “I was too harsh before. I didn’t mean it.” Micah formed a smile but saw there was no progress cheering Dutch up.

Maybe Dutch was waiting for that: for Micah to drop the act he put on when caught causing more trouble than was warranted.

He caught Micah off guard with his question, “have you ever considered eating one of your men?”

Blue eyes twisted from the fire to Dutch’s face. His wide eyes squinted, then scowled as if analyzing his words for some underlying test of loyalty, or morality.

“No,” he cut. “We don’t eat humans, you know that.”

“What’s stopping you?” Dutch was a rock but his raspy voice was reverberant in Micah’s head. “There are so many men, and you told me yourself how disposable they are to you.”

“Monsters don’t eat humans: I don’t eat humans, you won’t be eatin’ humans. That is unless you fancy angerin’ the hornet’s nest. Kill one human and twenty more will follow.”

Stomach growls pulled both of them from the topic of taboos. Micah squeezed tighter and Dutch groaned at the disturbance to his abdomen. His head fell into his paws; he didn’t hide behind glamor and words anymore. His ill-wellness was on display to all that could see, and Micah was getting an eyeful.

“There will be food for you, we just need to wait. We will get off this mountain once the bounty hunters pick up the scent of someone easier to catch than me.” Micah patted Dutch’s shoulder, transitioning it into scrubbing his tangled neck fur and up to scratching Dutch’s ears. “I’d let you eat my human legs if it wouldn’t result in me bleedin’ out.”

His joke and jab of his shoulder elicited no reaction in Dutch apart from a slow, tired blink. Micah traced the scales on his cheeks with his claws and shakily inhaled.

“You and I could go huntin’ together? It could be nice, just the two of us: I do the hard work and you keep me from freezing my limbs off.”

A black tail swatted and covered Micah’s mouth. “Stop talking. Let an old man rest” Dutch curled his neck inwards til he surrounded him, cheek pressed to Micah’s upper body.

Micah couldn’t argue, he too was exceptionally tired: physically and emotionally. He let his upper body relax into Dutch’s neck like a regal bed calling his name. His constricting hold loosened but remained securely around the panther’s body.

“Have faith in me, Boss. We’re survivors.” But Dutch wasn’t convinced; Neither one of them could survive long without the other in this changing world of men, monster, and winter.

[scriv3lloirl]

mr scriv3lloirl do you have any tips on drawing chubby orin 🙏🙏🙏

"Mr Scriv3lloirl"? Heh. Y'ur funny. But y'all can jus call me Orin (or Sen, I s'pose. But Orin is really preferred.)

I'll be yappin a whole ton, so check under the cut fer' the lengthy response I'm boutta givin ya.

I ain't the best at givin art advice or tips, so bear wit me if I end up talkin bout random shit.

I have Aphantasia, look it up if ya don't know what it is, so references are my one true love. My phone gallery is constantly full of art pose, tips n things I find online cus the way an artist drew or explained somethin was/is super helpful.

The biggest tip I can give is references.

I also tend t' use m'self as reference for how I draw Orin too! Cus the way I draw Orin is near identical t' my own endomorph/pear body type so it's real easy t' throw on a tight shirt n snap a picture or two of the pose I wanna draw Orin in, instead of scourin the damn interweb for a pose that's somewhat similar instead of exact.

Lookin at fanart helps too! Ya might have t' go diggin round for some fat Orin art, but I've found plenty here on Tumblr so it isn't impossible.

Usin only circles, I find, gives the body a bloated appearance instead of jus fat. Fat sags! so give it that gravity.

Ovals are better than circles anyway, but that doesnt mean they aren't useful. Jus don't use circles ev'rywhere on a body when shapin it out cus usin jus plain circles can seem inappropriate n fatphobic in a way or make the character look off. There are plen'y of other shapes t' use when drawin fat, plus size, or chubby characters.

You don't jus have t' use round shapes, but the reason why they are used so often is t' give a softer appearance.

Fat can be distributed in bodies differently everywhere, so again, references help tons!

My Orin has wide hips, big thighs n arms, smaller shoulders, fat tits. He's not meant t' be perceived as thin in any way, shape, or form. He's not meant t'be perceived as young either.

Eve'ytime I draw Orin, he's always intended t' be older as when Steve Martin played Orin in the movie, he was in his 40s, so now my version is middle-aged (38-42.) His age also plays a big part in his body type n how I draw it. He has wrinkles near his eyes n deep eyebags plus a few other things that give him a more longer face. All these older features can also play a part in his larger build. Which they do.

The little details are important. Don't flake out on drawin the lil squishes n rolls when skin touches. But don't over do it with the folds, it'll look.. well. Not good.

But you also don't wanna add too much detail at the same time, y'know?

I have more difficulty drawin fat in the face than in the rest of the body as I'm still learnin n practicin, so apologies for not bein able t' give as good advice there for ev'rythin else. One thing I can say, however, is when you draw the neck? Draw it thicker than you normally would.

Yea, so. I think that's it? This is all the advice n such I could think of, hopefully I didn't jus go in circles. Hope this helped a lil, Anon!!

TL;DR - Use a lot of references for fat bodies, n practice makes perfect.