#well. we're closing the company and we have been given.

[annieisyourfavourite]

last time stealing from work and fellas i'm making the most of it by leaving with multiple tote bags and a full backpack

[beanarie]

i never wanted water once part 3

tommy is also breakup baking, prompted by my dear @sanguinarysanguinity

tw: mention of parent death, mention of child abuse

part 1

part 2

~

Gutierrez eyes him on his way out of the locker room. "Feel like no one ever sees you anymore. You coming back to the pickup game or what?"

"Oh." Tommy gives his damp hair one last rub from the towel. "I wasn't planning on it, to be honest. Too awkward."

Gutierrez frowns. "Why?"

"You know," Tommy says, wishing he didn't have to, "Eddie Diaz. I broke up with his best friend."

"Diaz hasn't shown in weeks. Probably got injured. You know how that crew is."

And that. Well. He and Eddie were friends. They became tight very quickly in a way Tommy hasn't experienced with many people. He shouldn't have thrown a connection like that away without at least trying to salvage it.

He sends a text, a polite, generic one asking about his welfare. Worst thing that can happen is Eddie tells him to fuck off and he's back where he started. He fully expects to be left on read.

He does not expect Eddie to tell him he's moving back to Texas because he's given up on his son deciding to come home. Eddie invites him to a pre-going away dinner at a bar and grill before he goes down South for a few days to scout out homes. And, no, absolutely not. But Tommy proposes getting a drink, just the two of them. Eddie very validly explains that he can't spare the time, since he's already started packing up his life and he's working overtime to save up for a down payment. Tommy gets it. He does.

The day after the dinner, Eddie calls him. "Hey, man. I know we're like two ships passing in the night, but I didn't want to leave without a proper goodbye. I still got some more shifts before I move for good, but the time will go by quick. We'll just stay on the line, okay? Keep me company while I go through my kitchen cabinets."

"It's good to hear from you," Tommy says honestly.

"So yeah." Eddie hums. "Why'd you do it?"

"Text you?" Tommy says. "I heard that-"

"Kinard," Eddie says, unamused.

"Yeah. Sorry."

"You just didn't seem the type to flee."

None of you know me as well as you thought you did, Tommy doesn't say. That's not fair to any of them. "I wasn't, in the past. Well, I tried not being that. A couple times. It didn't work out."

"Oh," Eddie says. "There it is."

"There what is?"

"You've got shit."

"Haven't we all?"

"Hey, I am not denying that." Eddie chuckles. "Do you plan on dealing with it, or letting it blow up every good thing you find until you die?"

"Jesus, Eddie."

"What's the point in mincing words? You did something dumb and destructive. What kinda friend would I be if I let that go without saying anything?"

"So what's the weather even like in El Paso? Does it ever get below 100?"

After a groan, Eddie lets Tommy talk about his shit, about Texas, parenthood, and chess clubs, for the rest of the call. Tommy can't say that he'll miss him. He missed him already and now he gets to continue doing so. All of this sucks.

Tommy tries his hand at gnocchi made with ricotta, lemon, and pepper that subsequently almost causes a fistfight during B shift.

Demetra favors him with a warm smile, taking in the large box in his hands. "Tom, right? Welcome! What's all this?"

"Tommy," he says easily, impressed she remembered his name at all. He hasn't been to this slightly dusty community center in five or six years. "Uh, this is garlic knots and mini calzones."

"Well, hey. You're even more welcome than before. Come take a seat."

December is a stupid time to rejoin group, many of the participants close to the edge from a cocktail of seasonal depression, missing dead loved ones, and generalized loneliness. Tommy knew it would be like this going in. He counted on it. Everyone will have so much to say that there likely won't be any time for him to open his mouth. He's not ready to spill. It will help to just soak in the atmosphere of unashamed honesty for a while.

At his third meeting, Cal, a slender guy in his mid twenties with a curly mohawk, keeps bringing up his mother. "She never wanted me to enlist," he says, "and now that I'm back home and struggling, she can't stop being all 'I told you so' morning, noon, and night. She never says it, but she is thinking it."

"Is she?" Tommy finds himself asking. "Or are you putting something on her that isn't there?"

"Maybe so." Cal pops one of Tommy's fried ravioli in his mouth and chews thoughtfully. "I don't know, I should probably give her a chance, think first about what she's actually saying before I react. But it's hard in the moment, you know?"

"Tommy?" Demetra says a minute later, making him feel like a kid being called on by the teacher. "How's your relationship with your mom?"

"Nonexistent. She died when I was fifteen." He crosses his ankles. "Fell asleep in the car on our way back from an away game and we couldn't wake her up. Heart attack."

Demetra frowns sympathetically. "That must've been hard for a kid to witness."

"I've seen so much worse since then. People shot in the head by machine guns, people covered in burns over most of their bodies..."

Demetra shakes her head slightly. "They weren't your mom."

He ducks his head, pressing his lips together. "True. It's just- That's not- It's not trauma. I don't fear falling asleep and not waking up."

"What do you fear?" Cal asks.

Being left, being hurt, being validated in his belief that no one will ever see him for all he is and choose to stick around. "Standard stuff, really. Clowns, taxes, drivers on the freeway."

He gets a pity laugh, a groan or two, and one outright glare. "Okay, okay." He exhales loudly. "Ending up alone by someone else's choice rather than mine."

"So you're cool with being on your own, as long as you're the one keeping everyone away," Cal says.

God, that sounds idiotic. "Yes?"

"You prefer it like this?" asks a woman about his own age wearing a green bomber jacket.

He shrugs. "It's not ideal, but as far as worst case scenarios go, it's okay. It's fine."

"It's spineless," says a gray-haired man with a Desert Storm hat.

Tommy doesn't flinch. "Yeah, that's kind of an inherent character trait. I keep thinking I got it licked, then it shows up wearing another face. Scared of my dad, so I joined the army and became someone he couldn't hurt anymore. Scared of people knowing I was gay, so I waited to come out until I was surrounded by brand new people. Scared of my boyfriend leaving, so." He pushes at the skin above his knees, kneading it. "So I left him first."

"You fall back," says Bomber Jacket. Her name is Annie or Angie. She has conflicted feelings about dating a man with kids. "It's easy to stop being scared when the thing that scared you is far away."

He hears Eddie. You just didn't seem the type to flee.

Demetra holds up a hand. Tommy's face must be doing something concerning. "No one here faults you for what you did to survive. Is it still serving you, is the question, or is that just what you're used to?"

He doesn't bake when he gets home. He drinks half the beers in his fridge and does a shockingly efficient job of cleaning his house, while drafting and deleting twenty-seven different texts. He then wakes up the next day, and goes to the pickup game.

Gutierrez scores four rebounds on him and doesn't shut up about it for the rest of their next shift. Tommy grumbles, and talks shit, and promises he won't have much to brag about next time.

[babychavez]

Lucky

You had just gotten back into L.A from being gone to Miami on a press run for your new show. You were of course traveling along with your co-Star Nicholas Alexander Chavez. You guys had grown close over the last few months while shooting and also doing press runs together. Well as time has drug on you two had kinda started to see each other but it was nothing official of course.

"I'm so ready to be home and take a nice long hot bath." You groaned out as you slide your sunglasses over your puffy tired eyes.

"My place is closer why don't you just come stay with me tonight and get some rest." Nicholas suggested as he pulled the driver door shut and started the car.

"No. I know you're tired and need some space. I mean goodness you have been stuck with me on the road for what seems like forever now. Just drop me at my hotel and it'll be fine." You said waving off the idea of his.

Nic looked over at you and raised an eyebrow at the command you had just given him. "Really? Now you wanna act like you wanna be in a hotel room all alone?"

You rolled your eyes at Nic, "oh don't even start that crap with me. You know you're tired of me and ready to be away from me for a bit." You remarked back at him in a super bratty way. Nic looked your way with a mischievous smirk on his  face.

"I very much can assure you that I never get tired of being around you. Even if you are in one of your sassy moods, now come here and give me a kiss." Nic exclaimed as he leaned over the center console that was between you two and pushed his lips together waiting for you to meet him the rest of the way. You smiled and shook your head as you pushed yourself up from your seat and leaned forward to make your lips connect with his.

Your heart fluttered when you felt him smile against your lips as you both broke the kiss. "Let's get out of here now." Nic started the car and took off down the road. You watched out the window at the familiar storefronts passing by all the hustle and bustle of people and cars on the streets. You could feel your eyelids get heavy with each street block you passed. You finally saw the road that would lead you on to the freeway and carry you and nic back to his place.

"Take a nap baby, it's gonna be a bit because of the traffic right now. Don't worry I'll keep you safe." Nic told you as he merged on to the highway. You looked at nic and gave him a sleepy smile, as to be telling him okay. Nic reached over and grabbed your hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. You leaned your head back and slowly drifted off to sleep, knowing you were safe and in the best company.

"Baby we're here." You heard a soft voice say. You opened your eyes and saw the inside of the car illuminated by dim light. You pushed your sunglasses off your eyes and to your surprise the sunny sky that you had fallen asleep to was now dark and starry.

"What in the world is going on?" You asked while rubbing the sleep out of the corners of your eyes. You looked out the front windshield and saw no familiar sights, instead you saw a tall white house that was covered by greenery and 2 tall windows that made it look as if the house had 2 glowing eyes.

"Surprise babe." Nic exclaimed as he opened up the passenger door and extended his hand for you to take as you climbed out the door. You looked up and all the stars were bright on shining and twinkling above. You felt a nice almost cool breeze graze your face and you grabbed ahold of Nic's hand and placed your feet on the ground.

"Where are we Nicholas?" You asked as Nic pulled you away from the car and smiled widely at you. You were caught off guard and shocked to say the less because you never would have never guessed he could pull something like this by you.

"Well we have a few days off from work and meetings and traveling so I thought what a better way to spend it, than a little mini us vacation. Away from the noise of the city, people and most of all anyone knowing where we are. It's just me and you." Explained Nic as he embraced you from behind and laid a soft kiss on the side of your head.

"Aww. When did you plan all of this?" You asked him still shocked by the surprise of it all. Nic smiled and took ahold of your hand as he lead you to the front door of the house.

"Stop asking so many questions and just enjoy yourself and this time away we have. Baby sometimes living in the moment is the best way to live. We don't always have to know all the ins and outs of how something came to be. Just go with your feelings." Said Nic with a soft chuckle as he pulled out his phone and looked at something in it. He then punched a code into the lock on the double doors, he pushed open the doors.

You couldn't believe what you were seeing the lights were dim and candles were lite on top of the island in the kitchen with a lovely spread of finger foods and a chilled bottle of champagne in a metal bucket.

"Nic! This place is beautiful!" You exclaimed as you walked into the house and continued looking around.

"Yeah it came out even better than I had imagined it would." Nic exclaimed as he walked over to the island and popped open the bottle of champagne and poured you each a glass. "I knew I wanted to do something special for you since we have been so busy lately."

"Well this is perfect and you did an excellent job." You smiled and praised Nic as you raised your glass toward him. Nic smiled as he clicked his glass to mine and then we both took a drink. You started around the corner of the island to admire the food laid out in front of you when you noticed red petals on the floor. "Uh Nic what are these for?"

Nic was taking another drink out of his glass when he looked down and noticed the petals as well. "Oh yeah! Come here come here!" He exclaimed full of excitement as he grabbed you by the hand and pulled you behind him toward an open set of French doors.

Once out the doors you saw the sand and heard the waves hitting the beach. You could smell the scent of the ocean in the air and also the faint scent of floral. You looked down and saw more petals laying on the back porch they lead the way down the stairs and across the sand toward what looked to be a hammock on 2 post near the edge of the ocean and a soft glow from 2 lit tiki torches.

"Wanna go with me?" Nic asked as he was already pulling you in that direction down the stairs. You smiled and followed along behind him. But Nic didn't stop at the hammock he pulled you out into the water with him. The waves hit the both of you, soaking your clothes, you let out a giggle as you caught eyes with Nic who was smiling ear to ear. Nic grabbed you by the waist and pulled you into him. You looked into his eyes and cupped his cheeks in your hands before you pushed your lips to his.

There you 2 were in the middle of the ocean at night holding each other as the waves crashed into the both of you, you two could care less because you were both lost in each other. You felt a warmth travel across your lower back and then slowly up your sides, it was Nic’s hands raises the soaking wet shirt off your body. You broke apart from each others lips as Nic gave your shirt one last tug over your head and tossed it on to shore.

You returned the favor by taking his shirt off and revealed his toned smooth chest, you both were standing there captivated by the moment and the look in each others eyes. Nicholas grabbed you by the waist and pulled you back into him, he held you so gently and yet tightly as never wanting to let you go. You laid your head on his chest and heard the beat of his heart quicken. You gently swayed back and fourth together in the water being held by Nic made it seem like nothing could ever top this moment. You felt Nic rest his chin on the top of your head but just as you settled he pulled back and looked down at you.

“I’ve had something on my mind for awhile now.” Nicholas said softly as he took your cheek into the palm of his hand and pulled your gaze up to his brown sweet eyes.

“Oh yeah what is it?” You asked slightly nervous.

“I never knew someone like you existed until the day you came in the doorway for our 1st table read. The moment I saw you I knew I wanted you. Then as this time has continued on between us, I feel like I’ve known you forever and that I can be myself with you. I feel like I’m here just for you. No one else.” Nicholas groveled as he ran his thumb across your cheek.

You could feel the redness bubbling up on your cheeks, no one has ever made you feel so special and made you so happy as Nic had. “I have never felt this way about someone Nic. I’m so lucky I met you.

Nic’s eyes twinkled and before you knew it, you were swept off your feet and Nicholas crashed his lips back into yours. You wrapped your legs around his waist and your tongues fought for space in each others mouth.

Nic carried you out of the water and laid you down in the big hammock. You grasped at the top of his pants trying to get them off. But just as you hooked your fingers into the waist of them he pulled away and instead pulled your shorts down and panties all in one swift motion. He tossed them down and then began to pull his pants down himself, you watched as he unleashed his hard cock.

He gave you an almost evil smirk as he pulled you to the edge of the hammock. He teased your wet slit by rubbing the tip of his cock up and down your clit, he smacked your pussy with his cock before thrusting it deep in you.

His cock could be felt in your stomach and made you gasp as you adjusted to it. Nic looked down at you and admired the way you were taking him, he began to slowly move his hips back and forth. You winced as he pushed himself back in each time.

“That’s a good girl. Taking this dick and letting me know how much you’re enjoying it.” Nic said as he bite his bottom lip and tossed his head back and let out a moan into the night sky.

You could tell his pace was increasing and you could feel yourself tightening around his cock with each stroke and the warmth was growing in your stomach. You let your head fall back and enjoyed the noises that were coming from Nic’s mouth, you pulled Nic down closer to your body and intertwined your fingers in his soft brown locks.

You heard the clapping of skin echoing out, Nic popped his head back up so you both made eye contact as he rocked his hips into you harder and harder.

“Ohhhh fuck yes! Fuck me Nic!” You yelled out at him. He pushed himself back up to where he could lay his forehead on yours, your eyes were locked. You could feel the sweat between both of you making you glide easily against each other. You couldn’t hold it back anymore and you let yourself go and got lost in the sweet orgasm as it would overcame your whole body.

“Take this cum baby!” Nic grunted just as he spilled inside of you. You both locked lips as let the moment be.

You laid on Nic chest as he kicked his foot making the hammock swing back and fourth, you both laid there listening to the ocean. Nic was relaxed and happy, he had his eyes closed and a smile on his lips. You and Nic’s fingers were laced with in each others and laid across Nic’s chest, he would wiggle his fingers every now and then to see if you’d response with some form of movement back.

“Thank you so much for planning this, I think this is just what we need.” You exclaimed laying a soft kiss on Nic’s warm skin.

“You deserve this babe. You haven worked your butt off the past few months and you deserve some peace and rest and most of all love.” You were taken back by the last word Nicholas had just spoken. He had never used that word till now toward you. You pop your head off his chest and peered up at him. His eyes were still closed but now the small smile had been replaced with a huge teeth baring smile.

“What did you say?” You questioned him. Nicholas let out a small chuckle and raised his head up to meet your stare.

“You heard me. You deserve to have love and be loved. I love you.” Nic spoke once again. You were overwhelmed by the words but most of all thankful because the feelings he had for you matches up with the ones you had for him.

“I love you too Nicholas.” You exclaimed as you laid a huge kiss on Nic’s lips. You cuddles back into Nic’s chest and closed your eyes and soaked up all of the emotions floating in the air between you two.

You had just opened a new adventure in life and it was very exciting to be venturing into the unknown future with a man as great as Nic. You could feel yourself drifting off with each swing of the hammock, back and forth and back and forth.

“I love you baby girl.” Nic whispered into the wind just as you drifted off to sleep.

[w2soneshots]

Ibiza -W2S

words: 1.2k+

warnings: alcohol consumption.

summary: you spend the day on a yacht while your boyfriend and his mates film hide & seek. You deal with his mean drunkenness. Then when you get back to the villa you take care of him.

notes: this is based off of this request!! I think drunk Harry’s hilarious😭. Don’t forget to reblog! Enjoy this extra lone one💓✨

Liked by gkbarry_, ksi and 561,308 others

y/username: Ibiza 2024!🌴🍹🌺☀️💘

Tagged: @wroetoshaw @behzingagram @faithloisak @taliamar @freyanightingale

-comments-

wroetoshaw: 🔥🔥

faithloisak: you cutie

taliamar: stunning girl🫶🏼

y/nfanpage21: pahaha the second pic😭

user31096420: another iconic sidemen holiday

user91837410: she's so fit

A few days ago we arrived in Ibiza. It was initially just going to be the boys because they were planning a few sidemen videos. But they decided that there hasn't been a proper holiday with everyone for years since, Ethan and Faith had Olive, Me and Harry got married, as well as Simon and Talia so we cleared our schedules and booked tickets.

We're here for a week and plan on doing as much relaxing as we can but the boys still need to film their videos. Today they're filming a hide and seek on a huge yacht. We're all staying in a massive villa that's really close to the sea line. "Morning." Harry yawned. My sleepy face curved into a content smile. "Good morning." I whispered before kissing his soft lips. Harry wrapped his arms around my torso. "Do we have to get up?" He dug his head into my neck. "Yes Haz. The boats booked for eleven." I replied. He groaned.

Eventually I got him up and we began getting ready. I pulled on a bikini that wouldn't give me offensive tan lines, since I'm planning on laying in the sun all day. Then popped on a cute cover up. Once I'd sorted my hair and covered myself in suncream I headed downstairs where everyone was sat eating breakfast. I said "good morning." then grabbed a plate of fresh fruit along with a smoothie.

After breakfast we all collected the last of our things then just as the taxis pulled up we left. Harry helped Ethan get Olives stuff into the boot while I carried the baby for Faith while she clipped in the car seat. It's only a ten minute drive so we were soon being dropped off at the dock. The day before yesterday we spent a few hours on a smaller boat but today (since they're filming a video) the yacht is massive. The crew also flew in yesterday to film this video so they met us here.

We were told not to grab our things from the taxis because the staff on board would get it for us. When we got onto the yacht we were immediately given drinks and a quick toor. The woman brought us up some stairs. "And these are the tanning loungers." Me and the girls looked at each other with a smile. "This is where I'm going to be spending the rest of the day." Talia joked, but she was being fully serious and I felt exactly the same.

The boys wondered off to film the intro for the video and all four of us girls lay down on a lounger, while Olive slept next to Faith in a little travel cot under one of the large umbrellas. I chatted quietly with Talia, Freya started reading her book and Faith soaked up the sun. We could hear the boys screaming, shouting and laughing as they filmed. Vik was the seeker and wasn't doing the best job which was obvious from what we could see from the top deck, but I'm sure that will make the video even funnier.

Once Harry, Ethan and Josh had been found we caught them peering up at us quite a few times. "You all look like creeps you know!" I shouted. The girls laughed from beside me and the boys faces turned a bright shade of red. "You just look too good in that bikini babe!" Harry shouted back sarcastically. I smirked with a shake of my head. Then returned to tanning.

After almost three hours the boys finally finished filming so we had some lunch. As the day went on we jumped into the sea, played mafia and just sat around enjoying each other's company. Everyone began actually drinking as it started to get later. Accept me, Faith, JJ and Tobi because I had had like one or two but really couldn't be arsed with a hangover, Faith needed to look after Olive and JJ and Tobi don't drink.

y/username just posted a new story!

I sat next to Harry as he swayed back and forth slightly. "You alright?" I asked. He was clearly very drunk. "What? Oh. Shut up I'm fine." He replied. I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. I looked around the group, all eyes on us. I burst into a fit of laughter. "Alright big man I think it's time you get to bed." I tried to help him stand. "No!" He shouted. I sighed tiredly. "Here. I'll help." Tobi got up from his seat. We decided to all call it a night so left the ship and got taxi's back to the villa.

"Here you go mate." JJ murmured as him and Tobi lay an almost asleep Harry on our bed. "Thanks boys." I smiled as they walked out with a quick "good night." I pulled Harry's clothes off, leaving him in just his boxers. Then I placed a glass of water on his nightstand, along with some paracetamol for his hangover. Thankfully Harry usually isn't physically sick when he has a hangover so there was no need for a bucket. After I took a quick shower I slipped into bed, next to him.

The next morning I got up decently early to make everyone breakfast. Faith was already downstairs since Olive had been awake for quite awhile and she didn't want to wake Ethan up since he was hungover and he woke up early yesterday for Olive. "Good morning you cutie." I greeted Olive in my high pitched baby voice, that seems to just appear whenever I'm around animals or babies. She giggled with the sweetest little smile.

"Morning." Faith also smiled as I sat down next to her on the couch. "So last night Harry seemed to be a little..." "mean." I finished her sentence. "Well yea." She breathed out a laugh. "He's a mean drunk. It really doesn't bother me to be honest. I find it hilarious." I chuckled. "I'm glad, I was a little concerned." "The first time we went out together it was a bit of a shock to the system but over the years I realised that it's just how he reacts to alcohol."

After a good chat with Faith I headed back upstairs to check on Harry. I slowly opened to door to see Harry front down on the bed with his face turned towards the door. I walked towards him and squatted in front of him. "Harry." I whispered as my hand gently stroked his face. He groaned. "Have some paracetamol love." I grabbed the pack from the nightstand. "My head hurts." He slowly opened one of his eyes. I smiled at him "I know. Sit up for me."

He pushed himself up and turned over so he was sitting against the headboard. He took the tablet along with almost the entire glass of water. "Was I mean?" He asked quietly. I laughed "Uhm... I've had much worse." He groaned as he covered his face with his hands. "Sorry." He mumbled. "Don't be. You were completely gone with the fairies." I said sarcastically. He chuckled but then winced, probably from the pounding headache. "Go back to sleep. I'll have breakfast downstairs when you're ready." I quickly pecked his forehead. "You're too good to me." He replied as he returned to his previous position.

[estapa-edwards]

FAKE BOYFRIEND - J. HUGHES

paring: Jack Hughes x fem! reader

word count:3.6k

requested? no

warnings: use of y/n.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The ringing of my phone pulled me out of my reverie. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was my cousin, Sarah, calling. With a sigh, I answered, knowing exactly what the conversation would entail.

"Hey, Sarah," I greeted, trying to sound upbeat.

"Hey, Y/N! I was just finalizing the wedding arrangements and wanted to know if you're bringing a plus-one?" Her voice was filled with excitement.

The question wasn’t unexpected. My family, as loving and supportive as they were, had a knack for reminding me about my perpetual single status at every family gathering.

"Um, well…" I hesitated, trying to think of a polite way to say no without inviting further scrutiny.

Sarah, sensing my hesitation, quickly added, "You know, it doesn’t have to be serious. Just someone to keep you company and make the day more enjoyable."

I sighed, "I know, Sarah. It's just... I haven’t found the right person yet."

There was a pause on the other end. "Okay, I get it," she said softly. "But you know how the family is going to be, right? They’re going to ask questions, judge, and probably set you up with someone."

My heart sank at the thought. I loved my family dearly, but their constant nagging about my love life was exhausting.

"I know," I murmured.

Before the conversation could continue, a familiar voice interrupted from behind me. "Hey, Y/N, who's causing you grief now?"

I turned around to find Jack Hughes, my close friend since elementary shcool, standing in my living room with a concerned expression on his face. We had been through thick and thin together, always there for one another. He was the kind of guy who would drop everything to help a friend in need.

"Hey, Jack," I said, forcing a smile. "Just the usual family stuff, you know?"

He raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more to it. "Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to share my family drama with him. But then, recalling all the times he had been there for me, I decided to spill. "Sarah wants me to bring a date to her wedding. The family's been on my case about being single for so long, and I just don't want to deal with their judgment."

Jack chuckled lightly, "Well, I might have a solution for you."

I looked at him curiously. "Oh?"

"How about I be your date for the wedding?" he proposed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I stared at him, taken aback by the suggestion. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, why not?" he shrugged. "We're already close friends, and it’s not like we haven’t pretended to be a couple before."

He wasn’t wrong. We had often joked about being the perfect fake couple, given our compatibility and understanding of each other. But this was different. This was my family, and the idea of introducing Jack as my boyfriend felt strange, yet oddly comforting.

"You’d do that for me?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

"Of course," he replied, his smile genuine. "Anything to save you from the family inquisition."

I couldn’t help but smile back at him. "Alright, deal."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The twinkling lights and festive decorations of the office Christmas party created a warm and inviting atmosphere. Colleagues mingled, laughing and sharing stories, while holiday music played softly in the background.

Jack and I had arrived together, opting to carpool to the event. As we entered the room, I spotted my overly curious coworker, Karen, who had a habit of prying into my personal life.

"Y/N! So glad you could make it. And who is this handsome gentleman?" Karen had asked, her eyes scanning Jack appreciatively.

Not wanting to delve into the intricacies of my love life with Karen, I turned to Jack and smiled. "Jack, this is Karen, my coworker. Karen, meet Jack, my… boyfriend."

Jack caught on quickly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. "Nice to meet you, Karen," he said smoothly, flashing her a charming smile.

Karen’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting the revelation. "Nice to meet you too, Jack. Y/N, you never mentioned you had a boyfriend!"

I shrugged, trying to keep the act going. "Well, you know how it is. We’ve been keeping things low-key."

Jack played along, sharing playful glances and inside jokes throughout the evening. It was yet another successful performance, and by the end of the night, even Karen was convinced of our faux relationship.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink as Jack and I drove towards the hotel where we would be staying for the weekend getaway. The atmosphere inside the car was relaxed, with soft music playing in the background and the gentle hum of the engine providing a comforting backdrop to our conversation.

As we approached the hotel, I felt a sudden wave of nervousness wash over me. Thoughts of the weekend ahead, sharing a room with Jack, and the realization of our growing feelings for each other made my heart race and palms sweaty.

Sensing my anxiety, Jack glanced over at me with concern. "You okay, Y/N? You seem a bit tense."

I tried to brush off his observation with a forced smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nervous about the weekend, I guess."

Jack pulled the car into the hotel's driveway and parked the car. Turning to face me, he reached out to gently take my hand in his. "Hey, it's okay. We're in this together, remember?"

I looked into his eyes, finding comfort in their warmth and sincerity. "I know, Jack. It's just... this whole situation is new to me, and I don't want things to be awkward between us."

Jack squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Y/N, we've been friends for years, and we know each other better than anyone else. We can handle this. And if things get too uncomfortable, we'll figure it out together."

His words were comforting, and I felt my nerves begin to settle. Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "You're right. We can do this."

Jack smiled, releasing my hand and reaching for our bags in the backseat. "Let's go check in and start our weekend adventure."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

As we walked towards the hotel entrance, I spotted my mom and my aunt, Sarah's mom, standing near the lobby. Their eyes widened in surprise as they watched us approach, clearly taken aback by our close proximity and seemingly intimate interaction.

My heart sank as I realized they had seen us walking in together. The nervousness I had felt earlier returned in full force, and I could feel my cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

Jack, sensing my discomfort, gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Stay calm, Y/N," he whispered, offering me a supportive smile.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to muster up some courage as we reached my mom and aunt. "Hey, Mom, Aunt Susan," I greeted, trying to sound as casual as possible.

My mom looked us up and down, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Y/N, Jack, what a surprise to see you two together. Are you...?"

Before she could finish her sentence, Jack stepped in smoothly, "Yes, we're together. We thought it was time to let everyone know about our relationship."

I looked at Jack in surprise, not expecting him to take the initiative and declare our faux relationship so convincingly. He winked at me, reassuring me that he had everything under control.

My aunt Susan looked shocked but quickly recovered, offering us a smile. "Well, that's wonderful news! We're happy for you both."

My mom seemed skeptical but nodded, choosing to reserve her judgment for later. "Alright, if you say so. Just make sure you take care of each other."

Jack nodded earnestly. "Of course, Mrs. Y/LN. Y/N means the world to me."

Feeling a mix of relief and gratitude, I thanked Jack silently for his quick thinking and support. As we said our goodbyes and headed towards the check-in counter, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for Jack’s unwavering support and our ability to navigate awkward situations with ease

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

After completing the check-in process, Jack and I made our way to our hotel room. As we entered the room and took a quick look around, we both realized something that had been overlooked in our haste to plan this getaway - there was only one bed.

We stood there for a moment, exchanging awkward glances, each of us processing the situation and unsure of how to address it.

Jack broke the silence, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, looks like there's been a little mix-up with the room arrangement."

I nodded, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite the sudden surge of anxiety I felt. "Yeah, it seems that way. I can call the front desk and see if they can switch us to a room with two beds."

Jack quickly shook his head, "No, it's okay. We can make do with this. We've shared beds before on trips and stuff, right?"

He was right. We had shared hotel rooms on numerous occasions during our travels with friends, and it had never been an issue. But this time felt different, more intimate, given the nature of our pretend relationship.

Taking a deep breath to quell my nerves, I agreed. "Alright, let's just make the best of it. We can take turns using the bathroom to change and stuff."

Jack smiled, relieved that I was willing to go along with the unexpected situation. "Sounds like a plan."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

Lying side by side in the dimly lit room, the soft glow from the bedside lamp casting a warm hue over us, the atmosphere felt intimate and comforting. The earlier tension from the unexpected room arrangement had dissipated, replaced by a shared understanding and connection between Jack and me.

After a few moments of silence, Jack turned to face me, his eyes filled with concern. "Y/N, I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable you seemed earlier when we ran into your mom and aunt. Is everything okay?"

I sighed, feeling a wave of vulnerability wash over me. "It's just... my family can be so judgmental sometimes, especially when it comes to my love life or lack thereof. I know they mean well, but their constant prying and comments can be really hurtful."

Jack reached out, gently taking my hand in his. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that, Y/N. You deserve to be accepted and loved for who you are, without any judgment or criticism."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt the weight of Jack's words and the comfort of his presence. "Thank you, Jack. It means a lot to hear you say that."

He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "You're an amazing person, Y/N, and anyone would be lucky to have you in their life. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise."

I looked into Jack's sincere eyes, feeling a sense of gratitude and understanding. "You've always been there for me, Jack, supporting me and lifting me up when I'm feeling down. I don't know what I would do without you."

Jack smiled softly, brushing a stray hair behind my ear. "I'll always be here for you, Y/N, no matter what. We've been through a lot together, and I cherish our friendship and the bond we share."

I nodded, feeling comforted and grateful for Jack's unwavering support. "I cherish it too, Jack. And who knows, maybe one day I'll find someone who truly appreciates and loves me for who I am."

Jack looked at me intently, his expression unreadable for a moment before he spoke. "Y/N, you're amazing just the way you are. And whoever ends up with you will be the luckiest person in the world."

Feeling a mix of emotions, I smiled at Jack, appreciating his kind words and the genuine connection we shared. "Thank you, Jack. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The first rays of morning light streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. I slowly began to stir, feeling an unfamiliar warmth and comfort surrounding me. As my eyes fluttered open, I realized that I was cuddled up against Jack, his arms wrapped securely around me.

For a moment, I lay there, savoring the unexpected intimacy and comfort of our embrace. Memories of our vulnerable conversation from the previous night flooded back, deepening the connection I felt with Jack.

Carefully, I tried to extricate myself from his grasp without waking him, but as I moved, Jack began to stir, his eyes blinking open sleepily.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," I replied, blushing slightly at our close proximity.

We both looked down at our intertwined bodies, a hint of embarrassment and amusement coloring the moment.

"Looks like we ended up cuddling in our sleep," Jack observed with a chuckle.

"Yeah, seems like it," I replied, laughing softly. "Guess we're comfortable enough with each other to do that without even realizing it."

Jack smiled, his eyes warm and affectionate. "I guess so. I hope you're not too uncomfortable with it."

I shook my head, feeling a sense of contentment and happiness. "No, not at all. It was actually really nice."

We lay there for a few more moments, basking in the warmth and comfort of our cuddle, before finally deciding to start our day.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The morning was spent leisurely, with Jack and me joining my family for breakfast at the hotel's dining area. As we walked in together, hand in hand, I could feel the surprised and curious glances from my family members.

"Good morning, everyone," Jack greeted warmly, flashing a genuine smile.

"Morning, you two," my mom responded, still trying to adjust to the idea of Jack and me as a couple.

Throughout the breakfast, Jack made sure to engage with my family members, sharing stories, cracking jokes, and showcasing a genuine interest in their lives. His natural charm and wit quickly won them over, and by the end of the meal, even my most skeptical relatives seemed convinced of our faux relationship.

After breakfast, we spent the day exploring the city with my family, visiting local attractions, enjoying delicious meals, and creating memorable experiences together. Jack continued to play the part of the doting boyfriend flawlessly, offering me his jacket when I was cold, holding my hand as we walked, and stealing affectionate glances when he thought no one was looking.

At one point, I shivered slightly in the cool air-conditioned room. Without hesitation, Jack draped his jacket over my shoulders, his touch gentle and caring. I looked up to find him smiling down at me, his eyes warm and comforting.

"Better?" he whispered, his voice soft and soothing.

"Much better, thanks," I replied, feeling a sense of warmth not just from the jacket but also from Jack's thoughtful gesture.

Later in the afternoon, we stopped at a local café for lunch. As we sat down at a cozy corner table, Jack took the initiative to order for both of us, choosing some of the café's popular dishes and ensuring there were options that I would enjoy.

Throughout the meal, Jack made an effort to engage in conversations with my family, sharing amusing anecdotes and stories that had everyone laughing and enjoying the meal even more. His ability to connect with people and make them feel comfortable was truly impressive.

After lunch, we headed to a beautiful botanical garden. As we wandered through the lush gardens, Jack reached out to hold my hand, his touch reassuring and comforting. We strolled together, admiring the vibrant flowers and serene surroundings, our conversation flowing naturally and effortlessly.

At one point, Jack pulled me aside to a secluded spot overlooking a tranquil pond. "This place is beautiful, isn't it?" he said, his eyes reflecting the beauty of the scene before us.

"It's stunning," I agreed, feeling a sense of peace and contentment wash over me. “Just like you.” Jack whispered. 

I looked up at Jack, surprised by his comment. His eyes were sincere, reflecting the beauty of the scene around us and the warmth of his affection for me.

"Thank you, Jack," I whispered back, feeling a flutter in my heart at his words. "That's really sweet of you to say."

He smiled softly, his gaze lingering on me. "I meant it, Y/N. You bring light and beauty into my life, just like this garden brings peace and tranquility to this place."

Feeling a deep connection and warmth from his words, I leaned in closer, savoring the intimacy of the moment we shared. "You have a way with words, you know that?"

Jack chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Only when I'm inspired."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The dinner was set in a cozy, dimly lit restaurant, with soft jazz music playing in the background. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the table was filled with laughter and chatter as my family and Jack enjoyed their meal.

As the evening progressed, the topic of conversation shifted to relationships and dating experiences, a subject that always seemed to make my family curious and playful, often at my expense.

"So, Y/N, is Jack your first boyfriend?" my cousin Emily asked, a teasing glint in her eye.

"Yeah, Y/N, tell us, is Jack your first?" my other cousin, Mike, chimed in, joining in on the fun.

Feeling the familiar sting of embarrassment and the weight of their teasing, I tried to brush off the question with a smile. "Well, Jack is my first 'official' boyfriend," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

The room erupted in playful laughter, and I could feel the color rising in my cheeks.

Trying to lighten the mood and divert the attention, Jack leaned in, "Well, I must say, I consider myself incredibly lucky to be Y/N's first. She's an amazing person, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner."

Feeling the warmth of Jack's supportive words and the lingering sting of the teasing, I tried to maintain a calm exterior. But inside, I was struggling to keep my composure.

Sensing my discomfort, Jack discreetly reached under the table, placing his hand gently on my thigh. His touch was reassuring and grounding, providing the comfort and support I needed in that moment.

I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me as I looked into Jack's eyes, finding understanding and empathy in his gaze.

"Thank you, Jack," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.

He gave my thigh a reassuring squeeze and offered me a comforting smile, "Anytime, Y/N." 

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, with the promise of a beautiful ceremony ahead. As I got ready in my hotel room, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today was the day I had been dreading due to the constant nagging from my family about my love life, but with Jack by my side, I felt more at ease.

When Jack arrived at my hotel room to accompany me to the wedding, he looked stunning in his tailored suit. His eyes brightened as he took in my appearance.

"You look absolutely breathtaking, Y/N," he complimented, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Thank you, Jack," I replied, blushing slightly at his compliment. "You clean up pretty well yourself."

As we made our way to the venue, Jack continued to be the perfect date, holding my hand, offering me words of encouragement, and making me laugh with his witty remarks. Despite the pressure and scrutiny from my family, Jack's presence made everything more bearable.

During the ceremony, as we stood side by side, I noticed Jack stealing glances at me when he thought I wasn’t looking. There was something different about his gaze today, something deeper and more intense, filled with emotions he hadn’t shown before.

Throughout the reception, Jack was attentive and caring, making sure I was comfortable and enjoying myself. As we danced together, I could feel the warmth and tenderness of his embrace, and for the first time, I began to see a glimpse of the depth of his feelings for me.

As the night progressed, and the champagne flowed, Jack's inhibitions began to wane. During a slow dance, he pulled me close, his eyes searching mine with a vulnerability I had never seen before.

"Y/N," he whispered, his voice shaky, "you mean more to me than you'll ever know."

Caught off guard by his confession, I looked into his eyes, searching for clarity and understanding. There was a depth and sincerity in his gaze that left me speechless, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still between us.

Feeling a rush of emotions, I replied softly, "Jack, you mean a lot to me too." “Lets not pretend anymore.”

"You're right," Jack murmured, his voice filled with conviction. "Let's not pretend anymore. I want us to be real, Y/N. I want us to be together, truly together."

I nodded, feeling a deep sense of relief and happiness. "I want that too, Jack. I'm tired of pretending and hiding how I feel. I want us to be genuine with each other and with the world."

Jack smiled, his eyes shining with love and sincerity. "Then let's make it official. Let's be a real couple, in every sense of the word."

Feeling a surge of joy and excitement, I hugged Jack tightly, burying my face in his chest. "I would love nothing more, Jack. I'm ready to start this new chapter with you."

As we stood there, holding each other close, I felt a sense of completeness and contentment wash over me.

[musickgeek]

Trust [Angel Dust x Reader]

Warning: This chapter is a bit heavy. Implications of sex/sexual assault. If Ep4 is rough for you, this chapter would be too. About 2k words

Everyone in Hell knows who Angel Dust is. Famous porn star, stripper, partier. An overlord's pet. Many thought his life to be exciting, or maybe fun. I thought it was sad. I know that life doesn't exude happiness. So when I saw him in the street, I couldn't help but approach. He quickly eyes me up in down, taking in my somewhat timid stance. He smiles, and immediately goes in for the kill.

"Hey gorgeous, can I help you?" He gets close, sliding one of his hands up my arm, one playing with my hair. "Oh...no thank you..." I lift his hand by his finger and give it back to him. "Oh come on, baby cakes, no need to be shy." He insists. "I'm not interested in that, I just wanted to ask...are you okay? Do you need...a hug?" My voice becomes less sure by the second. He immediately scrunches up his face. "What? What kind of weird kink is that?" I can't help but laugh. "Why are you kink shaming? Down here? No, that's not my kink." He crosses his arms. "Then what? You think I need your pity?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I think you need a little care is all." He just stares at me like I grew three more heads. "You don't have to say anything, I just thought I'd ask, see if you just wanted to talk to someone." I tell him. He looks over me again, much more skeptically this time. "Not to be as forward as you, but what did you do to end up down here? You seem a little too, uhh...soft...to be hanging around here." I smile sadly. "Up there, I was exactly what you are down here." He frowns at the weight in my words. "I hope you have a good day, Angel." I say meaningfully, walking away before he can respond.

~~~~~

The next time I run into Angel is a complete accident. I'm not paying attention to what's in front of me, and I barrel into someone. "Ah shit, what's your prob- oh... it's you." He recognizes. "Yeah, sorry. I was lost in thought. But how are you? How's it going?" I ask politely. He scoffs. "Small talk don't pay the bills." He mutters to himself. "It could."

"I-What? Gonna pay me to talk you? How sad are you?" He deflects, obviously flustered that I'd heard him. "I'd pay if it meant you were safe for a little while." I elaborate. He looks like he's going to make a snarky remark, but stops himself. He sighs, and sits on the curb. I take the place next to him. "How much would you have given to get that offer?" He asks. "Everything." I admit. "I'm sure you can handle yourself, you have to to survive this life, but doesn't mean a break can't help." He shrugs. "You talk like you stopped doing all this."

"... No, I didn't. It's just not so...aggressive? I just don't know anything different. I think I've been getting better. I don't seek it out anymore. I just...don't turn it down. Well except alcohol, but everyone's gotta have a vice right?" He smiles, understanding in his eyes. "You're not like most people are you, sweet cheeks?" He asks. "No. But neither are you. I mean we're pretty similar aren't we? I also would have thought I was a freak." He frowns. "At least your didn't sell your soul for this shit."

"Not down here, no. But I still sold my life away." I shake my head. "You're a good guy, Angel. I hope you find the way out. I'm certain there is one." I get up to go, but he grabs my wrist. We both look at his hand like we're surprised it's there. He blushes a little before letting go. "Sorry, I just-uh, I'd like to see you more."

"I'm good company, huh?" He rolls his eyes, but smiles. He hands me his phone, and I put my contact in. He stands, and wraps four long arms around me. "You were right. I did need a hug." I hug him back, needing it as much as him.

~~~~~

We were fast friends, and didn't wait long to admit we wanted more. On the first date, Angel wanted to come home with me. I told him I was tired. On the second date, I was too busy. Months went by without any action. I didn't want him to think that's all I wanted from him. I wanted him, and myself, to build a relationship built on comfort, trust, and innocence. Not to mention how nervous I am to be that close someone. I could tell he was getting frustrated, and not just sexually. He was a lot more willing to share intimate information then I was. He told me about Valentino, about his time alive, and readily shared his problems. I always answered his questions as vaguely as possible. I'm not used to someone wanting to know, nor am I used to sharing in general. I've always lived with my cards close to my chest. While he had friends that helped break those walls down a bit, I did not.

One night I was waiting at the bar of the hotel for Angel to get home. Valentino had him late. That moth fucker makes me so mad, I could kill him. He'd deserve it for everything he's done. I'm broken out of my murder plans by Husk's voice. "So you and Angel haven't exactly 'consummated the marriage' huh?" I nearly choke on my drink. "Huh? That's random. What-what gives you that idea?" My voice gets all squeaky, my face feels hot. "I'm the bar tender, when people get drunk, they give their problems to me. And right now, his biggest problem is you. He thinks you aren't attracted to him, or he's doing something wrong. Says you don't trust him."

"I didn't mean for him to feel bad, I just wanted him to know I care about him beyond sex! We've both lived lives where that was all there was. And I'm just so scared. I don't want to mess it up, and I want us to be in a place of complete comfort with each other. Obviously I'm attracted to him, have you seen him? There's not exactly a guidebook for all this. I just don't know how to trust, I guess. But that's not his fault." Husk smirks, looking behind me. I turn and find my lover. He's looking at me, mouth agape, through his bedazzled sunglasses. "I...think we need to talk." He says seriously. I simply nod, embarrassed. He takes my hand gently and leads me to his room, away from prying ears.

"Why didn't you just talk to me, (Y/n)? If you just weren't ready, I would obviously understand. Did you seriously think I of all people wouldn't understand?" He throws the glasses on the vanity, and paces anxiously. Okay, he's mad. "Angel, it's not like that."

"Then explain it to me! You don't want to trust me?"

"I do!" He comes over and grabs my hands, he looks at me with the most sincerity I've ever seen. "Then do it. Please." I'm overcome with emotion. "Angel?" He cups my face. "Yes?" I smash my lips to his. It's intense, passionate, incredible. This isn't our first kiss, but it's the first with so much heat. I slide my hands down to the hem of his shirt. He breaks away. "Are you sure?" I nod wordlessly. "Is that okay?" I ask. "Absolutely." He kisses me again and again and again, every action eager. We move to the bed, separating as little as possible

~~~~~

"Fuck, Angel, that was..."

"Mind blowingly amazing?" He says excitedly, almost giggling. I laugh, winded. "Oh yeah. It's been so long since I was really into it, you know?" He pulls me into his arms contently. "Yeah, I get ya, toots."

"(Y/n), can I ask you something personal? I mean, I feel like I share a lot with you, but you're so closed off." He's not wrong, but I don't admit it aloud. "Go ahead." Maybe it's the endorphins, but after all this, I know I can trust him. "How did you die?" I can't help but laugh. "You don't hold back, do you?" I can feel the tears burning in the back of my eyes, and the panic rising within me. I haven't spoken about it since I died, and I never thought I would. Angel senses my oncoming attack, and holds me tighter. "I'm sorry, you don't have to-"

"I was on my own leash. Told me who to sleep with, told me how, controlled what I got out of it. He used me, I was at his beck and call. And one night, I... I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up to him, and he got so mad. He-He started to hit me, throw me around. I was already so weak and sore from the days work, I couldn't fight back." I'm crying, my grip tightening on Angel. "He said I needed to learn my place, said he'd fuck me into place if he had to. He trapped me between himself and the floor, and kept beating me. I was helpless, I was caged. He took his pants off, and it went dark-" I can't take it anymore. I yell out angrily and rip myself out of Angels grasp.

"Don't touch me!" Gasping and breathing erratically, I sit on the edge of the bed clawing at my chest and throat. I refuse to look at Angel, but I can feel his shocked gaze. "Shit! He probably fucked my corpse and threw me in a gutter! He's probably walking around here somewhere." I feel like air is being squeezed out of my chest rather then going in. Am I going to puke? That's be embarrassing. Angel's voice sounds far away until I hear my name.

"(Y/n), stop! I'm here, he's not. You're safe. Listen to me." He doesn't touch me, but slides off the bed to rest in his knees in front of me. He looks so beautiful and innocent. "Breathe for me, darlin. Follow me, okay?" I copy his deep breaths and slow exhales, struggling at first, but eventually I stop shaking. Even more exhausted now, I slump over, and he grabs me. He moves us back to a more comfortable position in the bed, and I nuzzle into him like a lifeline. "I'm so sorry." He whispers. I don't know if he means for asking or for what happened, but I don't ask. He kisses the top of my head, and whispers sweet nothings. "I trust you, Angel."

"I trust you, too."

[drdemonprince]

Hey Devon. This is related to community-building ask, as I feel it kinda hit something in me, and that is my frustration with my local queer "main community", who is mostly made up of people who can work/hang together (people in visual and performative arts, LGBT NGOs, event organisers and so on). It's so closed off and so circlejerk-y that it's demoralising. I've been trying to fit in ever since I started being an adult, almost ten years ago, but I have never made any progress on getting to any of its members. I have made queer friends who are wonderful people, and as you said in the previous ask, that is enough and makes a community of our own already. Nevertheless, it is frustrating for all of us to go to a queer space/show/event just to see that the crowd there is made up of people who know each other and talk to each other and make big groups, while we're just sitting there. It brings us down to know that for queer political events like protests (which are ofc organised by them), we have no one left to fall back on except us. It makes it weird when only one of us is able to go protest, they'd rather not go because it feels so lonely to be sitting around all those people who just know each other, who have been passing by us for so many times over the years, and yet never take interest in even saying "hi" or whatever. It makes us think that they're fucking disingenuous and their "community building" is a load of crap. And I don't really want to feel like that about my people, but look at me, after almost ten years in my city, I fucking do.

Hi there, thanks for your message.

Let me just say that while I understand where the perception comes from, the queer people who put on shows, run nonprofits, and go out clubbing are not "The main lgbtq community" in your city. They're just a bunch of cliquish, careerist, young, privileged people who market themselves as such because they've been convinced that's what the "queer community" is and because doing so helps them get butts in seats at events.

I've seen theater kids, drag performers, DJs, comedians, party promoters, and other various people of the attention-seeking arts (said neutrally) do this all my fucking life. They stake a claim on building "feminist spaces" and "anti-racist" spaces, too, among other things, and use those higher values to sell tickets to their shit too. It's a way to make every tragedy that strikes oppressed people into an advertisement for their burlesques and shit. Don't let the self-important myopia get to you.

The real queer community? In any given city? Well, it's not any one thing. There is no singular "queer community". What people often refer to as the LGBTQ community or the queer community is a demographic, not an actual community. That demographic is marketed to, including by fellow queer people, but that does not a community make.

A community consists of people who know one another, and have enduring bonds, and who have shown up for one another mutually in multiple ways. A lot of these hot cool stylish young queer people are actually merely colleagues of one another. When there's a conflict, or a cancellation, or a venue that closes, they will be tossed to the wind like so many dandelion seeds. Compare that to you and your friends, who can and do remain in contact as the seasons of life change.

It is demoralizing to see so many people who talk a big game about community fail to show up to do activist work that is meaningful to you. I can't deny feeling the same way. For many years, I dated an actor who was very plugged into the local scene, and while his theater company had a reputation for being progressive, trans inclusive, even left-leaning, almost nobody in that collective did anything for the broader 'community' at all. They were all too busy being overworked five nights a week for like a $200 per week stipend, writing plays in which they repeated leftist platitudes but did relatively little.

I'm being a big overly cynical here -- the theater did just put on a big pro Palestinian fundraiser -- but the fact is that running a club, a theater, a local education org, or a regular drag show is a business, and in the end the business always comes first. Even when the members of that business might not want it to. They're often extremely exploited and underpaid, which is part of what makes them so hungry to market themselves and maintain their careers. I have sympathy for it. But meaningful social connections and local impact it does not make.

All of which is to say: please try to remember that these people presenting themselves as the symbols of the local "community" are just a bunch of artistic kids who are trying to make a living doing what they love. They're naive, exploited, a little self-absorbed yes, but they're ultimately not that important. they just deal in a very self-important line of work.

There are SO many queer people all around you who never go to those fucking clubs and shows and aren't even on instagram. The "main" queer community, demographically, is more like the nerdy 40 year old gay couple that lives down the street from you who goes out to the movies once or twice a month and holds board game nights with their friends. The "main" queer community is volunteering at the zoo, going camping with their fraternity brothers that they met 20 years ago, working at the car dealership, planting tomatoes at the local community garden, taking care of elders with dementia, organizing weekly running groups.

You can find people like this -- total normies -- who will care about causes greater than themselves and want to contribute to community building efforts. Many of those people are already doing a ton to make community. It's just less sexy and less self-consciously queer than like, the dance parties. It's also more diverse, accessible, and capable of meeting people where they are at.

It does sound like you would like to meet more activist friends / politically engaged friends, and for that I'd say try looking at pro-Palestinian (for example) events and spaces and seeing who turns up there, checking out a local food not bombs chapter, looking up local mutual aid groups or buy nothing groups, getting involved in hyper-local initiatives, and putting what feelers you can on local forums and personals boards (like Lex, local Facebook groups, local Meetup groups, etc). You probably wont find a perfect space, but you will find worthwhile people scattered everywhere you look!

[judasgot-it]

Hold Me Tight (and Don't Forget Me)

Scenario: Dazai takes you out on a date the day he's arrested. Slight Warning for Jouno being an ass.

Hold Me Tight - BTS

Pt. 2

1.3 k word count

Blue skies and perfect weather - the worst, because that meant that today would be the perfect day before Dazai would ruin it once again.

It was a strange feeling to have. It was too peaceful, like a flock of seagulls waiting to be chased.

There was nothing wrong. And that was what was wrong with it.

"Dazai. Did you do something?"

You knew it was impossible to ask Dazai these questions and get an honest answer - your ability didn't work on him, so it was only a force of habit to want to interrogate him.

In response, he only smiled, like a cat that was too high for the barking dog. It made your skin bristle every time, but today he was handsy - he smoothed down your sleeves, easing your nerves with a gentle touch.

"I didn't do anything that you need to worry about. We're supposed to be focused on us, remember?"

His grin was honest, almost charming. He sipped his coffee rather loudly to make his point, drinking as if to remind you with force that you were in a diner, not at the Armed Detective Agency.

"Well, yes. But I know you, and you're only hiding the inevitable. You can tell me Dazai, we are dating."

It was weak to pull a card like that with him, but it was always worth a shot anyway. As if dating would make a difference in how Dazai acted.

The man was a mystery, sitting in front of you in his casual attire - nicer because for once, he had washed them for this occasion. He looked put together as well, hair nicely done and his face looking as a man in his younger 20s should.

He typically looked a little disheveled, hidden behind his charisma but noticeable with anyone who cared for appearances. A good smile managed to hide a lot of things, and for once you didn't need to think about it.

In your mind, you knew that something was wrong from this. The last time he had taken you out like this, he had known he would almost die from an ability user, and it was his apology beforehand.

The strange sense of doom was disconcerting; but so was Dazai's cold skin. He was always bouncing so quickly between temperatures as if he were a broken heater - but being cold? On such a warm day?

"I know we are. Just enjoy yourself babe, can't you do that for me?"

His smile was warm, enough to reach his chestnut eyes - treated with a light varnish from the sunlight penetrating the windows. Whatever warmth his body did have, he must have given it to you through that smile, because now you felt just a little hot.

"I don't like you sometimes."

You averted from his gaze, still holding onto his hand despite this. Dazai didn't say anything, his fingers gently tracing patterns along the hair on your wrists.

"Your face says otherwise. Looks like you're loving my company."

He leaned in closer, careful of your plates, pulling your face to match his. It was easier to kiss him than to say you had lost.

But still, something was wrong.

Dazai kissed you as if he would walk out like this was his last dinner. It wasn't hungry and yet it wasn't polite - it was desperate and it felt like an apology for a crime he hadn't even committed yet.

Or maybe one he already had.

-

It was only the middle of the day when Dazai had decided that a good way to spend your time would be horse betting.

Gambling seemed like an odd place to have a date, but it hadn't been the worst one of his ideas. At least it was outside, and it made for good conversation - even as he insisted on staying as close to the crowd as possible.

Dazai had thrown around some big money - enough to make you worried he was going to actually kill himself tonight.

He was just...strange. As the races had gone on, he had become more and more nervous, fumbling with his pockets and becoming a sort of weird handsy with you - as if you wouldn't notice the strange clamminess his skin had become.

Cold and sweaty, a strange feeling on Dazai.

You were left stuck in deep thought as you stared at the pale white horse Dazai had bet on, a bold '9' staring right back at you.

"Excuse me"

A soft and polite voice had broken you out of your thoughts, forcing you to look away from the race - you had won, and a little bit of relief was felt knowing that Dazai was at least lucky enough to have not blown his last three paychecks on horse racing.

"Would either of you happen to know who won this race?"

His eyes were closed, while his smile seemed...off. Your ability was near constant in your mind, and you could feel how wrong this man was. He didn't really care which horse won that race.

"Number 9 won." In your silence, Dazai responded for you, smiling as if this were an idle conversation. He hadn't seemed to notice the scheming mask the man wore, like a fox ready to jump for the canary.

"So you won then, right? You seem quite pleased with yourself after all."

"Wow! How'd you know all of that?"

You tried to lean closer to Dazai, almost feeling how wrong the man was. It was almost like he knew something you didn't, and it was disturbing to you. His smile practically was still friendly, nothing wrong. But it felt almost as cutting as a knife.

"After I had lost my sight, I had gained new senses - I can hear your heart rates, smell your fear, and even feel your future in my back pocket."

Swiftly, the man had handcuffed himself to Dazai, revealing a pair of sharp canines behind his wicked smile.

"And I know that you, Osamu Dazai, are going to be arrested for 138 counts of conspiracy to murder, 312 counts of extortion, and 625 counts of assorted fraud. I could keep going, but I feel like your fiancé has heard more than enough."

Dazai turned to you, his face paler than the cumulonimbus clouds that towered the sky behind you. By his expression alone, you could tell he had no idea that this would happen.

"Wait, hold on-"

You held onto Dazai's arm desperately, reaching for the handcuffs that were beginning to tear him apart from you. This felt like a dream turning into a nightmare, and that you were running too slow.

"I'm a Hunting Dog. I know more than enough about you as well, and your ability should have told you that I'm not a liar like Mr. Dazai here."

Maybe that was why he felt so off. It was more than just the way he said horrible things - over 100 counts of murder, with complete and utter truth.

"Y/n."

Dazai looked back at you with a solem look. There were so many emotions in your head, that you could only focus on the words that had come out of his mouth.

"I love you. Don't forget that, okay?"

Abruptly, you felt him pry your fingers off of his jacket, and look back to the Hunting Dog who had arrested him.

"There's no chance of escaping you, is there?"

"Even if you're hiding in the crowd, I would just kill them. I can take liberties with human life. I can kill your darling too, if you don't start walking."

Numbly, you watched as Dazai left. As if it were a dream, you were stuck in place, unable to chase after him and tell him to stop and even explain how the hell he had gotten into this situation.

You hadn't even gotten the other man's name, not so you could curse him out for taking your love away. There wasn't even the chance to scream.

It was a horribly numb feeling, stuck there in that moment, watching as Dazai walked further and further away from you.

Sorry, had this idea for a while. I was gonna use this song for Jouno, then Nikolai, then GOJO but ended up being a depressing Dazai fic once again....sigh.

[deepdreamnights]

Hey there, saw your post re: harassment around artists using gen ai and thought it was great esp with the debunking of data usage myths. Would you share your thoughts regarding concerns that models are being trained to copy specific art styles and thus pose a direct threat to the artists whose art styles are being used?

Well, there's several levels to that.

The main one is that on copyright grounds, styles are explicitly non-copyrightable. Moreover:

No one's style is unique

No one's style is unimitatable by analogue means.

The second point is important, because anyone can go on Fiverr right now and and find someone to replicate any given art style, and every competent draftsperson has to be able to do it to some degree or another. No major animation house, art studio, or comic company has ever hired someone because they couldn't find someone else that could imitate the surface-level aspects of their style.

The first point is just a matter of basic reality. Ex-nihlo creativity either doesn't exist or is so rare as to be a once-in-an-epoch thing. Everyone builds on the influences that they learn from, and if you think someone has a unique style what they really have is a different media diet than you.

For example, Don Bluth. Born 1937, aged 15 in 1952.

Same year Time released this this picture of Burlesque Performer Dale Strong.

Someone made an impression.

Marilyn Monroe was also a national sex symbol when Bluth was a teen, putting some context to most of his other ladies, but especially Goldie Pheasant (or maybe she's more Jayne Mansfield, hard to tell through the bird-ness). His art style has obvious roots with Tex Avery and I would guess he read Mad Magazine a lot as a kid.

And Not to hang the guy out to dry alone, I was a teenager in the 1990s, and most of my sexy fictional ladies are 9/10 some combination of Dana Scully, Peg Bundy, and Rhonda Shear.

The point being that style isn't something you create intentionally so much as an accumulation of influences, drawn from the commons. Attempting to claim ownership of such a thing is by itself an act of theft in my view, and allowing them to be protected under the law would mean a judge being shown exactly how many pieces of prior art the Walt Disney Corporation owns that your work superficially resembles. Why, they'll even run it through a style recognizing AI to make sure they catch them all.

But let's talk about style matching.

It just takes one image now, and doesn't require training.

Which I'm sure sounds frightening, but this has been the situation since February for Midjourney, and it was available in the Stable Diffusion ecosystem long before that. If the threat were as pronounced as feared, we'd have seen the impact by now. And we haven't, and we're unlikely to, for several reasons, several of them listed above.

The largest is that style isn't even close to the be all/end all of what an artist brings to a given project. And the kinds of execs who are making a 'replace 'em with a robot' kinda decision aren't the kinds of people who care about art style beyond how much it looks like the most recent successful thing. And nobody's ever needed a robot to ride coattails.

But the next largest part is that AI style imitations aren't really accurate because the robot doesn't see style in the same way we do. It's all just math to the robot, and it prioritizes what it notices, not what we do.

I'll demonstrate.

Jack Kirby will be my example, for several reasons.

He has a bold and identifiable style, he's arguably the most famous artist in western comics history, and he has many analogue imitators and homagers.

Using Midjourney and prompting "an illustration of dana scully by jack kirby, 1968, in the style of 1960s marvel comics --ar 3:4 --s 15"

Using the base model, on the first roll we get three complete style mismatches and one that's kinda close, though I'd say that's way more Sal Buscema or John Byrne.

Kirby's women had a certain, difficult to describe oddness about their faces that the robot doesn't seem to grok, and it doesn't touch on the kinds of wild patterns and bold black/white swatches that make Jack's work feel 'jack'.

Tom Scioli's take on Kirby is a sort of lovingly flanderized parody, but it captures the spirit of Jack's art much more directly even if a lot of individual details aren't period-accurate. He draws Kirby the way you remember Kirby from your childhood, but I don't question whether the page above is trying to be a Jack Kirby homage or one to Sal Buscema.

But Midjourney has style reference, so we can inject the Kirby right in. Using the picture of Sersei dancing from above with the same prompt, we get:

Well, the work is more convincingly period, but again, we're not terribly close to being on-point. In fact, they're not very consistent between each other. Top left is any 80s marvel fill-in artist. Top right is maybe Kirby-esq. Bottom Left is flat out Jim Lee, bottom right is very Byrne-y.

Using three reference images to give the best shot, I'm also moving to using images of a similar color style, and all with a woman as the central focus. I have included the infamous Crystal pin-up shot because as I said, Kirby women have a certain oddness to them (fondly).

Results (MJ 6.1 on the left, Niji 6 on the right):

It all says 60s-70s Marvel, but I don't think Kirby would be the first guess for any of them. Maaaaaaybe the lower-left Dana in image #2 if you squint.

And that's Jack Kirby. Massively popular and prolific with a career spanning decades. If anyone in the comics space should be impersonatable by this thing, its him.

I'm sure you could train a LORA to get closer, and sure, the tech is only going to get better from here, but by the nature of how the system works no generation pulls just from what is referenced. Every generation is both blended with other concepts and emphasizes only what the machine catalogs as relevant, not what we might.

There's not much to stop someone from imitating your style with a machine, but there was nothing stopping them from doing the same with an underpaid freelancer. The results are likely to miss the mark regardless.

If the client wants you, they'll try and get you. If they just want something kinda like you, they've always had an avenue to that.

Fortunately, you're more than your style, and whatever anyone can do with the machine, you can do better because you've got access to both.

[foone]

So I'm annoyed at a collage of minidiscs ending up in my timeline because I follow "diskette" but that's not important...

You know how weird the etymology of "diskette" is?

So, it's a portmanteau of "disk" and "cassette".

Disk as in "a round flat thing", and it's the American spelling, because the diskette was invented by IBM, an American company. Disk (usually spelled "disc" in commonwealth countries) comes from the Greek dískos, as in "discus", the circular thing you throw for sport.

And floppy disks are primarily a circle of magnetic material. That's actually how they were first conceived, as a flexible version of the rigid metal magnetic circles used in hard drives. But they quickly realized that it was impossible to keep them clean: fingerprints and dust stick to the surface too easily, ruining them. So they were given a vinyl (and later, plastic) jacket, so they could be safely carried around.

And thus, diskette was coined. Sometimes you'll see it etymologized as "small disk", like a disk-ette, but that's wrong: it's a portmanteau with cassette. Because cassettes were made by taking reel to reel magnetic tape and putting it in a small case, so they can be quickly and reliably loaded.

And why are cassettes called that? Well, it's French. But in French it's quite simple: it's the diminutive of "casse", which means case. It's a little case. You put the tape in a little box. It's a cassette.

So similarly, diskette was made by cassettizing "disk". You put the disk in a little case. It's a disk cassette, a diskette.

This sort of thinking also explains why they're called "floppy disks" when they've been hard plastic since 1984: it's just like how we call cassettes "tapes". They're not tape, they're a little plastic box containing tape. Tape is a thin flexible thing that you wrap around a spool, not a little plastic box. But we call them "tapes"/"a tape" as synecdoche: a part is used to represent the whole. It's a "tape", fittingly because the tape is the important part. It's the part that stores the audio, the rest is just packaging to keep it safe and reliable.

Floppy disks are similarly called such: the floppy part is the magnetic disk inside the vinyl or plastic case. We're calling the whole package by the part that actually stores the data.

And in any case, they were named as such in comparison to "hard disks": the metal or glass surfaces used by hard drives.

Anyway, three final things:

1. You ever wonder why it's Floppy Disk but optical discs? You have a DVD* disc or a CD (compact disc), not a DVD Disk or Compact Disk. I already basically explained it: floppies were invented in the US, and compact discs came from a Philips/Sony partnership: a Dutch/Japanese partnership. So they used the commonwealth spelling, thus it became a standard to refer to optical media as "discs".

2. My favorite silly floppy fact comes from this sort of thing: so the first floppies were 8", then the 5.25" model was invented, and in 1981 we got the 3.5" floppy. These are by far the three most common floppy disks, and those are their names, used nearly** universally in English.

But here's the thing: one of them is wrong.

8 inch floppy disks? They're eight inches even. 5.25 inch floppy disks? They're 5.25 inches even.

3.5" disks are actually 3.543"!

This is for the same reason why we have disk vs disc for floppy and optical media: 8" disks were invented by IBM, an American company. 5.25" disks were invented by Shugart/Wang, both American companies.

3.5" disks were invented by Sony, a Japanese company. They're not 3.5" disks... They're 90mm disks!

But it was already the standard in English that floppy disk formats get called by their size in inches, so it has always been called the 3.5" disk, because that's close enough for jazz.

3. to get back to the first point of this post: minidiscs aren't diskettes. Diskette is for disks, and minidiscs are discs. They're not flexible, they're rigid: minidiscs are actually magneto-optical discs, where there's a small plastic disc like a CD, which is read by a laser but written by a magnetic read head. Since they have to be rigid for the laser to work, they're (rigid) discs, not (flexible) disks. They are confusing, I agree: usually magnetic media is disk, while optical is disc, and disks have cases, while discs are just a plastic circle... But minidiscs are magnetic AND optical, and they're optical but inside a case. They're one of those exceptions that makes taxonomy so difficult. (they're very trans in that way, imo)

* I intentionally didn't expand out the acronym DVD, because the fun fact is about that is that DVD is not an acronym. Not anymore. It was originally supposed to be Digital Video Disc, but the later Digital Versatile Disc to better reflect the non-video uses of the disc, but apparently the official meaning of the acronym is now that it just is the name of the disc. It's a DVD: it doesn't stand for anything.

** one exception to the "universally called by their sizes in English" that I'm aware of is South Africa. For Reasons they just called the 5.25" disks "floppies", and then when 3.5" disks came around, they called them... "stiffies". Yes, this is hilarious. They know.

[sexy-monster-fucker]

Hi sweet,

Would you ever write a vampire fic of Lee Russell?

I have not been able to stop thinking about this ever since I read this ask, it’s an absolute YES from me

Vampire!Lee Russell x Reader

Summary: Reader is one of the Vice Principals at North Jackson High. Lee Russell has recently been appointed Principal, and suspicious things keep happening. Teachers are going missing left and right. Now that they are lacking in staff, Reader and Gamby are forced to help chaperone the Halloween dance.

cw: blood (of course), choking, biting, car sex, oral f!receiving, p in v,

~

"That's the third one this month," Neal Gamby, your coworker and Vice Principal of North Jackson High, grumbled crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe they all just found better jobs," you shrugged your shoulders.

"No letter of resignation? No reports of anything? I just don't believe that, Y/N," he squinted his eyes. He always was the most suspicious one out of the three of you. Even more so now that your other coworker, Lee Russell, had been given the job as Principal. Gamby's jealousy manifested itself as paranoia.

"It's more of an inconvenience than anything. Especially with the Halloween Dance coming up. Lookin' like we're gonna end up chaperoning," you sighed.

"Can't believe all you care about is having to watch the kids at some stupid dance! What about our fucking teachers? They keep going missing! I need you to brainstorm with me on this, Y/N," Gamby stamped his foot on the ground, spitting through his teeth. You rolled your eyes, heading inside. Gamby followed closely behind you, rambling about how he had been listening to some paranormal podcast. You zoned him out as you walked down the hallway to your office. Lee Russell leaned out of his office catching both of you before you could retreat into your offices.

"Well, hello, Ms. Y/N. And Gamby. Can y'all come in here for a minute?" His chipper attitude was never a good thing.

You and Gamby sat in the two chairs facing him. Lee locked his door behind him, sitting in his chair. "Alrighty. A good ole Principals Meeting! I'm gonna level with y'all, we are short staffed. We have lost ten faculty members this semester alone. I'm not sure how much more North Jackson can take. We're all gonna have to step up our game," Lee leaned back in his chair.

Neal blew his breath out, jumping up from his chair. "What the fuck is going on, Russell? How is no one snooping around here trying to figure out what the hell is happening? It's not fucking normal for this many teachers to 'quit' or whatever lie we're telling everyone now! You have to be concerned!"

"Gamby, I know. I'm working on keeping the heat off of us. I don't know what's going on, but honestly why should we care? You hated all those fuckers anyway," Lee waved his hand. Leave it to Lee to not give two shits about people you had all worked with going missing. More worried about how everyone perceived your school.

“Do you think we should be worried?” You questioned Lee.

His brows furrowed as sharp eyes kept on yours. “Neither of you need to be worried about a thing. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you,” Lee’s voice darkened. Pulling the entire atmosphere of the room with his words. Something about that sat deep inside you.

Lee always did make you feel safe. Keeping you company on late nights. Walking you to your car each day after school. Always keeping an eye on you. He always made sure you were taken care of. Letting quiet compliments slip. A kiss of a hand here or there.

“Whatever, Russell. As Principal, you should be more worried about this! It could be any one of us next!” Neal Gamby stomped his foot as he aggressively exited his seat. Storming out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

You looked over your shoulder as Gamby left. Blinking heavily at the loud sound of the door. “Man, what’s got his panties in a knot?” Lee laughed trying to break the tension with you.

“He’s just worried about everyone. He really does care,” you smiled at Lee. Rising from your seat and going around the side of his desk to be closer to him. Taking a seat on the desk directly next to his chair. Lee’s eyes scanned your every move. Eyes dancing up from your legs to your face. A grin painted his expression.

“You trying to say you aren’t worried?” Lee questioned with a cock of his eyebrow.

“I know you can keep me safe,” you said.

Later That Night…

You adorned a store-bought bat costume. Doing your makeup dark to match the Halloween theme of the dance. Walking back into your work place, meeting Gamby in the hallway. Dressed with some cheap werewolf costume.

“Have you seen Lee?” Gamby questioned you without a greeting.

“No, I just assumed he would be here already,” you shrugged. Walking into the gymnasium together.

“He better not back out on us. I’ll be madder than hell if he pawned this off on me and you,” Gamby grumbled through his mustache. You rolled your eyes at him. Looking around the decorated gymnasium. Admiring all the spooky decor that had been hung up by the remaining teachers. You felt a sudden weight behind you, like someone was trying to sneak up on you.

“Boo!” Lee Russell grabbed you and Gamby by the shoulders. Causing both of you to jump and scream. Turning to see him dressed in a vampire costume. Fangs, red eyes, pale skin, collard cape, the whole nine yards. You softened your posture seeing him smiling in front of you.

“You look great, Lee!” You smiled admiring the craftsmanship of his costume.

“Thank you, sweetheart. I love this bat costume,” he spun you around.

“Glad to see you didn’t abandon us here for the night,” Gamby grinned, his attitude lightening up.

“Oh, lord, Gamby. You should’ve known better,” Lee placed his hand on his hip.

“I’m gonna have you two working the table tonight. But for now, Gamby go in there and make sure everything is getting set up right,” Lee commanded him. Gamby headed into the gymnasium, his immediate screaming orders echoed through the tall room. Lee’s attention coming back around to you. His hands immediately finding their place on your hips, long fingers massaging close to your ass.

“You look good enough to eat, sweetheart,” Lee growled in your ear. Cheeks heating up with his compliment.

“Thank you, Lee.”

The time had arrived for the students to pour in through the doors. You checked off each students name as they entered, Gamby stamping their hands to keep track of them. “If I was these kids parent, I wouldn’t be letting them out and about without me. Not with everyone who has gone missing in town,” he leaned over whispering to you. You nodded. An uneasy feeling about the night washing over you.

“Where is your daughter tonight?”

“Made sure she’s with her mom and Ray. No parties, no trick-or-treating, NONE OF THAT! I want my baby girl to be safe,” Neal proclaimed. Love for his daughter shining through.

The night continued and the list of remaining names grew shorter. Students dancing it away in the gym as you and Gamby sat on your phones. You checked your makeup in your camera. That familiar weight behind you again. You looked up to see Lee Russell standing behind you. A bright smile painting his face. Jumping slightly as he caught you off guard. “Jesus, Lee. You have to stop sneaking up on me tonight,” you breathed out.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just came to check that y’all got all the names marked off the list,” Lee questioned Gamby.

“You know it,” Gamby responded not looking up from his phone.

“Well, Gamby I need you to man the table solo for a bit. There’s something going on outside and I need Y/N to come with me. Can’t tell if it’s some kids snuck off drinking or a girl sobbing over a boy. Either way, I’m gonna need you,” Lee ran his hands from your shoulders down your arms. Chills danced over your skin. His lips were next to your ear, “You coming?”

“Y-Yeah,” you swallowed. Arousal pooling in your stomach at his deep tone.

Lee led you outside. Following closely behind your boss. Chill from the Autumn air swept over your skin as the outside door opened. Walking around the building to a dark spot hidden away from any cameras.

His strong grasp pinned you against the wall by the throat. Practically inhuman strength with how easily he moved you. Choking around his grasp. Dark eyes fixated on your face. A small amount of fear coursed through you. Lee’s demeanor changing so suddenly set your alarm off. His sharp teeth reflecting off the glow of the night. You noticed how there was no distinction between his real ones and the fangs.

“What’s going on, Lee?”

“I just wanted to be alone with you,” his thumb played with your bottom lip, his hand never leaving your throat. Lips pressed into yours. You melted into him slowly. Hands wrapping around his neck as you pressed your body into his. Your tongues explored each other mouths, deepening the kiss you shared. Teeth clanking together, noting how realistic his fangs felt.

“Ow,” you pulled away, your hand covering your lip. The metallic taste of your blood filled your mouth. Pulling your hand away to see the small diluted drop of blood on your hand. “Your gang hooked my lip,” you smiled, “Think you can take them out if we’re gonna keep doing this?”

Lee stared at you silently. His eyes darting between your lips and your eyes. The chill of a breeze hitting you.

“I… I can’t,” Lee whispered. You raised an eyebrow confused by what he meant. Maybe it was the type of adhesive he used or maybe he just didn’t want to put them in his pocket.

“Why?”

Lee coughed, pulling away from you. Tension forming between you. Something that needed be said, but obviously wasn’t.

“Lee—“

“They’re real,” he confessed, red eyes meeting yours.

You felt your heart sink into your stomach. Had Gamby been right? Going on and on about supernatural beings suddenly making an appearance lately. Was Lee one of them? What did he mean? What was going on?

“Wh-what?”

“I need you to stay calm,” his hand wrapped back around your throat holding you still against the wall, “I know this sounds crazy— and it is crazy— but I am a real Vampire.”

Your jaw hung open. Confused. Concerned. Scared. Feeling tears wallow up in your eyes at the realization.

"Di-Did you kil-kill all of them?"

Lee stared at you, sighing unsure if he should tell you the truth or tell you what you want to hear. Red eyes slightly glowing in the moonlight. Eyes darting between yours, noting the glimmer of fear behind glazed eyes.

“You’re not going to like my answer,” Lee gritted his teeth together.

“I need you to tell me,” you stiffened your posture.

“I did,” he admitted. Tongue coming out to wet his bottom lip. Tears poured from your eyes as you tried to catch your breath. Lee’s thumb wiped away some of the tears on your cheek. “I didn’t know how to tell you,” he whispered softly. Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him. Frustrated that he had kept this from you. Grateful that he had not wanted to hurt you yet. His hand cupped your cheek, lips falling back onto yours. Fear escaped your body as you were suddenly engulfed in your feelings for him. Knowing now what he meant about keeping you safe.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“I would never,” Lee kissed you again.

One of his fangs grazed down your throat, a small trickle of blood forming where he had punctured you. Red eyes stared into yours, fighting his desire to completely devour you. He was salivated at the sight of your red blood dripping down your jugular. Fighting off the feeling rising in his pants as well. Adoring the sight of you before him.

“If you can’t handle this… I need to know now,” Lee whispered below your ear. His tongue flattening against your neck as he lapped up your blood. “I promise I won’t hurt you not matter what,” he reassured you. Trying to give you a genuine choice so you did not say yes out of fear.

You ran one of your hands through his hair. Staring at the man you had known for quite some time. Wondering if the version you knew was real, or if it had all been a facade to get you close to him.

“I’m in love with you. That doesn’t mean you have to say yes. But no matter what happens, know I will spend the rest of your life protecting you,” Lee promised into your skin.

You blushed. His eternal commitment to you had been spoken into existence. Loving his dedication to you. Slightly aroused by the thought of him being dedicated to you not matter what. Forever.

Lee sucked at the small wound on your neck. Tasting you like you were his last meal. Leaving a deep purple mark from his lips. Marking you as his own.

“Lee,” you whispered into his ear.

“Hmm?” He vibrated into your skin, unable to pull himself away from your delicate taste.

“Til Death?”

“And even after that,” Lee wrapped his arms around you. Feeling your heartbeat throughout his body. Adoring how you fit perfectly against him. His semi-hard cock pressed into your stomach.

“Take me,” you huffed.

Lee swiftly picked you up, as if you weighed absolutely nothing. Carrying you around to his car. Opening the back door and letting you get in first. You laid on your back with your legs propped up, Lee kneeled down still on the outside of the car. He pulled you to him, propping your legs over his shoulders. Kissing over the tights that adorned your legs. Biting softly at your tender flesh. A soft moan fell from you. Lee kissed your soaking clothed core. Smelling arousal dripping from you, turning him on even more.

One of his fangs grazed across the fabric covering your pussy. Ripping them just enough for him to get his finger through. With his long fingers, he tore the fabric of your tights and panties, revealing your plump mound. Begging for any attention he was willing to give. Bright red eyes stared intently at your core. Flattening his tongue and licking a stripe up your opening. Your hips arched for him pushing you further against his tongue. “Tastes so fucking good,” Lee growled into your core.

Chills danced along your skin. Hands tangling in his hair as he lapped at your opening. Lips attaching onto your swollen nub. Sloppy sounds pouring from the backseat of his car. His name a scream on your lips. You grinded your hips into his face. “You sure are greedy,” Lee cooed, eyes staring up at you while he still worked your core. One of his fingers slid inside you, pumping itself slowly. Curling as it felt your walls spasm.

“Getting close, pretty girl?”

You nodded aggressively. He really knew how to get you there. Your legs began to shake as you approached your unwinding. Looking down to catch his glowing eyes staring into yours. Throwing your head back against the seat as you came undone. Walls fluttering around his finger as he pulled away to watch how you gripped him.

Lee crawled on top of you in the car, hooking an arm under to help you scoot back in. Closing the door behind him. A small glimmer of moonlight danced across his face above you. Admiring how handsome he was. The sharp teeth decorating his smile. He shimmied his pants down to reveal his erection. Eyes asking permission. You softly nodded.

He lined himself up with your entrance, easing himself inside half way. Pulling back out before sliding in again. Watching how your face contorted at the feeling of his cock penetrating you. Sighing as your walls morphed around his member. His thrusts moving at a generous rate. Your head was thrown back against the seat, moaning his name over and over again.

Lee’s lips attached to your exposed neck. Kissing and grazing his teeth down your pulse. The heat of blood flowing through your veins driving his hunger. “I’ll fuck you til the end of time,” Lee growled with a groan, “Keep you forever. My love. My girl.” Growing more aggressive with his thrusts. Hips snapping into yours with the loud sound of skin smacking together. Sloppy as your juice combined.

“Lee,” you moaned when he hit a certain spot inside you.

“Let me make you mine. I can have you forever. Please,” Lee pleaded against your neck. Hot breath touched your skin. Panting as he fucked you.

You realized what he was asking. A small pit forming in your stomach. Unsure of it was fear or another orgasm.

“Please, Y/N. You can be my eternal love. I love you,” he huffed against you. Teeth breaking your skin softly.

“Lee-“

“All mine,” he praised, licking your skin.

“Yes,” you moaned.

Teeth punctured your skin.

~

[END]

// Happy first day of October everyone! I hope you enjoyed this story because I adore this request! Thank you so much for reading! //

Thank you @megangovier for this awesome request 😘🖤

@vaultdwellingghoullover ~ @asgardian1023 ~ @toogaytofunctiondangit ~ @nerdypinupcrystal ~ @nerdragenewvegas ~ @theeverlastingspirit ~ @dichromaniac ~

[chadillacboseman]

The Shepherd's Daughter - II

Pairing: Phillip Graves x F!Reader (Shepherd's daughter)

Warnings: Reader is a CIA agent. Mentions of terrorism, both foreign and domestic, blood, injury, guns, etc. Graves is a whiny, jealous little bitch boy, but when he gets his way OOOOOO. SPOILERS FOR MW2.

Summary: As punishment for the botched infiltration of a domestic terror cell, your father, General Shepherd, pairs you with Shadow Company to retrieve American war assets that have fallen into the wrong hands.

Word Count: 2k maybe?

Part ONE HERE

--

"Are you any closer to finding them?" Your father's voice was tense, on the verge of anger. You sensed that perhaps he had been into the whiskey he kept in his desk drawer ("for emergencies" as he so often joked).

There was no progress update to be given. Every lead you had chased with Shadow Company had been a dead end. You considered, for a moment, lying to him- spinning a tale and trying to make the situation less dire.

It would do you no good. He had an uncanny way of knowing when you were lying, even if all he had to go on was your voice.

"No, sir. We are not," the line was silent at that response and you instinctively tensed, awaiting the inevitable shouting that would come.

But it didn't.

Instead, his voice was even as he asked, "And how is Shadow Company performing?"

The question perplexed you. Did he think of you as his own personal spy? Had Graves been correct in his assumption that your father wanted someone to keep an eye on their operations?

"Well?" Impatient. Nothing the man hated more than waiting.

You took a quick glance around the room to make sure no Shadows had wandered in before answering, "They're...fine, sir. We just don't have many leads to go on."

"Fine?" His anger had finally bubbled to the surface, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are they doing their fucking job or not?"

You held the phone at arm's length until he had finished his tirade before bringing it back to your ear for a rebuttal, "They're well-equipped, efficient. My...reputation makes it difficult to earn their trust, but they are tireless in their efforts."

A grunt of approval on the other end of the line. The deity had been appeased.

"I expect a report at the same time tomorrow."

The line went dead.

Graves watched you from across the room, his blue eyes unwavering as he drummed his fingers impatiently on the body of his rifle. You were staring out the cracked window, your hair moving ever so slightly with the push of the salt-soaked breeze.

You were pretty, something that Graves had began to notice the more time he spent with you. Something that ate at him- frustrated him beyond reason.

He still didn't trust you fully. Hated the way you took phone calls from the general behind closed doors. Graves knew you were reporting back to Shepherd about them- on good days, funding poured in from their benefactor, and on bad ones they barely scraped by with their lives.

"The general giving you grief today?" Graves called across the room.

You shrugged and made a face that distorted your features in the dim lighting of the safehouse. He chuckled and bounced on the balls of his feet, waiting to see if you'd relinquish any further details.

You didn't.

Graves chewed the inside of his cheek and decided to press his luck-

"You been tellin' him how we're doin'? That what the phone calls are for?"

You shot him another look, this time laced with your obvious annoyance at the question; he smiled in return, that disarming smile full of too-white teeth that could almost be mistaken for a shark's maw.

"Just askin', princess. No need for the venom."

He drawled out the cutesy nickname that made your face heat; the other Shadows had dropped it after you'd proved yourself to their standards, but Graves still used it, much to your chagrin.

"I tell him what he asks for," you spat the words a little more harshly than you intended, and you almost felt a pang of guilt when Graves raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"And what does he ask for?" he cocked his head, blue eyes shining under the exposed bulb in the ceiling, "how his lapdog is performing?"

"Your words, not mine, Graves."

"Mhm," he took a step forward and the aging wooden floor creaked under the sole of his boots, "Do ya tell him how my boys are run ragged chasin' his fuck up? How we're stayin' in shitholes like this-" he jerked his head around the room at the cracked walls and exposed wiring, "while he sits in his office?"

"Where are you going with this, Graves?" you sighed through your nose and folded your arms across your chest, "What do you want from me? I've been with you for weeks- if you don't trust me, then-"

Graves cut you off and took another step toward you, his hands still clutching his rifle to the point of whitened knuckles, "I wanna know what the high and mighty Shepherd junior is feeding her daddy dearest when no one is listening."

Something in you snapped.

You shoved him, hard, and he stumbled backward, his eyes wide before he caught himself. An expression flashed across his face that made your stomach drop as he tossed his rifle to the floor.

"Try that again," Graves snarled, his face now twisted in an almost eager grin.

You could try to defuse the situation- tell him this was pointless bickering.

But that something inside you fought back against the urge, burning white hot like a branding iron.

"C'mon, princess. Try it again."

That was the final straw.

You leapt forward and tried to level a knee into his gut, but anger made you sloppy. Graves elbowed you in the middle of your back, nearly snatching the air from your lungs.

"Sloppy work, Shep," he sneered and you brought your head up quickly, making connection with his chin with a crack that radiated through your own skull.

Graves stumbled backward and spit, a splatter of crimson hitting the filthy wooden floor before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. Before he could recover, you lunged at him again, grabbing him around the middle and shoving him to the floor.

Graves let out a muffled yelp of surprise as you pinned him, the sharp point of your knee keeping him flat on his back. You unsheathed your knife and pressed the razor edge to his throat, savoring the way his pulse raced under his sweat-soaked skin.

"Give me a reason, Graves," you hissed through gritted teeth, "I'll tell him you started it. Make sure there's only one story."

"You gonna cut my throat? Do it then," he was still grinning and a small trickle of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth, "C'mon!"

He shouted the last word and you jumped, nearly granting his wish.

"Not worth the paperwork," you sheathed your knife, satisfied with the small cut you'd left in your wake. You made to rise from him, but he clapped a hand onto your thigh, holding you there.

A strange expression passed over his features for just a moment, then disappeared along with the pressure of his hand on your leg. You rose to your feet and offered him a hand, which he took before orienting himself.

"You gonna tell the general about this little spat?" Graves cocked an eyebrow and brought his hand to his throat, swiping the still trickling blood from the wound.

"Maybe."

The fight was absent from the next call with your father. It didn't seem worth the effort to explain that you'd briefly thought of killing the commander over a childlike argument.

There was good news to pass on anyway- Shadow Company had landed in Las Almas and the Mexican Special Forces seemed far more competent than the US Military back home.

Colonel Alejandro Vargas, in particular, was impressive among them. He and his second in command had already had a run-in with Hassan and the taskforce they were working alongside had been chasing down leads left and right before Shadow Company arrived.

The 141 and the Special Forces treated you with more respect than the Shadows had- they even seemed to seek your input, which was more than you could say for Graves and his men.

It was easier to spend time at the Las Almas base- it was warm, and for once, you weren't sleeping on a bare floor next to a dozen snoring soldiers.

Graves seemed annoyed with your enjoyment of their hospitality, but never mentioned it directly.

"It's good to have you around here, hermosa," Alejandro was bent low over a map of Las Almas, studying it with intensity, "Sometimes these men forget the little details."

You smiled and he returned it, a genuine grin that accented his handsome features.

From across the room, Graves glared at him, his lip curled in a barely-concealed snarl of disdain. Why it upset him so much, he had no idea- that alone frustrated him more than Alejandro's blatant flirting.

He wanted more than anything to wipe that smile off of the colonel's face, preferably with his knuckles.

"Graves?" you cocked your head and the sound of your voice cut through the swirling white noise in his head, snapping him out of his rage-fueled trance.

"What?"

You furrowed your brows and gestured to the map, "Alejandro's plan?"

Alejandro. So quick to call him by his first name.

"Small teams are probably better for this," the colonel repeated the plan slowly, as if Graves was a child who had been caught daydreaming, "Shepherd and I could-"

"No," Graves cut him off and you raised a brow, "She comes with me, she doesn't work for you, Vargas."

Alejandro seemed to have made a connection in that moment and a smirk ghosted over his lips at the realization, "Far as I know, she doesn't work for you either, sombra."

You glanced between them, sensing some unspoken tension that seemed to have formed behind your back.

"I should go with Shadow Company," you murmured quietly. For a moment, Graves looked triumphant, until you continued, "The general wants regular reports on their performance."

Alejandro chuckled and shot the commander a look of victory, "Wouldn't want to disappoint your bankroll."

You spent the next miserable night in a decrepit safe house, staring up at the ceiling as Graves breathed softly next to you. He hadn't said a word since the spat with Alejandro, and he'd tossed you your duffel with such force it had nearly knocked you off your feet.

Your back ached from the hard floor, and the early sounds of a thunderstorm were brewing outside the thin walls. You sat up in the darkness and rubbed your temples, contemplating the series of life fuckups you'd had to make to get to this point.

A loud crescendo of thunder shook the house and you jumped, barely stifling a yelp of fear at the sudden sound.

"Scared of storms, princess?" Graves mumbled from his position on the floor.

"Will you give it a rest, Graves?" you snapped and he chuckled.

There was a long moment of silence before he spoke again.

"How come you don't call me Phillip?" he pushed himself up to a seated position, his eyes barley visible shining in the dark.

"Because you're the commander," you said with a shrug.

"You call the Colonel by his name. Seems a little too familiar."

"Are you jealous?" you asked incredulously and he huffed out a noncommittal response you couldn't catch, "What is going on with you? Three weeks ago, you'd have been happy to have me out of your hair! Hell, before we landed in Las Almas, we nearly killed one another-"

"Yeah? Maybe I just don't want you shacking up with a foreign military leader when we're supposed to be focused!"

You sputtered indignantly, feeling your face grow warm at the accusation, "Shacking up? Really?"

"Yeah, really."

You took a blind swat at his face in the dark and he grabbed your wrist yanking you toward him until your chest was flush with his. In the pitch blackness, his eyes shone like a predator as he stared down at you.

His face was so close to yours now that you could feel his breath as it fanned over you; he was nearly panting, and you could feel the thrum of his heart under his fatigues.

You tried to pull away, but Graves tightened his grip with a growl, "I sat back while you spied on my men, slowed us down, and reported back to your piece of shit father. Then we land in Las Almas and you may as well have sat on that fucking prick's lap while he planned-"

Your free hand connected with his face with a crisp -SMACK- that rang out in the silent room. If it had hurt him, he didn't show it. Instead, he grinned and took hold of your free hand with his own before moving, swiftly, and knocking you onto your back with your arms pinned above your head.

You tried to wriggle free, but he shoved a knee between your legs for leverage and you felt a sudden pang of heat at the contact.

"Didn't your daddy ever teach you any manners?" He hissed through gritted teeth.

"Fuck you, Phillip," you spat his name and he laughed, a hollow, mirthless sound that fell flat in the darkness.

"Ask me nicely."

"Get the fuck off of me!"

"Wrong answer, princess," he thrust his knee up into you and you let out a strained gasp that made him laugh again, "See, you're givin' me mixed signals here." He brought his mouth down to your ear and you felt a jolt of electricity run down your spine.

"You want me to stop? I'll stop, but I don't think that's what you really want."

You didn't answer, your attention now too focused on his mouth as it neared your neck, hot breath sending your hair on end. When his tongue finally hit your skin, you had to stifle the sound that threatened to tumble past your lips. Before you could stop yourself, you bucked your hips, desperate for friction against his knee.

"That's more like it," he purred; his teeth came down, suddenly, on your pulse point and you gasped, back arching off the cold floor and sending your chest against his. Tomorrow, there'd be a mark there, glaring and obvious for everyone to see.

"Can I let your hands go?" Graves panted, his mouth still close to your ear, "you gonna go smackin' me again?"

"No," you tried to focus through the haze of lust that had taken root in your mind.

"Promise?" He asked, his voice smug.

Before you could answer, he released your wrists and one of his hands snaked under the hem of your shirt, rough fingertips gliding across your sensitive skin. His hand found your bra, deftly moving it up to expose your breasts to his fingers. He wasted no time taking one of your nipples between them, rolling gently until you let out a pathetic whimper.

"Wondered how good you'd sound," Graves' mouth found yours and he nearly crashed into you, kissing you like the desperate man he'd been since landing in Las Almas, "He's never gonna fuckin' hear this."

Alejandro. He had been jealous.

"C'mon, let me hear that pretty sound again, baby," he murmured; his knee ground into you once more and you moaned his name, his first name, and it sent his head into a daze.

You heard him fumble with his belt for a moment, then he tapped your buckle expectantly, prompting you to wriggle your way out of your pants. You tossed them aside in the darkness and shivered against the cold night air as it hit your bare skin.

"This ain't the way I wanted it to happen," Graves whispered as he ran a gentle hand up your inner thigh.

How long had he been thinking about it?

Swiftly, he grabbed your thighs and pulled your legs around his waist, lining himself up with you. Slowly, agonizingly, he pushed himself inside you, hands grasping desperately at your hips to pull you flush with him.

Graves dropped his forehead to yours, panting quietly as he let you adjust to him. His first thrust was gentle, slow and easy, as if he was testing the water.

"You gonna tell your daddy about this?" Graves set a bruising pace, thrusting into you with less restraint than before.

You didn't answer, unable to speak as his cock hit every sensitive spot deep inside you over and over again. You wanted to hate him, wanted to tell him what an absolute bastard he was-

But the words wouldn't come.

Instead, you clutched at his shoulders, moaning and whining like an animal in heat as he fucked you on the filthy floor of the safehouse.

This was a bad idea, surely. Sleeping with the commander could only come back to haunt you.

Graves thrust, hard, and the thought was pushed from your mind entirely as he edged you closer to release. It was clear he wasn't far behind as he panted and let his movement grow sloppy and erratic.

"Gonna cum inside you, baby, that okay?" Graves' voice shook as he spoke.

"Yes-" you gasped out the words as he gave you one final push that had the tension inside you snapping like a taut cord.

He was close behind you, thrusting sloppily until he was spilling inside you with a weak grunt. He stayed like that for a moment, panting, as sweat dripped from his face and pattered down onto you.

Already, you could feel the gentle throb of the bruise that was forming on your neck where he had bitten you earlier.

To your left, a radio crackled to life and Graves scrambled to grab it, listening intently to the chatter from the Shadows on the other end.

"Shit-" he tossed the radio to the floor and searched for his pants.

"What is it?" You asked weakly, still lying on the floor where he'd left you.

"141 has movement, pretty sure it's Hassan," Graves threw your pants to you and you wiggled your way into them. It had to be at least 3am and you were exhausted.

You searched blindly for something to cover your neck, but to no avail. You weren't thrilled at the thought of Alejandro seeing it, but decided you didn't care.

Graves led the way and you followed him out the front door, rifles drawn.

[scekrex]

IM BACK WITH ANOTHER REQUEST

i will most likely appear often so HAH

So like adam has a band right? And they make copious amounts of merch, like think adam plushies and shit, and ftm or male reader finds this merch in a random store and just decides to splurge on adam plushies and shirts and all this crap because he wants to support his boyfriend yea? It can be fallen adam or angel adam, adam’s adam lmao

(i wanted to add ftm because i am ftm, u can make it just plain male if that works better!)

Nuh uh bitch, you want ftm so we're making it ftm also this turned out a lil short but I hope you like it nonetheless.

That’s my fucking boyfriend, you intolerant cunts

pairing: Adam x trans!male!reader

warnings: language, reader gets misgendered (once)

note: not beta read bc fuck you

Having a famous boyfriend wasn’t always a good thing, especially when said boyfriend was Adam. It was bad enough that basically all of Heaven knew him for being the first man, the fact that Adam had decided to also be the lead singer and the face of his own band made it even worse, because that gave strangers an actual reason to walk up to Adam and talk to him. And now people did not only know Adam, they also knew you. He wasn’t very subtle about dating you - not that you wanted him to be, you found it quite adorable how proud Adam was of having you as his boyfriend. But Heaven’s people could be complicated and less tolerant - a thing you had to learn the hard way.

The intolerance of people had been way worse when the brunette and you had just started dating years ago, back then people didn’t even know Adam was bisexual. You and him were walking through Heaven’s streets, having a nice chat while also enjoying each other's company. The first man had his arm wrapped around your waist, he made it quite obvious that he liked you, not only by the way he looked at you every now and then, but also by his body language. The tip of his wing rested on your shoulder, he had you pressed close to his side - seeming a little overprotective and maybe even possessive.

That was when a small crowd of people surrounded the both of you, taking pictures of you and your boyfriend without your consent and asking Adam a million questions. Out of reflex you pressed your body against Adam’s side, trying desperately to escape the curious eyes and the flashing cameras. Adam was quick to raise his wing and shield you from their view. “How are you?” one of them asked Adam, not noticing that they were interrupting a sweet moment between boyfriends. “Can we take a picture together?” another angel asked as they took a picture of Adam without his consent. “Who’s the chick you’re hiding?” And that question made you tense up. A chick. They thought you were a woman. But before you were able to correct them, the first man pushed the noisy people out of the way - and let’s just say that he wasn’t gentle about it - as he hissed, “That’s my fucking boyfriend, you intolerant cunts.”

But then there were the bright sides of having a famous boyfriend - the merch. Well, actually there were more bright sides than just merch, but seeing shirts with your boyfriend’s face printed on it was quite hilarious to you and the fact that multiple stores in Heaven sold the merch of Adam’s band with such pride made it even better. The store you were in that very day made it even better. The brunette had told you a couple weeks ago that he and his band were working on selling plushies of themselves - he had explained that chicks loved cute shit and given that the majority of their fans were women that made a lot of sense. At least to you and Adam.

You stepped up to the shelves and took a closer look at the new plushies and you chuckled how inaccurate they looked. You didn’t know whether Adam and his band mates wanted them to look like that or if the production simply fucked up, but knowing your boyfriend and his friends, they most likely were too lazy to design them to look accurate. You grabbed one of the Adam plushies off the shelf - it was surprisingly soft - and without thinking twice about it you put the soft plushie in the shape of your boyfriend in your shopping cart. The other plushies on the shelf followed and the shirts hanging from the wall didn’t remain untouched either - let’s just say that you were quite surprised by how many different printed shirts they had with Adam’s face on it, because fuck, there had been a lot.

When you got back home from grocery shopping a couple hours later, Adam chuckled at how you tried to drag the quite heavy bags into the kitchen before he decided to help you with it. “The fuck did you buy? Rocks?” he joked as he lifted the heavy bags onto the kitchen counter. The brunette opened one of the bags to help you put away the groceries and when he was met with one of the plushies he and his band mates started to sell not so long ago, he raised an eyebrow at you. You simply shrugged, grabbed the bag filled with merch and pulled it off the counter, “Someone’s gotta support your ass after all.” And Adam couldn’t really argue against that.

[captain-mj]

G’day Captain can I please request soap and ghost trying to shower together while on leave or after a mission but one of them (Ghost) has the water way to hot so the other (Soap) just sits in the bathroom keeping each other company and giving reassurance that they’re both alive and okay. hurt/comfort or full fluff up to you, gen or teen not explicit please just after some comforting vibes after the game that shall not be mentioned.

Have a great timezone!

Yeah I can write some gentle fluff! Also I saw your second ask and I appreciate it! We're all good dw :)

Ghost and Soap had just spent the past six weeks in the middle of nowhere and Ghost wanted nothing more than to just take a hot shower.

Soap hissed the moment he touched the water. He had been lucky enough to get in a few hours earlier and shower beforehand, but he was clingy as hell after missions, not that Ghost was any better. "Jesus, Simon. Think you could get it any hotter?"

"No. I tried."

Soap groaned and looked at the water and then his skin which had taken a bright red hue. "Yeah, I'm not getting in that."

Ghost finished undressing and got into the water. Any other day, he may have turned the water down so Soap could join but his back hurt too much. He started to wash himself, feeling some humanity sink back into him.

Soap sat at the sink and started to brush his teeth. He listened to Ghost scrub himself clean. "Use the conditioner I brought."

"I don't get why." Ghost grumbled but Soap could hear the bottle opening. "It's just hair."

"I like my men well groomed." Soap answered and rinsed his mouth out. He waited there silently, just listening to the sounds of Ghost.

Ghost hummed softly and Soap closed his eyes.

"Given up by Linkin Park?"

"Bingo."

"Think you could scream for seventeen seconds?"

Ghost mused over it. "Nah. Probably not." He changed the song and it took Soap a lot longer this time.

"Addicted to you by Saving Able?"

"I've let you listen to too much of my music."

"Probably. Let me try." Soap started to hum. He kept with the older rock vibe since he wanted Ghost to have a change. He got two notes out.

"Lips of an Angel by Hinder. I don't like that song. Do another one."

Soap laughed and tried a different one. It was a popular one but Ghost wasn't guessing it. He started to sing the lyrics too.

"Seriously? You don't know Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles?"

Ghost opened the curtain, smiling. Soap brightened and looked him over. "Course I know it. I just like hearing you sing." He pulled on some boxers, stretching. Soap knew he needed to do something or else Ghost would get dressed and put the mask back on, so he attacked him. He kissed along Ghost's face and got his attention.

Simon grumbled but melted right into him. "Johnny..." He pulled him closer. "I'm so glad you're here."

Johnny kissed him softly, running his fingers through Ghost's wet hair. "I know. Glad I can finally be with you again."

They held each other close and hummed softly. Soap traced his fingers over his scarring and Simon purred. "Johnny, you wanna lay down? We can put on a movie."

"Sounds great." Soap walked with him, holding his hand. "Maybe one of your old horror movies?"

"I love you, Johnny."

Soap kissed Ghost's hand and walked with him to Ghost's bedroom. He pressed into him and they snuggled up together. Ghost picked something random. Soap couldn't remember it at least.

They snuggled up together and ended up falling asleep

[jazeswhbhaven]

An Unsightly Guy | React | Spoilers

GIVE IT UP FOR DAY SIX

So for today's dose of Sitri and Amy shenanigan's I have like two huge things to talk about here and I'm wondering what it means and if it will ever get addressed which I don't think it will given how this always seems to happen....

But let's get to it...

So Sitri has healed for the most part and was told some pretty bad news. I'd like to know who this subordinate is, I'm sure it's some NPC though that we probably won't ever interact with but I'm nosey lol

Ooooo Selaphiel mention, I know he be causin' problems because he looks like he would...if anyone needs a reminder of who that is btw

Selaphiel for your viewing pleasure. Though I'm sure we won't get to see him in this event, it sounds like he did his thing and left.

Sitri though is really upset by this news, he feels it was his fault that he wasn't strong enough and would have been able to help if he wasn't injured so badly...

Her? Her?

I have a thousand questions.

My first thought is, maybe his subordinate is a lady devil, which I don't think Gehenna nor hell is discriminatory when it comes to those being in the armies against angels.

But let's say it's not the subordinate??? But who is hell is he referring to??

HOLD AWN

He slapped himself to snap himself out of his anger, the subordinate here asks if he's okay and he responds with this??? Saying it's a useless thing for him to be upset about???????

W H O I S S H E SI T R I

Because I know he's not talking about MC/Us as we haven't met yet. He can't really mean Lilith or Solomon...I don't think he's met him yet and Lilith was doing her own thing.

I'd like to think this was either a close friend or a "sister". Clearly this is someone who works with him and is under his command but what happened long ago? WHO HURT YOU SITRI?

Anyways we continue....

So we're trecking or more so fucking running in the forest with Sitri and his company to find his subordinates and at first he didn't hear anything, and suddenly a bunch of heart beats all at once, it appears that his comrades are alive!

And it's confirmed that they are, badly bruised and torn up but they are alive none the less. So it appears that as I suspected, no Selaphiel or grand "GOTCHA" moment from the angels, they did what they did and left.

But...

Ah so that's who saved them! Here comes Amy and his crew to help out. It sounds like that mishap really got to him and he decided to be better and be proactive.

Lol even with his comrades alive and well Sitri is still on that petty energy. Which I mean...since he just healed and all it's probably fresh on his mind every time he's near or even hears Amy's name.

Guy is stuck under some debris though lol and I think it's cute that his was the first heartbeat he heard despite being his number one hater. Like come on you two...be foreal lol

And that was the end of today though...noting substantial. What I love and hate about the day by day event format is that some of the parts are really slow and boring but at the same time well it's something to look forward to each day instead of finishing out the event and being bored for the entire month or two weeks it's open for.

But my big things for today on this part was

-who the frick frack is Sitri referring to when he said "her"

-what happened long ago that made him so out of his mind and depressed??? did it involve whoever it is he's speaking of?

UGH I know they won't go over this because it's not the focus but don't give me breadcrumbs and not expect to want the entire loaf omg

[crsssie]

from one admirer to another : boiled?

pairing: leon kennedy x reader || masterpost: from one admirer to another

synopsis: from one admirer to another, an online penpal service, allows for two people with common interests to write to each other without ever revealing their actual address! Luckily for both you and Leon, you get matched up! What do eggs and Christmas even have in common anyway? sure hope it's that modeling business and NOT that Ada Wong addiction.

featuring: reader as scrambled eggs // leon as christmas

Dear scrambled eggs,

My letter's going to be shorter than usual today. Sorry in advance.

Sesame bun sounds adorable. I like the little artist rendition graced upon my letter haha. Little cutie. She sounds like the sweetest little thing, but I can't imagine the house being pitch black and hearing something meow at you from the abyss. Though, I'm sure that isn't much of a problem in Raccoon. The district that you live in sounds like it's downtown.

Tell you about my friends... well, I entered the agency at the same time as Claire (Chris' sister, also another rising model) and we did a bunch of shoots together at first. We bonded over our love for bikes at first, and then through her, I met Chris and then Jill. I wouldn't say we're super close, but we're friends. (I hope)

I don't have anything to send to you, but I did manage to snag an invitation to the runway show coming up from all Raccoon city models. It's an annual thing, and everyone signed under the Raccoon city companies walk. I'm one of the first walkers this time around, so I really hope you can come watch.

Please? Christmas

Everything passes in a blur.

Leon is dressed and decorated, makeup perfect on his skin as he hangs around the backstage of the event while everyone files in. Three changes of clothes, most of which are sponsored by upper brands. He hasn't gotten a brand deal yet, but there have been people reaching out already.

"You alright?"

"Just the usual nerves." Leon sighs.

"Never gets old." Jill sighs. "Claire?"

"I think I'll be fine. I'm in the latter half with Chris, so at least I'll be walking with someone I know."

"You're allowed to have fun this walk too." Jill nods. "Find a partner to do the final walk with when all the investors are gone."

"You have someone?" Leon raises a brow. Claire's obviously going to run out with Chris.

"Carlos."

"Ah, right." Leon mumbles. "In the corner of his eye, he catches you, and he excuses himself with a stumble. God, being in love is crazy.

"... so I threw a fit at her manager because WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T WALK WITH HER?!"

"Sorry, princesa. I'd walk with you, but my contract states I've got to be alone on all walks. Gotta keep up the ladies' man thing."

"God, I hope Ada's manager burns in hell. I'll be her manager or something. What do you mean you need her to walk with Wesker even when it's just the normal models? Piece of sh—"

"Mind walking with me, then?"

Leon's voice makes you jolt, stumbling as Luis steadies you.

"You scared me." You sigh, nodding at Luis as he smiles. "What?"

"Walk with me?"

"You're not bound under contract to walk alone?"

"Not at the end. They didn't push the bachelor title onto me. I joined after they stopped that."

"Great! Let's run out together at the end." You give him a thumbs up.

"Problem solved?"

"Nice doing, sancho." Luis winks, and Leon ignores it, nodding at you before rushing to his position.

"Did they agree?" Claire raises a brow knowingly, and Leon groans.

"Yeah."

Leon forgets how his walk went. He knows he did a good job from the look of the investors and his agent, but that's about it. Even when he goes for a second and third walk out in different clothes, everything is muscle memory and not conscious. All he can think of is running out with you at the end. Was it a little bit childish of him? Maybe, but he would be walking with you.

He's never been so glad male-female relationships are so normalized in his company.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." You tug at the clothes given to you for the final walk, adjusting Leon's to match as they call out the pairings. People walked alone, but it was a little sad to walk alone unless you were given the title of bachelor.

"How big are your steps? We need to match pacing, no?"

Leon meets eyes with Ada before she's out with Wesker, and he swallows at her side-eye. She doesn't like him all that much, he thinks.

"Don't worry about her." You laugh, patting his bicep. "She's just angry she can't walk with me."

"No, that was definitely a warning to stay away from you."

You tap your chin. "Maybe. But that's only because she cares about me. Don't worry, she doesn't hate you."

"Leon Kennedy!"

"Let's go." He offers you his hand, and you mock a bow, letting him tug and spin you around the runway. For extra drama, he dips you at the very end of the runway to earn a laugh from you, letting the two of you waterfall to the sides as everyone else files to the front for a selfie.

America's sweetheart, Ashley Graham, ends up at the very front of the crew, taking the .5 as she manages to get everyone in the photo, numbers and photos sent to each other as Ashley goes around asking who wants it.

Leon steps up, nodding. "Thank you."

"Of course! Leon, was it? I think I joined a little after you."

"Yeah. Am I that recognizable?"

"More or less. You don't exactly have a face that blends in."

"I suppose." Leon thanks her as the photo is sent to his, and the rest of his friends file over for the photo too.

Oh, he should take the chance to— where did you go?

prev letter : masterlist : next letter