#you are bound to make the best choice at the end. The services of your selected consultant would be very helpful for tackling the complicat

[lyvhie]

forgive me, father | lmk

priest!mark x fem!reader (18+ mdni)

summary: it was really difficult to finally corrupt your favorite priest.

a/n: just a short one i wrote at the subway on my way to college while i try to finish other fics 😔

cw: smut, religious themes, virgin!mark 😝, unprotected sex (i always forget), pet names, read part 2 here.

mark dedicated himself to a life of righteous servitude to the will of god. it was his mission to fight against the darkness and corruption that threatened to consume his world, an obligation to save those who could not save themselves. everything he had done, every choice he made, was done in the belief that it was god's will.

yet all that came crashing down, when you arrived. the one person who could disrupt his entire mission, undoing everything he had worked for, making his service to god seem meaningless.

when you first stepped foot into the church, mark's eyes were on you, but not much thought was given beyond a passing glance. you were merely an unfamiliar face among many. yet, as the days passed, he found himself drawn by the way you looked at him.

he felt your eyes on him, and found your gaze almost stripping him of his usual composure, as if you could see through all his facades. he could sense the desire in your gaze, and it made him feel both exposed and strangely captivated.

but it was fine. mark was no stranger to the attention that came with being a young priest. people were often impressed by his dedication to his role, yet quick to comment that it was a shame for someone as attractive as him to be bound by the church.

things took a turn for the complicated when you started coming to the confession booth with your sins in tow, seeking god's forgiveness. you made it a habit to request a session in the confessional after every mass, claiming to have sinned and in need of forgiveness.

on the surface, it seemed like a normal part of his duties as a priest, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that your visits were not entirely about atonement.

mark's suspicions were confirmed when your confession took a darker turn. you claimed that the devil himself was visiting you in your dreams, taking the form of him and engaging in the most sinful and perverse acts imaginable.

mark was momentarily speechless, struck by the detailed and explicit nature of your dreams. the fact that you spoke so blatantly and without shame about your experiences left him reeling, as if there was a hint of pleasure beneath the surface of your innocent confession. though he couldn't see your face, he could detect a sense of enjoyment in your voice, making him question if you were truly seeking absolution.

he tried to keep a stoic and neutral demeanor throughout your sessions, recognizing that it was his duty as a priest to listen to your worries and absolve you of your sins. yet, deep down, he couldn't deny the effect your words were having on him. the vivid descriptions and your lack of shame stirred something within him, tempting him to let go of his priestly restraint.

mark found it increasingly difficult to maintain his focus during the mass with your glances and suggestive actions. the way you would look at him, biting your lip, wearing clothes that teetered on the edge of propriety, it all made it nearly impossible for him to concentrate on his duties as a divine messenger.

“father…” mark's ears caught the sound of your sweet and coy voice as you approached him after the end of the sacrade. "it happened again," you said, asking for the chance to confess your sins once more.

his only answer was a gentle smile as he guided you to the confessional booth. despite his best efforts to maintain composure, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of anticipation and unease at the thought of what you might confess this time.

“forgive me, father, for i have sinned,” mark braced himself as he heard your familiar start, already tensing in anticipation of what was to come. “it has been a day since my last confession, and despite your absolution, god still seems to be testing me."

“i see," he said quietly, his voice a bit tighter. "and how exactly did you give into the temptation?”

your voice came through in a sigh, and despite your seemingly disappointed tone, mark could detect the deception beneath it. "our last encounter was even better than everything else we had until now," you confessed. "as usual, he climbed into my bed and lay with me, whispering sweet nothings into my ear as his hands roamed my body, touching me with so much sweetness. despite my pleas to god for wisdom, i find myself unable to resist him.”

and so the confession proceeded just as he expected. you told him how the devil, disguised as him, played with all the sweet spots on your body, bringing you to ecstasy countless times to the point where you forgot your own name or at least thought about how what you were doing was wrong, making you crave for more and more. you told him about how frustrating it was for you to have to wake up and realize it was a dream and be forced to satisfy your needs by yourself.

as your words filled the confessional, mark desperately sought to distract his mind. he silently recited the entire lord's prayer, clenching his fists beneath his cassock in an attempt to control the aching erection that strained against his clothing.

mark's heart leaped in his chest as he snapped out of his thoughts, only to find you beginning to conclude your confession. "that's why, father..." you said, your tone suddenly taking a different turn. "after conversing with god, i’ve come to understand that the only way to free myself from these torments is to utterly surrender to these desires.”

“w… what do you mean by that?" confusion etched on his face, he wasn't sure where this was leading.

“i realized that my confessions are doing nothing to help me stop sinning," you sigh. "although your words of comfort ease my heart, it's not enough. what i truly need... is you, mark.”

mark's breath hitched in his throat as your words reached his ears, the way you said his name sent shivers down his spine. he wasn't fool; he understood the implications of what you were saying, and this froze him for a moment as he pondered his response.

it's not that he wasn't used to this kind of approach, but the problem is that it was completely straightforward and came from you. he would be lying if he said he didn't feel some level of attraction towards you.

mark silently thanked god that the confessional booth was separated by a wooden wall, shielding you from the sight of his flushed face. his heart pounded in his chest as he realized the effect your words and presence were having on him. it scared him how easily you could make his emotions spiral out of control, awakening desires he never thought he would feel for a congregant.

mark swallowed hard, taking a deep breath before he began to speak gently. “listen,” he said, his voice composed yet filled with compassion. “while i sympathize with your situation, you must understand that i have duties as a servant of god that prevent me from indulging in acts that go against my beliefs.”

he took a moment to gather his thoughts, contemplating the difficult position he was in. "not only that," he continued. "but there are the obligations of my chastity vows. all i can offer you is my daily prayers, in the hope that god will save your soul."

after his words, an eerie silence filled the confessional booth. mark was consumed with worry, wondering if his response had been too blunt, perhaps even hurtful. maybe he inadvertently made you feel desperate with his refusal to support you in such a hard moment.

he tried to call your name in an attempt to soothe you, but before he could even process what was happening, the door to his side of the confessional booth suddenly swung open, and there you were, stepping into the cramped space. the small confines of the booth made it impossible for the both of you to maintain any distance, your bodies pressed closely together.

in the dim light, mark could make out your face, and it was evident that you were far from happy. annoyed, frustrated, or even angry — whichever it was, it was the first time he had seen such a look on your face. it was a stark contrast from the usual coy or sultry expressions you usually wore.

mark's heart skipped a beat as you spoke, your voice taking on a lower tone. "you know, i’m tired of this game," you said, locking eyes with him.

he swallowed hard, feeling his lips suddenly go dry. "what do you mean?" he managed to ask, his voice trembling slightly.

your voice was sharp, laced with annoyance, as you spoke. "you know damn well what i’m talking about," you continued, your eyes narrowing. "every day, i come here, saying all this nonsense about the devil to share my fantasies with you, and yet here we are, with you still acting like some pure little priest instead of fucking me.”

mark's eyes widened slightly, his mouth opening and closing a few times, struggling to find the right words to respond.

when he finally found his voice, he began hesitantly, "i... i can't, you know i can't. i'm a priest, and i have—"

you cut him off, scoffing and rolling your eyes. "cut the bullshit," you said firmly. "you can't, but you want it. i see the way you look at me, father. it's the same eyes i give you, so don't even bother lying."

mark flinched slightly at your words, feeling a pang of guilt at being seen through so easily. he couldn't deny it. he knew he was having a hard time concealing his true feelings.

mark swallowed hard, his voice quivering slightly as he attempted to deny your accusation. "i do not..." he started, his words faltering. but before he could finish, you leaned even closer, your faces mere centimeters apart. he could feel the heat radiating from your skin, the scent of your perfume filling his senses.

mark couldn't help but follow your gaze as your eyes wandered down to his lips, and he felt an undeniable magnetic pull drawing his attention to your own lips. almost involuntarily, his eyes fixated on them, noticing the subtle wetness left by your sultry tongue. the small confines of the booth made it impossible to ignore the growing tension between you.

"i'll kiss you.”

mark's eyes widened in shock as you announced and, before he could protest, your lips were already on his, pressing against them with a force that left him dumbfounded. the action was so unexpected, so brazen, that he couldn't find it within himself to pull away.

and honestly, he didn't even know if he wanted to.

your gentle touch on his chin was like a command, and he found himself parting his lips to allow your tongue access. a guttural sound escaped his throat, equal parts surprise and pleasure. in a moment of weakness or perhaps surrender, he gave in to the intoxicating kiss, his tongue greedily responding to yours. the taste of your lips and the heat of your tongue sent shivers down his spine, awakening a hunger within him that he had locked away for so long.

mark's hand instinctively found its way to the back of your neck, pulling you even closer as the cramped space around you seemed to grow hotter with each passing moment. his heart pounded loudly in his chest, the rapid rhythm almost resonating in his head. a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts filled his mind — how wrong it was, how he was throwing away everything he had defended as a priest.

with effort that felt as if he was fighting against his own nature, mark managed to summon enough strength to break the kiss and pull away from you. both of you were left breathless, struggling to regain your composure as a thin line of saliva connected your mouths. his eyes were clouded with a mixture of desire and conflict, torn between duty and yearning.

"ah, finally," you sighed, a hint of satisfaction in your voice. "i’ve been waiting for this so long, you have no idea."

mark felt the words nearly escape his own lips, a silent 'me too' trapped in his throat. but he clenched his jaw, his voice sounding harsher than he meant as he responded, "don't do this again."

your frown deepened as you heard his response, your earlier enthusiasm now replaced by confusion and disappointment. "what?" you asked, your voice laced with disbelief.

mark shook his head as he struggled to hold onto his convictions. "this is just... not right," he repeated, his voice filled with guilt. "that was a mistake."

"are you really going to insist on this?" you repeated, your voice gentler now, as you leaned forward to plant a few gentle pecks on his lips.

but mark's response was a feeble protest, a whispered "stop." he tried to resist, turning his head to evade your kisses, but you pursued him relentlessly, and he couldn't help but reciprocate for a brief moment before pulling back again to avoid your advances.

“stop,” he spoke more firmly this time, his grip on your shoulders tightening as he held you in place. "please," he said, his voice tinged with guilt and resolve. "let's not... just stop,” he then let out a deep sigh. “i will forget what just happened here," he continued. "so about your dreams... i'll keep praying for god to help you, and you should do the same."

you clicked your tongue, the sound cutting through the tense atmosphere, your eyes narrowing as you both engaged in a silent exchange. mark felt the weight of guilt heavy on his shoulders, he knew deep down that he could not give in to your desires, no matter how much he wanted to.

a sense of resignation washed over you as you recognized the firmness in mark's voice and accepted that he would not be swayed this time. you let out an annoyed huff and pushed his hands away from your shoulders.

"fine," you muttered, irritation evident in your tone. “thank you for the special session, father." with that, you briskly stepped out of the confessional, leaving him behind.

as your footsteps echoed away and the church fell into a heavy silence, mark emerged from the confessional, his legs feeling weak and shaky. he leaned against one of the wooden pews, desperate for support as he closed his eyes tightly, trying to regain his composure and calm his trembling body.

mark exhaled slowly, he knew he had barely dodged temptation, but the memory of your lips against his still lingered in his mind. with a solemn expression, he made his way to the dressing room, preparing for the long night ahead, knowing he would need to spend hours in prayer and reflection, seeking forgiveness and strength to resist to you.

he sank down onto the couch and buried his face in his hands, his cassock now neatly folded on top of the small coffee table. as he sat in silence, he couldn't help but acknowledge the physical evidence of his encounter with you. his pants were now uncomfortably tight, and he knew he would have to deal with it his own way when he got home.

despite the image he portrayed as a devout priest, mark was not immune to human desires and weaknesses. he had occasionally fantasized about moments like this with you too, allowing himself to acknowledge the human emotions and needs that existed within him.

but the pull of priesthood was strong, and he quickly cast away these conflicted thoughts, replacing them with fervorous prayers, seeking forgiveness for even considering any form of deviance from his sacred path.

however, this time, after finally having tasted just a little bit of you, he wasn't so sure he was strong enough to not give in to temptation, especially after finding out that your confessions were just a way to get his attention — which certainly worked.

mark's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a series of knocks on the door, causing him to raise his eyebrows in slight confusion. he tried to recall if he had any scheduled meetings or visits from believers that night, but nothing came to mind.

with a mixture of curiosity and concern, mark made his way to the door, his mind racing with thoughts about who could be seeking him at such a late hour. he hoped that no one had witnessed or heard the intimate encounter he had shared with you in the confessional, silently praying that he would not have to deal with any unwanted questions or accusations.

“father, it's me.”

mark's worries subsided a bit as he heard your voice on the other side of the door. although he wasn't necessarily eager to see you at that particular moment, it was preferable to encountering anyone else.

but soon he got tense again. you saw each other not long ago and the goodbye wasn't really one of the friendliest you've ever had, so what exactly brought you here?

he reached out to open the door and, once again, before he could even form any words, you grabbed his face and roughly pulled him against your lips, kissing him with such a hunger that left him breathless.

despite the initial shock, mark found himself responding to your kiss with equal fervor, his hands instinctively resting on your hips as you pushed him backwards onto the couch. the unexpected turn of events left him disoriented, but the growing desire coursing through his body overshadowed any rational thoughts.

mark couldn't help but let out a soft moan as you settled yourself on his lap, straddling him with your legs on either side of his body. you pulled back a little to look at him, seeing how out of breath he was made you laugh.

“looks like someone was waiting for this, hm?” you asked as you moved a hand down to caress his bulge over his clothes, making him inhale sharply at the sensation.

mark wasn't thinking about god or sin anymore, now he was just thinking with his dick, barely able to hide how happy he was that you came back as he nodded at your question, his eyes clouded with need.

mark knew that resisting you any further was like trying to swim against a strong current – a futile endeavor. his gaze, now fixed on you, silently pleaded with you to do something about the aching need that had taken hold of him. he no longer wanted to deny the burning desire that danced within him, even if regret would come later.

and you definitely understood that, his big, sparkling eyes told you everything you needed to know, and a smile appeared on your lips. you leaned in to kiss his neck, and then whisper in his ear.

“i’ll be your first, right?” your whisper sending shivers down his spine. “yes,” he said shyly, feeling his ears getting hot. seeming satisfied, you chuckled, tracing the shell of his ear with the tip of your tongue “you know, i thought about a lot of ways to make you cum.”

talking dirty to him was one of the options? because it was working already.

"but as much as i want to play with you," you continued, your hands quickly finding their way to his pants, skillfully unbuttoning them and pulling it down with his help. mark sighed in relief as his dick finally managed to breathe, standing proudly as droplets of precum ran from the tip to the base. "i also really need you so desperately and i've waited for so long, so let's do it quickly.”

mark nodded fiercely, his heart was beating so loud that he was sure you could hear it. he couldn't hold back his moan when you wrapped a hand around his hard cock and stroke it a few times. it was much more better than do it by himself, honestly.

he was holding his breath in anticipation, as he saw you popping up a little to align his cock with your pussy, gasping when he felt you tease yourself with the tip, brushing against your slick folds.

you hadn't been exaggerating when you mentioned your sense of urgency earlier. your choice of outfit for the day was a deliberate one, a thin dress without any panties beneath, specifically selected to make things convenient.

you wanted to tease him more, but your own sense of urgency only allowed you to slowly sink down, you were so wet that he slipped in easily. a guttural sound came from the back of his throat as he felt your gummy walls enveloping him in a warm embrace.

"oh, god," he breathed out, squeezing his eyes shut and throwing his head back. he could swear heaven looked exactly like what he was feeling right now.

all the times he had jerked off thinking about you, about what it would be like to be in a moment like this, nothing compared to the actual feeling of being balls deep inside you.

and you were no better than him, all the wait was worth it. your face was buried on his neck as you savored the feeling of his tip kissing your cervix.

his hands tightened their grip on your hips, holding you firmly in place. his chest rose and fell with each shallow, quickened breath, his eyes fluttering open just in time to catch the playful laugh that escaped your lips.

"feel that good?" you asked, a hint of mischief in your tone.

as you spoke, mark looked up to meet your gaze, his face now flush with a deep blush from embarrassment and pleasure apparent. “yes,” his voice barely a whisper. “it feels amazing. fuck, it does.”

a slightly arrogant smile took over your face as you heard his admission, it was a wonderful delight to know that you were the one making him feel this way without even having started the real thing.

"then, i'll make you feel even better," you pecked his lips before placing your hands on his shoulders and start to move.

now this was driving him crazy — more than it already was. he couldn't quite put into words, but the way he kept rubbing your inner walls, the way you occasionally clenched around him, the way his name rolled off your tongue in a sweet moan, everything was from another world.

mark wasn’t quite sure what to do other than let you take the lead, but his body moved on its own as he began thrusting his hips up to meet your movements halfway.

his moans and whimpers grew louder as he felt his climax building up, it usually wasn't this quick when he did it himself, but he couldn't hold back when he had your pussy gripping him like that.

he managed to call your name softly, “i-i’m gonna cum,” he warned, beads of sweat running down his forehead. “mhm, i know,” your voice slightly husky. “since it’s your first time, i’ll let you enjoy it until the end,” you continued, “you can cum inside me, sweetie.”

his eyes widened at your words, but he wouldn't and didn't want to protest, he wasn’t on his best judgment right now. he only wrapped his arms around your waist, pressing you against him tightly and burying his face on the crook of your neck, thrusting harder, faster.

he felt the familiar knot of his belly, his body tensing and his balls tightening as his thrusts became sloppier. it wasn't long before he came undone under you, painting your walls white as he bit down hard on your neck, muffling his loud moan.

mark leaned back, sinking into the plush cushion of the couch, pulling you with him. the room fell into a hushed silence, the only sounds that could be heard were the soft, uneven breaths of the both of you. mark's arms wrapped around you in a simple yet intimate embrace, holding you close against him, as if he didn't want to let go just yet. his cock softened inside you, keeping his hot seed there, prolonging your feeling of being completely full.

“what are you thinking right now?” you break the silence after a moment and mark chuckled softly at your question, his grip on you loosening slightly as he relaxed into the embrace.

he took a moment to gather his thoughts, his fingers tracing small circles on your back. "i was just thinking about how i might have never experienced such a wonderful… moment if you hadn't been so insolent," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.

you pulled away slightly, resting your hands on his shoulders to get a better look at him. a cheeky smile tugged at your lips as you teased, "i’m glad i could be of service. you'll never forget me now," you paused for a moment, your gaze fixed firmly on him. then, you leaned in a bit closer, your voice lowering to a sultry tone. “and, i hope you're ready for more.”

“m-more?” mark blinked a few times, his mind slowly processing the reality of what had just occurred. he was still reeling from the overwhelming pleasure of your touch and now, with his mind clearing, the reality of the situation was sinking in.

“well, i told you i thought of many ways to make you cum, didn't i?”

[deunmiu-dessie]

(unedited) captain price sfw alphabet, 𝒶⸺𝓏

𝒜 = affection (how affectionate are they? how do they show affection?) : with you, being affectionate comes easy to him; wanting to hold you and kiss you, cook for you, and many other things, just to see you happy, comes easily for john. price's love for you knows no bounds; he makes sure to go above and beyond in making sure you feel cherished and appreciated. from surprise date nights to heartfelt letters while he's deployed, to random bouquets when he comes home from work. price never misses an opportunity to show you how much you mean to him.

john's affectionate acts are not only a manifestation of his love, but also a reflection of his deep commitment to your happiness and overall well-being even though he can't be with you all the time. on another note, price's love language would be a mix between acts of service and gift-giving. he tends to send you a lot of things when he's away from home for long periods of time but also builds things for you to make day-to-day life easier for you when he is home. since he's an early riser, he loves to wake you up with breakfast and coffee; truly he just loves to see you happy.

𝐵 = best friend (what would they be like as a best friend? how would the friendship start?) : hm, john is the type of best friend that would stay up through the night to give you advice, no matter what time you'd call him, he'd pick up and would listen to you wholeheartedly. he's also the 'parent' best friend, he's always looking out for you, no matter what. heading to a club? send him the address just in case. going out on a date? send a picture of the person you're with and their license plate. it's just who he is, the man can't help but be worried, especially with the job that he has and because you're not part of his 'world', you see most things through rose-tinted lenses. ( most definitely the two of you met at a bar, hit it off, and exchanged numbers. )

𝒞 = cuddles (do they like to cuddle? how would they cuddle?) : you guys are probably tired of me saying this, but john is a touchy man, and it's not inherently sexual at all. i like to think it's because he wants to make sure you're real, that you're not something he's conjured up in his head, and that you won't just disappear. now that he has you, the thought of being without you is almost unbearable- in fact, he's not sure how he lived without you in the first place. long story short, john loves cuddling with you and he almost always initiates it first. e.g., resting your legs over his thighs and pulling as much of your body over his lap as possible, and wrapping his arms around you while the two of you watch a movie on the couch. however, when the two of you head for bed, you guys usually find yourselves in the 'pretzel' position more often than not.

𝒟 = domestic (do they want to settle down? how are they at cooking and cleaning?) : read me!

𝐸 = ending (if they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?) : john would do it face to face and it'd probably appertain to your safety. with the job that price does, being with him is like having a big, red target on your back at all times. but everything about john is sincere, and you can see how much it's tearing him up inside, because this man loves you with every ounce of his being, and the thought of not being able to come home to you, is like a bullet to his heart. however, the choice is solely up to you.

𝐹 = fiance(e) (how do they feel about commitment? how quickly would they want to get married?) : price is hesitant at first, not because he doesn't love you or anything like that, but because he doesn't want you to be alone. he's gone for weeks at a time and intermittently months as well. it can be lonely and if it's something that bothers you, he would prefer to wait for the two of you to get married.

𝒢 = gentle (how gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) : treats you as if you'll break, like you'll vanish from his hands as soon as he takes his eyes off of you; it annoys you at times but eventually you realize that john just can't bear the thought of losing you. tf-141 literally gets whiplash when price is on the phone with you compared to how he is with them, soap complains about it often.

𝐻 = hugs (do they like hugs? how often do they do it? what are their hugs like?) : john loves hugging you and he does it as often as you'll allow him to. when he hasn't been home in a while, his first hug consists of wrapping you up tightly in his arms and twirling you around before setting you down and planting a kiss to your lips, and murmuring how much he's missed you. but on a daily occurrence, his hugs are soft and usually done from behind, where he places kisses on your jawline and collarbone. when you're feeling sad, or when you're annoyed and need time to cool off, he'll press you to his chest and cup the back of your head with his hand, the other wrapped around your waist as he gently totters side to side.

𝐼 = i love you (how fast do they say the L-word?) : john, deep down, knew he liked you the moment he saw you standing in the rain looking like a drenched cat. john knew he would spend the rest of his life with you the moment you cursed at him and asked him, "what the hell he was lookin' at." actually, he's waiting on you, giving you time to grow feelings for him. and while you said it first, nearing a year into your relationship, and shyly as well-- john had always known. [ connected with this post! ]

𝒥 = jealousy (how jealous do they get? what do they do when they’re jealous?) : price is a grown man, he feels too secure in his relationship for all of that. he loves you and you love him, there's not a doubt in his mind for you. you're both equally obsessed with each other. there are times when the two of you go out and some men or women might hit on you, but either you resolve it or he does, it's never that serious for him.

𝒦 = kisses (what are their kisses like? where do they like to kiss you? where do they like to be kissed?) : price kisses you deep and slow, and you swear you feel the love in every single one of john's kisses, like he's pouring it down your throat in hopes of coating your entire being. john prefers your mouth, loves to kiss you until you giggle against his lips; kiss you until your lips are puffy and cute; kiss you until the anger from working later than you usually do is no longer on your mind. but john also kisses you in passing. e.g, while reaching for something in the cabinet above you, he'll press a kiss to your temple. you're brushing your teeth in the morning as he's getting out of the shower? boom, a kiss to your hairline. cooking dinner while he's on his way out to pick up a few items from the grocery store? a kiss to your neck. he loves kissing you and does it any chance he can get. now, john loves it when you kiss the underside of his chin, or the side of his mouth--- turns him into putty, i swear it does.

𝐿 = little ones (how are they around children?) : john is the type to play football with the kids at family gatherings or neighborhood cookouts, rather than drinking beers with the other adults. the type to toss a baseball back and forth with the troubled teenager and listen to his problems while the cooking is still happening. and also let the girls paint his nails (albeit sloppily) when he's having a conversation with someone. (the team won't let him live it down) he's good with kids and teenagers alike.

𝑀 = morning (how are mornings spent with them?) : as lazy and slow as possible. mornings are usually spent, with john waking up before you and preparing breakfast, soft music playing; along with the sound of the early birds news channel. the front door is opened with the screen locked in place to get some fresh morning air, the neighborhood is silent since it's only six in the morning and john sits out on the porch with sam, an english mastiff dog that the two of you had gotten weeks ago. then you wake up like clockwork, thirty minutes after john has left the bed, dragging your feet and finding him on the porch. with bleary eyes and mumbles of a 'good morning' you'll place a kiss to the side of his mouth and take a sip of his coffee before going back inside with sam trailing loyally on your heels. mornings with john are soft and intimate.

𝒩 = night (how are nights spent with them?) : nights with john are spent with a glass of wine shared while the two of you cook dinner. nights with john are filled with laughter and sweet, bitter kisses. nights with john are spent twirling and shimmying to the music playing on the radio. nights with john are spent with the two of you perched on the island, feeding each other and discussing the future. nights with john are spent with him reading to you as you're sat on his lap, curled into his chest. nights with john are spent with calls to the tf-141 team to see if they're still available for tomorrow's cookout with just the five of you. nights with john are spent with him carrying you to bed after you've fallen asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. nights with john are your absolute favorite.

𝒪 = open (when would they start revealing things about themselves? do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) : john waits, gives you bits and pieces here and there, lets that sit on you before feeding you more and more; until he's bared himself to you completely.

𝒫 = patience (how easily angered are they?) : john does not anger easily and when he is angry it's never directed at you, always at someone else. john doesn't yell when the two of you argue either, he's calm and collected, and listens to your point before explaining his own. he's not condescending though and he never talks down to you or dismisses your argument, he's mature and the two of you always work whatever it is out before closing it with a kiss.

𝒬 = quizzes (how much would they remember about you? do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) : you guys, john remembers the clothing you were wearing when the two of you first met, even if you were obscured slightly by the rain. even the things you say in passing while you're rambling, he remembers. john focuses immediately when you start talking, partially because he loves the sound of your voice and the other part because he wants you to know that he's listening to you.

𝑅 = remember (what is their favorite moment in your relationship?) : read me!

𝒮 = security (how protective are they? how would they protect you? how would they like to be protected?) : oh, very protective. he's always so hesitant about leaving you alone and usually asks if you can stay with a friend or family. while everyone knows everyone in the neighborhood the two of you have settled in, he's still untrusting--- besides price is a different man outside of his domestic life, he had enemies, and people looking to kill him; and they could easily do that by finding you. which is why, just a couple of weeks ago the two of you went out to adopt a dog, an english mastiff the two of you had named sam. he feels a bit more comfortable leaving you home alone now.

𝒯 = try (how much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?) : most days that are big, john is on a mission somewhere halfway across the world. but he makes sure to call and talk to you as long as he can until he can come home and celebrate with you. thankfully, the two of you are mostly homebodies so anniversaries and things of that nature are spent at home with each other, baking a cake to decorate and eat, cooking each other's favorite meal, and giving gifts. price prides himself on remembering the small details in your relationship and always gives you the best gifts, he usually makes you cry with how thoughtful they are.

𝒰 = ugly (what would be some bad habits of theirs?) : john smokes cigars. it's his bad habit and you're actively trying to get him to stop. the man tries to sneak off sometimes to enjoy one but you always end up finding him and tossing it out. you scold him often and he always gets out of it by kissing you silly. you guys, don't forget to keep an eye on him.

𝒱 = Vanity (how concerned are they with their looks?) : maybe just a bit concerned. he is older than you, after all, there are plenty of men younger than him out there with bodies more fit than his. the man strongly believes you can do better than him, which you always shut down with glares or kisses. you love john as he is and tell him that all the time. everything about him is so manly and he makes you feel so well taken care of. besides, you love the little pudge of his tummy, he got it after getting into a relationship with you after all. you love to feed him and he loves your cooking, the two of you go hand in hand.

𝒲 = whole (would they feel incomplete without you?) : read me!

𝒳 = xtra (a random headcanon for them.) : john crumbles to his knees, his mesmerizing blue eyes welling up with tears, and the air leaving his lungs. his thick eyebrows drawing together, and his trembling hands tenderly find solace against your belly, while his lips form a delicate line. the sound of your gentle laughter instantly captures his attention, causing his eyes to lock onto yours, and a soft chuckle escapes his lips as he blinks away his tears. "you're pregnant?" { excerpt }

𝒴 = yuck (what are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?) : being lied to, he'd rather you come clean in anything you do.

𝒵 = zzz (what is a sleep habit of theirs?) : lmaoo the man snores, it's not too loud and it never wakes you up out of your sleep. but whenever you wake up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, you catch the wheezing snore he makes.

[pythoria]

feeling some feelings about gale tonight *cracks knuckles*; he was a child prodigy, he was in tune with the weave, and inevitably mystra, since he was just a little kid. imagine being so in tune with magic, feeling so comfortable and safe within its bounds, falling in love with something so beautiful as a child. it becomes your whole world. imagine being filled with such childish idealism, such hope, that your only desire becomes getting closer to this thing, this goddess, finding that love and safety and giving it form.

imagine growing up, finally getting the attention of your goddess, how starry eyed you must be, how proud of yourself. this is your whole world, the reason you're alive, your purpose in life. mystra is everything to you, the magic in your veins, the giddy feeling in your heart, the proud ego in your chest. and then she finally *sees* you for the first time, you end up sharing her bed, touching her, talking to her, earning her approval, and, you think, her love. magic is your job, your lover, the motherly embrace of childhood. of course you would try to ascend to be with mystra forever. of course you would want power, so she sees you as an equal. of course you want to impress her, she's all you've ever known.

and then when you fail, when a ticking bomb gets stuck in your chest, you get none of that love and care. she doesn't protect you, she doesn't even talk to you anymore. so you've lost everything you've ever held dear in one fell swoop, the basket you put all your eggs in shattered, and you're left with nothing. you're now a middle aged man, your whole life spent in service of your goddess, who abandoned you at the first sign of free will you've shown. you feel like a failure. you don't have any friends, nor lovers, and you fall from being an archmage to nearly becoming an ilithid thrall. and maybe you realise that were it not for the astral prism, you'd have become a mindflayer and mystra wouldn't have saved you.

maybe you realise she's completely written you off when elminster shows up and tells you she wants you to sacrifice yourself. maybe you think "is this what my life's work is worth? a lifetime of devotion? a second hand missive asking me to die?". but no matter how ridiculous the request, you're in too deep now. nobody would care if you died, mystra made sure you were always focused on her, never making meaningful connnections with other mortals, having no friends, foes, or lovers. if mystra forsakes you, you might as well not exist. so death to serve her might be the best ending you could've hoped for, really.

except along comes someone, and they also have a worm in their head, and you team up, and soon enough there's a bunch of you strutting around faerun, and suddenly someone *cares*. for the first time in years, you actually have... friends? and they're telling you mystra is insane, that you've been manipulated, they tell you that what mystra is asking is too much, that they want you to live. and you're defensive, of course. you still love mystra, and you can't get away from her either, because you feel her presence every time you cast as much as a firebolt, magic running through your veins like ambrosia, nectar and poison all at once. you conjure her face to gaze at, and when you start falling for tav, you show them the weave, because that's the only way you know how to love. eventually you accept that you might have to defy mystra to stay alive and suddenly you have a choice again. but in the process, everything you knew and loved turned to dust, and you had to build yourself back up from the ashes, all while smiling and laughing and trying fruitlessly to fit in with your companions, who find you stuck up and weird after so much isolation.

gale is such a tragic character, if you think about it.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Three for One 4

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, cheating, customer service abuse, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: As a customer service associate, you’re used to work with a wide variety of characters. Your efforts to go above and beyond draw the attention of a certain set of customers who want more than what’s on the shelf.

Character: Andy Barber, Lloyd Hansen, Ransom Drysdale

Note: How are these getting longer lol

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me 💞

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you all. Take care. 💖

You wriggle helplessly as the man straddles you. You kick your feet into the carpeted floor and grunt into his palm. He’s strong and heavy but you can’t give up. And if you can’t win, you won’t make this easy.

He plants his hand between your shoulders, pinning your chest as he leans his weight on you. He grunts as you shift under him, pushing your knees into the ground as you try to bounce him off. You only manage to awkwardly press your ass into his crotch.

“Hey, stay fucking still,” he squeezes your jaw, glove still flush to your mouth, “and shut the fuck up.” You open and close your teeth, trying to find a catch. He snarls and squeezes you between his legs, “are you trying to bite me again? What the fuck?”

“She’s fucking feral,” the driver tosses over his shoulder.

“Shut up,” the man on you barks back, readjusting to one knee as he brings his other over your back, replacing his hand with his leg.

He fumbles around as you try to see anything in the dim of the van’s compartment. His hand slips as his other comes around, a piece of rough fabric rubbing on your cheek. He pokes it into your mouth with two fingers and you nearly gag on the dry wool.

“Shhhh,” he hushes you, “balls, she’s hard to put down.”

“Wasn’t my first choice, trust me.”

“Who let that jackass have final say?” The man over you grumbles.

He drags you with him and reaches above you. You see the edge of the roll of tape as he keeps you trapped under his knee. He swiftly sticks the tape over your mouth so you can’t spit out your gag. Next he grabs your wrists and pulls his knee away.

You tug on your arms, resisting as you keep up your fruitless flailing. No, no, no. You’re not going to just roll over and give in. Get off!

He forces your arms together, winding the end of the tape around your wrists, again and again, until they’re bound taut behind you. He’s panting almost as hard as you are as he plants his feet, standing half bent over you beneath the low ceiling of the fan.

“Damn, well, I didn’t expect her to be so fucking stubborn,” he snickers.

You flip over and shoot your foot up, straight into his crotch. He chokes on his laughter and drops the tape. He cradles between his legs and falls to his knees. He croaks as he catches himself on one hand.

“Goddamn it, you bitch, I was half-cocked,” he contracts as if he’s about to vomit.

You puff through your nose and bend your legs, curling back on your shoulders and using your weight to throw yourself forward. You roll onto your feet, the momentum lifting your ass up but not getting you all the way up. You try again and get one foot and one knee under you.

“What the fuck’s going on back there?” The driver asks as the van rocks with your movement.

“Nothing,” the other man groans and sits up, “nothing at fucking all.”

He swipes his leg across yours and has you slamming back to the floor, this time landing on your shoulder. You grunt and twitch at the jarring pain on your joint. He grabs your arm and hauls you closer. You’re both breathless as he retrieves the tape and fights to bring your ankles together.

He secures your ankles and lets you go. You lean on your hands and watch him as he sits back and swipes his hair away from his forehead. In the small cloud of light from the front of the vane, you see the angle of his jaw and the shaved side of his head.

“God,” he puts his hand over his pants, “I feel that in my throat.” He shakes his head, “don’t worry, pussy cat, you will too. I’m gonna be so fucking deep–”

“Ugh, dude,” the driver mutters.

“Don’t be a fucking prude,” the man stretches his leg out and nudges you with the toe of his boot, “we all know what the hell this is.”

You close your eyes, holding back the hot glaze of tears. You inhale deeply, trying to calm your nerves as they cluster in your chest. A million questions race through your mind but you can’t bring yourself to even imagine the answers.

🎀

The van idles in one spot. You temper your breaths as you listen. The driver gets out as the man in the back with you picks his nails with a knife. He started brandishing a while back. Does he really think you aren’t already scared out of your mind?

There’s some sort of grinding nose and footsteps in the gravel coming back to the van. You move, trying to see the front as the driver gets back in, slamming the door and jolting the entire vehicle. The other man pokes you with his toe, his way of warning you.

“Fucking gate,” the driver mutters as he shifts back into gear and leans on the gas.

You garble around the fabric in your mouth, not making much noise as you wiggle and turn to look at the other man. He yawns and examines the long blade, only a shadow as the darkness invades the van. There’s not much light around to colour the world.

“Almost there, pussy cat,” the man teases, "Merry fucking Christmas… well, I think we still got a few hours before the clock tolls.”

You let your head loll. He’s so annoying. Maybe it’s just the situation or that he’s obviously a very bad person, but he irks you so much. Years of working with the general public and you don’t think you’ve ever felt this much detest for one person. Usually you could just shrug it off and go onto the next. Right now, you’re quite literally trapped.

The van follows what feels to be a curving road, bumpy as it jostles you against the rough carpet. Your adrenaline ebbs and flows as your eyes flutter one moment only to flick open wide the next. The tire treads mulch the snow, slowing, and stops again. It’s almost pitch black as the van shuts off.

The man in the back stands, you feel it in how the axle bounces. He comes close, boots edging along your side as you sense him close. The door slides open behind him and lets in the moonlight. He bends and grabs your feet, turning your body and dragging you towards the door.

You kick but can’t free yourself from his grasp. He shoves your legs down harshly and pulls you up by the front of your coat. In a second, he has you slung over his shoulder as he turns to the other man.

“Where is he?” The man holding you asks as you squirm. He has his arm hooked around you as his other hand comes up to pinch you, “pussy cat, you don’t start wagging that ass unless you want me to punish it.”

You still, stunned by the suggestion. He’s so gross. You whimper as his shoulder presses uncomfortably into your stomach.

“He’ll be here soon. We should get her inside.”

“We should throw her in the snow and see how long she lasts,” the man sneers, “she’s not as nice as he said.”

“We can deal with that,” the other assures.

A flashlight clicks on. You can’t see anything past the man’s jacket. You bounce on his shoulder as he carries you across the uneven ground. He trails the second man as you hear several electronic beeps and the whir of gears. 

A door opens on cold hinges. You’re taken through a doorway as the night air follows you inside. The flashlight’s glare flicks around, illuminating the edges of your vision but offering little more. You hear a click and an overhead light suddenly casts brightly all around you. Still, you can’t see around the man who has you in his grasp.

“Put her in the room,” the other man orders.

“I got it. Don’t act like you’re the boss.”

“Take your own advice. My fucking house.”

“Yeah, and I got the van. Oh, I also came up with the plan, so I’ll say we’re even.”

“You talk a lot.”

The man holding you scoffs, “rich, coming from you.”

“Just like everything else about me. Go on. We gotta wait for him. Figure this shit out.”

“I got it figured out. Strip her down and show her what’s what.”

“We agreed to wait,” the other man insists.

“Oh, so he’s in charge?”

“No, you know he isn’t. I just think… what he said made sense. Go fucking put her in the room so we can talk real shit. I can’t focus with her ass in my face.”

“Tell me about it,” the man slaps your ass and kneads, “it’s like two inches from my mouth–”

You writhe and let out a hollow whine through your nose. He chuckles and falls into step. You lift your head up stiffly as he passes the other man and you meet his eye. You’re not sure if you know him but your gaze falls to the autumnal hued scarf around his neck. You know that scarf.

It can’t be. First Alan and now this guy. This is a conspiracy. It has to be.

You watch the floor change from slated hardwood to patterned carpet and again to dark teak. Down a hall and into another room. Only the light from outside limns your vision as you’re flung from over the man’s shoulder onto an unseen bed. You gasp at the soft mattress, expecting much worse.

“Pussy cat, you stop your hissing and pissing,” he warns as he backs up to the doorway, the light giving a better look at his features, “I’m gonna get to you. Count on it.”

You groan at how the tap chafes your wrists and the smell of the adhesive below your nose. You blink and focus on the man’s silhouette. You think you know him too but you’re not sure. That tuft of hair on his lip seems familiar. Before you can find the memory, his image is blocked out by the door and you’re plunged into sheer darkness.

This can’t be happening. You can’t be here. You have to get home. Who’s going to feed Ernie?

🎀

Your eyes slowly adjust to the dark but you can’t see much. There is not hint of a window to let in any light or even a slat to leak in under the door. More eerie than the deep blackness is the dearth of sound. You can only hear your own breath and the soft squeaks that slip out at your most fraught.

The walls block out anything beyond. That alone is oppressive. If you weren’t tied up, if you weren’t gagged, could anyone even hear your screams?

You wiggle, roll and writhing across the breadth of the mattress. You reach the edge and rock yourself until you can sit up. You inch over the side of the bed until your feet meet the floor. You lean your weight on them and brace yourself.

You’re already out of breath with the effort. You stand, swaying as you struggle to balance on your bound feet. Your knees buckle as you lean this away and that until you can straighten yourself. You hop forward, once, twice, and again. You turn yourself towards where the door shut.

You stagger as you land a bit too hard and you twist, hitting your shoulder on the wall. You huff and puff as the tap grows slick around your lips, the cloth make you gaggle. You sidle, arm again the wall and the handle hits just above your wrist. The metal leaves a thrumming pang in your flesh.

You pivot and lean your back on the door frame, grasp the handle between your hands, sweaty palms struggling to get a grip. You turn this way and that, each time meeting resistance. You squeeze tight and sake yourself and the handle as a croak escape your nose. You didn’t expect it to open but it’s still a defeat.

You slide down to your ass, bending your knees before you as your hands rest behind you on the floor. You hang your head and measure your breaths. You’re not just scared for you, you think of your poor puppy waiting for you. Of you never going home to Ernie. That sparks the fuse to full panic.

You ball your hands to fist and slide down onto your arm. You wriggle down to your back, lifting your legs to the door, setting your boots on it. You pull back and kick, the bang jarring you. You do it again. Harder. You won’t stop. They can’t just leave you here. They can’t ignore you.

A thump comes from the other side. A warning. You kick back, even louder. No response.

You’re exhausted, but you keep going. You kick until your damp with sweat and your legs ache. You bring your feet down over over and until you can’t any more. Then you lay in the blind silence, a sob trapped behind the gag.

Ernie…

You’re almost delirious. Disbelief, fatigue, adrenaline, you’re not sure which. There’s a beeping and a metallic grind. The door shifts, hitting your bent legs as it tries to open. A grunt comes from the other side as the push until you’re forced a few inches up. A light radiates over your suddenly.

You stare up at the white glass shade on the ceiling. The door shoves you further and further. A figure enters and looks down at you. A heavy sigh that tickles your brain. You know it. You look up at that man, Alan or Anthony, as he shuts the door.

He bends to pick you up. He takes you to the bed and puts you on your side. You let him. You can’t do anything else. He puts his hands on his hips as he looks you over. He sits cautiously on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry, honey, I hope they didn’t hurt you,” he caresses your cheek and you wince, “I told them to be nice. Wish I could’ve come with you but… I had to sort some things out.”

You bat your lashes, eyes widening. He cooes as pets your hair. “It’s okay, don’t be scared.”

His fingertips brush along the edge of the tape and he slowly peels it away. You groan as he tugs at the corner of the cloth and frees it from your mouth. You cough, your throat raw and dry.

“I can untie you but you have to promise to be good. You don’t want to hurt yourself, do you?”

You close your eyes and nod. He crumple the tape and you hear him place it down. You suck in a deep lungful of air and let out a scream, “HELP!!!!!!!!”

“Hey,” he hisses and quickly smothers your mouth with his large hand, “honey, don’t do that.” He squeezes until you’re quiet, until your jaw aches, “no one can hear you.” He leans over you as your eyes flick open and meet his, “not even the others. Right outside that door and they can’t hear you.”

You search his face. Stern and somber. He looks honest but you would’ve said the same back at the store when he lied to your face. You nod and go limp. Despite his deceit, you believe that.

He reluctantly drags his hand away, “I want to untie you, okay? I don’t want you to be stuck like this all night but if you’re bad, the others… they won’t let me.”

You don’t say anything. You stare past him, to the crux of wall and ceiling. You don’t care about the others or about this man. You only care about one thing.

“I know you’re confused and probably angry. This isn’t a bad thing, okay? We’re not doing this to hurt you, honey,” he rubs your shoulder, “we want to help you. To give you everything you want. Do you really want to spend Christmas alone?”

You rasp as you breath deeply. You wet the roof of your mouth with your tongue then your lips. You keep your eyes averted as you muster your voice.

“You’re married,” you accuse, "you have a family."

He clicks his tongue, “and? You have no one.”

That stings. A deep cut you feel deep in your gut. Your eyes meet his sharply and you pull your shoulder away from his hand. You push your chin out defiantly as a heat rises behind your eyes. You might be alone but it doesn’t mean you’re unhappy. Still, the way he said it…

“That’s not true, I have someone.”

“Honey, don’t lie. I know you don’t. I know you live on Fort Street in that square yellow building. Apartment 325. Just you. It’s a bachelor at the corner–”

“Stop, stop,” you beg him. “How do you know that?”

“Does it matter how?” He says lowly, “Honey, i’ve been nice, haven’t I? If you’re nice, I’ll stay that way and I’ll make sure the others don’t hurt you.”

You crinkle your nose and give a fearsome snarl you know must look ridiculous. You don’t care about these men or what they want. You don’t even care about yourself. 

“I do have someone,” you insist, “Ernie.”

“Ernie?” He echoes.

“My puppy,” you hiss, “and I’m not going to be nice–” You grit the last word through clenched teeth, “unless you take me to him right now.”

“The dog?” He wonders.

“He needs to be fed and walked. I’m his mama and I need to see him,” you demand, your emotion finally bubbling up to the surface, “and until you take me home, I’m gonna… I’m gonna…” You dig your nails into your palms and let out a shrill shriek. The blood curdling type you hear in horror movies.

The man covers his ears and stands. You do it again as you bounce on the bed. You must look crazy but you don’t care. Maybe if you’re crazy enough, they’ll let you go. You suck in a third breath and scream even louder.

He grimace but doesn’t stop you. He backs up and stomps to the door. You keep going until it locks behind him.

They think you’re weak because you’re alone. You’ve worked retail, you can handle a couple of psychos.

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

Falling for the Dream Demon

@adambrainrot I blame you lol I hope you like it.

-

Adam had always been brilliant, Lilith knew that her brother was going to do great things one day like find life on another planet or find the cure to cancer. She was always in awe of him when he would speak with such high intelligence that sometimes she got lost in what he was actually saying.

They were twins, bound together by blood and have always been close. She always looked out for her nerdy little brother and wouldn't let anyone hurt him.

Except, as they got older, she was the one to hurt him. Not physically, but when they were in senior year of high school together Adam was being offered scholarships left and right from schools all around the country and the one he wanted the most would take him over seas.

Lilith let her jealousy get the best of her and ruined his chances by messing with his project.

Adam, being the genius he was knew it was her.

It wrecked their relationship and he never forgave her.

Adam slammed his car door shut and stomped away to get into the driver's seat.

"Adam come on, I said I was sorry" Lilith was leaning on his car and he all but pushed her away.

Adam glared at her "I don't care about you watered down apology, Lilith, do you have any idea what your childish tomfoolery has cost me?"

She didn't understand why he had to talk like he was 80. "You still got into your second choice! That's good right?"

Adam got into his car and gripped the steering wheel, his 12 fingers nearly turning white from the amount of rage he felt. "You just don't get it and you never will." He's never held his sisters lack of intellect against her, not everyone could be a genius like him, but in this moment he couldn't believe how stupid she was.

Lilith felt her chest get tight, she didn't like this. "Addie please......"

"No, I'm going to follow my dream and no one, not even you will stop me." He's already said goodbye to their mother and father. He doesn't need to be here anymore.

Before she could say another word Adam sped off into the distance, leaving his old life behind.

-

As the years went by Adam got three PhDs and a doctorate, he wanted to major in the anomalies of the world and there seemed to be a huge influx of them in this place named Gravity Falls.

He bought a cabin in the woods to live in and work in.

That's where he met the woman that would help him with his study, Dr. Eve Gardener.

Adam decided to keep a log of journals to keep track of everything he found. He's always been different with no one understanding him.

But being a genius and having someone who's brilliant to help him can only get him so far. He's hit a dead end in where everything comes from.

"What can I do?" Adam mused to himself as he tapped the pen on his journal. So far him and Eve have only found gnomes that talk and throw up rainbows.

He decided to go to the library to find anything that might help him. That's when he came across a book on demons.

Dream demons.

-

Adam had everything set up, maybe he was desperate and wanted to make things work so badly and obtain materials for his research.

Adam took a deep breath, "No turning back now." He spoke the spell that made the pentagram on the floor glow a bright red. From the glow stood a man in a white suit and top hat, short in height but that didn't matter. His face shrouded in mystery from the shadow of the brim of his hat concealing his face. When he looked up his eyes were red and yellow glowing brightly.

"Well hello there.~" The demon spoke smoothly, his voice deep. "And who might you be?"

Adam couldn't believe this actually worked. "My name is Dr. Adam Kadmon, I...... Who are you?"

"The name is Lucifer Morningstar! At your service handsome! Now, I assume you've brought me here for a reason?" Lucifer grinned and tipped his hat to Adam, winking.

Oh, so the demon is a flirt. Wonderful. Adam felt his smoldering gaze on him, it was intense and he..... Weirdly didn't hate it.

"I'm doing research about Gravity Falls and..... I've come to a bit of a stand still." Adam set the book down never taking his eyes off the demon.

Lucifer smiled so wide, showing off all of his pearly white sharp teeth. "Oh of course! I can help you with anything, whatever your heart desires I can give it to you Adam. You want to be rich, have great power, or even unlock the secrets of the universe I can give it to you! But, you have to give me something in return."

"Oh?"

"Yes! You can't get something for nothing you know.~" Lucifer practically purred, he leaned on his cain as he looked the human up and down.

Adam shifted on his feet, if this demon was telling the truth then anything would be worth it. "What would you want?"

Lucifer hummed, "All I ask, is that you let me into your mind, body, and soul.~"

"My s-soul?" That..... Sounds like a huge deal.

"Yes! How else am I going to be able to supply you with everything you need and secure everything you've ever wanted?~ I'm not asking you to give it to me, not completely. What do you say? We have a deal?~"

Lucifer held out his hand, it was gloves in leather and erupted in a red flame.

Everything Adam ever wanted was being given to him on a silver platter and even though he shouldn't he wanted it more. It could be years before he makes a breakthrough and he didn't want to waste his time chasing his tail.

Adam gripped Lucifer's hand, surprised that it didn't hurt when the flame surrounded his as well. He yelped when Lucifer pulled him in and dipped him.

Lucifer was smiling but it was far from innocent. "All demon deals are sealed with a kiss.~" He captured Adam's lips in a kiss, the scientist felt like his face was a flame and his heart started to pound in his chest.

He liked it, but why?

-

Lucifer kept his word and helped Adam discover all the secrets and knowledge that he was promised.

Adam recorded everything in his journal and it got to be to the point where he ended up with three of them he learned so much.

-

"You didn't forget your end of the deal did you Adam?"

"Of course not Luci."

Those nights that they had grown closer and had partaken in sins of the flesh. He let Lucifer ravish his mind and body anyway he wanted.

He never wanted to let his demon go.

-

Lucifer wants him to build a portal, he didn't see a problem with it. Surely Eve will love to help him.

-

"Eve!?" Adam cried out, he had secured himself to the floor with rope. Eve didn't get the chance as the portal turned on and nearly sucked her in, her foot caught on rope.

She screamed at everything she saw on the other side. Adam pulled her back and turned it off.

Eve was shaking and talking backwards? "Eve?" He reached out for her and she screamed.

"You have to destroy that thing! It's not safe!"

"What!? But it's my life work!"

Eve looked behind Adam and saw Lucifer standing there and her blood ran cold. She couldn't do this anymore!! "I'm sorry Adam! I-I-I can't do this!" She got up and ran out, Adam called for her but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

-

Lilith made the journey to Adam's cabin in the snow. She had to see her brother. Knowing on the door Adam answered shocked to see his sister of all people. "Why are you here?"

"..... Mom died."

That got her in the door to stay for the night, Adam cried for the loss of their mom. But that didn't mean everything was smooth sailing between them.

But still, he showed her his work.

In the basement she marveled at the portal. "What's the big red button do?"

Adam's eyes went wide, "Lilith don't!"

But she hit the button, ever curious. The portal turned on and it sucked Adam inside.

"ADAM!!!"

The portal malfunctioned and black smoke came from it turning it off nearly exploding it. Lilith stared in disbelief, what the fuck had she just done?

-

Adam looked around panicked, he had never been in here before and he didn't know if he could leave.

A gloved hand gripped his chin and Lucifer smiled at him. "Welcome home darling.~"

[contact-guy]

heyyy I hope it's okay to send an ask! I just wanted to know about your art process, if you got any advise. Because I'm in love with your SH doodles, they're so dynamic and lively and the shading is such a nice accent yet it remains somewhat minimalistic? I'm relatively decent at realism but want to develop my own character in drawing more and I'm wondering how you arrived at yours, did you have a method? Thanks in advance^^

love to talk about DRAWING......

The short answer is that because I want to draw them a lot, and have limited time, I can't be too precious about how the final result looks! So a lack of perfectionism and a desire for speed ends up forcing me to simplify and stylize them. This was an organic process (if you scroll down my art tag you can see I was drawing them with a bit more detail, finish, and care a few months ago - I was illustrating vs what I'm doing now, cartooning).

Ideally when you are cartooning, every line of the character's face is doing work to make them THEM, and to tell a story. No unnecessary lines! I find that story is best expressed through eyes, eyebrows, and mouth (this might be different for you). Those features can and should change shape to express emotion. They are usually what I draw first, to figure out the emotion, and they're what I spend the most time tweaking.

The rest of the features - face shape, cheekbones, nose, forehead, ears, hairline - are less emotive, less 'plastic', they don't change shape much. These are doing work to make the character recognizable. I try to keep them simple and have a few simple rules that I can remember about each character.

(Watson is tricky because of his mustache! I've found that treating it as part of his mouth rather than a distinct piece works best, but even so it makes his face less emotive - which, honestly, works for the character, as he is less demonstrative than Holmes)

I'll usually do a simple underdrawing to figure out what the body is doing - trying to capture the energy of a pose and, again, thinking about what story the body is telling.

Then I 'ink' in the clothing, following the lines of the body and gravity. Victorian clothing is fun to draw, I find that the structure around the shoulders and neckline lends itself to expressive poses. I did a bunch of Victorian clothing studies a few months ago and felt like I built up a 'library' in my head so that I don't need to reference it every time.

Shading is incredibly minimal and quick. In really simple drawings, its purpose is usually to distinguish characters from the background. In more detailed ones, it's to give them a little dimension and focus the eye to the faces.

Every choice I make is in service of readability rather than beauty or accuracy, if that makes sense. So it is quite a different mindset than when you're drawing realistically or painting.

I hope this was helpful! I am a professional artist but whenever I get sucked into a fandom I find myself making leaps and bounds in my craft because I want to draw so MUCH and don't care about making it polished...truly shout out to hyperfixation for the gifts it brings

[wwaheoh]

maid x master are overrated booo tomato tomato /hj

i want more maid x maid wlw cuz i think they're cute :3

well since we talking about maid here can i request alexandrina x shy fem junior/trainee maid, for short rina teach y/n proper etiquette as they spend time together they start flirting or something like that (y/n working for months so they know each other a bit)

sorry man I can't write good prompt :(

anyways get enough sleep, sleep good you deserve it

"The One in Which You and a Ghost Lady Fall in Love” Alexandrina Sebastiane x gnReader

a/n: decided to do gender neutral rather than female, hope you don’t mind! but feel free to change the pronouns and such in your head!

a/n²: ironically pretty bad at writing a relationship that doesn't end in tragedy

As the newest addition of Victoria Housekeeping, you had to undergo various types of training- as expected. Ranging from household cleaning to taking down Ethereals in a fast and professional manner. Honestly you sorta expected it- even having been warned as you applied for the position about the additional forms of work Victoria Housekeeping did.

Though to be honest, it was pretty fun, being given training and permission to let go and duke it out with enemies whenever the need arose. The problem was the whole ‘interacting with clients’, it was really hard not to tremble or cringe while talking, feeling as though you were embarrassing Mister Lycaon and the rest of Victoria Housekeeping just by existing.

So, you had been given more training in customer relations, with your main teacher being Miss Sebastiane- though she preferred you call her Miss Rina. She was your senior, a woman with a serene gracefulness, kind and gentle- yet not afraid to put pressure on clients who got too handsy or Ethereals that entered the property they were hired to keep. She was so kind, strong, gentle, firm, a smile that made you at ease and inspired you to keep pushing away from the mental barrier of interacting with clients. Beautiful, with soft hair framing her mature face, eyes of ruby that kept you mesmerized…

Then those eyes blinked.

Today Miss Rina had been teaching you how to dance, a semi-often requested service. For when a client didn’t have a partner- either through choice or circumstance, they would call on Victoria Housekeeping to be their partner. It happened more often than one would think.

Yet as she lead you through the steps, you had become transfixed on the older lady, still mirroring her but losing yourself in her. Something she noticed as you lost your usual unsureness, steps becoming more loose rather than the high-strung nervousness you usually exhibited.

Truthfully she was very flattered, where people usually looked at her, it was with either lust or a passing by before turning to the other workers like Lycaon or Ellen. You looked at her with love, heart stolen by her. She had her eye on you for a bit, the cuteness of your bashfulness, how you aimed to do your best- much like Corin, yet fell flat at the more mental problems. You were cute yes, but also strong in your own way, a trait you shared with Corin as well. Always aiming to protect, eyes filled with warmth even when in stressful situations.

As the two of you finished your dance, she dipped you low, holding you steady, gaze looking deep back at you.

Words escaped you, “Would you grant me the honor of going to dinner with you?” You immediately slammed your palms to your mouth- leading you to fall and hit your bum on the ground. Internally you were panicking, doing everything you could to not look at Miss Rina, hoping you didn’t ruin the relationship between the two of you, having overstepped the bounds of the work-place.

Out of your view, she relaxed, sinking down and cupping your chin. Softly directing you to look at her, you followed, puddy in her hands. “Nothing would make me happier.” With her free hand she held you by the arm, pulling you up alongside her as she moved with the serenity of a flowing river. “Tonight at 8?” You nodded, not trusting your words to be able to convey what you wanted. There weren't any words possible to let her know what you felt.

The two of you danced once more, steps in sync.

[2802mi]

WHY I THINK SUB-ZERO/SEKTOR FEUD IS BETTER THAN SUB-ZERO/SCORPION FEUD

Some time ago I posted a poll about two rivalries of Sub-Zero - one with Scorpion, one with Sektor. The results were quite surprising to me - 20% of people voted for Sub-Zero/Sektor. Before I go further about my opinion, I want to tell you all, that I am biased towards Sektor and that by ,,Sub-Zero" I mean Kuai Liang, the second Sub-Zero.

But why?

First of all: THE BEGINNING OF THE RIVALRY.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion began because Scorpion murdered original Sub-Zero, being decieved by Quan Chi. We easily see that when Scorpion is aware of deception, the motive behind the conflict goes away. NRS had the opportunity to make them fight again as stated in MKX endings where Sub-Zero opposes Raiden and Scorpion follows him (Ofc they had to waste that)

When Sub-Zero and Sektor's conflict begins, then it's based on contradictory values, where Sektor seeks the perfection through technology, Sub-Zero seeks discipline and perfection achieved by reaching the limit of human body and mind. They both are disgusted by themselves - Sub-Zero sees Sektor as the metal abomination, Sektor might see Sub-Zero as a cryomancer who relies too much on his powers and is a threat to the clan because of cryomancer's solitary and authority-challenging nature. They both commit to the conflict without the influence of other actors, they both made the choice that there is no place for them both in this world.

Also while Scorpion took away Sub-Zero's brother, he admitted regret and wanted to make things right, whereas Sektor took his best friend and enslaved him (Smoke). Also Sektor turned the whole clan against Kuai Liang, forcing him to survive by himself and later, founding the new Lin Kuei, so unironically the conflict pushes them both to exceed their limits and to defeat the other, because when the other is still alive, their clans will never thrive. Scorpion and Sub-Zero however during their conflict don't make anything particular because of each other, even though they learn an important lesson of forgiveness.

The conlusion of the conflict also varies - Scorpion and Sub-Zero are bound to make peace with themselves when they learn the truth about their feud. Sub-Zero and Sektor however will never stop until one of them is dead - sadly in original timeline they never had a stand-off, but in MKX comic book they had that one final fight they always deserved - I think it's total shame that this feud was never more in the spotlight, even though I liked Sub-Zero's chapter in MK11, where there was a recreation of this comic book's volume and I consider this a fan service.

I am calling out @cienie-isengardu to share his opinion on this post - I remember reading your posts on tumblr since idk when, I love them

[amidstnamjin-and-binchanlix]

fight off the light tonight and just stay with me (honey, don't you leave) || ot7

Warnings: a teeny tiny bit of blood, mentions of hospitals and surgery, heavy angst(?)

I won't control you, but MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. This is not for you, please.

Pairings: OT7/(F) Reader, Jackson Wang/(F) Reader

Plot: Will it be too late for them to try and make things right?

Genre: not really unrequited love (but they're all idiots), mutual pining, angst, denial of feelings, poly ot7

Did you ever love her? Do you know?

Or did you never want to be alone?

And she was singing "Baby, come home."

"Baby, come home."

I've got those jet pack blues

Fight off the light tonight and just stay with me;

Honey, don't you leave.

mixtape: all i have left to give - part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - ending 1

thank you so much because this fic was my first one to reach more than 10 kudos in ao3 and some peeps liked the first part enough to reblog to want to read the next part you don't know how much it means to me :o oh my fucking god how did that happen??? thank you so friggin much!!!

sorry if my summaries are all song lyrics owo i just love taking inspiration from them when i write because i can't find the old me who can write and word vomit in a drop of a hat huahuahauhauhauahuahauaau am sorry my bad

bit of warning for some teeny tiny blood and hospitals but no one will die, i promise! i mean not yet, so far i haven't thought that far yet.

also!!!! i'm not a medical expert so please let me know if there are inaccuracies because there are bound to be, no matter how much research i do or how much i ask from doctor frens hueheuheuuefhiuf

title from Jet Pack Blues by Fall Out Boy because fuck yeah i wouldn't get them as a first tattoo if i didn't love them so much

hope i don't disappoint! if i do, i'm so sorry hahahuhu my mom always told me i'm a disappointment so there's kinda nothing new

hope i can write the next parts soon T_T

❤️‍🩹

You can feel the string in your chest slowly fraying.

You never thought that is possible. After all, the strings are connected to the soul and can never be seen. However, when you started the therapy, you started feeling it fray. Slowly and painfully. You don't know how and why, you just do.

Your symptoms are worsening, too. Doctor Im advised you against overworking and stressing yourself but how can you not? It feels like no matter what you do or where you turn, the boys are there. Your only escape is your work and in your line of work, stress is inevitable, so you have no choice but to endure it. At least at work, you are in control. At least at work, you don't have to think about being unwanted—your clients are the ones who request your services, after all.

You don't know what to feel, really. It feels like fate is pushing you to your limits and wants to see you suffer.

Look, even you can admit to yourself that there's no need to undergo the therapy. Your soulmates can go get fucked and feel your pain through the bond.

But you can't have that, can you?

You're not one to lie to yourself, you know why you feel this way. Aside from the fact that fate (unfortunately) assigned you seven soulmates who can give less of a fuck about you, you know deep down that you want to be with them and not just because your souls were linked to each other.

You're in with love them, period.

You've seen them through their bests and their worsts, and you're still hopelessly in love with them. You've seen their sides that they never dare show you, the beauty they unfairly grant other people but not you. You've also seen their worst, the ugliness seemingly reserved for you alone, but the longing is still there.

You can't help it, and you're sadly fucked no matter how you look at it. 

As you massage your perpetually aching chest, you also think how your dignity and pride are the only ones you have left. While it might be a rush of satisfaction to see them squirm, it is at the cost of your pride. You learned early on in life that you can never show your emotions—most especially your weakness—with how many times people fucked you over by using them against you.

In this case, you have to endure every pain to save face. So if it helps everyone sleep at night, then you'll give them what they want. If they don't want you, then you'll just have to remove yourself from the equation altogether. Simple math.

You snort. You're being too dramatic. You're used to this, you tell yourself. From your mother to the few lovers you had; there was always something wrong with you, something lacking. You're never needed in your whole life, so it was easy for them to leave you. It was always the easiest choice to not choose you. Why are you crying about it now?

You shake your head with a resigned sigh. There's no use regretting this. You swore to yourself you would stop regretting things you do and now is the time to stand by it. For yourself, and for the inner child in you who did nothing but run after people who turned their backs on her.

You try to stave off the pounding behind your temples by rubbing your eyes with your palms. While you are thankful that the meds seem to be working and the boys can't feel any input of emotions from you through your bond, the medicines and treatments are such pains in the ass. Fucking side effects.

Speaking of side effects, Doctor Im told you that one side effect would be them not feeling any of the emotions you feel, but you would still feel theirs, the latter possibly more potently than normal. You tried to test the emotion theory before, afraid that it will fail and the meds won't work. This is your only chance at walking away with your precious pride intact, so this should work. This has to work.

"It might take a while, but your emotions shouldn't reach through their strings anymore once you continuously undergo the whole therapy process," Doctor Im had said.

"You would still feel theirs, unfortunately." He looks at you tenderly, albeit with not an ounce of pity. That's okay, you don't want anyone's pity. "You'll be more attuned to them than a normal person is to their soulmate because your soul will be tender from all the treatments."

Doctor Im Jiho is kind, a little young for his profession if you say so yourself, but he is brilliant. It's what made you trust him. Even if the therapy is still not ratified and recognized legally, and still in its human trial stages, something about how passionately Doctor Im explained the whole therapy process and what it entails just screamed 'I know what the fuck I am doing'.

Or he should. Please let it be true, or you'll just rip your lungs out of your ribs and unalive yourself. So far though, Doctor Im and his team delivered.

Back to the emotion theory you have.

You wanted to see if the therapy works. Since soulmates can feel each others' extreme emotions, going through soul-scraping therapy shouldn't send any of yours to their end of the bond. To be sure, you waited a month into the treatments to start with the observation.

Since you've been keeping your distance and you cannot see it for yourself, you asked for help from Ae-cha and their other managers, most especially Kyunghee. They understood and agreed with no questions asked, and for that, you are eternally grateful.

You asked them for even the slightest changes in the boys' behavior during times when you know your emotions were at high. So far, there were none. It's either the meds are really working or they are just good at masking it. The second would be implausible, knowing how anything related to you would be a nuisance for them. They would make their displeasure known about it, you're sure.

Sejin, however, you're not sure you can face his pitying eyes again, so you never asked him. You don't want to hear the pitying tone in his voice one more time either. Once is more than enough to last for your lifetime.

You are just about to reach for the medicine bottle when you feel your eyeballs twitch rapidly from behind your eyelids and the pounding in your temples grow louder.

God, not now. You still have that meeting set with your lawyers. Not now.

You dial your assistant's number shakily.

"Joy, can you please phone Attorney Shin for me?" You say to the phone through your coughs, the air in your chest feels like slowly being squeezed out of you.

"Are you okay, [Name]?" Comes your assistant's concerned voice through the phone speaker. "Do you want me to call Doctor Im?"

You take the glass of water on your table with shaking hands. "I'm okay. I'm okay." You take big gulps of water, but the feeling doesn't pass. "There's no need."

Joy ignores the last part. "I'm going there, wait for me."

You go to tell her not to bother, but she hangs up before you can. A few minutes later, Joy comes through the door slightly panting.

"[Name]!" Joy takes hurried steps toward you, but you weakly wave her off. "You look like death. Jeez, I'm calling Doctor Im!"

"No, no! I'm—" You burst into another fit of whooping coughs and faintly hear Joy's worried voice.

Your hand comes away with splotches of blood, some staining the sleeve of your pullover shirt.

"Oh, shit. Shit, [Name]!" Joy screeches, now terrified. She runs to the doorway and shouts. "Jenny! Jenny! Come quick!"

Footsteps sound shortly later and you hear Jenny's panicked shrieks.

"[Name]? Are you okay?!" You feel Jenny's hand touch your shoulder. "Oh, my god. Dongwoon! Dongwoon!" More footsteps but you don't register them, black spots dancing in your vision.

So maybe you're not okay right now.

Oops, your bad.

You stand up slowly to tell them you're fine. However, before you can even open your mouth, you cough and retch.

More blood.

"[Name]!"

The last thing that registers in your brain are strong arms catching you when you black out, their panicked voices warped in your ears.

(oh, darling. what are we going to do with you?)

---

"I got it! I got it now, hyung," Taehyung says with a grin to Hoseok as Jimin comes back through the door of their practice room.

"Yeah? Let's run that through again?" Hoseok asks with a satisfied smile.

"Okay!" Taehyung nods. The boys are all feeling happy because the choreography turned out really good and is something they are proud of. The good feeling doesn't last long, however, when Jungkook bursts into the room.

"Hyung! Hyung!"

They all turn to look at him, eyebrows raised. Namjoon tsks at him.

"Kook, don't run. How many times do I—"

"[Name]-noona!"

They all freeze.

''She... she..." Jungkook then bursts into breathless tears, which propels Yoongi and Namjoon out of their seats. Jin turns off the music. When Jungkook doesn't continue, Namjoon shakes his shoulders.

"Jungkook, what is it?'" Panic rising in his voice.

"They rushed her to the hospital," Jungkook chokes through his sobs. "Y-Yonsei. They rushed her to Yonsei, hyung."

Their stomach drops at that.

Ever since they discovered by accident that you had been undergoing soul-scraping therapy, they have been keeping an eye on you. It took a while for some of them to accept or maybe even acknowledge you as their other soulmate, some longer than others, but they're getting there.

However, the pit in their stomach and the guilt in their chests never really went away, so they had to do it slowly and inconspicuously. They watched from afar and through their staff, and it pissed them off to no end that they have to do so, but they have to. They want to take it slowly and surely so as not to confuse and overwhelm you, still also confused about what they're feeling themselves.

"Yonsei? Hospital? Are you sure?" Jimin asks. "Why—"

"I don't know, hyung. I just heard Manager Sejin talking to Kyunghee-nim." Jungkook looks lost, tears flowing down his cheeks. "[Name]-noona..."

Jin doesn't even wait for their response, sprinting out of the room to find where Sejin is.

"Jin-hyung!"

He ignores them, spotting Sejin standing with his phone clutched in his hand, and talking to one of their other managers, Kyunghee. The pained expression on their faces and their hushed conversation say everything Jin needs to know.

"Sejin-nim!"

At the sound of his voice, Sejin and Kyunghee both turn to look at him.

Jin halts to a stop in front of the two. "What happened to her?"

"How did you—?"

"Please, Sejin-nim," Jin begs as the others come into view, slightly panting. "I need to know, please."

Sejin looks at Kyunghee, the latter with a grim expression on her face.

"Is it because of the therapy?" When Sejin didn't answer, Jin turns to Kyunghee. "Kyunghee-nim, please."

Kyunghee nods with a solemn expression. "Yes." The others gasp behind him but nothing registers. "Joy told me she'd been getting sicker as of late. She collapsed this morning."

Jungkook's sobs get louder, but Jin paid them all no mind. The only thing on his mind is—

"[Name]." He looks at Sejin with desperation in his eyes. "Take me to her. I want to see her."

Sejin purses his lips, sharing a look with Kyunghee. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why?!" Jin's eyes are shining from unshed tears, frustration bubbling in his chest. "I want to see her. Take me to her, Sejin-nim. Please."

"We have explicit instructions not to let any of you see her," Kyunghee says steadily. "We can't take you there, Jin. I'm sorry."

"If you're not taking me to her, I'll go there by myself," Jin says stubbornly. "I don't care about whose instructions they are; she's my soulmate and I'm seeing her."

"A soulmate you all rejected!" Sejin bursts out sharply. "You all asked her to stay away from you, asked me to talk to her before. Or don't you remember?"

Jin falls silent at that. The others are no better, hanging their heads in shame.

"You didn't see her eyes that day, Jin. I was the one to look the poor girl in the eyes." Sejin's tone softens. "Don't do this to her. Do you want to see her in more pain?"

"I just want to see her," Jin says brokenly. "I won't show myself to her. I'll be gone when she wakes up." Jin pleads. "Please, Sejin-nim. It's all I ask of you, please."

"She explicitly asked me before not to let anyone of you near her, so I can't. We have to respect that."

Jin huffs angrily, turning back to Jungkook. "Yonsei, you said?" He doesn't wait for the response and stalks off, patting for his keys in his pockets.

Shit. He left them in his room.

"Seokjin!" Sejin runs after him, but he ignores him.

"Hyung!" Someone pulls his arm back, and it's Namjoon.

"No!" Jin yanks his arm back. "This stops now, Namjoon."

"Hyung."

"That's our soulmate. Our soulmate!" Jin shakes his head. "Fuck getting burned and left behind—we left her behind. All seven of us. If us getting used and left behind by people who are not our soulmates hurt, how do you think that would feel for her, rejecting and leaving her? Her own soulmates!"

"You know why we had to do it!" Namjoon bellows.

"And it's bullshit! She is our actual soulmate, you saw her marks!" Jin yells back. "You know how I felt about this. I told you all how I felt about this, but you didn't listen. Nobody listened to me."

"Hyung, that's enough!" Yoongi growls. "It's unfair for you to put this on us; you agreed to it, too."

"Because I'll lose you all if I don't! You gave me no choice!"

"We never said that!" Hoseok holds Yoongi back from stepping further toward Jin, the latter seething in anger. "We never asked you to do that."

"You get drunk and cry to me, telling me to always choose you and the others. That's not asking me?" Jin sneers. "You always saying how we should always choose each other and no one else, that's not asking me? You asked me to stay away from her even when it hurts choosing between you and her. Do you take me for a fool, Yoongi?"

Jin looks at all of them and they would shrink at the anger that is not normally present on his beautiful face, but they're all too furious to back down.

"I tried to talk to all of you, but no one listened."

He looks at Jimin and Hoseok, and they both look away in guilt. "This is not something you two should be neutral about. She had been nothing but kind to you."

Jin turns and jabs his finger toward Namjoon. "I thought you of all people can be reasoned with, but you let your pride cloud your judgment. I thought you had the brains to see through your fucking ego, but I was clearly wrong."

He then looks at Taehyung, rage marring his face. "And you. Do you think I wouldn't know how you rubbed the rejection in her face like an asshole, Taehyung? Huh? How dare you?"

Jungkook gasps and whips his head toward Taehyung with a hurt expression.

"Hyung?" Jungkook puts his hand on Taehyung's shoulder, who doesn't look back at any of them. "What is he talking about?" Jungkook turns back to Jin, confusion on his teary face. "What are you talking about, Jin-hyung?"

Jin scoffs. "He asked her how it feels to be rejected, and how it feels to run around with people who aren't her soulmates a few months ago at that bar. Didn't you, Taehyung?" The others gasp, their eyes widening as they all turn towards Taehyung, who now looks guiltily away from them.

"And I had to know from Jackson, of all people. Jackson! The asshole didn't hold back in letting me know how it's a good thing [Name] will never be ours. How do you think it feels to stand there and listen to him tell me how stupid I am for dropping my soulmate when I never wanted to in the first place, Taehyung?"

"Taehyung-ah!" Hoseok cried. "Why would you do that to her?"

Taehyung yanks his arm off Hoseok's grasp. "I don't know, okay?! I don't know!" he snarls. "She looked so happy with him and I can't think straight! I wasn't thinking straight." He chokes on his sobs.

"You shouldn't have done that, Taehyung-ah!" Hoseok admonishes. "She didn't do anything wrong to us."

"I know, okay?!" he snaps. "I know we asked her to stay away but I can't help feeling angry that she's so happy without us when all I can think is we asked for this, we wanted this."

Taehyung breaks down and weeps. Hoseok puts his arms around him in a tight hug.

"I didn't know what I was thinking," he cries repeatedly. "I didn't know what I was thinking."

There were a few heavy minutes of silence, save for Taehyung's sobs and Jungkook's sniffles.

"If anything happens to her, I'll never be able to forgive myself." Jin eventually says. "I'm no saint, but I never ever would intentionally hurt [Name] more than we are already doing.

"Even if we try to make things right, it might be too late. But, I still want to try because it's what she deserves. So, I won't let anyone stop me. No one can stop me," Jin looks at them one by one, lingering a little longer on Namjoon's and Yoongi's faces. He takes a deep steadying breath.

"Not any of you can stop me. Not even any of you." He shakes his head. "Not anymore."

He abruptly turns on his heels, and Jungkook runs after him.

Jin needs to see you, and he'll find a way to, even if has to go against anyone's wishes.

He'll find his way to get back to you.

(took him too long, darling. will he make it in time?)

---

In the end, Sejin did take him to the hospital. Jungkook, unsurprisingly, came with him. The younger clung onto him all the way to Yonsei, tears staining his dark shirt.

"I don't want to lose any of you, hyung." Jungkook cries, face buried in Jin's chest. "But I don't want to lose her, too."

"I know," Jin says, voice hoarse. "You won't lose me. I don't want to lose her, too." He buries his in Jungkook's soft locks, trying to keep the tears that had been threatening to spill since he sat in the back of the car.

"We'll make it right this time, Gguk-ah."

---

Jin doesn't know what to expect when the car stops in front of Yonsei Medical Center. He had a plan up until they stopped, the car running idly in the background. Now, he doesn't think he's ready to see you, too afraid of what he'll come across.

He knows he's getting ahead of himself, but he can't help but think that he might be too late, that he had already lost your heart.

No.

He takes a deep breath and steels himself.

He can do this. He can do this for you.

"You ready?" he asks Jungkook. Jin wipes at the stray remaining tears on Jungkook's face and runs his hands through the now-long hair just so he can keep his hands busy and stop them from shaking.

"I don't know, hyung." Jungkook's wide eyes are still glassy. "I'm scared."

Jin smiles gently. "Don't be. Hyung's here." He takes Jungkook's hand on his own. "We have to be strong for her if we want to do it right. Okay?"

"Okay, hyung." Jungkook nods with a small hopeful smile. "Okay."

For all the bravado that he conjured up while in the car, in the elevator, and in the hallways to the sterile room of the ICU, Jin still isn't prepared for what greets him when they take you inside your room.

They had to wait for you to be taken to your room from the operating room. The whole time they were waiting, Jin can't stop his leg from jiggling and Jungkook was no better, pacing around the room while lost in his thoughts.

Then the door opened.

He stands and gasps in sync with Jungkook's own, and he has to stop himself from falling to the floor.

When they said that you collapsed, he was thinking that maybe you were just overworked. That, and that the therapy's side effects just added to it. You'll be fine, you'll be okay.

This... this is far from what he expected. This is definitely not fine, and this is way worse.

You are hooked on different machines and it scares him to death. Your skin is pale and frail with bluish spots and rashes all over your face and skin, and your lips are almost blue. Your hands and fingers have spots of violet, green and grayish tints.

You look like death.

Jungkook breaks into sobs, calling your name as Jin stands there frozen. He only snaps out of it when one of the nurses stops Jungkook from running to your side and grasping your hand.

"We have specific instructions from her doctor not to allow skin contact with the patient, not until we know who her soulmate is," the nurse says as she wheels your bed to place, putting a hand to stop Jungkook from getting closer to the bed.

"That's us," Jungkook says as Jin steps behind him. "We're her soulmates."

If Jungkook thinks that this will make the nurse relent, he's sorely mistaken.

The nurse shakes her head resolutely. "All the more reason you are both not allowed to have skin-to-skin contact with the patient."

"What?" Jin blurts out.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss information about Miss [Last Name]'s condition," the nurse points out. "We advise waiting for Doctor Choi. He'll be here in a few minutes."

Jin is itching to just fuck it and take your hand, but he knows it would not be wise until they speak to the doctor.

Doctor Choi can't arrive fast enough.

Jin pulls Jungkook down to sit beside him as they see the nurses fuss over you. He has no choice but to resist the urge to touch and hover over you as his chest pulls him to do. He doesn't want to risk hurting or harming you further, so he sits on the couch and puts his hand on Jungkook's knee instead.

"What's taking them so long, hyung?" Jungkook's knee is jiggling, and Jin pats him gently. Jin looks calm outwardly, but his shaking hands betray him. "Why is her doctor not here yet?"

"I don't know, Gguk-ah, but we have to be patient."

Jungkook looks at him with furrowed brows. "How can you be so calm about this?" His eyes sparkle with unshed tears.

Jin laces his hand with Jungkook's, still shaking. It then dawns on Jungkook that Jin is anything but calm.

"I'm not." Jin takes a deep breath, otherwise, the tears he tries so hard to suppress will start pouring. "I'm not, but I have to."

He looks at where you're lying on the bed.

"We have to, Gguk. She needs us right now. We need to set things right, and we can't do that if we fall apart right now. Okay?"

It's then that the door to your suite opens. Jin and Jungkook both stand at the sound and in strides whom Jin recognizes as Doctor Im from his visits to you, and another doctor whom he presumes as Doctor Choi.

"Oh. Mr. Kim. Mr. Jeon," Jin and Jungkook bow slightly at the acknowledgment, "I didn't expect to see you two here."

That sends a pang to Jin's chest, but he ignores it. He knows they deserve the unintended jab.

"Should I expect the others to arrive soon?" the doctor asks.

Should they?

"We're honestly not sure, Doc." Manager Sejin, as usual, saves the day. "Kim Sejin." Sejin holds his hand out to shake the doctors' hands.

"Im Jiho, Animaelogy specialist." Doctor Im shakes his hand and points to the doctor beside him. "This is Doctor Choi Daeseong, head surgeon for Yonsei Medical." The other doctor shakes Sejin's hand.

"Due to the nature of Miss [Last Name]'s case, we would have to request the rest of the security detail present to leave the room for a while. You three can stay, but that's as far as we can allow for this discussion."

Sejin nods. "That will be no problem." He nods at the two men standing by the door, who immediately bow and take their leave. The nurses slowly file out of the room as well.

The two doctors walk toward your prone figure, and Jin and Jungkook follow suit. Doctor Im makes a short check of your vitals, while Doctor Choi checks you with gentle hands and looks at your charts. Once done, the two doctors turn toward the three remaining men in the room.

"Is there someone we can talk to from Miss [Name]'s team about her overall condition and routines these past few weeks or months?" Doctor Im asks.

"We can ask Joy Song from her team, as well as Jenny Ri. They're her closest assistants, so they can provide information. I last saw them trying to contact [Name]'s lawyers." Sejin supplies.

Doctor Im nods. "I see." He takes a quick look towards you before turning back to them. "I'm afraid [Name] isn't doing too good right now.

Jungkook finds Jin's still shaking hands, lower lip trapped between his bunny teeth.

"It's a good thing that her team was able to rush her in right away. If not, the situation would have been graver than it is now."

Jin's heart stops.

"G-grave?" he asks, voice trembling. "What do you mean 'grave'?"

It's Doctor Choi who speaks this time.

"When Miss [Last Name] was brought in for the emergency surgery, we had to do an emergency septal myectomy." Doctor Choi holds up a film of a scan, presumably [Name]'s.

"This is Miss [Last Name]'s echocardiogram." He points at a white portion in the middle of the scan, and Jin's head swims. "Miss [Last Name]'s septum is drastically thicker than that of a person with a healthy heart, so it prevented healthy blood flow to the chambers of her heart. Added to the treatments she was undergoing, it caused abnormal and uneven blood flow to her heart and the rest of her body, and caused complications that were...life-threatening."

Doctor Im looks at the other doctor. "It appears that [Name] has been hiding her symptoms since our last meeting, possibly way longer, so it was left untreated."

"What happened, Doc?" Sejin asks as he looks between the two doctors. "Is she going to be okay?"

The doctors share a grim look, one that Jin notices.

"What is it?" he asks, eyes darting between the two.

"Her heart nearly gave out from the heavy stress her body was in, Mr. Kim. Her blood wasn't being properly pumped and filtered, and her immune system was heavily compromised, so she suffered from bilateral pneumonia, which also affected her bloodstream.

Doctor Im takes off his glasses and sighs heavily. "She had septic shock caused by sepsis."

"She almost didn't make it." Doctor Choi says. Jin gasps in sync with Jungkook, the latter almost collapsing to the floor. "She went into cardiac arrest on the table, but we were able to bring her back."

(jin thinks his heart can't get any more bruised than it already is. your poor heart is battered literally and metaphorically. how can he possibly fix it for you?)

(he should've never listened when they asked him to stay away from you. he should've fought for you and with you, that way you're not alone.)

"But she's going to be okay, isn't she?" Sejin asks what the other two can't, what they're too afraid to ask.

Doctor Choi pauses before he shakes his head with pursed lips. "I'm afraid we can't really tell right now. We put her in an induced coma while we try to let her body recover, and we administered treatments, which will continue within the next few days. We can only hope for the best."

"Hope for the best?!" Jungkook cries his first words since the two doctors entered the suite, and looks up at them with tears now steadily running down his cheeks. "So we do nothing?!"

"Unfortunately, so." Jungkook finally loses it and collapses onto the floor on his knees, staring into nothing. "We have done everything we could for now, and we'd have to run some more tests in a few days. But right now, we can only monitor her. An induced coma is the best bet we have to let her body rest and the for treatments to take effect."

Induced coma.

Induced coma.

Jin's head is swimming with those two words as he walks closer to your prone figure and reaches out to mindlessly grasp your hand, but a hand stops his wrist.

"I'm afraid we have to advise you not to touch or make any skin-to-skin contact with Miss [Last Name] right now, most especially since you're her soulmate."

"What?" Jin asks dumbly.

"One of the side effects of the therapy is skin burns when the person comes in contact skin-to-skin with their soulmate, so skin-to-skin contact is highly discouraged."

Jin feels like his whole being wants to shatter. He can't love you, and he can't touch you? Was this how you felt all this time?

Before he can even make any further moves, the door to your suite opens, and in bursts Jackson, panting heavily.

Jin can't even find it in himself to be mad. After all, Jackson was there when you needed someone the most. No matter how it hurts him that there's another person who holds your hand, he can't do anything about it. They weren't there for you, he wasn't there for you. The least they can do is let you find someone else to hold when you need to.

Jackson crosses the room at record speed straight to you, grasping your hand delicately with a pained gasp. His manager is tailing behind and closes the door gently.

Jackson lets go of your hand gently and turns to the doctors. "Is she gonna be okay?"

"Im Jiho, Miss [Last Name]'s animaelogy physician." Jackson grasps the doctor's hand, as well as Doctor Choi's hand in a firm handshake. "This is Doctor Choi Daeseong, head surgeon for Yonsei."

"Jackson Wang." He smiles politely. "Is she gonna be okay?" He repeats.

"I assume Miss [Last Name] has made you aware of her treatments since she informed me she made you her next of kin?" Doctor Im asks.

Jackson's face darkens. "Yes, she did."

Doctor Im nods his head. "I'm afraid Miss [Last Name] is not doing so well right now. We would need to keep her in a coma for a while as we observe her and let the treatments take effect."

Jackson's eyebrows furrow. "Isn't that dangerous? How long would that take?"

"We'd need to assess first within the next few days. Right now, we cannot provide or guarantee until when she will need to be, but we'll do our best, Mr. Wang. I can assure you that."

Jackson nods but turns to Jin, his gaze hardening. "This is your fault." He looks at Jungkook, then back to Jin. "Why are you two here? Who gave you the right to be here?"

"We're her soulmates," Jungkook says coldly, to which Jackson snorts. Jungkook gets up from the floor swiftly. "We have every right to be here."

"Do you, Jungkook? After you all left her, do you really think you still have the right to be here? And for what? To make sure she's dead?"

Jungkook takes an angry step closer to Jackson, his face painted with rage. "What did you fucking say, you asshole?!" Sejin, the doctors, and Jackson's manager step between them. "Say that again, you motherfucker. I fucking dare you."

"Isn't that what you came here for, to make sure she stays away for good? Isn't that what you wanted?" Jackson is red in the face as the security detail rushes to the room.

"I'm still her soulmate, know your fucking place!" Jungkook shouts back, Jin holding him back by his chest. "In the eyes of the law, we have every right to be here."

"You gave up those rights when you rejected her, so you can shove that law up your ass and fuck off." Jackson's manager holds him back by wrapping his arms around Jackson's shoulders.

Jungkook can vaguely hear the doctors speaking to Sejin, but he pays them no mind. "I'm not leaving her here alone, so you can go get fucked."

"Jungkook." Sejin holds him by his shoulders. "I think it's best if we come back another day."

"I'm not leaving her again!" Jungkook cries.

"We're all emotional, and it will not help [Name] if one of you ends up in the ER." Jungkook looks at your peaceful figure, unaware of the disorder around you, and it hurts him. He feels his hands yearn to touch you but he can't, he doesn't want to hurt you. "Come on, I'll take you and Seokjin home."

Jungkook's expression crumples as he looks at Sejin. "But—"

"We'll come back, I promise." Jungkook's breathing is heavy, but Sejin's expression is steadfast. "I promise."

Jungkook has no choice but to concede. He turns back to Jackson. "You can't keep me away from her forever. I'll come back for her."

Jackson opens his mouth to retort that you don't need them, but his manager stops him.

"I'll come back for her, and no one can stop me. Unless it comes from her mouth that she doesn't want me here, I will be here." Jungkook chances one more look at you before he shrugs off the arms around him and stalks out of the room. Jin, who had been quiet all throughout the ordeal takes one good look at you before following suit, not even sparing Jackson a glance.

No one can keep them away from you. They'll stop at nothing just to do what they should've done before—give you all the love you deserve. Until you tell them that you don't want them in your life, they'll spend forever to try and make it up to you.

And make it up to you, they will.

---

[vaalthus]

For the Fallen (spoilers)

I have to say Ostromir has absolutely been a fascinating character to bear witness to over the end of this saga but this quest definitely takes the cake for me at the moment.

It was admittedly surprising as to why Ostromir seemed to have beef with Zadd specifically of all people despite having no personal history with him

Indeed, in examining his pop-up dialogue during the basic combat of the quest I assumed that he was angry that Zadd, and by extension the Rose, was destroying and experimenting with the Shapeless Empire's golems. It would not have necessarily been out the question that some Magesters do see them as more than soul-bounded automatons meant to be at the empire's beck and call given that they were originally people sacrificed to become an Ignominious. Experimenting and destroying them would be akin to a second death and insult. Furthermore, Zvezadana's and Ostromir's comment would have you believe the brute-force thinking of Zadd's experiments on their golems is Ostromir's main umbrage with him.

However, while I believe that to be somewhat the case here still, the reason Ostromir's despises Zadd is all the clearer when and after he puts Zadd down for good.

It was his guilt over the organization he puts his faith into that drove Raven's family away to the LoD, where they met their end, that was really motivating him to kill Zadd. In a way, had the Magesterium not operated the way it does, did, Raven would be a Magester and her parents still alive. So yeah you could say they indirectly killed them by pushing them within the reach of Zadd's careless experimentation with golemancy.

Further still is the guilt Ostromir feels over the children that perished through the experiments made in the Wastes.

It did not particularly go unnoticed for me that Ostromir did not attempt to even refute Zadd's accusation, yet defended our place in siding with them, that him and the Magesterium can be seen as monsters.

A fact I believe circles back to Ostromir's fury toward Zadd's lack of refinement with his work in spite of his talents. From Ostromir's perspective him and the other magesters, in this weird system that was set in place long before any of them existed, are doing what they believe is best in service for the prosperity and security of the Shapeless Empire. Meaning the actions they take, no matter how cruel or harsh, is for, in their eyes, the greater good for their people.

So for a man like Zadd to come along, who experiments for his curiosity, is too much to bear for Ostromir. Zadd's actions from his perspective is an affront to what he desperately clings to and that is the good he believes the Magesterium offers the world. The good that likely called for the experimentation of children in the Wastes. Experimentation that led to many of them simply dying. Yet still I wonder from the way he talks about that time...

Was Ostromir forced to put an end to some of the children that were experimented on?

Either way, it must be hard to reconcile at times with the good your organization is trying to achieve and the reality of the suffering they have caused others regardless if it was directly or not.

It's characterization that I'm completely loving right now.

On a similar note, I think I understand a little bit better what the "Shapeless Wills" means to the Magesterium

To them it is what they believe is within the best interest of the goals and motivations of the Shapeless Empire, be it collectively through census or through individualistic action when the opportunity to make such a choice alone arises.

Doesn't make me any less nervous about their continued presence in the LoD but it is nice to have these reminders that the they are at the end of the day people doing what they believe to be right.

[quirkthieves]

“eavesdrop” Thought I was done w Mihai's but he sent me right back for Nobimaru

"Mihai Florescu is one of Inugami's most important and most secretive allies." The pointer hovers under the name written out on the board.

"He's written multiple books, and hovers in and out of the public eye, but the fact he rarely leaves his room makes it difficult to investigate him beyond that which he willingly cultivates and puts out. Interestingly, he seems largely unconcerned with being outed as a kemono, even going so far as to call himself a vampire on his Youtube channel to an audience of about 2 million. That being said, this audience appears to largely believe it to be some sort of persona, so Lady Inari has left it alone for the time being."

"What we know for certain is that he is a vampire, many hundreds of years old, and from Romania. Despite his age, his skills with technology are singlehandedly covering the cybersecurity aspect of Inugami's operations. He also, occasionally, will loan his services in the form of making devices, but these appear to be rare."

Nobimaru stops to pin a few files to the board before continuing.

"As a vampire, he is an incredibly high-caliber demon Kemono, even beyond that of Kabane's ghoul-hybridism. While in theory, there are far more ways to kill a vampire than there are a ghoul, Mihai Florescu's age, knowledge, and strength make him an enemy far out of even my league. Under no circumstances should you engage him as a combatant. Raids on the Kemono Agency are discouraged for this reason, among others."

"The reason, you might be wondering, as to why he has not been a problem before now, is quite simple: He has a terrible personality. Immortality has made him entirely self-serving, and while the nature of his agreement with Inugami is unknown to us, it seems that Mihai is in no ways bound to do anything for Inugami that does not personally benefit him, and immediately so. He will even act at the detriment of Inugami and his employees, should he find the circumstance entertaining enough. His moods are capricious, and his sole pacifier appears to be video games, particularly MMORPGs. Unless you act in a way that interferes with his hedonism, he will have no reason to ever confront you. And should you end up in a confrontation with him, appealing to his ego is the best way to create an opening for an escape. He loves being praised, and hates being scolded. He's not known to be particularly cruel, so let him have his fun and crawl away when you have the chance. In any case, it's likely that Inugami or Kabane-kun would intervene before he started ripping you limb from limb. They aren't too keen on that sort of thing, especially not inside the house. His food of choice is specialty pomegranates from Ogreham, which are easy to obtain. There's no reason to believe he's starving, which works in our favor. A hungry vampire is more dangerous than a full one. Pursuing any of us or rushing to Kabane-kun's aid is a waste of energy he could be putting towards his hobbies, and will not reward him in any meaningful way."

Nobimaru sighs and folds up the pointer, shaking his head.

"Really, if you attract his attention, it's your own fault. But we mustn't let our guard down-- he does still work for the tanuki, after all." Nobimaru steps up on the desk in an uncharacteristic move, and plucks the little AV bug from the ceiling. Very clever, Mihai.

It is crushed summarily.

[influenceract]

Why choose the best Influencer Marketing Agencies Over DIY influencer Marketing?

In today's digital world, influencer marketing is essential for brands seeking to rise above the noise and genuinely engage with their audiences, given the increasing complexity of influencer marketing, brands are now thinking of choosing between going DIY and collaborating with the best influencer marketing agencies. Here is a deep dive into why this decision could turn out to be a game changer for your brand.

The Dilemma of DIY 

Starting influencer marketing independently can seem desirable to businesses dealing with budget constraints, along with those who wish to maintain full management. The actual situation proves different from the expected ideal scenario. Your organisation must handle every step of running influencer campaigns when executing them in-house, which includes searching and selecting influencers before contract negotiation and result tracking and ensuring legal compliance. The majority of teams will find it time-consuming to handle these tasks on their own, even if they already handle other responsibilities. 

The influencer scene is gigantic and evolving. The process of finding the right influencer may feel like it comprises fake followers, inconsistent engagement, and influencers that may or may not share your brand values. A brand with little expertise and knowledge in this regard is bound to waste both time and money on partnerships and campaigns that deliver nothing.

How do Influencer Marketing Agencies Make a difference?

Experience 

A top influencer marketing agency in the field has years of valuable experience in the field. They know what works for you and what doesn't, and help your brand transform its unique goals into a tailored campaign. Their expertise ranges from platform nuances to the latest digital trends, ensuring that your campaigns are always unique. 

Access to Top-Notch Influencers 

Agencies have built extensive networks of influencers across various niches as well as across all digital platforms. A cost-free and negotiable agreement brings you into direct contact with creators best suited for your brand. These established relationships working through the agencies procure marketers at low prices to keep your budget allocation efficient.

Efficiency of Time and Resources 

Influencer marketing requires constant attention. The best influencer marketing agencies provides complete management services to carry out your campaign through the entire process, including idea development, influencer choice, implementation, performance analysis and enhancement. Your staff can dedicate themselves to business activities by having experts manage influencer campaign operations to achieve desired results.

Authentic Outcomes 

Agencies never operate by starting campaigns and then waiting to see what happens. Through their reporting systems, agencies measure and monitor all essential metrics that affect performance. The data-driven strategy enables tracking of specific return on investment for your investment and enables ongoing performance enhancement. 

When DIY Is a Good Idea and When It Is Not

DIY influencer marketing successfully operates for limited brand marketing initiatives when brands already have established influencer relationships. Brands that seek expansion or entry into new markets should avoid the DIY route because it creates more risks. The wisest decision for brands seeking to maximise impact and ROI while working with influencer marketing is to choose the best influencer marketing agencies. 

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, DIY influencer marketing versus hiring a good agency for influencer marketing comes down to your brand's own requirements and resources. It can work for smaller campaigns or if you are strong on influencer relationships; however, it is often a time-consuming process and can become difficult to manage as things get larger. Usually, hiring an agency means smoother running and more impactful for your influencer campaign, which is why this is often the better choice. 

Source: Why choose the best Influencer Marketing Agencies Over DIY influencer Marketing?

[arozaevent]

Elegant Wedding Halls in Fresno CA | Aroza Event Center Awaits

A special wedding day needs to offer a perfect blend of enchantment together with sophisticated style and everlasting wonder. The choice of wedding venue stands as your most significant decision among all wedding preparations.  Wedding Halls in Fresno CA, that deliver sophistication through style while providing superior service will be found at this location. Multiple matrimonial couples recognize Aroza Event Center as their number one selection for extraordinary wedding celebrations.

Discover the Magic of Aroza Event Center

Places that serve wedding functions in Fresno CA, present diverse combinations of luxury together with charm. Aroza Event Center stands as an outstanding venue choice because of its remarkable interior design, adaptable event space and complete dedication to superior service levels. Every aspect of our venue designs aims to develop an elegant setting that transforms your wedding concepts into reality.

Aroza Event Center provides wedding spaces that embrace ceremonies ranging from private events to lavish receptions regardless of event size. Aroza Event Center holds the belief that each romantic tale requires an attractive venue to match its essence.

Why Choose Aroza Event Center?

Aroza Event Center stands above all other  Wedding Halls in Fresno CA, because it provides exceptional advantages to bride and groom couples.

Elegant Design: The wedding hall at our venue adopts an eternal design aesthetic that suits every wedding motif.

Spacious Layouts: The building design includes versatile layouts that enable couples to personalize their wedding ceremonies.

State-of-the-Art Amenities: Aroza Event Center provides wedding guests access to contemporary amenities featuring lighting components and audio-visual technology and presentation equipment.

Dedicated Event Team: A specialized event team, along with experienced personnel from our organization, provides complete event management for a seamless experience throughout your celebration.

Convenient Location: Easily accessible for guests traveling from Fresno, Clovis, and beyond.

Fresno CA: couples select Aroza Event Center as their wedding venue choice because of the positive response from wedding seekers.

A Venue for Every Style

Whether you envision a classic wedding, a glamorous reception or a modern celebration, Aroza Event Center can make it a reality. We are one of the most versatile wedding halls in Fresno CA and we provide choices of customizable decoration so you can plan for the wedding you ever dreamed of.

Our beautiful setting can be easily converted to match your palette of colors, flower arrangements, and special touches of your love story. At Aroza, your imagination has no bounds.

Expert Service from Beginning to End

At Aroza Event Center, we don’t just have a venue—we give you an occasion. From the first consultation right through to the last farewell, our team is dedicated to one-on-one service. We know that every couple is unique and their needs are different, which is why we customize our services to satisfy your precise needs.

When you select Aroza amongst Fresno CA, weddings, you are selecting a venue that truly means you care about making your wedding special.

Contact Aroza Event Center Today!

Got your heart set on the beginning of an unforgettable wedding? Come check out why couples choose us as the best of Fresno CA, wedding halls.

Contact Details:

📍 Location: 458 W Shaw Avenue, Clovis, CA 93612

📞 Phone: (559) 862-5578

📧 Email: Aroza@arozausa.com

🌐 Visit Us: https://arozausa.com/

Never be satisfied with anything less. Selecting Aroza Event Center means choosing elegance, opulence and endless memories. Experience it today—your wedding dreams at top-of-its-class wedding halls in Fresno CA!

[steadfastconsultant]

Where Can You Find Trusted PF Registration Service Providers in Hyderabad?

Provident Fund (PF) registration is a legal obligation for businesses in India employing 20 or more people. It ensures social security for employees and helps companies build trust and long-term retention. However, managing the PF registration process can be time-consuming and often confusing due to frequent policy updates and complex documentation requirements. That’s why many businesses choose to partner with professional PF registration service providers in Hyderabad.

But the question is—where can you find a reliable partner to handle this for your business?

The Importance of Choosing the Right PF Registration Partner

Choosing trusted PF registration service providers in Hyderabad can save your company from unnecessary delays, penalties, and compliance issues. These professionals understand the intricacies of EPFO processes and make sure everything—from documentation to ECR filing—is handled seamlessly.

More than just ticking a box for legal compliance, hiring experts ensures your employees' benefits are well-managed, and your company avoids any risk with government authorities.

Introducing Steadfast Business Consultants LLP (SBC)

One of the most dependable names when it comes to PF registration service providers in Hyderabad is Steadfast Business Consultants LLP (SBC). Based in Madhapur, SBC has helped hundreds of businesses across Hyderabad meet their statutory requirements quickly and efficiently.

With a team of compliance experts, SBC specializes in providing end-to-end PF registration services tailored for startups, SMEs, and corporates alike. Their personalized approach, combined with deep legal knowledge, makes them a top choice for businesses that value accuracy, professionalism, and time-bound services.

Call Now: 040-48555182

What Makes SBC Stand Out?

SBC is not just another consultancy firm. Here’s why they’re considered among the best PF registration service providers in Hyderabad:

Location Advantage: Conveniently located in Madhapur, SBC is easily accessible to businesses in key areas like Hitech City, Gachibowli, and Jubilee Hills.

Quick Turnaround: Their team ensures fast and accurate PF registration, often completing the process in just a few working days.

End-to-End Service: From gathering documents to registering with EPFO, UAN generation, and monthly filings—they take care of it all.

Expert Support: Get direct guidance on labor laws, EPFO rules, and regulatory changes.

Affordable Pricing: Transparent cost structure with no hidden fees.

Services Offered

New PF registration under EPFO

UAN activation and linking for employees

ECR filing and monthly challan generation

Employee and employer support for PF queries

Compliance consulting and audit readiness

Final Words

If you're searching for trustworthy PF registration service providers in Hyderabad, look no further than Steadfast Business Consultants LLP (SBC). Their office in Madhapur is ideally located, and their professional team is committed to helping your business stay compliant, efficient, and stress-free.

Get started today and make your PF registration process smooth and reliable.

Contact SBC at 040-48555182 for expert assistance now!

[kavinderrawat]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best CDS Coaching in Dehradun

Imagine standing in the uniform you’ve always dreamed of, saluting the national flag with pride—your journey doesn’t start at the academy; it starts right here, with the right coaching. If you’re planning to crack the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam, then choosing the right coaching institute isn’t just a decision—it’s your first strategic move.

And if you’ve got your eyes set on Dehradun, congratulations—you’re already on the right path. Known for its military aura, disciplined lifestyle, and academic excellence, Dehradun is the place where defence dreams are nurtured and transformed into reality.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the Best CDS Coaching in Dehradun, and why Dehradun Military Academy (DMA) could be the training ground that shapes your future.

Why Dehradun Is the First Choice for CDS Aspirants

Dehradun isn’t just a city—it’s a mindset.

It’s home to the prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA), National Hydrographic Office, and other defence establishments that inspire thousands of aspirants every year. The peaceful yet motivating environment makes it an ideal hub for CDS preparation.

What really sets Dehradun apart?

A strong defence-oriented culture

Access to experienced mentors and ex-army faculty

A competitive, focused peer group

Lush green surroundings that foster discipline and clarity

If you're serious about cracking the CDS exam, there's no better place to begin your journey than Dehradun.

What Makes a CDS Coaching Institute “The Best”?

Before you commit your time, energy, and resources to a coaching institute, ask yourself: What exactly makes a CDS coaching institute stand out from the rest?

1. Experienced Faculty

The backbone of any coaching institute is its faculty. The right teachers don’t just deliver lectures—they mentor, guide, and prepare you for real-world challenges.

At Dehradun Military Academy, classes are led by:

Retired defence personnel with years of service and experience

Subject matter experts in English, Maths, and General Studies

Professionals who understand the CDS pattern and SSB intricacies

2. Structured Course Curriculum

Cracking the CDS exam requires a smart, strategic approach.

Look for a course that includes:

Weekly and monthly study plans

Complete syllabus coverage with revision cycles

Targeted mock tests and performance analysis

Integrated SSB interview preparation

DMA offers a strategic curriculum that ensures you’re never off-track.

3. Personalized Attention

Overcrowded classrooms dilute learning.

At DMA, we maintain small batch sizes to provide:

One-on-one doubt-clearing sessions

Regular assessments and progress tracking

Personal mentoring for academic and psychological readiness

4. Regular Mock Tests & Analysis

The difference between an average attempt and a top-rank score lies in consistent practice.

DMA provides:

Full-length, time-bound mock tests

Section-wise practice sets

Answer analysis and ranking feedback

SSB simulation interviews for real-world prep

5. Dedicated SSB Training

The SSB interview is where many candidates fall short. It tests your personality, confidence, and leadership.

At Dehradun Military Academy, SSB training includes:

Psychological tests (WAT, TAT, SRT)

Group discussions & public speaking

GTO tasks & obstacle courses

Interview techniques & personality development

All under the expert guidance of ex-SSB board officers.

Why Dehradun Military Academy is the Best CDS Coaching in Dehradun

Now let’s talk specifics. Why is DMA considered the best in the game?

Holistic Training Program

DMA offers end-to-end preparation:

Written exam coaching

Physical fitness sessions

Full SSB module

Personality and mindset development

Affordable Fee Structure

High-quality defence coaching shouldn’t be out of reach. DMA offers transparent pricing, flexible payment plans, and scholarship-based admissions for deserving students.

Modern Infrastructure

The academy features:

Smart classrooms with AV aids

Fully equipped library

Hostel & mess facilities

Physical training grounds and obstacle course setups

Proven Track Record

Our success rate speaks for itself. DMA has helped hundreds of aspirants successfully clear the CDS written exam and ace the SSB.

To help you make the best decision, here are a few red flags to watch out for:

Getting influenced by ads only: Big-budget marketing doesn’t guarantee results.

Overlooking faculty experience: Always check who will teach and guide you.

Ignoring SSB coaching: The written test is only half the journey.

Skipping student feedback: Alumni reviews and testimonials are a goldmine of real insights.

How to Get Started with Dehradun Military Academy

Ready to take your first step toward a defence career?

Here’s how to join DMA:

Campus Visit: Schedule a visit for a free counseling session.

Trial Class: Attend a demo class to understand our teaching style.

Meet Mentors: Talk to our faculty and past achievers.

Choose Your Batch: Enroll in weekday, weekend, or crash course options.

Start Training: Begin your journey with complete support from DMA.

Final Thoughts: Your Journey Begins Here

Choosing the right CDS coaching institute isn’t just an academic decision—it’s your first mission as a future officer. With its military legacy and focused learning environment, Dehradun is the ideal city to launch your dream.

And when it comes to results, dedication, and all-round training, Dehradun Military Academy stands head and shoulders above the rest.

You bring the dream. We bring the training. Let’s build your future—together.

Join the Best CDS Coaching in Dehradun and step into the life you’ve always envisioned: one of honour, pride, and service to the nation.