#Also there is nothing more satisfying that cross posting everything all at once

[nxuvillette]

“THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING”

LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY W/ TR MEN

synopsis: your first time is supposed to be special and with the right person. luckily, you have an amazing boyfriend who is willing to make that dream come true.

❥- including : manjiro (mikey) sano, ken (draken) ryuguji, baji keisuke, hanma shuji

❥- note : first tr post 👍🏻 i’m kinda nervous because these were a little longer than my last post but i hope y’all enjoy <3. reblogs are appreciated!!

content warnings: nsfw [17+], fem!reader, ageless + blank blogs dni, virgin!reader, established relationship, virginity loss, praising, oral sex [f!receiving] (mikey , baji), fingering (draken , baji , hanma), finger sucking (baji), slight breeding kink (hanma), creampie (draken , hanma) use of pet names (baby , princess , babydoll , doll) multiple orgasms.

♡ MANJIRO (MIKEY) SANO

you and your boyfriend mikey had been together for a little while. he was nothing but kind to you, and you honestly trusted him more than anybody else that you knew. he was everything.

intimacy had never really crossed his mind before. sure, he knew sex was important, but it wasn’t something he necessarily saw as a necessity in your relationship. not to mention, you were a virgin. you knew things about sex and such, but you never acted upon those desires you had inside your head. mikey was also patient. he never really saw sex as something that had to be rushed. 

eventually, you reached that point after your one year anniversary that you were ready to lose it to him.

mikey honestly couldn’t believe that he did so little to you, yet you were a dripping mess when he took your panties off. he believed if you weren’t a virgin he wouldn’t even need to do foreplay to make you feel good, but he wanted to make sure you were prepped and you got to experience a great first time with him. 

his favorite part was watching you squirm and tremble as his tongue dove into your sopping pussy. you hadn’t experienced such a feeling before and it was so thrilling. his tongue dragged along your slit and you almost came from him just eating you out. mikey couldn’t get enough of how delicious you tasted. he was in disbelief that someone as good as you was hiding like this for so long. it took everything in him to not keep eating you out. 

when mikey finally entered you, you were both in complete heaven. 

mikey was fairly long and his size made you gasp. he was reaching spots that made your mind feel dizzy. with all of the prep he did it also didn’t feel as bad as you thought it would have. he couldn’t believe you felt that amazing. your pussy was hugging his cock so nicely he thought he’d never be able to actually leave it. it was so warm and perfect. 

once you gave him the go ahead to start moving, he made you feel like you were on some type of drug. the feelings you were having were so euphoric. you craved more. you knew he was being gentle on purpose, but you were beyond wanting that soft and delicate sex. 

“m-more, mikey! i need more.. please..” you begged, gripping onto his forearms to show how desperate you were for more of him.

hearing those words snapped something inside mikey, and he ended up quickening his thrusts into you. the tip of his cock kissed your g-spot, making you see white stars in your vision and your body to completely ignite. “fuck.. don’t you worry, baby, i’ll give you all you’ll ever need..” he looked into your eyes, making you feel somewhat flustered at his words. 

you were so close to reaching your high. you were practically clawing at mikey’s back and letting out the most lewd noises every time he rutted into you. this was the first time you had ever felt something so intense in your life. not even your own hand could make you cum that hard. it was like that white hot pleasure in your gut was finally unleashed and it was making you go crazy. mikey had also cum, too. he was in utter shock at how much he released onto your stomach, but he was more than satisfied with the results. 

he pecked your lips, a smile writing itself on his features. “you were so great.. i’m so proud of you.”

♡ KEN (DRAKEN) RYUGUJI

dating toman’s number two was definitely one of the best decisions you had made in your entire life. draken was a better man than your own father and he did everything right in your relationship. he was practically someone who had zero flaws.

there were a few times you and draken had gotten close to actually having sex. sometimes you’d come over to his place and end up with his hands down your pants, but it never escalated to you both carrying out such an act with one another. draken was well aware that you were a virgin and he didn’t really have an issue with that. he wanted to be the one to make you feel good and he didn’t care how much time it took. unlike some men, he had genuine patience.

you and draken had been in his room that night it happened. you were both watching a movie when his hands began to wander around your body, squeezing and massaging your skin to make you feel aroused. it didn’t take long for you to end up on top of your boyfriend with your crotch pressing right up against his aching bulge. 

when you paused in your actions, you whispered to draken that you were ready to finally take that step with him. he was honestly a little surprised to hear such a thing, but he wasted no time pressing your body onto the mattress and going down on you. he almost came on the spot when he came face to face with your weeping pussy. he knew with his size that you’d need the prep, so he took his time with you. 

draken used two of his thick fingers to push into your cunt. he was astonished at how tightly your walls surrounded his digits. he loved hearing you call out his name each time he pumped himself into you. you were such an angel. 

once he had made you cum twice, he knew you were ready. 

you were honestly kind of nervous. draken was the biggest you had ever seen. when he pushed his cock inside you, there was this sharp inhale that escaped your lips. he was so thick. the girth was stretching you out to almost your limit and you practically held onto him for dear life as he bottomed out into you. you didn’t think he’d be able to make it fit, but he did. he could tell you had some discomfort, so he peppered a few kisses onto your face and whispered sweet nothings to ease you. all he wanted was for you to be comfortable. 

you gave him the nod of approval to start moving and you honestly thought he was going to split you in half. his cock was so big. you felt that vein dragging along your walls as he thrusted and it sent you into pure bliss. you could hardly contain the cries of pleasure that spilled from your throat. “d-draken! shit.. ‘feels so good!” you looked at him with hazy eyes while he fucked you so effortlessly.

your voice was like music to his ears. draken’s dick twitched when he heard how his name slipped off your lips. “yeah? you like that, princess? you’re so fuckin’ tight.. i can’t get enough of this pussy..” he grunted. 

that knot inside your belly has finally snapped when those words processed through your foggy brain. draken groaned hard when your cunt clamped around his cock, milking him of what was left in his balls. he couldn’t hide his smirk when he realized he had filled you up with his cum. you seemed to enjoy it too, judging by the moan you let out when you felt him covering your walls with white. 

he leaned towards your ear, his breath fanning against the shell. it sent shivers down your spine at the action. “round two..?” he asked, seductively.

♡ BAJI KEISUKE

sexual intimacy was never something that was a necessity in your relationship with baji. the two of you often focused on more romantic things than the physical aspects of a relationship, but that didn’t mean that you two never craved those inappropriate desires. 

baji knew from day one that you were a virgin. he accidentally asked that “are you a virgin?” question when you both went on a date and almost slapped himself when he realized he came from his mouth. you thought it was kind of funny and you ended up revealing to him that you were a virgin. he didn’t mind at all, and he assured you that he’d never put you in a position where you felt forced to have sex with him. he said sex came naturally and when you were ready to do it with another person.

you and baji went on a nice ride on his bike that night. there was a gorgeous sunset that you both watched and he took you home, expecting you to go into your apartment and not look back. however, he was quite shocked when you tugged his arm to come with you. this hadn’t happened before, so it took him off guard. nonetheless, he followed you up to your apartment and went inside with you. 

after you both shrugged off your jackets, you both ended up in your bedroom and baji was the one on top of you. the two of you hadn’t expected it to become so heated that quickly, but you were too far lost in your bliss to even think about stopping. he paused when he realized you were tugging at his belt buckle. he questioned if you wanted to do it and you nodded eagerly. you told him you were sure that you wanted to proceed and he wasted no time diving into you.

baji thought your body was so gorgeous. he couldn’t stop kissing at your skin and sucking to leave marks on it. when he reached your cunt, his mouth practically watered at the sight of it. it was so puffy and cute that he couldn’t help but have a taste. his tongue swiped over your sensitive bead, causing your thighs to trap his head. he was so talented with his tongue and his fingers that you swore you could cum from just him eating you out. 

once his chin and lips were completely covered in your arousal, he decided to finally pull out his cock that was aching so painfully. 

as soon as baji entered you, your eyes rolled backwards into your skull. the pleasure already felt so amazing that you were already feeling needy for your boyfriend. baji had a pretty impressive size, so taking it was a bit painful at first. he was, however, very good at talking you through that sting. he kissed your lips and whispered how beautiful you were, and he praised you for taking him so well despite the stretch of his cock. 

once he started moving, you wrapped your arms around his neck so you could bring him closer to you. baji thought your pussy hugged him perfectly like you were made for him to make love with. you were so gorgeous. he could hardly keep his eyes off of you. “f-fuck me, baby, you’re so beautiful.. bein’ such a good girl for me..” he pressed his thumb against your pretty lips, in which you sucked on it obediently.

you whined as baji adjusted his angle. his cock was now repeatedly hitting your g-spot which sent waves of pleasure to crash over your body. he was taking such care of your body that you didn’t think you’d ever need to fuck anyone else but him. “baji! oh, god, baji!” your nails dug crescents into his skin as he fucked you.

you threw your head back as your orgasm snapped through you. your pussy creamed around baji, earning several grunts from him. he pulled out the moment he felt his high hurdling towards him. sticky white cum covered your stomach, making a mess on your skin. 

baji kissed your cheek, a smile appearing on his face. “you were perfect.. let’s wash up and cuddle after, yeah?” he nodded, in which you agreed.

♡ HANMA SHUJI

dating someone like hanma shuji meant you had to deal with his sarcasm and also his flirty nature at the same time. however, he treated you like a princess regardless of those random snarky moments he had. he did anything for you and you couldn’t be happier with any other man. 

hanma almost didn’t believe you when you told him you were a virgin. it wasn’t like he thought you were lying for some other reason, but most people your age weren’t virgins. he didn’t see it as a problem, though. hanma thought it would be cute to someday take your virginity. he craved that physical intimacy more than you anticipated, but he was patient with you when it came to the matter. he would wait as long as you wanted, even if there was a side of him that desired to fuck your brains out on a daily basis.

he took you out earlier in the day for some shopping. you were used to being spoiled by him at times, so it wasn’t unusual. he knew the routine fairly well but he was kind of surprised when you both got home and you were being more touchy with him than usual. you brushed yourself over his crotch a few times and kissed him a little longer than normal. he wondered what you wanted, because he couldn’t handle teasing whatsoever.

he was taken back when you told him you wanted to have sex with him. he thought it was a joke, but he knew you were serious when you gave him that look. he didn’t waste another second dragging you into the bedroom and pouncing on you like he was a wild animal going for his prey. 

hanma took care of you. he made sure every inch of your body was kissed by his lips. he wanted you to know how stunning you were while you were naked. he swore god had favorites in that moment. it took everything inside of him to not completely ravage your cunt. when he slipped his fingers into you, he was shocked at how easy it was. you were practically soaking wet. his fingers were also quite lengthy. he curled and twisted his digits to find that button inside of you that would make you crumble in front of him.

you were shocked at how quick hanma had made you cum. before you knew it, he was hovering above you with his cock tip teasing your slit. you couldn’t wait any longer and practically begged him to enter you. he let out that usual chuckle and then pushed his cock into you, making your head fall backwards from how great it felt.

he made you feel like you were on the moon with how great he filled you. hanma could hardly believe you were taking him that well. you felt so full with him fully bottomed out in you. it took a little while for you to completely adjust to the size, but once that pain faded into pleasure, you had become a mess underneath your lover. he made your mind become cluttered and you couldn’t even think straight with how great the pleasure was.

“hanma.. oh, fuck! yes!” your fingers gripped the sheets underneath your body. 

he smirked at your voice crying out for him. he could hardly hold back against you. he quickened his speed a little, but made sure to not overwhelm you completely. you were delicate to him and he only wanted you to feel safe with him. “god, babydoll, it’s like you were made for me..” he used the hand with sin to toy with your puffy clit. “‘gonna make sure you cum all over my cock..”

you couldn’t hold back anymore and completely let go on him. your pussy squeezed his cock tightly and covered it in slick arousal. hanma pushed a load into your womb, grunting as he reached his high. it was so intense he thought he might have cum twice from you. 

he took your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours and pressing a few kisses onto your neck. “i’m so proud of you, doll.. you did so well..” he whispered, lovingly.

© NXUVILLETTE ┆ all rights reserved, do not repost, translate, or claim as your own.

#·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ official work ! #tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo revengers smut #tokyo revengers x you #mikey x reader #mikey sano x reader #mikey smut #draken x reader #draken smut #draken x you #baji x reader #baji keisuke x reader #baji smut #hanma shuji x reader #hanma x reader #hanma smut #tokyo revengers imagines

[parad-ice-lostandfound]

Prompt:

Pairing: Mafia! Octavinelle and MC/Yuu/ Reader

Genre: Hurt/ Comfort ig? Slight crack

TW: Kidnapping, blood, minor character deaths, mc does get a little hurt, mentions of guns, usage of guns, violence (because mafia au), mc also curses at one point, talk of killing people, the prefect wears earrings and has hair (i saw someone use put this in warnings once). Let me know if I should add anything else!

AN: First request for TWST ^^ It's my first time writing for the Octavinelle trio, so please forgive me if they're ooc, I tried my best. This was very fun to work on! Send me asks if you wanna know more about my version of mafia!twst because I had so many thoughts about this entire au but I couldn't fit everything in one post lol. Not really happy with the ending (when am I ever) but I hope you enjoy!

"I'm telling you, you don't wanna do this," You warned your captors for the third time as they checked the cuffs holding you up by your arms. It was an uncomfortable position, kneeling with your arms restrained with metal chains above your head. Your shoulders felt sore, and with how every movement made the skin of your wrists rub against the harsh metal, you just knew that you were going to be sporting some pretty nasty bruises around them.

Vil was going to be furious about that.

You watched as the leader came into your range of vision, a self-satisfied smirk painting his face as he walked over to you. There was quite some distance for him to cross to reach you, and he took his sweet time as he leisurely walked over to you. Probably an intimidation tactic, just like how making you kneel was.

You looked at him, unperturbed. Your eyes roamed over the man, who for all his intimidation tactics, was nothing but a poor little boy way in over his head. A reckless little minnow who didn't know his place, as Floyd would say.

Speaking of Floyd. You grimaced at the monstrosity of an outfit the man was wearing. In all your time as a valued member of the mafia, you had seen many outlandish outfits, courtsey of the more openly unhinged Leech twin and the field of work you were in (power had a way of killing the fashion sense of people and letting it rot inside their head). But this... was on a whole another level.

You mentally lit a candle for everyone who had to witness the... very unique display.

A sharp slap snapped you out of your thoughts. 'Did this man, just backhand me? Well fuck you too bitch', You thought to yourself as you looked back at the still smirking man. You could feel a bit of wetness at the edge of your lip, a slight stinging also being felt at the same spot. Your tongue darted out, recognizing the metallic taste of blood as you gingerly licked at the small wound.

"So this is the little Prefect of Night Raven, hm? How... pathetic. Truly, the mafia organization has fallen if they allow the likes of you to hold any position higher than a discardable pawn," he huffed, and you resisted rolling your eyes. Here comes the villainous monologue, you thought to yourself.

As the man spoke, you took note of the people in the room. Apart from you and the man, there were five other men, all very familiar faces. All of them were earlier members of NRC, who left the organization 'honorably' before your appointment as the consigliere to Dire Crowley, the main boss.

There was nothing honorable about the way they were treating you right now though.

Very reluctantly, you listened to the man's speech about how he was basically aiming to cripple Night Raven Mafia by killing you. You forced back a yawn through the speech that was supposed to strike fear into your heart; unfortunately for him, you dealt with seven very unpredictable and occasionally difficult underbosses on a daily basis. Said underbosses must have already been informed of your forced absence.

Now it was just a matter of waiting and watching to see exactly who would come to your rescue...

The door slammed open as soon as you thought that, and the eyes of every person in the room turned to it. You smiled as a very familiar face entered the room, his mismatched eyes dark and foreboding.

"Hi Floyd," you chirped, unfazed by the frown on his face and the dangerous aura around him. Floyd's eyes met yours for a moment, brightening at seeing you, before turning even harsher when he saw the state you were in; clothes (gifted to you by Riddle) rumpled, carefully styled hair (courtesy of Vil) in a disarray, and a slight swelling on the side of your face you were struck at (which would send nearly everyone into a murderous frenzy).

"Who touched my Shrimpy?" Floyd growled out at the men. "Don'tcha know that I'm the only one allowed to rough them up? You're just begging to be squeezed to death."

At this point, the men, who were earlier frozen in fear, started to fumble with their guns. Before they could even get their weapons out, gunshots rang throughout the room, each man dropping to the floor one by one.

"Ah, pardon me, but I would prefer if you did not aim your weapons at my brother," a familiar voice spoke from behind Floyd to the now dead men in the room.

You grimaced at the blood now flowing out and seeping onto the floor, the puddle growing in size and inching closer to you.

"Jade, get me out of these things," you said, successfully getting his attention as you rattled the chains holding you up.

"Ah, of course dear Prefect," Jade hummed, and you did not need to look at his face to know that he was smiling. Jade walked over to you, stopping only to take the keys to your chains from the pocket of the leader. Placing the key into the lock and turning it released you from your uncomfortable position, and you yelped as you flopped onto the ground unceremoniously.

"Shrimpy~" Floyd's rapid changes in mood was one thing you did not believe you would ever get used to, "did you really get kidnapped by this sad little bunch of minnows?" He asked, pulling you to your feet and slightly spinning you.

"Shrimpy is so helpless~"

"Indeed," Jade smiled, and you felt a shiver run down your spine. You would never get used to the all too malicious upturn of Jade's lips either. He took you from Floyd's arms, ignoring his twin's grumbling as he dusted off your clothes. "Pray tell, how could such... insignificant little men capture you, dear Prefect?"

Before you could answer, a third voice rang through the room. "Jade! Floyd! I told you not to kill any of them!" Azul huffed as he entered your line of vision, glaring at the two men who sandwiched you.

"Ah, pardon me Azul, but they were going to aim their weapons at Floyd. Not to mention how terribly they were treating the Prefect," Jade hummed, not at all repentant of his actions. Azul huffed in frustration, glaring at his consigliere.

You gave him a little wave, and Azul's eyes softened as they met yours. He looked calm and collected as he walked over to you, but the trembling of his hands as he held yours gave his true feelings away. His eyes quickly scanned your body for wounds, narrowing in displeasure at the reddened skin around your wrists and the cut on the corner of your lip.

"Prefect."

"Azul," you said, not missing the way his eyes relaxed considerably as he saw you wearing the seashell earrings he had gifted you. "Ah, so that was how Idia-san found out you were kidnapped almost immediately," he hummed. You raised an eyebrow at his words.

"The earrings have trackers in them," Jade helpfully explained.

"Well, in any case, we must take you back to the Lounge. Everyone else must have assembled there by now."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because, Prefect, we were supposed to bring your kidnappers so that a joint decision could be taken for their punishment," Azul sighed as he pushed his glasses up his nose slightly.

You glanced at your kidnappers, wrinkling your nose as the blood puddle slowly crept closer to your shoes. "They're dead."

"A most unfortunate incident, yes. But, nevertheless, their identities will suffice for now. This just goes to show that we must never leave any loose ties," Azul said ominously. "Perhaps my dear colleagues will learn a lesson from this."

"... Sure. And how did you three manage to make them stay back at the Lounge while you carried out this rescue mission?"

"The heads found it best to send us three since we were most likely to bring your captors back alive," Azul said, glaring at Floyd who just roamed around the room disinterested in the conversation. "Well, that is what Crewel and Trein thought, at least."

You chuckled. "I don't think the outcome would've been any different with the others either so... let's just get to the Lounge."

Azul smiled. "As you wish, Prefect."

#first time writing for octavinelle bbys im very nervous #apologies if they seem ooc or mischaracterized i didnt mean to #here goes nothing #twst #twst writing #twst fanfic #twst octavinelle #octavinelle #twst azul #twst jade #twst floyd #twisted wonderland x reader #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x you #twosted wonderland x yuu #twisted wonderland x mc #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #ice writes #my writing

[kekaki-cupcakes]

Hi luv! May I req for Leo falling for a mischievous (cat-like personality) demigo (maybe ares, idk) after she beats him while sparring so he continuously asks her to spar just to spend more time together (and maybe she knows it and just plays along, maybe tells him she’ll go on a date with him once he beats her?). Idk this was just an idea, thought I got. Do not feel pressured or anything obvs!

Heya this has been in my inbox for a while and I finally got a good idea lol cause I don't wanna be posting half assed WIP's. [this is also combined with a request for Leo Valdez x daughter of Athena reader I got a while ago btw]

Enjoy <3

love is stronger then everything [except Clarrise, of course] ---Leo V x Daughter of Athena reader

»»————-　★　————-««

Leo was a mastermind. 

Like, obviously you were the daughter of Athena, but he was the one behind it all. He was just… so smart.  It was unbelievable sometimes. Not to be big headed or anything, he was just the most intelligent person in the room.

Well, in this scenario, it wasn’t the room, it was the arena. And that’s about where his cunning brain cells decided to sit on the bench and do their nails with Piper. 

He’d tell them off later, if he ever survived the sharp eyed sharp edged girl in front of him who was somehow holding a war axe made of solid imperial gold over her shoulder like it was nothing. The sight of your arms distracted him of his incoming death momentarily, but then you just had to open your mouth. “

“Valdez, are you gonna spar with me, or was the six step official challenge at breakfast with a disco ball and three tonnes of strawberries for nothing?” 

“Four tonnes, actually,” he managed to squeak out, and then shifted his grip on the sword he’d borrowed from Jake, who’d only laughed in his face when Leo told him he’d challenged you.

Judging by the way you fiddled with your camp beads necklace and then swung the smooth golden axe stained with something remarkably similar to human blood, Jake was right. Leo gulped and stepped back, ready to scramble out of the way and clang his too big sword against the edges of the axe he only just realized were sharp enough to cut through bone. 

You seemed to pity him as well, which Leo didn’t appreciate, but at least you gave him a few extra seconds to scramble out of the way.

A moment later there was sand in his eyes churned up by your sneakers, the ones with little green string snakes as laces. He vaguely remembered snakes being a symbol of Athena, only that thought was scrapped when he had to step back to avoid having his skull split in half. 

Piper cheered sarcastically and passed Jason a leftover strawberry from this morning’s events. 

You spun around and the axe made a crater in the sawdust covered ground. Leo turned and half heartedly swung his hammer at your shoulder, but you dipped back and knocked it out of his hands in less then a second, leaving him defenseless. 

Leo launched himself backwards and felt his shoe skid on the ground, sawdust billowing up into his vision as gravity decided to ruin his day, and his dignity. 

He was contemplating just falling asleep right then and there, when a gray sliver appeared in front of him. He had to cross his eyes to identify the metal poking his nose as the tip of your war axe. Leo just got comfy on the ground, resting his hands beneath his head as you glared. 

Apparently you weren’t satisfied with the early defeat, gray eyes narrowed as you snapped. “What on Olympus was that, Valdez?”

“Me fighting?” He asked hopefully, squinting up as the sun angled itself behind you. He brushed away the thought that it made you look a bit like an angel, despite the frown on your face and the weapon at his throat. 

“Well you aren’t any good at it, so don’t bother,” you said, hooking the axe over your shoulder and marching off. “I have to go help Beth with the capture the flag plans.”

Leo huffed, blowing a strand of his curly brown hair out of his face and grinning up at the roof, which swirled a little. He might’ve bumped his head a little too hard, now that he thought about it. 

Then another face swam in front of him and Piper popped a bubble that smelt vaguely of grapes. She looked towards where you’d disappeared out the arena’s swinging double doors. “What in the ever loving fucknuggets was that, Valdez?”

“I liked their version better,” Leo grumbled, and sat up slowly, feeling his bones groan internally at him. “And it’s not my fault their fit. And strong. ANd have a huge weapon. And pretty eyes. And-”

“And a nice ass?” 

“Yep, especially in those camo pan- why are you looking at their ass?” Leo asked suspiciously. Taking a hand from Piper to get up properly. He stretched his arms above his head and tried to stop thinking about your butt. It didn’t really work very well, and then his thoughts skipped along to your thighs and the really cool scar along one and he missed half of what Jason was saying in between the smile he was trying to hide. 

That didn’t matter very much though, because Leo was struck with the best idea in the history of children born of the literal ideas god. Well, maybe that was Athena, not Hephestus, but your parents were a problem for later. Way later. Like when you’d decided Leo was more than just a rock stuck in your shoe.  

That was something he could work on though. 

He just had to impress you so much that you’d agree to go out with him. Building something cool would be the immediate option, but he built cool things everyday. It wasn’t easy, per-say, but it wasn’t a date-worthy achievement.  

Piper snapped her fingers in front of his face and Leo jerked his head back, “huh? Sorry I was just thinking…”

“About what? Finally giving up on-”

“Imma single handedly win capture the flag!”

»»————-　★　————-««

You handed out the last of the helmets, blue plumes dotting the crowd of demigods jostling around and yelling about lice and how their butterfly clips wouldn’t fit underneath the bronze. 

You chose to ignore those ones and turned back to the little canvas tent someone had dragged out from Bunker 9 to set up base in, even though it couldn’t be used during the actual game. You weren’t actually sure what the point of it was, but Clarrise deemed it necessary, and you decided not to argue with her, in the interest of living.

The Athena cabin had managed to swoop in and ally with the Ares cabin before Connor got there, so you managed to rein in the help of Butch and his siblings [which meant that the Red team would have quite a few problems involving pegasi droppings in the hours to come], the two twins of Nike, the Dionysus and Hebe kids, as well as the smattering of Aphrodite kids that were ready to get blood under their perfectly done nails. A few of them seemed too happy about that prospect, but Drew had heart shaped arrows and Charmspeak, so you ignored the fact Lacey was singing about chopping off heads. 

Annabeth propped her sneakers up on the table, smudging mud on the map of the forest as she did so, to tie up her laces. “So, we’ve got puddles of pegasi shit under the leaves, I asked Holly and Laurel who could make the most nets so we’ll have enough to trap most of the Hermes cabin under by the time we start, and then Clarrise and her lot can just heavily maim the rest.”

“Nice,” you noted, and pushed the coloured pins for each demigod wiping blue warpaint across their cheeks around the map to their places. “We’re against Will’s dickwits, so they’ll do that thing and keep the sun behind them to blind everyone on our team.”

Annabeth fiddled with her camp necklace and glared at the map. “ And what are we supposed to do to counter that? Ask Apollo to take the day off??

“Start handing out sunglasses.”

Someone dragged a bucking gray pegasi through the opening to the canvas tent and chaos broke out, Butch yelling orders at a group of Dionysus kids who began feeding the freaked out mare shiraz. 

You turned away before you were lumped with the task of dealing with them, and reached for your axe. A sticky note fell off, the yellow paper floating to the ground. 

Hi hi so if i win capture the flag by myself then will you go out with me also i cant ask you this in person because jasons teaching me how to use a sword and im about to run out of sticky note and now ive forgotten what i was trying to say

The note ended there, and you frowned, trying to ignore the twitch at your lips when you turned the greasy crinkled paper over. 

right yeah this is leo by the way you probably already figured that out cause no one else is smart enough to beat all of camp to go out with you the flying horse distraction was my idea too by the way im a genius you should definitely go out with me okay now im out of pa

“Who’s the person?”

You nearly decapitated Drew in that moment. You lowered your axe and shoved the note in the back of your pocket that you only just remembered wasn’t there, courtesy of the armor you’d donned. “What are you talking about?”

“The love note,” she insisted with a curious smirk, lipgloss shining. “They sounded pretty excited and now you’re making that face oh my god you actually like them back!” 

“Do not!” You snapped back, tightening your shoulder guard and hefting your bloodied axe over you shoulder. The pegasi was led out of the tent as you shooed Drew in the same direction. “Now go back to your station, we’re starting in five.”

She squinted at you for a second, then her eyes widened as he jaw dropped. “Leo!”

You blinked, wrinkling your nose. “Okay how did you even-”

“Seeya later!” Drew called over her shoulder, skipping away with Butch to find her section of the woods to patrol, her assigned heart shaped sunglasses slipping down her nose. 

You narrowed your eyes at her retreating figure, but then one of Clarisse's sisters was wondering if the no killing rule had changed in the last four minutes and you were promptly distracted. 

»»————-　★　————-««

“Why don’t you just run along there and turn Travis into a toddler for me?” You asked a son of Hebe who nodded solemnly and disappeared into the trees. Light dappled the leaves on the ground and once you’d ordered around the rest of the soldiers in training, the bellowing horn sounded. 

A tense silence filled the woods, no one daring to make the first move and startle the spies out of their trees and the runners from their starting places. You pushed the cat eyed sunglasses up your nose and adjusted your sweaty grip on the axe, which must have weighed as much as the Hebe boy you’d just sent on his way. 

Blue streaked the sky behind the clouds, but the blue you were concerned about fluttered peacefully in the wind from where the flag had been nestled in Zeus’s fist. 

From what you’d planned, the Nike twins should be hiding in the two pine trees in font of you that had grown on either side of the track you knew the red team would take, nets between them ready to trap the enemy. Drew was placed behind you with her bow and arrows, ready to take down anyone that made it past Holly and Laurel. 

And if the lucky little fucker made it any further, you had your axe ready.

The rest of your team, save the Ares kids bordering the river, who were ready to maim but not kill, were causing a distraction that included a lot of grapevines and a reenactment of the Hamilton Musical [the second half was to be acted out at the campfire later that night]. It was sure to distract the Apollo cabin while  Annabeth donned her blue Yankees hat and snuck through. 

The only way it could go wrong at this point, is if a certain fluffy haired pointy eared son of Hephestus went through with his sticky note proposition and burned down the entire woods. 

Considering the fact he’d challenged you to a duel four times this week, you wouldn’t be surprised. Not that you minded. His concentrating face was sort of cute, especially when he stuck his tongue out a little and that time you’d pinned him to the sawdust covered ground you’d realized he actually had a few little freckles along his nose. 

And he really liked strawberries. That you could admire. 

Okay, maybe you looked forward to whatever proposition he’d set up at breakfast each day, but it mainly had to do with the presents. And definitely not that grin he’d get when you agreed.

If he won this game of capture the flag, which was impossible for one demigod anyway, and you did go out with him, you’d get to see that smile times one thousand. It sort of made you want him to win.

Then you shook the thought from your helmet cladden head. Your team was going to win this, and you’d stab Leo yourself to do so. 

Lightly, though. 

He still had that crackly laugh you could place from across the dining pavilion, you couldn’t kill him. It made your brain melt for a moment, which wasn’t something a daughter of Athena needed. But, he was a certified genius. Maybe that would even it out. 

»»————-　★　————-««

“Where the fuck is Drew?” You yelled into the forest around you, but only the crickets and startled squawking birds answered. Metal clanged and the crickets were silenced when your Axe thudded against a tree, handle first. 

Austin smirked, and his bow knocked into your shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise you could already feel forming. 

You ducked another blow and stumbled back, stumbling a tight ring around the sun of Apollo to get back to your weapon, glancing around the clearing as you did so. Holly and Laurel were nowhere to be seen, and there were certainly no nets to help you out in the one on one ambush. 

You’d been waiting around for some action when suddenly there was a lot but still not enough, because apparently everyone on the blue team had decided they’d rather fall asleep in their stations than help you. Even without them you could hold up your own, grabbing your axe and swinging it around at Austin when he came back for seconds. The arrow in his hand seemed less scary once his bow was in two splintered pieces at your feet.

He stepped back, face falling, and the daisies crushed underfoot sprung back into their slightly crumpled places when he backed away properly, turning to where the blue flag was still untouched on the top of Zeus’s fist. 

You paused, lowering the axe in confusion once he called out to nothing, “Oi! Move it loverboy, I’m running out of time!” 

Then you froze, because of course somehow, against all odds, a panting Leo was clambering up the highest point with the red flag in one tightly closed hand and a second later he was holding the blue one above his head victoriously as well, a stupidly wide grin on his cute face. 

He let out a yelp as pebbles began to slide around his feet but then you couldn’t see him anymore, pushed to the back of the crowd by a stampede of yelling demigods brandishing weapons.

It took you a second to realize they were cheers and not war cries [the difference was hard to make out most of the time], so you weaved through some Hermes kids who were chatting animatedly and a Demeter girl with a stump where her arm had been. Will rushed along behind you to her side once you’d gotten past both teams of the now over capture the flag game. 

“What the fuck is this?” You yelled up at Leo, who sent you a double thumbs up and then began hopping down the pile of boulders, the flags now held with his crooked teeth.

You squinted up at him, watching his green army jacket get caught on an overhanging branch and then when he jumped down finally, you were there to cross your arms and glare at him.

“Sup?” he smirked, holding his hands behind his back and rocking on his feet. “Did you get my note?”

Apparently he guessed your answer through your facial expression and then held up the flags like an offering. You ignored a fatal sounding screech from an Aphrodite boy in the distance as Leo chewed his lip. “So…. I won!” 

“And how, exactly?” 

Leo glanced to the side, and you followed his gaze to a smirking daughter of Aphrodite, who’s hoop earrings shined with blood that definitely wasn’t hers, judging from Drew’s satisfied expression. He then pulled out another crumpled up sticky note from his jacket, which was stained with something dark. He read out in a stilted tone, “I have to make a flamethrower, a chariot with poison shooting arrows, a two real life hoverboards, about thirty pairs of water, lava, and acid proof headphones, and a few jetpacks.”

“Right,” you muttered, tilting your head at Leo.

 He blinked obliviously at you and tucked away his extensive list, probably not able to hear you speak over the yelling crowds that bustled around carrying bandages and broken weapons, already busying themselves with the aftermath of the set up blood-bath.  

“It was worth it,” he shrugged, “but I’ll be stuck in bunker nine for the rest of the my life.”

“Maybe you can take a day off.” You unfolded your arms, resigned to the fact all of Camp Halfblood was about to witness this. Then you stepped forwards a little and leant in to whisper in his pointed ear. “...Y’know, for our date.” 

Leo blinked.

“Someone get the Leo extinguisher!” A Hebe kid yelled, and there was a general uproar of chaos from everyone but you weren’t really paying attention because Leo had patted down his flaming torso quickly, only that didn’t change the color of his face back to normal.

He narrowed his eyes, but the grin had never faded and you could see his fingers tapping along his thighs a thousand miles an hour. “You serious?”  

You nodded.

“DID YA HEAR THAT?” He yelled at the crowd of teenagers, cupping his mouth with a scarred hand, “I GOT A HOT DATE YALL!” 

“Don’t make me regret it,” you muttered back, rolling your eyes, but when Leo smiled up at you you knew you’d never regret it, so instead you just smiled back, shoving your hands in your pockets while Piper started screaming from Jason’s shoulders. 

Leo clapped his hands eagerly, “great, now you gotta carry me.”

“That’s cringe.”

“I’m being serious,” he said and held his arms up so you could grab him bridal style. You paused for a moment and then resigned yourself to the fact this might be the rest of your life. It wasn’t too bad, you realized, when Leo wrapped his arms around your neck and pointed in the direction of Will triumphantly. “Forward, sexy steed!” 

“One, if you ever call me that again, I will literally throw you off a cliff, and two, why do we have to get to WIll?” You asked as you carried him through the crowd in the direction of the stressed out blonde anyway.

“Cause Clarrise stabbed me in exchange for letting me win.”

»»————-　★　————-««

#pjo fandom #pjo #heroes of olympus #percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #leovaldez #leo valdez #leo valdez x you #Leo Valdez x child of Hermes #Leo Valdez x reader #leo valdez x y/n #but no use of y/n dont worry lol #inktober #autumn #spooky season #halloween #inktober fic #pjo fic

[jophiel-extras]

Hello! Azi simp here, requesting NSFW alphabet for him. I’ve done one of my own but I love seeing other people’s takes.

summary :: Aziraphale nsfw alphabet

warning :: nsfw

note :: waking up to Good Omens requests are so sweet

A = Aftercare

Aziraphale takes aftercare very seriously. He does the whole lot, cleaning the sheets, running the shower for you, making a hot cup of tea and then gently laying you down with him for a nap. Most times, he’ll read to you whilst you’re loosely cuddled up to him, soothing you to sleep.

B = Body part

Aziraphale finds his eyes to be most useful. Best part of you is everything and without his eyes, he wouldn’t be able to see you. He doesn’t favour any particular body parts on you, though he does enjoy plumper areas like thighs, tummy or boobs.

C = Cum

Inside is where Aziraphale finds the most pleasure. Pulling out and cumming on you so too “pornographic,” for him. To release himself inside of you is too beautiful to miss out on anyway.

D = Dirty secret

Aziraphale loves to be flustered. Of course, if you do something he deems inappropriate, Aziraphale will blush and quietly reprimand you. Deep down though, he loves it. Loves the thrill of hearing you whisper the dirtiest things in his ear, or to feel you slide your hand up his thigh whilst dining out. The moments when you’re outwardly sexual to him, in very non-sexual situation, is absolutely addictive.

E = Experience

Very little if at all, Aziraphale would have some interesting ideology when it comes to angels and sex that would’ve stunted his sexual encounters greatly.

F = Favorite position

Missionary! So close, so loving. It’s perfect. Though, he’s certainly interested in The Amazon position. Generally, he just likes you on top.

G = Goofy

Not quite. Sex is serious for Aziraphale. The only time things might get a little silly is when he’s nervous and blurts things out.

H = Hair

Very well groomed! And the carpets do match the drapes.

I = Intimacy

Incredibly slow and intimate. Aziraphale makes love when he has sex, to him there’s no other way to do it.

J = Jack off

Shamefully, he does. Not often, maybe once a week if he’s particularly horny. The post-nut clarity on Aziraphale is horrible, always embarrassed for touching himself and even more so for thinking about you whilst doing it.

K = Kink

As established Aziraphale enjoys dirty talk, he might not return the words but hearing them gets him dripping with precum. He also doesn’t mind soaking, just laying with you, deep inside as you spoon no thrusting or movements. He’s also just a big fan of having a dominant partner.

L = Location

His bedroom inside the bookshop. Sex will basically never happen anywhere else.

M = Motivation

Sex doesn’t usually cross Aziraphale’s mind unless you put the idea in his head. It’s your flirting, naughty touches and words that’ll get him hard.

N = No

We all know Aziraphale is quite vanilla, so nothing too “kinky,”

O = Oral

Most will say Aziraphale loves to give oral, and he does, but boy does he love to receive. The sight of you licking and sucking at him is mind blowing. Words cannot describe how much he loves it. The mere idea of it gets his body hot.

P = Pace

Slow and sensual.

Q = Quickie

Not even on his radar. Quickies are just such a  foreign concept to him, who would want to rush sex? He thinks quick sex is bizarre.

R = Risk

He loves it when you take risks. Especially public ones.

S = Stamina

Usually one round is all, but it’s long and both of you are very satisfied afterwards.

T = Toys

Not at all. Aziraphale becomes nervous at the mention of sex toys.

U = Unfair

Aziraphale isn’t one to tease, but loves to be teased himself.

V = Volume

He’s quite verbal. He doesn’t grunt or groan but he moans and whimpers. Softly, mainly, but Aziraphale has been known to be a little loud.

W = Wild card

Working up to penetrative sex was a process for Aziraphale. He couldn’t help but feel guilty after sexual acts and the fact that he enjoyed them. It started with feverish making out, which then lead to body part kisses, to a little grinding, gentle touching, slight undressing, oral and then finally sex. It took a while but it was worth it for Aziraphale’s comfort.

X = X-ray

Thicker than average and probably about six inches.

Y = Yearning

Doesn’t really have a sex drive, but he doesn’t get horny from time to time. It’s usually whenever you’re in the mood.

Z = Zzz

Sex doesn’t tire him, but it makes him soft. He likes to bask in the loving aftermath of sex before sleeping.

#good omens #aziraphale #good omens x reader #aziraphale good omens #aziraphale x reader #aziraphale x you #aziraphale x y/n

[shinyzango]

Greetings!

Hope you have a wonderful day. Need to admit, for a long time my thoughts have been occupied by some questions, if you don’t mind:

How do Hans and Clara feel about their own bodies? For Hans I mean the human form, for the Nutcracker everything is clear thanks to your comics.

And I don't even mean this in a sexual context.

But when they are alone with themselves, when they take off their clothes to change for bedtime, how do they see themselves? Do they think things like, “Well, I guess I'm pretty good-looking, I'm comfortable with the way I look,” or “I'm self-conscious about my body for one reason or another, I don't think I'm attractive.”

Or maybe those are thoughts like “Yes, I’m not completely perfect, there is something about me that doesn’t suit me (scars, moles, etc.), but I think that I look quite beautiful to others.” Not in the narcissism or self-praise way, but calm recognition and acceptance.

And the following question is: once they have already discovered their feelings for each other, do those thoughts change? Does each tremblingly assume that the other will want to share physical warmth with him/her, or is he/she sad, not finding himself/herself good enough for the beloved to look at?

(I apologize in advance if these are too sensitive questions. Frankly, I’ve been thinking hard for some time now about drawing a short comic about such mental tossing, SFW, of course. But I’m very afraid of making a mistake with the character analysis.)

Oh no problem at all! These are particular questions that you don't get to think of often for characters (me at least) but I'll see what I can cook up.

For the first question... hm, I would say Clara is quite comfortable with her own appearance, which she is also thankful for since she's the daughter of a highly stimated family so she doesn't have to go too out of her way to be a pretty presence in meetings and the such, but she does tend to feel a little "too simple" when she's near other girls and women who look a lot more regal and beautiful than her. Nothing bad mind you, it's just a thought that crosses her mind. As for Hans... in pre-curse he's incredibly nervous about his own appearance. He does look fine, but since he's been raised in the Royal Castle, he has always thought of himself as unworthy, a simpleton. Always surrounded by royalty and highly stimated people made him feel out of place with his appearance, if that makes sense. In post-curse he has scars on his body, and at first he thought they ruined his image even more, other than reminding him of the terrifying Mouse King he had to fight. And still felt out of place in Clara's world, fearing people could tell he's not from their world and questioning him about it. Eventually these opinions get better as time goes on thanks to Clara's company and support and spending time with people who he feels closer to his own status.

As for the second question, well Clara doesn't really have thought about that, but Hans would definitely feel not worthy of her attention, especially when he's a nutcracker (for obvious reasons) and fears that Clara will be disappointed when she will see what he actually looks like.

I hope these answers satisfy your curiosity! I don't get to think about this kind of topics so they may sound off or incomplete, apologies ksjdng

#TheLastNutcracker #TLNask

[wishing-stones]

Don't imagine The Boys + Nightmare + Boss + Ink + Blackberry giving you aftercare

Embrace the cute and steamy.

Killer is very, very good with it. He makes sure you're okay, that you get everything you need-- water, reassurances, cuddles, affection, anything. If he's roughed you up, he'll tend to the worst of it to make sure you're not bleeding or left raw anywhere. He won't leave until he's sure that you'll be okay if he does. He likes to leave his partners satisfied, after all, and that includes aftercare. Dust is very gentle in the aftermath because he can get rough. He'll clean injuries and provide comfort and cuddles if it's needed. Water, too. He can also be a little... clingy, so half of that is his own aftercare. He'll even stay the night if that's what you need. He gets really sweet and murmurs praises and appreciation, and there's no shortage of nuzzles and kisses. Axe holds you until you need to get up. He'll make sure that you're properly hydrated and any wounds he left (which shouldn't be more than some scratches and bruises-- maybe a bite mark, but he didn't break skin) are properly tended to. He rubs out sore muscles and makes sure you know you're appreciated. He's unfortunately pretty prone to post-coital knockouts, so you'd better be prepared to at least take a nap with him. Cross also gets kind of clingy, because he needs it just as much. He's very attentive and will kiss any aches or injuries better, nuzzling against whatever is sore and sighing. He also liberally drops sweet nothings and comfort, and is extremely tactile. He'll pet whatever skin he can reach in reassurance and affection. Hair, too. Baggs might need a minute himself because that's a whole lot of energy he doesn't normally spend. He'll at least make sure that you're in a good place mentally before he tries to get up. He's phenomenal at dealing with potential sub-drops, regret, shame, or anything else that might bubble up after the fact. Once he has his feet under him, he'll tend to whatever you need physically-- anything injured gets patched up (complete with sealing them with kisses) and he makes sure that you have hydration and anything else you might need-- cuddles and comfort included. Nightmare can be pretty demanding, so he's gotten good fast at making sure whoever shares his bed is tended to. He's unusually good at mending most injuries, is good with affirmations and reassurances, and can sense if something's going to be a problem. He'll know when you are and are not okay. He's almost insistent that you stay the night, and will only let you go it you are completely sure that you'll be okay. Otherwise, he'll hold you and take care of you until you inevitably fall asleep.

Boss is another on the list of "demanding lovers," but he is a stupidly romantic demanding partner. There's tons of reassurance, praise, and affection. He's likely to carry you if you need to drink something or go to bed or rinse off, and nuzzles anything he might have left behind-- bites especially, since his teeth are so sharp. He takes exceptional care of you in whatever form you need.

Ink is... hit-and-miss with this. If it's some casual romp, he's more likely to bound out of... wherever you are and go back to whatever he's doing extremely energized. He figures if he's fine, you probably are, too. If it's not, and it's something more serious, he's very attentive and communicative. He'll provide any necessary assurances and cuddles, nuzzle and kiss anything that hurts, and is perfectly content to wrap you up in blankets and snuggle with you for however long you need it. (On the topic: Ink is aroace, but he's very sex-positive. He leans towards demi sometimes, especially if he's well-regulated and able to analyze and talk about his feelings.)

Black can be rough and demanding, too, but he's clinically attentive to the needs of his partners. He tends to bite and claw pretty hard, so he has a fully stocked first aid kit around. (He's a little more careful of biting than he is of scratching, since he has the pointy teeth.) He's amazing with reassurances and affection, and will pile on sweet nothings. Comfort, cuddles, hydration, whatever you need, he is on it.

#k answers #k headcanons #feat. r&r crew #feat. boss #feat. ink #feat. blackberry #cw spicy content? #... mostly sweet but the premise makes it spicy

[emotionalcadaver]

Part 19: In the Bleak Midwinter

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Grace Burgess x OC

Summary: There is the selling of the jewels still to be dealt with, as well as some nasty business involving the other members of the Shelby family.

Word Count: 3,547

Notes: We are finally at the end of this part! I know it's taken me a long time to get all this out, and I am truly sorry for that! Hopefully, I will be able to get back onto an at least semi-consistent posting schedule. And stay tuned for more Tommy x Lucy! There's a whole bunch yet to come, both for this series, and for some AUs I've been working on.

Thank you again so much to everyone for reading and commenting on my work! It means the world to me!

Warnings for depictions of violence.

Masterlists: Main • Series • Fic

Previous Part • Next Part

Chapter 26: The King's Shilling

The jewels inside the bags rustled, a few precious pierces clinking together with her steps as Lucy followed Tommy down the dirt path. Waiting for them, standing beside a man seated at a tiny little desk, a case clutched in her gloved hands, was Tatiana. Tommy dumped his two bags onto the desk, then reached back to take the ones Lucy was also carrying. They were selling everything they’d stolen to Tatiana, except for the jewels Lucy had picked out. Those, Tommy had insisted, were hers. 

While Tatiana and Tommy talked, the man at the desk set to work analyzing the jewels’ value. Lucy kept an eye on him, to make sure that there was no funny business. After all the trouble those jewels had caused, they needed to get their money’s worth.

After the man confirmed the jewels, Tommy took the case from Tatiana, popping it open and examining the bills inside.

“Where will you go?” he asked as he counted. 

“Vienna,” a smile, that looked like she was almost trying to suppress, crossed Tatiana’s face. “There is a man waiting for me.” 

Tommy chuckled. “Poor man.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes, further examining Tatiana’s face. There was a slight giddiness to her features at just the mention of the man. She cocked her head, wondering if that flash of something that had danced across the Duchess’s face really was love. 

Maybe.

She looked over at Tommy, counting the notes in the case at her side.

It was more likely than it may have seemed.

Afterall, everything that had transpired between them and Tatiana had been just business. Nothing more. 

And perhaps Tatiana deserved more credit than she had initially given to her. 

Satisfied by the count in the case, Tommy flicked the clasps on it closed and picked it up. He hesitated a moment, then held out his hand for Tatiana to shake. She clasped it in her expensively gloved hand, then took a step forward, plucking his cigarette from his lips and kissing him. When she was finished, she leaned back with a smirk. Tommy just stared at her for a long moment, and then turned away, wholly unaffected.

“You too, lovely,” Tatiana crooned, slinking two steps towards Lucy, resting her hands on her shoulders before slanting her mouth over hers. She distantly heard the posh man sitting at the desk give out a small, incensed gasp. Internally rolling her eyes at the reaction, she leaned into the kiss a little just to spite him. 

“That is how Russians say goodbye,” Tatiana purred once she stepped back. Lucy snorted, shooting a look over at Tommy, who was watching them with a somewhat bemused expression. 

“Maybe we should pay a visit to Russia sometime.”

He snorted, jerking his head towards the car. “Come on, love.”

She bit back a snicker when she noticed just how red the man seated at the desk had gone, staring pointedly at the bags of riches in front of him. They got only a few paces away when Tatiana called after them.

“Also, five-thousand pounds for the sex.”

Tommy froze. Then spun on his heel and stomped back to the desk, throwing the case atop it and flinging it open, pulling out a stack of notes and handing them to her. 

“And five for helping you through the grief of losing your wife.”

Lucy went stiff, jaw clenching. And here she was just starting to like the woman a little. 

Tatiana’s dark-lined eyes sparkled. Tommy stared at her for a long, unimpressed moment, then slammed the case shut and picked it up again. He got right into her face, voice low. 

“You didn’t even come close.”

Lucy would’ve clapped, if it had felt appropriate.

Tommy spun away, and she fell into step beside him, picking their way carefully over the uneven road to the car. There was the hum of the man and Tatiana’s voices behind them. 

“Nice comeback.” Lucy commented to Tommy in a low voice. He shrugged. 

“Thanks.”

There was the earth-shattering bang of a gunshot from behind them, and she jumped, hand going into her coat for her revolver before she entirely had time to process what was happening. For a terrible moment, she thought that someone was shooting at them. Tommy dropped the case, pulling his revolver from his coat and half stepping in front of her as if to shield her from any impending danger. 

The man seated at the desk was dead, fresh blood dripping from his head to mix with the dirt. Tatiana had a gun clutched in her hand while she gathered up the bags of jewels in her arms. When she spotted them both defensively pointing their drawn weapons in her direction, she smiled.  

“At home, these jewels saw way worse. That’s why they are all cursed. As are we, Mr. Shelby,” she crooned, the words chilling Lucy’s blood. 

Not that she was wrong. If the past few months had proved anything to her, it was that they most certainly were cursed with something–bad luck, misfortune, sorrow…it didn’t matter. The outcome was the same. 

Slowly, after sharing a look, Lucy and Tommy lowered their guns. Tatiana was many things, but she wasn’t a threat to them. 

At her invitation that they look her up if they were ever in Vienna, Lucy cringed. They waited until she was walking away to her own car before turning their back on her again. Tommy loaded the case into the backseat, then started up the car. 

“Well, we know now to avoid Vienna at all costs,” Lucy mumbled, rubbing at her forehead. “I think I’ve had more than enough of her crazy to last me a lifetime.”

Tommy hummed in agreement, eyes fixed on the road. He’d been quiet and preoccupied the whole day. Not that she could blame him. 

Wrapping her arms around his bicep, she squished herself into his side, hoping that somehow that would help. 

Consequences had come knocking. And the ugliness that they would bring was about to begin. 

∗ ∗ ∗

She finished stacking the bills all out onto the table, arranging them carefully and specifically based on amount and the person they would be going to. The door opened, Tommy’s heavy footfalls easy to identify even before she looked up at him. 

“Hey; everything’s ready here,” she said, going to him, straightening one of the many chairs she’d set up in front of his desk on her way. “Where’s Charlie?”

“Sleeping upstairs.”

She nodded. “How long until everyone arrives?”

“Uh…” he checked his pocket watch. “Five minutes or so.”

She watched him carefully, taking in the bags under his eyes and the slight slump to his shoulders. Taking a step forward, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. His big hands landed tenderly on her shoulder blades. 

“It’ll be okay…”

“They might try to eviscerate me.”

“They’ll have to get through me.”

He chuckled, petting her hair in gratefulness, then sighed. “I mean it. Things could get really ugly.”

Leaning back, she looked up into those sad blue eyes, heart aching that there wasn’t anymore that she could really do to make any of it better. “I know,” he leaned his face into her hand when she cupped his cheek, skin warm beneath her chilled skin. “No matter what happens…I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know. Thank you.”

There was the creak and thud of the front door opening, then the hum of voices as members of the family started to arrive. Lucy gave him one last squeeze before stepping away. 

“Here we go.”

He went to sit in the huge chair behind the massive desk, his arms spread wide, palms flat against the wood. Lucy perched on the edge of the desk to his left, torso twisted so she could watch the family members start to file in, slowly taking their seats. Her eyes tracked each of them carefully. Polly was eyeing Tommy with unhidden suspicion; it was a little surprising that she had not yet raised all hell over Michael being the one to kill Hughes, but perhaps, given the circumstances, she understood that their options had been limited.

Linda and Esme entered together, Esme holding her swaddled newborn to her chest. Linda was cradling her swollen belly, eyes fixating on the cash stacked on the desk, hunger in her gaze.

Lucy scoffed quietly under her breath, turning away and lighting a cigarette. She was going to need it. 

After all, she was the only one other than Tommy in that room who knew what was about to happen. 

Once everyone was seated, it began. Tommy started off with an apology, to all who he’d doubted and accused during Charlie’s abduction. The stony looks and pursed lips that met his words sent a shot of rage flooding Lucy’s blood.

As if any of them would have behaved any more gracefully had they been in his position. 

She’d never forgotten the way Polly had lashed out at her when Michael had been arrested by Campbell. At least Tommy had apologized for his outburst. Lucy knew she would never get anything of the sort from Polly for her words or the humiliation she’d caused her when in the fits of her rage. 

At Linda’s acceptance of the three-thousand pounds Tommy had added to the cash already owed to her and Arthur in exchange for her forgiveness, Lucy couldn’t stop the small, harsh laugh that broke from her lungs. Everyone stared at her, but she had no more energy, no more fucks left to give in regards to what any of the them thought about her, just shaking her head and blowing smoke from her cigarette up towards the ceiling. 

It did not stop there. Esme was not so quick to accept Tommy’s apology, snarling about the additional deaths John now had on his conscience. 

“I suppose that you would have preferred that we risk Charlie’s death, rather than those of a couple of strangers, eh?” Lucy mumbled. Esme turned wide eyes onto her, mouth open to argue, but Tommy spoke over her before it could turn into a row, offering a stack of cash to her and John. His hand rested gently on Lucy’s knee, squeezing once. She got him a regretful look. As if he didn't already have enough problems without her stirring up more strife.

Sorry.

He blinked back at her, squeezed her knee again. It’s okay.

More money was handed out. Charlie, Curly, and Johnny all took theirs happily without a word, but there was a little trouble with Lizzie, who Tommy set the money in front of with a soft whisper of her name. Lucy glanced over at the tall, dark haired woman just in time to see her face contort in hurt and rage, seizing the roll of cash and tossing it back across the table towards them. Tommy didn’t say anything, watching it roll across the glossy wood. His eyes darted back to Lucy’s.

Told you she wouldn’t be happy about that.

It’s all we have to offer her.

Her eyes dropped at that. He was right; they couldn’t give Lizzie what she truly wanted. But at least, with the money, they could give her something. After all, she had helped. She probably didn’t realize just how much. On the nights when they were both too broken to breathe, their pain so entwined and shared that they were falling apart together with no way of stopping it. She gave them the comfort they needed, a distraction from the grief that was just enough to keep them from collapsing into ruin and uselessness. 

She deserved some sort of thanks for that. 

But Tommy soldiered on, beginning to stack the mountain of cash they’d set aside for Michael. It was then that Polly leapt from her seat, protesting, and Tommy’s temper finally snapped. 

“What!?” his voice thundered, probably loud enough to echo throughout the whole house. Loud enough to silence even Polly. “This is all I can give you for what you give me,” he held up the bills. “For your hearts,” his eyes swept over the whole family, “and your souls,” his eyes landed on Lucy, and she felt tears prick momentarily at the corners of her eyes. 

Her sweet Devil. How much he loved them all. It tore her apart how none of the others seemed to be able to see it. 

He swallowed, and looked back at Polly. “Yesterday, I nearly lost my son. You should fucking understand that.”

Oh, was it satisfying to hear him throw that back in her face. Because of all of them, Polly should have at the very least been able to sympathize. And yet she seemed to be just as eager to spitefully judge as the rest of them. As if she hadn’t had a truly magnificent meltdown of her own when she thought Michael was being taken away from her again.  

The rest of Tommy’s speech was truly magnificent, and she felt her heart swell with pride for him as he finally, finally called them on a fraction of the abhorrent behavior they had showcased of the past few months. 

Years, technically, but for the moment she was content to focus on their more recent actions. 

Fucking ungrateful leeches, that was what she had once called them when speaking with Grace. And she stood by it. Even years later, that feeling had only grown. All they did was take, and take, and take, and offer…what, exactly, in return?

Gratefulness? Certainly not. Love? She would not call the way that the Shelbys treated Tommy as a reflection of love in any form. Support? It her who held Tommy while he sobbed into her neck. It was her who cradled him in her arms and stroked his hair when the nightmares caused him to wake up screaming. It was her who gave him affection, who tried to make him laugh, who took care of him when he couldn’t take care of himself. And she was glad to do it. It would never be a burden or a trouble for her. But where the fuck were the rest of them? Out gleefully spending the money he made for them, all the while bitching and complaining about every little thing he did. 

John had never once apologized for his part in setting off the actions that led to Grace’s death. Polly had never apologized for opening her fucking mouth to the wrong person and getting Tommy’s head caved in as a result.  

Her finger bit into the wood, gripping the edge of it so tightly that it was a wonder she didn’t leave marks in it. She stared straight ahead, back to the rest of the family and eyes focused on the window. If she looked at any of them, she might’ve tried to kill them. 

“And the rest of you, you took the King’s shilling. You took the King’s fucking shilling. When you take the King’s shilling, the King expects you to kill,” Tommy growled. She sensed a twinge of enjoyment in his voice; she could imagine that finally getting this all out was deeply cathartic.   

Finally, he was done, straightening with his hands in his pockets. Lucy shot him a proud smile that only he could see. 

Good work.

The bashful spark in his eyes was probably something that only she could recognize. Thanks.

“Tommy…” Polly began, and Lucy braced herself. “You’ve had a bad time.”

She nearly choked on the smoke from her cigarette. Understatement of the fucking century, bitch.

“We understand.”

Lucy’s head whipped around, jaw clenching. So many things she could have said to that…but she locked her jaws and bit her tongue. 

Now was not the time to be getting into a physical altercation with any of them, especially Polly.  

Not with the police on their way. 

In a voice like ice, cool and collected, Polly straightened her back and swept her stern eyes around the room, announcing her intention at a later date to propose an alternative future for the company.

Lucy crushed her cigarette between her fingers, she clenched them around it so hard. Now? She really was going to try to wrestle away control of this company from Tommy now?

At the assertion by others in the room that they wanted to hear Polly’s proposal, Lucy rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder that they didn’t pop right out of her head. 

The idea was a little hilarious. She would love to see them try to last a fucking month with Polly truly in charge. At best, they’d stay stagnant. At worst, the whole thing would collapse. 

Linda was standing, urging Arthur that it was time to go. He stood, beginning to make his goodbyes. Tommy slumped back down into his chair. When Arthur approached, Lucy slid from her spot seated on the desk, moving to stand by Tommy’s chair protectively, her hand on his shoulder. At his mumbled goodbye, neither she or Tommy acknowledged him. Tommy stared down at the desk, silently. Lucy met him with a vacant, expressionless stare. 

Arthur was just moving towards the door, when Tommy finally dropped the bomb that had been hanging above their heads the entire time, though only he and Lucy had known of its presence:

“You can go, but you won’t get far, Arthur.”

Arthur chuckled, clearly not taking him seriously. Lucy cocked her head. 

The room went still and quiet, outside of the rumble of Tommy’s voice, as he laid out what Moss had told him last night: warrants had been sent out, for the arrests of Arthur, John, Michael, and Polly.

There was banging at the front door. 

The police were here. 

People started shouting. Tommy rose from his seat, trying to explain and offer assurances, giving instructions. But no one, except for Lizzie, who started collecting up the money like he requested, was actually listening to him anymore. Lucy sighed, lighting another cigarette. 

If they would all have just stopped screaming their heads off and fucking listened, then they would have known that they were all going to be alright.

They all rushed out of the room, probably trying to get out using one of the many side doors. But the police were already inside. There was screaming and the sound of struggling. 

Linda suddenly came barreling across the room, hands outstretched to shove and beat at Tommy while she screamed at him. Lucy jammed her arm and shoulder between them, giving a small shove to Linda’s chest. Not enough to knock her off her feet, but enough to send her staggering back a couple of paces. She placed herself between Linda and Tommy with a snarl, muscles tensed and prepared to spring into action, like a snake coiled and ready to strike. Linda screeched in rage.

“Get out of my way, you fucking sinful slut!” she tried to lunge at Lucy, but Arthur caught her by the shoulders before she did, dragging her away towards the door. Before passing through the doorway, Arthur slammed his palm against the wood with a resounding bang.

“Fuck you!”

The words seem to echo throughout the office, now empty save for Tommy and Lucy. Tommy collapsed down into the chair again, head bowed and arms spread wide across the table. Lucy felt her heart twist at seeing him so distressed, reaching out to tenderly stroke the back of his head, the shorn parts of his hair prickling the sensitive skin of her palm.  

“Tommy…”

He lifted his head, pushing it closer to her palm for a moment in search of comfort she was more than happy to give. His eyes stared into hers sorrowfully. 

They will never forgive me.

She wished she could have offered some sort of solid reassurance regarding that, but she couldn’t. And she was not about to lie to him about it either. So instead she just smoothed her hands over his head, dropping her face to place a kiss in his hair. He sighed, hands resting on her hips and giving them a small squeeze, before rising from his seat. 

Side by side, his hand gripped in hers, they walked out of the office and into the sitting room, where the police were in the process of restraining the battling Shelbys against the wall. Looks of pure hatred were shot their way, by both those being arrested and those being simply escorted from the mansion. Linda spat at them as she was dragged past them and out the door. 

They watched from the front doorway as they were all loaded into the police vans and taken away. Tommy wore a look of utter misery, his throat convulsing. Lucy coiled her arms around him, holding onto him as tight as she could so he would know that he wasn’t alone. 

They stood there, until they could no longer hear the roar of the engines from the vans. Tommy looked around the empty halls of the house. Lucy squeezed him, angling her head. 

“Come on,” at her gentle request, he let her guide the way into a sitting room.

All around them, the sudden silence that had overtaken the house seemed to stretch on and on, into eternity.

Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

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Masterlists: Main • Series • Fic

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x oc #peaky blinders #lucy winters #lucy winters x tommy shelby #my ocs #my fanfiction

[snortlaughs]

trial paperwork

fandom: ace attorney

pairing: narumitsu/wrightworth

characters included: lee!wright, ler!edgeworth

word count: 1.3k

genre: fluff. SO MUCH FLUFF.

warnings: none

author’s note: YIPPEEEEE FIRST ACE ATTORNEY FIC! ALSO I HAVEN’T POSTED A FIC IN SO LONG HIIIIII i hope that you all enjoy~

Phoenix laid down on the couch in Edgeworth’s office, looking at his navy-blue coat that snugly hung on the back of the heavy mahogany door. It was quite an eyesore relative to the rest of the room, which was covered in various shades of maroon.

He listened intently to the noises of pen on paper that came from the desk behind him. It was a Tuesday evening, and Miles was filling out paperwork for the trial that was scheduled for the upcoming Friday.

Wright knew this.

However, he still asked…

“What are you working on over there?”

Edgeworth rolled his eyes with a light groan before he placed his pen onto his nicely-polished desk, finally allowing Nick his full attention.

“Wright, this is the third time that you’ve asked me that question, and it’s going to be the third time that I’ve answered that question.” The man growled. “Does nothing get through your thick skull?”

Phoenix shifted his torso with a grunt, now laying on the sofa tummy-down and meeting Edgeworth’s disgruntled gaze.

The defense attorney rested his chin in his hand and grinned his signature, shit-eating grin, which only annoyed Edgeworth even more.

“Alright, don’t lie to me, Edgey.” He hummed, swaying his legs in the air rhythmically. “You didn’t really answer the first two times that I asked. You just shushed me or told me to leave. Very rudely, might I add.”

“Okay, well,” Edgeworth uttered after he took a deep breath. “Listen closely, because I am not answering any more of your brainless questions after this.”

Wright cupped his left ear with his hand to indicate that he was, indeed, listening.

“I am working on documentation for our upcoming trial — getting everything sorted.” Edgeworth said, grateful for the fact that no noise was coming out of Phoenix’s mouth. For once. “Shouldn’t you be doing the same thing? Why are you here bothering me when you could be doing something productive?”

“Well, since you asked oh-so nicely,” Wright purred, earning a huff from the silver-haired man, “I already got all of my paperwork finished, so I don’t have anything to worry about. Also, I like bothering you. You get worked up so easily — it’s fun to watch.”

Edgeworth, at this point, had had enough.

Not only was Phoenix Wright, his rival, invading his space and filling his mind with useless thoughts — now he was just humiliating him!

Not to mention, the warm blush that was building up in his cheeks as a result of Nick’s comment certainly wasn’t helping.

“Oh, it’s fun to watch, is it?” Miles scoffed, standing up from his desk. He shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders and haphazardly tossed it onto his chair.

Wright, satisfied with his pestering, flopped onto his back again and stared up at the ceiling. He crossed his arms over his head, each hand holding the opposite elbow. “Why, yes! Very much so.”

Before Nick knew it, Miles was standing next to the couch and then clumsily climbing onto his lap, straddling him. He used his left hand to grasp the defense attorney’s forearms and hold them firmly against the sofa.

Phoenix, after his initial surprise wore off, began squirming underneath Edgeworth’s weight with a goofy grin.

It was almost as if he knew what was coming.

“M—Miles!” The pointy-haired man stuttered, his eyes darting between the prosecutor’s free hand and his face, which was painted with a playful, happy smirk — an expression that Wright had never seen from Miles before.

Edgeworth was pretty much always frowning. To be honest, this was almost a nice change of pace. Almost.

“I’ll show you what’s fun to watch, Mr. Wright.”

This being said, he started teasingly wiggling his fingers in the air and hovering his hand over various areas of Wright’s torso, causing the man to let out a startled squeak.

“Quihit doing that!” He whined, kicking his feet petulantly against the rose-colored cushions.

“Aww, Phoenix…” Miles said, raising his eyebrows. “I haven’t even touched you yet. I wonder if you’re still just as ticklish as you were when we were kids… I think I may just have to test that out.”

That being said, Edgeworth began lightly clawing at Wright’s sides through the fabric of his collared shirt.

A shrill squeal rang through the spacious room. Phoenix instinctively sucked his tummy in to avoid the tingly sensations that danced across his skin.

“Edgewohohorth! I—I’m stihihihill just as tihihicklish as I was when we were kihihids! You don’t have to tehehest it! Reheheheheally!” The man babbled, his cheeks already covered in a blotchy, red flush.

Edgeworth shook his head with a scoff, unable to wipe his smile off of his face. “So endearing…” he thought.

“Hmmm,” Miles hummed teasingly. “Yeah, I don’t have to test it… you’re right about that. Your sensitivity is obvious.”

“…But I’m still going to tickle you to pieces.”

Phoenix barely had the time to pout before Edgeworth stealthily untucked his top and started poking sporadically at his bare ribs.

“Mihihihiles!” Nick howled, pushing his blushy face into his bicep in order to avoid his assailant’s teasing gaze.

He attempted to free his arms from Edgeworth’s hold, but the prosecutor was surprisingly strong. Instead, he did what seemed to be the next best thing — he breathlessly wriggled under the man’s weight in an attempt to dodge his pokes.

“What, Wright?” Edgeworth said, cocking his head innocently and ceasing his teasy touches for a moment. “This is what you get for bothering me! Maybe you’ll be a bit more mindful next time.”

“B—buhuhut it’s so fuhuhun to annohohoy youuuu! Yohou’re so cu—!”

Before Wright could finish his sentence and fluster Miles even more than he already had, the attacker shot his hand under Phoenix’s left arm and began moving his nimble fingers as quickly as they could go.

“EHEHEHEDGEWOHORTH!” the attorney shrieked, thrashing his torso back and forth in a feeble attempt to break free from the prosecutor. 

Miles’ face, at this point, could have been compared to that of a freshly-boiled lobster — bright red. This was possibly the reddest that he’d ever been, and he was eternally grateful that Wright was too out of sorts to notice. Hopefully.

“W—What is it, Nick?” Edgeworth said falteringly, trying hard to regain his composure after having thought about the fact that he was definitely noticeably flustered.

He switched his hand to the defense attorney’s right underarm and continued his attack, which earned him an adorably shrill yelp. 

“Can’t take it?” 

“NOHOHOHO! Plehehehehease have mehehehercy!” 

“Fine, fine.” Edgeworth said, admittedly quite bummed that his tickly onslaught had finished. He let go of Phoenix’s arms, which he immediately slammed down on either side of his torso as giggles continued to pour past his lips. 

Edgeworth rested his hands on Wright’s chest and looked down at the man laying under him, almost as if he was admiring the mess that he had made. 

Phoenix was quivering, and tears of mirth were being wiped from his deep blue eyes. 

Miles scoffed with a grin. “You’re still such a child, Wright.” 

Phoenix, after a few more moments, had mostly calmed down. However, his voice was still shaky and he was still unable to wipe his dorky smile off of his lips. 

He looked up at Miles, who turned his face away in faux nonchalance.

“M—Maybe that’s true, Edgey,” he said, as solidly as he could. “But you know what?” 

Edgeworth slowly turned his face back towards Wright’s, taking fistfuls of the spiky-haired defense attorney’s button-up shirt into his palms.

“...What?” 

Phoenix grinned.

“I think that you’re a bit of a child, too. I mean, after all these years, you remembered how ticklish I was — you even went out of your way to check and see if I still am,” he stated matter-of-factly. “This must have been taking up a lot of your mental real estate, huh, Miles? Thinking about how ticklish I am, I mean.”

Edgeworth’s eyes widened as he immediately turned away from Wright.

His face was beet-red, and his blush was quickly trailing down his neck. He silently swore at himself, irritated by the fact that he got flustered so easily.

“Seems like I got it right,” Phoenix purred, poking playfully at Edgeworth’s sides and taking note of how he flinched.

#ace attorney #ace attorney tickle #ace attorney tickles #ace attorney tickle fic #aa tickle #aa tickles #miles edgeworth #phoenix wright #ler!miles #lee!phoenix #ler!edgeworth #lee!wright #ace attorney fic #narumitsu #wrightworth #narumitsu tickle #narumitsu tickles #wrightworth tickle #wrightworth tickles

[hunnythebee]

Stow Away

Chapter 7: Sleep Talking

Jo is struggling with the fact that Mando is beginning to open up and get closer to her. Conflicted about opening up herself Mando leaves for an overnight excursion, leaving Grogu in her capable hands. After a long day, Jo falls into a deep sleep. Little does she know, she talks in her sleep.

Tags: Mando x oc, Mando x ofc, sleepy sex, light dom/sub vibes, aftercare

Warnings: Canon Violence, flirting, threats, nightmares, crying, questionable consent at first but quickly becomes consent (consent is sexy), somnophilia, cock warming, PIV, gentle choking, possessive, creampie

Chapter 6 | Chapter 8 | Masterlist

A/N

Writing this chapter has been a wild ride. I rewrote it entirely, twice. Edited more times than I can count, but I think I am finally satisfied. Also another update on AO3, I think I have finally decided to start cross-posting my work. I just have to figure out how. Its gonna be great. Can't wait to see y'all next week!

Enjoy!

Everything changed after that night on Lothal. Mando became more relaxed around her. He would roam the ship while in deep space wearing nothing but his flight suit, slightly undone, and his helmet. When they would eat, if he was seated before her, he would begin lifting his helmet before she could turn away. Jo could have sworn she had caught a glimpse of his scruffy jaw once, but she would never admit it. He had explained the extent of his Creed to her, and she respected it. Just because she respected it didn't mean she had to like it.

Mando also began to engage with Jo more. He would start conversations with her, asking her questions about her life. He also grew into the habit of touching her more. A hand on her thigh whenever they were seated next to each other, a gentle hand on her cheek, brushing her hair behind her ear. What really shocked her though, was this morning’s interaction.

“Where did you grow up?” he asked after lowering his helmet back down from eating his breakfast. Jo took a beat before responding. She hadn't told anyone about her childhood, and she still wasn't ready to. Not yet. She opted for the safest route.

“I was born on Naboo.”

“Hmm…" his gaze was fixed on her, making her feel as though she was about to be interrogated, or that he might pry further, instead he gave a simple nod at her answer, "makes sense.”

“What does?”

“Nabooian women are always beautiful.”

She froze mid-bite, the anxiety of confrontation melted away, and she smiled.

Is he flirting with me?

She abandoned the bite and cleared her throat. “What about you? Where were you born?”

“Aq Vetina.”

“Not Mandalore?”

“No, I was a foundling, taken in by a Mandalorian warrior during the Clone Wars.”

“I had no idea.”

“It’s okay. I don’t talk about it with people, but you’re special.”

Jo’s cheeks turned pink at his words and a small well of guilt opened in the pit of her stomach. He was willing to be transparent with her, yet she couldn't do the same for him. A silence fell between them and he stood up to collect the plates as usual, this time she stood as well instead of handing him her plate. They both entered the galley, and dispensed with the plates. He moved to pass behind her, or at least that's what Jo thought he was going to do. Instead he placed his hands on her hips and pressed against her ass.

"Don't think for a moment that what we did was a one time thing, sweet girl." His voice was deliciously low and close to her ear. "Soon."

Jo’s heart nearly stopped. She leaned hard against the counter in front of her which caused the Mandalorian pause.

“You good?” he teased, pulling her tighter against him.

A meek, “Mhmm,” was all she could muster.

He lingered a moment longer, she couldn’t see it but knew he was smirking. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had desperately wished he could have fucked her again after that night on Lothal, but there had been no opportunities. The bounties had been particularly difficult and their break on Takodana had put him behind.

He finally moved on to preparing to leave for the hunt and she followed after collecting herself. He strapped his rifle to his back and turned to face her before leaving. She expected some kind of instructions to be given. Something along the lines of ‘stay on the ship’ or ‘don’t be seen’ but instead he reached out and pulled her against him.

His arms wrapped tight around her waist. It took her a moment to realize what was happening, but her arms were already instinctually around his shoulders. He squeezed her tight to his chest, and she hugged his shoulders tighter. They stayed like this for a moment, her head resting on his shoulder. Breathing in his aroma, and letting the memory of him imprint on her. He pulled back slightly, his gaze fixed on her through the visor. She stared back at him, searching for eyes she knew she would never see. He finally broke the silence.

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close them. I won't say it again."

She did as she was told and closed them. The familiar hiss of his helmet depressurizing filled her senses as she realized what was happening. He cradled her face in his hands and pulled her in for a kiss. He hadn't kissed her since that night. He hadn't done anything like this since that night. She happily sank into the kiss and out of her mind. This kiss was different than last time, sweet and soft, not as desperate as before. They finally parted and he put the helmet back on. She opened her eyes and looked at the Mandalorian.

“I’ll be gone overnight,” he spoke softly. “Feel free to explore the village, just keep yourself hidden.” A hand brushed a stray hair behind her ear. “Especially your hair.” He walked off the ship and stopped at the end of the ramp to turn back, “Also, you’re welcome to my bunk tonight.”

“Be safe!” She shouted after him and he nodded in response.

Jo spent another hour on the ship, straightening up and dancing to music. Once Grogu finally woke, she fed him quickly and then placed him in a satchel on her hip. On the opposite hip she attached a hip holster for a vibro-knife and picked one from Mando's arsenal to take with her. Jo had no intention of using the knife, but it made her feel safe to have it anyways. She wrapped her head with a scarf, covering her hair and the lower part of her face. Finally she grabbed a cloak she had brought with her when she left Tatooine. Jo pulled the hood up and disembarked the Crest. Whilst exploring the village she came upon a marketplace. An alleyway filled with adobe alcoves and stalls adorned with colorful awnings and woven fabrics. Vendors called out from their stalls, advertising their wares in basic. One stall in particular caught her attention.

A twi'lek woman greeted Jo, "Bright Suns traveller, I see you are wearing a headscarf. I have many beautiful scarves, ones that would compliment your beautiful eyes. Come, come see." The shopkeep gestured to several tables where scarves of a variety of textiles and patterns were neatly on display. Jo selected a few headscarves and hoods, and decided to purchase them, given that having to cover herself was becoming more common. She thanked the woman and went about her shopping.

After exploring for a few hours, she decided it was time for a break. She found a quiet spot near a large pool of water and allowed Grogu out of his carrier. He sat in her lap while she fed him some kettle-popped grains that she had purchased. While he was happily munching away, a old quarren man approached Jo.

"Ex-excuse me. I hate to be a bother, but how much?" The man inquired.

Her eyebrows scrunched together as she glared. "How much... For what?"

He laughed as if she was the one asking an absurd question. "How much for your rare critter? I've never seen a creature like it! I must have it for my collection. I am willing to pay handsomely, name your price."

She stood up, placing the child into the satchel and shifting him so that he was resting behind her. "He is not for sale. He is a child, and he is under my protection."

He cocked his head to the side and scoffed, "My dear, everything in this galaxy has a price." He reached a hand out to touch her, and she caught him by the wrist with one hand and unsheathed her vibro-knife with the other. Jo held the knife to his throat, beneath the tentacles protruding from his jaw.

"Fine. Name your price." She shook with anger as she echoed his request back to him. "How much are you willing to pay for your own life, old man?"

The quarren's chest rose and fell with rapid, anxious breaths. "Apologies. I will leave you in peace with your... Son. No need for threats." He held his hands up in surrender, and she relinquished her hold on him.

She kept her knife firmly in her grasp as she watched him back away. It wasn't until the man had disappeared from sight that she finally re-sheathed her vibro-knife and checked on Grogu. His ears perked up when they made eye contact.

"Everything is okay little guy. I won't let anything happen to you." She patted him on the head and he cooed happily. "How about we finish the shopping and head home?" She froze at her own words. Jo hadn't given it much thought but, she was starting to feel more at home on the Crest than she had anywhere else since... She shook the thought from her mind and returned to the present, focusing on the young one on her hip. He was still happily cooing, waiting for her to begin the trek through the marketplace once more.

Mando had left her a substantial number of credits to be able to purchase necessities, which she took full advantage of. She returned to the ship at sunset, hands full of bags of bursting with food. It was nearly dark when she finally made it aboard. She placed the food down on the floor and closed the ramp behind her. Grogu was set down onto the floor and proceeded to waddle around the hull, searching for something shiny to play with most likely. She left him to his own devices and began to put away the food she had acquired. Since she had joined the Mandalorian's 'crew', the pantry had gone from sparse to bursting. Cooking was one of her favorite pastimes, and it was much easier to do when there was variety. Once that was done she prepared dinner for herself and Grogu, something small since it was just the two of them. They ate and he fell asleep, leaving her to her own devices. She stared at the closed door of Mando’s bunk, debating whether she was going to take the offer to sleep in there. She hadn't been inside since Lothal. 

Jo decided that a shower, regardless of where she would sleep tonight, was in order. As she washed herself, she found the bruises he had kissed into her skin several nights ago. They were mostly faded, but the memory still lingered. She traced over every single mark, reveling in the fact that there was evidence that he had been there. Jo realized she had been in the refresher for so long that her fingers were pruning. She turned off the water and dressed in a silk night dress that Peli had given her that she had 'lyin around'. It was one of the nicest things Jo had ever been given, so she didn't ask any further questions about the origins. She exited the fresher and took a deep breath to gather her nerves.

Fuck it.

She brought the egg-shaped crib with her into Mando’s bunk and the door hissed shut behind her. She crawled into his cot, which was definitely more comfortable than hers. His scent was everywhere, but hung especially heavy on the bunk. Jo let herself imagine he was lying beside her. She drifted to sleep to the thought of his arm draped over her waist and his body pressed up behind her.

She dreamt of him, of Mando. His face was always hazy in her dreams, the only visible feature was his scruffy jaw. He’s holding her on Naboo, and professing his undying love and loyalty to her. She stood on her toes to press a kiss to his lips, and he lifts her completely off the ground. The pair of them fall backwards into the meadow and the dream morphs into something much steamier than it had started as. Clothes were being thrown off each other. Burning hot kisses being pressed against one another. Their moans of pleasure echoing through the field as they gave into it completely.

Jo was moaning in her sleep. A wetness pooling between her thighs. She was grinding her hips against nothing, desperate for a sense of real friction in her dream world. Unbeknownst to her, the Mandalorian was bearing witness to all of it.

It was dark and he was back earlier than he had anticipated, but he could make out her body in his bed perfectly. She was wearing something he had never seen on her before and he liked what he saw. He wasn't sure what he should do in a situation like this. In truth, he was planning to just sleep in her cot for the night, let her rest peacefully. Then she began speaking in her sleep and all rational thought left his mind.

"Mando..." She moaned loudly, "Need you...Don't stop." Jo continued to whimper and moan while he carefully removed Grogu from the room and quietly stripped down. He climbed into the small bed with her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her backside against him. She grinded her hips against his aching erection, lighting a fire in his veins. He grinded against her in return, letting out a ragged breath at the friction. He pressed soft kisses to her neck as he reached a hand between her legs. As his fingers made contact she let out a shaky breath.

"Fuck, what I would give to know what you're dreaming about that would make you this wet." He gently pulled the hem of her dress up over her ass, and dragged his tip through her wetness. Another loud moan left her lips as he sank his hard cock deep inside her. She was soaking wet and so warm. He let his cock just rest inside her for a long moment. The feeling of her pussy clenching and pulsating around him was something he wanted to fully enjoy.

"Please," came her voice in the dark, different than when she had spoken in her sleep before. This time it was a pleading whisper, heavy with lust and sleep. She grinded back against him, an intention there that hadn't been there before. She was awake. She was grinding and begging, desperate for him to move. The fact that she was this needy for him made his head buzz. Experimentally, he brought a hand up and grasped her throat with a gentle pressure. She bit her lip and moaned loudly at the new sensation.

"Keep begging for it, sweet girl. Convince me you deserve it." He growled into her ear.

"Please fuck me. Need your cock so bad. Want you to take me. Only you." She whimpered, pressing against him as much as possible. Her last two words nearly took the wind out of him.

Only you.

He began to pump into her with a slow, aggressive pace, burying himself completely in her with each stroke. He pressed his mouth to her neck and moaned.

"All. Fucking. Mine." Punctuated with each rough stroke. Her moans were unbridled, her mind still in the fog of sleep. She gave her body to him completely. She wanted him to make her his. She craved this.

"All yours. Fuck! Don't stop."

"That's it, come for me. Come on my cock mesh'la." He continued fucking into her, his pace never faltering as she fell apart for him. Her orgasm ripped through her, a blinding heat crashing over her, but he didn't stop. Instead he began fucking into her faster, he groaned against the skin of her neck.

"Where... Where should I..." He couldn't manage a full sentence, his ecstasy clouding his mind. Jo reached behind her and grasped his hair tightly.

"Inside. Want you to fill me up."

"F-fuck. Are you-"

"I'm safe, come inside me. Please." Mando sank his teeth into her shoulder as he came. His release coated her walls and dripped out around his cock. He was huffing and panting. He pulled out of her and she felt it slowly drip out of her. Jo hummed happily as she sank back into the pillow, her body relaxing completely. As she started to drift to sleep once more she felt a shift behind her which pulled her back from the edge.

"Stay," she whimpered, grasping for him in the dark. He grabbed her hand a placed a kiss to her palm.

"I will, but first I need to clean up the mess I have made." He laughed lightly.

"Fine. As long as you promise you'll be back."

"I will always come back." He disappeared for a few moments, and when he returned he had a towel with warm water. She was almost completely asleep at this point, so he wiped her thighs clean for her. He readjusted her dress and threw on a pair of boxers. Mando climbed back into the bed and held her tight as he followed her into sleep.

She was dreaming the same dream again. They're on Naboo and he's confessing his love. She stood on her toes to press a kiss to his lips like before. This time the dream turned, she pulled back and her gaze was met with red eyes. He gripped her tight, bruising her skin with the force. She screamed trying to pull away, it’s no use though. She was too weak in his grasp, unable to run away. The world fell away from beneath her and she awoke in the familiar bunk. She bolted up, startling Mando awake.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice a mix of sleep and panic. She was choking on sobs and shaking uncontrollably. Hearing this woke him up entirely. He pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her hair. "Shh… it's okay sweet girl… you're safe. It was just a dream."

She buried her face, her voice muffled by his shoulder, "But it wasn't… it was him…" He cradled her against his chest. He still wasn't sure what memories plagued her, but it didn't matter. She was obviously upset.

"I'm here now. I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you." He promised softly.

Jo was too delirious to process his words, but her body responded. She relaxed into him and her breathing slowed. They remained like that, her in his arms with Mando stroking her back. Once her breathing became slow and rhythmic again, he relaxed. He cradled her face with his hand as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Ni Kelir cabour gar mesh'la." He whispered softly.

I will protect you beautiful.

Chapter 6 | Chapter 8 | Masterlist

#stow away #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian fanfic #the Mandalorian smut #the mandolorian x ofc #the mandalorian x original female character #the mandalorian x original character #the mandalorian x oc #mando fanfiction #mando fanfic #mando x oc #mando x ofc #din djarin x oc #din djarin x ofc #din djarin #din djarin x original female character #din djarin x original character #din djarin smut #din djarin fanfic #din djarin fanfiction

[fandomanimatic-tournament]

Round 2 Matchups:

Bracket 1, Side A:

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing VS. Curses

Open Up Your Eyes VS. Ready as I'll ever be

Sincerely, Me VS. Once Upon a December

Little Miss Perfect VS. Good for You VS. Never Love an Anchor

The other side VS. How bad can I be?

Blue Lips VS. Just Take My Walllet VS. Baby Hotline

I'm the Bad Guy VS. Partners in Crime VS. It's tough to be a God

Are You Satisfied? VS. Oh No!

Bracket 1, Side B:

It Took Me By Surprise VS. Hayloft II

I know I'm a Wolf VS. Left Brain, Right Brain

Christmas Kids VS. Dismemberment Song VS. Allies or Enemies

Turn the Lights off VS. Villain

Soldier, Poet, King VS. Crossing the Line

Everybody Talks VS. Saint Bernard

The History of Wrong Guys VS. Lemon Boy

Who Are You, Really? VS. The Zombie Song

Bracket 2, Side A:

Honey, I'm Home VS. Little Lion Man

The Other Side of Paradise VS. El Muchacho de los Ojos Tristes

Ikanaide VS. Touch-Tone Telephone

Achilles Come Down VS. My R

No Children VS. I can't decide

You're Gonna Go Far, Kid VS. Dr Sunshine is Dead

Crush VS. My Ordinary Life

I do adore VS. Like Real People Do

Bracket 2, Side B:

Stronger Than You VS. Emperor's New Clothes

Two Birds VS. Love Like You

Everything stays VS. My Whole Family

Cabinet Man VS. Welcome To The Internet

The Moon Will Sing VS. There! Right There!

This is Home VS. How Far We've Come

The Mind Electric VS. Rät

Fish in a Birdcage VS. The Game of Life

Warnings and disclaimers under the cut

Please be cautious and read the title, description and warning cards on the animatic videos if you decide to watch them. If you've got specific triggers I'd recommend even more caution when watching animatics of fandoms you don't know, since sometimes canon-typical themes don't get warnings.

Please keep in mind that I don't know all the media and fandoms of the animatics provided as examples and I don't have the time (nor the will) to research them all. Don't come into my notes or my ask box complaining about them being included, I will simply block you. If a ship animatic included is about an adult and a minor, do tell me and I'll take it out of the post

ALSO keep in mind that I don't know all the artists submitted; in fact, even if I do know them I know absolutely nothing about them as people (I do not have twitter nor tiktok) and I could not POSSIBLY have the time to research ALL of the artists' controversies and what came of them so PLEASE don't flood my inbox with the artists' entire crime list.

#fandom animatic tournament

[nevereverlandboys]

White Crow Part 1

A/N: This is part one of my Felix redemption arc I am starting! Sorry for taking so long to post it on Tumblr too

What if Regina took Felix's heart instead of Pan?

Summary:

Felix, Peter Pan's right hand man was given a second chance to live in an orphanage. With a strange bond to Y/N he tries to reconnect to the world and find a purpose again.No matter the effort, people will think of him as a villain. He  has a hard time breaking out of his cycle, hoping to become someone good that deserves a happy ending.

Felix took a sharp breath. He felt a stinging pain from inside of his chest, overwhelming him in waves as if his heart was being pressed together too tightly by the weight of his own flesh. Only that there was no such thing like a heart beating inside Felix's chest anymore.

"Now it belongs to me. You see, when you take a heart, it becomes enchanted. Stronger than a normal heart. You're not hurting the beast. You're controlling it." Regina had said when she took it from him. Felix was smart enough to tell she had copied the exact phrasing from the dark one. She had been a student of his, a good one so he was aware of, for  that he never underestimated the dark queen. Besides, he never held a personal grudge towards her. After all, it was Peter who truly betrayed him, and if it was not for Y/N's idea to let the evil queen take his heart first, he would have probably died that night. Something inside him had already told him that Peter wanted to kill him, so Y/N only proved a point with that, but also made him lose the only friend he ever had. The empty feeling afterwards was enough reason to want his heart back. Felix knew that something inside him was missing, now it was even clearer to him. With it, he would have this amazing warm feeling of being free, but with an empty chest to walk around, there was not even a little spark glowing up. It would give him hope. Felix brought his hand up to his chest, just to check one more time for a sound of a beating. Nothing. He just felt like an empty shell. He felt no difference after tricking Pan, and maybe it was exactly that disturbing him the most. He puzzled about an eventual deeper meaning to it, assuming that he was that cold to begin with. 

I killed my only friend. 

"Come back!" He felt that stinging pain once more, and just like a soldier in trance he strutted all the way back through the cold forest, leaving the spring behind. He tried not to look down onto his hands, knowing that he should not expect to see anything else but red. With Peter raging about the missing heart Felix could barely fight against his magic, so he had to grab for that edgy stone. He was just glad that he was not in Henry's body anymore.

Readers P.O.V.:

The second Felix returned, Y/N's eyes widened. His face was sprinkled in blood, and his hands were fully covered with it. He had this empty look in his eyes when they met Y/N's. They instinctively searched for the most familiar face, before his eyes darted to the evil queen.

"I am done with Pan." Felix said with a deadpan face. "Now return my heart, witch." 

Regina's face twitched at his tone, " And why would I do that?"

Felix pressed his teeth together, his jaws visibly tightening. For a second he just glared at her through squinted eyes, no words crossing his lips. Y/N looked over to Regina, holding his heart with a satisfied grin. It was just then that Y/N finally realized that he did not respond because he was not able to.

"Give it back to him." She said pleadingly. "Please."

Regina huffed and let her arm sink before she turned to the girl, "Are you for real? After everything you want to let him go without punishment?"

"Didn’t he suffer enough? Pan used him and tried to kill him. He has no reason to harm us!"

"Mom look, it's all red!" Henry pointed out, sharing the entreat. "He is not a villain."

Villains and heroes- good and evil.  This had to mean something. At least it did to Y/N and Henry. 

"If you want it to be returned so badly, do it yourself." Regina mocked with a teasing undertone. Her eyes darkened with each step towards Y/N. She grabbed for her hand and shoved Felix' heart inside it. The girl widened her eyes and darted her eyes down to her hand, then back to Regina, shaking her head in disbelief. 

"All you have to do is push it inside his chest." 

Y/N locked eyes with the second in command who gave her the same startled expression. His heart was pulsating hot against Y/N's fingertips, reminding her with every pump that she had the ultimate power over him. She could make him do whatever she wanted, but with each second holding it, she was overwhelmed by strong emotions coming from it and flooding her mind.

She approached the boy in a trance like state, not once breaking eye contact. Felix looked at her in anticipation once she came to halt in front of him. 

"Please." Felix whispered impatiently, slightly leaning forwards. "Give me back my heart and I promise-"

He stopped his sentence with a painful growl when Y/N interrupted him by pushing his heart back inside his chest. The pain came in waves, stinging him behind his eyes down to his toes, worse than having it ripped out in the first place. Felix felt his knees weaken, but he was not ready to show weakness, so he pressed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth while he fought against his own body. 

A few seconds later the pain disappeared completely, instead, there was this slow and steady pumping of his heartbeat. Felix reached for his chest and opened his eyes. A short glimpse of Y/N was enough to fasten the rhythm, overwhelming him like waves. Felix did expect strong emotions when he got his heart back, but never had he pictured anything warm like this. 

"Let's go back." She said and rubbed her arms. Felix looked up into the sky. It was snowing. Back in Regina's house, Felix sat motionless on the staircase, letting Y/N clean the blood off of his hands. 

"Why are you doing this? I can do this myself. " He suddenly said and glanced over to her. The girl stopped and looked back, feeling somewhat caught. She had questioned herself all the time what was running  through his head, and if he felt forced to end it like this. If Felix wanted to talk about it, he probably would do it on his own, there was no need to bother him further. Giving him some space now would be smart

Y/N rose and just as she started to walk off, she felt him grab her wrist.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'd like some help." He said timidly, letting go of his gentle grip. Y/N gave him a faint of a smile, sitting  back down beside him and grabbed for the wet towel once more. 

"Thank you." Felix smiled back, showing her a rare sight. He looked so innocent when he showed her his dimples. 

"I think your idea of letting the evil queen take my heart worked. It turned out Peter did want to use it and kill me. You saved my life."

"I am just glad Henry got his body back before you… you-"

"Smashed his head? With a rock? If you want to ask me how I did it, don't fret."

Y/N swallowed hard. She painted herself a picture of the act, and could not help but feel sorry for Peter. With scarce resources of magic, Peter had no chance against this giant of a boy.

"How do you feel?" She then asked and placed his hand on his. Such an innocent move of hers, but it made Felix feel the heat rise in his face. Her touch was warm and gentle, he did not mind it at all, the opposite, Felix liked it. He looked at her and she found herself drawn into his gaze, unable to look away. She did not see a monster in him like the others. When the boy suddenly smiled at her, Y/N could not help but smile back.

"So where else should he go?" They suddenly overheard the adults obviously talk about Felix in the other room, caughting their attention, so they both exchanged a look filled with curiosity, before they  decided to investigate. Stepping inside, everyone in the room went silent, darting their eyes into the direction of the intruders. The adults looked at them not for long before returning completely unbothered back to their discussion.

"We can't let him go to Neverland or else he will start plotting something." Regina grumbled with crossed arms in front of her chest. She clearly talked about Felix. David and Hook were on her side, nodding in agreement.

"Aye." The captain said with a glare towards the boy, "That shall be unwise. Who knows what he could be up to there."

"We could let him live with us in storybrooke." Snow chimed in and stepped forwards.

"Sure.'' We just play happy family." Hook said sarcastically and put on a fake smile. The second in command moved his eyes into the pirate's direction without turning his head, the annoyance written all over his face. "There is already no space for all of us."

"We can't keep them here, that's  true." Emma agreed with Hook on this, pressing her brows together in a serious manner.

"What else do you have in mind?" Y/N chimed in, after all it was also her they needed to find shelter for. She looked up to Felix, waiting for him to speak up as well. He said no words but seemed to be intrigued by the conversation. In the end they had no choice but to comply after everything they did. 

"I suggested the orphanage,  where the rest of the lost boys were put up." Regina answered. That was the second Felix face started twitching, obviously not being fond of the idea. Still, no word crossed his lips. Y/N on the other hand tried to stay optimistic, after all, how bad could it be?

"We can't!" Emma's voice shrill through the room. "We protected them to be save from Felix!"

"You act as if he is vile and untamed!" Y/N glared at her. Felix felt his heart warming up when she defended him, well aware that she had witnessed him back on Neverland. He had treated the lost boys cruelly and barely showed mercy. No matter how much he told himself that it was Pan, it would always remain to be a lie.

"I don't trust a teenager that almost killed my son-"

"He helped you protect Henry!" Y/N interrupted. "If you put him in an orphanage you might as well put me in there!"

"So be it." Hook said with a shrug. He could not stand anyone from Neverland, not even Y/N. The pirate was convinced that not Pan himself was the source of evil, but rather the island itself. Felix had once mentioned that Hook liked to name them "the offspring of madness".  The further away he was from them the better. Y/N waited for the others to say a word, but it seemed like the argument was over with that. An orphanage it would be. The girl looked over to Felix, but he was already staring at her. His face said nothing, Y/N could not read it like that. How much she wished she could.

Felix's P.O.V.:

With this clattering swaying of the car, Felix feared that this short drive would be the end of him. Y/N next to him did not look less terrified, shortly exchanging a look with him before she would look away again. His eyes darted down to her hands on the seat, and he longed to touch her hands once more, hold her and assure her that he would make sure everything was okay. On the other hand he had never been really close to her back on Neverland, rather seemed to avoid her instead. He knew that Pan loved games and that he would play with her too, so getting close to her was never an option before. Felix had to admit that the small gesture of her taking his hand earlier showed him how badly he had Felix gentle touches. Everyone around him saw him as the bad guy, so it was probably something he would not receive so quickly.

Perhaps, but eventually he had the chance to prove himself now, to show Y/n and the others that he can change and be a better person. Neverland was the past, and there was nothing holding him back, opening new possibilities for a better life. Felix wanted to change and become a better person, so he knew that he had to keep the girl safe from anyone that might cause trouble in their new start. 

"Thanks for helping me back there." Felix whispered into Y/N's direction, trying to make him inaudible as possible for David. He did not want to show him his weakness.

"I wish I could help you sooner. That must have hurt." She whispered back.

"had it worse." he chuckled and leaned back into his seat. There was no way back, so  Felix tried to stay optimistic. Y/N did not say anything in response, so they sat in silence as they drove down the road. At the arrival Felix stiffened up before he got out of the car. The building reminded him of a high castle, combined with the aesthetics of a church. Y/N by his side did not look less nervous. Still, he was glad to have her by his side. Felix was not fond of the idea to move into an orphanage with all the boys back from Neverland. No one liked him for good reasons. After what Henry told him, Felix came to the realization that all this time he had been a villain, and that there was no space for evil in this world, his fate being a life with no happy ending. It did not matter how hard it would be, the former lost boy wanted to be good. To do that, he needed to prove that he was no danger and that there was more than violence leading him on. Even if he would straight up apologize to the former lost boys, he strongly doubted that any of them would accept him or spend time with him. Felix used to be on his own back in Neverland, so what had changed? Why did he need to prove something and to whom? The heroes? Y/N? He took another glance at her, asking himself why she stood up for him. She had never been close to him on Neverland, barely talked to him before, but now he was fascinated with the girl. Maybe he did want to convince her especially after she even made it possible to prove himself. 

"I told the staff to have a close eye on you." David spoke to Felix as the boy stepped out of the car. "Make trouble and you're in a less comfortable facility. I am talking about supervised living. It won't give you the freedom you're being granted right now. " 

Felix replied with a resistant nod. He was far too tired to force a smile and even if he did, the man would know that it was a lie. He turned to get his backpack from the backseat and faced the old building. It was a huge estate with huge towers and many windows, clean from the outside besides some toys laying on the grass. There were the sounds of chickens nearby that must belong to the house. It was welcoming and less scary than Felix had imagined.

"Do you hear that?" Y/N said with a smile, closing her eyes for a second. "I hope there are more animals." 

"Maybe they do." Felix gave back and raised his brows, leading the way up to the doorsteps of that building. "Maybe they have sheep or goats." 

"What about sheep AND goats!" 

He nodded and faced the door to knock, heavy and loud, maybe a little too loud. They waited a moment, then another one and another, until Y/N lifted her hand to knick again. Just as her knuckles were about to touch the wood, the door was finally being opened. The people behind the door were two gaunt nuns, none of them showed any efforts to properly greet them or make them feel welcome in their new home. 

"You," One of them pointed at Felix. "Boys section."

"And you," The other one said with a voice naturally softer than the other one's. "Girls section."

Inside the building Felix immediately got separated from Y/N to be escorted to his new room. He had to walk up a large staircase and left down the hallway,  and Y/N followed a staircase opposite to the other one, vanishing out of the boy's sight. 

"That's it." The nun who escortes him said disdainfully, her meager finger pointing towards the wooden door. "Don't expect much." 

Felix looked down into her wrinkled face. She was an old, scanty, time worn woman, ghoulish with pale skin and gray eyes, colder than his own. Her teeth were yellow with brown stains, and given away the scent of coffee, Felix assumed she drank it regularly. With that, she turned, slowly shuffling wearlily down the hallway. Felix already could not stand her, wondering if those emotions came naturally or if there was more than a simple bias behind it. Nevertheless this nun was an unpleasant woman. Opening the door, Felix followed her advice and kept his expectations low. The room was kept simple: There was a bed in the corner with a desk next to it, right underneath the window, a mirror next to the door and a dresser parallel to the bed. Much space left. If Felix owned something personal, he would see it as space to embellish it, but now it was just an empty space.

Felix stepped in and sat down onto his bed. He could not look into the mirror. Not yet. Not after what he had done to Peter  Was there true obedience with a heart being under control, or was there not a single move coming from himself? Felix was not sure if he wanted to do this, but in the end he killed his only friend. Did Peter trust him like Felix had trusted him? Now there was no way of telling anymore, so he needed a way to go past this, just like with all the other nasty things he did back on Neverland.

Felix did not see Y/N again until dinner, but by that time she was sitting close to Wendy. Felix was surprised to see the girl here as well, but questioned it not any further. Where else should she be? When she first saw him, the Darling girl froze. It was like her whole body told him to stay away- so he did. While he ate, she seemed to notice his gaze, so she avoided looking in Felix's direction all together. He could not help himself but felt disappointed that Y/N was not accompanying him, but it was understandable that she craved female companions after all. The boy would try to talk to her the next day, noticing how all the boys around him stiffened up and tried to keep their heads to themselves- just like on Neverland. Felix did not like that. He had never felt lonelier, knowing that there was not a single person to talk to. With the mood that bad, Felix decided not to bother any of the others with their presence, swaying onto his feet before leaving the room. Just as he was about to turn and leave, someone stretched out their leg, causing Felix to trip and Fall into the ground. During the sudden crash Felix bit harshly onto his lip and he could feel a small amount of blood mixing with his saliva. When he heard a quiet chuckle, Felix turned around and looked at the boy that had caused him to fall and bite himself. The boy was his age, not much shorter than Felix, golden locks and piercing blue eyes. With those angular cheeek bones Felix felt like looking at someone relative. The pretty boy wore a smug grin and looked down at Felix in full contempt. Felix's eyes burned in anger at the taste of his own blood, picturing a million ways to get revenge. It was not worth it, Felix thought, it only would bring him trouble. Raising to his feet once more he wiped off the blood and glared at the other boy before he walked off. This was not worth a fight, especially in front of the others. Sooner or later he would receive a payback, and the former lost boy never forgot a face, especially not if the other looked quite similar to himself. On the way back to his room, Felix crossed ways with the nun from earlier again. By listening to the conversations at the table he had learned that her name was sister Tilda.

"Have we been in a fight, mr.?" She stated so scornfully, raising her spare eyebrows in a judging manner.

"No I haven't, someone pushed me-" The nun shook her head and kept walking past him. This was useless. All they saw was Pan's pav dog, not a person. They had made their mind up to him and now he was stuck with this impression until he had the chance to prove him otherwise.. He had no idea how to do that, so Felix felt hopeless and frustrated. Laying down onto his bed he contemplated his regrets. During the first night, Felix was constantly tormented by gruesome nightmares. It was as if there was something that was ought to get him, haunting him even when he opened his eyes back open again. Rethinking his life, he came to conclusions that living on Neverland had been a nightmare and Peter Pan was made of them, just like a greenish personification of the devil. Felix hated himself for sticking to him until the very last moment. It gave him the realization that he never had a true friend after all, everything was shallow and built on lies. Felix had no one but himself. He needed to see Y/N again and ask her why she saved him and why she thought he was worth being saved. After all  it was her who even thought about him and created a plan, using all her energy to convince the other heroes to help. She must have had a reason for her actions, doubtful she acted on sympathy alone. The next day she went into the city along with Wendy, so Felix kept his distance. He wandered through the corridors, exploring the building when he suddenly crossed the boy from the day before, the one who caused him to trip. Felix wanted to beat him up, show him his place, but he knew that this would be a ticket to get thrown out immediately, far away from Y/N. It was reason enough to care

"So you're the leader of those dirty  savages?" He asked with a disgusted expression plastered over his neat face. 

"No." Felix shook his head with a deadpan face. "Peter Pan is dead." 

Jimmy scoffed and tilted his head. "Wouldn't that make you the leader?" 

"No." Felix said again.

"So you're just a savage loser like the rest of you newbies?" He looked disgusted up and down, scanning every little detail. "Your face sure kissed a blender." 

Felix felt his blood rise and he gritted his teeth, trying to control himself from not jumping at his throat right away. There was this strong urge to just throw him into the ground and choke the boy until his face turned blue. What a pleasant daydream. He had done worse to boys for even mentioning his scar, but after some time he learned to restrain himself. Not now. Not here. Felix was above this, way too smart and cunning to be tricked into violence like that, not after years being teased by lost boys that tried to get a reaction.

"Dude what is your problem? Have you ever been in a fight? How about you let your fists talk?" Felix gave back snarkily.

"Why should I go down to your level? You will see, sooner or later the nuns will throw you out either way. Some animals just can't be tamed. You newbies are a pest and if it were up to me they should have never let you in that easily. "

"Ah," Felix said with a smirk. "Lost boys can be little devils. Are they giving you nightmares?" 

The blonde boy yanked his head away, rolling his eyes and wiping some of his curls behind his ear. "Pathetic to assume any of you would scare us first-arrivals!" 

"Because mommy's early  abandonment was traumatizing enough already?" Felix chuckled out. The boy gritted his teeth and formed his hands into fists, giving Felix the impression to be attacked any second, so he got in position himself. 

"I'll have you out of here quicker than you can think. Wait for it." The boy snarled and gave him a dirty look before he would leave the direction he came from. After the boy stormed off, Felix returned to his room, taking an afternoon nap. When the boy woke up again, he was surrounded by darkness. Searching for the switch of the nightlight, he turned it on, darting his eyes to the watch on the wall. It was past ten already, so he had overslept the dinner and his chance to talk to Y/N again. Felix heard his stomach growling and seconds later he felt a wave of hunger pulling painfully inside him.

"Shut up already!" Felix whispered to himself as he sneaked through the corridors and heard his stomach rumbling again. Inside the kitchen Felix was surprised to still see some light on, and he prepared for an excuse to be in the kitchen, when he suddenly froze in place. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Same question." Felix gave back startled, but inside he was happy to meet no one else but Y/N. She looked tired,  still she kept doing the dishes.

"Wendy has a headache. It's our turn to clean up."

Y/N stood in front of a pile of dishes, no wonder why she was still awake. Felix stepped closer, grabbing a towel to help without saying anything. It was not needed and he would not even let her fight him on this. Fortunately she said nothing against his presence, instead she let out a small, satisfied hum. This reaction warmed him from deep within his chest after such a rough day. 

"What happened to your face?" She asked worriedly and touched his chin. Felix never wanted this to stop. 

"I fell." He lied, not wanting to admit that he made an enemy on his first day. It was not like this was on Felix though, there was no reason for the other boy to simply hate him just because he was from Neverland. There had to be more behind it, or else he would treat the girls the same way. 

"Be careful." She said out warmly, a soft smile forming on her face.

"I will." He gave back, and with that she removed her hand, making him miss her touch in an instant. Since she returned his heart to him, being with her felt like a dream. Maybe he had created a weird connection to her, or the evil queen enchanted him, or perhaps, this was all just in his head. Nevertheless, her company suddenly started to make him feel nervous like never before, making him believe he was sick or some sort. 

"Have you slept well?" Y/N then asked, continuing to wash the dirty plates. "I have looked for you, but sister Edith chased me out of your room and the boy corridor."

Felix giggled at the picture of that, but at the same time he was surprised that Y/N looked after him. 

"I felt pretty tired after everything that happened. I am pretty hungry too." 

"There is some roasted chicken and potatoes in the fridge." 

Felix nodded thankfully, interrupting his assistance for a moment as he warmed himself a plate from the previous dinner. When he was done eating, Y/N had finished cleaning up. She reached for his plate at last while he grabbed a towel and dried the plates.

"Thanks." 

"I am the one that should be forever thankful for what you did for me." Felix said, looking over to her. "I just wanted to ask you why you were willing to help me. Everyone thinks I am too dangerous." 

Y/N chuckled lightly, shaking her head. It made Felix impatient for her response. "I saw that he only used you when all you wanted was a friend. " She replied and stepped closer to him. He had the urge to just grab her and embrace her in his arms, to tell her how happy he was to have met her and how scared he really was to die. Instead, he looked down at the girl, his eyes glued onto her as he waited for her to continue. Suddenly they both heard some footsteps nearby, so Felix took a step back, curiously watching the door. No one entered, but the motions in the hallway made Felix uneasy enough to return to his room. He had enough troubles for the start.

"Have you seen the chicken yet?" Y/N asked before he could even make the choice to leave. She ignored the footsteps altogether. Felix shook his head. 

"Franklin showed them to me. You should meet him, he was very kind and maybe you will find a new friend."

"I will think about it if I meet him." 

"I haven't seen him at dinner, so maybe he roams around, too." 

Felix did not know who Franklin was, what he looked like or what age he was, but for a second Felix felt a sting when hearing that name a second time. He lied to himself that it had to something else than jealousy. He listened to the sounds behind the door.  The footsteps walked past them, but they were too fast for a nun, too many, so the boy assumed it must be the other kids. Maybe even Franklin.

It made Felix feel uneasy. He had no intention to meet the others again or learn to know new faces, so he was glad that Y/N suggested he go outside.  Felix rather went out into the cold than get into another uncomfortable situation. The boy finally managed to relax after a long evening, smiling down at Y/N as he followed. 

Just as they were to leave the house, Wendy suddenly entered. When she saw  Y/N she stopped and stared, her smile quickly fading as he moved them to her side.

"Y/N-" At the sight of Felix she made a horrified face, and he read it as a "shit, not him."

"Wendy-" He started and she widened her eyes, bending her head cautiously aside.  

"You should rot in hell. This is not what you deserve after Hell-land." She used his short gap to speak first. She quickly hushed past both of them, not giving Felix any chance to talk.

"She never told me why she hated you so much." Y/N followed the girl with her eyes until she vanished upstairs in the hallway.

"Because I was one of the people that kept her from her family." Felix suggested an idea, looking down at the former lost girl. 

"She doesn't hate Devin or the other boys." 

"Truth be told, most of them were just harmless morons."

With that he turned and left the building, quickly followed by Y/N. Outside it was freezing and without proper clothes they just took a quick peak around the house, assuming the animals were fed by someone. With a quick glance they saw that there were indeed some goats. It was too cold to stay any longer, so both decided to go inside quickly. On the way back Felix was surprised to see Devin. He remembered him well, so he raised his hand to wave. The boy froze at the sight of him, eyes widened in disbelief. He did not look pleased to see the former second at all. Just like Wendy.

"I really hoped he had killed you." Devin said, his eyes wandered up and down. With that he turned on his heels as if he changed his mind and walked back where he came from. Felix stood and stared. He was silent for a moment before he shook his head and turned to Y/N.

"I think I will head back to my room." He said dryly. 

Y/N said nothing but she did not have to. Her eyes were full of disappointment, as if she did not want him to go. Felix did not want to leave her like that, not that soon, but it was late and even though he had slept the whole day he still felt tired and drained. Besides, he could not bear facing any of the other boys right now. 

"Can I give you something before you go?" Y/N suddenly said as Felix was about to leave. He looked at her expectantly and gave her a confirming nod before he walked behind her to her room. When they arrived it took her only a few moments to receive a small paper bag with some black fabric inside. 

"I saw it and thought about you. It was always warm in Neverland so I thought you would need something warmer." She smiled at him while giving him the bag.

"Thank you." Felix showed his teeth while smiling. He had never received a gift before.

#ouat felix #ouat felix x reader

[porcupine-girl]

Full Text of Xiao Zhan GQ Interview via Apple Translate

I took @tdkeh's screenshots of the interview and ran them through Apple translate, results below.

COVER STORY Cover Story

The studio was by the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Xiao Zhan was wrapped in a black down jacket, took off his shoes, and sat cross-legged in the corner of the sofa. He looked very relaxed. The shooting came to an end for the time being. Although he had been working for more than 7 hours in a row, there was no trace of fatigue on his face.

This is a face that attracts attention all the time. A few months ago, the studio posted a group of Xiao Zhan's birthday blockbusters, and immediately sharp-eyed netizens found that the face had "rounded". In order to play the role of Guo Jing in the film "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great" directed by Xu Ke, before entering the group, Xiao Zhan gained weight, his cheeks were no longer so thin, and his figure was obviously strong. In the photo, he had a hawthorn, showing a slight vicissitudes of life.

Strictly speaking, "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great" is Xiao Zhan's second film. Guo Jing's role has many pearls and jade in the previous version. His

On the day of shooting the cover of Zhizu GQ, Xiao Zhan got up early and ran. He couldn't help thinking, "Oh, my God, I'm sweating so much that I'm going to lose muscle again, right?

He struggled with whether to continue or not, and finally decided to run for 30 minutes. When the time was up, he thought that his body fat began to consume after 30 minutes, and he ran for another 10 minutes.

Everything is for work." In fact, I don't want to run. Running will lose muscle, but I have to run to reduce the swelling. After the shooting, he planned to do weight training no matter how late it was. The actor's self-cultivation is ready to create an image for the character at any time, but he must strictly control his diet and manage his figure. Xiao Zhan regarded both as professional norms and asked for himself.

Before the meeting, I thought that Xiao Zhan would be very cautious about the interview. Surprisingly, Xiao Zhan had a rare sense of relaxation, answering questions, and even a little humorous. When he mentioned that the actor had to observe the characters in his life, he took the opportunity to comment on the sitting posture of several people present. When asked what happened after entering the industry, he didn't expect that his answer was that he could not eat what he wanted to eat like his high school classmates.

The interview lasted for nearly two hours. I was curious. In the past few years, Xiao Zhan has been under great attention. What kind of experience is it for him?

Xiao Zhan said that many times, he has forgotten this matter and has not caused him much trouble in his life. The most "cruel" thing may be that "you can't eat freely."

"I still sneak out to ride a bike, take a walk, and CityWalk. Only once, I just walked in the alley for 5 minutes and was recognized. I also went to the cinema and watched movies. No one will care about you, really. After leaving the Internet, many things will be solved. Sometimes the world is in front of us. This is a misunderstanding, but we can't avoid this misunderstanding, so there is nothing we can do.

He has a lot of things he wants to do, such as squeezing the subway and shopping malls. "I will really squeeze the subway. Maybe tomorrow, it's too normal. I used to take the subway every day." For Xiao Zhan, this is his real life. The voice of social media no longer bothers him. "It's been so many years, and I'm still troubled. Do I still live?

(Laughter) It's really okay."

At this stage, Xiao Zhan is very satisfied with his life. "I have a job, my own life, and an audience who likes me. There is nothing to be dissatisfied with."

To some extent, Xiao Zhan's sense of relaxation comes from a clearer and clearer goal. The voice of the outside world no longer bothers him. He knows what he wants and what he doesn't want. Now, he is doing more subtraction for himself. In the past two years, he has rarely been in variety shows, taking the profession of actor as the most important goal at present.

In 2023, three film and television dramas starring Xiao Zhan will be broadcast, and each role is a challenge for Xiao Zhan. In the interview, Xiao Zhan said that he was "under a lot of pressure" many times, and he would say so when reviewing almost every stage. But his tone is brisk, without the heavy feeling of complaining, and more like an after-mort analysis and summary. The reasons are often specific and objective: the first time he came into contact with no physical performance, the first time he took the lead alone, and the first time he acted in modern drama…

"The Sea in the Dream" is a script that Xiao Zhan especially likes. He likes the stories of that generation very much. When he was a child, he watched some film and television dramas, Days Related to Youth, Happiness Like Flowers. When it comes to the 1970s and 1980s, he felt that the sun was shining and colorful. Many people say that Xiao Chunsheng is perfect, but in Xiao Zhan's opinion, this is exactly his biggest problem. He thinks this character is very interesting and wants to try it. Xiao Chunsheng is a young man from Beijing. How to perform the momentum of the character and speak authentic Beijing dialect is a big challenge for Xiao Zhan, who has lived in Chongqing since he was a child.

The shadow character in "Yugu Yao" is cold, because he didn't want to live up to everyone's expectations for his ancient costume modeling. Before entering the group, Xiao Zhan tried his best to lose weight. Yugu Yao is the script obtained in 2020. In the range I can choose, this is the most complete and emotional script of the characters, and it is very logical and self-consistent, which is my best choice.

"The Hot Sun with Me" is the script that Xiao Zhan has been in contact with for the longest time. Since the end of 2019, Sheng Yang in "The Hot Sun with Me" has highly coincided with Xiao Zhan's career before his debut, but he has to move his life as a designer to the front of the screen in a natural and convincing way. He is not sure about "modern drama, life The play is really a strange field. At first, he was too eager to finish the words and memorized them well. When he said it, it would make people feel that no one would talk like this in life. Later, he found that the lines in modern dramas were broken and which words were put in stress. The logic was actually very strong.

In the past few years, he has played soldiers, doctors, designers, and Beijing youth. "There is no special consideration, it's all natural." He rarely plays repetitive roles. However, when choosing the script, Xiao Zhan will not deliberately avoid the themes he has played before, but just put himself from the perspective of the audience to feel whether he can be moved by it.

In 2021, Xiao Zhan starred in the drama "Dream Like a Dream" and played the role of Patient No. 5. On the day of the premiere, many topics related to the play appeared on Weibo hot search.

Brown vests and trousers are all Gucci.

COVER STORY Cover Story

Starring in Dreamlike Dreams, Xiao Zhan hesitated for a long time. There are many reasons for hesitation: he is from Chongqing. He is a non-professional. He can't play NG for 8 hours. Dream Like a Dream is also very famous. There are many classic versions of the role of Patient No. 5. But after reading the script, Xiao Zhan felt that he must act.

Drama is a very pure thing. Dozens of people or even hundreds of people gathered in one space to tell a story. This is an impossible experience of filming and television dramas. Xiao Zhan yearns for it. He began to recite his lines crazily and locked himself in Tangshan and rehearsed with the whole crew for more than a month, one after another.

"I was very nervous in the first performance, and now I'm very nervous when I think about it. Gu Xianglan rang the bell, and I was excited." The moment the light hit his body, Xiao Zhan felt that everything was still. He could not see the expression of the audience, and there was only white in front of him.

Xiao Zhan adjusted his breath and began to speak his lines. The director said that the opening actor grasped the rhythm of the whole story, so every time he said that line, it was the most nervous time for Xiao Zhan. As he spoke, he would slowly forget to be nervous. After saying that, he breathed a sigh of relief and thought, ah, it's finally over.

Once, at the end of the first half, patient No. 5 took a picture and an address and went to the stage to find Gu Xianglan, with a large monologue. Walking to the middle of the stage, Xiao Zhan suddenly broke up. He couldn't remember the beginning of the next word. After hesitating for about 1.5 seconds, he chose to skip the word and continue. The audience should not be able to see it, he thought. He didn't remember the word until the end of the performance.

"I can't remember when I get to the lounge. I looked through the script and found that it was this word."

"A very common word, for example, drinking pure water, I'm thinking about what kind of water to drink? Distilled water? Tap water? Boiled water? I just can't remember. Be like

Performance is a very deep knowledge. Xiao Zhan said, "At present, I just touched a little fur." When shooting "The Hot Sun with Me", the actors were all experienced actors. In terms of acting skills, Xiao Zhan was still very young. If he tried too hard, it was easy to leave traces. He told himself to "design less", feel everything the other party threw to him, and reacted honestly.

Xiao Zhan once expressed that due to his life experience, many characters have difficulties in understanding. He discussed this issue with his predecessors, "Everyone also has two statements. Some people say that of course you have to experience it. If you don't have experience, you don't have a picture. How can you play it? What you play is fake. There is also a voice saying that everything can be solved by technology.

Xiao Zhan's own answer is "play more, get in touch with all types" and "work with more good teams, actors and directors".

"To be honest, what I can do now can only be touched by my mind. It's a little difficult for me to play things that have no concept at all. Maybe in the future, I will solve my confusion through a work or cooperation with more good directors and actors. I look forward to this day coming soon.

03 Broken away

Relaxation is Xiao Zhan's side. He can balance part of the pressure, but some of it is difficult for him to resolve. Xiao Zhan didn't sleep very well. "It's hard for me to fall asleep, and

I often dream of filming on the spot, but I can't shoot well.

When I go to different cities, Xiao Zhan will bring the same pillow and quilt. "I will bring everything that can make me sleep well." He also tried Yanyan lamp, lavender essential oil, all kinds of medicine that will fall asleep on his body, spray on the pillow that will fall asleep, melatonin, meditation music, and finally found that what could make him sleep well were eye masks, earplugs and no mobile phones. "Because I know that if I see it, then don't sleep, just get up."

Not long ago, Xiao Zhan found an old book "Duan She Li" at home. When I was a designer, the boss of the company recommended it to him. The concept of life sorting in the book made Xiao Zhan rethink what he wanted and what he should give up.

There is a special aspect of Xiao Zhan's personality. "If I insist on something, I think it's right, and it's hard to be convinced." For example, he decided to be an actor. He didn't want to do anything other than an actor. "If you force me, then let's argue. No one is right or wrong, and the team is also for your good. Isn't it a good thing to have a lot of work? But for me, I have to do subtraction, because some things are really not what I want.

Xiao Zhan's milk elimination experience began to be the next "Da Neng Tea Human Resources Forbidden Mother's Happy; Salvation. At the age of 24, he participated in the show and started to dance as a male group.

He made his debut, acted in online dramas, and played a supporting role in cinema movies. Until the fire in 2019, Xiao Zhan also became a high-profile star.

If you decide to do something, you should do your best. This is Xiao Zhan's education since he was a child. When he went to junior high school, his family bought him a mobile phone. At the beginning of text messages, he often replaced punctuation with spaces, and his father said to him very harshly, "What about punctuation? Why is there no period at the end of the sentence?" From that time on, Xiao Zhan was very concerned about punctuation.

Since he was a child, Xiao Zhan has been competitive. He doesn't want to miss any opportunity in what he can control. When he took the bus when he was in school, he would

The man in the car who passed the station because he was asleep was anxious.

For things that can't be controlled, he will remind himself not to compete and learn to accept them. Until then, do what you can.

I have also experienced the interview and entered the last round. I have had a makeup audition, but it was replaced. Of course, there will be a brush book handed over now, but Xiao Zhan always tells himself that they only have the intention and can hand it to many people at the same time. When he meets what he really likes, he will take the initiative to meet the director and explain his understanding of the role.

Black printed shirt Egonlab

Black jumpsuit Zickness

COVER STORY Cover Story

Xiao Zhan felt that it was very important to have a correct attitude.

Xiao Zhan's growth environment is the same that of many post-90s generation. Mom and Dad go to work, and Grandma cooks at home. He goes to and from school every day. If his exam results are not good, he will be beaten.

After dinner at 6:30 every night, the children will call him downstairs to play hide-and-seek, wooden man, and throw sandbags. Speaking of this, he will be swayed. These ordinary little things are now very precious. Xiao Zhan said that he was very grateful for the life of not breaking into the entertainment industry in the past 23 years. "I cherish it very much. I think it's good." He thought that if he hadn't entered the entertainment industry, he would live like his classmates and friends to eat with customers every day and stay up late to catch up with the design.

"Being seen" is a happy thing. No matter how busy the work is, Xiao Zhan never complains, "If you have a job, then work hard." When shooting "The rest of my life, please give me more advice", he was also recording the variety show "Our Song". During the interval of waiting for the scene, he wore headphones and hummed softly. Other actors came over curiously. Xiao Zhan smiled shyly and explained the song he was going to sing at night. No time, I really don't have time." At that time, work occupied almost all of his life.

Xiao Zhan rarely takes the initiative to give himself a holiday. "It's unrealistic," he said categorically. When he is most tired, he can fall asleep while sitting on the set.

This year, Xiao Zhan has a sense of urgency of "too little acting". "Compared with some predecessors, they have performed a lot of works in their thirties." Xiao Zhan knew very well that he could not rely on a play, and his acting skills took a big step forward. "This may be difficult for me to happen to me."

He once thought about whether to be an actor with a personal style or an actor that the audience will like. His answer is the latter, "Everyone may not be your fans, and they don't even have a special cold for you, but I know, he has broadcast a play. Do you want to watch it? His plays are all good. I want to do this. This is my current goal. Can you be the level of the actor I like? It's a long way to go. Take your time." More filming and teamwork with more good teams. At present, there is only one goal, and the rest will not be considered for the time being. Xiao Zhan said.

Q&A talk about performance

Zhizu GQ: When will it be clear to be an actor?

Xiao Zhan: When the public is paying more and more attention to me, I want to say, why can't I? I think I can.

Sometimes it shakes and I think it's so difficult. Why can't I do it? For example, the lines, why are the lines not good, and why can't the lines be said? Because I'm a southerner? I don't think so. Then I will think, how can I say it well? I can do it. Try it.

Zhizu GQ: In your opinion, what are the professional standards for actors?

Xiao Zhan: First of all, you are professional. This is a topic that can't be avoided. You can be a non-professional, but your business ability is excellent. This is what I want to do and what I am currently doing. I don't think I'm enough. It's too far away.

After being professional, attitude and love are also very important. Do you only treat it as a job or do you really like it? These are two concepts. If you just do a job, you may not be able to go far. But if you really like it, you will cry and laugh for it, which may be the motivation for you to stick to it.

And a strong body (laughs). In the past, I didn't feel tired when I was in my twenties, but now I will be very tired after staying up late. This is a terrible thing. It is important to have a strong body. This is your foundation.

Zhizu GQ: When you play which role or play, do you feel recognized?

Xiao Zhan: At the beginning, when it was His Royal Highness the Wolf, there was a lot of pressure at that time. The acting teacher would give me a lot of advice and guidance, and kept overturning Bai Ji's performance every day. It was a period of confusion. After you survive, you will find that you have grown up. After acting, you will gradually find a little feeling, and then come step by step. This is a cumulative process.

I think I act too little. Compared with some predecessors, they have performed a lot of works in their thirties. I still have too few works now, and I don't have enough accumulated enough.

Zhizu GQ: Will you be in a hurry?

Xiao Zhan: Yes. Because I think (improving acting skills) is a cumulative process. You can't take a big step by a play. This is difficult for me to happen, so you have to keep filming, but keep making good scenes and don't consume yourself.

Zhizu GQ: What are the reasons for the expansion of the three film and television dramas broadcast in 2023 from ancient costume dramas to period dramas and urban dramas?

Xiao Zhan: In fact, there is no consideration. It's a natural occurrence. I didn't deliberately avoid the theme I played before, but read the script. The script handed over at that time, I felt that I was attracted by a script at the moment, so I chose it, but it happened to be a theme that had not been played before.

Zhizu GQ: Will there be a sense of burnout when acting in ancient costume dramas?

Xiao Zhan: There are also many types of ancient costumes. Don't distinguish it from ancient costume dramas and modern dramas. It's just sticking a headgear and changing clothes. In fact, the core is the same, but the shell is different.

Zhizu GQ: The drama you made has been broadcasted. Will you watch it by yourself?

Xiao Zhan: I won't watch it, but I will watch it. I will choose the scene that I care about very much, which can be regarded as finding problems for myself.

Zhizu GQ: Will you open the bullet screen to watch it?

Xiao Zhan: I used to be really good at it. I felt very happy and laughed with everyone, but now I don't know how to open it.

Zhizu GQ: What kind of role do you want to play now?

Xiao Zhan: If I can choose, of course it's the best I haven't tried. I need freshness. If you do the same thing every day, you will be annoyed.

Zhizu GQ: What kind of actor do you want to be?

Xiao Zhan: I want to be an actor that the audience likes.

Zhizu GQ: Don't you have done it to make people like it?

Production: @Imperfect Studio

Clothing assistants: EKko, Shi Yawen, Ren Yixuan, Chen Yiyang

Xiao Zhan: No, no, I don't think it's enough. I once thought about whether to be an actor with a personal style or an actor that the audience likes. At present, I want to be an actor who likes the audience. You may not be a fan of you, and you are not particularly interested in you, but I know that he has broadcast a play. Do you want to watch it? His plays are all good. I want to do this. This is my current goal. Whether it can become the level of my favorite actor is a long way to go. Take your time.

Zhizu GQ: What are your favorite actors?

Xiao Zhan: Many, for example, Zhou Xun has always been my favorite actor. I watched her play (The Sea of Anger) recently. It's really great.

Zhizu GQ: What are your plans for your career in 2024?

Xiao Zhan: More filming and working with more good teams. At present, there is only one goal, and the rest will not be considered for the time being.

Talk about life

Zhizu GQ: Will the voice on social media bother you?

Xiao Zhan: It's not bothering. It's been so many years. I'm still troubled. Do I still live? ( (Laughter) It's really okay. I just need to know exactly what I'm doing. Every time you make a choice, you should clearly know what you are doing, what you want to give up, and what you want to do. So, it's okay, there may be more troubles for the team.

Zhizu GQ: Isn't your private life affected?

Xiao Zhan: Very normal! I can go out for a bike and a walk. When you walk on the street, no one really cares about you. It's really not what everyone thinks. Then I walked around freely.

Zhizu GQ: Is this a time to escape for you?

Xiao Zhan: It's time to relax. Why should I escape? I'm also in the third dimension. Where should I escape? This is my life. I'm the same as everyone else.

There are many things I really want to do, such as squeezing the subway and shopping malls, which are very similar to when I used to go to school. Maybe I will do it in the future.

Zhizu GQ: Will you miss the life of ordinary people?

Xiao Zhan: It's not that I miss it, but that I think I should do it. It's popular. I will really squeeze the subway. Maybe tomorrow, it's too normal. I used to take the subway every day. For me, there is nothing I can't do. What do you think I can do? Say hello and then leave. It's nothing more than that I don't want to cause confusion, trouble, and cause a bad response.

Talk about personality

Zhizu GQ: You haven't been on variety shows in recent years. Is this a conscious choice?

Xiao Zhan: Because it is not suitable, with my personality, I am too tired in the variety show. I will want to take care of everyone's feelings and make myself very tired. Since you know it's such a result, don't do it at all.

Zhizu GQ: What is your original intention to enter the entertainment industry?

Xiao Zhan: I really broke in inexplicably and ignorantly. How did you get to this point when you used to watch the talent show to interview those top-ranked players? The contestant said that I accompanied my friend to participate in the selection, but my friend lost the election, and I chose it. When I was a child, I felt that these were far away from me, but when I came to myself, it was really like this. I thought it was amazing. I took part in the draft, and then I came to the present, that's it. It's wonderful. Life is really interesting.

Zhizu GQ: What are the things that I didn't expect before after entering the industry?

Xiao Zhan: It's cruel not to eat freely. When I see that my former high school classmates already have children and are fat, I will sigh that I also want to eat freely like this. Their living condition will make me feel that if I hadn't chosen this road at that time, maybe we would all be the same. We have to socialize and stay up late to design. You don't know how tired it is to do design, but life is like this. There is nothing we can do.

Zhizu GQ: How does choosing this road change you?

Xiao Zhan: Maybe there is a lot of lack of life experience. At this point, my classmates and friends are far more than me. What they have experienced is real things. There is no seat for you and no light. You are living your own real life.

Zhizu GQ: Are you an emotionally stable person?

Xiao Zhan: Xiang, right, stable, fixed. But once I touch some points, I will become very unstable.

Zhizu GQ: For example?

Xiao Zhan: It's just… something that can't be said, hehe. Maybe when something incredible happens, you will feel angry when what you are doing, or when something normal people don't do happens. It may be a matter of privacy. If this point is broken through, I will "run away". Everyone has their own boundaries, and some people don't have a sense of proportion. I will stay away from such people. But when the boundary is broken again and again and touches the bottom line, I will be very angry.

Zhizu GQ: You once said that you have a particularly strong side of your personality. What exactly do you mean?

Xiao Zhan: In principle, I am a very good person. If I insist on something, I think it is right, and it is difficult to be persuaded.

For example, I want to be an actor. I don't want to do things other than actors. If you force me, then let's argue. No one is right or wrong, and the team is also for your good. Isn't it a good thing to have a lot of work? But for me, I have to do subtraction, because some things are really not what I want.

Zhizu GQ: Do you have a perfectionist side?

Xiao Zhan: I just want to do it well and try my best now. Maybe the result is not good, but what should I do? That's all I can do.

Zhizu GQ: Can you accept failure?

Xiao Zhan: I can accept it. A few years ago, I may not be able to accept it, but 32-year-old Xiao Zhan has learned to accept it (laughs). Gd

#translation #might be really shitty but it's there #hopefully we will have a real human translation soon! #not posting this to try and scoop human translations or anything #this is just an easy way for me to share this much plaintext with people

[bookwyrminspiration]

What are your main gripes with the series? My main gripes with KOTLC is that the books are full of filler, move at a very glacial pace, and tend to leave plot points open for long amounts of time without giving the reader any hint as to how the said plots will end. Thus, I struggle to see how Messenger could bring the series to a realistic and satisfactory end. Do you think Messenger will be able to end the series in a decent way?

Those are fair assessments! When you say gripes the very first thing that comes to mind for me are details/capabilities that are introduced only for a very specific instance that aren't discussed again outside of it.

(under a cut for length)

Specifically for me, the outward channeling. It's an elven skill that only ever has relevance in book five. It's introduced and serves it's purpose entirely within the span of that one book. Sophie learns about it and what it is, which introduces how that's what the Neverseen use to topple Lumenaria, and then no one ever uses or even speaks of it again.

That's the biggest example I can think of from the series, but it also shows up in little ways like when Tam literally traveled through shadows in book five, taking several people along with him, and then it was never spoken about again. Or like when Linh figured out how to get everyone across a moving river by having them step where she stepped in book four, and that was the only time we saw something like that. Things like that.

They just irk me. I like consistency, and even if it's not a big thing I'd appreciate some acknowledgement of them outside of the One Instance It Helped The Plot, so that it isn't a thing that in one instance helped the plot. I think it would connect everything in a more satisfying way.

the consistent introduction of New Things (that aren't answers to previous introduced things) after a while is like...well what about all the other things? I personally think Shannon's pretty much reached the limit for new things in keeper what with Elysian and Keefe's new ability and Sophie's recently reset abilities. So it's not a gripe quite yet, but if anything new is brought up then that'll definitely be on the list as well. I want more connection, not constant here's additional stuff!! Added things can be good for the story and develop it further, but at a certain point it's all just done for mystery and nothing is being answered and it's so unsatisfying.

Another that's just a general gripe in all stories for me are things included that shouldn't be physically possible. I've made a few posts about things like this, and they're the most minor of details, but still. One I made a post about was how in Neverseen in one instance Shannon has the kotlcrew walk about 40-50k steps before a mission to get there, which is literally the length of a marathon. Another is how in Flashback Sophie mentions 30+ elixirs she has to take at once, which I calculated out to be a literally impossible amount of liquid for the stomach to contain.

I know we're supposed to suspend our disbelief past them, but things like that always bug me so much when I see them. So that's not keeper specific but it is a gripe I have.

I do think Shannon will be able to bring the series to a satisfying conclusion, though I'm not sure what that'll be given how there's two books worth of content left to see that will change things. Does this necessarily mean I'm fully confident the ending will be good? No. Shannon's capable of bad writing just as much as good, same as everyone else.

I think right now we're on like...a precipice? We're right at the edge between where everything is set up and all the pieces start to fall into place to make the story come together in a nice way. So looking forward it seems like there's too much and too many questions and things just keep getting introduced. But once we cross it and things start to get answered with finality, I think it'll be fine. My commentary will change though if Stellarlune does the "and then this new thing!!' routine again, however.

Anyway, I anticipate enjoying it and think she's fully capable of a good ending, but whether or not she lives up to that is a different matter. I'm also just inclined to enjoy stories, I'm not super picky about that. Unless it's horrendous (cough Stung by Bethany Wiggins cough) then I'll probably find it enjoyable :)

I hope some of that answers your questions, but if not I always love answering asks and talking!!

#kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #quil's queries #darklit-sea #i think that's at least part of the reason lodestar gets so forgotten #it's so solitary #the big huge things don't ever come up before or after #so we have to remember it distinctly. it's disconnected #and then things that /could/ connect it are dismissed. like the exillium tents at foxfire. the collaboration between the schools #it was there so sophie could learn about outward channeling and then when the outward channeling plot was done it left #so there's practically nothing to remember it by #you know my conclusion from this might be that my gripe with the series is lodestar itself #it's a transition between main antagonists #so to support that it needs to be more grounded. but it wasn't #hmm. thoughts

[gardendrifts]

Master the Tomato Growing Process: A Simple Guide to Growing Tomatoes from Fresh Ones

Master the Tomato Growing Process: A Simple Guide to Growing Tomatoes from Fresh Ones. Want to know how to easily grow tomatoes from fresh ones Master the Tomato Growing Process? It's simpler than you think! Check out our step-by-step guide to learn how to yield juicy, homegrown tomatoes without any fuss or fancy equipment. Trust us, your taste buds will thank you.

Master the Tomato Growing Process

Master the Tomato Growing Process: A Simple Guide to Growing Tomatoes from Fresh Ones. guide to learn Master the Tomato Growing Process: A Simple Guide to Growing Tomatoes from Fresh Ones

Master the Tomato Growing Process

If you've ever tasted a ripe, juicy tomato straight from your own garden, you know there's nothing quite like it. And while you can easily buy tomato plants from a nursery or start them from seeds, there's something satisfying about growing your own tomatoes from fresh tomatoes.

In this blog post, we'll walk you through the process of how to grow tomatoes from fresh tomatoes. We'll cover everything from choosing the right tomatoes to preparing and planting them, as well as caring for your plants to ensure a bountiful harvest. So roll up your sleeves, grab some gardening gloves, and let's get started!

Choosing the Right Tomatoes

Before you can begin growing tomatoes from fresh tomatoes Master the Tomato Growing Process, it's important to select the right type of tomatoes. Some tomatoes are better suited for growing in containers while others thrive in garden beds. Here are a few types to consider:

Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes

The first decision you'll need to make is whether to grow determinate or indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes are more compact and bushy, making them a good choice for containers. They also typically produce all their fruit at once, making it easier to harvest.

On the other hand, indeterminate tomatoes are vining and can grow quite tall, so they are better suited for garden beds. They produce fruit throughout the growing season, giving you a continuous harvest.

Heirloom vs. Hybrid Tomatoes

Next, you'll need to decide between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated, meaning they are pollinated by natural means, such as bees and wind. They tend to have more unique flavors and can be more vulnerable to pests and diseases. Hybrid tomatoes, on the other hand, are created by cross-breeding two different types of tomatoes. They tend to have higher yields and more resistance to pests and diseases.

Cherry vs. Beefsteak Tomatoes

Lastly, you'll need to choose between cherry or beefsteak tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are smaller and perfect for snacking, while beefsteak tomatoes are larger and great for sandwiches or salads. Consider your preferences and usage when deciding between these two types.

Selecting Ripe Tomatoes for Planting

Now that you know the different types of tomatoes, it's time to choose the right ones for planting. Here's what to look for in a ripe tomato:

Firmness and Color

First and foremost, ripe tomatoes should be firm and have a vibrant color Master the Tomato Growing Process. Avoid any tomatoes with soft spots or bruises, as these may indicate rotting.

Ripeness Stage

You'll also want to consider the ripeness stage of your tomatoes. Green tomatoes are not yet ripe and will not properly develop when planted. Look for tomatoes that are slightly red or just starting to turn orange. These are at the perfect stage for planting.

Scent

Lastly, give your tomatoes a gentle sniff. Ripe tomatoes should have a sweet, earthy scent. If they smell sour or musty, they may be overripe or spoiled.

Preparation and Planting

Now that you have your ripe tomatoes, it's time to prepare and plant them in the ground or a container. Here's what you'll need to do:

Preparing the Soil

Choose a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sun, at least 6-8 hours per day. If you're planting in a container, make sure it has good drainage and is at least 5 gallons in size. Mix in some compost or manure with your soil for added nutrients.

Planting Your Tomatoes

Plant your tomatoes deep enough so that the bottom leaves are just above the soil level. This will encourage the development of new roots and make your plant sturdier. If you're planting in a container, make sure to leave a couple of inches of space at the top to allow for watering.

Watering Your Tomatoes

Water your tomatoes immediately after planting to help them settle into the soil. After that Master the Tomato Growing Process, water them 1-2 times per week, making sure the soil stays evenly moist but not soaked. In containers, remember to check the moisture levels more frequently as they tend to dry out faster.

Staking or Caging

To help support your tomato plants as they grow, you may want to stake or cage them. Indeterminate tomatoes will need more support, while determinate tomatoes can often hold themselves up. Use stakes or cages made of sturdy materials to support the plants as they develop.

Care and Maintenance

Once your tomato plants are in the ground, they will need some ongoing care and maintenance to ensure a successful harvest. Here are some tips for taking care of your tomato plants:

Fertilizing

You can fertilize your tomato plants with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks to help them grow strong and produce more fruit. However, be careful not to over-fertilize as this can lead to excessive foliage growth and fewer tomatoes.

Weeding

Weeds can compete with your tomato plants for nutrients and water, so it's important to keep your garden bed or container weed-free. Hand-pull weeds or use a hoe to remove them Master the Tomato Growing Process, being careful not to disturb the tomato plant's roots.

Pruning

Indeterminate tomato plants can benefit from pruning, which involves removing suckers, the small shoots that grow in the "armpits" of the main stems and leaves. This helps direct energy towards developing fruit instead of excessive foliage.

#gardendrift #garden design

[squeemcsquee]

Anime Central 2023, Day Zero (Thurs)

Right. I need to get this done before too much time passes. The con was last month, but most of my memories are fresh, I’d like to think.

          For us, Day Zero began with a trip to Mitsuwa Marketplace for lunch and a bit of shopping before we headed to the hotel. It was our first time visiting, but it’s easy to see why so many ACen attendees make it part of their con tradition. With all of the different food stalls, game area, market, and bookstore it’s easy to spend at least 2-3 hours there. Oh, and of course, there’s plenty of Pokemon Go stops in the area as well.

We started off our visit with lunch and satisfied our growling bellies with some curry.   From there, we tried our luck with the claw machines, and got a couple small prizes. Then to the bookstore for some manga for me and actual literature for @lechevaliermalfet​. Naturally, I had to snap a picture of the Gundam they had on display. A quick run through the market section for Sapporo, as I’ve never tried it, and some mochi, and our visit was complete.

From Mitsuwa, we went to our hotel. This year, we were at the Embassy Suites. It’s extremely popular as an ACen hotel for several reasons: complimentary breakfast, the complimentary alcohol during the evening reception, pool, minifridge and microwave in the room, and perhaps most importantly: it’s right across the street from the Donald E Stephens Center.  The parking garage for the Embassy is also connected to the skywalk that is attached to the convention center.

We had one hiccup right on arrival: Despite doing Virtual Check-in via the app nearly two hours before, our Digital Key still wasn’t ready. We ended up getting physical keys from the front desk and used them exclusively for the weekend instead. The Digital Key didn’t even activate until we’d been on hotel property for at least 20 minutes.

We were able to grab a luggage cart to haul everything to the room and also snagged an elevator without too much of a wait. If only that could have continued through the weekend, but it wasn’t so. One elevator already appeared to not be functioning, out of three available to guests.

After setting everything in the room, we crossed the street and headed to registration in the Stephens Center to claim our badges. As always, the wait was very short for me, with maybe 5 minutes in line at the Will Call booths. @lechevaliermalfet​ suffered a little more – Acen offers a discount rate for veterans, but there’s obviously the added step of verifying your status before you can claim the rate. It took @lechevaliermalfet​ slightly over twice the amount of time it had taken me to claim a badge.

We also collected our swag bags and 18+ wristbands– this year’s swag bags only contained the program guide. I don’t know if that’s due to a greater emphasis on giving away larger freebies in the Exhibit Hall or if it’s a sign that things are still rocky post-shutdown. But it was disappointing, after remembering the various little surprises we’d gotten in previous years.

Then there was nothing to do but wait in the hotel for @shbumi​ to arrive. Once she had come to claim her spot in the room for the night (she moved to the Aloft on Friday), we headed over to The Sugar Factory.  The shakes were still very impressive, but they appear to have shrunk in size a bit – the restaurant has probably felt the same pinch of inflation as everywhere else. And this year, I ordered one of the alcoholic drinks and got to learn why they have such a high price tag – there was enough there for all 3 of us to enjoy.

From dinner, we went to the only other official ACen thing on the agenda for Day Zero: The official Discord meetup in the Hyatt. I brought batteries to the meetup, as another congoer needed some CR2032s. Since I’m still more of an introvert than anything, that conger marked the first of 3 people I spoke with at the Discord meetup. We were offered candy by another attendee, and spoke with a 3rd about Mass Effect thanks to the shirt @lechevaliermalfet​ was wearing. We stayed for approximately 15 minutes or so before we headed back to the Embassy to rest up for Day 1.  

Back at the room, I did spend more time reviewing the schedule before bed than I have in previous years – this ACen, the schedule came out extremely late.  Panelists didn’t receive their confirmation until the week before the con and ACen staff were still updating guidebook even on Day 0 more than was typical.  I know that the confusion caused many ruffled feathers and several interesting-sounding panels were marked as “cancelled” due to the panelists backing out over the lack of time to prepare. Not sure what caused the hiccup, but it meant I didn’t feel as certain of what I wanted to attend as I have in years past.  But, soon enough, it was time to turn in and get some rest for starting the con proper.

All of Anime Central 2023 Coverage

Day Zero - Thursday (current post)

Day One - Friday

Day One Cosplayers

Day One Photoshoot - My Little Pony

Day One Photoshoot - MXTX/Danmei

Day Two - Saturday

Day Two Cosplayers

Day Three - Sunday

Day Three Cosplayers

#anime central #acen 2023 #Acen #con review #prose and cons #con report #anime central 2023

[apple-grass-and-smiles]

Leading Us Home

In an absolutely miraculous and never-to-be-seen-again series of events, inspiration struck twice in the course of 24 hours, so you get another Batcat story adapted from a Taylor Swift song and thousands of words in various chats about the meaning of home to Selina.

Summary: Selina has a motto: "You can't have a home if you don't have a house."

           Selina, at her most basic, core self, has a pretty major issue with the word ‘home’. Like most important (but sad) ideas that become fundamental to understanding an individual, it’s an issue that started when she was a child. Selina remembers being six, maybe seven, the first time she got caught by the police. The officer was a large man who clearly was more interested in the baseball game going on in the background than Selina or the fact that she was so malnourished that you could count all her ribs if you bothered to give her more than a cursory glance. She can still see him bending down to look her in the eye, completely ignoring the bruises and cuts that covered every inch of her skin, and asking her where home was.

           Even at the tender age of six or seven, Selina was smart enough to recognize that as a stupid question. So she gave it all the weight it deserved and simply shrugged before replying, “You ain’t got no home if you ain’t got no house.”

           It’s a phrase that even now, at age 32, Selina Kyle stands by.

******************************************************************************

           When Selina was about 20, her mother sent her a letter. In it were far too many paragraphs where she apologized profusely for any of her words to feel even the slightest bit sincere. She would have happily burned the letter without a second thought if not for the picture included. In the partially ripped, incredibly stained photo stood a young Maria, eyes with bags beneath them, standing in front of a dilapidated brownstone with a tiny infant in her arms. The letter explained that the one-bedroom apartment had been home to Maria, Selina, and the unnamed photographer for the first year or so of Selina’s life. The address, Maria wrote, was 416 Lily Dr. and she hoped that maybe knowing where Selina had come would somehow help her know where she was going. The idea was, of course, completely stupid, because that building might have been where she learned to walk and say her first word and smiled for the first time, but the only record of those things were Maria’s memories and Selina was past the point of harboring any dreams that her mother would one day come back to share those distant memories with her daughter.

           After all, you don’t have a home if all that’s left is a pitiful photo and an address for a house.

******************************************************************************

           St. Maria’s orphanage ended up being “home” for Selina until she was about 10 and had realized that sleeping underneath the bridge with a ratty blanket was better than sharing a twin bed with two other girls and having to dress up once a week to see if someone wanted to try and adopt her. (The nuns always described her as a free spirit, but everyone seemed to know that the term simply meant that Selina would never sit still long enough to make herself at home and would instead leave with a backpack full of your food and whatever she could snag from your wallet.) All in all, the orphanage wasn’t the worst place ever and she got off relatively easily in comparison to some of the other abandoned children she knew, but it also could never be mistaken for a home. Everything about the place, from the mismatched floor tiles to the peeling wallpaper that couldn’t seem to decide if it wanted to stay on the walls or accept it’s death, screamed of impermanence. Nothing and no one in the building wanted to stay. The girls wanted to go to families. The nuns wanted to go to mass. The hopes and dreams of everyone within wanted to go to people who could actually have a shot at realizing them.

           To be fair to the nuns and the orphanage and the dying wallpaper, it wasn’t their fault. Everyone knows you can’t make a home out of a place meant for escaping.

******************************************************************************

           Selina was 13 when someone once again tried to give her an address to stay at. By 13 she was pretty certain homes and houses were meant for people with bank accounts and three meals a day and that she’d have to be content with squats and crash pads and surprisingly large cardboard boxes along the pier. She wasn’t particularly bitter about this information as much as she was ready for everyone to stop trying to prove her wrong.

           But, sadly for her, Jim Gordon was the type of person who was incredibly determined to convince Selina that she was wrong so he arranged for her to stay with Bruce Wayne while the rookie cop attempted to track down the false leads she had given him. Even now, decades later, Selina can hear the creak of the large doors echoing as the butler opened the front door and welcomed Selina inside for the first time. By age 13 Selina felt quite confident that she had seen the best Gotham had to offer, but this mansion was something else entirely. It was the kind of place that could house every homeless kid she spoke to in a month and have none of them ever run into each other. She could have survived her entire life off of stealing the small, but priceless trinkets within the mansion. No one would even have noticed and she would have maybe been able to afford a nice sleeping bag.

           Selina had wandered into the foyer as the adult men talked in the entryway. It was a strange place, the Wayne Manor, it seemed torn between proving that it belonged to the great and noble Wayne family and desperately attempting to convince you that you were safe and loved and understood by the people who lived within its walls. Everywhere there were signs of wealth, but there were also signs of someone, maybe the mother, working to make the manor a home. There were family photos, not portraits, on various walls, board games, so many records and record players that Selina stopped counting at 16, all of which seemed meant to serve only to encourage visitors to ignore the empty chill of the enormous rooms.

           Selina, with all the wisdom of a 13-year-old who was tired of fake displays of love already, simply rolled her eyes and headed up the stairs to investigate a very nice blue and white vase. Didn’t the manor’s decorator know that a manor isn’t a house and you can’t have a home without a house?

******************************************************************************

           By age 17, Selina Kyle knew the Wayne Manor better than anyone else. Alfred would have, and did, argue with her about this particular statement, but she refused to relinquish the title. After all, he had arranged for the security system and he didn’t know if half as well as Selina did. (At the beginning of this years-long argument, Bruce had foolishly suggested that perhaps he was the one who knew the mansion best, which prompted Selina to throw her spaghetti bolognese at him while Alfred pretended to not notice; Bruce had quickly withdrawn his name from the competition.)  Selina certainly didn’t live at the manor, but there was always the same room made up for her and ready should she ever decide to stop by. The room was nice and Bruce had even put a small stuffed cat on the bed sometime when she was 14, but it was not the room she spent the most time in. Instead, the little, informal kitchen and dining room was the spot in the manor that most captured her heart. She knew that room perhaps better than anywhere else in the world. She knew that the fourth wood plank from the door creaked and had memorized exactly how to walk to not make any noise. She knew that the bush of cornelias underneath the window by the sink smelled best during the summer rainstorms and that if you only opened the window a few inches you could enjoy the smell without letting any rain into the room. Looking back, she blessed every one of the moments she spent in that room with the rain gently tapping on the roof and the smell of the flowers filling the kitchen. (One time Bruce had bought her a cornelia flower perfume and the poor boy was baffled to discover that she refused to wear it when it wasn’t raining out.)

           It was exactly one of these rainy afternoons when Selina realized that perhaps she was too close to the manor and its inhabitants. She had snuck in earlier than morning and helped herself to a sandwich before settling in in the kitchen. She knew Bruce and Alfred would be out and had been excited to see their faces when they returned to find an extra, unexpected person in the house. However, when they returned with bags full of groceries, they greeted Selina like she had been there the whole time and simply declined the offer to go grocery shopping, not as if she had broken in. Bruce had assured her that they had remembered to get her the pomegranate juice and granola bars she liked since she had run out last week and Alfred had reminded her that the sweater she had left there a couple days ago was at the dry cleaners and should be ready to be picked up later this afternoon if she would be so kind as to grab it the next time she went into the city. And then, with a sense of horror washing over her, Selina realized she knew exactly where to put all the items in the grocery bag she’d been handed to unload. So, she raced to put the asparagus in its drawer, the lightbulbs in the mudroom off to the left of the dining room, and the cinnamon in its proper place in the spice rack, before dashing off to grab the imaginary book that she had supposedly left in her room.

           Selina’s heart seemed about to beat out of her chest as she looked around the room (her room?) at the drawers that had her clothes and her bathroom full of the combs and products that kept her hair manageable and the little gifts and trinkets spread over the shelves from birthdays and Christmases and apologies for running off to the stupid chalet in Switzerland. It just couldn’t do. She was a street kid, a cat, not someone who could be tied down to a room with a bed and curtains and her favorite foods and her absolute favorite people. So that night she packed everything she could into her little backpack and ran away.

           Because who was she kidding? A girl like her could never have a home in a house like that.

******************************************************************************

           Bruce crashes with her for a week during the year the bridges were blown. She can’t remember why, but vaguely thinks it might have been because of her incident with the scalpel. He probably passed it off as giving Alfred space or helping make sure nothing went wrong with the root that was healing her spine, but she remembers a distinct sense that Bruce was waiting for her to collapse into a ball and die at any moment. And that feeling got really old, really fast. In a city like Gotham, especially during that year, oftentimes the safest places were rooftops, so Selina had snuck out of her room late one September evening and climbed onto the roof. She had sat there for no longer than 20 minutes when Bruce emerged from her window. The autumn night was mostly warm, but the wind would pick up every so often and send a chill through her body. He hadn’t been out on the roof for more than a minute or so before he slipped his jacket around her shoulders. The gesture caught her off-guard for a moment, but the past few months of her life had been nightmarish and every night felt so unreal that she chose to ignore the voices in her head screaming for her to move away because sharing your heart with someone means letting them choose if they protect it of if they break it and settled in beside the young man next to her.

           Selina was young and still didn’t have a house, but maybe houses were overrated and the right person was all that was required to make a home.

******************************************************************************

           Bruce leaves a few months later and it feels like he’s finally revealed that this was simply a years-long con and she had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. The manor was gone and Alfred didn’t know how to react around her and Jim was busy and Barbara had a baby and everyone seemed to think that she must know how to get ahold of Bruce because no one who really loved someone would leave without a good-bye.

           But he did.

He left without a good-bye and instead let a note that spoke of home and how she would always matter to him and have a place in his soul break her heart for him. But, she told herself, it was fine. After all, Wayne Manor was blown to smithereens and you ain’t got no home if you ain’t got no house so it didn’t matter that the person who had made her feel at home had left without saying good-bye..

******************************************************************************

           The manor was rebuilt by the time Selina was 20. She and Alfred had worked hard to make it as close to the original as possible. The only purposeful difference were the carpets in the study because neither could muster the strength to buy ones identical to the carpet that Selina had nearly bled out on. She spent a grand total for four days in the new manor before running away.

           Alfred may have been determined that this new house could be a home, but Selina knew it just wasn’t going to be the case.

******************************************************************************

           The first apartment she rents legally is with her paycheck from the Martha Wayne Foundation. She had successfully bid for a small position helping to plan events for the Foundation and while she suspects that the job was given to her solely because no one wanted to figure out if denying Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend a job in his mother’s charity would be what it took to bring him back from wherever he was off hiding, she didn’t push it. Regardless of the reason for her getting the job, Selina loved the work and loved the status and the apartment that she got as a result of her work. It had been maybe a year after Gotham was reunited with the mainland that Selina had realized that the only way she was going to be able to get the kind of scores and respect she so desperately craved from Gotham’s underworld was if she could make a space for herself in the city’s ruling class. After all, Barbara had been a socialite and Lee had married a Falcone and been respected by the entire GCPD. If Selina was going to get a fraction of the power either of them had had, she was going to need to insert herself into the kind of life Bruce had led. So that’s what she did.

           The apartment felt like proof that she could fake her way into a richer world. Gone were the days of squats and sleeping in a different bed every night. Now her apartment was painted a deep purple and had fresh flowers at all times (cornelias because the smell still made her happier than anything else) and a closet full of dresses for galas and cocktail parties and dates with men who got more money from their trust funds in a month than she had ever touched in her life. Was it home? If you had asked Selina that, she would have scoffed at you and rolled her eyes.

           After all, you can have the nicest house in the world, but if you’re faking belonging there, it will never be a home.

******************************************************************************

           The party was barely even starting when Bruce Wayne left and asked the valet to bring him his car. He’d only been back in Gotham for six months and parties felt even more tedious and ridiculous now than they had before he’d left for a decade. Besides, Selina had been there and he still wasn’t certain where they stood (if you had asked him where Batman and Catwoman stood in relation to each other he probably would have been able to give a more concrete answer, but even that was a big ‘probably’). So of course he should have been expecting her to be in the passenger seat of his car when he slid into it. And of course he should have been expecting to hear her soft voice casually whisper that she rents a place on Rose Avenue if he wanted to check it out.

           She doesn’t give him a chance to decline her offer and he barely manages to mind since he couldn’t have turned her down anyway. Later, after he’s explored the apartment and they’ve explored each other and refused to even consider exploring what their relationship might be like in this new reality, he asks her if she likes her new home.

           Selina scoffs in that way that he knows means he shouldn’t have bothered asking such a stupid question in the first place. “Bruce one day you’ll have to learn, just ‘cause someone has a house doesn’t mean they’ve got a home.”

******************************************************************************

           After the wedding reception, Bruce grabs his bride’s hand and walks her back to the mansion’s entrance, the one that they’ve been through more times than either could count. Selina couldn’t shake the feeling that walking through those grand front doors should feel different now that she was the Mrs. Wayne who would be working so hard to make the mansion feel like a home, but she didn’t. She had run through those doors as a tiny 13-year-old fleeing for her life. She had climbed through every window in the estate as a 15-year-old unsure of the new relationship unfolding before her. She had wept where the kitchen had once been as a 19-year-old who didn’t know if she was crying for the building that was gone or for the man who had left her to try and rebuild her life on her own. She had helped pick the carpets and wallpaper and artwork that still remained in the manor as a tentative 22-year-old. She had cursed and railed against the world in the east gardens as a 25-year-old learning that the Martha Wayne Foundation would lose 20% of its funding because Wayne Corporation felt it didn’t generate enough good press to deserve the money it had previously received. She had brainstormed with Bruce on the stairs of the foyer as they tried to figure out how to bring peace to their city after another attack from Jerimaiah Valeska as a 29-year-old trying to bond with her childhood friend again. She had snuck barefoot through the kitchen last night when she gave in and accepted she was too excited for her wedding to get any sleep. She had lived so much life in this giant manor that she had once thought could never hold love and peace and happiness in its vast rooms. And the new last name she had claimed didn’t make her any different from the teen who had pushed all the furniture out of the study to dance the the late Waynes’ records with their son. Her whole life, the religion that kept her going on the darkest days, all of it was built into this place.

           Bruce insists on carrying her over the threshold because the man is still as much of a sentimentalist as he was when he was a kid who brought her a snowglobe from Switzerland. As he sets her down, he looks her in the eyes and smiles, “Welcome home, Mrs. Wayne.”

           Selina, despite her efforts, can’t keep back a laugh at his endearing sincerity. “You know, Mr. Wayne, I used to say that you can’t have a home without a house, but, after thinking about it again, I think a mansion can indeed count as a house.”

           “So, you’ll call this home?”

           “I think that may just be something I can agree to.”

#Guys seriously #this is never going to happen again #do not hold your breath because it won't #Also I love my unofficial batcat fam for whom this was most definitely written #I still know I have a writing tag somewhere and I still know I don't have a clue what it is #batcat #Selina kyle #bruce wayne #gotham #Also there is nothing more satisfying that cross posting everything all at once