#But it's difficult so lets hope a dedicated group of people get to it with love for it

[forbebeandjam]

Lovely~~ Can you please write a smutty fic with Bada, Kirsten, and switch!bottom reader, pleeeeaaassee.. Maybe like Bada and sweet, baby girl idol reader are together and are looking to try something new in the bedroom.. So they both seduce Kirsten and lure her into their bedroom and absolutely ruin her before Bada ruins reader.. 🤤 I need it.. I crave it so badly.

Lure | Bada x Fem Reader x Kirsten | 21+

Summary: you and your girlfriend have the hots for the international dancer Kirsten.

Word Count: 2.9k

Warnings: extreme smut!! Face riding, fingering, eating out, seduction.

READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED (MDNI)

A/N: this is my first time writing with three people but I think I did a pretty darn good job doing so and I hope you think so too. I hope I fed your cravings!! ;) ENJOY!!!

When you decided to audition for a Kpop idol, you never imagined your make it. The new lifestyle, friends, and just everything was new to you but it was all bearable because of your best friend Bada.

Bada knew her way around the industry since she was a Kpop choreographer with a lot of idol friends so she would give you tips on how to make friends and where to go so people wouldn't recognize you but... why did you always end up in her apartment?

It was no secret in your friend group that Bada's house was always a hot spot for idols to get together. It was in a private area of town so paparazzi and sassengs would have zero access to the premises.

Thanks to your talent and your dedication, your debut came sooner than you thought and Bada ended up being one of your choreographers.

Destiny worked its way for the two of you and you would end up together most of the time when your manager put you in private lessons with her. You tried your hardest in each class since you were the oldest one and the leader of your group so you wanted to lead by example but...

Your emotions had been growing for your tall choreographer. You couldn't deny any longer that you would do whatever you could to end your cuddled up in her bed every night. Bada was not opposed to the idea of having you there with her either.

She was in love with you after all but she didn't want to say anything knowing that she could mess with your delicate idol image. So she just let you do whatever you wanted. She would pray that you would choose to stay at her house.

One day you finally build up the guts to ask her out, and she agreed. You two began dating and soon enough turned into girlfriends. Things were wonderful in your relationship and you didn't have to be careful because everyone thought Bada was dating someone and you two were just close friends.

So with this, you and Bada began to spice up your intimacy more every day. She would try and find confined spaces where she could kiss you and touch you while always respecting your boundaries.

You were more than open to letting her do whatever she wanted with you but she was so gentle that she wanted to make you feel special every time she touched you. The way her fingers would caress your skin was soft and pure but you knew how bad she had been holding back. Either way, it would always be you and her.

That's when things changed. Things started getting more difficult when she started filming Street Woman Fighter. You became so eager for her touch and her love that you couldn't even focus on your dance steps.

You decided to start paying her visits on the show and that's when you saw Kirsten. A beautiful and sweet girl who would always welcome you to the set with a warm smile that made your insides twist.

"Baby! What are you doing here?" Bada asked as she wrapped her arms around you making you divert your attention to your tall girlfriend.

"I just missed you. I know I've been coming every day but I have a free day today so I will stay here and watch you work," you said and sat down in a corner allowing your girlfriend to go back to work.

As she practiced you couldn't focus your attention on either one of the girls in the room. The way Bada would move was so addicting but then Kirsten's hips would hypnotize you.

During a small break that they took, the cameras stopped rolling and Kirsten immediately approached Bada. You watched them chat from afar with a wide smile on your face.

Kirsten hugged Bada getting on her tippy toes to reach her shoulder and Bada wrapped her arms around Kirsten's waist. They kept talking and Kirsten's hand would not leave Bada's hip. They laughed and the skinship wouldn't end between the two.

You should've felt jealous but the odd emotion was not present anywhere in your body. The way you wanted both of them was odd and made you feel bad for feeling turned on as their sweaty bodies pressed against each other.

-

Later that night after a steamy makeout session and doing a few dirty things, you lay in bed with her wrapped around you. You bit your lip hesitant to ask her the question that has been on your mind all day. Regardless, you took the initiative.

"Bada... what do you think of Kirsten?" you asked and waited for her answer.

"Mhh, I think she is really nice. The is talented, and pretty. Why?" she said and you turned to her.

"No. I mean like... do you see her in any other way? Ugh! I don't know how to say this..." you subbed your face as you sat up.

"I mean like... sexually or romantically," you said with a softer tone.

"Well... she is really sexy and the way she moves her body is just wow... you know? but, why are you asking this?" She said.

"Well, you could say that I have been a bit... needy for you. And I see how you look at Kirsten and the way you bite your lip every time she twerks, dances, or moves her body. You always hype her up and I see all of that," you said hitting her arm.

"I'm sorry, baby. I really am. She's just really pretty and I-" You held your hand out signaling her to stop.

"I have a confession to make. I have to be honest and tell you that I feel the same. I love you so much and I wouldn't change you for anything in the world but I feel this strong pull toward Kirsten. Every time I see you interacting with her and you two get touchy, I feel... something. I get turned on and I just want both of you," you said Bada was speechless. 

As much as she wants to deny it, it was hard for her to see you as just her girlfriend. To her, you always had to be the perfect kpop idol girlfriend that has to hide but hearing what you just said made her feel more... at ease. She was now sure that you were just like her. Normal with valid emotions.

"Babe, that's deep. I wish you would've told me sooner. I guess we are both attracted to her, huh?" she said as she looked around the room. Then suddenly, an idea popped into her head.

"What if... never mind," she said immediately discarding the idea, but you being the curious bug you are, immediately asked her what it was practically begging for her thoughts.

"Well... we could invite her to bed with us," she said as she made a face expecting you to get mad at her for even suggesting or thinking about it but in response, you tilted your head.

"You mean like... a threesome?" you said and she nodded. You bit your lip in anticipation.

"You think she'd agree to that?" you asked.

"I have seen how she looks at you when the girls ask you to dance. We could lure her in here and see how things go... only if you are okay with it," she held your hands.

"I'm nervous but I think I can do it. Let's do it," You replied.

-

"Hey, Kirsten!" You said as you approached the five girls during a break.

"Hey, pretty girl! What brings you around today?" She asked and invited you to sit down with them.

"Oh, I just came to see BEBE do their thing. Some of them were my teachers in the past so... yeah," you said and she nodded.

"Anyway, we are having a small gathering at Bada's apartment and I'd love for you guys to come. What do you say?" You asked. One by one they started to agree and it was a done deal.

Later that night, some of the girls showed up at Bada's place. There was music, drinking, and dancing. There were no cameras, therefore no limits.

Everyone danced to their own free will and drank till one by one they started leaving. Audrey, Emma, and Ling dragged LaTrice out of the house early when she was knocked out and left Kirsten behind.

It was only you three in the apartment. You were sober enough to know what you were doing. You and Bada exchanged a glance when you noticed how Kirsten threw her head back.

"Are you feeling okay, Kirs?" You said and she lifted her head to smile.

"Yeah. I didn't drink at all so I'm fine. But I am really tired. It's been a long time since I partied like this." she replied with a laugh.

"You can use my bedroom to rest for a bit. It's right down the hall," Bada said.

"You're too kind. I wouldn't want to mess things up around here so I think I'll just leave." She said getting up.

"It's late. I don't think you should leave," Bada said as she stood up as well. You had no choice but to follow your girl's lead.

"Listen, you two are a lovely couple and I will keep that secret. I'm sorry if I am getting in the way of anything, I really didn't mean to, and if I stay..." She stopped for a second before shaking her head and grabbing her purse.

"Wait," you said as you took hold of her arm. You knew what was going through her mind. You didn't know how she was the only one left in the apartment but this is what you and Bada intended.

"We feel the same. I don't know if it's right or wrong but it's eating me up and I can't handle it," you said not letting go of her hand. Kirsten's eyes teared up a bit and she bit her lip.

"Why don't you show her to the room while I clean up a bit? I won't take long," Bada said as she pushed you forward slightly and you nodded.

You took Kirsten's hand and took her to the room. She sat down in the bed and you were next to her. Your shoulders were touched but not a word was said as your hand nervously played with hers.

"What does Bada think of all of this?" She asked.

"She's okay with it. I know my girlfriend Kirs and the way she looks at you just gives it away. I mean, you are gorgeous," you said looking at her and she smiled when your eyes met.

You closed your eyes and tilted your head as you moved forward expecting to meet her lips and when they finally did the kiss was eager and sloppy. You wanted to undress her but she made it easier for you and removed her shirt.

"Kirsten..." you moaned into the kiss.

"Mh... you two seem to be having fun. Why didn't you wait for me?" you heard Bada say and turned to her.

"Sorry, baby," you said and she smirked as she walked towards Kirsten.

"Look how ready you are for us," she said as she lifted Kirsten's chin. You smiled at the sight.

Bada used her head to signal for Kirsten to get in the bed and she didn't hesitate to follow along. She moved up and Bada stood next to you as she helped you remove your dress leaving you in underwear.

She whispered something in your ear and Kirsten was just looking at you two waiting for what she needed.

You smiled and got in the bed to remove her bra completely while Bada removed her bottoms and panties. You could hear Kirsten whimpering under Bada's touch. Who wouldn't?

"Just relax. We're going to make you feel so good," Bada said and you used your hand to trace Kirsten's abs. You could see Bada position herself in between Kirsten and you felt turned on by her action.

You groped her breast slightly pinching her nipple. By the time Bada worked her tongue on her clit, you worked on her breast sucking and groping. Her moans were loud and her words were incoherent.

She used her free left hand to pull in Bada's hair and her other hand found her way to your sensitive clothed area rubbing ever so slightly and causing moans to leave your mouth.

Bada stopped her actions and lifted your head by the hair. This was a new aggressive side of her that turned you on even more. She kissed your lips making you taste Kirsten.

She switched positions with you. You continued to eat Kirsten out filling the room with her lustful moans when you heard her voice muffled.

As you looked up slightly, you saw your girlfriend undressed and on top of Kirsten's face. She lowered herself onto Kirsten's tongue as shaky moans escaped her lips when her hips moved.

You moaned at the sight of Bada riding her face as she caressed her own breast. The sight of Kirsten gripping the bed sheets as her tongue worked magic on Bada's wet folds completely disheveled and ruined under the both of you.

That moan that escaped your lips was enough to drive Kirsten to the edge and she came on your lips. You smiled at the sight of her tight hole clenching around nothing and you moved up to kiss Bada making her taste the cum that came out of Kirsten.

Not long after a loud moan escaped Bada's lips as you two made out and you could see how flushed she was. She had finally came on Kirsten's tongue.

Bada moved off her. She was still struggling to regulate her breathing from her previous climax and held onto you. Kirsten was too tired to even open her eyes. She was now relaxed and she seemed to be slowly falling asleep.

"I haven't even started with you," Bada said as she pulled you down and ripped off the underwear from your body.

You whimpered as you felt her spread your legs apart exposing your dripping wetness. She bit her lips and immediately went down on you. As her tongue played with your sensitive bud. Two of her fingers inserted inside of you.

You moaned loudly and your nails dug into her shoulders. She moved back up and kissed you passionately almost as if she wanted to prove to you that you were the only one in her eyes after what just happened.

Her fingers had never been inside of you but they felt so good as they moved against your gummy walls. Gushy sounds emitted from you as she pounded with force. Her thumb rubbed against your clit and her long and beautiful fingers curled inside of you hitting your spot perfectly.

"B-Bada... I can't. I can't handle it," you said.

"You're being such a good girl from me. Just a little longer and I promise you will feel so good. Just hang a bit more. Don't cum... Not until I let you," she said and bit your bottom lip.

After a few more thrusts you felt a build-up in the pit of your stomach and dropped down on the bed. Your body at the verge of convulsing from the pleasure Bada was giving you yet she enjoyed the sight of your bare body shaking under her touch.

"Who do you belong to?" She said.

"Y-you... only you, Bada," you said between moans and with struggle.

"Cum for me, Y/N," she said and you didn't wait another second to release on her hand. She brought her cum covered fingers staring into Kirsten's mouth who had been enjoying the show before her eyes. She shoved them into her mouth making Kirsten moan.

"Get a taste. You two did so good for me," Bada said. Your body was unable to move any longer due to the previous activities.

Kirsten was also drained and Bada dropped her body in between the both of you. It was a good thing you convinced Bada to get a bigger bed. You three perfectly fit in that bed.

The following day, as the scenes from the night before flashed in your head, you covered your face when both Bada and Kirsten greeted you in the morning. You avoided their gaze to which Kirsten giggled.

"Y/N, did you want some breakfast, baby?" Bada said in her raspy morning voice. You flustered and shy, responded with a simple yes, still avoiding her gaze.

You felt her hand on your face making you look up at her.

"Look at me when I talk to you," she said and you nodded.

"Good girl," she said before walking to the kitchen and making breakfast.

"I have early practice but... let's do this again sometime," Kirsten said before trying to walk out of the room. You grabbed her arm.

"Promise?" You said and her face flashed a bright red before nodding and walking out of the room.

"Since when did you become so bold, babe?" Bada said as she peeked her head through the door frame.

"Since last night, Bada Lee," you replied and walked back to the room as she checked out your figure.

"Bada, what have you done to those two?" She asked herself with a chuckle and went back to preparing a meal.

Thank you for reading!🩵🩷

#forbebeandjam #honeybee156 #street woman fighter 2 #bebe #jam republic #swf2 #lgbt #bada lee #kirsten dodgen smut #bada lee smut #smut #street woman fighter x reader #bada lee x reader #kirsten x reader #Bada Lee x Kirsten

[pandorascripts]

As The World Ends - (A Taylor Swift/Reader AU)

It's been eight years since the world went into darkness and chaos. Everyday flesh-eating monsters take more land and lives— the government long discarded and abandoned. Soulmates have been set to the bottom of people's concerns, most more dedicated to living to see the sun again. Taylor's a leader, she keeps her group to herself and refuses to help unknown strangers. That is until ex-militia leader—also her soulmate— Y/N Y/LN enters her life. With Taylor leaving her well-off group in hopes of a cure, she quickly becomes enraptured in hard and difficult messes with Y/N. Somewhere along the way, Taylor starts to doubt her instincts and trust her soul mark's desires.

Or, the last of us soulmate AU no one asked for but will get.

Note: CONTENT WARNINGS will NOT be stated in any chapters, they’re in the STORY’S DESCRIPTION. I'm not sure when this will be updated, and with school starting up soon it will not be as frequent as I want it to be. I will NOT abandon this story though.

CW: GRAPHIC descriptions of VIOLENCE (GUNS, ABUSE, non-cannon-typical FIGHTS), HEAVY GORE (MUTILATION, blood, vomit, CANNIBALISM), descriptions of NUDITY and sexual INTERCOURSE, HEAVY ANGST).

slow burn fic.

!!I INTEND TO MAKE THIS AS DARK AS POSSIBLE, AND SURPASS THE GORE SHOWN IN THE GAMES/TV SHOW!!

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION BASED ON THE LAST OF US UNIVERSE. ALL CREDITS GO TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS OF TLOU.

——————

PROOF READ ONCE! (Will be revising when story is complete). Posted on my ao3 (laceyromanoff) and my wattpad (bethHARMONSwife).

1550 words.

————————————————————

It was quiet today— something that should never be said in the city of New York, but Taylor decided that, that's the only thing to describe it. The only noises she could her was her pencil scratching along the paper, and the light strum of her guitar a moment later. 

She had been working on a new album, hoping to have it out within the next year or so. Taylor was excited, as she always was when she began to write— but she couldn't help that odd feeling that something was amiss. 

To put her mind at ease, Taylor got up, softly setting her guitar strap on her shoulder, and walked to the window. She opened the blinds with her fingers, curious as to why the city that never sleeps, was sleeping. Taylor frowned, a bald man was running down the street, jumping straight onto a woman. 

He didn't apologize— or even get up for that matter. Taylor opened her blinds a little more, trying to see what was happening. 

"GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!" 

Taylor jumped back, her moms voice booming across the room. "W-What?!"

"C'mon we gotta go, Andrea," Scott said, impatiently tapping his foot behind the aforementioned. 

Taylor frowned, she'd invited her immediate family up to her penthouse in New York, wanting them to her what she had for her album so far. It had only been a day since they'd been up here, surely they couldn't have to go already. Not to mention, her brother had his own car and her parents were divorced— if Scott had to leave, there's no reason Andrea couldn't stay. Her parents seemed off, impatiently shifting every few seconds, hushed voices snapping back and forth at each other. 

"Taylor, I need you to pack a small bag— only the essentials. And be quick."

With that, her father left the room, a confused Taylor blankly looking at her mother. 

"Mom? What's going on?"

Andrea frowned— her daughter was twenty-five, no reason to lie to an adult, even if the adult was her kid. As much as Andrea wanted to sugarcoat it from Taylor— protect her from what was going on— she knew the only way to truly protect her, was to let Taylor ready herself. "There's a rapid-spreading disease going on, it's... it's turning people into cannibals."

Taylor chuckled. surely some prank her parents were playing. "What?"

"Taylor! Pack your damn bags!" Andrea snapped, pointing to her closet. 

Taylor stuttered upwards, awkwardly shuffling along her floor and grabbing a bag, mindlessly tossing in some clothes. In a few short minutes Taylor managed to grab some basics from her room, slinging it over one shoulder, the other shoulder carrying her guitar in it's separate bag. 

"No guitar— too much noise," Scott directed, shaking his head stiffly. 

"I don't go anywhere without my guitar—"

"Today you do," Andrea cut in, a stone-cold gaze Taylor was unfamiliar with, resting on her usually-soft face. 

Taylor frowned, hesitating. "Weapon. I'll cut the strings now."

"Hurry." Scott shifted on his feet again, directed the family into the living room of Taylor's house. He walked to the blinds every few seconds, checking the window.

Taylor shrugged the guitar out of its case, grabbing some plyers nearby and snipping them. With every snap came a loud, sharp twang. Scott's eyes widened, his hand rushing out to Taylor before she could snap a third string. 

"Wait," he whispered, lightly stepping in the direction of the door. 

Taylor and Andrea waited with bated breaths, hoping it was nothing. Before Scott could check the peephole, a loud snarl erupted from the other side of the door, a harsh thud shaking it after. 

Taylor's jaw dropped, the severity of the situation crashing down on her. 

"Quick!" Scott whisper-shouted, hastily pointing to the couch. 

Taylor and Andrea nodded, all three of them starting to lift the couch and silently set it against the door. With how the walls were only a couple feet away from each other, Scott managed to set the couch diagonally against the walls, acting as a barricade. 

"What if they crawl?" Taylor asked, another harsh screech and bang, rattling the door. The couch stayed upright.

Scott ignored her question, silently leading the trio through Taylor's apartment, and into her at-home sound booth. 

"Snip the cords. Now."

Taylor nodded, making fast work of the cords. In thirty seconds the remaining three cords were off and curled against her guitar. 

"There's a fire escape we can take. It'll lead us to the parking lot where my car is."

Scott nodded, allowing Taylor to lead them temporarily. Wordlessly, and quietly, the group's steps got closer to the parking lot. Up until then they hadn't ran into any of the infected beings, and Taylor was still in slight disbelief.

Taylor pointed to her car, handing the keys to Scott. They nervously looked around— Taylor's guitar resting in her hand, Andrea's baseball in hers, and Scott's sharpened flute in his other grip. Scott gave a nod, unlocking the car. It chirped loudly, the group awkwardly standing around for a moment. 

Taylor gulped, starting to head to the car. 

"SHIT!" Scott yelled. "GET IN THE CAR! NOW!"

Taylor didn't have to see the infected to hear them. Loud snarls and roars filled the parking lot, Taylor sliding into the passenger as Scott got into the drivers. Even with the doors muffling her surroundings, she could hear the hard footsteps and groans. Andrea managed to get into the backseat, slamming her door shut right before a zombie smacked into the window. Taylor looked at the small crack in horror, anxiously patting her father's shoulder. 

"GO!" she yelled. 

Scott turned the key in the engine, hearing it roar to life before he peeled out of there, infected slamming into the hood of the car one after another like dominoes. Taylor saw theirfaces in slo-mo, recognizing some of them as people she once knew. Her doorman scratched at the glass, bones shattering a moment later as he sunk to the ground. Next was her neighbor, the one who always partied until three am no matter how many noise complaints people filed. Taylor choked back a sob as her brothers face smashed into the windshield, her mom crying out with her. 

"Austin! It's Austin, Scott! We have to go back."

Scott shook his head, slamming on the petal as he drove the car down the ramp. "It's not him... n-not anymore."

Taylor held back her cries, choosing to keep her eyes shut. Her hand idly rubbed her soul mark, the wrist tattoo comforting her as tears slipped out from under her eyelids. Every time a body smashed against the car, a loud growl flew by her ear, or a hard cry from her mom lingered in the car, her eyes would squeeze shut again, and her body would flinch backwards. 

When Taylor opened her eyes again, her dad was driving off the highway, the car bumping and slowing cruising against the grassy, outer-part of New York City. 

"We're gonna be out of gas by nightfall..."

Andrea saddened at Scott's words, Taylor feeling a numbness like never before. 

"So... what then?" Andrea softly spoke up.

"Then we find a place to hide, barricade ourselves in and hope for the best."

Taylor thought for a moment. She never enjoyed horror movies— much less, zombie ones, so now that she's quite literally trapped in that type of film, she finds her limited knowledge very frustrating.

"We need food— and, and we'll have to ration it out," she stated, ignoring her shaky hands. 

"My bags full of canned goods, we should be okay for a month."

"What about your clothes?" Taylor asked her dad, remembering the amount of stressed he had laid on her about clothing. 

"I've got them mixed with mine."

Taylor looked back at her mom's tear-stained face, silently nodding. The group sat in the car, each too lost in their own thoughts to actually voice them. Scott, staring off into the countryside's roads, Taylor, wondering how many people she once knew were now infected, and Andrea— the zombified version of her son playing in her head like a loop. They all shuddered. 

It had been eight years since that night, Scott and Andrea passing within the first three years of the apocalypse. But, during those three years, they managed to start a small colony. They got chickens, cutting out their voice boxes and shoving cardboard against the walls to muffle the remaining noise. The same was done with cows. And pigs. And people if they hit too loud.

Now, Taylor's in charge of the rather-large group as she has been for five years. After the loss of her parents, she become colder— refusing refugees with a scowl and a shotgun. The group knew not to go against Taylor, after all— they remembered what happened when her ex-boyfriend challenged her leadership. They doubt the pigs ever had a better meal.

#x reader #fanfic #tlou #tlou hbo #tlou fanfiction #the last of us #taylor swift x reader #taylor swift x you #taylor swift #taylor swift eras #speak now taylor’s version #taylornation #the eras tour #swifties #eras #pandorascript #fanfic writing #ao3feed #ao3 fanfic #read on ao3 #ao3fic

[officialchristiancagebbgirlblog]

Can I have prompts 15, 34, and 69 with early 2000's Edge plss where she is scared to be in love with them because of trust issues but sweet smut unfolds as they let the feelings out between them?

15: “I’m so scared…of you”

34: “shh it’s okay, I’m here now”

69: having your first time in bed with each other

Tag: @judgementdaysunshine

Word count: 2058

Warnings: mild swearing

Fic type: fluff and smut

Link to masterlist

Reader will be a wrestler, 2001. Will use Adam’s name. Feels silly saying Edge in this context. Christian will just be called Christian as using his real name doesn’t feel right for fics!

Being at large events was always difficult for you. Even if you did know most of the people there. You were still relatively new, only having been there for about three years about the same time as your friends, Adam and Christian. The three of you didn’t go in together. You had met them on your first day actually and hit it off with them immediately. They always had your back both within matches, and backstage. Being quiet made you an easy target for certain wrestlers to pick on you; they’d pull pranks (sometimes cruel ones) on you, be rough with you in the ring. It wasn’t the best time to be a wrestler but you weren’t about to quit. Plus, the two boys would back you up and protect you as much as possible, alongside two other friends, Jeff and Matt Hardy.

The event in question was an after party, following a successful episode of Smackdown. You hung around Adam and Christian who were talking with Kurt Angle and a few others, sticking closely to Adam’s side, while they chatted with other wrestlers. It wasn’t something you admitted to anyone just yet, but you had found yourself with feelings for Adam. There was something about how protective he was over you that just made your heart swoon and your body feel so…safe? Was that the feeling? It was hard to come to terms with how you felt. So many times had you been let down or betrayed by your previous partner that you didn’t know if you could go through with another relationship again. He had broken you in more ways than you’d let on to anyone. The idea of dedicating yourself to someone or letting someone into your heart terrified you.

“We should probably get going!” Adam nudged you, hoping you’d agree. He was enjoying the socialisation but in reality, he felt more comfortable in the idea of heading back to the hotel room you two shared. Saving as much money as possible was at the top of both of your lists so you had agreed to share with him. Tonight would be your first night alone with him, and a big part of you was scared. You nodded, agreeing that it was time.

“I’m going to stay a bit longer,” Christian said, giving you both a quick hug, “but I’ll see you guys later on!”

Exchanging goodbyes with the group, you both headed out to the car park to get a taxi back. Adam left the keys with Christian so he could drive back.

“I think…I might just shower and then sleep when we get back.” You told Adam in the car, sitting a seat away from him in the back, leaving the middle seat free.

“Oh. I was thinking we could watch a film but…yeah sure, if you’re tired, do what you like!” He replied, smiling weakly.

It was a strange response, you had thought. A part of you thought that maybe he was hoping for something more but you didn’t want to jump to conclusions. The rest of the ride was quiet, relaxed. Watching him from the corner of your eye, you made a mental note of the outline of his face from the side. There was no denying that he was gorgeous. With the way his long hair framed his face, the little point at the end of his nose. And his body! His arms were strong yet soft to the touch, very welcoming. Perhaps that’s why she always felt so safe? It definitely was his kindness that helped too. You didn’t realise that you had turned your head to get a better look at him, staring with a sparkle in your eyes. He turned to look at you with a smile and pink cheeks, winking slightly. You quickly looked away in embarrassment of being caught staring, hearing him chuckle at your reaction.

After arriving at the hotel, you both made your way up to the room and you rushed in the bathroom to get to the shower to wash away the naughty thoughts that began to cloud your mind. You got undressed with haste and stood under the warm running water, trying to clear your mind. It was getting harder to hide your feelings and anxiety built up in your chest over that fact. You were terrified of a repeat of last time. Deep down you knew he was different but still. What if he secretly was a terrible man? What if he was secretly just as horrible but was fantastic at hiding it? The thought was too horrible to imagine so you tried to ignore it, washing your body and your hair, imagining you were scrubbing that idea away.

Not spending long in there, you dried off and climbed into clothes that you had left folded in there before you left, ready for your evening shower. You looked into the mirror and took a deep breath, calming yourself so Adam wouldn’t ask any questions. You left the bathroom and made your way over to the desk where your hairdryer was ready for you. Except it wasn’t just that there waiting. Adam stood, holding your brush and motioning for you to sit down.

“I know you’re tired but I can…do this for you if you like?” He smiled sheepishly.

Returning the smile, you sat down in front of him. As he began you felt your cheeks and your body become warm with appreciation, the naughty thoughts coming back. He was so concentrated on making sure your hair was fully dry and brushed that he didn’t even notice you staring this time. After about 15 to 20 minutes, he shut the dryer off, just pulling the brush gently through your smooth and shiny hair.

“Can I ask you a question?” He asked, finally looking up at the mirror to make eye contact with you. Adam noticed the nervous look that suddenly crossed your face, and he took a second to squeeze your shoulder to assure you that it was okay. Swallowing hard, you nodded.

“Um…are we just…friends? Or is there something else that you want to try?” He asked, his voice quiet and soft. You felt your throat run dry as the words settled in your brain. He decided to continue on with something that probably shouldn’t have shocked you all that much but it still did regardless.

“Because I don’t know about you but…I definitely have. Feelings. For you.”

You didn’t know what to say. Well, you did, but you were scared of saying it. Your silence scared Adam as he stood there still looking at you, waiting for you to just say something. Anything.

It felt like an eternity before you opened your mouth to speak to him.

“Adam…I’m not going to lie to you because I appreciate you and…what you do for me.” You started with a deep breath. It wasn’t fair to lie to him on how you felt nor was it fair to not tell him why you were afraid of it.

“I’m so scared…of you-“

“Of me? Why?” He interrupted, the shock breaking his heart in two.

“Let me finish, please.” You begged.

He became silent, placing both hands on your shoulders, letting he brush fall to the floor with a dull thud.

“It’s not…really you. It’s the idea of you, and liking you. I want to let you in but I’m scared of what will happen if I do. The last person I let into my heart treated me terribly. I know you’re not that guy but I don’t know if I can let myself trust someone again. I am so terrified that…it will happen again.”

You felt the tears well up in your eyes, sliding down your cheeks rapidly. Just admitting why you were afraid of love somehow felt worse than keeping it secret. It was the shame of talking about it out loud, and now crying about it. Let alone someone who had just admitted they had feelings for you!

You felt his arms wrap around your shoulders and his cheek rest on the crown of your head, Adam gently whispering ‘shhh’.

“I’m sorry,” you choked out, “I-I know I’m a mess right now and this isn’t what you want to see and I’m sorry I-“

“Shh it’s okay, I’m here now.” He muttered, rocking you side to side.

“I don’t know exactly what happened before in your last relationship,” he gently pulled on your arm to turn you around on the chair to face him, “but I am not him, okay? I need you to understand that. I can love you so much more. In the way you deserve. You just need to let me in to do that.”

He cupped your face, wiping tears away with his thumbs. You both stayed there, gazing into each other's eyes for god knows how long before you both leant towards each other to share a kiss. When your lips met in the middle, your body rushed with tingles as the familiar sensation came back. You hadn’t realised how much you missed kissing!

It wasn’t long before you were standing up in his arms as he led you to the bed, lips still interlocked as you both removed each other's clothes. You both mumbled sweet nothings into each other's soft lips as he pulled your legs apart, aligning himself with your wet and ready entrance.

“Are you ready, baby girl?” He asked, stopping to look at you. You nodded, throwing your arms around his neck as he slowly slid in, keeping his eyes on your face the entire time.

“Tell me if it hurts or if it’s too much. We can stop if you need it.” He reassured, kissing your cheek once he was all the way in. Adam stayed unmoving for a moment to allow you to get used to the feeling of him inside you, not wanting you to be in pain. After signalling to him that it was okay, he began to thrust, being slow and gentle. He buried his face in your neck as the pleasure and your warmth took over his body.

“Faster, please!” You called out to him, gripping his shoulders as the feeling of pleasure overtook your body. Adam picked up the pace while still not hitting too hard, groaning against your skin.

“You’re so gorgeous,” He muttered, littering your skin with small wet kisses as his hands caressed your soft body, “God, I’m so glad I told you…how I feel.”

Just hearing him speak those words sent your heart flying. You had completely forgotten what it felt like to be praised in this way. And to have it from Adam just made it that much sweeter. Already you felt yourself getting close to the finish line, him following behind closely. Wrapping your legs around his waist, you moaned out his name as you drew closer and closer.

“Let it out for me, baby.” He whispered, his lips just barely ghosting the skin of your ear. You gasped as your orgasm hit, Adam holding on to you tight as he continued on with whispering encouraging words of love to you while you rode it out. As you came down, he muttered a quick ‘oh fuck’ before pulling out, cumming on your stomach with a grunt. After finishing, he leant down to give you another kiss before getting up to grab tissues to clean you up.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to…you know…do it inside of you.” He smiled sheepishly, his body pink from the afterglow of sex. You smiled and told him that it was okay, you didn’t mind too much. Once he got you cleaned up, he crawled into the bed next to you and pulled you in for a cuddle.

“I meant what I said earlier, you know.” He said, turned your head to look at him. It had finally set in that Adam just wanted to love you in every way possible. It was still hard to believe that you could be loved that way after before, but you were willing to let him try. Smiling wider, you both shared another kiss, already becoming obsessed with the way you both tasted.

“Let’s give it a try. See where it goes. I…I think I’m ready for you to show me what it’s like to be appreciated again.”

#adam copeland x reader #adam copeland imagine #adam copeland fanfic #adam copeland #edge wwe #rated r superstar #edge x reader #edge imagine #edge fanfic

[sophieinwonderland]

Wishing for anti-endos to loose all their friends and spaces and to be ostracized does not help pro-endos. It makes anti-endos even more set in their beliefs. It makes people who are on the fence go "yikes, I guess the anti-endos are right". I'm firmly pro-endo and your recent post makes me want to take some distance. This isn't how we gain allies.

I know, these people suck. I know, it hurts to constantly be excluded and hated for the way our brains work or the reason why they work that way. I know, many anti-endos are too far gone and aren't people that you or I can reason with unless they decide to unpack their shitty beliefs.

But posts threatening them is not the way to go. They already see us as the enemy. We don't need to add fuel to the fire. Let's make sure people who are on the fence or who don't know much about non-traumagenic systems see us acting in ways that make them want to listen to our side instead of the fakeclaimers. Let's make sure anti-endos who are starting to rethink their beliefs feel like it's safe for them to do so and to start listening to pro-endos.

I'm sure this post is gonna get lots of interaction. But if it makes people less likely to read your studies, to listen to your arguments, to hear out the systems messaging you about their experiences? That's all for nothing.

I... actually think adding fuel to a fire can be useful sometimes. As long as you can keep it a controlled burn.

I'm counting on most anti-endos on Tumblr who would be scrolling through the syscourse tag already having me blocked. They won't see my post.

I'm counting on neutrals probably not following my blog or the syscourse tag either one. And most of those that do follow syscourse have already made their minds up about me.

I made that post for a very specific audience. One that doesn't actually need anyone to fuel its fire because they've built an entire community on seeking out systems to mock and attack. They already cherry pick the worst posts they can find to keep their friend group indoctrinated. So adding one more to the pile shouldn't matter to that specific group.

I don't think anything I say is actually going to make them hate the endogenic community more than they already do because they're surrounded constantly by people who will always reinforce that very generalized hate.

But I do think I can direct that hate they already have. Focus it as much as possible on one specific person. Me.

And the more they see me as a threat, (whether or not I am,) the more hateful they respond to me, the more their community will crack.

Users will be more likely to break their rules, making moderation in their subreddit more difficult for the unpaid mod team who will hopefully start rethinking how much of their life they want to dedicate to a hatesub moderating an angry userbase with nothing to show for it.

And while a slim hope, I'm waiting for them to be pushed far enough for Reddit to ban the whole subreddit.

So yeah. I don’t mind tossing as much fuel on the fire as possible if there's a chance their ableist hatesub burns.

Besides... I'm not actually saying anything untrue.

Plurality IS going to become more accepted. They ARE losing the scientific argument. And anti-endos and cringizens WILL lose friends and community support as plural acceptance spreads unless they're willing to change. A safe space for endogenic systems can never be one that houses anti-endos.

This is not a threat. This is a promise. It's a natural result of progress. And I'll do my part to accelerate this. But it's going to happen with or without my involvement.

I'm just making sure that when it does and they go looking for someone to blame because things have gone bad in their lives and their bigotry caught up with them, they'll direct their anger toward me instead of anyone else.

(Although maybe they can direct it inwards too since, you know, it was their fault for being bigots. But I think that would be too much to ask for.)

#syscourse

[the-eeveekins]

The 16th Day of G-Witch: Father and Child

Alright, let's get this over with. Look, if you like this episode or Guel, you might want to skip this one because I'm about to be a hater here. Also as a heads up, I decided to avoid the shot of Seethia's body in my screencaps, because as much as I dislike this episode, that's still a tough moment and tough to look at.

This episode pisses me off, and it's IMO unarguably the worst episode in the entire series. It's all so incredible pointless and irrelevant to the main story, and ultimately a gigantic waste of time that should have been spent elsewhere. Olcott and the Dawn of Fold do not play any role in the rest of the series, and the short 5 second scene in the final episode felt more tacked on to try and even remotely justify why nearly an entire episode was spent on them. Guel is not that integral to the main story that he deserved a chunk of an entire episode dedicated to his development and essentially putting him in the main character seat for an episode. The only impact this episode had later on in the show was so Guel could recognize that one kid on Earth who let slip Shaddiq's secret. Which was already a ridiculous coincidence that it could have been replaced with nearly anything.

It's insulting and sexist that in the first Gundam series with a female main character, they completely sidelined her for an entire episode just to let the most popular male character play at being the MC for an episode that has almost nothing to do with the main story and was designed to be more like a traditional Gundam episode than what G-Witch was. It feels like something that staff were ultimately forced to keep in so the executives who feared the show failing could distract fans who hated it with the standard Gundam tropes and a male character in the lead role, like jingling shiny keys in front of someone's face. And the worst part is? It worked. A chunk of the fanbase LOVED this episode because it felt like a classic Gundam episode and made them want to throw away what made G-Witch special and unique for more of the same shit they've had for 40+ years.

And all of that cost the show time it desperately needed to spend on the main story and characters with way more importance than Guel or Olcott. The only good thing I have to say about this episode is that the Prodoros IS a cool mobile suit. I hope it gets a model kit someday.

I've got to agree with Norea here. Nika is incredibly naive about the situation Earthian's face. Wanting to solve problems without violence is certainly a worthwhile goal, but not one that is always practical. Sometimes violence and war is necessary to overthrow tyranny and oppression. It was made clear in S1 than when Earthians peacefully protest their terrible conditions, they're met with violence by the Benerit Group. And when peace is no longer an option, you have to use violence to fight back.

Likewise, I actually think Shaddiq gets a bad rap from a large part of the fanbase. Some of that is rightfully because of his actions towards Miorine, but a lot of it I think comes from the sort of people who just like to yell "WAR IS BAD" and do not comprehend that in some situations, war is necessary to overthrow oppressive groups like the Benerit Group and Spacian Governments.

Giving weapons to Earthain groups is a solid idea that will even the playing field and make it difficult if not impossible for space to opress Earth through force, forcing them to the negotiating table for equality, and if all else fails, kicking them off Earth and reclaiming their resources themselves. My only concern with Shaddiq's approach is that I'm not sure he wouldn't try to lead Earthians even further into oppressing Spacians as revenge.

This is actually the one time I don't fault Guel for trying to do something "heroic." Trying to save Seethia, while probably being ultimately pointless, was a good thing to do. It's just a shame that, despite literally having a child die in his arms due to an attack by the Benerit Group, he learns all the wrong lessons from it.

This conversation serves absolutely no purpose. It doesn't actually make any sense (he was a member of Dominicus, Earthains attacked him and killed his family and now he...works for an Earthian terrorist group?) and ultimately it's a completely meaningless detail that has absolutely no effect on anything.

And finally, the cherry on top, the downfall of Guel's character. I really tried to like him, but this was very much the beginning of the end. After going through a trauma conga line and learning NOT to play the hero, Guel finally sees what his father's company has been doing to Earthians his whole life, and even has an innocent child die in his arms because of the attack.

And the lesson Guel takes away from all of this is that he wants to save his father's company and keep the oppression machine going? I get that maybe Guel being the one to fail and not break free from the shadow of his abusive parents was the whole point of his character arc (Kashtanka), but it's still disappointing.

And after all that bullshit, we drop these incredibly important details in a post-credit scene at the end of the episode. All of this information, from what Notrette intended to do with Quiet Zero and what happened to her, was way more important to the story than everything that happened in the previous 20 minutes. But all it gets is a short scene at the end of the episode and is never further elaborated on.

This should have been the episode we learned more about Notrette and Quiet Zero, maybe even more about Prospera and Delling. Instead we got Guel and Olcott's pointless adventure.

#25 days of g witch #g witch #the witch from mercury #gundam #g witch spoilers

[genericpuff]

Dude…You.. are truly a mean spirited person by the way you attack Rachel and her comic. I was hoping to see actual valid criticism on this blog that are good takes and respectful…but all I see is a savage, hate-mongering being; projecting your own personal fears on fictional Greek gods, with loads of malice; accusing RS of so many things that’s not even an issue in the slightest.. like bro are we reading the same story?? Bc I’d assume you’d dislocate your shoulders from all the reaching you do, to just cherry and nitpick the comic so much; at this point I think you’re dedicating your life’s work to shitting on this comic with asinine accusations?? hell, I get the comic aint perfect but the way y’all shit on it damn near has the same level of hate you’d normally have for a fucked up, white supremacist manifesto…. have you ever sought inner peace or?? what’s the problem,,,

Your views are truly horrid and y’all are why ppl are scared to come out with their own series bc of malicious people like you getting kicks of punching down an author and mocking them instead of being more civil with your views. Probably haven’t considered creators like RS with ADHD have RSD too huh… maybe haven’t considered how ppl with RSD got symptoms where it’s pretty difficult to take criticism…lmao.. aaaaand yet you antis are just as barbaric as obsessive LO stans and y’all just won’t leave well alone smfdh

Heaven help you fr. Hope you cease your obsessive hate for a fictional story and seek actual help than pouring all this hate on a book and pointing fingers at issues that’s nonexistent in the series.😒

Ooh yay it's been a while since I've gotten an ask calling me out. Love to see it :3

So here's the fun thing - I do have way less "spicy" takes on the comic (because let's face it, the definition of "valid" in this context is often... very subjective, I've seen people call the most respectful criticisms and reviews of LO "hate" plenty of times before) but I also just enjoy dunking on it because it's fun and it's how I engage with this comic that, believe it or not, I did genuinely used to love. I don't talk this much shit about comics I've never cared about. Boyfriends and Let's Play are also both godawful but I never loved them quite as much as I loved LO back when I used to read it religiously, so I just don't feel like talking about them as much as I do LO. Saturday nights used to be my favorite night of the week but they became dreadful after a while as my love for the series' drained relative to its decline. Now I have to find other things to look forward to on Saturdays, so I've gone ahead and made my own things, things that have rejuvenated the feelings I used to feel reading LO.

Here's another fun fact, in case you're new to Tumblr and don't know how it works - this is just my account that's dedicated solely to LO stuff. There are other things that I do besides shit-talking this comic and using it as fuel to create my own interpretations of it, but you don't see that here because this blog is, again, purely for my LO related stuff. I also have a day job that's completely unrelated to webcomics, and draw webcomics that aren't related to LO. I spent like.... 6 hours playing Slime Rancher today. I know it doesn't look like I have a life outside of this when you sift through my anti-LO-themed blog of queued posts all in one go, but I do lmao

Sorry I don't have a more satisfying response than "it's fun!" I have a great time in this community, everyone in it has been genuinely sweet and caring and accepting. Many of the people in this community are genuine friends now, who I go to for things outside of LO, from comic discussion to real life talk.

You know which community doesn't make me feel safe or welcome? The core LO community that's come at me in my inbox, snuck into our fan groups to spy, and even outright made bots to breach our privacy. As soon as I had even the slightest bit of criticism for the comic, back during the trial arc, they decided I wasn't "one of them" and I realized I was terrified of being an "anti" because I knew how anti's were treated by the community. I had to find ways to accept my own feelings as they were changing and having the antiLO/UnpopularLO community accept me the way they did... really changed my perspective on the whole "fandom" thing. I can take part in both sides in the anti/unpopular community - praise and criticism. Maybe consider for a second the only reason the criticism is so loud... has to do with the fact the comic itself isn't worth praising anymore.

All that aside, it's fine if you don't like my takes or don't agree with how I choose to spend my time! There are both better and even worse takes out there from other people just as pissed as I am about the turn LO has taken. None of those people, myself included, do what we do to "make" others hate the comic or hate on Rachel. None of us are encouraging outright bullying directly at Rachel, we're literally just curating our own space for discussion and memes and art and writing surrounding this dumb little comic that many of us did find enjoyment in back when it first started. And I don't think any of us are saying that because we don't like this comic, that means we're gonna automatically trash on anyone else's just for existing? Because, again, none of us encourage direct bullying, and if anything, all these accounts have inspired more people to take up comic creating through AU and fanfic content of the source material that they wish could have been better. If anyone's legitimately "scared" to go into webcomics because of a few strangers' opinions on the Internet about a massive commercial comic that's completely unrelated to their own work and far above what most creators will ever make... well, I don't know how to fix that or help with that. Maybe apply your own advice that you're giving me in your ask and stop caring so much? I'm just a person engaging in one of their many hyperfixations on the Internet and there are others who happen to share in my interests and enjoy my takes, whether or not that includes the saltier ones. There's nothing special enough about me to warrant any sort of finger-pointing like what you're doing. I'm not a monolith nor am I the end-all-be-all to webcomic creation or discussion lmao

It's honorable you want to defend Rachel, or people with ADHD/RSD. I can't shame you for that. But coming onto my blog that's themed around antiLO/unpopularLO content and doing the same thing you're claiming I'm doing (which I'm not because again, it's not like I'm going directly at Rachel with any of the things I say or do and I would never encourage anyone else do that either lol) is a little... hypocritical, don't you think?

But - sass time - what do I know. I'm just someone who's also ADHD. Autistic with RSD too! Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, as none of us can speak on behalf of the entire neurodivergent community.

Appreciate the crit though, thank you for taking the time to write <3 Sorry to hear my blog didn't turn out to be what you expected but... I don't recall ever setting those expectations in the first place. At least not when I started. Now that Rekindled's a thing I suppose people aren't gonna expect blatant trashing when they find it but that's why I'm also trying to move away from purely trashing on LO so that I can put my time and energy into more productive stuff (even if that "productive stuff" is making a comic that started as an LO-spite project LOL)

But at the same time... I mean, is it really that surprising? Like I guess this can serve as a general "heads up" to anyone else who's new here, but I do not go easy on LO and have a lot to say about it (and I'm very loud and disgruntled about it) but I figured most people would realize that's the amount of spite needed to redraw the whole thing as I'm doing right now LMAO Like c'mon, you think someone who only dislikes LO mildly would really put in all this work? 🤣 I do it because I can't stand to see where it's gone, and I want to give myself and others who were disappointed alongside me the closure we all deserve. Trying my best, at least (～￣▽￣)～

That's all for now! Have a good one :' )

#lore olympus critical #anti lore olympus #antiloreolympus #lo critical #ama #ask me anything #anon ama #anon ask me anything

[charturnus]

I'm It's a complex

Ship: Wanda Maximoff x Female Reader

a/n: ...... So, surprise, I'm not dead! What can I say? Mercury was in retrograde? In all seriousness, I am very sorry for the ungodly amount of time between chapters, I hope this goliath makes up for it somewhat. Thank you to everyone who has been kind, your messages mean so much to me. Please let me know if you enjoy this!

Dedication: For Magda, who is the brightest light in my life. I know without a doubt that I will never be unloved by you, and that knowledge is balm for an aching soul.

Tags/warnings: 18+ minors DNI; top!wanda; bottom!reader; vaginal sex; praise; dominance; dirty talk; sex toys; degradation; unconventional therapy tactics

Word count: 15K

Summary: Chapter IX; Did you get enough of love, my little dove? AU

The one where Agatha is a show-off, you let something slip, and you make a friend. 

Previous chapter ➵➵

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‘’I told you so!’’  Is the first thing Pepper says, as she steps over the threshold with a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and a stack of papers in the other, a black tote bag slung over one shoulder. Kate follows right behind her, offering us her genuine congratulations. Neither of them know yet, of course. Wanda and I have been sitting tight on the secret of our budding relationship, so they’re just happy our staged kiss worked so well.  

Wanda has made it her mission to throw a dinner party for her friends, so she can announce our relationship in style. But it turns out that it’s quite difficult to gather a group of women who all have insanely busy jobs. Pepper works crazy hours, Agatha sometimes works miles away, and I know from experience that Maria, who has taken over my old job, has her plate completely full. But, Wanda has managed to find a date and time that works for everyone, so as Pepper and Kate file in (20 minutes early), we all keep an eye on the clock, waiting for the others to arrive. 

‘’Have you seen the pictures yet?’’ Kate asks me as we stand at the kitchen counter, pulling out empty plates, bowls and sets of cutlery to lay the table with. I shrug, ‘’Wanda doesn’t take papers or magazines, and she told me not to bother looking for it online. I think she’s got some weird experience with the press or something.’’ Kate gives me a wide-eyed look of understanding. ‘’They’re ruthless, they print really nasty things sometimes, she’s probably just trying to protect you.’’ I nod, unconcerned, ‘’yeah, probably.’’ I know tabloids have a way of painting people in the worst light possible, but Wanda isn’t that famous. It’s not like she’s an A-list celebrity, so I’m quite sure nobody is going to bother with me.

We each take a stack of plates, and a handful of cutlery to carry into the dining room and when I push through the door with my shoulder, I see that Agatha has joined the group. I didn’t hear the front door open, so she must have come in through the back. She's sitting together with Wanda and Pepper, leaning back in her chair, rolling her eyes at something the two other women are saying to her, their voices muddling together. 

I don't quite catch what the conversation is about, but Kate is quick to turn to Pepper after we deposit the dishes on the scrubbed wooden table. "What was that about a hotel?" She asks, strolling over to seat herself comfortably in Pepper's lap. Their limbs fit together perfectly, in a way you wouldn’t assume when you see them standing next to each other. I envy the easy way Kate drapes herself over Pepper, with not a care in the world. My eyes linger for a short while on their intertwined fingers, but my attention is quickly drawn back to the topic at hand. My brows knit together in confusion at the mention of a hotel. I don’t understand why Pepper would need a hotel, as she isn’t due for a holiday yet. 

"Are you going on holiday?" I ask casually, my curious side getting the better of me. I direct my question at Pepper, but it's Wanda who answers me, her voice soothing and casual, "no, honey, it's a work trip. Pepper and I are both going, and we need to book the hotel soon." 

Kate’s eyes widen in alarm, and I watch as her hand tightens around Pepper's fingers. She gives her a reproachful look, "you didn't tell me you’re going away." Pepper looks genuinely sorry as she lays a comforting hand on Kate’s back, cradling her close. I turn to look at Wanda, my eyes asking the same question of her. You didn't tell me you’re going away. 

"The conference was supposed to be in town, but the venue cancelled at the last minute," Pepper says, "the closest place we could find is a four-hour drive and there's no way we can travel 8 hours every day." It's fair, I know it is, but still my heart contracts painfully in my chest. ‘’I can come, right?’’ Kate asks, her tone hopeful and cheery, ‘’we haven’t been on holiday in ages.’’ Pepper for her part really does look sorry when she has to disappoint her. ‘’Honey, you know your mother will also be there, I don’t want you so near her for that long.’’ Kate’s face crumples, and she begins to cry softly, resting her head against Pepper’s as her shoulders shake. I ball my hands into fists, staving off the tears, wishing I could do the same.  

I watch as Pepper cradles her close to her, holding her head tightly to her chest, rocking slightly as she whispers words I can’t make out. I can feel tears prickling at the back of my eyes, knowing already what’s to come. Wanda holds her hand out to me, inviting me into a hug. "It's only five days, dove," she says, holding me tightly, whispering, "You’ll be fine, won’t you? I bet you’ll enjoy a nice little break.’’ 

I want to crumple like Kate, be shushed by Wanda like Pepper is doing for Kate. But Wanda thinks I'm stronger than that, that five days apart is no big deal. And it is, of course it’s not a big deal. The rational part of me knows that there is nothing odd about this, it’s completely normal. So why then does it feel like my chest has been hollowed out?

Wanda doesn't expect me to cry. So, I force myself to smile at her. "Of course," I say with a laugh, my voice straining against the tears that threaten to escape from me, "it's only five days." 

***  

As soon as the opportunity arises, I escape to the kitchen for a while, trying to find something useful to do. Wanda hired a catering company to take care of the food, so I can't cook, or pretend to fuss with the food that's cooking in the oven, or sitting covered on the counter. 

I decide that wine is my best option, and I open the wine cooler, to inspect the available bottles. I slide my hand over the cool bottlenecks, feeling the condensation dampen my fingers. Truth be told, I don't know what I'm doing, I don't drink wine. So, I just take out the bottles one by one, and try to judge them on their appearance. I discount the white ones, simply because red wine looks more dramatic. The labels aren't very exciting, though, so this really doesn't help me to narrow it down. 

"Are you contemplating alcoholism?"  

Agatha's sudden appearance startles me so much that the bottle of Argentinean Malbec threatens to slip from my fingers, but thankfully I manage to regain my grasp on the thin neck before it can crash to the ground. My heart pounds in my chest, and I quickly replace the bottle, letting out my breath in a shaky puff. Agatha raises an eyebrow at me, "guilty conscience, hon?"  

"Not a fan of people sneaking up on me, actually," I say, scowling as I close the door to the wine cooler. Agatha snorts, "I wasn't sneaking, I was looking for you."  

"What for?"  

"You tell me, you get your feelings hurt and next thing I know you look like you're turning to the bottle."  

I’ve only known Agatha for a very short while, but after my conversation with her at the gala, I’m not surprised in the slightest that she noticed I’m upset. I actually think it’s pretty comical, and want to laugh at her remark, but I don't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing I think she's funny. So I try very hard to make it look like I'm annoyed, and I keep my lips resolutely sealed.  

"I thought you didn't drink?"  

"I drink," I say evasively, now perusing a rack of champagne next to the wine cooler.  

"Wanda said that you had your first drink in 10 years at the gala." I roll my eyes, "three years, actually. And so what? I fancy another one now." 

Agatha moves over to lean against the kitchen counter, looking at me over the lenses of her glasses. "You know I have great connections with Alcoholics Anonymous, do you want me to give you their number?"  

From the rack, I pull a bottle of Dom Pérignon, scanning the label like I know what I'm doing. "What are you actually here for? Because I think we both know I'm not looking to start a life of alcohol abuse." I keep my eyes glued to the label as I speak, turning it over and reading every word twice, anything so I won't have to look at her. But Agatha notices, of course she does.  

"I see you're avoiding making eye-contact with me," she says, in that simple way she has of saying things. Just stating a truth, and waiting for me to explain myself. I don't, I just shrug, "it's not a crime, is it?" 

‘’No,’’ she says airily, ‘’but I think it’s essential in order for a person to open up and allow themselves to be vulnerable. If you avoid eye-contact, you’re avoiding your own vulnerability.’’ This makes me falter, and I stammer a bit trying to find an adequate response, but Agatha ignores me, her eyes suddenly serious as she asks, "what do you think of Wanda having to go away for a business trip?"  

Out of spite, I make sure to look Agatha dead in her eyes, but I regret it almost instantly. She's looking at me in that way again, like she can already see everything that's playing in my head, and she's just waiting for me to confirm her theories. "It's pretty normal for her to take business trips several times a year."  

Agatha's eyes change, a look of reprove evident in her gaze. "I think you know that isn't what I was asking you." Her dissatisfaction with my answer stings, and not for the first time, I'm seized with a strange desire to tell her everything I'm worrying about. As if in doing so I wouldn't have to face her disapproval again. I try to keep myself composed, under her scrutinizing gaze. "It's only five days, Wanda said it's not a big deal." Agatha cocks her head to one side, "did she? I don't recall her saying that."

I'm agitated now, provoked by the anxiety from the conversation in the dining room, and now by Agatha prying into this situation. "But she meant it,’’ I say, a little too loudly, my voice cracking just a bit. ‘’Ah,’’ Agatha mutters, taking off her glasses, the end of one ear resting against her lips, ‘’so that’s what you’re about.’’ This makes precisely no sense to me, but Agatha doesn’t seem bothered to explain what she meant. She only smiles at me, the kind of encouraging smile I imagine her giving a client. ‘’You’re ashamed,’’ she says simply, as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world.  

‘’I beg your pardon?’’ Agatha ignores me again, which appears to be becoming a habit, and presses on with a question of her own, ‘’Wanda didn’t actually say that it wasn’t a big deal, did she? So why do you think she meant to say it?’’ My hands are beginning to shake, and I have to put the bottle of champagne down. ‘’I don’t know, she just asked me to deal with it.’’ I mumble, turning away from Agatha, so I don’t have to look at her anymore. Behind me, I hear her hum, mulling my statement over in her head. ‘’Remember what I said about eye contact, hon?’’  

With a herculean effort, I turn around again, resting my back against the counter, slowly raising my eyes to look back up at her. She gives me a smile for my efforts. “Good job, hon,’’ she says in a higher pitched voice than I have heard from her so far. It feels somehow both condescending and rewarding. It’s the kind of tone you’d use when training a puppy, big exaggerate sounds that they can recognize, so they know when they’ve done something right. I want to hear her say it again.  

"How did it make you feel when Kate began to cry?’’ she asks, her glasses dangling from her fingers. ‘’I don’t know, sad, I guess?’’ Agatha hums again, ‘’Sad because she was upset, or sad because you felt like you weren’t allowed to show the same level of emotion?’’  

This throws me a bit, and I stutter out several uh’s and uhm’s before I can form a proper reply. ‘’I didn’t say that I wasn’t allowed to cry,’’ I say defensively. ‘’No, you didn’t. But you wanted to cry too, didn’t you?’’ 

‘’Why does that matter?’’ I say, my old agitation flaring up again. I feel my face heating up, and I’m profoundly uncomfortable under Agatha’s scrutiny. I don’t like that she knows these things about me. It frightens me that she can watch me and tell me exactly what goes on in my head. It feels invasive.  

‘’If it doesn’t matter, answer my question.’’ 

‘’Fine,’’ I snap, much more aggressively than I had intended. ‘’I am upset, and I did want to cry, but that doesn’t matter anymore because it’s settled now.’’ Agatha’s brows furrow at my tone, but she doesn’t chide me for it. ‘’Do you really believe that?’’ she asks in a tone that suggests that she knows I’m lying. ‘’Wanda is going, and no amount of whining is going to change that.’’ She pulls a face of surprise, but I know enough to know by now that she isn’t surprised by this. I’m confirming what she’s known all along. ‘’Is that how you see the expression of your emotions? As whining?’’ 

‘’That’s not what I said.’’ Agatha smiles a devious smile. ‘’No, but you meant it,’’ she says, parroting my own words back at me. My shoulders slump forward a bit, my body wanting to shrink in on itself, to hide me from Agatha. ‘’Hon,’’ she says gently, laying a warm hand on my shoulder, ‘’I’m not doing this to be mean, I’m trying to help you. Be honest with me, and let me help you make it better.’’ I’m tired of this back and forth already, and the rational part of me knows that she’s right, Agatha isn’t doing this to antagonize me, so I sigh and nod. ‘’I just don’t want Wanda to think I’m too needy.’’ 

‘’And why is that?’’ she says, her tone encouraging, trying to coax me out of my shell. ‘’I’m afraid she won’t like me anymore if she knows how much I need her.’’ Agatha allows a silence to fall, stretching out painfully long. I think she’s waiting for me to say something, let loose more of my thoughts, but I don’t want to. Not when I’m not being prompted to, anyway.  

‘’Have you felt that before?’’ she finally asks, after what feels like an eternity, ‘’That you couldn’t let someone know you needed them?’’ 

The answer is out of my mouth before I can stop myself. ‘’Yes.’’ I say, without even thinking about it. Something like triumph glitters in Agatha’s eyes, ‘’Why don’t you tell me about that, hon?’’ I shake my head dismissively, ‘’I don’t want to talk about it.’’ 

‘’You don’t have to give details, just give me a rough idea.’’ I shrug, my eyes finding the floor again. ‘’I don’t know, this is just so personal. I’m not your client.’’ Agatha chuckles, ‘’aren’t you?’’ She takes a step back from the counter and begins pulling open drawers, she stops when she opens the miscellaneous drawer, where we keep bits and pieces that don’t belong anywhere else. She fishes out a notepad that I’ve been using to write grocery lists on, and that Wanda uses to write little notes to me or the housekeeper. She produces a pen from her pocket and throws the notepad down on the counter, clicks the pen open, and begins to take notes. 

She replaces her glasses carefully on the edge of her nose, writing down words that I can’t make out from here. A silence lingers for a while, and whilst Agatha seems perfectly at ease, I feel more and more disconcerted with every second that passes by. After a while, she looks up at me, her glasses sitting slightly crooked on her nose. ‘’So, are you going to accept that you need my help, or are you going to run yourself into the ground? The choice is all yours, toots.’’  

This isn’t rejection, quite the opposite, but there’s a suggestion of it in her tone, and it makes me recoil. Her approval earlier felt so warm, enveloping me like a blanket, shutting out the cold. I feel ridiculous for wanting this from her, when I could get it somewhere else. I could go back to work, and fall back into the steady rhythm of misery, that nonetheless feeds that ugly part of me that wants to be praised for my actions.  

For a second I feel the sensation of déjà vu, like I’ve done this exact thing before, stood in this spot together with Agatha. I know I haven’t, of course. Just a trick of the mind. But I know I’ve been here before, not in this kitchen, with this woman, but in different places, with other women. My neighbour, my aunt, several teachers, a doctor, and then me, wanting nothing more than to please, to say or do the right thing, so that they would like me and keep me around. Agatha waves a hand in front of my eye-line, and I realize I’ve been staring off into the distance. I shake my head slightly, clearing the foggy thoughts from my mind. ‘’Well?’’ she asks, her eyebrows raised, ‘’penny for your thoughts, hon.’’ 

‘’Kate used to be your client, right?’’ She’s surprised by my question, but she still answers me. ‘’A couple of years ago, yes.’’  

‘’What did you do to help her?’’ Agatha smiles, and it’s slightly condescending, like I’m a child asking her why the grass is green. ‘’Trade secret, baby. It’s confidential.’’ I try to brush past the pet name, pushing her for more answers. ‘’At the gala, Mrs. Bishop said that thing to you,’’ I say with a slight flush creeping into my cheeks, ‘’about, uhm, you know- The mother thing.’’ Agatha snorts, shaking her head at me. ‘’Right, what was it again? Something about telling vulnerable girls to go fuck their mothers, I think.’’ Now she doesn’t have her glasses in hand anymore, she takes to playing with her pen, spinning it around in her hands. The plastic of the pen makes soft ticking noises as it makes contact with the many rings on her fingers.  

‘’Eleanor Bishop doesn’t know the first thing about my line of work, and not just that, she has no clue who her daughter truly is. She knows that I encouraged both her relationship and her dynamic with Pepper, and unfortunately, she found out a few too many details about the workings of it all. She drew her own conclusions, and as a result, she spouts nonsense like that.’’ 

‘’Oh,’’ I say, ‘’so, she was lying? I mean, you didn’t-‘’ I trail off awkwardly, and Agatha laughs, the sound of echoing through the kitchen. ‘’What? Tell her she wants to fuck her mother? No, I didn’t.’’ My face heats up, and I scramble for my words, ‘’N-no I didn’t, that’s not what I-‘’ But Agatha waves it away dismissively. ‘’Eleanor Bishop is upset, because she realized that she messed her kid up, and she’s looking for everything she couldn’t get from her mother, somewhere else. Kate is making up for lost time, and her mother can’t accept that she failed her child.’’

Unbidden, the image of my own mother floats up into my mind's eye, and the little voice in my head taunts me when the similarities in our situation become so clear to me. I think she can sense my discomfort, and the shift in energy, because she shrugs it off, ‘’never mind all of that, if you want the details of Kate’s treatment plan, you’re going to have to ask her for consent because I’m not in the business of HIPAA violations.’’ 

‘’O-okay.’’ I manage weakly.  ‘’That’s later,’’ she says, her demeanour shifting as she looks back down at the notepad full of her scribbles, ‘’now I’d like to circle back to that question I asked you. Someone made you feel like you couldn’t let them know you needed them. Who made you feel that way, and why?’’ 

‘’Uhm,’’ I mutter, forcing myself once again to make eye contact with Agatha, ‘’my mother.’’ I watch as her eyebrow twitches slightly, and her eyes light up as though she just struck gold. ‘’You needed her, as all children need her mothers,’’ she says, ‘’but she didn’t fulfil those needs?’’ Her voice is sweet as honey, asking a question to which she already knows the answer.

I begin to pick at the skin around my palm, digging my nails in hard to prevent myself from crying. ‘’My mother didn’t care for me like mothers are supposed to,’’ I say, ‘’I had to care for her a lot of the time, support her emotionally, I mean.’’ Agatha nods her understanding, encouraging me to continue. ‘’I needed her when I was little, and after that too sometimes. But I never felt like I could tell her that, because I was supposed to be the strong one.’’ 

Her pen flies over the page as I speak, and I try to follow it, but can’t make any sense of it. She isn’t writing down my words, but that’s as much as I can tell. She’s drawing arrows too, and little stars next to sentences. She doesn’t say things that my old therapist would have said, like ‘that’s rough’, or ‘that must have been hard on you’. She just lays down her pen, nodding her head solemnly.  ‘’What were you feeling when Pepper comforted Kate as she cried?’’ 

The question throws me a bit, because my mind had wandered off into the dark depths of my past. I bring myself back to that moment in the dining room, standing there watching Kate fall apart. I shift my weight nervously from foot to foot, and shrug. 

"Be honest, tell me how you felt."  

"Envious." 

‘’Ah,’’ Agatha says softly, ‘’You wanted Wanda to do the same for you?’’ 

My nails dig harder into my palm, as tears threaten to spill from my eyes and fall down my cheeks. ‘’Pepper just saw straight away how upset Kate was, and she comforted her. I wanted that too.’’ 

‘’You want Wanda to look after you, like Pepper looks after Kate?’’ 

‘’I guess,’’ I say, acting like I wouldn’t give the world to be comforted by Wanda right now. I think back to my first night at the house, and how gentle and kind she was then. She held me as I cried, and rocked me to sleep. I wonder what it would take for her to do that again.  

Agatha hums thoughtfully, ‘’that dynamic didn’t spring up out of nowhere, you understand that, don’t you? It takes time and trust, and most importantly honesty and openness.’’ This sounds so much like actual advice, that the surprise must be evident on my face, because Agatha snorts, ‘’you know I have my PhD in psychology, don’t you? I can say half decent things when I bother to.’’ She shakes her head at me, but I haven’t yet wiped the smirk from her face.  

‘’Pepper didn’t spot that Kate was upset out of nowhere, it was communicated to her when Kate began to cry, Pepper picked up that cue, and was then able to comfort her. It’s about communication and mutual understanding.’’ Agatha removes her glasses again, her gaze suddenly stern, ‘’and given that you’re standing here contemplating getting drunk, rather than talking to Wanda, that indicates to me that you have a long way to go in that department.’’ 

*** 

Our impromptu therapy session comes to an end when Wanda slips in through the half open kitchen door to announce Maria’s arrival. She doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest at Agatha’s presence, and merely gives my hand a little squeeze as she leads me out of the kitchen and to the dinner table. All seats, barring one, are filled, and I know, even without anyone telling me so, that that seat was meant for Natasha Romanoff. Opposite me, Kate looks to have calmed down mostly, and she’s contentedly nibbling on some bread as she listens to Pepper gloat about our achievement. Her cheeks are red now, though, and I notice her squirming in her seat, but quickly my attention is diverted by Pepper showing the others the magazine covers featuring mine and Wanda’s picture.  

I have a look, too, and I’m surprisingly pleased at how the photographs turned out. Our backseat kiss genuinely looks like it could have been an accident, our edges are blurred, making it look like it was hastily taken. We’re pressed impossibly close to one another, the flush in my cheeks clear, even in the fuzzy picture, the sight of this brings me right back to that moment. Under the table, Wanda takes hold of my thigh, squeezing slightly. ‘’You make a handsome pair,’’ Maria says, inclining her head towards us with a smile. Wanda nudges me playfully with her elbow, ‘’we do, don’t we, honey?’’  

Maria snorts, ‘’you could’ve fooled me.’’ 

‘’Actually, that’s why I asked you all to come over today,’’ Wanda says, making good use of the segue provided by Maria, ‘’we may or may not have been keeping a secret from you.’’ Even with so little to go on, the reaction from the room is instantaneous. Kate gasps hugely, and Agatha slumps back in her chair with triumph, a gloating look on her face. ‘’I knew it,’’ she says, with a shit-eating grin, ‘’cough up, Hill.’’ Maria curses, slamming her fist hard against the wooden table, ‘’oh come on! You couldn’t have waited two more weeks?’’  

I look between the two women with some confusion, trying to figure out what exactly they’re talking about. Maria fishes a £50 note out of her pocket, and slides it across the table with a sour look. ‘’You took a bet on our relationship?’’ I say indignantly, but all the women at the table, including Maria, merely laugh at me. ‘’For the record, I knew before you had even signed that damned contract that this would happen.’’ Pepper states, pointing her finger around at everyone, ‘’I called this.’’ 

 ‘’I’m sorry Wands,’’ Agatha says, as she pockets the money, ‘’it was too good of an opportunity to let go. I think all of us knew this was bound to happen.’’ She’s clearly right, because it seems that everyone had been expecting for us to make the announcement soon. Even with the anxiety about Wanda’s trip weighing me down, I feel slightly comforted by the knowledge that Wanda’s friends are accepting of us, and approving of me. They treat me like one of their own, and have done so since the very first moment. And once the moment of shock has passed, everyone goes back to their regular conversations. The normalcy of it all grounds me somewhat, even as my stomach twists and turns as I think over Wanda’s upcoming trip.

*** 

The dinner is delicious, the wine even more so. Still, my appetite is minimal. Even with the good conversation, and the nice company, my mood is dampened by the thought of Wanda’s departure. I nibble at my meal, pushing it around a little with my fork. I compensate for my lack of enthusiasm for the food by gulping down the wine. It goes straight to my head. Not in the way hard liquor does, this feels different somehow. My head swims, and I feel the buzz, but there’s none of the horrible nausea that comes with drinking cheap vodka.  

Wanda notices that I don’t make much of a dent in my dinner, and she places a strong hand on my thigh, leaning in to whisper to me, asking me if I’m feeling alright. Seated at the head of the table, Agatha is holding court, loudly telling a lewd story involving a student, several board members and a cat o' nine tails whip.  ‘’Of course,’’ I lie, with a smile, and I notice that it’s a bit harder to pull off than I am used to. In the before times, as I now have come to think of them, I told all sorts of lies all the time, with no issue whatsoever. Yes, I slept well. Yes, I ate my dinner. No, this project isn’t overwhelming. No, I don’t need more time to work on it. Lying came as easily to me as breathing, and the difficulty I have now, however slight, unsettles me.  

Wanda frowns a bit, looking down at my hardly touched plate, and she opens her mouth to speak, but I am saved from her inquiries by the sound of breaking glass. I start, almost threatening to upset my own wine glass, but I save it in the nick of time. Across the table from me, Kate’s face is red, and a slight shimmer of tears is visible in her eyes once more. Her glass lies broken on the ground, the little orange juice that was in it, splattered all over the floor. Pepper’s hand flies to the ring of her collar, yanking her harshly towards her.  

‘’Uh oh…’’ Agatha sing songs, a cruel smile on her face, ‘’you should house train your pets Pepper.’’ If looks could kill, Agatha would be decomposing where she sits. Ever dignified, however, Pepper ignores her, instead choosing to hiss some words to Kate that I can’t make out. Kate is still squirming, tears steadily dripping down her face. It doesn’t shock me, but I’m surprised to see them interact like this. Until now, I’ve never witnessed an altercation between them, and it’s strange to hear the venom in Pepper’s voice when she grabs Kate harshly by the face, to turn her head in our direction. 

‘’Now apologize to miss Wanda for breaking her pretty glass.’’ Kate whines, and she struggles in Pepper’s grasp, but she manages to stutter out a weak, ‘’I- I’m sorry, muh-miss Wanda.’’  Wanda for her part takes it well, she squeezes my thigh slightly before she speaks, her voice gentle and reassuring, ‘’that’s alright Katie, thank you for apologizing. Are you going to be a good girl and clean it up?’’ 

Something inside me jumps at her words, and I suddenly wish it were me in Kate’s position. Across the table, I watch as Pepper’s fingers move from her face, where they were squishing Kate’s cheeks together, back to her collar, pulling her in so close that only she can make out her partner’s words. My eyes drift to Pepper’s lap, where her phone lies open on a screen that shows something like sound waves. I stare at it for a while, unsure of what I’m looking at, but when Pepper’s finger casually slides over the screen to increase the waves, and Kate lets out a high-pitched noise of surprise, I realize what’s going on. I feel the heat bloom in my face, and I look away quickly from the pair, trying to ignore Wanda’s warm hand on my thigh, and the strange feelings swirling in my gut. In my haste to look anywhere but the scene in front of me, I accidentally make eye contact with Agatha, who sits at the head of the table, leaning back in her chair, grinning at me from over the rim of her glasses. She raises an eyebrow at me, and I can just imagine her voice as though she were actually speaking to me. 

Enjoying the show, hon?’

*** 

Under Pepper’s watchful gaze, Kate sweeps up the broken glass and mops the floor to clear it from the orange juice. She’s not crying anymore, but she’s prone to having fits of uncontrollable shaking, whenever Pepper plays with the waves on her phone. Everyone at the table continues their conversations, acting like this is the most normal thing in the world to them. And maybe it is. 

‘’Are you okay?’’ Wanda whispers to me, ‘’I know it’s a lot, is that why you’re having a bit of a hard time tonight?’’ I seize this opportunity with both hands, ‘’Yes,’’ I whisper back, watching as Kate clambers into Pepper’s lap, having just finished cleaning up her mess, ‘’it’s okay though, I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.’’  

She seems satisfied with this explanation, and she throws an arm over my shoulders, reclining in her seat. Kate has her face buried in the crook of Pepper’s neck, and the conversation falls silent, just in time for us to her Kate mumble something against Pepper’s skin. ‘’I’m sorry mommy.’’ 

It feels like a current of electricity runs through my body at the sound of that word, and suddenly the room has become uncomfortably hot. I’m hyper aware of Wanda’s arm around my shoulders, and I know for certain that if I were to turn my head, Agatha would be right there staring at me. I don’t give her the satisfaction, so I resolutely stare straight ahead.  ‘’Don’t mind her,’’ Pepper says airily to the room at large, ‘’she’s fussy today’’ and then, turning to Kate, ‘’aren’t you, puppy?’’  

Kate seems much more relaxed now, her tears are gone, her sniffles replaced with soft moans and whines. She nods blearily, her hands pawing slightly at Pepper’s blouse. ‘’Someone’s impatient.’’ Maria laughs, and she stands up to fetch a simple black bag sitting on an ottoman in the corner of the room. I recognize it as the bag Pepper brought over today. She throws it underhanded to Pepper, who surprisingly catches it. ‘’Give us some entertainment, won’t you? It’s been ages.’’ Pepper gives her an annoyed look, ‘’she broke a glass, Hill. I know you don’t understand the concept of discipline, but she can’t be rewarded for that.’’  

‘’Who said it’ll be a reward?’’ Agatha cuts in, shoving her chair back loudly and strolling over to where Pepper sits holding the bag. She reaches in, fishing out a pretty purple toy with a suction cup. She leans down to attach it to the floor, before heading back to her seat. ‘’She can fuck herself on that, we all know she won’t be able to cum from just that.’’ Kate’s eyes go wide, and she whines, both of her hands clutching at Pepper’s blouse now. ‘’No, no, no, no. Mommy, I’m sorry,’’ she cries, ‘’you promised, you said I could.’’  But Pepper doesn’t relent, merely giving her a stern look, ‘’maybe later, if you’re a good girl for us now, okay puppy?’’ 

Maria helps Pepper to extract the girl from her, guiding her to the floor, where they squat on either side of her to manoeuvre her to her knees. Once she’s down, Maria returns to her seat, keeping a respectful distance. From my position, I can’t see everything that’s happening, but I watch as Pepper reaches her hand up Kate’s skirt and whispers some words to her that I can’t hear. Kate puts her hands on Pepper’s shoulders to steady herself, there’s a wet sucking noise that makes even the tips of my ears feel hot, and then the quiet room is filled with a buzzing noise. I feel rather light-headed as I watch Maria helpfully turn down the waves on Pepper’s phone, and the vibrations stop instantly.  

‘’Be a good girl and fuck yourself on that, puppy.’’ Pepper says, petting Kate’s hair affectionately, ‘’you heard miss Maria, they want a show.’’ There’s a smacking noise, and I assume Pepper tapped Kate on her ass, because she makes a startled noise, and moves into action almost instantly. She shuffles on her knees, holding on to Pepper for support, before lowering herself down. I can only imagine what is going on beyond my line of sight, but Kate lets out a low moan of relief, that almost fills in the blanks on the picture in my head. I can almost see the purple silicone between her thighs. Pepper raises herself up again, slipping a small black toy, shining with slick, into the pocket of her trousers. ‘’That’s a good girl, puppy.’’ 

*** 

My head swims, either from the alcohol, Wanda's ever burning grip on my thigh, or Kate's increasingly loud moans. Maria, Pepper and Agatha are egging Kate on, making lewd comments about her body, and vulgar remarks about everything they could be doing to her if only she had been a good girl. Kate's face is red and streaked with tears that are by now dripping down her chin. Whilst she had started off moving slowly, her face contorted as though the toy was almost painful, she now sets a punishing pace, and she pants with the effort of it. 

 ''It's such a shame that you've forgotten how to behave, Katie.'' Agatha remarks with a dark smile, ''it's been so long since you kept my pretty cock warm.'' In response to this, Kate lets out a tortured sound, ''no, no, no, no, no...'' She whines, turning her eyes upward to look alternately at Pepper and then at Agatha. ''Please- Please,'' she huffs, ''you promised, you said I could, I've been good all week.'' 

My heart beats at four times its normal speed, and I can't help but keep myself focused on Kate as she bobs up and down on the toy. The revelation that Agatha has slept with Kate before doesn't shock me, as it probably should, but the thought that Pepper would share her is astounding to me.  

''Mommy, please,'' Kate whines again, fingers grabbing at Pepper's white trouser legs, ''I'll be so good, please, please I want to sit on daddy’s lap.'' If Pepper is surprised at that title for Agatha, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she rolls her eyes, grabbing a fistful of Kate's hair, yanking her upright, ''you're a desperate little cock whore lately, aren't you?'' With a shove, she's pushed in the direction of Agatha, who looks as though Christmas has come early.  My throat feels rather dry, and I take a shaky gulp of my wine. Wanda, who's been silent until now, speaks up, ''you can't blame her for wanting Agatha, now can you Pepper? I think we've all fallen victim to her charm at some point.''  

My head feels much too foggy to even begin to try to understand what this means, so I just decide to let it go for now. Wanda clearly feels more confident, now that everyone is busy watching this display, and she leans down slightly to press a kiss to my cheek, her hand dropping back to my thigh and skirting dangerously close the apex of my thighs. Quite suddenly, I'm uncomfortably aware of the throbbing sensation between my legs.  

I look around for a distraction, for something that could help me turn these feelings around, something dull to stare at, tiles to count. But my wandering eye is drawn to Agatha, who is beckoning Kate over to her. I wait for something to happen, for someone to search through the black bag again and produce another toy. But, nothing of the sort happens, Kate merely lowers herself obediently in between Agatha's spread legs.  

''I told you to house-train your pets, Peps,'' Agatha says smugly, her nimble fingers moving to undo the zip of her trousers. I feel as though I might faint any moment now. ''How many years has it been now? Four? Five?'' her fingers dig in the opening of her zip, grasping at something I can't see, ''and she still remembers my training.''  

From the gap she pulls another toy, also purple, but short and thick, and more realistic in looks. The thought of Agatha walking around with that hidden all evening makes my head spin, and my mouth water. Kate doesn't need instructions, and simply leans down to take Agatha in her mouth. With a smirk, the older woman collects all of Kate's hair to keep it away from her mouth. I have to breathe in through my nose and let my breath out through my mouth in order to calm my racing heart somewhat. But it's difficult when Maria talks about how Kate ''sucks cock like a champ'' and when Pepper is urging Agatha to ''make her choke on it'' 

 Agatha seems to like Pepper's suggestion, because a few times she snaps her hips up sharply, and in response Kate makes a grotesque gagging noise, saliva dribbling from her chin to her chest. Even through all of this, I manage to keep it together, manage to ignore the way Agatha makes conversation with Maria as if Kate isn't sucking her off under the table.  

But when after a few long minutes, Agatha hauls Kate up to sit in her lap, my brain seems to short-circuit. Kate lets out a contented sigh of relief, but this is only short-lived because the second she tries to lift herself up to fuck herself on it, Agatha stops her. Kate's lower lip trembles, and I'm sure she's going to put up a fight, but she remains silent. ''See?'' Agatha gloats, ''you can be a good girl. Go on, grind on my cock, Katie.''  She flips up Kate's skirt to reveal her cunt, soaking wet and swollen. My clit twitches and throbs, and I grasp at Wanda's hand, my fingers clutching hers desperately. I can't take my eyes off of her, and all I can think is why her, and not me? 

Images of me in Kate's position flood my mind. I want Wanda to reach out and touch me, in front of everyone here, I don't care. I just need this ache to stop, but I don't know how to ask for it. Kate is getting desperate now, and I like to imagine that she's letting out my frustration for me. At least she can be loud, I have to sit here quietly.  

She's struggling in Agatha's grasp, but the older woman holds her firmly in place. ''Please, please, please-'' she babbles, and I'm not sure who she's asking. ''Please what?'' Pepper answers. Kate's whole body trembles as Pepper gets up, moving to stand in front of Kate seated on Agatha's lap I can feel my own wetness, and I'm sure that if I were to touch myself now, my fingers would be covered in my own slick. My hands are sweaty, and my legs are shaking.  

Pepper’s fingers find their home around Kate’s throat, and they both smile. Kate looks relieved, almost. ‘’Please take care of me mommy, I need- I need…’’ It comes out slightly garbled, but I can still make out the words. ‘’It’s okay baby, let’s empty that pretty head of yours.’’

I’m highly conscious of Wanda next to me, and I wonder what she thinks of this. Does she want this like I want this? 

I wish this were us. 

I wish I could ask her to take care of me. 

When Kate comes, Agatha’s eyes find mine again, and I can almost hear her speaking to me, gloating and goading. I can almost feel her hands on my waist, just as they are on Kate’s. You wish this was you, don’t you?

The room feels much too hot, and I feel too exposed. My chair makes a loud scraping noise when I push it back, startling everyone except for Pepper and Kate, who seem to be in a world of their own.

Wanda rises to follow me, but I hear Agatha calling her to stay, and to let me go.

***

When I burst into the bedroom, where the windows have been open all evening, I notice how clammy I feel. My mouth is dry and tacky, the world spinning slightly on its axis. Maybe I had a little bit too much wine. But what else was I supposed to? All evening I’ve been trying to push Wanda’s trip from my mind, but I feel the horrible, twisted sadness creeping in again. My chest feels hollowed out, empty and gaping. I blame Agatha and her awful questions. 

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about this, I don’t want to cry, but I can feel it in my throat and behind my eyes. I swallow it back. I’m better than that, surely. I lower myself onto the edge of the bed on shaking arms. I want comfort, I want Wanda. But I can’t have her, I don’t know how to ask for this. I don’t even know what I want to ask for. What do I even want her to do? Fuck the sadness out of me? Maybe that idea isn’t half bad. At least then I won’t have to think about this. Maybe that’s why Kate wanted to do all of that today, maybe she just knows how to regulate her emotions better than I do. 

Almost mechanically, I push myself back up, and make my way to the second bedroom, that once was meant to be mine. I pull out the tote bag that I had wedged between the headboard and the wall on my first day at the house. My toy doesn’t look like Kate’s, but it has a suction cup just like hers. This will do. 

With trembling hands, I suction the toy to the smooth tiles of the bathroom floor. I make sure it's close enough to the bath, so I can drape my upper body over that when I inevitably lose the strength in my arms to keep myself upright. Hastily I slide my underwear down my legs, kicking them away into the corner and I sink down onto my knees. The tiles are hard and cold, and it's somewhat painful to kneel there. I think it's wonderful. 

I'm wet all down my thighs, and yet I know I haven't been prepped properly. I know this will hurt for a while, but I welcome the pain. The lubricant spreads messily over my hand, cold and slick, as I wipe it off on the toy. Gingerly, I lower myself down over it, mewling as the cold head slips and slides over my heated clit. When I position the head over my entrance I realize just how unprepared I am for this, but I can't find it in myself to care, if I don't get this inside me now I feel as though I might collapse in on myself. 

The stretch is significant, but it still slides in easily thanks to the combined wetness of my arousal and the lubricant. Just the head rests inside, and I have to breathe through the stinging pain. It doesn't hurt too much for me to continue, so I try to relax and bounce myself up and down a bit. After a few moments I feel able to take some more of the length, though it still stings. The head now rests comfortably against that one delicious spot inside of me, and I have to bite back a moan. How can something feel so uncomfortable, and yet so wonderful at the same time? 

It takes only a few minutes for my body to adjust, and for the stinging to fade away into nothingness. Now all I feel is a primal, deep sort of need. My insides twist and squirm, begging for more, begging for some kind of relief, not just of the physical kind. The rhythm I establish is nothing short of messy, and it’s all wrong. I can’t get the pacing right, and that marvellous feeling of bottoming out on a toy is nowhere to be found. It feels good, but not good enough. Frustrated tears pool in my eyes, so thick and heavy they actually fall, dripping all the way down my chin onto my chest. After fifteen minutes I am half sobbing, half moaning, delirious from an ache I can’t satisfy. I need more, I need more, I need- I need-

When Wanda finds me, she looks surprised. Her mouth open and rounded into a perfect little oh. I can’t stop myself, not even with Wanda here. It aches so bad, and I can’t make it go away, no matter how much I try. I don’t want to think about how I must look to her now, red-faced and sobbing, still dressed, fucking myself on her bathroom floor. She doesn’t give me time to consider it. She is on her knees in front of me in a split second, her hands smoothing my hair away from my sweaty face. ‘’What do you need?’’ she asks, so earnestly I would cry, if I wasn’t crying already. 

‘’Please, please, please, please.’’ 

I hang my head, to let it rest on her shoulder, breathing in her perfume as I take shuddering breaths in between each word. ‘’I need- need- you, please, I can’t- I can’t.’’ Wanda’s hands grasp my hips, trying to slow my movement, and I almost scream in utter frustration. ‘’No, no, no, puh-lease,’’ is all I can get out, before she shushes me. ‘’Honey, take a deep breath, and tell me what you need, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.’’ 

I force myself to stay still, to breathe deeply in, and out, and again. Until my body relaxes somewhat into Wanda. ‘’There you go, good girl,’’ she coos, reigniting the heat in my belly once more. ‘’I can’t do it right,’’ I whine into her neck, my fingers grasping at her arms, ‘’I can’t feel and think at the same time, and I can’t get it to feel right.’’ 

She smooths a soothing hand down my back, and I can feel her smile into my hair. ‘’It’s okay, baby. Did seeing Katie like that get you excited?’’ I whimper, and nod, too far gone to even be ashamed of admitting it. She guides me off of the toy, ignoring my whines, and removing the toy from the tiles. ‘’It made me excited too, made me want you just like Agatha was having her, would you like that, sweet girl?’’ She helps me to my feet with my hands in hers, and just for this moment, I decide, it doesn’t matter. She has admitted to me, so now I may admit to her. Just for tonight.  ‘’Please, I need you so badly.’’ I whisper, my eyes downcast to the blueish bathroom tiles, my fingers grasping tightly onto hers. 

Wanda has smiled at me in a thousand different ways. She has a smile for everything, for an exceptionally well performing report, for over hours at work, for when I make her breakfast just right, for when she wants to say I love you without saying it. But now her smile is devilish and predatory, and this is entirely foreign to me. 

Her lips curl up beautifully, her eyes shine with the infinite possibilities of her power over me. It’s the most dangerous smile she has ever given me, and yet I have never felt so safe. 

***

Wanda guides me from the bathroom into the bedroom, and onto the bed. She positions me on my knees, on top of the soft sheets. From there, I watch as she strips, the muscles in her arms becoming more pronounced when she reaches up to pull her shirt over her head. She slips the harness on like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like tying her shoelaces, or doing up the buttons of a coat. She needs my help to fit the base of the toy through the ring, and with the combined shakiness of my hands, and the slickness of the toy, it takes a few moments before it’s comfortably in place. She kisses me, hastily, like she herself is impatient too, and she asks me quietly ‘’are you sure about this? Remember to tap out when you want to stop.’’ I nod so quickly that I fear I might have given myself whiplash, and my enthusiasm makes Wanda smile. I hesitate for half a second, but then I speak up, ‘’don’t go easy on me- please, I think I just need- I don’t know, I just want you to be a bit rough.’’ 

Wanda smiles again, and this time it’s a cocky thing, all smugness and pride. My insides twist at the thought of what is to come and my head buzzes at the sight of Wanda like this, cool and confident, perfectly at ease, perfectly in control. She knows I will bend for her, in whichever way she asks me to. She knows I’m all hers, to with as she pleases. 

Her hand is warm and firm as she places it in the middle of my back, pushing down harshly to bend me over. I fall into position as though I was born to do this, my back arched prettily, legs spread as far as they can go. ‘’You really are gagging for it, aren’t you?’’ Wanda delights, so satisfied with herself that I can hear it in her voice. I don’t bother responding, I just whine and wiggle my ass for her. 

The smack comes as somewhat of a surprise, startling me so much that I yelp out loud, my voice reverberating through the room. Her hand instantly rubs smoothing circles over my stinging skin, and the motion has me moaning hotly, leaning back into her, sticking out my ass, asking for more. She delivers two more hits that leave me reeling, and somewhere in the distance I can hear her snicker. ‘’I’m going to have so much fun putting you over my lap someday, sweetheart.’’ 

And I would respond to her, tell her how much I want that, but then her fingers find my soaked cunt and my brain goes silent. Her intake of breath, along with the slick sounds her fingers make, are the only sounds in the room for a few moments, but when she sinks two fingers into me, I groan just a bit too loudly. I push back against her, impatient for more, but she’s stubborn. She fucks into me lazily for a while, her hand splayed out on my back, holding me in place. Then suddenly her fingers are gone, leaving me empty and wanting.

I hold my breath, waiting for her strap, waiting for her to give me what I want. But seconds pass, and then a few minutes, and suddenly, the dam in me breaks completely. My arms give way underneath me, and a sob tears at my throat. I struggle in her grasp, fighting against the hand on my back, holding me in place. ‘’Ah, ah, ah,’’ Wanda muses, placing both of her hands on my hips now, so harshly that her fingernails dig into my skin, ‘’that’s not the way to ask.’’ 

Tears find their way back to my eyes and drip hotly onto my chest. I wail into the sheets underneath me, ‘’please, please, please.’’ The words tumble over and into each other, blending together in a jumbled mess of tears and saliva, and muffled by the sheets. ‘’Pl-ease, I need- I- I- oh…’’

Wanda finally takes pity on me, sliding her strap into me in one thrust, the front of her thighs resting against my backside. Her skin is warm, but against my overheated clammy skin, it’s like she’s icy cold. I am so wet that she slides right in, with absolutely no resistance. She holds me there for a while, and I relish in the way we fit together, Her cock pressed snugly against that sweet spot inside of me. Then, slowly, one of her hands creeps up towards my scalp, sliding in between my hair and scratching softly. ‘’Detka,’’ she muses, her voice velvety smooth, ‘’remember that you asked for this.’’

Then her hand balls up into a fist, collecting a handful of my hair and pulling hard. At the same time, she thrusts her hips into me, so harshly that my full body lurches forward. I would have fallen if she didn’t have such a strong hold on me. Some part of it hurts, and I know I will feel her tomorrow, but for now the pain makes it feel just that much better, and when her cock rubs me in just the right way I howl from the pleasure of it. She gives me no time to adjust before she sets a punishing pace, laughing at the way I squirm under her. It is somehow both too much, and yet still not enough. 

Tears are steadily leaking from the corners of my eyes, and I’m having a hard time containing the saliva in my open, moaning mouth. Wanda delights in it, cooing at me with a slightly cruel tone of voice. ‘’You’re such a mess, baby. Is that really all it takes?’’ I can’t think, let alone string a sentence together. But she feels so good inside of me, and I need her to know this. In this position, I feel so totally enveloped by her, that it’s almost overwhelming. I suck in great lungfuls of air, trying to form any sounds that aren’t moans. I end up making some kind of wailing gasping noise, punctuated by a high-pitched squeak, as she tries to deliberately trip me up by giving me an extra rough thrust,

‘’Awww, what’s wrong, little dove? Is it too much? Do you need me to stop?’’ The hand in my hair releases its hold and my upper body, no longer supported by her strength, falls limply to the bed. She stays infuriatingly still inside of me, and I can hear her panting slightly as her hands cup my ass. When I try to move myself, they find their way back to my hips, holding me in place. ‘’Isn’t that better, dove? You were struggling so much, I think you’ve had enough.’’ 

I know she’s only teasing, but the threat of being left like this so horrifying that my tears begin to flow once more. ‘’No, no, no, no, please, please don’t.’’ I try to buck my hips into her, but I can’t move a millimetre with her holding me so tightly. She chuckles at my cries of frustration, clearly amused by this display of desperation. She pulls out lightly, just to tease me a bit, sliding her strap in and out in a slow and steady pace that leaves me reeling. I am so close, and I know that if she touched me in just the right way, it wouldn’t take long. 

In one final act of desperation I reach for one of the hands grasping my hips, and she must think I simply want to hold it, because she lets go of one of my hips to entangle her fingers with mine. Carefully I guide her around my body, flatting her hand so that her palm is flush against my skin. I find the spot with ease, and lay my hand over hers, pressing her into my lower stomach, where I know she can now feel herself inside of me. 

She swears loudly, and she moves experimentally to feel the bulge of her cock. ‘’Please,’’ I whimper, ‘’you feel so good inside of me, please, please, I need more.’’ I expect for this to break her, for her to finally give me what I want, but if anything it gives her more restraint. She relishes in the feel of her cock bulging in my lower stomach, I can tell by the way she presses down on me, and increases the force behind her thrusts. She refuses to speed up though, simply pulling out languidly, before thrusting back in with considerable force behind it. It’s sloppy, and on every other thrust her strap slips out and slides over my clit as she tries to push back into me. This act alone brings me right to the edge, the feel of the slick ridges of her cock over my aching clit, pulls the knot in my abdomen ever tighter. It’s so, so very close to what I need, but it’s still not enough. 

The frustration of the night, combined with the fears surrounding Wanda’s trip and the painful edging she’s putting me through, finally become too much. I let myself cry in earnest, feebly trying to buck my hips into her, trashing in her arms as she holds me close to her. I can’t take this any more, I can’t think, I can hardly breathe. 

‘’Say something nice,’’ Wanda muses, amusement clear in her voice, ‘’and I’ll think about letting you come.’’

‘’Mo-mmy-‘’ I whimper, no longer able to contain myself, too far gone to think straight, I echo Kate’s desperate plea from easier. Behind me, Wanda stills, her grip on me loosens, and I find room to throw my hips back, fucking myself on her cock. She doesn’t try to stop me. One of her hands finds its way to my throat, pulling me up slowly until I’m flush with her front, her breasts pressing against the bare skin of my back. ‘’Say that again,’’ she whispers, her breath hot against the shell of my ear. 

I’m so ready to come, I try to spread my legs, to slide my own hand down to rub at my clit, but Wanda is too quick for me. With her free hand she catches my wrist, and she holds my body in position with the combined grip on my throat and her thighs holding mine steady. ‘’I said, say that again,’’ she hisses, giving my throat an extra squeeze. 

‘’Mommy,’’ I whine, ‘’Please, I wanna- I- I need-‘’ 

‘’I know, little dove,’’ Wanda coos, pulling out of me fully, and guiding me to lay on my back, ‘’do you want mommy to make it all better?’’ Somehow, when she repeats it back to me the reality of what I’ve done begins to set in, somewhere in the back of my mind my anxiety kick-starts. Now there’s a battle waging in my mind, between shame and desire. But with Wanda’s soft hands on my skin, and the still slick strap bobbing between her thighs, my shame buckles for my desire. My face flushes, and I shake my hair in front of my face to hide myself, but I nod, and hum my ascent. Yes, yes, I do want her to make it better. 

She pulls a pillow from the pile at the top of the headboard, and manoeuvres it to fit under my hips. She looks magnificent above me, with flushed cheeks and a heaving chest. She’s nude, save for the harness around her hips, and I cannot believe that she is all mine. Some of her flyaway hairs stick to her sweaty brow, and I get the overwhelming urge to brush smooth my hand over them and press a kiss on her forehead afterwards. And I would have reached up to do it, but then she’s between my legs again. The strap, now slightly cold, but still slick, slides up and over my clit, and I am instantly and forcibly reminded of the intense burning heat in my gut. I was so close to the edge only moments ago, and as she warms up her strap, I am pushed right back towards that edge. 

When she’s ready, she holds my legs up and open for her. The tops of my thighs touch my stomach, and I squirm at the feel of my tummy being on display like this. I cringe at the thought of what I must look like, and Wanda must notice because she frowns slightly, her brows drawing together in disapproval. One hand leaves my thigh to cradle my cheek, and she leans in for a lazy kiss, open-mouthed and messy. When she pulls back, her hand finds its way back to my thigh, spreading me open. ‘’You’re stunning every day, my love,’’ she says, sliding the tip of her strap into me, ‘’but when you’re spread like this, ready for my cock, you’re absolutely ravishing.’’ 

When she slides her cock in all the way, she stays there for just a few moments, resting her forehead against mine. We let out a synchronized sound of contentment. I am beyond relieved to feel her back inside of me, the sense of completion is almost overwhelming. This quiet moment doesn’t last, however, because soon I am squirming against her once more. I grind my hips deliberately, feeling her moving in me. I look down to my lower stomach, where I can just make out the bulge of her cock. And without looking, I can tell she’s watching it too. 

Finally, finally, Wanda’s restraint gives out. Using her grip on my thighs as leverage, she pushes into me harshly, driving all the air in my lungs clean out of me. The feel of it is heavenly, and I want to arch my back, contort my face and howl with the pleasure of it. But Wanda can see my face now, and her view of my body makes me uncomfortable. I fight to stay in control of my reaction, fight to make myself look pretty, or at least presentable. Wanda, ever the observer, notices within seconds. ‘’Ah, ah, ah,’’ she chides, ‘’none of that, let it go now, dove. You’re safe with me, I’ve got you, just let go.’’ Mercifully, she leans forward, covering my face with her sheet of long hair, giving me a respite from the ugly feeling of being known. There, under the cover of her hair, and the safety of the crook of her neck, I allow myself to let go. 

In this new position, she’s resting most of her body weight on me, and she puts considerable force behind her thrusts. My moans are broken, and desperate, my voice cracking as I beg her to ruin me. I lose track of what precisely I’m saying, but Wanda seems to love it. With easy access to her neck, I lick and suck and bite to my heart's content. She turns her head slightly to make it easier for me to reach, and it’s clear that she’s enjoying herself from the way she shudders every time I run my tongue over the hard muscle in her neck. She moans softly when I bite down her tender skin, not hard enough to make her bleed, just enough to create a pretty red mark. Her moans make my head spin with want. The knowledge of being desired by her, is more erotic to me than any kind of physical touch could be. Wanda Maximoff moaning above me feels like heaven on earth. 

It doesn’t take long before Wanda’s movements become more frenzied, and I wonder if she, like me, is impatient for my orgasm to arrive. It’s only when she shifts our position, lowering one of my legs slightly to give herself a better angle, that I realize what is going on. She moans loudly and almost obscenely into my ear, and I wonder how I ever managed to live without having experienced this. Heat, like nothing I’ve felt before, erupts throughout my body. From the very tips of my toes to the ends of my hair, I am utterly incandescent. 

Her moans stutter in their rhythm, and I know what’s going to happen. I hold her tightly to me, my mouth on her neck, my legs locked firmly behind her back. ‘’Oh- oh God.’’ She keens, ‘’I- oh- I’m sorry honey, I think I’m gonna-‘’ I detach my mouth from the hickey I’m steadily developing at her pulse point for just long enough to moan out my response, ‘’Come inside me, please, mommy,’’ I plead, my voice obscenely high-pitched and whiney, ‘’you feel so good, please- please.’’

Wanda comes first, and it’s a marvellous fall from grace. She grasps at me, her body pushing into mine so firmly that it feels as though she’s trying to merge us into one. Her moans so close to my ear, and so desperate and needy, finally push me over the edge. My whole body seizes up so forcefully that I worry I might tear a muscle. I hold onto Wanda for dear life as she fucks me through my peak, her cheek pressed to mine as she rides out her own pleasure. 

It takes a while for us to come back to ourselves, both still reeling from our release. Wanda stills inside of me, propping herself up to come nose to nose with me. She’s laughing, but I feel beyond exhausted. Still, I encourage her gently to rest her full body weight on me and to keep her cock inside of me for a while. We snuggle like that, not speaking, just breathing each other in. My hand finds her hair and I scratch her scalp softly with my nails. My anxiety is creeping up on slowly, replacing the relaxation in my body steadily with that too familiar uneasy gut feeling. 

Even in this state, Wanda picks up on the change in me. I don’t know if I have given her any physical cues, or if she can somehow sense the change in energy, but she notices nonetheless. Without further ado, she makes us get up. I wince at the rawness of my body when she pulls her cock out of me, and Wanda laughs when she sees the state of her neck in the bathroom mirror. 

She draws us a bath, throwing in some lavender scented oil, and we both clamber into it on unsteady legs. We wash each other with soft cloths, and talk through some of our experiences of the night. Wanda has a lot of questions for me, which I understand. She wants to know why I didn’t go to her first when I was frustrated, and why I retreated into my head so much when we came face to face in such an intimate moment. But I’m too tired to open those wounds up now, and even the soft light of the bathroom feels too overstimulating on my tired head. So, kind as ever, Wanda accepts that today is not the day, and she merely draws me back to her chest, singing her lullaby to me as we hold each other close.

When the water gets cold, and my head feels a bit clearer, I hop out of the bath to dress myself in something cosy and warm. I have to dash through the bathroom, wrapped in my towel, to grab some clothes from my dresser. I decide against pyjamas, considering we still have guests. So, instead, I settle for a well fitting pair of black joggers and a wonderfully soft roll neck top. According to the clock on Wanda’s night stand, an hour and ten minutes have passed since I first made my way upstairs. 

I wonder what everyone else has been doing in the time we’ve been gone, and I wonder too if they know what we’ve been up to. But, I reason with myself, even if they know it won’t be a big deal to them, considering Agatha fucked Kate at the dinner table like it was the most normal thing in the world. 

I am beginning to feel the lack of dinner, though, and my stomach growls loudly when I re-enter the bathroom. Wanda has drained the bath by now, but she’s turning the shower head on. ‘’Aren’t you coming downstairs with me?’’ I ask, as I watch her step carefully back into the tub. ‘’I just want to wash my hair quickly, dove,’’ she says over the sound of falling water. ‘’You can go, I’ll join you soon.’’

***

I leave Wanda in the bathroom to take her shower, and head downstairs groggily in search of tea and a snack. I’m quite sure everyone left, because the house is dead silent, but I’m in for a surprise when I walk into the living room intending to pick up a blanket to stave off the chill running through me. Kate occupies the sofa, laying down with my favourite blanket covering her. Pepper and Maria are nowhere to be found, but Agatha is there, reclining in one of the armchairs, a paperback folded double in her hands, her glasses once more perched at the edge of her nose. 

She looks up when I enter the room, and suddenly I’m hyper aware of my messed up hair, and I’m grateful to Wanda for helping me to clean up. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if I had come down with my tear streaked makeup. Still, Agatha smiles at me as though I had come down looking freshly fucked. 

‘’I bet that was a weight off your shoulders, huh hon?’’ I stare at her blankly, my brain too sluggish to comprehend her words. She laughs, ‘’well, Katie and I went up to the guest bathroom to freshen up after our little session, and it sounds like you two had a marvelous time.’’ Mortified, I raise my hands up to my face to hide myself from her. It was bad enough that Wanda heard that outburst, but the knowledge that Agatha heard, and not just her but Kate too, makes my throat constrict painfully. 

Kate shifts on the sofa, turning her face outward and towards me. She’s clearly sleepy, her eyes half closed. ‘’She’s not teasing you,’’ she mumbles, ‘’I know it feels like it, but she isn’t.’’ She yawns hugely, turning over again, and settling the blanket over herself more securely. ‘’That must have felt nice to finally let out.’’

I shrug half-heartedly, embarrassed tears prickling in my eyes. Agatha rises from her chair, plopping her book down onto the seat, and whipping off her glasses. ‘’Come on, we should let Katie rest.’’ With a firm but gentle hand on my lower back, she steers me towards the door, leaving no room for argument. I don’t bother trying to fight it, and I allow myself to be guided through the living room into the bright LED lighted kitchen. 

When she lets go of me, I move away from her, hugging myself tightly, wishing Wanda would hurry up already. She leans back comfortably against the kitchen counter, and I feel myself shrink under her gaze. I want to turn around and walk away, or snap at her for looking me with those all-knowing eyes. I hold myself securely, shielding myself from attacks that won’t come, trying to breathe through the discomfort of being known. 

‘’I know that you feel dirty’’ Agatha says finally, breaking this awful silence, ‘’you’re ashamed, and you’re afraid of these feelings you can’t make sense of.’’ She steps closer to me, a strong hand outstretched, like a hunter approaching a startled deer in the forest. ‘’One day you’ll learn to proud of these feelings, and it will give you the peace you’ve always craved. But only if you open yourself up, and let us help you.’’

She’s so close to me that I can feel the heat radiating off of her body. She smells like lavender, and the veins of her hand stick out like rivers carving a path through land. Involuntarily, my eyes flit down to her trousers, where her bulge is still visible. A shiver runs through me when I recall Kate writhing on her lap, Agatha’s strong hands holding onto her, delighting in her pleasure, in the way she begged and the words she used. Unashamed, ecstatic, and free. 

Fresh tears dribble slowly down my cheeks, and instinctively I turn to face away from her, but she’s too quick for me. In half a heartbeat she has me pressed tightly against her, one hand cradling the back of my head, the other resting on my lower back. She rocks me lightly, shushing me, in a way that is too clinical to be motherly. Still, this display of gentleness from her shocks me so much that I don’t even fight against it, instead I welcome the wave of tears that rolls over me. ‘’I’m disgusting,’’ I manage finally between the tears and the heaving breaths I have to take, ‘’I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’’

She lets go of me now, the moment of affection passing just as quickly as it came. She’s back to scrutinizing me, but now there’s something like pity in her eyes. It makes the underside of my skin itch. ‘’Why do you think you’re disgusting?’’ 

The notepad is back, arrows and lines and squiggles and stars all over the paper. I didn’t even see where it came from. The lights are too bright, and the counters smell like lemon. It makes me feel somewhat nauseous. I look at the black ink when I speak, deliberately avoiding her gaze. 

‘’It’s not natural.’’ 

Agatha snorts derisively, ‘’depriving children of a loving and nurturing relationship to their parents isn’t natural. This response is nothing but natural. Your brain is protecting you, in the absence of a protector. You are trying to fill in the gaps, in the only way you know how.’’ I hug my chest again, noticing how little comfort I find in my own cold hands, now I’ve felt Agatha’s warm body against mine. ‘’What are you so afraid of?’’ She asks, her pen skirting over the paper. I like to imagine she’s writing my answer down for me.

‘’She’s going to think that I’m weak, and hate me for being so needy. I can’t let this out, because then I won’t know how to go back.’’

Her eyes twinkle when she looks up at me from her paper, the lines by her eyes contracting as she smiles. ‘’Have you spoken to Wanda about this?’’ 

My head hurts, and I can’t tell if it’s because of the crying, or the bright lights bouncing off of the white marble counter tops. I shake my head, my fingers picking at the skin around my nails, it’s already bleeding.

‘’Do you think you believe she won’t accept this side of you, because you don’t accept it?’’ I close my eyes, agitation returning to me. I’m too tired for this, I’m too tired for anything. ‘’I think you’ve made your judgement already. You clearly think that’s the case.’’

‘’I do,’’ she says, not the slightest bit of venom in her voice, though I had expected it. ‘’Clearly you loathe yourself so much that you’re depriving yourself of any form of love and acceptance she tries to give to you.’’ There is no malice behind this statement, but it still stings, and I flinch as though she has struck me. My nose has closed up from the crying, and I have to breathe through my mouth in an effort to steady myself, trying to hold back the next wave of tears. Agatha is surprisingly patient as I try to collect myself enough to be able to get some words out.

‘’I- I want to accept it.’’ I begin, my voice thick from the tears, ‘’I want it so bad, more than anything else, and I never thought I had an issue with accepting love, but- but…’’ I trail off, shrugging my shoulders half-heartedly, ‘’I don’t know, I’m just so scared uncovering all of this because if she doesn’t like me like this, I don’t know if I could bear it.’’

Agatha nods sagely, patting my arm in a vaguely comforting way. She reaches behind me for the paper towels, ripping off two sheets and handing them to me, so I can dry my eyes and blow my nose. ‘’You need to calm down a bit, alright, hon? I’m going to make us some nice tea, and then you’re going to listen to what I have to say.’’

There is no room for ifs or buts, so I just wipe my tears, and nod along. She kindly gives me a second to sort myself out, turning her back on me to put the kettle on. When my tears are finally dry, she sets a steaming mug of tea in front of me, and directs me to sit at the bar stool. She sits right next to me, so close that our knees touch. Her glasses are back on her nose now, and I’m grateful for the mug because it gives me something to do with my hands. 

‘’A mother complex in sapphic women is often viewed as repulsive by outsiders,’’ she begins, her voice reassuring and gentle, ‘’whilst a father complex in heterosexual women is very widely accepted, and people don’t bat an eye at a girl who calls her bed partner daddy,’’ she says, giving me a significant look, ‘’but a girl calling her partner mommy? They can’t cope with it. As a society we’ve been a bit desensitized by the word daddy, because we’ve been taught to accept it in a sexual context. The word mommy hasn’t got the same treatment, so it’s still viewed very much in the context of a mother and child. People find it especially inflammatory when a younger and older woman respectively engage in such a dynamic.’’ 

She lays a warm hand on my knee, and my skin burns with the contact. ‘’What you feel is normal, your inner child has been so severely neglected that she’s screaming for love and affection. You don’t need your mother, you need your mommy, and those are two entirely separate people.’’ 

I hang my head, letting out a shaky breath, ‘’I’m so tired of taking care of myself all the time,’’ I admit, my voice shaking. Agatha rubs her hand in gentle circles on my back, ‘’so let go, and trust that we will catch you.’’ Her use of we doesn’t escape me, but I’m too exhausted to question her on this. Her words sound so sweet, and so promising, I want to sink into her and let this all go. I can’t though, I know I can’t give into this temptation. My resolve is breaking, I can feel it, and it’s so hard to not give into her. A compromise then, however much the truth can be a compromise. 

‘’I really want to,’’ I begin, and I can already tell that she knows exactly where this is going. Maybe she knew where this day would end when she cornered me in the kitchen for the first time. ‘’But I can’t let myself do this, because I think it’ll ruin me.’’ Agatha gives me a sceptical look, ‘’you’re full of shit, did you know that?’’ I laugh, before I realize how serious her tone is. ‘’You’re going against your nature, and it’s going to end up hurting a lot more than it already is.’’ I shift uncomfortably in my seat, staring at the laces of her shoes. ‘’you don’t know that.’’ 

She laughs humourlessly, ‘’Which one of us has the PhD, hon?’’ I pull a face, unable to contain myself any longer. ‘’Are you this rude to paying clients?’’ This makes her smile, the curve of her lips breaking the icy cold mask that was previously there. ‘’No, lucky for you, you’re not paying me.’’

‘’I just don’t know how to accept it,’’ I blurt out suddenly, unable to bear this awful tension, knowing she disproves of my choices. ‘’She’s going to think I’m a freak, and she’ll hate me for it, and then I’ll lose her. But I want to let go just like Kate can, I want that so bad. I don’t know how to do that without terrifying Wanda.’’ 

‘’You underestimate her,’’ Agatha says, ‘’you saw how she was with Pepper and Kate.’’ 

‘’That’s different,’’ I say evasively, making Agatha roll her eyes. ‘’How is that different?’’ I shrug, ‘’it’s one thing to watch someone else do it, it’s another thing entirely to do it yourself.’’ Apparently that’s notebook worthy, because she scribbles something down messily, the pen excreting a bit more ink than is necessary, staining the paper with a dark blob of ink. ‘’I’ve known Wanda a lot longer than you have, and I’ve known her intimately. She’s insecure, and stubborn and just as afraid of you to admit it to you, but she needs someone to take care of.’’ 

I stare at the jet black blob of ink, focused on how it seeps into the paper. It bleeds into the thin white sheet like blood sinking into snow. A part of my brain itches with excitement, screaming at me to listen to Agatha. Another part of begins to loosen its grip on the doubt. 

‘’If it takes me banging your heads together to make you understand, I will.’’ She says, and I have a feeling that this isn’t a joke. ‘’In the meantime, let’s start small, with something you already know, but that isn’t fully in your comfort zone yet.’’ She pats my knee and smiles at me In a somewhat condescending manner. ‘’When we get back to the living room you’re going to kneel for Wanda, I know you enjoy that, so that should be a nice way to get this ball rolling.’’

I open my mouth to protest, several urgent questions rushing to the forefront of my mind, but she’s way ahead of me, holding up a finger to silence me. ‘’None of that, this isn’t a request, dear. Now, we really should find Wanda, she’s taking an awfully long time up there.’’ She’s up now, and peeking out the door, listening for movement upstairs. 

‘’H- how did you know, about the- the kneeling thing.’’ I say weakly. ‘’Hmm?’’ she hums vaguely, still alertly waiting for any signs of life from the upper story of the house. ‘’Oh, Wanda told me ages ago now. She said you were mad for it.’’

‘’Oh.’’ I say dumbly, thinking about Wanda and Agatha chatting about me in such a casual way. I wonder what else she has told her. The thought of it all makes my face burn.

A few more moments pass of the older woman standing guard at the door, before she finally shows a sign of life again. ‘’Wanda’s coming,’’ she warns, pulling my half drunk mug of tea from my hands, and dumping it out into the sink alongside hers. Hardly 10 seconds later I hear her footsteps on the stairs, and I can tell she’s about to walk past the kitchen, but Agatha calls out to her. 

‘’There you are,’’ Wanda says from the open doorway, and I’m so relieved to see her again, smiling and happy to see me, even after what happened. She leans against the frame, her hair wet and her shirt damp at the neck, smiling like everything is fine. It gives me hope that maybe everything is fine, and that Agatha is right after all. 

Agatha moves past us, muttering something about Pepper and Maria, and an unexpected zoom call. When the door falls closed behind her, Wanda stretches out her arms towards me, inviting me in for a hug. She smells like shampoo, and fresh laundry, and it’s the most comforting smell in the world to me now. She holds me tightly, one hand on my back, and another on the back of my head. We stand there for a while, silently swaying in each other’s arms. I don’t want to let go, so I hold on even when she begins to speak. ‘’Are you sure you don’t want to talk about what happened?’’ she asks, in a voice so gentle that I can’t even bring myself to imagine that she hates me for this. I shake my head as much as I can in this position, and mumble into the crook of her neck, ‘’no, please not tonight.’’ My voice cracks a little bit and I curse myself for this weakness when I feel her squeeze me a little tighter.

The voices from the living room have increased in volume, raucous laughter coming through the closed door. Just like that, the spell is broken, and we let go of each other. I yawn slightly, rubbing at my eyes. ‘’Do you want to go back to bed?’’ Wanda asks, surveying me with a cocked head. ‘’No, it’s okay, let’s go see the others and if I’m too tired I can always go to bed anyway.’’

*** 

Finally, we move to the living room, where Pepper and Maria have returned and are now laughing over some pictures on Maria’s phone. Kate has moved from the couch and is curled up comfortably between Pepper’s legs, kneeling on the plush carpet. They all smile when we enter, and I hide myself behind Wanda bashfully, flushing at the thought of Agatha or Kate having told them what they heard. They go right back to their conversation, though, and Wanda steers me towards where Pepper is sitting. I can feel Agatha’s eyes on me, and I remember the demand she made of me. Instantly, my heart picks up its pace and I can feel my hands beginning to sweat.

I’m saved from having to make the request, however, because Wanda notices how I haven’t sat down even when she indicated for me to do. She looks between me and Kate, who’s snuggled up close to Pepper. Then, she leans down to whisper in my ear ‘’do you want to sit up here, or kneel with Katie?’’ 

I fidget slightly, making eye contact, first with Agatha, who gives me a slow nod, and then with Kate, who’s looking up at me with a welcoming smile. ‘’It’s nice down here, you know?’’ she says, her voice friendly and teasing. And her encouragement, combined with Wanda’s reassuring squeeze to my hand, is enough to embolden me to lower myself down to my knees, even with everybody watching me. 

Wanda’s fingers find their way into my hair, Pepper and Maria continue with their laughter, Agatha winks at me, her smirk clearly showing her approval, and Kate’s fingers creep towards mine across the carpet, intertwining our fingers and squeezing in a gesture of sisterhood. It feels like she’s saying, see? Isn’t this nice? 

And it is, it really is. I squeeze back, and hope she knows what I mean.

━━━━━━━━━ ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯ ━━━━━━━━━

Taglist:

@swirlofsnow @emeraldevan @ichala @romeo-the-cactus @lainjupi @lissaaaa145 @princessprudy @333hhm @im-my-hope @inluvwithfictionalwomen @imthenatynat @imnotawitch @gay-trash-in-a-paperbag @messuhp @loudsharkface @ripofflizzie @alwaysbimyself @how-to-disappearrr @s1ut4nat @cookiesimpt

Next chapter ➵➵

#little dove au #char writes #c: wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x female reader

[conjectureand-gloom]

“and with that, the 2023 season comes to an end…”

it's amazing how much can change in one year. 12 months. 365 days. that's... really not that long. but yet, so much has happened in this time.

i fully dedicated myself to my life long dream- begin posting fanfiction. this was probably one of my best decisions i ever made. i've made new friends, both online in fandom, and in real life. i spent time with family, and grew closer to my older sister. i went to my first concert, and started listening to music more, developing my own music taste. i moved up to a more advanced martial arts class, and completed a school musical. danced in the rain, sung karaoke. i asked out my crush and best friend, who proceeded to tell everybody that we were never together just a few weeks later. i lost that whole friend group, but grew much closer to a better group of people. had a goal to start caring more about life, but... well... maybe i need some work on letting go of some more difficult parts.

i went through one of the hardest and darkest times in my life, but i survived and ended up the happiest i have been in many years.

and i cannot say how glad i am that i did survive it all.

i got a partner, who i fell absolutely head over heels in love with, and is literally my everything, and i love so fucking much (and i really miss like it HURTS i need to see you again my love)

i grew closer to friends who i can talk to, and who seem to actually care.

i grew a lot more confident in martial arts, getting the most improved award.

and improved in my writing abilities.

everything somehow came together and worked out.

and i hope i can continue to grow in 2024, and put an end to my years long streak of having pretty shitty years (it’s been 4 years i’m so sick of this lmao please end this streak)

also i purposely didn’t tick the checkpoints for whether i’ve lost/gained weight, because my weight doesn’t matter and shouldn’t be a factor in my year. you aren’t your weight <3

#2023 #2024 #year review #year reflection #personal #akeyla ml #this year has been absolutely insane holy shit #ALSO AHAHAHA IM IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT YEAR FROM YALL AMERICANS #i’ll let you guys know how 2024 is

[lunararcade]

Boredom striked me, so i'm going send some DR questions to shifting accounts i like (i hope it's okay) :

1 - A quote that describes your DR?

2 - What's your fondest memory from your Percy Jackson DR so far?

3 - How would you describe your DR best friend in one word?

I hope these questions are okay to ask. I want to interact more with people on here and that's why i decided to just ask random questions i would love to recieve.

stopppp!!!! it makes me so happy that you like my account. these questions are totally okay to ask!! i love answering shifting/dr questions <3 i'm going to answer each of these for a different dr since i shift to multiple (((:

1) this was difficult but i think a quote that describes my fame/youtube dr is:

"sometimes you are born into a family, and sometimes you need to go find it. sometimes it finds you. no matter how it comes together, family is what you fight for, family is what you protect." - sandra bullock

i'm in a group channel in this dr and the other members are literally like family to me and i love them all so much. missing them rn </3

2) i think my fondest memory was my first night bunking with percy lmaoooo 😭 there is no hades cabin, so i had been staying with him before we left for the quest that we are on now. he's such a loud, little, sarcastic kid but the more i get to know him the more i appreciate how nice he is and how grateful i am to be adjusting to a life i didn't know existed at the same time as someone else. we spent the whole night getting to know each other and collectively freaking the fuck out. fav cousin fr 🙏🏼‼️

3) i'm gonna answer this for my formula 1 dr! i would say my three closest/ my best friends are logan sargeant, oscar piastri, and charles leclerc.

i would describe logan as understanding. he is such a sweetheart and is really in tune with what people need and how to adapt to all situations. i think this makes him an amazing driver and also an amazing best friend (10 years and going strong LMAO). he's also understanding by being unbelievably patient and taking everything in stride.

i would describe oscar as observant. oscar is definetely on the quieter side which lets him take in everything around him. he notices everything and mentally records the information, which means he remembers all of the little things you tell him (he is a huge gossip/shit talker) and this also makes him a better driver cause he picks up on things quickly.

i would describe charles as passionate. charles is genuinely one of the kindest people i have ever met. he feels so deeply about the things and people he cares about (like racing and his family) which is why he is literally the human embodiment of "NEVER BACK DOWN NEVER WHAT." he dedicates himself 100% to things and it shows in every part of his life.

this was so so so much fun to answer 😭😭 so please feel free to send any dr questions you have! it makes me feel so connected to my drs when i'm here, and i've had many people tell me it is motivating to hear from people who have shifted ((: asks/inbox and messages are always open!

#desired reality #reality shifting #shiftblr #shifting blog #shifting community #shifting motivation #shifting realities #shifting stories #lunaarcade: f1 dr #lunaarcade: shifting answers #lunaarcade: percy jackson dr #lunaarcade: fame dr #f1 dr #percy jackson dr #fame dr #youtuber dr #streamer dr #shifting question #shifting tips

[agirlattea]

Sincerely, a Rainbow of stories for you: 

Please Tell me the story of the rainbow: Part 1

(Location: ???)

???:  Even if the sky above me isn’t one that has fully cleared of rain, I can still see the rainbow, painted in gentle colors.

The sound of the wind flowing. The faint ringing of a bell. I engrave the images into my mind and draw the impressions they leave behind. 

A story that began with a bundle of tattered parchment.

…Hey, Roxy. You were the only one who ever stuck by my side. 

I don’t want to lose anything else. That rainbow color, the sound of the bell… because this place is my own special world. 

Please, please don’t disappear. Because you’re the only one…

(Location: Magic Manor’s Foyer, Central Kingdom, Daytime) 

It was a sunny afternoon, and we were all gathered in the Magic Manor’s foyer. 

Snow and White: Sage

Akira: Snow, White. Is there something you’ve gathered us all here for?

Snow: Yes, but before we explain, let us do a roll call. 

White: First the Central Wizards!

Cain: Alright. Arthur is away on official business, but everyone else is here.

Riquet: I went to see him with Cain, and Oz came with us too.

Oz: ……..

Snow: I see. Next, the eastern Wizards.

Faust: We’re all here. Did something happen? Why have we all gathered?

Heathcliff: Maybe it’s a group mission… 

Nero: I hope it isn’t anything annoying. 

Shino: Is it a big task? If so, leave the combat to me. 

White: Hohoho, rest assured that there is nothing to worry about. 

Snow: Next up are the Western Wizards… but I don’t see enough people.

Shylock: Everyone was here but a moment ago. 

Chloe: Wait, Rustica? Rustica is gone! He was right next to me just now though… 

Murr: Maybe he left on a whim, or maybe he’s playing hide and seek. I love hide and seek! 

Rutile: No matter the job, we will do our best! Right, Mitile?

Mitile: Yes! It’s so exciting for everyone to finally get to work together! 

Snow: It seems the Southern Wizards are already motivated. 

White: How reliable.

Figaro: Yes, and as their teacher I suppose I also have to meet those high standards.

Lennox: I will help as well. If we encounter a difficult task, please leave it to me. 

…By the way, does anyone else smell something burning? 

Mithra, Owen, and Bradley: ……..

Akira: Umm… the three of you… your clothes are singed… are you all okay? 

White: It looks like you got in some good shots, Oz. You must have had a hard time.

Oz: There were no difficulties. 

Bradley: Huh…

Mithra: Hmph…

Owen: Is that so… 

Akira: (Somehow, the air seems to have gotten heavier. I’m getting a little anxious…)

White: They’re all hot-blooded guys, after all. 

Snow: Well then, let’s announce today’s challenge!

The drifting bloodlust in the room, stemming from the Northern Wizards who seem to have just lost a fight against Oz, seemed to focus on the twins. 

Snow and White: Today we are cleaning the Magic Manor! 

Heathcliff: Housecleaning…? 

Chloe: …Together?

Snow: Yes. 

White: That’s right. 

Snow and White: <Noscomnia> ! 

The twins cast their spell, and suddenly cleaning tools appeared in everyone’s hands, accompanied by cute popping sounds. 

Mops, brushes, and brooms. Before I knew it, I was holding a dishcloth. 

Owen: What? We gathered here for something like this? 

Mithra: Did you not just say that this was an important mission? 

Oz: I heard him say that as well. 

Bradley: Generally speaking, it doesn’t make sense to dedicate a day to cleaning. If you’re a wizard, it’s only natural to keep your surroundings neat. 

It’s careless to even leave a single hair around, since you don’t know what it could be used for. 

In any case, there should be nothing to clean. 

Snow: Well, you are right. However, that's besides the point! What’s important is that we join forces and work together towards a common goal! 

White: The two of us have determined that what the Sage’s Wizards lack is harmony. 

Snow: Cooperation. 

White: Since we’re living together, once in a while we have to cherish our interactions. 

Rutile: That’s right! If we all work together, not only will we finish our tasks faster, but we’ll be able to clean every nook and cranny that we wouldn't be able to reach on our own. 

Shino: I’m disappointed it's not a battle, but I’m good at cleaning. Leave the garden to me. 

Nero: Then I’ll take care of the kitchen. I’ve been waiting for a chance to reorganize the pantry anyways. 

Murr: I want to be in the kitchen too! 

Nero: Huh? 

Shylock: Oh? That’s an unusual request. Are you expecting spills?

Murr: There’s that too, but mostly I want to try the recipe for a new potion that I found the other day. 

Blackened, mushy, magma-like bubbly stuff made with blackened newt and mandragora! 

Shylock: That… sounds like a troublesome dish. 

Please obey Nero and behave. Don’t make too much of a mess. 

Nero: What….

Owen: I don’t really care what you do, but don’t touch the pot used for making sweets. I don’t like it when smells are transferred between dishes.

Cain: Nice try, but that pot still might not be safe… 

Mitile: Nii-Sama, why don’t the two of us clean the library? 

Rutile: Right, everyone has brought in more books lately, haven’t they. 

Riquet: I’ll help too, as I often use the library. 

Familiar places should be kept clean, and lately I’ve felt like the shelf in the back has been getting messy. 

Mithra: It’s best not to get too close to that place. I put a magic book that I couldn’t keep in my room there. 

It bites when it’s in a bad mood. It may suddenly run out and attack you. 

Riquet: What?! 

Mitile: Please don’t leave dangerous things in a space everyone uses. 

Rutile: But I am a little interested in Mr. Mithra’s book. 

Snow: Everyone is motivated.

White: Sage, we’d like you to give the starting signal. 

Akira: The starting signal? 

Snow: Something like “Let’s go! We can do it, everyone!” 

White: A chant can boost morale! Or at least, that’s what the previous Sage said. 

Snow: He also said that if you can get people to laugh at your speech, then you can be considered a fully-fledged leader.

Akira: Wait..!

Pushed forward by the twins, I stepped in front of everyone. 

Akira: Umm, it may be difficult, but in order to deepen our friendships, we should work to clean the manor together. To that end, I ask that you try to avoid using magic as much as possible… 

Mithra: &lt;Arthim> 

Mithra languidly spun around. Following the sound of him chanting his spell, we heard a small explosion somewhere else in the manor. 

Akira: Umm, did you… 

Mithra: Yes. I’m done cleaning up. 

I’ve eliminated all the nuisances, so please be grateful. 

Mithra grumbled as he sat on the stairs, crossing his legs lazily. 

Bradley: Over in 5 seconds. 

Figaro: It’s over, is it? 

Owen: You should’ve done this from the beginning. 

Shylock: I would have prefered it to be a little less fleeting… 

Oz: Sigh

Light footsteps echoed in the midst of the awkward silence. Despite the tension, the air in the hall was soft and bright. 

Rustica: By the way, did everyone receive a party invitation? 

Chloe: Rustica! Where were you?

Rustica: I was strolling through the courtyard. The marigolds in the garden were very beautiful. 

As I watched them sway in the wind, music filled my head and I couldn’t look away. Chloe, next time I’ll bring you with me. 

Chloe: Jeez, I was worried because you suddenly disappeared. You always do things at your own pace! 

Cain: …By the way does anyone smell smoke?

Nero: Yeah, like the smell is drifting in from outside… 

Rustica: Now that you mention it, there were some ribbons of flame here and there in the courtyard. 

I erased some of them so they wouldn’t spread to the flowerbeds, is that a game someone is playing? 

Chloe: Ribbons of flame…? 

Akira: You mean  the garden was on fire?!

Rustica: Yes. Watching the crackling sparks was interesting, but it might be a little dangerous. 

Akira: Umm, Mithra’s magic just now… 

Mithra: I just turned everything that got in my way to ash, right? 

Snow and White: That way of cleaning is way too extreme! 

Mithra: Thank you. 

Bradley: No, you’re not being praised. 

Figaro: In other words, is it okay to say that our mission has changed from general cleaning to extinguishing fires? 

Cain: A fire in the manor is a big deal! We need to hurry up and put it out! 

Riquet: O-okay! The garden isn’t the only place that’s on fire, is it? 

Heathcliff: Let’s split up! Does anyone have a bucket…

Mitile: I do! 

Chloe: Me too! 

Shino: Use the water from the fountain. There’s always water flowing there. 

Lennox: Master Sage, please stay here. We will extinguish the fire immediately. 

Akira: Thank you but… 

Cain: What’s wrong? 

Akira: I think right now it’d be okay to use magic…

The wizards who were running around stopped moving. 

Rutile: …Yes, you’re right about that. 

Nero: Sorry… I guess the timing confused me. 

Faust: Me too. 

Snow: I was overwhelmed by the vigor of the young people. 

White: I as well. 

Behind the younger wizards who looked at each other and smiled sheepishly, I saw Oz holding up his staff. 

Oz: &lt;Vox Nox>

In the blink of an eye, dark clouds covered the sky and large drops of rain soaked the Magic Manor. 

#Mahoyaku #Promise of Wizard #mahoutsukai no yakusoku #Arthur #Oz #Riquet #Cain #Snow #White #Mithra #Owen #Bradley #Figaro #Lennox #Mitile #Rutile #Faust #Nero #Heathcliff #Shino #Chloe #Murr #Shylock #Rustica #Akira #3rd anniversary #Sincerely a rainbow of stories for you #mhyktl

[dojae-huh]

hi! briize here to answer ur riize qns :D

riize gained attention initially due to 1) sungchan & shotaro & their new grp 2) a bit bc of anton being yoon sang's son and 3) siren mv because of their difficult choreo!

personally, their success in enlargening their fanbase probably came from tiktok as well? i saw them getting viral in tiktok due to the get a guitar challenge, sohee's talk saxy bridge & anton being 'riize's tiktok social manager' since he (and the members) were rly active in liking and commenting briize's tiktoks + creating rly gen z tiktoks w themselves too

their mainstream success probably came from 1) their performances (they debuted nearing towards award season, so they did a lot of performances i.e. rising sun by tvxq which highlighted their proficiency a lot) & 2) the members' visuals going viral (i.e. wonbin & sungchan who are constantly getting mentioned by hong seokcheon)

riize has rly become monster rookies since they debuted, earning rookie of the year titles less than 6 months of their debut. sohee is being lauded by his seniors for his vocals, wonbin is constantly on the spotlight for being a 'once in a generation' visual who's likened to jaejoong (and jaejoong knows this as well).

and although most news do center on seunghan's situation, that still pushes riize's name to the forefront, esp when it comes to briize's relentless support (rii7e forever 🥹)

and yes, there's no leader! they don't exactly have set titles aside from the basic dancer, vocal, rapper (sohee's the only one labeled as 'main' as the main vocal!)

riize's name was formed by sungchan, and riize as a group was set to debut due to a choreo by shotaro & wonbin which the 7 of them did together. they still don't have a full album yet, and is going to comeback in april iirc?

hope i was coherent and it's helpful 😭

Hi, thank you for the detailed overview!

So several factors contributed: virality of challenges and choreo, timing of the debut, members' visuals. It's interesting that Anton supervises tiktok, heh. SM's early attempts at using the platform for promotion were very clumsy, the staff didn't know what to do, while few neos, aside from Tae, are interested in tt. Younger people are needed, who grew up with the platform and know it and its algorythms well.

I'm somewhat baffled about Seunghan's situation. I'd think he is on hiatus to let the group go through the debut stage more smoothly, have time to gain strength and a dedicated core fanbase, however, other members also get accused of things. And the fandom seems to stand with him, asking for OT7. Taeyong was also hated by knets during the debut, SM didn't remove him. Demands to get rid of Irene, Chen also were ignored. Which makes me think that either Seunghan's mental state plummeted and he asked for a leave himself. Or there are more idols and companies involved, I heard a rumour that one of the winners of Girls planet was taken out from the final debutet line-up (Illit) due to her connection to Seunghan's group of friends.

How dooes Riize function without a leader? Fans invented positions in the first place, and, as far as I know, NCT got theirs with a delay. It seems that it's a 5gen trend for groups to not have fixed positions.

A full album is too early. It takes a couple of years for a group to make one. Some groups never release a full album. But, perhaps, you meant an EP? I see only singles in their discography. 4 songs with language versions + 1 special project.

Wish also started with singles. So did aespa, actually. Seems like a new strategy in SM. 127's first EPs are poorely know. People buy/download single songs, and often don't look into the whole discography.

#submission #rise&realize

[theninthdoor]

girls' generation || points of attraction; tarot reading

⭒ What the company intended to be their points of attraction: cards: nine of swords (queen of swords, page of swords), four of pentacles (four of swords), four of wands

This one is honestly very tricky… It seems like SM Ent. wasn't completely sure where to go with Girls' Generation at first, and instead wanted to listen to as many opinions as they could before making a decision, specially to the ones coming from the public. It's almost as if they were so scared of failure, that they were willing to just go with whatever sounded like a potential present/future trend, or whatever the public seemed to like (Page of Swords often shows up as gossip and vigilance, so it's like they listened very closely to what was being said on the streets and took that into serious consideration when planning). Besides that, SM Ent. might've also aimed for SNSD to have more of a stable and loyal fanbase - one that would hold onto them forever, almost. The girls were pushed to provide a strong and welcoming space, where a devoted community could set down roots and stay for a long time to come. Due to that, they could've been very closely monitored and directed, as to ensure things would always go as planned.

⭒ What the members have aimed to be their points of attraction: cards: king of wands, page of wands, queen of wands

The Girls' Generation members, on the other hand, have allowed their creativity, talents and charisma to lead. It's all about them & that stage & that confidence! All of them have very strong and captivating personalities, and so they have let those be the real stan attractors. Being unafraid to express themselves, to let loose and to be in the spotlight, has lead them to a place of power and success. It could not have been done if they had repressed their passions and strong characters. All in all, they have seeked to be their true creative selves. Trying on new concepts, new styles and new genres is also part of it, and they thrive on that change. On that same note, they hoped that people would be attracted to how they can be both strong and feminine at the same time (or even how all members show different levels of those traits in themselves). Overall, Girls' Generation are known to be fearless and commanding women, but also elegant and gentle, which is a big part of the image they have pushed for themselves.

⭒ Their real points of attraction (from the public p.o.v.): cards: nine of wands, page of pentacles, four of cups (king of swords, two of cups)

Right off the bat, the public admires how long they have lasted, and how they have been able to stay together through so many ups and downs. No matter how difficult things got, and how hopeless it seemed for them to come back as the whole SNSD, they still managed to pull through and show how united they still are. On top of that, their loyalty and support towards one another is recognized by the public, and very much appreciated. They have each others' backs and it shows. Additionally, it seems like people enjoy their solo projects as well, and could even feed their interest and love for the group through those. Their dedication to their careers outside of Girls' Generation is a big attractor, because it goes to show how passionate and talented they are, and that they don't rely solely on the group's work and name. By being commited and ambitious on their own, the members then bring people to their roots (SNSD) and allow them to fall in love with them as if it was the first time. This final factor of attraction was a rather difficult one to put into words, but I hope the message gets across as I see it in my mind: People appreciate how they have been able to ignore certain issues and situations, and remained focused and composed. They lead with logic and know when to step out of the way, in order to maintain a good relationship with the general public. - Basically, the members have learnt how to reject certain thoughts and impulses that could result in public backlash, even to the disadvantage of their own needs and wants. Really, it's a matter of professionalism and straight up logical thinking.

(Disclaimer: all readings are alleged and for entertainment purposes only.)

#kpop #kpop tarot #kpop tarot reading #snsd tarot #snsd hyoyeon #snsd sooyoung #snsd tiffany #snsd sunny #snsd yoona #snsd taeyeon #snsd yuri #snsd seohyun #girls generation #girls generation tarot reading #snsd tarot reading #hyoyeon #sooyoung #tiffany young #taeyeon #yoona #series: points of attraction

[saphjimenez]

[ park jiyeon, cisfemale, she/her] - was that HANI BAE i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the TWENTY EIGHT year old who has been in nightrest for HER WHOLE LIFE and works  as a PODCASTER has a reputation of being BUBBLY, but also RESERVED. they reside in LOW POINT & people in town usually associate them with THE SOFT DELICATE SMELL OF FRESH LAVANDER VANILLA, HER BIG CONTAGIOUS LAUGH, AND ALWAYS CARRYING A THRILLER BOOK IN HER BAG. let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after them next.

BASIC INFORMATION:

FULL NAME: Hani Bae

NICKNAMES: HaniB, 

DATE OF BIRTH: June 7th, 1994

ETHNICITY: Korean-American

FACE CLAIM: Park Jiyeon

HAIR & EYE COLOR: Dark brown with blonde streaks, and dark brown eyes

HEIGHT: 5’6” or 167 cm

TATTOOS & PIERCINGS: has about nine tattoos, both big and small. 

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual

OCCUPATION: podcaster

EDUCATION: Communications Degree from Salem State University

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: english & korean

WANTED CONNECTIONS: Younger brother and younger sister (half black)

BACKGROUND:

Hani was born to a single mother, who had to work multiple jobs to keep food on the table and a roof over their head. Her mother, Byeol, was an immigrant and a hardworker, who had no choice but to put her dream aside to make sure that her child had a better life than she did. 

A lot changed in their life, when Hani’s step father came in the picture. While she wasn’t his by blood, he always treated her as if she was. He was a good man, a provider, who took it upon himself to ensure that their family made it out of the hood and into a better community where they could raise Hani’s younger siblings.

Academically, she always did really well. Her mother had a lot of expectations so she always worked hard so that she wouldn’t let her mama down. However, her mouth used to get her in a lot of trouble. While she is a sweet girl that meant well, she is also outspoken and brutally honest. She’s not the type that would turn a blind eye to injustice. As a result, she was fast to make friends but equally as fast to make an enemy out of a total stranger.

She started her podcast as a hobby shortly after graduating from university. At the time, Hani had been working at the local newspaper as a journalist, reporting on mundane local events happening in the city. Her podcast allowed her to get into the real, disturbing stories that she’s always been obsessed with. 

Within the last three years, her podcast has grown enough for her to quiet her job and dedicate her time to true crime. She never thought that she would make a living out of her podcast, but she actually loved it. Her parents didn’t understand it too much, but they’ve always been very supportive of her.

HEADCANON:

She is both the mother and baby of the group. Hani has a very childish, playful spirit, but is always wanting to take care of everyone among her friends. She is someone you can always count on to be there for you, whether it is 3PM or 3AM. 

Hosting is literally her favorite thing in the world. She always has some type of event going in her house, whether it is game night, paint & sip, dinner with friends, or anything of that sort. 

She has a cat (Sarang) and a dog (Yeobo). 

Hani loves to have a good time, whether that is out dancing, drinking until the morning, hunting down her favorite food truck late night, or spontaneous adventures to somewhere new and exciting.

She is both an opened book and reserved. It is hard for her to talk about her inner most feelings and thoughts. Hani prefers to leave that between her and her journal. This can make for difficult relationships sometimes. 

On the outside she is this bright and bubbly girl, obsessed with pastels, makeup and soft girl fashion. But she is also obsessed with horror, true crime and the occult. Her house is filled with thriller and horror books, all of which she’s read. 

WANTED CONNECTIONS

best friends

exes

neighbors

cousins

childhood friends

hookups/flings

#nightrest:intro #about

[bellestarot]

Disclaimer: My readings are not set in stone. This is supposed to be fun as it is for me and I hope for you too.

BTS' Jimin's & TWICE's Jeongyeon Reading

July 31, 2022

Right Now

They may have met many years ago when Jeongyeon was very young and it may have been during a trip, I think she was leaving the place and he was in the same area as her and they end up meeting at this time.

He was always more intuitive and more open to communication or getting to know each other and I see that she had a more defensive side maybe because she had been through so much before so it made her close to let him get to know her.

She probably suffered from anxiety and I think he would have liked to get to know her more but she always had a side where she wouldn't let the other go beyond what was already known so I think Jeongyeon never let him go beyond what he knew of her.

She is definitely going through a hard time now in her life, I think she has become even more protective of what she has, including the people around her.

So I think they are not speaking or if they spoken in the past, it was nothing but cordiality with each other. I see that Jimin is in a relationship with someone else and he is very happy, maybe even living together.

What happened between them?

There is such a long story behind this that I didn't expect to read something like this.

They don't have any love relationship, their relationship in general is that of a co-worker, they are completely different people.

At that time, she was going through a very difficult and painful moment in her life where she had to make a very complicated decision that she still thinks about today.

This is not for sure, please! It's for entertainment purposes only.

There is a probability that she was pregnant and she couldn't afford to raise a child at that time, so she made a very difficult and painful decision that changed her life completely which was maybe an abortion.

This is something that is very complicated and that is a secret, she doesn't talk about it, nobody have information about it because she also doesn't want to bring it up.

He knew about this situation, he feels that he has matured a lot from that time to nowadays, he can understand her better.

He feels that he can understand her situation much better than before, maybe he didn't agree or have his own opinion and judgment about it, so it was a barrier in any kind of connection or relationship that they could have together.

She was also not at a better time with the person she was dealing with, potentially the father of the child, maybe didn't want to take responsibility or something like that. That really got in the way of any future that could be changed.

Jimin feelings towards Jeongyeon

He sees her as a very talented person who really loves doing what she does.

I think he sees her as someone who was born to be in the arts. He thinks that sometimes she can act immature or very childish, especially when things are not the way she wants them to be.

He thinks that she is very dedicated to her work, he sees the effort she makes to get a good result and that she has a very wild and fun side that when you get to know her better you discover this side of her.

He finds her quite sociable that she can fit in well in many groups or talk to many people but she can also protect her own energy, so she doesn't let people into her life easily and he admires this personality trait that she has.

He recognizes that she has been through a lot to be where she is now. That what she gets in her work is deserved for the hard work she's put in all these years, so he admires her overall as an artist and as a person.

He thinks that she's been through a lot and she's had a lot of experiences in which she can teach other people or give advice about the things that she's been through and that she's been able to move on, so he thinks that's very admirable.

Jeongyeon feelings towards Jimin

This is going to sound really weird but she wondered what it would be like if he were the father of her children.

She would have liked to have talked to him more, i think they didn't talk that much. She feels that he is very good with words, that he can express himself very well and she finds that very attractive about him.

She was definitely considering having a relationship with him because I think she always liked him.

They'd met very young and she'd always thought he was full of options, that he had a lot of people chasing after him.

She actually has a lot of emotions towards him, I think she would have liked to have had something or maybe she wants to have something with him but she was always afraid of rejection.

I really think she like him. She thinks they match in some ways mainly in how they protect the people they love, she identifies a lot with him in how he takes care of the members, friends and family.

She can see herself in that too and even though she has feelings for him, she sees that they are on completely different pages of life now.

Near future to them

I don't see them communicating or being friends and more than real co-workers.

I don't think they're going to be close, I see each one going in their own way, working hard.

She will have a very positive opportunity for her career that will make her very happy and he will go through some not so nice situations but he will be able to move on.

#kpop #kpop tarot #tarot reading #tarot #bts #bts tarot #jimin bts #park jimin #jeongyeon twice #twice jeongyeon #yoo jeongyeon #twice tarot #Spotify

[wyvernwriterarchive]

Champions of Dalgari

����❤️💙💚💛💜🩶🧡🩷🖤

The champions of Dalgari. They are the heirs to their respective countries and have the blood of the heroes of eld in their veins. Once they take they're thrones, they will be responsible for nurturing and defending their world.

For now, they have decided to work together, all apart of the Gilded Guardians, a group dedicated to defending the world from threats and keeping the peace, while uniting everyone.

Character info below:

Enid

She/They

The noble heir to the bountiful dukedom of Cerotia. Their mother, the duchess, has had dreams of a peaceful world without conflict and prejudice, and while anxious, as decided to work for that world with the Gilded Guardians

Enid wants to fight for the world her mother dreams of. And they will do whatever to takes to do so. She may be rowdy and a bit too reliant on luck, but her determination rivals even her descendant herself.

Taurn

He/Him

The prince of the glorious empire of Bovent. Surrounded by strong warriors all his life, Taurn has always aspired to be an unstoppable force and a pillar of strength for those he loves. Unfortunately, a chronic illness makes things difficult.

He will not let that slow him down. He will not be a burden on his friends and family. He will prove himself worthy of the title of hero. For the sake of the empire, he must. He's lucky he's not alone in this, as the Guardians have his back.

Leon

He/Him

The noble prince of the prideful kingdom of Liron. He has lived a privileged life, as was content with that. But after being saved by the knights of his country...and not by his noble father, he begins to doubt his father's wisdom.

His father and the rest of the nobility have made the lives of those below him a lot harder than they ought to be. Leon swears to be an honorable and helpful man unlike his father, and would rather be called a knight than a prince. The Gilded Guardians gave him this opportunity. He shouldn't waste it.

Sophia

She/Her

The caring princess of the serene queendom of Delka. She has lived a life of luxury and peace for a while, but ever since the mysterious disappearance of her mother, she's been a bit on edge. She aims to find her, and quick.

Her endless amounts of passion and love may win her allies, but she fears she is not strong enough to be a leader like her mother. But soon, she may need to learn how to be a queen without her guidance. She uses the Gilded Guardians as an excuse to learn and grow...and also search for her.

Angeline

She/Her

The lady of the zealous theocratic kingdom of Phenlory. She is kind, timid and well-mannered, and has always felt alone, and outshined by her brother. She wants to be able to be strong like him, and spends most of her time praying and helping those who are in need.

She joins the Guardians in an attempt to grow stronger and more charismatic. She may need to grow into a stronger soul... before it becomes too late. Her brother will not always be there to inspire her and the people forever.

Noah

He/Him

The young lord of the studious and arcane aristocracy of Nowtuol. While others around him focus on socializing and warfare, Noah has dedicated his time to studying magic, history, and a variety of different subjects.

He goes through a cycle in life. He uncovers important knowledge, tries to tell someone about it, gets ignored, and then blamed when things go awry. This cycle almost led to disaster. Will his knowledge finally be needed by the Gilded Guardians? He hopes so.

Wulf

He/They

The noble heir to the divided oligarchy of Pakwil. A land of diversity and peace, slowly turning into a country filled with spite and separation. This sickens Wulf to their core. And they blame their bastard father with their whole heart.

Banished as a child, when he learns of his heritage, decides to rally and fight for the people.Much to his cruel father's chagrin. With the help of the Guardians, Wulf hopes to restore Pakwil to it's former glory, even if he doesn't feel like he should be responsible... despite being the heir.

Shahriyar

He/Him

The crafty hamisultan of the lawful and stoic Sultanate of Ampherous. While his brother, the sultan, has taken up an oath of order which he has never broken, Shahriyar follows her own code of ethics. Most of this includes being a bit of a rascal and even hiring bandits to do his bidding sometimes, all for the greater good of course.

His sneaky personality may be the thing that saves his country, as while he works with the Guardians, he intends to study a curse affecting his country and find a way to stop it.

Leilana

She/Her

The young princess of the free-spirited republic of Taliver. She aims to spread peace and joy across her kingdom, and often leads bands of both artists and mercenaries into battle, inspiring and defending the people.

She joins the Gilded Guardians in order to spread good cheer to the world. Though she, along with many others who joined the Guardians in this effort, realizes very quickly that it will take... a lot of effort and time.

Amethyst

She/Her

The eldest princess of the mysterious kingdom of Umbertala. Her brother was killed by those her family trusted, and she has since shut herself off from the rest of the world and become much more quiet and fierce.

She did not want to join the Gilded Guardians at first, as she did not trust any of them. But with the dream of a better life where this can be avoided on the horizon...she can't help but have a little hope.

#fantasy #writblr #my ocs #writeblr #srpg #dalgarithronesoflegend #dtol #jugdral inspired #cast list #oc cast list #my characters #character bio #hero forge #hf #heroforge #fire emblem genealogy of the holy war #genealogy of the holy war #fire emblem three houses #three houses #three hopes

[desbiztech]

Acceptance

In the early pandemic, a friend of mine joined our weekly video call, shared that she had just been diagnosed with ADHD, and apologized for certain instances of her behavior over the years. Now that she had a diagnosis, she could explain why she struggled with time management, follow through, inhibiting impulses, and other executive functioning problems. As she described how her internal life worked and how she was working to address some of her issues and habits, I was struck with the thought, "isn't that how *everyone* thinks and acts?" I identified with her executive functioning struggles to such an extent that I brought it up with my therapist the next week, who literally said that she was embarrassed that she had not realized that I am a textbook example of combined-type ADHD. Because I excelled in school and because I am female, my diagnosis had been missed by every health professional I had seen until I sought out a clinic specializing in ADHD at age 27. I had a formal diagnosis within a month, and I have been dedicated to addressing my executive functioning issues ever since.

Here's an example of a behavior that previously was a "weird quirk" but is now explained as a coping method I discovered for my ADHD before diagnosis. My bookshelf is in the style of "cubbies". It has 5 rows and 5 columns. The cubby in the leftmost column and the middle row is where my keys live. Every time I walk in the door, my keys go there. If I put my keys down in another location, I will have no recollection of where I put them, and perhaps not even a memory of setting them down at all. It's almost like the keys will magically disappear from my hand, and I have to hope that they reappeared in the key cubby. I am extremely insistent that anyone who needs to borrow my keys (to get into the garage, for example) returns them to that spot, and I will recurringly ask about it to the point of their annoyance. This is just one example; almost everything in my apartment has some version of the "key cubby", and if the item is not in its designated place then I have no idea where it is. For whatever neurochemical reason, my frontal cortex cannot keep track of items, so I have created a rigid system to cope. If the system is disrupted by me, a friend, or a roommate, I am disproportionately thrown into disarray. There are many instances of small-to-others, significant-to-me issues that I face daily because of my ADHD. Needless to say, if I had an AR app that could carry some of the executive functioning burden for me, I would use it every day without question (as long as I did not lose the AR headset by failing to place it in its designated location!).

Part of my reasoning for returning to school at this point in my life is that I love and miss the experience of succeeding at difficult, collaborative problems. I look forward to seeing how far the AR team will go with our problem. Any amount of success would be delightful. Regardless of how feasible or complex our solution is, I expect to feel some measure of success simply by moving through the design thinking process with this group of people. I can imagine the mental state I would be in as we joyously celebrated our success. I usually find that these moments are accompanied with relief at the resolution of a big push to the final deadline (and sometimes anxiety at what comes next, although this is only our first term, so there's no "what comes next" like there was with my thesis project).

Being involved in this project (and this program as a whole) is pushing me to bring my knowledge of the cutting edge up to date. I have let my awareness of technological progress fall behind since 2019 or so. Additionally, this project is a great opportunity to learn how to function as the person with a technical background on a diverse team. It has already been challenging to work on a project that is tech-heavy but in a team dynamic where it is not appropriate to slip into technical jargon. Learning to work within these constraints would be immeasurably valuable for me in many of my potential future career paths.

#usc msidbt #augmented reality #design thinking