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soulofapatrick · 5 months

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You Drive Me Crazy - Monkey D. Luffy x Reader

Summary: Wandering a new town with Luffy makes you give into your feelings for him

Words: 2.2k

warning: none

Y/N’s POV

As we step off the Thousand Sunny onto the weathered wooden planks of the port, the air thrums with a vibrant energy that’s palpable. The town stretches out before us, a colourful tapestry of bustling streets lined with shops flaunting an array of goods, from exotic fruits to peculiar trinkets. The scent of saltwater intermingles with the atomic wafts of street food, drawing me deeper into this lively maze of a town.

Luffy, of course, is first off the ship, bounding with a contagious enthusiasm as always, “Let’s explore!” He grins, his russet eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Before I can even reply, Luffy has grabbed my hand and begun dragging me in one direction while the rest of the crew disperses, each drawn to their own curiosities. Luffy and I have unwittingly wandered into a maze of alleys, absorbed in the town’s enchanting chaos.

“Whoa, look at that!” Luffy pants excitedly at a display of vibrant fabrics hanging from a nearby stall. With a burst of enthusiasm, Luff charges towards the stall, his eyes wide with wonder as he examines the vivd fabrics. His excitement is infectious, and despite my attempt to catch up, his strides are longer, leaving me to trail behind.

“Luffy! Wait up!” I call out between giggles, trying to keep pace with his uncontainable energy.

Suddenly, as if he realises he’s moved too far ahead, Luffy halts and turns around, a wide grin splitting his face, “Oh, sorry, Y/N!” His hand shoots out instinctively, finding mine in the midst of the bustling crowds. My cheeks flush at the unexpected contact, a warmth spreading from where our hands touch. It’s a simple gesture, his fingers loosely intertwining with mine, but it sends a jolt of butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

“It’s okay,” I manage to reply, trying to steady my voice, though my heart is racing. Walking side by side, hand in hand with Luffy, feels both surreal and strangely comforting. His grip is firm yet gentle, and his infectious excitement continues to bubble up.

As we navigate the colourful streets hand in hand, Luffy’s enthusiasm leads us on a whirlwind tour of the town. His eyes light up at every new discover—a street performer captivating a crowd with juggling tricks, a tantalising aroma wafting from a bustling food cart, and the vibrant tapestry of local art adorning the walls of narrow alleyways.

“Lufe, maybe we should try and find the rest of the crew.” I suggest gently, trying to steer our exploration towards reuniting with the rest of the Straw Hats, especially Zoro who has absolutely no sense of direction.

“Hmmm, yeah! Food first, though.” Luffy grins, his stomach rumbling audibly in agreement. He squeezes my hand lightly before leading the way, his strides purposeful as he follows his nose in pursuit of a tantalising scent. We traverse through a maze of alleys, peeking into quirky shops and exchanging smiles with locals. Despite the urgency to regroup, there’s an undeniable thrill in discovering the town’s hidden gems alongside Luffy.

It makes me want to be brave and bold. The impulse hits me like a sudden gust of wind, a surge of courage mingled with the thrill of the moment. Without much thought, I tug Luffy down a secluded alleyway, away from the bustling crowds, his puzzled expression asking the unspoken question.

“Y/N?” He blinks, caught off guard by the sudden shift in your trajectory. Before I can second-guess myself, I halt us in a secluded nook, where the sound of the bustling town fades into a distant murmur. My heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline coursing through me as I turn to face him. In the quiet intimacy of the secluded alleyway, where the town's vibrant chaos faded into a distant hum, I grappled with the weight of unspoken emotions. My attempts to voice the tangled mess of feelings faltered, lost amidst the charged air that enveloped us.

“Lufe…” I start to speak, my voice trembling with a mix of nervousness and determination, trying to formulate my thoughts as his gaze, unwavering yet expectant, meets mine, a silent invitation to unravel the unspoken words between us. But before I can gather the courage to speak, a flicker of movement—the swift swipe of his tongue over his bottom lip—sends a jolt through me, a jolt through me, a momentary distraction that leaves me spellbound. Driven by an overwhelming rush of emotion, I act on impulse, my hands finding their place on his shoulders. With a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, I guide him backwards until his back meets the solid embrace of the alley’s wall.

“Lu.. I…” I try to confess, the words escaping in a soft exhale, tinged with vulnerability, “You drive me fucking crazy.” I mutter more to myself than him, my cheeks burning with a blend of embarrassment and raw honesty.

In that suspended moment, where the world fades into insignificance and all that exists is the fragile space between us, I lean in. Our lips meet, tentative yet fervent, in a collision that feels like a confession whispered against the canvas of the quiet alleyway.

His lips, warm and tender, surprise me by responding with a hesitance that mirrors my own. It’s a dance of uncertainty and longing, an unspoken exchange that thrums with uncharted territory and the untold stories hidden within us. As our breaths mingle and the kiss deepens, it’s a tentative exploration, a voyage into uncharted waters of intimacy. Each touch, each brush of his lips against mine, is a revelation—an awakening that crackles with an exhilarating newness and an unspoken understanding that transcends mere words.

Breaking the kiss feels like severing a fragile thread connecting us, the weight of uncertainty settling upon my shoulders like an unwelcome burden. I’m hesitant to meet Luffy’s gaze, unsure of what lays behind those eyes—was it merely a response to my impulsive action, or did it echo the silent sentiments I harboured?

I step back, a tentative distance between us, the quiet of the alleyway suddenly suffocating. The moment hangs in the hair, the echo of our shared kiss lingering on my lips, something sweet and Luffy-esque. Avoiding his eyes, I find myself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions, a tempest of hope and fear swirling within.

Before I can fathom his response or make sense of the sudden silent tension, Luffy’s left arm swoops around my waist with practiced ease. There’s no time to react as he effortlessly lifts me, prompting my legs to instinctively encircle his waist. His right hand is warm as it finds the back of my neck, guiding my face down towards his, and before I can protests or resist, like I actually would, his lips crash against mine in a fervent embrace.

My back meets the unyielding surface of the alleyway wall this time, the impact jolting me into the present moment. There’s a rush of heat and urgency in the way his lips meld with mine, a passionate hunger that takes me by surprise. His kiss is a tempest, a whirlwind that pulls me deeper into the unspoken connection between us. The weight of his touch, the searing fervour of our shared intimacy, sends a shockwave of conflicting emotions through me.

Our lips collide over and over again in a fervent dance, a tumultuous tangle of emotions woven into the fervour of our shared embrace. Luffy’s touch, both tender and ardent, sends a cascade of sensations through me, the heat of his palm against my waist searing through the fabric. My own hands find refuge in the soft but tousled strands of his hair, a silent plea for grounding amidst the whirlwind of emotions. As our mouths meld in an urgent exchange, his fingers trial along the curve of my back, a fiery caress that ignites a symphony of sensations. The weight of his touch, the way he draws me closer in an embrace that’s both fierce and tender, speaks volumes where words fail.

We linger in that impassioned embrace, an unspoken understanding passing between us, a silent dialogue in the language of touch. Each press of our bodies against each other feels like a desperate attempt to bridge the gap between uncertainty and longing. But the need for air becomes a pressing reality, an unspoken signal that interrupts the fervour. Reluctantly, we draw apart, breaths mingling in the shared space between us. Our gazes meet, a silent understanding passing between us, the residue of shared intimacy and unanswered questions hanging heavy in the air.

In that suspended moment, the air between us seems charged with unspoken revelations, the weight of our shared connection palpable. My cheeks flush with warmth, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips, mirroring the one on Luffy's face—a silent acknowledgment of the shared understanding between us.

“I didn’t realise you wanted it to.” I murmur, my voice soft and laced with a blend of bashfulness and contentment, the surge of warmth spreading through me as our eyes meet.

“I like kissing you.” Luffy admits, his words hanging in the charged atmosphere, his cheeks tinted with a shy hue that mirrors my own. His gaze flits down to my lips, an unspoken invitation that lingers between us.

Before I can fully comprehend his words, he leans in once again, his lips finding mine in a tender yet fervent embrace. His kiss is a revelation, an electrifying sensation that ignites a fiery longing within me. As his lips mold against mine, I feel an inexplicable surge of warmth and a sense of belonging wash over me.

His tongue dips into the dance, an exploration that sends shivers down my spine, an intimate connection that speaks volumes of unspoken desire. The sensation is electric, a mixture of fervour and tenderness that takes my breath away. Then, with a daring passion, he trails his lips along the curve of my neck, leaving an indelible mark—a soft, heated exchange that leaves a tingling sensation in its wake. His fervent gesture evokes a flutter of anticipation and a rush of emotions, the tender contact sending ripples of desire through me.

The alleyway seems to fade into insignificance as the world narrows down to the electrifying touch of his lips against my skin. The rush of emotions—desire, longing, and an unspoken connection—becomes a silent symphony in the quiet embrace of that moment.

After marking my neck with a couple of lingering kisses, Luffy returns to my lips, a renewed hunger in his touch, a passionate hunger that speaks of unspoken desires. Our kiss becomes a passionate exchange, a dance of emotions that transcends the tangible, leaving me breathless and wanting more, lost in the whirlwind of our unspoken connection.

In the midst of our make-out session, the alleyway is suddenly filled with the sound of approaching footsteps, an unexpected intrusion into the bubble of intimacy we've woven around ourselves. The air crackles with an unspoken tension as Sanji, Nami, and Zoro materialise at the end of the alleyway, their expressions ranging from surprise to a hint of amusement.

Sanji's eyes widen, caught off guard by the unexpected sight, a mix of disbelief and curiosity flickering across his features. Nami's gaze flits between Luffy and me, a subtle quirk of her eyebrow betraying her surprise, while Zoro, ever stoic, seems to register the situation with a muted incredulity. But amidst the surprise of being caught in such a compromising position, Luffy doesn't lower me to the ground. Instead, he remains composed, his arms still securely holding me, a carefree grin lighting up his face. "Oh! Hi guys!" he calls out cheerfully, as if the current situation were the most normal thing in the world.

My cheeks flush with heat, a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief at the unexpected interruption. I can feel their eyes on us, their varied reactions a tableau of surprise and amusement. It's as though time has frozen, the unspoken tension between Luffy and me hanging palpably in the air, unacknowledged but impossible to ignore.

Luffy's nonchalant greeting, coupled with the lack of any attempt to explain or release me, adds a surreal edge to the moment. Despite the interruption, he seems unfazed, his carefree demeanour standing in stark contrast to the tension that simmers between us.

"Uh, hey," I manage to utter, my voice a mix of awkwardness and attempt at normalcy, my gaze darting between the surprised faces of our crewmates and the unyielding hold Luffy maintains, refusing to let me go.

Sanji's lips part as if to say something, but he's momentarily lost for words, a mixture of astonishment and curiosity written across his face. Nami, on the other hand, lets out an amused chuckle, a knowing glint in her eyes that betrays her thoughts, while Zoro's impassive expression remains unchanged, though a hint of bemusement lurks in his eyes.

Luffy finally puts me down but slides his hand into mine, squeezing lightly and his russet eyes shine with joy and excitement before he says something oh so Luffy-like:

“Let’s eat!”

One Piece Masterlist TAG LIST - updated 21st Dec 2023

#monkey d. luffy #monkey d Luffy x reader #monkey d luffy smut #monkey d Luffy fluff #monkey d Luffy angst #luffy x reader #luffy smut #luffy fluff #luffy angst #inaki godoy #one piece #one piece x reader #one piece fluff #one piece angst #one piece smut #one piece live action #one piece netflix #straw hat pirates

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viperwhispered · 13 days

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Funny fic idea:

Some RSA prince has a crush on the reader/MC. Being a princeTM, he automatically assumes its a damsel in distress situation. He notices they spend a lot of time at Scarabia and once again assumes that his beloved must be dating that horrible villain Kalim. After all, if he's at NRC he must be evil no matter how good his hospitality skills are. Cue him going to confront Kalim in a contest for the reader's hand in marriage.

Cut to Kalim, post-chapter 4, and no longer as oblivious. He's confused at the open hostility but quickly puts it together. Kalim is about to explain that the so-called damsel is dating Jamil but he stops himself. If he corrects him, then he's just gonna go harass Jamil and he can't have that. So Kalim jokingly accepts the challenge, neither confirming nor denying his relationship with the reader. He sends Jamil off with a list of errands to keep him out of Scarabia (said "errands" include hug your beloved, kiss your dearest, cuddle them, etc).

To combat this threat, Kalim connects with his inner Scarabia student and unlocks his full powers as a professional nuiscence. You see, all NRC students have to pick up certain skills to survive in their respective dorms. Ever since the overblot, Kalim has been perfecting the Scarabian art of fire starting and then acting surprised when shit blows up.

Cue Kalim dragging the RSA prince in a wild goose chase all over NRC while constantly bombarding him with a much more aggressive form of Scarabian hospitality and dialing his energy levels from 10 to 20.

The rest of the dorm and even the school is joining in because 1.Fuck RSA 2.It's the only time the teachers would let them get away with it. Also for Scarabia, their port-CH4 motto is "Happy Jamil, happy Scarabia" (just because their dorm mates doesn't mean they're spared from a good roasting).

Meanwhile, Jamil spends a nice time with his beloved and silently thanking Kalim for the day off. Grim is being babysat by ADeuce, so maybe they finally got enough time for netflix and chill, who knows?

I'm starting to feel like I really should spend more time thinking about Kalim's personality and reading his stories so I could give some proper thoughts to these - I'm really not so confident when it comes to my understanding of him (another reason why Kalim is more of a background character in my fics so far).

Like yes he's the sweet sunshine boy but all these characters are too multidimensional for just the surface reading to be all there is.

I do absolutely love this idea, tho. I don't even know how deliberate Kalim would need to be about this. Like, I could also see him going in with good intentions and not much else, yet his earnestness and enthusiasm being enough to carry him through in the end.

Plus I can totally see Kalim throwing himself in harm's way for Jamil. How appreciated that would be… well, that’s another thing altogether, isn’t it? And like, whether Jamil would be able to actually chill, knowing all this is going on… Well, that'd require a lot of unlearning of old habits for him, I wouldn't hold my breath. But hey, I'm sure we can help him relax a bit.

I do also wonder how Jamil would feel about being pushed aside in this situation. Would he feel glad not having to deal with it? I suppose, since it's Kalim doing it, Jamil wouldn't at least take it as so much of a slight for Jamil's ability to handle the situation. Like, say what you will about these two, but I'm sure Jamil knows just how highly Kalim regards Jamil's abilities.

It would be such chaos, tho, and the whole NRC would absolutely be all over it. Some to help you out, some for Jamil or Kalim’s sake, most just for the chance to stick it up for this pompous RSA prince.

And in the end RSA prince comes to the conclusion that Kalim is actually as sweet as he looks and actually maybe Kalim is the one who needs to be saved from NRC (and might be a most eligible match, too).

Cue Jamil's mixed feelings of a) possibility of respite from Kalim but b) not being able to just let him get “kidnapped” without consequences.

Also that line of “Scarabian art of fire starting and then acting surprised when shit blows up”... If that ain’t Jamil in book 4 to a T. Wonderfully put.

#twisted wonderland #jamil viper #kalim al-asim #ner talks #chatting with folks #lex752

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purplekoop · 3 months

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I think I should be transparent about the state of where I'm at with my personal projects that I've been sharing on this blog so far.

First off my computer situation is still unchanged, mostly because of scheduling issues being a constant blockade. It can still safely function enough to type in my notes docs or on tumblr, but the big thing is that it can't run games. This is kind of an issue when my most used tag is for a game I play on PC.

Which leads to the big point: I haven't exactly been in an Overwatch mood lately, both because I can't actually play it and because the recent news about the state of its dev team is some of the most disheartening in this game's extremely tumultuous history. It's hard to be excited about a game you can't play, and it's extremely hard to be excited about a game where you're not even sure if there's enough people still employed working on it to keep it going forward. Somehow I still don't outright detest the game or anything close to that, but it's not been too frequent in my thoughts lately.

Obviously, this hurts my enthusiasm to work more on the AU based directly on the game itself, but also doesn't help inspire me to work as much on War Bots, my original team shooter project based heavily on Overwatch. I realize that between the two the former is more popular (fanbase of like 6 vs a fanbase of like 2), but still. My personal interest in these is at a low, more so unfortunately for Role Requeue than War Bots. This is somewhat normal for me, I cycle between interests pretty consistently, with my last Overwatch/War Bots kick lasting a bit long all things considered without much going to my other personal projects.

speaking of, I can at least mention the two of those I've been lending some brain juices to

The first is Renegades, a teen superhero team story that I hope to turn into a webcomic series one day. There's really not anything to it that I can say as a super unique pitch, I just wanna make my own superhero story because I think they're neat.

Slightly more zesty is Darkworld Showdown, a platform fighter idea with a "spooky/monster/creature" theme inspired by Darkstalkers and Skullgirls. This one has been on brain hiatus for longer since the friend who sort of became the "second in command" on the project has been radio silent for almost a year, but I've been back in touch with them recently so I'm hoping to get back into it more and give another pass on the roster and mechanics to hopefully refine it into something both more realistic to make and more interesting than just another indie platform fighter. I have some character designs floating around on Art Fight already but most of the cast needs an update badly, it's been a while for almost all of them and even some of the public stuff is rough from how old it is.

I may be posting more about these if there's any interest, but I mostly just wanted to explain where my head's been at lately, especially if you mostly expect Overwatch stuff from me. Not gonna try and beat myself up for it or anything, but wanted to mention it anyways. I think at least in my little circle that the Overwatch burnout is apparent so this might not be as big of a shocker as I'm fearing, but uh... yeah not sure how to end this one.

#koop's oc stuff

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we-are-the-memers-mr · 2 months

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neurodivergent-friendly advice on forming habits for creatives (& anyone, really) - with photos

Habits marked with ⭐ are the most important ones, imo.

A good way to build habits that you don't read in books is to make the habit desirable. You can look up the other methods (Atomic Habits and other similar books are great).

But for this one, if you're anything like my neurodivergent mentally ill butt you need things to be desirable in some way to get you to do them.

So what does desirability mean?

It means that it makes you want to do it, with energy and enthusiasm! Or at least not hate the task and yourself and everyone and everything! Something desirable for a habit may include:

Organized

Goblin tools link - https://goblin.tools

The best way to ensure you can perform a habit is to make it EASY. The best way to make it easy is to be organized. Yes this is difficult but you'll get better over time and it'll pay off with dividends of you being very likely to Do The Thing (tm) if you combine this with a few other things on this list (plus the normal habit formation stuff, but honestly loving what you do will make you way more likely to do it than tying it to another habit!).

⭐Put it somewhere easy to access that you can get to EASILY every day, preferably something you already have a habit of going to, e.g. your desk or your lounge room.

⭐Organize your digital files! Here's an example:

^ art (main folder)

^^ (subfolder, 1 folder deep) anatomy

^^^ (subfolder, 2 folders deep) female anatomy

^^^^ (subfolder, 3 folders deep) female torso...

^^^ (subfolder, 2 folders deep) male anatomy

^^^^ (subfolder, 3 folders deep) male torso...

Etc, etc.

Tl;dr (non technical speak): make a folder within a folder for each aspect of your project/task.

📂Every once in a while (can be weekly, monthly, 6 monthly, etc.) sort out your digital files. If you're no longer using that folder, put it in either a "not currently in use" folder to use again later, or if you're done with it, put it in an archive, on either your computer or (preferably) on a hard drive for safe keeping.

📂I have a "quick access" folder with all the folders I'm currently using in it. This is so all I need to do is find the quick access folder and this way I don't have to sort through a sea of dozens of random folders to find the useful ones. This is also good because there are some windows folders you can't relocate and they sit there taking up space and making it visually more cluttered. Note: Be sure to back up your important folders once every week to 3 months.

📂If you want to go super advanced, there are desktop folder kits on Etsy (and perhaps some free ones? though be careful with downloading random things, you may get a virus). They make the folders look aesthetic.

📂Personally, I use either Obsidian or Notion, depending on what I'm doing (usually Obsidian). I recently installed Askify, which can connect to both. Cool thing about it is that you can add notes from any site on the net including YouTube, it takes screenshots for you, and grabs a timestamp as well as being able to summarise the past 15 seconds of the video for you (though it usually just types what the person said, but this can be helpful). It's $3.50 AUD a month, but Obsidian and Notion are free so you can just use those if you can't afford it.

📂⭐Keep the space you're working in as tidy as you can manage. Try to make a habit of every night taking all dishes and empty drinks into the kitchen before you go to sleep.

📂⭐If you have your own space, don't be afraid to rearrange it! I recently rearranged my entire apartment and using my own cleaning advice - if you haven't used it in the past 6 months, consider chucking it out (if it's not expensive), if it doesn't make you happy, earn you money, and isn't useful regularly in some way, chuck it out - and now I'm 100x more physically comfortable, especially because I have an air conditioner next to me now near where I both work and sleep. If you have trouble visualising, try using a website to do so or draw it on paper until it feels right. Pro tip: you don't have to throw away everything, you can also donate it to an op shop/charity/homeless shelter that accepts donations if it's still usable, or you can sell it if it's high-ish quality and worth something.

📂⭐*If you can't do it today, then put it on your to-do list for tomorrow. Keep transferring unfinished tasks to tomorrow until your list is free from tasks.

📂⭐Generally good advice, especially for neurodivergents (but everyone needs to know!): take a dang break every once in a while! If you find yourself getting frustrated with something, take a break, possibly until tomorrow.

... If you have to do it today, do something to break it up, e.g. a nap or a shower. After this, give it a little while to keep cooling off if you still feel bad, then go back to the task.

... If it's something you have more time to do, stop doing it when it stops being fun/enjoyable. If you don't get fun/enjoyment out of it to begin with, stop when it's no longer interesting. Stop BEFORE you get to the point where you're pushing yourself. That is how you make yourself hate whatever you're doing and get a massive block from doing the task. Trust me, I didn't write a story for over 3 years after writing every single day because I pushed myself to the point it was frustrating to do and forced myself to keep going. Not worth it, wish I hadn't.

Sight

⭐Especially good for creative and visual types, like people who like art, design, front-end web devs, game devs, animators, writers etc.⭐

🎨Aesthetically pleasing - e.g. plugins that can change the aesthetic of programs. A good example is the extremely extensive library of plugins and themes available for Obsidian, all free to install. You can also get aesthetic Notion templates, too, but they often cost money (though you can find free ones on the official Notion template website!).

🎨Some aesthetic program add-ons include: the extensive free plugin/theme library for Obsidian (you can even connect it to back up to GitHub for free, though it's very technical) and aesthetic Notion templates - here's a link to where you can find free ones (there are other categories, too, not just for productivity) - https://www.notion.so/templates/category/personal-productivity?paid=free -------- If you want a link to my Etsy store to buy a nice looking aesthetic Notion template for university students (or a different special one just for design students!) for cheap that has better features than the free ones, go here: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/PointyBirdDesigns?ref=seller-platform-mcnav§ion_id=47390214

🎨Nice colours that you like.

🎨Nice shapes - e.g. your office has a circular painting that you love the shape of (and it makes you happy to look at it).

🎨Nice visual texture - e.g. you're writing a book - consider doing it in a program that has unlimited pages and has a paper texture in the background with no ads or distractions (and can go full screen).

Smell

👃If you're not sensitive to perfumes, spraying a nice scent whenever you do the habit could make you feel happier. You may even start to associate the task with that nice smell.

👃Make sure the area you're working in smells nice. Bad smells can be major subconscious distractions.

Sound

🙉The object associated with your habit makes a satisfying sound, e.g. for writing you might want a certain type of keyboard, like a mechanical keyboard that makes a satisfying "thunk" with each key press and makes you feel like a professional writer. Some browsers like Opera GX (not sponsored) also allow you to add typing sounds directly to the browser, so if you can't afford a nice keyboard but still want a satisfying sound you might want to try that if you're doing a lot in your browser. Otherwise, iirc, there are also writing programs that might do something similar (you'll have to look for them yourself, I can't remember sorry).

🙉⭐You can use things for background noise while you're doing the task if you either have it down really low or you don't need to hear your recordings for it. E.g. for editing a video you can play very soft instrumental music (I don't recommend anything with words, it'll confuse you when they mix with your audio), or if you're doing something like sorting through paperwork you can put on whatever type of music you like or even a twitch or youtube vod/stream on while you're doing it. It sacrifices a tiny bit of optimal brainpower, but you'll likely be less bored and be able to do the task for longer so it'll likely even out, and if you're concerned, you can often do polishing touches at the end to make sure your work is good.

🙉Headphones can go a long way for focus in busy places. Noise cancelling ones can help a lot if you have the cash.

Tactile

🤗*Generally you want to be physically comfortable when performing your habit. If you can afford it/can save up and it's causing you discomfort, try to replace it. A good place to find quality furniture for cheap is your local tender centre. Sometimes op shops are good options, but they're usually more expensive. I found an amazing ergonomic chair for $100 that was worth about $500 - $600. Good things come along sometimes, just keep looking.

🤗If it's something that requires you to go outside and you can afford it, try investing in a few nice outfits to make yourself feel more confident for days when you're feeling less motivated.

🤗⭐If you're neurodivergent or sensitive to textures, make sure before you buy something that you can run your hand along it many times and not feel awful. Honestly, everyone should do this. We all have preferences.

🤗⭐Don't ignore things that make you feel uncomfortable! Why? Because in my experience it's a bit like in video games - these things stack up like debuffs. What I'm saying is, it may not be a big thing to have bright lights hurting your eyes, but if you have bright lights, an uncomfortable chair, and your environment isn't clean, this can be sensory hell, especially for neurodivergents. Write down the things that make you uncomfortable and fix as many as possible, one by one. Don't end up like your neglected sims who are very talented but are completely and utterly miserable because you don't fix the things that are bothering them and don't fulfil their basic needs!

🤗⭐If it bothers you, fix it as soon as you can. It's easy to let little annoyances pass, but just like when a sim does something they dislike, your tolerance for it will be grated until you feel absolutely awful and/or snap. This goes for things as little as your room being too cold (get a blanket or if you can afford it and have one, put the heater on!) or too hot. Do NOT screw around with things you can fix in under 2-30 minutes. If you can fix it in under 2 minutes, do it right now. If you can fix it in under 10 minutes, write it down and do it today. For the rest, add it to either a weekly, monthly, or some day to-do list. Scheduling it for a certain period of time makes it more likely to get done, though. If you're like me and can't do something when you force yourself to or are told you have to, just schedule it to be done within a certain week or month. No pressure.

Feeling

💜⭐A good rule of thumb is that you've achieved desirability when you feel excited to do the habit. If this excitement ever wears off, try mixing and matching other ways of building desirability or changing something about the habit, e.g. the prompt (see habit building books or summaries for more info). Keep it fresh! Whenever you get bored, change things around.

💜⭐Listen to your emotions. Emotions are the body's way of communicating things with you, whether it be about your environment or about your body or mental state. Sure, some are irrational, but every emotion has a story to tell. Try listening. Don't push your emotions down, learn to process them. If you don't know how, a therapist can help.

Bonus note:

Don't spend beyond your means! If you can't afford it, don't buy it! I am not telling you to go out and spend as much as you can on these things. Mid-range is usually the best bang for your buck, and can often be found for cheap in op shops and tender centres, as I said.

Good luck! If you have any bonus tips feel free to reblog this post or comment and add them!

#habits #self help #neurodivergent #self improvement #personal development #self care #creatives #creative work #writing #art #creativity #habit building #tips #self improvement tips

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oxianamello · 7 days

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🐍Oxiana Mello reference post🐍

New ref sheet and design up! 'v' See her info and backstory under the spoiler ‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

General information:

Name: Oxiana Mello Age: 29 (Post timeskip) Height: 190cm / 6'9" Personality: Her easygoing nature and demeanor makes her seem very relaxed and.. well.. 'mellow', often making her a target for people and pirates who might be looking for an easy mark. She's very easy to approach, and emits a friendly aura that makes most feel welcome in her presence. However, they way she treats everyone with the same enthusiasm makes it difficult to know if she's being legit or just putting up a font. She gets her kicks from witty banter and sarcastic remarks. Devil Fruit: Hebi-Hebi no mi: model Samar Cobra (a highly venomous spitting cobra)

She can shed her skin to counter superficial wounds such as scrapes, scratches, heat and cold. It is also possible for her to layer it to deflect heavier hits, cushioning them with her own skin. Although it's a potent skill, she hates using it because it flakes horribly, like massive dandruff and dead skin.

Toxin secretion through her teeth and gums, under her nails, able to inject through her own specialized fingergun technique named "Shigan: snakebite" where she uses two fingers to emulate a snake bite. Can also fling drops over longer distances with high accuracy, or fling drops with little accuracy like a shotgun.

Her saliva secretes an antivenom, so any toxin applied along with her saliva is harmless, and tastes kinda sweet.

Like a snake, her initial ambush speed is explosive, but she is unable to keep up the same speed over longer durations. Strengths:

Rokushiki master, specializing in 'finger pistol', 'paper art', and 'iron body'.

Haki: Specialty is observation haki, and paired with her snake senses, she is able to sense certain things and people from afar by flicking her tongue, much like how a snake smells and senses. She's also able to vaguely pick up on people's intentions and feelings if they are within 15 meters. She can also use armament haki, but mostly for offensive means, empowering her 'Snakebite'.

Grip strength. Part of the reason she uses a modified finger pistol with two fingers is to be able to grab on to people better. She's very hard to get off once she grabs a hold of you, she would be excellent at rock climbing. Traits: She's hella expressive and emotional, but she has a kind of disorder where her tear ducts work overtime over the smallest excess of emotion, which has made her adapt a very "mellow" demeanor. Any emotion that is being felt a little more than normal makes her tears roll, not because she's sad or crying, but because her body just can't handle it and uses tears to process it. Any amount of extra joy, anger, excitement, or sadness triggers it. She's been described as a weirdo or sometimes creepy for "crying" while doing her Cipher Pol work.

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

Backstory:

Mello and Lucci were two kids from the same batch who were recruited by the World Government to undergo training to become Cipher Pol agents. Mello stood out for her relentless optimism, regularly cracking jokes and sporting a smile that brought a bit of light to the rigorous regime the litter of kids faced. Despite their contrasting personalities — Mello's cheerful and witty disposition clashing with Lucci's serious and calculated demeanor — they were drawn together, forming an unlikely friendship. The time came when Lucci, among others, was selected to join the more elite CP9, somethng that would intensify his training and isolate him from Mello and the rest. As he departed, Mello sprinted alongside his departing ship as far as the dock allowed, shouting out for him to promise a visit back to her — a promise Lucci made.

Years rolled by, and Mello found her place in CP7, serving with dedication. Basically she joined the intel unit of Cipher Pol, (I just happened to pick CP7 to be the intel unit), focusing on espionage, as well as gathering and handling of intelligence. But Lucci's absence grew heavier with each passing day; no visits, no letters. Her curiosity and missing her old friend led her to quietly probe for Lucci's whereabouts. This curiosity was met with resistance from her superiors due to the secretive nature of CP9, and ultimately they stopped her inquiries with a lie: Lucci had fallen in the line of duty. Shattered by the belief that Lucci was gone forever, Mello's spirit broke. After over a decade and a half with CP7, the hope of reuniting had fueled her. Now, extinguished. She took leave from her duties to recover, but her lack of income forced her into a poor lifestyle. Hopping from ship to ship, island to island, Mello did whatever odd jobs she could find, all while dealing with sad accommodations, from bug-infested motels to makeshift hideaways in the wild, living like a hobo for 5 or so years.

Circumstances led her to a war-scarred isle in the grand line where the government, stretched thin on manpower, had reluctantly requested a Cipher Pol member to supervise the building of a Marine outpost. It was here, during a confrontation with pirates from her past as an agent, that she crossed paths with the one assigned to the task -- Rob Lucci. The sight of Lucci, alive and now a member of the even more prestigious CP0, turned her world upside down. Overwhelmed with relief and emotion, Mello couldn't help but burst into tears. I like to imagine that all CP9 agents, especially Lucci, went through harsh indoctrination and memory suppression during his CP9 training, which stripped him of any memories that could hold him back, Lucci initially did not recognize Mello or recall their long-ago promise. However, their unexpected meeting sparked… something that was teetering at the edge of his mind.

Ofc they end up reconnecting, and even after 20ish years they are pleasantly surprised to rediscover their affinity for each other, and that the friendship from their childhood wasn't just a chance thing.

#I MIGHT BE CRINGE BUT I AM FREEEE #one piece oc #oc x canon #one piece fan character #rob lucci x oc #keigorart

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esoteric-mantra-stuff · 1 year

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Ariadne and Asterius (A Champion of Embers continuation)

CW: Depictions of dead people in different states of mutilation. Not gratuitous, but still be warned. Also discussions of martyrdom and self-sacrifice ahoy.

This is a continuation of Pollux which branches off from Thanatos' ending. If you haven't read it, then this will not make sense. Sorry for the wait, but I've been really busy with school. Hopefully now that things have calmed down I can get back to writing more.

—-----------------------

When you wake up, you’re somewhere you’ve never seen before. There’s a constant rushing of wind in your ears, and you can feel the cold aged stone beneath you. Out of habit, you look around and expect to see your companion sleeping beside you, but the quarter-wolf is nowhere to be found. Looking behind you, you discern the erdtree in the distance. The golden light of its leaves contrasts with the reddish flames that eat away at them. The erdtree is burning at last, but it won’t last if destined death is not found. You stand up, brushing the dust from your robes. There’s only one path to follow ahead of you, and while you appreciate the straightforwardness, you can’t ignore the nagging feeling at the pit of your stomach. Did Lobo go on ahead? If the plan was successful, why didn’t he wait for you to wake up? Unless… You shudder to think about it. Was Lobo consumed by the flames after all? No! This isn’t how things were supposed to go! He has to be somewhere around here. He would never just… abandon you like that. But if that’s the case, then where did he go? Before you can panic further, a quiet, slightly muffled voice calls out to you from somewhere.

“… Art thou planning on standing here until sundown?” It's Ranni’s voice. You turn around, expecting to see the witch sitting behind you, but there’s no one in sight. “Ranni?” You ask before you hear the voice again, coming from somewhere close. “I am in thine robes.” You reach into your robes and grab something small and cold. The miniature Ranni doll Lobo gave you, only this time, it's talking. The little witch adjusts her hat in your hand, not happy to have been jostled around so much. You shouldn’t be surprised by this; Ranni’s body is just a bigger version of this doll.

“Thou wert slumbering for far longer than we expected. Aster hath departeth already in an attempt to keep thee safe.” The Doll says, shifting in your grasp. You take the hint and let her sit in the palm of your hand. You let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad he’s alive, at least.” You say, but the doll in your hand doesn’t share your enthusiasm. “Alive perhaps, but not for much longer, I fear. If we do nothing, he shall becometh no more than a puppet for the flames.” You stare. The doll hides her face under the brim of her hat, but you flick it off, and it flies away with the wind. She looks… ashamed? Not the embarrassed type of shame, but that deep shame that sinks into your bones. “… Aster kneweth the danger. The Flames were dim enough that he hath a chance of taming them and having them become his. I warned him that If he were to fail, the Flames would eat away at his sanity. Tearing his soul apart to sustain themselves. He agreed to do so anyway, on the condition that I protect thee if something were to happen.”

You remember the giant you fought by the forge. The way it mangled itself in an attempt to protect the flames. Will that be Lobo’s fate from now on? Just forced to defend the embers of a fell god? You… You couldn’t allow that! “Then, what can we do?” You say, catching the attention of the crestfallen doll in your hand. “Thy path to the Elden Throne is clear, and sacrifices cannot be avoided. Even still, is thine intent to pursue Aster, ignoring his wishes to keep thee safe?” You nod. There’s no way you’re leaving him to be destroyed like that. You chose to live, and so should your companion. To think otherwise would be ludicrous. “Lobo is still alive and fighting out there. I can’t give up when he needs my help.”

Ranni stares back. She’s cliff-faced, but you sense something stir behind her eyes. Wordlessly she puts two hands over her shoulder and pulls at something embedded between the joints. It would be horrifying if she wasn’t made of ceramic and twine. “… just as he said. Thou wouldst never abandon him. Yet t’is a duty he did not wish to forceth upon thee. That is why he hid this.” Out of her shoulder comes a golden sheen. A needle similar to one you’ve seen before, only this one is far more intricate. She pulls it out completely, feeling no pain from the removal, and extends it to you. You let it fall into your empty palm. The pale sunlight that passes through the clouds reflects off the gilded surface. “I shall admit that perhaps I underestimated thee. Even the Demi-Gods wouldst have abandoned a compatriot for lesser causes.” Ranni says, readjusting her robes. “Take the needle, and deliver Aster from his torment. Before hope withers at last….” You place it in your pack carefully. It would be unforgivable to lose this thing. “I will. Thank you… for the help.” The doll bows, and as she begins to fade away, she says. “Goodbye… my Elden Lord….” It wisps out of your hand, fading away into cold mist.

You turn around and run ahead into the crumbling city. There’s no time to waste. Your wolf is waiting for you.

—-----------------

You wander through the empty chambers of Farum Azula, expecting to find the Demi-Humans that supposedly originated from here, though you mostly find their corpses. Charred and mangled, their limbs contorted unnaturally and their eyes wide with fear. They look to have been ripped apart by a creature rather than a man. Deep gashes made by claw, the smoldering fur leaves a rank taste in the air. If you didn’t know any better, you might have suspected one of the many dragons that fly around in the storm. Looking at them makes you sick. You push on, jumping down a path made from floating stone and down a staircase that passes too close for comfort to the raging storm at the crumbling city’s center. Ahead there’s a dead dragon, another unexplained casualty.

“¿Algún idea de dónde está?” You hear a gruff voice say up ahead. Is that the Medían tounge? “No… Maldita sea. Ya no puedo determinar su presencia con precisión, solo sé que está aquí.” Another voice responds this time a woman’s. You don’t know what they’re saying, but if they speak Medían, could they be…? You approach carefully as the man speaks once more. “Hmmm… Tampoco puedo olerlo. Al menos, no entre todo este olor a Demi-Humano chamuscado. ¿No crees que la chica de sombrero blanco se equivocó?” You finally spot the speaker as you turn the corner around the mangled corpse of the dragon, not unlike the Demi-Humans you saw earlier. It’s another Quarter-Wolf! Two, to be exact. “No. Su presencia esta indudablemente en este lugar. Tan solo no puedo dilucidar donde con precisión. Oh, mi querido hermano… ¿dónde te has desvanecido?” The woman says. She’s a pure white-furred quarter-wolf, wearing a striking red and black dress that reminds you of a blooming flower. Its elegance contrasts starkly with the bleak surroundings. She faces away from you as she holds an orb of flame in her hands, peering into it as though it were a crystal ball. “¿Segura que no está jodido ese cacharro? Igual con tanto Demi-Humano por aquí, te has confundido y has visto un clon de Lobo.” The man is a brown-furred quarter-wolf. He’s more physically imposing than your wolf. Built like a brick wall, he has a very prominent scar over the side of his muzzle. His armor is ornate and nicely cared for, in contrast to the intimidating visage of its owner’s face and the bulky battle axe and Greatshield in his back. A fluffy furred cloak covers one shoulder, giving him an almost regal look. The woman, seemingly offended by the man’s words, dispels the orb and turns in a rather overdramatic fashion to face him. “¡Asi no es cómo funciona, imbécil! Además, a diferencia de ti, yo nunca cometería un error tan- Oh, Hello there.”

The woman sees you right as she turns to face her companion. You jump a little as suddenly you have two people staring at you with curiosity. “Oh! Umm, sorry for eavesdropping, but… umm, Do you know a man named Lobo? I’m looking for him too.” You say, feeling a little put on the spot. With two quarter-wolves staring intently at you, it's hard to introduce yourself properly. Maybe you made a mistake, and these two have nothing to do with your wolf. You’re about to excuse yourself when the brown wolf grabs you by the shoulders. You almost reach for your rapier when he starts… sniffing you. To her credit, the woman looks absolutely mortified that her companion would be so… uh… bold? His grip is not particularly rough, but it's still a little uncomfortable. You could get out of it if you wanted to, but (and this is strange to say) it reminds you of your own wolf, so you let it continue. “Hmmm… yep, Lobo definitely knows this one. Sorry, I just had to make sure, but you’re Lobo’s friend! It’s nice to finally meet you.” The man says before being pulled away by the white wolf.

“Briar te juro que- I apologize for my brother’s lack of tact. My name is Viola, though you may also know me as Dahlia the Fire Witch. I’m not picky about names.” She bops the brown wolf on the nose with her folded fan, causing the other to recoil and frown at her. “And this brutish hooligan is my brother, Sir Valerio, Knight of the Medían Vanguard.” The brown wolf scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. It gives you a sense of deja vu. “Just Briar is fine. We’re Lobo, or I guess Aster’s siblings. We came looking for him after we received that letter he sent.” Oh, that’s right. Lobo wrote a letter back home a while back. Though you’re surprised that his siblings would be able to track you all the way to Farum Azula. You introduce yourself, skirting around the fact that you don’t know your name, and let the siblings in on everything that has happened since the letter was written. From Lobo meeting with the princess, seeking council with the queen, going to Leyndell only to be spurned by the Erdtree, killing the Two Fingers, and finally, the events at the forge. You try to be as brief as possible, but it takes some explaining, some rationalizing, some pacing around, and at some point, Briar punches the mangled dragon in frustration.

“That’s why I need to find him. He’s still out there fighting the Flames; I just know it. I need your help to find him.” You conclude. Viola is fanning herself, seemingly lost in thought, while Briar looks quite upset by your story. “Well, the issue seems to be that Lobo’s soul has been warped somehow by the Flames of Ruin. While it has not killed him yet, it is making it rather difficult to find him through my magic. Not to mention he’s become quite dangerous now, as you can see by this… voluminous fellow over here.” Viola says, pointing at the dragon. You sigh. It couldn’t be that easy to find him, could it?

Besides you, Briar folds his arms, furrowing his brow. “Then can’t we just follow the corpses to find him?” That’s… not a bad idea at all. Viola seems to agree as she folds her fan, and a devilish little smile forms on her lips. “A splendid idea, isn’t it? Although, you only figured it out because I spelled half of it out for you.” She throws her arms up mockingly. Briar takes the bait, scoffing at the witch’s words. “Shut up! I don’t need your help to figure out something like that. Would it hurt you to praise me sometimes?” Viola laughs, putting her arms on her hips. “Now, why would I ever do that? My dear brother, we have to get going. There’s no time for praise.” With those final mocking words, she wanders off in the direction of the charred remains, Briar following behind, seemingly not done with the argument. These two might give you a headache, but you can’t deny that having them around gives you confidence. You will save Lobo no matter what. All that’s left is to reach him.

—-----------------

Apart from occasional squabbling over menial things (You could never have guessed that two people could argue for so long over the difference between a ladder and a stepladder.) Viola and Briar work surprisingly well as a team. Except for the occasional cometshard you fire at an unsuspecting Demi-Human, as far as fighting enemies is concerned, you’re left with nothing to do. Briar uses his size to send enemies flying after bashing them with his Greatshield, sometimes even grappling them by tossing his battle axe attached to a chain and pulling them closer. You almost feel bad for the poor Demi-humans as one tries to use its massive blade to crush Briar, but he grabs it by the throat and tosses it into the abyss below. While Viola is more content standing back, she does offer support by blasting enemies with orbs of fire she can summon. In Medía, Fire Sorceries are never cast with glintstone staves, only with one’s hands covered in silky gloves. It’s considered improper to do otherwise (or so the witch says). Either way, Briar’s shield and armor protect him quite well from the blasts, so he doesn’t have to worry about getting hit with a stray fireball. Admittedly you are curious about her sorceries, but you save your questions for after you have saved your lover.

While passing near yet another mangled dragon, you spot something rather peculiar. Something shiny stuck underneath a corpse wearing a beastly-looking set of armor. You move the body, muttering an apology to the deceased. That’s where you find a twisted little silver bell. This is Lobo’s! The waist of the bell is dented; part of it melted to the side by the intense heat applied to it. The clapper is still there, but the neck is crooked at a 45-degree angle, making the bell hard to hold. “What d’ya find there?” Briar leans over you to look at the bell. You carefully hand it to him, and he rings it. Surprisingly the noise is still mostly clear, but the tone is off. “It’s for summoning spirits… I- gave it to Lobo to keep him safe… Guess it didn’t do a good job.” You explain to Briar, who looks it over from every angle. Running his finger over the dent, pondering something. He hands it back to you and then hesitates to speak. “Ah… I could probably try and fix it. W-When we get back to the camp, I mean.” He looks away, and you spot a slight blush through his thinner fur. You look down at the bell and then up at the gruff mountain of a man blushing before you. “You can fix it?” You ask, a little… skeptical. “Y-Yeah, I can… you got a problem with that?” He stares at you, probably going for intimidating, but it turns out just a little cute, enough that you can’t help but genuinely smile. “Thank you. It would mean a lot to me to be able to return this to him. ” It looks like Lobo’s siblings share his kindness after all. Briar is a little caught off guard before he deflects by looking away. “… y-you’re welcome. Now, let’s get going, okay? He’s waiting for us.” You nod and return to the path with him, putting the broken bell in your pack. Viola, who had been admiring the brutish architecture, gives you a kind smile upon seeing your return. “I take it you found something important. At least, that’s what I gathered from here.” This woman’s hearing is dangerous. She was over 10 meters away, and you were not yelling. You nod, trying not to think about it too hard. “Well, my brother here may look unreliable, but he’s the most skilled craftsman in all of Medía.” Briar is back to blushing, though he also looks a little annoyed. “Man, it kinda pisses me off when you say it like that, but… thanks.” Viola shrugs, looking at the road ahead. “No need to thank me, it's the truth. Now let’s get going.” You and Briar nod, continuing your search for Lobo.

It’s not long until you arrive at the deepest reaches of Farum Azula. A great bridge connects you to a circular chamber, a temple perhaps. You spot a Draconic Tree Sentinel, or rather what’s left of one, by the gates. Deep gashes ripped him and his horse to shreds, the corpse stinking of burnt flesh and hair. The heavy plating on the armor has been twisted by fire and immense strength. It might as well not have been there for all the protection it offered its user. You try not to fixate on the details, but you can’t help but think that Lobo might have taken the opportunity to give you an anatomy lesson. Considering this man’s GI tract is on full display and all. Gross. That’s it; no more looking at the corpse. Find something else to gawk at.

“Oh? Hey, the sun’s coming out.” You point out to your companions, trying to pretend you were not just eyeing a corpse a few moments ago. “The Dragons went away too. Did something happen?” Briar says, looking up at the clear blue skies. You can still feel the winds, but the storm in the middle of Farum Azula seems almost calmer now. It should make you feel safer, but it's enough to make you uneasy. It’s like the storm is intimidated by what you’ve been chasing. That’s a bad sign. “It’s growing in power. I can sense it inside.” Viola seems to share your unease, fanning herself hurriedly while looking into the temple. “All magic came from the cosmos, and fire is no exception. This clear blue sky is a message: My power can bend the very skies you live under. The moon and the stars can save you no longer…. Or at least that’s what I believe it means.” She shuts the fan with a thwack, now addressing you and Briar. “What is our plan of attack? I hope I don’t need to tell you, but we should avoid fratricide as much as possible. That goes both ways.” You pull out the golden needle Ranni gave you. Viola and Briar stare at it as you show it off. In the sunlight, the intricate golden details shimmer like sea sparkle. “If I can put this under his skin, I can get rid of the Flames without hurting him. The only problem would be getting close in the first place.” You explain, but Viola chimes in. “That’s not the only thing to be concerned about. Lobo is under the control of the Flames of Ruin. If they see you’re avoiding hurting him, they might use him as a human shield of sorts. Injuring him as a dissuasion method.”

You hadn’t considered that, but she has a point. Right now, Lobo’s life is in danger. If only you could face him without having to fight him. “Then, why can’t we just pretend to fight him while someone sneaks up from behind?” Briar says, which causes you and Viola to stare. He blushes and looks down, embarrassed. “Sorry, that’s probably not-” Viola interrupts him. “A wonderful suggestion, brother! You really are good at making plans after all, see?” She smiles. It’s sincere, though she’s also toying with him. “See, you say nice things, but I still feel like you’re mocking me.” Briar scoffs, but he seems content. You chime in. “Okay then, I’ll be doing the sneaking, and the two of you can distract him. If I approach from the left, he won’t be able to see me. Then we can….”

You would save Lobo. No matter what it took, you would rescue him from this punishment. A happy ending is worth fighting for, and you will make sure Lobo sees this new world you’ll create together. Right now, you just need to be strong.

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radical-h03 · 2 months

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I can barely see

the blue sky above the city buildings

that used to feel like daffodil trees

drowning us in unknowing,

enthusiasm and passion.

Coming from our small towns as

Former Gifted Kids,

told by adults

that we were wasting our potential—

but we were so excited to be starving artists!

I stare up at the universe engulfing me,

suffocating in my smallness

and the omniscience of the world around me.

Not the world as in the earth or the dirt—

but the world like the lives of the people

and the creatures that fill the void

of empty matter that extends above the ground,

continuing on in synchronicity

like a clock and its tick.

I want to feel like more than a blip

on the radar of history.

I try to harmonize with the city around me.

I force ecstasy down my own throat,

choking on my inability

to feel anything but apathy or anxiety.

Rising like nausea, a half-felt nostalgia

for old feelings of euphoria;

for the feeling of soft, cotton movement;

of being wrapped in the world,

rushes through its wind and

amalgamates my body with the colors of the city.

Like a kaleidoscope of comfort,

there’s an everlasting love

for the people pushing past me,

joining me in this dance of feeling a part of something;

being our own movement.

Our energy shone iridescent

with all the other Former Gifted Kids

who thought they’d be the next

Salinger,

di Prima,

Kerouac or Kesey,

writing poems with our friends

on a bus across the country.

We all thought we’d be a part of something,

somewhere,

some day.

Instead we’re just Former Gifted Kids—

almost 30 years old

with AP scores that no longer mean a thing.

Now we live in an ever-lasting hour of

disassociation,

dragging,

the discontinuation of a dream.

We thought we were so profound and mysterious

living in Manhattan

on the 31st floor in a fancy apartment.

Slowly realizing that being a starving artist isn’t so fun—

it actually does come along with the starving,

the anxiety, the misery,

depression and the drugs.

Picasso was schizophrenic

and he made some famous art,

but cutting off your left ear

doesn’t feel nearly as cool as it sounds

in books.

This isn’t the type of art

we thought we wanted.

The energy and power that

we felt when we first started

keeps waning.

We try to remind ourselves that our idols

only Made It post-mortem.

There’s a whole generation

living in desperation;

Former Gifted Kids grasping at our pasts.

Now I don’t know how to do things

like study or problem solve

or call my doctor’s office

or make any phone call, really.

I have issue avoidance problems because

I never had to solve any I didn’t understand

so now I ignore anything with the subtle smell of failure.

I can’t take any criticism.

I suffer from rejection dysphoria

and struggle with perfectionism.

You’d think all of the attention, awards, and admiration

would have solidified the foundation

of my own self-confidence,

but instead I’m a vampire,

a soul-sucker

seeking validation.

The astronomy of the city

used to energize me.

I was celestial.

Infinite.

Ethereal and unstoppable

under the vault of heaven;

perpetual.

Now I just feel tiny

in this whirlwind metropolis.

I never did succeed

in becoming a starving artist.

I’m just one of many

Former Gifted Kids

who were trampled by this city

while we choked on the stardust of our dreams.

#text #poem #former gifted kid #(art school dropout)#writing

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erabundus · 11 months

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HERE WE GO — the long awaited ren modernverse post that i totally haven't been procrastinating on for ages. ( i have. ) i'm going to do a very general overview of the AU here, because there's a lot of little interconnecting parts and headcanons and backstories ( as well as development over discord ) involving other muses and i really don't want to step on any toes or necessitate a ton of required reading. just a brief * summary to make interacting easier.

( * not brief, i can never keep anything short. )

ren was born very shortly after makoto's death to a mother understandably wracked with grief. though they had little family to speak of, they were quite well off financially — owing to ei's status as the ceo of a prolific power company. as a way to force some sense of normalcy, to cope with both the loss as well as her child's eerie resemblance to her departed twin, ei threw herself body and soul into her work. this meant the majority of ren's childhood was spent completely alone, and though he never had any reason to want for much materially, he was still quite miserable and desperate for affection. he would do whatever he could to possibly gain the ATTENTION he craved — culminating in taking up an interest in dance, of all things. he had believed if he could only find one thing that he was really good at, and hone that skill until he was utterly PERFECT, perhaps then his mother would be impressed enough to acknowledge him.

unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan. he was talented — incredibly so, and he certainly wasn't lacking in ENTHUSIASM for the art. though he received praise and recognition, he was never able to get it from the one person he was most desperate to hear from. ( just say you're proud. just remember i EXIST. ) ultimately this led to a lot of deeply unhealthy resentment towards his mother. as a result, ren focused less on the individual and more on the crowd — obsessing over gaining the adoration of the masses. someone please love him. someone please pay attention to him. he moved out of his childhood home as soon as he was able, and tried to turn his talent into a genuine career.

while he did see success, it wasn't without its downsides. immense strain on his body. repeated injuries. he hurt himself — over and over and over again, then kept going regardless. pushing himself to an UNHEALTHY degree that could have very well led to permanent injury had it been allowed to go on.

however, a certain incident when he was twenty led to the death of nearly everyone he loved — and in his grief, ren could no longer muster the will to continue.

he spent over a year languishing in a very deep DEPRESSION, only ever putting forth the effort to pretend he isn't completely in shambles in front of farrow, taiyang and anhe. in time, he eventually stumbled upon the world of STREAMING — and while it was never his intention to make a big deal out of it, ren decided to give it a go. he used his streams mostly as an opportunity to vent his frustrations in a somewhat healthy way — doing something he genuinely enjoyed ( gaming ) while taking out his wealth of anger on the teammates and enemies alike who irritated him. it was more like an unconventional form of video diary. however, by some strange stroke of luck, he actually began cultivating an audience.

his pretty face was enough to draw people in — yet some decided to stay for the entertainment his sharp tongue provided. as his popularity grew, ren's despair simmered to a more manageable state. instead, he found himself slipping back into a familiar ( toxic ) mindset. valuing his self-worth entirely on what other people thought of him, how much of their attention he could command, how much money he could earn from their affection. he's received a fair bit of criticism for his cultivating of a distinctly PARASOCIAL relationship with his fanbase — but the truth is, ren needs the recognition of his followers just as much as they crave recognition from him.

MISC HEADCANONS UNDER THE CUT ...

he's twenty four by default; he's been streaming for about three years.

farrow is a mod on his streams.

his username is technically ❝ wanderer, ❞ but he'll also answer to ren — and a lot of his fans do just default to calling him ren.

he often gets just as much hate as he does positivity, but he doesn't really care because negative publicity is still publicity. someone once tried to cancel him on twitter over his nasty personality and he held an official #wandererisoverparty on stream where he read out hate tweets with genuine delight.

he isn't the most popular content creator, but he has enough of a following to comfortably pay his half of the apartment's rent and have a line of merch.

ren only ever really leaves the apartment to go on walks through nature or swing through his favorite coffee shop. or break into heizou's house and rearrange the furniture.

doesn't drink often, but has an absurd alcohol tolerance when he does.

he suffers from horrible insomnia and actively has to hide his dark circles with makeup. he tries to compensate by drinking massive amounts of caffeine — which, while effective, has left him with a dependency that gives him splitting headaches whenever he skips out on his tea or coffee.

swears a lot more than canon ren. which is to say, he actually swears at all. in general, the way he speaks and holds himself is more relaxed in comparison — because he has had a rough life, but not to the extent of canon ren, and not for nearly as long.

dresses differently when he's walking around casually verses when he's streaming.

he tends to prefer either pvp games where he can spin his irritation with others into a source of entertainment or calm singleplayer games like minecraft or stardew valley where he can just vibe.

his tongue and both ears are pierced — the left with an additional industrial piercing.

shares his apartment with kazuha! they are boyfriends.

he also has a number of tattoos. some resemble canon ren's markings, others look almost as though his body has been repaired with kintsugi.

#𝟎𝟎𝟒 : 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥. ◟ hc .◝#𝟎𝟏𝟕 : 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘳𝘺. ◟ v. modern .◝#( take it. pls. this au has been rotting my brain. )#( there's more that involves other muns & muses but again i tried to keep it mostly just ren to establish a basic foundation )#long post

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dailycharacteroption · 1 year

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Class Feature Friday: Zeal Emotional Foci (Spiritualist Phantom Emotional Foci)

(art by SaintYak on DeviantArt)

As far as emotions go, zeal is… well, it’s interesting. Zeal is defined as having particularly strong enthusiasm for a task, but it is perhaps most well known in religious circles when describing someone who is particularly passionate about their faith, or enthusiastic about performing acts that they believe are in service to their faith.

Which is where you run into problems, particularly with Christianity. There you will find people who praise others for their great zeal about the faith, and plenty of people outside it who see the atrocities committed in the name of the faith.

But not all zeal is bad, nor is it always religion-based. A stalwart guard who loves their home city, and will fight to the last breath to defend it, the scientist who pursues discovery where the fearful would balk, and so on.

And so that is where we find the phantoms of zeal. Some may be soldiers or paladins, priests or scientists, guardians or stalkers, passionate enthusiasts or the obsessed.

The ectoplasm of these phantoms is typically orange to signify their strong emotions, and their forms typically range from those that fit their idea of a stalwart warrior or defender, or else that of their original form, though exaggerated towards expressing their daring and vigor which perhaps goes beyond common sense or reason. They typically throw themselves into any task with the energy of one expecting to die trying, regardless of the actual nature of the task, though the more toxic among them may be prideful and boast of their deeds, while mocking and chiding those who have not made similar sacrifices or pursued their goals with the same vigor.

The spiritualist behind the phantom might share similar passion, but more likely they are often the one that has to call back their phantom before they make a mess of things, or otherwise have to talk them down from courses of action.

Truly like many phantom foci, there are good and dark sides to any emotion, though this one does have some historic baggage.

In any case, the result is a phantom that can be counted on to engage in their tasks will their full effort, and inspire allies to do the same.

These phantoms prove tough and agile, and have a knack for tracking prey thanks to their diligence.

Their passionate zeal also makes them vicious attackers, making them adept at dealing out grievous blows and increasing the potential damage from such critical blows

They can also project an aura of determination to bolster nearby allies as well, filling their hearts with vigor.

Normally phantoms vanish back into their master when the spiritualist loses consciousness, but stronger zeal phantoms can maintain their manifestation, fighting on to protect their partner or achieve their goals.

Failure is not an option these spirits ever consider, and with force of will, they can turn a missed strike into a hit, potentially, demonstrating the zenith of their zeal.

If you’re interested in playing with a phantom partner that can hit surprisingly hard and accurately, and buff allies, this focus may be for you. The ability for them to stay out if you get taken down is also very useful, making sure that at least one of the duo stays in the fight and potentially helping revive the other. I recommend either a flanking melee build or a support caster build with that in mind.

Depending on their exact disposition, these phantoms may be difficult to deal with, but a firm spiritualist should be able to keep them in mind. Which can lead to interesting scenarios where a novice spiritualist has to earn their phantom’s respect, or barring that, demand it from them if they are incapable of giving respect.

Her ghorus seed destroyed, the ghoran rebel known as Ruvah persists still, eager to continue to fight back against the “animal oppressors”. The fact she is no longer a living being does not deter her, but she knows she needs a like-minded host to unlock her true potential.

Petrified and devoured by a gorgoros qlippoth, the spirit of the paladin Amoss knows that returning to life isn’t really an option, but he is ready to guide a spiritualist partner to avenger his fallen comrades. His partner, young Malax, is nowhere near ready, something the zealous phantom struggles to deal with.

The refugees of the purging of Opaal thought that they had seen the last of the zealous inquisitor that ordered the town be put to the sword. After all, he had been crushed under a burning timber. However, now they are hounded by his unbound phantom, the relentless spirit will not stop until either he or his victims pass on to the beyond.

#pathfinder #archetype #spiritualist #phantom #emotional foci #zeal #ghoran #gorgoros #qlippoth #Occult Adventures

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deitiesofduat · 2 years

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DEITIES Update -- October 2022

Hi All! Time for a kinda-spontaneous-but-not-really Project Update, along with the current events of this month -- which is a DEITIES themed OC_Tober + and upcoming Askbox Session!

I understand if this all kinda came out of nowhere, so I'll use this short update to share my plans and any additional context, and I hope it's something to look forward to! More information is under the cut!

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OC_TOBER 2022 PLANS PART 1 of 2 -- DEITIES CAST LINEUP & PROFILES

The gist of my OC_Tober plan this month will be sharing separate profiles and featured art each weekday in a thematic order for the DEITIES Project -- 5 per week, 20 total. These will likely debut on my art twitter first, and then be mirrored on tumblr later the same day.

This is my minimum goal, but I'll gauge my free time if I have the bandwidth to do some extra things for fun -- like any additional new art, meme templates, blog posts on the website, or other nostalgia trips.

The character profiles for tumblr, twitter, and my other media accounts will use a new format that I'm still preparing. Meanwhile, anyone who feels like learning more about the deities can view their full profiles on the project site -- https://deitiesproject.com/characters

Fullbody Lineup (Tumblr) -- https://deitiesofduat.tumblr.com/post/696945815967694848/hi-everyone-its-been-a-while-d-so-heres

Higher quality + Full-size Images -- https://sta.sh/21y4noqrsk91 (These are best seen on desktop admittedly, tumblr’s version is is better for mobile viewing!)

For those who feel like viewing / sharing on other social media:

Twitter Version -- https://twitter.com/ColaCanvas/status/1576316256982302721

IG Version -- https://www.instagram.com/p/CjMe683Ds4w/

Artfol Version -- https://www.artfol.me/a/xAk0tvl

(( NOTE: I'll probably revisit this update to add more quick links as well, once I finish organizing what I need this weekend. ))

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OC_TOBER 2022 PLANS PART 2 of 2 -- MONTH-LONG ASKBOX SESSION (Upcoming!!)

In addition to the character profiles, I'll also reopen my tumblr Askbox to answer as many project questions as I can -- albeit gradually, likely to share on the weekends. It'll also help me gauge how much volume I can manage, and whether it something I can keep open or at least re-open more regularly.

As of now the Askbox is still closed -- I was aiming to open it by the start of the month, but needed to put all my energy into completing the lineup before the end of September 😂 Please give me at least another day to rest and prepare before I reopen it, I promise I'll give you all another heads up once it's ready.

In the meantime, you'll find some updated guidelines and FAQs here on the main site -- https://deitiesproject.com/faqs/

(FWIW: I've been working on a site alternative of the askbox for anyone who doesn't have a tumblr, but it'll need to wait a bit longer before it's ready to launch. This shouldn't affect anyone following this tumblr already though, so it's business as usual for anyone who wants to submit questions here -- just please be sure to read the updated guidelines and FAQs first, thank you!)

——————————

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

I've established in the site's Introduction page how development for DEITIES Project is still ongoing. But I've been having to balance it next to other tasks that require my attention, hence why it's felt a bit slow on tumblr and elsewhere.

Fortunately, some good friends convinced me to participate in this year's Artfight this past summer. Drawing each other's OCs renewed my creative energy, and I enjoyed the encouragement from my peers + the sheer enthusiasm for each others' OCs, it was a great experience with everyone!

From there, I felt re-energized to revisit DEITIES Project and see what next steps and WIPs I could tackle, and I could see that it sorely needed a full lineup sheet for some time. This was especially given how some characters were lacking clear visual references, or had some that were heavily outdated!

This years OC_tober felt like a good opportunity to address this massive to-do, and to re-introduce some of the cast along the way. I had to wait until it was basically finished before I could give you all the heads up, but hopefully it's something to look forward to this month!

——————————

I'll wrap up this update here for now -- if I do add anything more it'll be minor things or edits over the next few days. Anything important (like the Askbox reopening) will be given a heads up on the main blog. With that said, I look forward to sharing more DEITIES Project this month, and hope you all enjoy!

#// I'll swing back to update to edit any new links and text later; meanwhile give me another day or so to reopen that askbox #// I also admittedly need a day to rest before I set up more profiles + I want to indulge in hyping my friends' OC_tober runs as well!#// vibrates excitedly for this month I can't wait!!#DEITIES Project #DEITIES Updates #DEITIES text

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goshdarnitjay · 9 months

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Hello!!! I am new to the bishova ship and is absolutely in love wi the your fics!!!!! I scrolled through a lot of your asks on tumblr and saw a lot of mentions of a particular werewolf fic. Not gonna lie but took me some time to actually find it and read it. And I am OBSESSED!!! I know that this question has been asked before but do u plan on continuing it? And if so will you make it into a longer story or just a 2 parter

Hi! firstly: welcome to the ship. 🥰 there is plenty of great fic and art out there for you to consume.

Secondly: I do plan on continuing Lonely heart, settle down. I've decided how I want to start ch2 and I will go from there. I haven't decided if it will be two chapters or more. I guess that depends on how inspired I am. I have gathered my thoughts on it and made myself a nice excel sheet with characters and their motivations.

While you wait, feel free to check out Zarkosaur's Chasing the Moon's Light. Zarkosaur asked my permission to continue the fic a few weeks / months ago, back when I wasn't at all sure if I was going to continue the story. I'm sure their continuation and my continuation will be quite different, so we get two possible endings for the price of one! 💜💚🥰

For more asks and replies about Lonely heart, settle down., check the Cut.

thank you for your very sweet ask! i have been enjoying my time off and have written 5.2k so far this month. I am currently working on a patreon fill for a cute one-shot that will probably be about 6 - 7 k in total. After that is finished, I will begin working on Lonely heart, settle down. chapter 2.

Of course I will keep you all informed! :)) What do you think would be best? Weekly updates or biweekly updates? Do y'all want spoilers at all? I do plan on including little snippets like I have for the other stories.

I anticipate that it will take me quite a bit of time to finish the fic. We could be talking weeks to months, depending on how the story goes and how many ideas I have for it. I also anticipate that it will be about 40-50k in total (including the 17.9k of the original chapter), which means it might actually go to 60 or 70k. I am famously bad at predicting my own word count.

p.s. Thank you! a child walked past my parents' house yesterday and screamed "MINECRAFT!!!" 💜💚😂

😂😂😂

Loving the enthusiasm!

I gotta say, the fact that it is so beloved by so many (including me !!!) is one of the reasons I put continuing it off. I really think it is one of my best works and the vibes of the fic are so special, I honestly don't know if I can do it justice.

But! you never know if you don't go. you'll never shine if you don't glow! 😂💚💜 wish me luck!

#personal #Jay Answers Asks #anonymous #anon #ask #Jay Writes #dare121

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goldmckenzie75 · 2 years

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What is Wet Shaving

What is Wet Shaving The Ultimate Guide to Wet Shaving Let’s face it, shaving has become something of a lost art in recent years. Unfortunately, shaving is now seen as little more than a necessary hassle undertaken for looking smart for the office, at the behest of loved ones not wanting a facial scrub down with your untrained bush every time they go near you, or simply the common decency of not exposing the world to your full caveman hair growth. Whether you keep it completely clean or just trim your beard into shape, it’s one of those tasks that men have to tackle at least a few times a week. And when you throw in the inconvenient pitfalls of shaving, like nicking your face or your girlfriend borrowing your razor for herself, it’s really no wonder we’ve lost some of the enthusiasm for it. The average man will spend 3,000 hours of his life shaving and when you’re staring down figures like that, it becomes somewhat more important that you do it properly. Forget a hasty scrub with an old blade minutes before you have to leave the house — I mean, yes, that’s still going to happen, but let’s go into this with a slightly higher handed approach in mind. We need to return to the golden age of the razor; the kind of shaving that our forefathers did, taking pride in their appearance and the task in hand – using shaving almost as meditation and preparation for the day. Failing that, at least explore methods of getting a clean face without having to contend with razor burn or sticking loo roll to your face to quell the sudden bleeding from an unwarranted laceration. So, with that in mind, we’ve assembled the ultimate guide to the wet shave. What is wet shaving? slickest shaving cream can guess this from the name, but in case there’s any doubt, wet shaving basically means shaving with water. I.e. not using an electrical razor. For a traditional wet shave, you’ll also need some form of shaving soap or cream, to effectively lather your face, and a shaving brush, traditionally made with either badger or boar hairs. A traditional wet shave uses a single bladed razor and can either be done with a straight razor or with a safety razor. While the traditional wet shave can seem to be more expensive than using modern disposable razors and foams at first, in fact it needn’t be, with soaps and creams available at low costs, which can then last for months or even years. Plus, this is your face we’re talking about, so it’s worth the investment. The Benefits of Wet Shaving To anyone experienced with wet shaving, the benefits are obvious. A traditional wet shave will give you the closest shave possible, for a much smoother and cleaner feel. It can also help reduce the uncomfortable effects of shaving, such as ingrown hairs. Though many men think they have sensitive skin, as a result of suffering from razor burn and other side effects when shaving, in actual fact it’s likely just down to the type of razor and products they’re using. Most of the negative effects from shaving come as a result of not having the proper lubrication, often down to cheaper modern products. Taking the time to do a wet shave can be much kinder on the skin and reduce any after effects. Beyond this, wet shaving can work out far cheaper than using plastic multi-blade cartridge razors. Although a safety razor and shaving brush require an initial investment, replacement blades are much cheaper for safety razors and shaving soaps and creams will last much longer than a shaving foam or gel. Then, on the less scientific level, there are the other benefits from the traditional approach. For example, the aesthetics: a shaving soap in its wooden bowl will always look better on the side of the sink than an aerosol can filled with chemical gloop. On top of this, a lot of men who have switched their modern razors for a traditional approach have found that the whole process becomes less of a hassle and more of a pleasure: carefully shaving with quality products that give a more luxurious feel will not only get better results, but warrant a more enjoyable process. What it comes down to is a far better shave that reduces any possible skin irritation and becomes far more enjoyable overall than simply your morning hassle. How to wet shave If you have never wet shaved before then there can be quite a lot of information to take in at once. That is why we have broken our wet shaving guides down into simple to read articles which can be viewed using the navigation on the left hand side of the page. It is not essential that you read or follow each article, for example, if you don't feel ready to use a safety razor then you can still benefit from using a shaving brush but for the best results we recommend that you do.

#Shaver

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sukirichi · 3 years

Text

— there’s always a price to pay when you get your hands on a work of art.

PAIRING: tattoo! artist megumi x reader

REQUEST. tattoo artist au + mutual pining + size kink, praise kink, thigh riding + reader is shorter than megumi and isn’t shy

WARNINGS: feral megumi, scratching, vaginal sex, size kink, praise kink, mature content, slight overstimulation, sexual tension lol, unedited story

NOTES: ah thank you so much for this request, I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Here is my third contribution for FERAL MEGUMI FRIDAYS! and oh wow tattoo artist megumi uh no thoughts head empty

WC: 5.4k+

The tattoo saloon loomed over you, the neon signs almost blinding in the darkness. You could feel your heart pick up its pace in your chest as you hitched your bag up higher, the excitement settling in your toes. Mustering up the brightest smile you could have, you cleared your throat and pushed the door open, the tiny bell on top jingling to signal your arrival.

Your eyes roamed around the walls covered with intricate drawings, the leather seats dark and kept in pristine. Now that was rare – your leather couches always wore out in just a few weeks.

Making your way inside, grip on your sling bag still tight, you bit your lip as you peaked behind the counter. Empty. No one was there, and the nearby opened rooms were empty as well. Scratching your head, you scrunched your nose in confusion. You were sure you got the right place.

With a heavy sigh, you turned to leave, then stopped in your tracks when a dark-haired man exited a door you hadn’t even noticed at first.

He was tall – taller than you; his arms stretched until the sleeves of his black hoodie were pulled down, revealing a sliver of black tattoos that marked his skin. Upon hearing your awed gasp, his cold blue eyes fluttered to yours, the man – who was absolutely handsome despite his frown – froze in his spot.

You waved a hand to him, your smile bigger than ever. “Hi!” So you would be working with this cute guy? Maybe job-hunting wasn’t such a bad experience, after all.

“Hey,” he drawled out hesitantly, approaching you with his ink stained fingers pointed at you. He was still frowning, which was a damn shame, since you were sure he’d look even hotter if he smiled. “So...you’re Y/N.”

“Yeah!”

“And you...” he tilted his head to the side, inquisitive eyes studying your form. You would’ve felt conscious with the way his brows furrowed, eyes unreadable and lips pressed into a thin line, but you were sure you dressed to impress on your first interview. You admitted, however, that maybe wearing a white collared shirt with a pink tennis skirt made you stand out like a sore thumb in the heaviness of the studio. “...want to be a front desk man here?”

“Yeah!”

“What makes you think you’re qualified for this?” he crossed his arms on his chest, and you didn’t miss the slight bite of his voice. So he was handsome – but cranky. Great. “You don’t look like you fit in here.”

“Judging someone’s appearance and inferring that it has any relation to their credentials isn’t such a professional thing to do, you know,” you raised your chin proudly, jutting a pointer finger to his chest. He clearly didn’t expect this because he scowled and took a step back, while you fought the grin that threatened to paint your face. “Would you like it if people told you that you’re not qualified to be a lawyer because of your tattoos and piercings?”

He scoffed, “I don’t want to be a lawyer. As you can see, I’m a tattoo artist. And to answer your question, no, I don’t give a fuck what people think about me.”

“I can tell,” you muttered to yourself before smiling back up at him. He was too easy to read; his brow quivering and lips firm at your faux enthusiasm. “But yes, I do believe I’m qualified! I’m a fast learner and I’m even quick on my feet! I’m really good at talking to people too so I believe I can help schedule client appointments really well and guide them with this whole process.”

“Being front desk man doesn’t mean serving the clients tea and biscuits.”

“I know.”

“You know?” he snorted with a roll of his eyes. He then gestured you to follow him all the way back to the front desk. You expected he’d teach you about how to handle the appointment books or pick up phone calls, but instead he plopped down on the leather couch of the waiting area, his legs crossed on top of the other.

Your eyes followed the patch of pale skin exposed from his ripped jeans before you looked away, not wanting him to see that you found him attractive despite his less than welcoming personality.

“What exactly do you know about this industry?”

“Nothing, to be honest, but I’m not here to be a tattoo artist or anything. I just really need a job and I assure you I’ve got plenty of experience and knowledge when it comes to manning front desks or counters,” you stated confidently, “I know I look out of place, but I really need this job.”

The man only narrowed his eyes at you. Contemplation was written all over his face, probably wondering why you couldn’t just work somewhere else. “Why come here, of all places?”

“Because it’s the only one that has a flexible schedule,” you sighed, “I can’t work shifts anymore because I’m too busy at university. From when I talked to your boss – Geto, was it? – he said that the salon was open 24/7 and I could work until before my classes start. He’s not really strict about that kind of thing.”

“So you mean to tell me,” he leaned forwards, looping his fingers with one another while his ice cold gaze slithered over your desperate ones. “You’ll be at university for half the day, sleep until midnight, and then come here to work and attend class a few hours later? Isn’t your schedule a little irregular?”

“Oh no, it’s not like that! I also have mock classes after uni and it lasts until late at night, then I help clean at the local shelter. They’re running out of volunteers and the dogs are really adorable and take my stress away so...I make sure to come by when I have time.”

“You are one odd creature,” he noted loudly, almost as if he wasn’t completely aware he vocalized his thoughts. Well, at least now you knew he wasn’t the type to think his words over, which either made him more entertaining – or insufferable the longer you worked with him – if you began working anyway. “You could’ve used your spare time to rest. Do you even eat?”

“Yeah, I have a granola bar right now with me! I actually brought two,” you pulled out the snack from your bag, “You want some? I only got the oats, though.”

“Keep it to yourself,” he rolled his eyes, slapping his hands over his knees before rummaging over something behind the counter. “Fine. If Geto said he’s okay with you, then you’re hired.”

“Really, that easy?” your eyes widened, but then you chuckled when this strange man glared at you in response. He sighed as he pulled out a piece of paper, a pen on top of it. The papers read something about application forms and credentials, and you beamed, happily writing your information away with a slight bounce in your toes.

Unable to keep your happiness to yourself, you looked back at the bored man, wiggling your eyebrows playfully. “Huh. I was kind of expecting you would grill me – you’ve got that scary look in your eye. Let me guess, you often scare clients off?”

It seemed he could never get tired of glaring at you, because his eyes fuelled with heat as he leaned against the wall.

You hated to admit that he looked ridiculously handsome like that – the guy wasn’t even doing anything remotely attractive in the first place!

“I’m the most booked artist here, and I ask that you don’t get too comfortable with me. You haven’t even started working here and you’re already riling up on my train,” he groaned when you merely laughed in response. He made quick work of signing something in your form before handing you a key. “Here’s for your locker. Come to work tomorrow. Geto won’t be around for a week so I’ll be the one judging your performance. If you fuck up in the slightest – I won’t hesitate to fire you, you understand? We always have Yuuji coming around anyway, you’re really not that needed for the front desk.”

“Oh,” you nodded at his harshness, unsure whether to feel threatened or amused. “O-okay. I’ll do my best then. I look forward to you – ah, wait, what’s your name?”

“Fushiguro Megumi.”

“Oh, that’s a pretty name,” you muttered to yourself, uttering his name over and over again until it rolled smoothly on your tongue. “Shame you have a shitty attitude along with that handsome face, though.”

“You trying to say something?”

You faced him, about to laugh when he scowled at your not-so-subtle comments. Waving your hands to him, you made your way out the door, your smile only irritating him further. “No, I wasn’t. I’ll be taking my leave then – see you tomorrow!”

Seems like working in a tattoo studio wouldn’t be so bad.

You came to work the next day early and pumped with adrenaline. The idea of meeting the moody tattoo artist caused you to be giggly and happy the whole day, not even feeling the exhaustion of a long day of hard work as you made your way inside the shop.

Clocking in at exactly two in the morning, you proudly tugged your name badge on top of your left breast, patting it for good luck.

The bells jingled, making you look away from your tag. “Good morning – oh, where’s Megumi?” The man standing in front of you was taller than Megumi, his head nearly knocking over the doorframe if it wasn’t for his poor, slouched lanky frame.

He had white hair that brushed atop his cerulean blue eyes, and your eyes widened because wow, he was beautiful.

“Hey, you must be Y/N! Megumi told me you came around yesterday but he didn’t tell me the counter girl was this pretty,” He was in front of you the next second, his nose nearly grazing over yours that had you leaning back into the wall for space. “Hmm...he didn’t tell me that at all.”

“Oh, thank you. You are...?”

“I’m Gojo Satoru, one of the senior artists here. Since Megumi isn’t here yet, let me give you a tour!” Before you could react, Satoru already had an arm wrapped around your shoulder, his other arm waving and pointing to all the hung paintings and labels on each door. You found it odd that he treated you like you were an old friend, but you weren’t going to complain. Nice co-workers were always welcomed.

“Here is the holding area where clients wait to get their session done. This is Geto’s studio and right next to that is his office where he does all the finances and all that jazz, while this is my studio. Cool, isn’t it?”

Your mouth fell ajar as Satoru led you inside his studio, the walls painted the same aquatic shade of his eyes, but what caught your attention was the galaxy themed tattoo designs he made. They came in different shapes – a volcano head, a dragon, a worm, a four-armed monster – but inside them were all galaxies with sparkling and burning stars. You could see everything and nothing all at the same time.

“Whoa, you made all this?!”

Satoru’s chest puffed out proudly, “Yeah, I did. I’m flattered by your reaction, I really am, but you haven’t seen Megumi’s yet. There’s a reason our salon boomed even though he’s only been working here for two years.”

At the mention of his name, your interest was piqued, all ears and curious smiles directed to Satoru. “Oh, can I see Megumi’s studio?”

“You can – if you book an appointment.”

“But I don’t plan on getting any tattoos,” you frowned.

“You’ll never get to see his work then,” he chuckled to himself, the sound growing louder when you visibly deflated. What was the point of getting your hopes up like that then? “Megumi doesn’t like letting others in his studio without permission or an appointment.”

“Why not?”

“He’s just iffy about it,” he shrugged, “Don’t bother trying to decode his personality anymore, Megumi’s very hard to understand. Though if I were to make sense of it...” he rubbed his chin, eyes looking out into the distance. “I guess you could say Megumi’s not the type to be showy when it comes to his work of art. Did that clear it up?”

You blinked back blankly. “No, not really. But it’s fine – I don’t plan on getting to know him anyway.”

That was the biggest lie of your life.

The moment Megumi came around a few minutes later, a loud groan upon your animated greeting over his arrival, your chest bloomed with a different kind of fluttery warmth. He rarely came out after that, clients swarming in to both his and Satoru’s studios, but each faint glimpse of his door cracking open that allowed you to see him focused as he worked, you could no longer deny the heat burning down your legs.

You crushed on the grumpy tattoo artist.

And the more you came around work, greeting him zealously and teasing him to no end that he’d look hotter if he smiled, your crush only intensified for him – completely unaware that he too, couldn’t get his thoughts off of you even with his door closed.

In fact, he kept his door closed all the time because your voice distracted him too much.

“Hey, Y/N, you free?”

You looked up from the textbook you were reviewing, slamming it shut when Satoru’s head peeked out from his studio. He was still wearing gloves with a pen between his fingers, most likely still in the middle of a session.

“Yep! We don’t have appointments yet and I’ve already closed it for non-appointees. Did you need me to get you something?”

“Yeah, could you get Megumi for me? He isn’t picking his phone up and one of our special clients are coming soon. I’m packed right now so I can’t fetch him. I’ll send you the address and you get him, yeah? Just open the counter if you need money for a cab.”

You blinked owlishly at him. On one side, you’d be more than glad to see Megumi again. He hadn’t arrived despite it being four in the morning already, and you were worried, but you also didn’t have his number to ask how he was doing. Progress with Megumi was...slow, to say the least.

He still holed himself up in his studio, coming out only for bathroom breaks, although you noticed a drastic improvement when he finally began to mutter an almost shy “good morning” under his breath for the past few weeks.

It wasn’t much, but you’d have to make do.

“Uhm, when is this client of his coming? Should I run...?”

“Yeah, you need to fucking run. They’re coming in an hour and a half!” Satoru exclaimed, flailing his hands around like a madman.

Even after working with him for some time, you still couldn’t believe the older man was practically a man child, even asking for head pats sometimes. He would lean down with a pout, using a squeaky voice to call your attention, which always succeeded in Megumi fake gagging before he locked himself inside his studio.

“Forwarded you his address. Really sorry for the inconvenience, Y/N!”

“It’s okay!” you jumped out of your seat in an instant, not bothering to take your name tag off anymore as you left the salon, hailing the nearest cab.

Megumi lived quite far from the salon, which had you wondering why he chose to work there when there were plenty of salons in his area too. His place looked shady, as well, his apartment in a high-rise building with endless graffiti and several drunk stragglers hooting for you.

You ignored them all, taking two steps at a time from his staircase, your hands on your knees as you panted for air. Why did he have to live on the tenth floor?

“Megumi! Megumi!” you banged your fist on the door, throat parched from your sudden cardio session. You were sure you burned ten calories just from that sprint, and you sighed in relief when Megumi swung the door open, still looking handsome – and sleep-deprived – as ever in his black shirt and black skinny jeans.

“What?” he demanded. After seeing that it was you, he quickly snatched a water bottle and passed it your way, closing his door behind him. “Y/N? What are you doing here? How’d you know where I live?”

“Satoru said you had a really important client. You weren’t picking your phone up so he sent me to come get you.”

“It’s my day off,” he grumbled, answering your silent questions, your worries dissipating into thin air. Once you’d satisfied yourself by basically dunking the entire bottle, Megumi rolled his eyes, his hands flat on the small of your back while he guided you downstairs. The sudden touch flamed your cheeks; a stupid smile on your face. You were shameless, though, leaning back closer to him in the darkness of the early morning. “Why does he send a girl out of all people?”

“Something wrong with that?”

“It’s unsafe. My neighbourhood isn’t the best and who knows what would’ve happened to you if some goons came out?” Megumi hailed for a back, surprising you when he let you get in first and paid for the fee despite your outstretched hand prepared with the bills. “I can’t believe Sukuna chose this day to come of all times. I can never get a damn break.”

“Sukuna?”

“A special client. He’s a really huge tipper and comes on odd schedules – I didn’t think he’d come now.”

“Yeah, I checked the papers and he wasn’t there,” you frowned to yourself.

Megumi pressed his head against the window, eyes closed as his chest heaved up and down rhythmically. With the sun slowly shining from behind you, the golden stretches of it outlined his sharp features you adored, and you rested your chin on your palms, eyelashes fluttering at his beauty. “You know, Megumi, you’re really pissy sometimes – but you’re quite nice, aren’t you? I’d say you were even worried for me.”

He cracked one eye open, those blue eyes still shining with irritation, but make no mistake since his ears were flushed red. “I’m not. I just don’t want to be involved in a police investigation if they find your body near here.”

“How sweet of you.”

“Shut up.”

You and Megumi were beginning to get closer. You couldn’t pinpoint where he started to grow more comfortable with you, but it was definitely there and it was painfully evident that even someone stupid like Satoru noticed the sexual between you two.

He would always sniff the air whenever you and Megumi sat next to each other during lunch breaks, a wide grin on your face while Megumi buried his face in his hands, groaning because he knew the moment Satoru opened his mouth, nothing but dumb comments would come out. And dumb comments they were; the white-haired man merciless as he teased Megumi for acting like a cute little kid around you.

You never took it to heart, though. It was Megumi you were talking about; he was hot and cold; sweet then distant from one moment then an entire person the next.

Not that you minded, it only added to your fuelling crush on him, but you couldn’t control the way your heart fluttered every time Satoru whispered that he did like you, excusing that Megumi just wasn’t the best with words. Apparently, Megumi had spent too much time holed up in his apartment and studio that he had zero to little knowledge on how to talk to pretty girls – especially one that was clearly attracted to him as well.

Satoru encouraged you to go for it – that you should confess or break the ice first otherwise Megumi would never do anything about his raging boner every time you came around.

You only flushed at his statement, but you couldn’t deny that you too felt the same way.

One morning where Satoru and Geto were out restocking supplies, you and Megumi were left alone in the salon. Of course, he still resorted in the comfort of his studio, muttering under his breath that he wanted to try some designs before disappearing. Only this time, he left the door slightly open, the lights peeking through the slight crack.

Walking up to him with muted footsteps, you leaned over his shoulder, glancing over a sketch of...you? “Are you drawing me?”

Megumi yelped at your voice right next to his ear, throwing the paper away on the other side of the room before glaring at you. You laughed at his reaction, because how was it possible he was both so criminally sexy yet adorable? He looked terribly gorgeous today, as well, wearing a short sleeved black hoodie and black sweatpants, looking so comfortable and boyfriend like – and you couldn’t even begin to express your appreciation over his new lip piercing.

“Why do you always sneak up on me?” he snapped, “Didn’t I tell you I wanted privacy?”

“Then why aren’t you pushing me away?”

Megumi sighed exasperatedly, turning back to organize his pencils before glaring at you. “What do you want? Got no one else to bother since Satoru isn’t around?”

“I just wanted to see your art,” you mentioned, but kept your eyes directed on him instead of the plethora of sketches and designs hanging from his wall as to not offend him. “Satoru told me to never come inside. He said you’re really...private when it comes to your works,” you furrowed your brows at the last part, feeling your heart beat pulse at your tongue.

It was now or never.

“Can I see your tattoos too?”

“Why do you want to see them?”

“A work of art on a canvas who’s also a work of art himself?” you finally gained confidence to tease him again, getting riled up further when Megumi stiffened at your curious hands travelling under his shirt. His breath sharpened as his glare only deepened, though he didn’t make a move to stop you. “Why wouldn’t I want to see that?”

“Being flirty doesn’t work on you. It’s not cute.”

“You’re blushing though,” you remarked. Megumi groaned and pushed your face away until your buttocks landed on his recliner. Satisfied with Megumi not completely kicking you out, you swung your legs back and forth, still staring at his hoodie as if it was an offensive material.

“Can I...see?” Megumi rolled his eyes before he lifted his shirt up, revealing to you intricate patches of black ink splattered over ripples of muscles. Your mouth salivated, and somewhere down there, you drooled too. Tentatively, your hands reached out to finger the image of canines, Megumi shuddering over your cold touch on his warm skin. “It’s beautiful. What does it mean?”

Megumi pursed his lips before whispering, “These are the dogs I had as a child. My father got me them so I wouldn’t be too lonely when he’s away from work.”

“They’re very pretty. They look like black and white wolves,” you smiled, elated that he was opening up in more ways than one. Your touch flitted over to a winged creature under his left collarbone, small letters beside the image. “And this bird? Nue? He’s so majestic,” Your hands never stopped in trailing over his skin like a lost wanderer, sweeping over ink ink until Megumi completely discarded his hoodie to the side, his back faced to you.

A white viper tattoo stood large on his broad back, crawling until over his shoulder with the fangs ending just above his pecs. Megumi swallowed at each slivering touch, your fingers dipping and caressing every dent and curve of his body.

You couldn’t get your eyes off of him, your breath hitching in your throat as one of your hands gripped his biceps subconsciously. “You’re so beautiful.”

Megumi stiffened when your thumbs grazed over his nipple right next to the viper’s fang. Almost as if a switch was triggered inside him, Megumi growled, ducking to capture your lips with his in a sloppy, heated kiss. His hands tugged at the ends of your hair to arch your neck to him, his knees slapping your legs open before he settled comfortably between you, his low groans mixing with your breath moans.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. From the moment I met you,” he nibbled your lips, hands trailing down to thumb at your hipbones. “I knew that innocent good girl look was nothing but an act.”

You smiled through the kiss, a tiny gasp falling from your lips when Megumi pulled you closer until your heat grinded against the hardness inside his pants. Laughing at his harsh movements, you let Megumi tilt your head back, his lips sucking and teeth gently nipping at the sensitive flesh of your neck.

“Innocent girl?” you echoed, legs now wrapped around his waist to pull him closer. “What makes you think I am?”

“White lace panties? Short tennis skirts and sunshine smiles?” Megumi clenched his teeth, his hands eager as he tugged the white lace down until it looped to your ankles. You gasped, back arching when he thrusted two fingers inside you, curling and fingering against your bumpy walls. “You’re not fooling anyone, baby, especially not me.”

“Took you long enough to understand I wanted you though,” you chuckled through broken moans, eyes shut tight while your legs opened wider, heels digging into the hard cushion of his seats. “I was wondering when I’d get to break you from that tough guy act of yours and have you fuck me good,” Megumi growled at your words. You leaned forward to scratch at his chest, your tongue licking the shell of your ear as you rasped, “And on a side note, I am a good girl – only to those who can make me feel good, of course.”

Megumi cupped his palm to collect your arousal dripping of his, finally shutting you up when his fingers grazed over your sweet spot that had you clenching around him. And those were just his fingers. “You’re something else, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I know,” you nodded smugly, hands coming up to tug harshly at his hair. Megumi hissed at the sharp pain, prompting him to fuck his fingers in and out of you faster until you leaked down to his chair, thighs trembling and your high-pitched moans coating the walls of his stupid. “Megumi, ah! Just shut up and fuck me already – been wanting you long enough.”

“Needy little girl,” He pressed you down on the reclining seat, settling between your legs before he spread your lips open with two thumbs. At the sight of your bare cunt clenching around nothing, Megumi groaned, teeth biting his lip because he could cum right then and there. “Fuck, look at you. So wet already,” he ran a hand over your slit to collect your arousal, eyes dark with lust as your juices webbed between his fingers. “All this for me? You’re so good.”

“Fuck – yeah, yeah I am,” you leaned back harder into the seat, groping at your own breasts while you nodded dumbly, too fucked out to even form a coherent response. “Going to be good for you, Megumi, gonna make you feel good.”

“Sorry, babe, maybe next time. I’m too impatient to not feel your pussy around me,” he pushed away at your hands that planned to pump his cock, his hand coming down to push you hard against the seat until his weight loomed over you.

You felt Megumi begin to align his tip at your center, dampening his mushroom head with your arousal first that had you both moaning left and right.

Hands scratching down his back as your teeth dug into your lips, Megumi pushed into you with one thrust, the sudden stretch making your legs shake and your body writhe underneath him. “Shit, why are you so tight? So fucking warm and perfect,” he rasped next to your ear, and you could hear how hard he was breathing as he thrusted into you, his cock hitting all the right places. “Could fuck this pretty pussy all day, baby, shit.”

“Me-Megumi – t-too big!”

“Shh, you’ll be fine. You’ll take it like a good girl, won’t you?” he cupped your cheek, grinning sinisterly as he watched the way your greedy walls sucked him in. “See how you take me so well? You’re so small and pretty wrapped around my cock. I could break you if I wanted you,” he growled, his hands gripping hard at your hips when you clenched around him, enticing the man above you to quicken his pace.

Megumi watched with a lust filled gaze as your breasts bounced at the relentless pace he started, his balls slapping at your ass. “Oh, you’d want that, wouldn’t you? You want to be stuffed with my fat cock in you? Fuck you until you’re a drooling mess? You’re so gorgeous when I fuck you stupid.”

“Yes, Megumi, agh. Keep going, keep going, I’m so close!”

“Oh, you feel like heaven around me,” he praised at your neck, his cock stretching you wide and pushing into you. Megumi groaned lowly at your ear as his palms flattened over your stomach that bulged every time he thrusted in, his balls tightening at the sight. “Look at how big I am for you, baby, but you’re doing so well. You were made for me – made to take my cock, shit, you’re so perfect around me. Gonna make you feel good, yeah? You’re such a good girl for me. Cum, baby, that’s right – I’m allowing you to cum.”

“Gumi, Gumi, fuckkk,” your legs tightened around him as Megumi panted with each harsh thrust, the black marks over his skin expanding and stretch when his forearm rested beside your head. His muscles clenched as he fucked into you deep, over and over again until he pushed you over the edge.

A silent sob left your lips when you came around him, your juices creaming around his cock. A few thrusts later, Megumi fell on top of you as you felt him spill his seed inside you.

He had too much that you felt both your cum dripping down your ass; Megumi pulling out with a slight wince from the oversensitivity. You struggled to catch your breath as you laid there, legs wide open and the cool air hitting your bare pussy. The door was still open, and Satoru and Geto could walk in on you both looking like this, but you couldn’t care, not when you could barely feel your legs.

You dropped your arm over your face, hearing Megumi pull his pants back up. “That was...”

“Intense?”

“Yeah,” you chuckled, wincing as you sat up. Your hair stuck to your forehead in sweaty clumps, dawning on you now that you were still very much covered in your sticky cum. You recoiled from the seats as you realized Megumi hadn’t even put on a towel underneath.

“Shit. Is this chair even clean?”

“I sanitize it every after session. Don’t worry about it,” he rolled his eyes, his tattoos covered and hidden from your sight once more when he pulled his hoodie over his head. Megumi retrieved a clean towel from his drawers and wiped at your sensitive pussy, your legs immediately closing around his hands when the towel accidentally grazed your clit.

Megumi gripped your knees with a silent glare. “Stay still. I’m cleaning you up.”

“I didn’t peg you as an aftercare guy. Thought you would leave me hanging here,” you teased, but really, you were feeling warm all over again as you watched Megumi wipe you all the way down to your other hole, your legs still tensing up.

Once he left to wash his hands, you could relax, tugging your panties back up with immense struggle. He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d fuck you good – you could barely feel your legs now.

“And have you make a mess by ruining my seat?” he sighed as he returned, helping you seady yourself while he snapped the slightly soaked panty back to your core. “No thanks.”

“You’re so mean, Megumi. I’m hurt.”

He rolled his eyes at your pout, leaning down to kiss you square on the lips. This time around, the kiss wasn’t rushed; it was slow and sensual, firm yet gentle, and his hands carefully massaged your sore hips that would soon bruise from his grip before.

“No, you’re not,” he mumbled through your lips, mimicking that lovesick smile on your face as he pulled away. “But babe, you know the rules. Now that you’ve seen my work of art – what tattoo would you like me to give you? My name on your inner thigh?”

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