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#Taupe has Opinions
foxfinding · 11 months
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I would find it so much easier to care about the people in the submarine, if I wasn't constantly fucking seeing headlines about ships going missing that were full of refugees and asylum seekers.
Like- look. Realistically?
Everyone in that sub is dead, and they are never going to be found.
But. All these rich dipshits who have never had a consequence in their lives, who willingly chose to sign a waiver and hop into a seriously unsafe submersible for funzies and bragging rights, like-
They still live in a different fucking world than everyone else.
They have multiple governments and military organisations and others "the private sector" working together trying to find them.
(I do know that there are lots of people who do really care about helping refugees and asylum seekers, "private sector" and NGOs and sometimes governments and stuff.)
I just...
I don't fucking care about these stupid fucking rich people.
I'm angry, that they decided to do something stupid and the world is apparently desperate to save these five people, and not...
All the fucking people who sign up for dangerous conditions because they are scared and desperate and hopeful.
I'm angry, that there are posts like
"Do you know how awful it would be to die like that? Have empathy!!!"
Like.
No?
I don't really care how cold that sounds.
I have limited emotional energy, and I choose to spend it ...not on fucking loser billionaires who thought they were fucking invincible.
I choose use my emotional energy to have empathy for the people who were seeking help and didn't fucking get it.
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a-taupe-fox · 27 days
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It sucks when the fandom at large decides that your favourite evil character actually didn't do anything wrong, and was just misunderstood and deserve support and a second chance...
STOP REDEEMING MY FAVOURITE VILLAINS!!!!
Let my beautiful twisted evil babies stay twisted and evil!
-Same goes for characters with ambiguous/dubious moral codes.
Let them be complicated and inconsistent and contradictory!
Let characters make choices that will not redeem them or help them """improve""" in any way!!!
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For those that haven't read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I want to highlight a couple passages that really cement Snow's character to me. While I loved the movie and thought it was a fantastic adaptation, in my opinion it characterizes Snow in a better light than the book does. (That's the hard part of adapting a novel that tells a story through internal dialogue though, right).
This passage is from pg. 438 and takes place during the lake trip that Snow and the Covey make in District 12.
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This next passage is found THREE pages later on pg. 441, while Snow is questioning Lucy about Billy Taupe.
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In three pages he goes from thinking that love can conquer all to thinking he's made a mistake becoming attached to Lucy Gray.
And he does these mental gymnastics constantly, throughout the entire novel. Everything from his relationship with Sejanus to his attitude toward Dr. Gaul to what he wants for his future. Back and forth and back and forth.
There are a few constants though, such as his obsession with power and control, his bias against all things district, and the duplicity he laces throughout every interaction.
Every thought he has and action he takes, he's desperately trying to guarantee that Snow lands on top.
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starcrossedxwriter · 8 months
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Wicked Fantasies Part 5 (MBJ x OC)
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Warnings: Slow burn, NSWF… All the past warnings and series warnings apply lol this is just pure filth lol not gonna lie.
“Bonjour Mademoiselle Turner. Welcome to Le Hotel Shangri-La Paris. We hope you had a pleasant travel experience? I know you must be tired.” 
As if her body wanted to respond to the concierge who was leading her through the hotel, her only response was a deep yawn that made him hum in agreement. 
“Sorry… the jet lag is rough.” She had been so anxious on the flight that she had barely slept. She had thought of a million random things… the dangers of traveling alone, even though she was meeting someone else, how much time Michael would actually have to spend with her, if it was even safe to travel halfway around the world with a man she met a little over a month ago, how she knew precious little about what even they were going to do for a week. She had just boarded a flight and asked little to no questions. Once she was on the flight, it dawned on her that if something went wrong, she knew nothing and no one there. Just Michael. But still, despite those practical concerns, she did not regret the decision. She was hopeful that it was going to be as amazing as she imagined it would be as she prepared all week.
She took a sip of the glass of champagne they gave her upon arrival. She could now fully understand why the wealthy were so determined to remain so if this was how they lived. This was high living, high cotton as her grandma used to say. From the moment she stepped out of her apartment building to right now, she had not had to use her brain to think of a single thing. Everything was taken care of. She had not even touched a single piece of her luggage since she left the apartment. When she landed in Paris, she had a moment of panic as she realized she did not know how to get to her hotel. She was about to make a beeline toward a taxi when she spotted a burly driver holding a sign up with her name who took her straight to the hotel. 
The hotel was something plucked straight out of every novel she had ever read about kings and queens, a converted palace drenched in finery and elegance. The marble hallways gilded in gold, tall ceilings donned with crystal chandeliers. It was as if she had stepped back in time and was headed to a ball. And it had all been thoughtfully arranged by a certain prince. 
“Well, Mr. Jordan ensured your suite would be ready when you arrived so you can rest. Though I tend to recommend remaining awake if you can. We are in a fantastic location. There is much to see and do and we have a car here for you. Monsieur Martin, the gentleman who picked you up from Charles de Gaulle? He will be your driver during your stay. He can take you anywhere you’d like.” 
“Thank you.” 
“This,” the man opened the door to her suite. “Is our suite Chaillot.” He pushed open the door and held it so Raven could enter first, her eyes widening as she took in the suite. 
She stood in the living room, sitting her backpack on the couch as she scanned the space. The entire room felt serene, designed in shades of taupe and teal that made the space feel extremely homey for a hotel. Her hand rubbed the soft velvet fabric of the couch as she glanced around, her eyes landing on the French doors that led to her terrace. 
“Ah the best part, in my opinion,” he smiled as he watched her take a step toward the terrace. He walked over to the double doors that led to the wraparound terrace and pushed them open. 
Raven followed him outside, her eyes landing on the Eiffel Tower in the distance. She was shocked at how close it was, just over the river. 
“A perfect view of our crown jewel. Mr. Jordan’s suite and this one have my favorite views in the hotel. Some would argue that Bonaparte’s apartment has the best view but I must disagree.”
“That is spectacular,” she muttered as she leaned against the concrete railing. Paris had always been on her bucket list, one of those cities and destinations that everyone went to and raved about. She wondered if it would live up to the hype and it was already exceeding it. 
“Would you like us to set up breakfast out here for you in the morning? 9 a.m.?”
“Yes, please.” 
“Excellent. I will leave you to rest.” A knock at the door interrupted him. “Oh there are your bags. Please call down to the concierge if you would like the car brought around for you or if you need anything else. Mr. Jordan asked me to give you this,” he handed her a card from his pocket. “I hope you enjoy your stay with us and your time in Paris.”
He opened the door and helped the men place her two suitcases into the bedroom before giving her a nod and closing the door behind him. She had likely gone overboard packing but she wanted options. 
Raven stared at the door for a few moments before turning to get a 360 view of the suite. She tapped the card on her palm as she walked to the bedroom. She kicked off her sneakers and promptly flopped down onto the bed with a content giggle. 
“What the fuck is my life right now?” She whispered. 
She opened the envelope and smiled as she read his writing. 
Welcome to Paris. Kept me on my toes wondering if you were gonna come, not gonna lie. Figured you’d want the day to rest and I have press and events until late tonight. I set up treatments for you at the spa starting at 4 and got you a day pass so you can relax by the pool there. Enjoy the night and I’ll come by when I get back if you’re still awake.
Michael
Raven let out the most childish squeal of her life before letting her arm fall onto the bed. She had made an agreement with herself on the plane that she was going to indulge in all the luxuries Michael offered and she could afford to. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and, she knew, the only one she would get with Michael before they broke up. She was determined to enjoy every second of it. And she appreciated that he seemed to know a day of pampering was exactly what she needed. 
She glanced around, realizing she still had almost six hours until her spa treatments. She quickly grabbed another athleisure set from her bag and hopped in the shower. After a quick but still luxurious shower, she felt slightly more awake and refreshed and slid back on her shoes to go on a walk. She grabbed her wallet and AirPods before heading to the lobby. 
“Mademoiselle, would you like me to have the car brought around?” The concierge asked as she walked through the lobby. 
However, she quickly shook her head. “No, I think I’ll just walk. Thanks!” 
She would certainly get plenty of use out of the car while she was there but today, she just wanted to roam. She wanted to see the shops and people watch and just enjoy being in a new city. She put in her headphones and slid on her sunglasses before venturing down a random side street. Naturally, her feet gravitated toward the Eiffel Tower. She spent over two hours roaming the expansive parks surrounding it, getting a million pictures of the tower and selfies by the river. She knew she was giving strong tourist vibes but she could not hope to care.
She stopped for lunch at this small sandwich shop and bought a crepe from a street vendor for her walk back. By the time she returned, it was almost time for her spa evening. Not only was she thankful for the manicure, pedicure, facial, and massage, she was grateful Michael once again arranged everything for her. She was far too tired to use her brain for anything useful. She knew she was beyond exhausted when she laid down on the massage table and was asleep before the man even truly started. She only remembered him touching her shoulders before he had to wake her up and tell her the two hours were done. But every muscle in her body felt 10x more relaxed than when she first laid down so she knew it had been a success. 
She almost forewent dinner but was able to stay awake long enough to order and wait for room service. However, as soon as she finished eating, she settled into the couch and dozed off. She did not take the extra steps to get in the bed or put her phone on sleep mode because she did not want to miss Michael knocking on her door when he was back. Though she knew he would happily wait until tomorrow to see her just so he did not wake her up, she did not want that. She wanted to see him… tonight. 
And she was not disappointed when a loud knock jolted her out of her sleep. She quickly jumped up and wiped her mouth, feeling a bit of drool from her deep sleep. 
“Gross,” she muttered as her body protested getting up. 
She ran her fingers through her hair, which she had gotten blown out and pressed before the trip, knowing she had messed it up slightly by forgetting to wrap it before falling asleep. She almost tripped over her backpack to get to the door and swing it open. 
“Hey.” 
“Hi,” she offered with a smile, attempting to hide some of the excitement she felt at seeing him. 
“Didn’t mean to wake you… know it’s late.” 
She stepped aside so he could enter. “Don’t worry about it. You invited me, seems like I could stay awake long enough to say hi. This suite is insane. You could’ve just put me up in a regular room in a hotel that doesn’t cost thousands a night, you know?” 
She gave him a quick once over as he walked into the suite and perched on the arm of the couch. He was in a gorgeous red suit, perfectly tailored to his form as if it was his own skin. He looked sexy as fuck. But she could tell he was just as, if not more, exhausted than her. His usual perfect posture lacked a bit, his shoulders hunched over as if he could not hold them up any longer. His lips were tugged down in a frown and his nose was scrunched up a bit, which he typically only did when something was wrong. 
He merely shrugged and winked at her. “Maybe a regular nigga woulda done that. But that ain’t me. Have a good flight and everythin’?” 
She yawned. “Yea, didn’t sleep much but first class was…” she did the motion to say chef’s kiss causing Michael to grin brightly. 
It had only been a week but he missed her. Getting to see her this week had been the light at the end of this hellish tunnel of a press tour. He loved his job, he was living his dream and he was beyond blessed to do so. But the grind was exhausting. He had been working nonstop for almost a decade, between projects and press tours, he went and never stopped. Perhaps because he was on the most important run of his career, the pressure, the exhaustion, the weight of it all felt like tons on his back this time around. But with Raven here, he would have a reprieve, however brief each day. He could be whoever he needed to be with her and that was the rest he did not know he needed until he stood in her presence. 
“Walked around for a couple hours. Got a crepe just on the side of the road… which I’m gonna gain like 100 pounds this week between that and the pastries. The spa treatments were amazing… well, at least the ones I was awake for,” they both laughed. “Thank you for this. Seriously. Haven’t had a vacation in a while..”
“Good, I’m glad. And I know, that’s why I invited you. Glad you’re here. Oh I wanted to give you this,” he pulled out his wallet and slid out his Black card and put it in her hand. 
The mere weight of the card in her hand let her know the limit on it did not exist. 
She held it up between two of her fingers. “What’s this for?” 
“A couple things. I got a photoshoot tomorrow. Got one surprise for you in the morning but then it’s all you until the late afternoon. Then I got reservations for us for dinner. Whatever you wanna do, charge it to that card. Day after, my stylist is gonna take you shopping. All his favorite shops, they’ll pull pieces. He is instructed to ensure you buy anything you like. Don’t argue. In fact…” He glanced around for a moment and eyed her wallet on the dining table before grabbing it. 
“Hey!” She rushed forward and started grabbing at it but he held it over his head, knowing she was too short to take it from him. He held it up and rifled inside it, finding every card that could be used as currency and the cash she brought to convert. He held those in a tight grip in his fist while putting his card in it and handing her the striped wallet that now only had his card and her ID. “Give those backkk.” 
“Not a chance. I invited you so I’m payin’ for everything. The only card you touch till you land back in LA is that one. And you’ll get these back when we get home. Understood?” 
“I can’t accept that! I will happily pay for whatever I want to do when we aren’t together.” 
“You can and will accept it. I order you to,” his hand grabbed her chin to force her eyes to his. 
“I’m not on my knees… who says you can give orders right now?” She smirked at the way his eyes seemed to light up at her sass, her bratty attitude. 
He chuckled. “I see someone already forgot they have a punishment waitin’ huh? You wanna add to it?” 
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she offered with a innocent smile. 
Michael tucked that away for later. Once she got over that little jet lag, he was going to tear that ass up. 
“Besides, the stores he’s takin’ you to… well, they ain’t all just for you. There’s one store where he’ll wait outside. A lingerie boutique. The staff is under specific instructions not to let you leave without, at least, one set for every night of the week. Figured I should get somethin’ out of this shopping spree.” 
Raven’s lips turned into a playful grin. “Well that does only seem fair, I suppose. Any special requests for that particular store?” 
“One set needs to be black and gold. Otherwise, it’s all you.” 
She raised an eyebrow as she realized why he wanted her in black and gold. Visions of Erik Killmonger immediately flooded her mind and a couple of visions that she knew she could never breathe out loud. Her mental break must have been obvious because Michael waved his hand to get her attention. 
“What was that?” 
“Oh nothing, nothing,” she immediately lied and cleared her throat. 
“Nahh, none of that. Tell me or I’ll double your punishment.” 
Raven wondered if she should see how far she could take it. However, she quickly remembered that he never said exactly what the punishment was going to be so she could be playing with fire. 
“I just… maybe thought about how it’s a shame you couldn’t keep your suit… from the movie,” her eyes got quiet with embarrassment. 
Michael let out a barking laugh that made her cover her face with her hands in embarrassment. 
“Baby girl, if you wanna role play, just say so.” 
She shrugged. “Eh without the hair,” she gestured up at his freshly cut fade. “It’s not the same.” 
“Really, it’s the hair?” he asked. 
She shrugged. “I mean no, it’s 100% the abs and your face. Like no one’s getting wet just cause of the hair,” she chuckled. “But the hair is the difference between you fuckin’ me as you and you sellin’ the fantasy that Erik is fuckin’ me. Otherwise it’ll just be you with a deeper voice and ruder tone,” she waved her hand dismissively. “But just… remember me for Black Panther 3 when you gotta grow the hair out again. Won’t even charge you for that date, promise.”  
He bit down the retort that he could never forget her. 
“Deal.” They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before he cleared his throat. “Um. Friday through Sunday is all us. Do some research, let me know if there’s anything you wanna do. Figured we could hit all the big tourist things and shit. But it’s up to you. Never asked you - you been here before?” 
Raven shook her head. “Nah, went to Amsterdam after I got my MFA to celebrate but my passport hasn’t seen much love since,” she admitted. 
“MFA?”
“Masters in Fine Arts. That’s when I wrote my manuscript for my book.”
“Learn somethin’ new about you every day.”  
“I’ll do some googling, talk to my driver and see what he thinks we should do.” 
“Aight. Sounds like a plan. I’m gonna let you go to bed.” He stood up again and started to walk toward the door. 
Though she desperately needed sleep, she could not help the way her face fell at the idea of him leaving. “We aren’t gonna…” 
The disappointment on her face, those perfect puppy eyes she gave him, likely with no conscious thought on her end, made him want to amend his statement. This girl? She would be the end of him but a glorious end indeed. However, he knew he shouldn’t and that she deserved a night to actually get sleep this week. 
“Oh I plan on fuckin’ you on every surface in this room and mine for the next week. Don’t worry. But not tryin’ to have you fall asleep on me. Take tonight, get situated and get over the jet lag.” 
“Understood.” 
He leaned on the door handle for a moment before turning to her. “Don’t fall asleep on the couch again,” he warned. “Get in bed… bad for your back. And you’re gonna need all your limbs workin’at their best this week. See you tomorrow.” 
She merely giggled as he opened her door and left. However, before the door slammed shut, she ran forward and stuck her head in the hall searching for him. 
“Hey!” She called after him, causing him to turn around at the end of the hallway. “Thank you again… for all of this.” 
“Don’t mention it.” He threw her his boyish grin before disappearing into the elevator. 
***
“A bit early for a summons, don’t you think?” Raven moaned playfully as she walked out onto Michael’s terrace. The sun sat high in the sky, a slight breeze making the late fall morning a bit frigid. 
He merely laughed and gestured toward the empty seat across from him, the table outside heavy laden with breakfast foods. 
“Have a late start today, figured we could eat breakfast. How’d you sleep? Feelin’ alright?” She could hear the cockiness in his voice. 
Raven’s eyes narrowed. “Like a baby… never felt better. Thanks for asking.”
While that was not necessarily true, she would not let him know that. He had done a number on her last night in all the best ways. Even as she sat there smiling at him innocently, she had to avoid shifting uncomfortably to ease the discomfort of her sore ass. Her punishment had been long and severe, her body draped over his lap as he spanked her 50 times. He had dragged it out, the spankings split up by his finger teasing her entrance but never letting her cum. That is until she was in a pool of tears with a bruised ass begging for mercy. After that, he let her cum more times than she could remember or count. It was the first time he left her with actual bruises but she did not mind, it was a punishment she would endure over and over again for those results. 
“Good to know for next time. I was goin’ easy on you. Besides, you were such a good girl last night, I have a treat for you.” 
Raven’s eyes twinkled. “The shopping spree I’m about to go on isn’t the treat?” His stylist, Brian, had sent her a list of all the stores they were going to today and Raven could not wait. She was not one to care much for labels, after all there were more important things. However, it was clear that she had free reign to shop until her heart dropped. Such a rare opportunity she knew she could not waste. 
“Nope. This one… well I think you’ll enjoy it.” 
Raven smiled as she took a sip from her cup of hot chocolate. Michael handed her a plate, piled high with fruit and pastries, which she devoured as they sat in silence. 
“How was the library yesterday?” Michael asked as he continued eating. 
Thus far, her experience had been something straight out of a novel. She could not have written a more perfect fairytale herself. She had woken up yesterday to a similar spread on her own terrace, complete with a mimosa. She listened to R&B music as she sat out there in her nightgown for over an hour. The only thing that broke her out of the peace trance was a call from the concierge letting her know her car would be ready at 11 for a surprise. 
She tried her hardest to guess what the surprise could be or coax it out of her driver but there was too much to see and do to pinpoint what Michael had set up. She had started a list of things she wanted to see when he finally had time off but she had fallen asleep with her phone in her hand. 
She still was not sure why he was going to such lengths for her. The cost of her hotel alone was more than most people made in a year. She knew the price, to him, was comparable to putting her up in a four star hotel for a regular man. However, she still struggled with accepting such extravagance, and could not stop the intrusive thoughts that questioned whether she was worth so much money and effort. After all, they were going to break up in a few months. She tried not to allow that to disappoint her every time her brain reminded her heart of that simple fact. That was what she signed up for: a relationship with a firm expiration date. Her brain knew that. Her heart though? It did not care about the practicalities of what she signed up for. It only cared for how he made her feel: wanted, appreciated, cared for. 
And that was rare air. 
Still, she could not help but wonder why he even invited her there in the first place. He mentioned no events he needed her to attend with him, no public appearances in which he needed a woman on his arm. Yesterday and today, she was on her own. He had essentially paid an exorbitant amount to give her a vacation for a week. She was itching to get to the later half of the week when they would actually be able to spend time together. When it was just the two of them, Michael became the singular space in this world where no one wanted anything from her. She could just be. Sometimes she had everything to give and sometimes, like her birthday, she had nothing. And he seemed to accept either without judgment or question. And she needed that. 
Yesterday, his surprise was a guided tour of the oldest public library in Paris, Le Bibliothèque Mazarine. Raven had a ball as she took in the insanely beautiful architecture and special collections the curator showed her. She simultaneously loved and despised him for it, for his thoughtfulness and how in tune he was with her. 
“It was gorgeous… the architecture?? God, there are so many gorgeous libraries in the world. This was certainly one of them. Can’t wait till I can afford a house and build out a giant library in the basement,” she mused. “That’s the dream.” 
Michael silently put that knowledge away for later. 
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Figured, you know, given your day job, it might be cool.” 
“It was. And it’s not just… my day job. I’ve always loved libraries. You know I used to spend hours at the library down the street from us? Holed up in a corner with a stack of books or my homework. Knew every person who worked there by name. They’d have to kick me out at closing,” she chuckled as she wiped the flakes of her chocolate croissant from her lips. “I had a favorite corner, by this window that overlooked the park across the street. You could hear the kids playing. If I wasn’t at school or at home, I was in that spot.” 
“No one ever cared that you weren’t home?” 
She scoffed, holding her mug tightly in her hands as she cozied up in her chair, one leg coming to her chest. Michael loved how relaxed she looked. She had not gotten fully ready for the day yet, no make up, her hair in a high ponytail. She was dressed in a casual dress with a slouchy oversized sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder. Her back was to the Eiffel Tower and somehow one of the most beautiful structures in the world was still eclipsed by her natural beauty. He could not take his eyes off her. 
“After my grandmother passed? Nope. And by high school, I preferred to just be out of the house anyway. Everyone just pretended like I wasn’t there so it hurt less… to just not be there. Spent time at friends’ houses or at the library or I was at school but that was really it. But it was good. When all you do is read and study, you tend to do well in school.” 
“No parties? No fun?” Michael asked, part of him not believing she engaged in nothing fun or reckless as a kid.. 
She laughed. “No, not really. I don’t think I even drank until I was in college. I was so boring back then, which is why my first career choice… well anyone who knew me would’ve thought it was an odd one.”
“Why’d you pick stripping? Plenty of ways to make money.” 
“Needed something I could do at night, after classes and my work study job. Doesn’t require past experience and the owner liked that I looked young, had the whole innocent girl doe-eyed thing going for me. I picked up on the dancing and tricks pretty quickly too. It was fun… in its own way.”
“Who taught you your moves?” 
“Monique… best dancer I ever saw. Taught me every trick in the book. She had been dancing for like 5 years when I started. Took me under her wing, I guess.” 
“Really? That’s a long time.” 
Raven shrugged, leaning on the table as she reminisced on a time that felt like eons ago. “Everyone does it for a different reason. Some don’t have much of a choice, some are working their way through something else, like I did. And some girls really liked it. Monique was a girl who really liked it. And it showed. She was saving up to open her own burlesque club, which I think she did a couple years ago.” 
“Did you like it?” 
She stared off into space for a moment before answering. “I guess it was nice to be the center of attention… the spotlight for once. I was a wallflower 20 hours a day but during my shift, I was more. Men wanted me, some of the girls wanted to be me. I didn’t hate it. I don’t miss it… but I miss who I was on that stage. The confidence, the power… it was something. Could never quite get it to translate to regular life though. Certainly couldn’t get it to translate to being a working girl,” she grimaced. “It’s just not the same though.” 
“And you never felt exploited by it? Or scared?” 
She shook her head. “Not any more than cat calling on the street makes me feel scared. First thing Monique told me when I met her - Sex is power, one of the few powers that women inherently have that men don’t. Always has been and always will be. And it's the one power that, try as they might, they can’t take away. Everyone sees it and their place in it differently. But I always remembered that they were there to see me, spend money on me. And whether they had a good night or not, whether they went home satisfied and happy, that was all my decision. And I liked that.” He liked the sparkle in her eyes as she talked about that time. “I dunno if stripping is proper breakfast conversation.” 
“It ain’t but I like it anyway. One last question… tell me your name?” At her confused expression, he clarified. “The one you used at the club.” 
“Give me my treat and I’ll tell you.” 
Michael gestured for her to stand up. “Come here.” 
She walked over to him and stood between his legs. His hands took free reign, running up her toned legs beneath her dress, tightly gripping her ass, which made her hiss in pain.
“I thought you never felt better?” 
“Shut up,” she mumbled with a small huff. 
He shifted a few of the dishes out of the way before pulling her sweatshirt and dress off, leaving her in nothing but her panties. He pushed her gently, a silent but clear instruction to lay down. 
She glanced behind her at the pastries and food. “Someone’s gonna have to clean all this up if they fall.” 
“Guess you’ll have to be careful then.” At her continued hesitation, he smiled. “I’ll leave a bigger tip for the staff, aight? Now lay tf down.” 
At his command and assurance that the staff would be compensated for their games, she gently laid back, cringing as she heard one plate crash down onto the stone floor as Michael pulled off her panties. He draped her legs over his shoulders and leaned forward in his seat, his face eye level with her prize. 
“W-what are you doing?” She asked quietly, the anticipation getting to her as he merely stared at her. She squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze.  
“About to finish breakfast,” he muttered as if it was obvious. “This is better than anything else on this table.” 
And with that, he slid a finger inside her, Raven’s back immediately arching off the table. She bit down on her lip hard to stop a moan from escaping her as he wrapped his lips around her clit. He glanced up at her and stopped. 
“I wanna hear you. And I want everyone in this hotel to hear you.” 
And with that, he devoured her. Michael loved any chance he got to taste her and find himself nestled between her thighs with her pleasure completely at his mercy. However, today was particularly special. This was the most relaxed he had ever seen her, the most at peace she had been since he met her. And it did not hurt that the backdrop for his favorite meal was the best view of his favorite city. 
One hand kept her firmly in place as she writhed on the table while the other, in sync with his tongue, did nothing short of the Lord’s work. 
Her hips rolled to meet every thrust of his fingers. 
“You like that, baby girl?” He moaned as he slid another finger inside her, both of them curling into her g-spot at a quick speed.
“F-Fuck! Yes, yes! I l-love it!” She cried out loudly, knowing her voice most certainly would carry to their neighbors. But with the promise of an orgasm at the end of this, she could not hope to care. 
Michael certainly had pushed her limitations farther than she would have expected since they started “dating.” Everything he tried, she loved. Every limit he pressed against, she yielded and every time? It exceeded her wildest dreams and fantasies. Public sex was one of those lines she always wanted to cross but knew it was too wild to do so. And yet, Michael seemed to know all her fantasies, even the ones she felt were too wild and wicked to speak out loud. 
Michael reached over and grabbed a piece of ice from the ice bucket that held a bottle of champagne. He could tell she was so consumed by his fingers that she did not even notice. But she would. 
He put the ice in his mouth while he continued to fuck her, sucking on it for a few moments before diving back in. The moment his cold lips and tongue touched her sensitive bud, she came. Fast and hard as if someone had pushed her off a cliff without warning. She could not control the loud slew of expletives that escaped her lips as he sucked, the cold temperature sending shivers of pleasure through her whole body. 
“That’s it. Scream for daddy,” he muttered as he talked her through her orgasm. However, he was far from done and far from letting her tap out as he put another cube in his mouth and pressed it directly against her clit. 
“I-It’s too m-much!” She clamped her legs around his head, her entire body nearly seizing up from the pressure and pleasure the cold provided. She tried to shy away from it, moving hastily, causing another dish to crash around them. But his firm palm on her stomach stopped her from getting away. 
“Nah, you said you were better than ever. You can take this shit. Open your fuckin’ eyes.”
She forced her eyes open as tears spilled out, “M-Michael… I-I’m g-gonna cu-cum…” 
“Let ‘em hear you. Whose pussy is this?” He demanded, lifting his head as he added another finger and hammered into her. “Look at me!” He ordered, towering over her body with such dominance that, even without him touching her, she could’ve cum on the spot. 
She locked eyes with him as he added another finger, four in total and pressed roughly into her spot. She could see her juices glistening in the sun on the hairs of his beard. She hoped he would give her a taste, she loved it when he had her to taste herself.  
“It’s yours!” She cried out loudly, louder than she would’ve liked, as she came all over his hand again. 
“That’s right. Good girl,” he talked her through her orgasm before pulling out of her. 
He held his fingers up to her face, all four completely covered in her juices. “Suck.” 
She opened her mouth immediately and propped herself up, sucking with earnestness as she enjoyed the taste of herself. 
“You like the way you taste, baby?” He asked, enjoying the feeling of her warm mouth on his fingers. 
She merely hummed her response and showed him how much by continuing to suck on his fingers. When she was satisfied she cleaned them to the best of her ability, she released them with a pop and a smile that made Michael want to fall to his knees and start over again. 
“That’s my good girl,” he whispered before leaning over and kissing her softly. 
She let out a sharp exhale before collapsing back against the table with a chuckle. 
“That was… fucking amazing,” she muttered as she laid there, completely naked, contemplating the meaning of life. “You wanna do that every morning this week?” 
“Sounds like a good ass time to me.” She started to move off the table when a strong hand gripped her thigh, halting her movements. “I didn’t tell your ass to move. Lay there till I’m done.” He picked back up his coffee mug and his phone before grabbing his previously discarded plate. 
She wanted to protest but instead she merely laid back down as instructed. From that moment until the end of his breakfast, he treated her like a mere centerpiece of the table. Something to gaze upon and fondle but nothing more. He disappeared into his bedroom once, returning a few moments later. He said nothing and offered her no explanation as he held out nipple clamps, both connected with a chain. He worked in silence as he put both of them on her erect buds before settling down to resume his coffee. Her eyes twisted up for a moment at the sharp pain before it settled down to a dull ache. With the clamps, everything felt 10 times more sensitive, even the cool breeze made her want to touch her aching boobs. But she had been scolded once already for moving so she merely laid there.
Her eyes followed his frame as he sauntered around the terrace with his coffee cup, lazily refilling it as he scrolled on his phone. His joggers sat low on his hips, showcasing that perfect V that led to one of her favorite parts of him. She licked her lips, wishing he had allowed her to taste him as he had her. Lust curled in her belly as she watched his muscles flex as he moved around. Here she was, laying on a table in the middle of Paris like a human flower arrangement, and all she could think about was how sexy he was. A God among men. 
Every so often, he would return to her and tug on the chain connecting the clamps, sending jolts of pleasurable pain right to her core. And after, he’d give her a bite of whatever pastry he was continuing to eat. She appreciated him remembering that the rest of her breakfast had been a sacrificial lamb to their activities. 
This continued until his manager called him. Michael reminded her that good girls keep quiet before he answered, putting the phone on speaker to incentivize her. She had to stifle a laugh as she heard him say he was just “enjoying a lazy morning on the terrace” before heading to an event. She listened as they talked about the film and numbers and his schedule, while he trailed pieces of ice around her nipples and under her breasts and down the soft panes of her stomach. That made her eyes roll back into her head. 
She loved nipple play. She had heard of women orgasming from that alone but she had never experienced it herself. However, as Michael talked about business, he seemed determined to get her there with that alone. The clamps increased the pleasure of every touch as he fondled her.
She thought she would draw blood as she bit down on her lip to stop the moans from escaping her as he played, contrasting the warmth of his mouth with the coldness of the ice when he had to talk. 
“Yea once we settle all this shit with the Coach deal, we’ll be set,” Alex remarked as Michael sat the phone down on Raven’s stomach so he could give each of her boobs the attention they deserved. When he bit down on the swell of her breast, she let out a groan that she prayed was barely audible. It reached his ears, she knew, but the oblivious woman on the other end did not even skip a beat. “How’s Raven enjoying Paris?” 
Michael threw her a smirk and pressed a finger to his lip as he continued doing what he was doing, Raven trying her hardest to quiet the pants of pleasure that wanted to escape. 
“Oh I think she’s enjoyin’ it just fine.” 
“I’m glad. Post something of the two of you while you’re there. Doesn’t have to be much but let’s make sure we’re getting something out of these extra four days you’re spending there instead of continuing to promote your movie.” 
Despite the fog of pleasure, Alex’s words stuck out to Raven, settling into her brain. She did not have the capacity to contemplate them too hard right then but she tucked them away for later. 
“Yes ma’am. I’ll make sure we all get somethin’ out of it. Anything else for me?” he assured her as he pulled the clamps off roughly, causing Raven to clamp her hand over her mouth to muffle the scream as the blood rushed back to her breasts. To top it off, he clamped his mouth around one of them while his fingers pinched the other, causing her whole body to convulse with her third orgasm of the day. And it was not even 10 am yet. 
“Nope, that is it. Have fun today and don’t forget to get something for your favorite manager while you’re there,” Alex continued. 
Raven felt her entire vision go white as she focused all of her attention on muffling the screams of pain and pleasure that were boiling over.
“Sounds good. Listen, I gotta go. Someone here needs my attention. Let’s talk tonight.”  
He signed off quickly, pulling Raven’s hands from her mouth so he could hear the sounds of her pleasure, which were music to his ears. He gave her a few moments to calm down before he leaned over and kissed her. 
“Now you can get up and finish your breakfast. Take your time.” 
“You’re… a menace. I hope you… know that,” she whispered, her hand pressing into her chest as she tried to calm herself down. “It’s not even lunchtime and you’re trying to kill me.” 
“Let’s not pretend like that wouldn’t be a better way to go.” He winked at her before pulling on her arm to help her sit up and disappearing inside to change into his own clothes. 
Raven took a deep breath, her hand massaging one of her aching breasts as she sat there for a moment. She finally forced herself off the table, her legs almost giving out beneath her before she collapsed into his chair. She grabbed a few pieces of fruit and a danish as she sat there, contemplating how he continued to manage to surprise her. 
She took a moment and gathered her thoughts before she slid her clothes back on just as Michael emerged back onto the terraces in a burnt orange sweater and slacks. 
“You good? Enjoyed your treat?” 
“Yea… yea I did. Can’t tell if it was more for you or me though.” 
“First part was for you, second was for me. Now you’re relaxed and can go spend all my money. Brian’ll be waiting for you downstairs in an hour. Don’t forget… black and gold.” 
“I’ll see what I can do.” She winked at him before walking past him to head back to her suite. 
***
Raven could not believe how quickly the week seemed to pass her by. She could not help but be sad that it was already almost over. Their flight home was tomorrow and despite having a week there, it did not feel like enough. She had enjoyed every single second of it, particularly the last three days with Michael. They spent those days hitting everything they could think of, the major tourist attractions and some off the beaten path. 
Michael had clearly forgone his diet for this particular trip and the pair ate any and everything that looked remotely good, particularly anything with carbs. She savored this long stretch of uninterrupted time the pair had together. At home, they just saw each other for dates and talked on the phone at night. But the last three days, they were together from breakfast until the moment he finished and she slid out of his bed to return to her own. It made her sad to leave in the middle of the night, to end their private time together, but she knew she had to. They took tons of pictures, the least curated ones they had ever taken. Neither of them cared to pretend these were for the masses and tabloids when they were just for them, their opportunity to capture those moments together. 
By the time they returned to the hotel Sunday afternoon, Raven could not hide her melancholy attitude about having to leave. 
“You good?” Michael asked as he escorted her back to her suite.
“Yea, yea,” she smiled sadly. “Just sad to be leaving. Not gonna get another experience like this for a long while,” she shrugged. “But once-in-a-lifetime experiences aren’t called that for nothing, I guess.” She leaned on the door frame of her suite. 
“Well… surprises ain’t over yet. Couple things waiting for you in there. Get some rest, make up and hair will be here at 7. Be dressed and downstairs at 8.” 
“That’s all you’re gonna give me??” 
“Wouldn’t be a surprise if I gave you anythin’ else. See you at 8.” And with that, he turned to head back to his own suite. 
Raven quickly entered her own room, racing to the bedroom to find the black and gold lingerie set she bought laying out on the bed. Next to it lay a jewelry box set and hanging on her closet door was black dress that was fit for someone heading to a ball. She opened the box to find diamond earrings and a diamond choker necklace waiting for her. 
“God I love him,” she whispered to herself as she took everything in. And she did, she loved him. She could never say it or admit it to anyone but God and herself but she did. And it was not the material things, it was his thoughtfulness… that he would even think to arrange something like this for them. That’s what she loved. And that is what she would miss when it was all said and done. 
Raven did not get any rest as Michael instructed. She merely laid in bed, scrolling on tik tok and counting down the minutes until she could get dressed. Around 6:30, she got up and got in the shower, taking her time before Michael’s team arrived. 
They worked quickly but efficiently and had her dressed and ready to go by 7:50. She spent five minutes just staring at herself in the mirror. She spun around a couple of times, examining the dramatic dress Michael had chosen for her. It was unlike anything she would have gravitated toward herself but she loved it. It was a showstopping, head turning dress. She always felt like a million bucks when she and Michael went out. But tonight? Tonight, she felt like billions. 
Brian took a couple photos of her on the terrace since the sun was setting before she left her room to meet Michael. As promised, he was waiting in the foyer for her in a black tux. It was simple but he looked gorgeous. And as she got closer, she realized the detailing on his jacket matched that of the bodice of her dress. 
She stretched her arms out as if to ask what he thought, the actor completely silent as he took her in. 
Raven bit her painted lip, fear gripping her as she mistook his silence for displeasure. “D-do you not like it?” However, before he could give her an answer, she answered for him. “It’s not what you wanted is it? Fuck. I’m sorry… I t-thought the dress was a little tight but Brian assured me it wasn’t and I knew I shouldn’t have eaten all those damn pastries and crepes this week. But I’m a slave to a crepe,” she moaned pitifully. “Not an ounce of self control. And I didn’t have good enough spanx for this type of dress. I s-should’ve known it didn’t look right. You got me this beautiful dress and I probably look like a fucking whale o-or a busted can of biscuits or something horrible. I’m sorry, I can go change?” she offered, already turning away from him to race upstairs and hide under the covers. 
However, before she made it more than two steps, a force grabbed her and pulled her back. She quickly found herself in his arms, Michael holding her flush to his chest. He kissed her deeply, silencing any more rants, concerns, or criticisms that could have fallen from her lips. He did not want to hear any of them. He pulled back to look at her, his finger on her chin to keep her eyes on his. 
“You gotta let me answer before you start spiraling, baby girl. You are exactly what I wanted and exceeded my expectations. I was speechless because I didn’t think I had the right words to describe how fuckin’ gorgeous you look.” 
“Really?” she asked quietly. 
“Really. One thing I’d never do is lie to you, hope you know that by now. You ready?” 
She nodded and allowed him to lead her out of the hotel and into their limo. They spent most of the car ride recapping the last three days and their favorite parts of the trip. 
Soon they pulled up to a restaurant and Michael led her into the elevator. It went straight up to a rooftop, one that overlooked the entire city. Paris was beautiful any time of day but night time eclipsed all the others in her opinion. 
“Bonjour Mr. Jordan,” a waiter approached them as they stepped off of the elevator. 
He led them to their table, which offered a perfect view of the city. There was a dance floor in the middle of the roof and a small stage that held a string quartet that was softly playing music. The railings were covered in string lights. 
“This place is amazing… how is it so empty?” Raven muttered to Michael as he held out her chair for her to sit. 
“Bought it out just for us.” 
Raven shook her head in disbelief. “No way…” At his completely serious face, she gasped. “Wait, you’re serious? How much did that cost??” 
“Didn’t matter. Wanted to come here and have the place and that view to ourselves.” 
Raven laughed. “That’s wild. Not mad at it though. This view probably makes it worth every penny.” Raven let out a content sigh as she stared off into the depths of Paris, not realizing that the city was not the view Michael was admiring as he muttered. 
“Yea, it does.” 
They settled into content silence as the waiter brought them a bottle of wine and let them know they would be enjoying the chef’s signature tasting menu. Slowly, course after course made its way to them as they talked and enjoyed the evening. By the time they reached dessert, Raven felt as if she was floating on a cloud that she never wanted to come down from. 
The familiar refrain from the string quartet filled her ears. “Oh I love this song,” she muttered more to herself than the man across from her. 
“You recognize it?” 
She nodded. “La Vie en Rose… I know the Louis Armstrong version but pretty sure he covered it in English from a French artist.” 
“Don’t know if I’ve heard that one before. My French is trash,” he chuckled. “What does that phrase mean?”  
“Means to see the world in pink, you know with rose colored glasses essentially. It’s a beautiful song, the lyrics are so romantic.” She paused. “Hold me close and hold me fast. This magic spell you cast… this is la vie en rose. When you kiss me, heaven sighs and though I close my eyes, I see la vie en rose. When you press me to your heart, I’m in a world apart… a world where roses bloom. And when you speak, angels sing from above… everyday words seem to turn into love songs. Give your heart and soul to me and life will always be la vie en rose.” 
The two merely stared at each other as the words settled into the space between them. Raven felt every word of that song with him. But every time she wanted to sink into that feeling, melt into him, her brain stopped her. She merely cleared her throat and chuckled, breaking the trance both of them were in. 
“Don’t ask me to sing it though,” she joked. “I’m dreadful.” She took a long, awkward sip of her wine before Michael stood up and held out his hand. 
“Dance with me.��� Since it was only them in the restaurant, the dance floor was wide open and available. 
She glanced at the string quartet as the song transitioned to XO by Beyonce. She hesitated for a moment before sliding her hand into his. He pulled her to the center of the dance floor, their bodies flushed against each other. 
The entire night had been perfect, filled with romance and magic Raven never thought she would have herself. She knew it was for show but she could not deny that there was an intimacy to it that felt… real. Felt like they were truly connecting with each other at a deeper level. When he looked at her, sometimes, she swore she saw it. A twinkle of something too deep… too paralyzing to be mere friendship. But every time, she felt like she imagined it. Maybe even hoped she imagined it because that would be easier. She knew it would not be her but as she looked at him, she could not help but think he enjoyed this. The romance, going above and beyond to show someone you love them. And now he just needed someone, a real someone, to do it with.
She stared at him for a few moments as they swayed in each other’s arms. “Tell me about her.” 
Michael did not need her to elaborate on who she meant. Michael shook his head. He had the perfect woman in his arms, there was not a single woman in his past worth talking about right then.
“Why does she matter?” 
Raven shrugged. “Because she’s gone and you’re still shutting yourself off from things I think… you’re too afraid to admit you really want. You want this,” she gestured between them. “Not with me, obviously,” she chuckled. “But this, this connection with someone who you love and loves you back. Does she really still have so much power that she can take this away from you forever?” 
Michael wished he could grab her shoulders and shake her. So beautiful and so smart yet so oblivious to the hints he was throwing out left and right. He did want those things but not with anyone but her. He had hoped the last week would paint the picture for her. He knew he should just come out and say it himself but he was not brave enough… not yet anyway to admit that he was head over heels for someone again. Because Raven did have that much power. She controlled his heart and very being. And if he said those words to her and she rejected him or broke his heart? She would be the last woman he ever said them to again. 
“Not that interestin’ of a story to be honest. But she was… an actor too. Not super well known but you know, steady workin’ and everythin’. Met on the set of a show I was workin’ on. We hit it of.. She was the first woman to really understand me? Understood my dreams and my ambition. I understood hers, I had been in the industry longer so I helped her out, making connections and all that. We dated for almost three years. First relationship that I saw a real future in, even bought a ring.” He sighed as he glanced down at Raven, their bodies swaying to the music. “But all she cared about was using me to get to the next thing. Saw a text on her phone one night, she was cheating on me with another nigga. Had been for most of the time we were together. Left me for someone with more money, bigger name. We broke up and she acted like it was nothin’... as if three years of living life together hadn’t mattered at all. Felt stupid for not seein’ it, for thinkin’ there was a future there… but also for believin’ she loved me for me. Went on a binge afterward… lots of partyin’, drinkin’, fuckin’ every woman I could see. Decided that if that was all everyone was gonna see or care about, the money and all that… then that’s all I would give.” 
“I’m sorry. No one deserves that. She’s dumb. Too stupid to realize what she had.” She paused. “You can’t give up though… gotta keep trying to find the right girl. Keep reaching out your hand until it happens.”  
“Not all of us have your annoyingly relentless hope and optimism. More worried about my hand getting ripped off.” 
“It might,” she admitted. “But I dunno, I’ve always believed heartbreak is the price we pay for love. At the end of the day, we’re all standing on a giant cliff and when you take that leap with someone, you can’t see the bottom. You just hold hands and you jump and you experience the fall that is living life together until you crash into the water. Whether you’ll enjoy the fall, whether rocks or an oasis are waiting for you, whether your fall is long or short. We have no idea, which is why jumping is so scary. But the only thing that’s certain is the crash at the end because all of it ends. Whether you get the greatest love story that goes on until the end of your life or a tragedy that gets cut short because other shit gets in the way. All of it ends. That’s the price, the fall isn’t forever. But when it ends and that heartache comes, the hope is that you look back on it all and see the life you lived and that it was all worth it. And so you’re willing to pick yourself up, dry yourself off, and go back up to the cliff and do it all over again. If you’re avoiding the crash, you aren’t jumping and that means you aren’t living. And there’s a woman out there somewhere who pulled herself out of the water and 's willing and waiting for you to be ready to take the leap with her. Who knows you’re the person they want to free fall with and who will make it worth it.” She ran her hand over the material of his tuxedo jacket. “It’s a shame because while you’re avoiding the cliff altogether, people don’t get to see how amazing you are.” 
“You really are a writer,” he mused, causing her eyes to crinkle at the corners and her whole body glow. “Only someone who writes love stories can think of some shit like that. But I hear you. I dunno though, most people can see how amazing my life is. I don’t think that’s the problem.” 
Raven scoffed and shook her head. “Your money, the things you can buy?” she gestured around them. “Those are the least interesting things about you,” she remarked flatly. “You’re funny. I would’ve never guessed you were as funny as you are. You’re thoughtful, you see through people, through the bullshit and facades and the walls. You see them, the one they hide from the rest of the world. You’re smart and engaging and so clearly care about every person in your life. Every woman I know wants that. Hell I want that,” she laughed, not noticing the joy that sparked in his eyes at those words. “And all of this is lovely and amazing but most of us can be happy without it. She told you that all you’re worth to people is money and clout and things. But the version of you I see right now is more than enough. And there’s someone out there who knows that too.” 
Her hand cupped his cheek as she spoke, Michael learning in and kissing her softly. She had kissed him many times but there was something different about this one, something that made her want to profess her love for him right then and there. 
She leaned back and studied him for a moment. “I hope… I hope when this ends, that we can still be friends? This was all really special. You made me feel like a real princess this week. Made me feel wanted and cared for in a way most people don’t. I was in… not the best of places when we met. Seeing a lot of darkness and no light at the end of the tunnel. But all of this, I dunno, reaffirms that annoyingly relentless hope and optimism. Things do turn around eventually. And this’ll all end but I’ll never forget the things you’ve done for me since we met.” 
He spun her around for a moment before bringing her close again. 
“I didn’t do anything,” he muttered in her ear. “Just gave you the space to be you. You’re far from a wallflower or sidekick or however you described yourself to me on our first date. You’re powerful, smart, beautiful… promise me you’ll take this version of you, the real you… the main character version of you back to the real world tomorrow. You do that and I’ll work on takin’ your advice,” his hand played with the curls in her hair as he spoke. “And then… what’s that line from Casablanca? We’ll always have Paris.”  
“Seems like we both need to work on seeing ourselves how the other sees us.”
“Well we got plenty of time to work on it.” 
“Yea… guess we got a few more months before I gotta let you go.” She could not hide the sadness in her words. She was resigned, knew their fate but that did not make it hurt any less. 
His heart screamed at him to tell her she didn’t have to let him go. They didn’t have to end just because of some agreement they made under stress. They could try it out for real, love each other for real. But the words felt lodged in his throat. His fears, now top of mind since their conversation, were massive blockages that would not allow it out. He wanted her, it hurt how badly he wanted her. But that terrified him. 
They danced for a few more minutes before the song, which she recognized as All of Me by John Legend, came to an end. 
“Let’s go back to my suite. Got one more surprise.”
Though she did not want the romantic part of the evening to end, she could not deny she was looking forward to the other part of the night. Michael had kept true to his promise and fucked her on every surface in his suite and hers. Her favorite, though, had been that morning on the terrace. She’d never forget that. 
So she put up no argument when he led her back to their limo and whisked her away to the hotel. She hated the time in between the end of their date and the start of their more private moments. Time seemed to inch forward as slowly as possible, the anticipation always felt like torture. She was practically bouncing out of her skin when they finally made it to his suite. 
However, instead of opening the door, he stopped her.
“Close your eyes.” 
The game was starting early, she thought to herself, which signaled she was in for a long and wild night. The romantic Michael was about to disappear and the dominant one would stand in his place. She rolled her eyes and pouted like a brat before following his instructions. However, she could not let the moment pass without a warning. “If you lead me into a door, I’m gonna kill you.” 
“I don’t think French prisons are that nice so wouldn’t recommend that. Trust me, you know I’d never hurt you.” 
She snorted as he led her into his room, her feet taking extremely small tentative steps that made Michael chuckle to himself. After a few steps, he stopped her. 
“Ok open.” 
She blinked a couple times before gasping, her eyes taking in the chrome stripper pole in the middle of his living room. His couch had been pushed away and a singular armchair was in front of the pole like a throne in front of a stage. 
Michael walked into his bedroom and came back with a wad of cash. “Figured you could give me a private show? Besides you forgot to tell me your name the other morning.”  
Raven ran her thumb over the cash, fanning it out lightly. All she saw were hundreds. She stepped around him and walked over to the pole, her manicured nails tapping on the chrome as she strutted around it in her dress. The elegant gown now seemed out of place in a room with a stripper pole. But the lingerie number she had on underneath would fit in perfectly. 
“How much?” 
“What?” He asked as he went over to the decanter in his room and poured two glasses of whiskey. He handed her one, Raven downing it immediately. She needed the extra liquid courage to do what he was requesting.
“Did it cost to convince them to let you pressure mount this into the ceiling?” 
Michael turned off the lights and strode over the chair and sat down, his face and body illuminated by the moonlight and lights from the Eiffel Tower through the giant windows. Raven licked her lips as she took in his power, his body slouched back and his legs spread wide. A king on his throne waiting to be entertained. 
“I’m sure you’ll make it worth every penny.”
She chuckled. “You are something else,” she muttered. “I went by Nova… Name of a character in a book I was reading at the time.” 
He chuckled. “Definitely thought you were gonna say somethin’ a little more out… stereotypical,” he admitted.
Raven snorted. “The market was oversaturated with Candys. Besides, I like to be different.” 
“So tell me, Nova, how often did the niggas you danced for throw benjamins at that fine ass?” He took a sip of his drink. 
“Not often enough.” 
“I imagine you’ll enjoy the experience then. Dance for me.” 
Raven could not help the way her legs clenched together at the demand, the juxtaposition of how he asked her to dance with him a mere hour ago. He turned on the speakers, sultry music filling the room. She had not danced in so long, it was true. She felt like part of her should have been nervous but she was not. It was like riding a bike, a skill she knew she’d never truly lose. And though she may not have the strength to do any tricks anymore, she guessed Michael knew and did not care much about that.
She reached behind her to unzip her dress, allowing it to fall to the floor. She quickly threw it on a chair so it did not get wrinkled on the ground. She kept on her heels, though they were not tall enough to give the effect she wanted. The gold accents of her black lingerie glittered in the moonlight as she approached his chair. Her hips swayed with the music, her hands roamed her own body as she went, her eyes trained on him. 
Once she was in arm’s length, he immediately lifted his hands to grab for her but she stopped and held herself just out of his grasp. She shook her finger at him with a teasing smile. 
“No touching… club rules.” 
Michael letting out a menacing chuckle. “You’re gonna regret that later, baby girl.”
“I don’t think I am, daddy. Rules are rules. You like the lingerie I got for you?” She asked as she turned and leaned back on him, her ass grinding on his lap. She could feel him growing hard beneath her, loved how his hands curled into fists as he physically stopped himself from touching her. 
“Fuckin’ perfect. Think it’ll look better on the floor though…” 
“I dunno, I like it better like this.” 
She knew he was realizing just how out of control he truly was. This was her stage and she had all the power. The power to entice, to tease, to give, and to take away. 
She slid onto her knees beneath him, crawling away from him and back to her pole. She could feel his eyes trained on her ass as she moved. She knew it looked absolutely perfect, it was the main reason she purchased this particular set. She looked like a goddess and she felt like one too. 
For the next 15 minutes, she put on the best show of her life as Michael rained bills on her as if he could not get enough. She allowed the music to flow through her and thought of nothing other than pleasing him. Every movement tailored to his reaction, the spark in his eyes when she spread her legs, the way he bit his lip as she fondled her breasts, how he so clearly resisted undoing his tuxedo pants to pleasure himself when she finally stripped her bra off. She threw it at him, his hand catching it with ease and precision. She allowed herself to get lost in it, lost in the spotlight and the feeling of his eyes laser focused on her. All those things Michael said she was? In that moment, she felt it… like a queen. 
Meanwhile, Michael was beyond mesmerized. He could have watched her dance for hours and hours and it would not have felt like long enough. She moved as if born for a stage of some sort. This was a side of her he had never seen, a woman who knew her power and proudly stood in it. He wished he could punch any and everyone who diminished this version of her, who chipped away at this person and made her think she had such little power that scraps were all she deserved. She deserved so much more than that. 
“Come here,” he whispered, barely audible over the music. But she heard him and immediately finished her dance move and sank to her knees to crawl to him. 
Once she was before his chair, she slid into the position he always made her wait in, on her knees and head bowed. 
“What do you want?” 
“W-what?” Michael never asked her what she wanted when they had sex. That was the whole point, it was not about what she wanted. 
“What do you want? How do you want me to fuck you? Tonight, I do what you say.”
“Anything I say?” she asked, a twinge of a playful tone in her voice that made him shake his head. 
“Don’t get too excited. I still own that ass. But you put on a good show for me, feelin’ generous. What do you want?” 
She stared at him for a moment before answering. “I want to taste you and then I want to fuck you. And then… I want you to fuck me so hard I can’t move tomorrow.”
He let out a barking laugh before standing to strip, his member standing at attention. Her mouth watered as she took in the pre cum already leaking from his head. She wanted to groan at how slowly he was moving. He leaned over her and wrapped his hand in her hair, pulling her head back. “Your wish is my command. If that’s what you want, ain’t no tappin’ out tonight.” 
“When have I ever tapped out?” she challenged. 
Michael grinned like a Cheshire cat. He loved that she had some fire in her. But she was not wrong. She never tapped out.
“We’ll see then.” He let her hair go and settled back into his seat. 
Raven immediately launched herself at his dick, not bothering to waste another second. She kept her eyes trained on his face as she spat on his dick, licking his head like it was her favorite treat. In some ways, it was. She continued her teasing, after all, it was still her show and she was still in control. She licked the underside of his shaft, along a vein that made him groan every time. She grinned as the deep, guttural sound escaped him. He did not even need to touch her, his mere voice and the sounds he made made a mess between her legs all on their own. 
“Don’t like… to be teased, baby girl,” he mumbled as his head fell back in pleasure, feeling particularly tortured by her warm mouth and her hand as she spread her spit along his shaft. 
She paused, her hand continuing to pump him. She decided that she was going to egg him on. She wanted him to take her to another realm when he fucked her tonight. She wanted all of him, all of his strength, all of his dominance, all of it until she could not take a single inch more. And she knew the best way to get that was to rile him up a bit. 
 “Shouldn’t have asked me what I wanted, daddy. Cause right now, I’m in a teasing mood.” 
He let out a low whistle. “Gonna tear that ass up in a minute.” 
She winked at him before enveloping his dick in her mouth. She moaned around him, enjoying how his hips bucked into her face at the vibrations, sending his dick farther into her throat. One of his hands rested on his stomach while the other tangled itself in her pressed hair. However, he did not stop her from controlling the pace as she sucked him. He just enjoyed the feeling of her head bobbing up and down on him, her hand massaging the base of his dick that she couldn’t fit into her mouth fully. She was responsive to his groans and moans, and had learned over the last month what he liked. 
And the one thing he liked was sloppy. She took breaks to spit on him and make a mess of her drool on his lap and the chair beneath him. They could add it to his tab, he decided as she deep throated him. Usually, when she did this, it was just him fucking her throat without a care. However, this time she was in control and she took her time, allowing him to feel every inch of him as she took him down her throat. 
“Fuckkkkkk… love your mouth, you filthy slut. That’s it. Take this dick.” 
Her jaw hurt, the dangly thing in the back of her throat ached every time she pushed her head back down on him. But all she heard was his praise and that spurred her on. Faster, sloppier. Whatever she could do to feel him explode in her… on her. On her… that stuck out as she felt his hips start to move faster in rhythm with her mouth. Michael had a thing for cumming on her ass when he fucked her from behind, which she loved. However, a particularly wicked idea came to her mind as she wondered where else she would like him to cum. She could not imagine he would say no… most men dreamed of that right? 
“I’m about to cum, don’t stop!” He called out. 
However, she did stop, letting him fall from her mouth but continued giving him a hand job. 
Her breathing was labored as she tried to catch her breath. “Cum on my face, daddy,” she begged, her voice filled with need and pleas that made Michael forget that he should be mad at her for stopping when he told her not to. 
She did not give him a chance to respond or check to ensure that was truly what she wanted before she took him into her mouth again. Knowing where she wanted him to release himself, Michael did not let her control the pace any longer. He wrapped her hair in his hands and fucked her mouth with abandon. Raven did not even care that she lost control, the sounds of his moans and grunts, the disgustingly lewd and sloppy noises of her mouth, her gagging were a perfect symphony to her ears. 
“I’m gonna cum!” he warned before using one hand to keep her hand in place while he aimed his dick right at her cheek and lips. 
Both of them were panting as he finished unloading on her face. She stayed there beneath him as he wiped his dick off on her other cheek. She licked her lips, enjoying the taste of his cum but she left the rest on as she rose to her feet and straddled him. Usually she did not move until he told her to move. However, she had made what she wanted clear and she was taking it. And then he could take her. 
She kissed him deeply, her hand massaging him until he was fully erect again. She wasted no time sliding down on his throbbing dick, both of them groaning as he filled her. 
“Wish you could see yourself… bouncing on my dick, covered in my cum. Such a good whore for me, baby. Did you like me cummin’ on that pretty face?” Michael asked as she rode him. He loved how disheveled she looked. Her face covered in his seed, her mascara running from her tears after he fucked her mouth. The picture of submission and that made him want to fuck the daylights out of her. However, he knew he had to practice patience. After all, he had given her control, he had to let her enjoy it… at least for a time. 
He buried his face in the valley between her boobs as she cried out. “Yes! Yes! I l-loved it!” He wished he had the nipple clamps to tug on while she rode him, an activity for later he decided as he sucked on her nipples. Everything he did to one, he did to the other as that was only right and fair as she switched between his favorite slow grind on his lap and bouncing on him. 
He could tell her legs were starting to grow tired as they slowed down a bit. However, he did not mind, that was perfect actually. It meant he could take over. 
“You had your turn. You read for daddy to take over again? Give you what you need?” he asked in her ear, his hand wrapped around her throat. She gasped as he squeezed lightly, the action sending her tumbling over the edge of her first orgasm. 
“Y-Yes, p-please.” 
“What do you want? Say it.” 
“Fuck me like a whore,” she whispered, desperate to feel all he had to offer. 
His hands grabbed her beneath her thighs and hoisted her up in the air. She let out a shocked cry at the sudden change and clung to him tighter. The whole time, their bodies never separated as he walked with her until she was backed against one of the French doors. He let her legs fall to the ground and turned her around roughly. 
“Spread your legs,” he demanded, his voice leaving no room for arguments, not that she had a single one. 
He pressed her cheek into the glass panel, her eyes trained on the glittering lights of the Eiffel in the distance as he wrapped his hand in her hair once again. He held the head of his dick at her entrance, sliding it against her clit and making her body convulse slightly. 
He slammed into her, causing Raven to scream out with pleasure. His thrusts pinned her entire body to the door as he fucked her like a man possessed. 
Her high pitched screams were incoherent words that Michael could not make out as he fucked her roughly against the door. She loved every moment of it. It was painful, her breasts and body pushed up against the door like that with every thrust but she loved it and never wanted it to end. 
“You still in a teasing mood??” he asked, Raven immediately shaking her head. She tried to answer verbally but the words would not form. He pulled her head back, her sweet perfume hitting his nose as he bit into her neck. He did not do it hard enough to leave a mark but he knew she felt it. “I asked you a fuckin’ question!” 
“No! N-no! I-I’m s-sorry,” she blubbered as she felt another orgasm building. She had asked for this and he was not going to disappoint. “F-Fuck… you f-feel so good. I-I love it!”  
He let go of her hair and slid out of her, Raven groaning at the sudden feeling of emptiness. He gripped her arm and pulled her into the bedroom.  
“Get your ass on the bed. Face down toward the window, ass up.” 
He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment while Raven assumed her favorite position. However, when he returned, she glanced at him and found a small black bullet in his hand. He turned it on, the powerful and loud vibration filling the bedroom. She knew exactly what he wanted her to do as he climbed onto the bed behind her and slid it into her hand. She immediately tried to shy away from him but he stopped her. 
“The fuck I say about tappin’ out? You’re gonna hold that to your clit and aren’t gonna take it off. Drop it, I spank you twenty times, turn it down, I spank you fifty times, turn it off… you won’t sit for a fuckin’ week. We’re gonna see how many times you can cum before I do.” 
With that, Raven braced her body up one one forearm before reaching beneath her to put the vibrator on her clit. She immediately shuddered as it sent spasms through her body. This was torture. 
“You tortured me. Now, I get to return the favor,” Michael offered as he roughly thrusted into her. 
She had never used a toy during sex in this way and torture was the right word, delicious, mindnumbing torture. With Michael’s dick curving into her g-spot with every thrust and the vibrator stationed on her clit, she came in record time, couldn’t have been more than 30 seconds. Keeping it on while she came was even harder. Every instinct wanted to end the pleasure so she could calm down but she couldn’t.
“I-I c-can’t,” she whimpered as she felt her orgasm start to build again. It was too fast, too much too soon.
“Yes, you can and you will. You wouldn’t want to disappoint daddy, would you?” A loud smack filled the air as he spanked her. “But I’ll help you.” 
He reached around and wrapped his hand in hers, forcing her to keep the vibrator there. Michael had to slow his movements down a bit to hold onto her hand but it was worth it to feel her pussy snapping around him with every orgasm. She came and she came and she came. She begged and screamed for reprieve and mercy and rest but he gave her none of it. He ignored all of it. By orgasm number 4, she was a quivering mess. Her arm had completely gone slack, her upper body pushed into the bed and he wondered if he was pushing her too far. But no safe word had crossed her lips, just a lot of curse words. 
“I’m close, baby… How many more you got in you? I think you got two more. Don’t fuckin’ run from me, baby girl. This shit’s what you wanted isn’t it?” He slammed into her with a particularly rough thrust. “Isn’t it??” 
“Y-Yes…” she choked out. But now she did not know what she wanted because her brain was utter mush. She wanted less, she wanted more, she wanted him to slow down, she wanted him to speed up. She wanted to stop and she wanted to give him those last two orgasms he believed she was capable of. It might kill her but so be it. 
“Yes what?” He spanked her again with all his might. 
“Yes sir!” 
She fell off the cliff again, a breathless scream escaping her as she came again. It was still pleasurable, a tinge of pain accompanying it that she had not expected but enjoyed. Her body was covered in a layer of tacky sweat, she was exhausted. And yet, she knew she had one more. She could feel all the signs that he was close and after all he had done for her this week, she desperately wanted to give him one more, to hear him praise her for doing so. 
She used her last bit of energy to fuck him back, using her arms as leverage to bounce back on his dick. She took the vibrator from him, pressing it into her clit. 
“That’s it, baby girl. Cum with me, baby. Take this dick and cum with me.” 
Just as he shot his load deep inside her, Raven felt everything in her explode with untold pleasure. She collapsed forward, the vibrator falling out of her hand as she rode the waves of the most intense orgasm of her life. She felt as if he had just restructured her very brain chemistry. Everything faded in and out as she laid there for only God knew how long, paralyzed and exhausted. Michael’s presence and movements felt like a ghost hovering around her. She did not move, stuck and frozen in that position until she felt Michael help her flip onto her back. 
She let out a whimper of pain and tried to close her legs as she felt a warm washcloth touch her too sensitive clit. 
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice returning to his usual gentle baritone. “Just tryin’ to clean you up a bit. We made a mess.” 
Once he was done, he reached over to the phone and called down for new sheets and a comforter before picking her up in his arms. He loved how her body immediately curled into his chest as he carried her into the bathroom and settled both of them into the tub. He held her up until he could get her hair in a high enough ponytail to ensure it did not get wet. He knew enough black women to know she would not appreciate that when she finally came to.
Raven moaned, the water was heavenly. They sat in silence, Michael massaging and rubbing her aching limbs while she just laid there with her eyes closed. 
“I hurt you?” he asked. It felt good in the moment, it was so easy to get lost in it with her. But now he worried he had pushed her too far past her limit. And more so, he felt worried that she had not felt safe enough to say so.
She shook her head, her words coming out as a raspy sigh, her voice half gone from screaming. “Not in any way I didn’t want you too. You gave me exactly what I asked for.” 
He kissed her shoulder. “You sure?” 
“Positive. It was… amazing. I promise.” 
“Never made you squirt before… I liked it. Maybe I’ll do it more often.” 
She chuckled. “That’s what happened at the end? If that’s how it feels, I’ll gladly do it again.” 
They stayed in the tub for a while, Michael lazily helping her work out the soreness and kinks she felt in her legs and back. She appreciated how gentle and attentive he was afterward. Something about the end of their playtime made her feel vulnerable and exposed, made her wonder what he truly thought of her after the things she willingly did. However, every time, he took the time to care for her and ensure she was ok, he checked in and asked questions about how she felt and let her rest in his arms before he left. She appreciated and needed that. 
When they finally got out, her legs felt like jello but she imagined it was better than it would have been. He helped her dry off before giving her a robe to put on. He settled on the edge of the bed, which had already been remade with fresh bed clothes as she walked out of the room and returned with her dress. She started to slide the bodice up her nude body. 
“Tonight was fun… perfect ending to a great week. Thank you.” She gestured toward the door. “I s-should head to my suite.” 
She turned to leave when his hand grabbed hers to stop her. 
“Stay.” The request was simple and though it was not phrased as a question, she knew it was one. 
She could not help the way her face twisted up in shock. She never stayed the night, they never actually slept beside each other. It was an unspoken rule between them. She bit her lip as she studied him. She could list a hundred reasons this was a terrible idea but none of them seemed reason enough to say no. So she settled for, “You sure that’s a good idea?” her voice was filled with her own hesitation and desperation to say yes. 
“Nah, I’m not,” he admitted, his hand cupping her cheek. “But I’m willing to take the risk if you are?” 
That was all she needed to hear. She unzipped the dress and let it fall back to the floor, this time too tired to care about discarding it on the ground. She followed him and let him help her into bed before falling asleep on his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her. 
***
“So what’d you think?” Michael asked as he helped her down the steps of the private plane. “First private jet experience? Worth it or nah?” 
“Totally worth it. No security lines? No screaming babies? No annoying adults? Insane amounts of leg room? True bliss.” And it was. Raven had slept most of the ride home, mainly due to still being sore and exhausted from the night before. She had asked Michael to introduce her to the mile high club but he told her she needed to rest. And he was not wrong, her pussy definitely needed a break. So she spent most of the flight curled up on his shoulder asleep while he worked and listened to music. 
By the time they landed at LAX, she had not even realized the whole flight had passed her by. The pair noticed a few paparazzi lurking on the other side of the gate as they walked to the car where Alex and Allen waited patiently for them.  
“Welcome home,” Alex offered as the two approached Michael’s car, Allen immediately greeting them both as well before grabbing their bags. “Have fun?” 
The couple nodded enthusiastically. 
“I’m so glad. That means you two are relaxed and can get back to it. Cause we got a problem.” She handed Michael her phone, his relaxed face immediately scrunching up in frustration. 
“What’s wrong?” Raven asked, confused as to what could have happened in the span of a flight. All was well when they took off this morning. 
“Well let’s just say… I am so glad I’m an only child,” Alex answered flatly as Michael handed Raven her phone so she could see ‘the problem,’ a giant TMZ headline staring back at her that featured a quote from her very own sister. 
Fuck.
Tag List: @readinghere2023 @blackerthings @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @physicxal @purplehairgawdess @miyuhpapayuh @rueruesclues @geemamii @certifiedlesbianbaddie @pipsqueak-98 @nyifly22 @destinio1 @twocentaur @gopaperless @musicisme333 @roguekiki @majesticbrownjawn @taurusqueen83 @mysteryuz @miamormilan @itsknor-thedeep @naj-ay444 @mads-grace4 @nayaesworld @kholdkill @msniaimani @nccu-rnc @apenasumlug4r
***
A/N: I hope Paris was as magical for you as it was for me lol And our not-so favorite sister is backkkk. Drop a comment and let me know all your thoughts or if you want to be tagged! Thanks for reading!
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maysrinn · 4 months
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District AU:
What was Lucy Gray/the covey’s strategy for raising kids in the wilderness without getting caught by the public eye? (Also what was the covey’s opinion/reaction to finding out Lucy Gray was pregnant?)
(Did they encourage dirt eating to “build up a tolerance”)
Good question, I don’t think they had a strategy at first with each single member trying to make it till next month dragging Lucy Gray along the way. Each incoming child had to be taught and excluded from the same thing, which was going out into the district towns. In the book they lived at the edge of the Seam near the forest edge if I recall correctly, I have no idea how it is with neighbors, idk if they have any, in the movie they don’t seem to have they are surrounded by the meadow and trees (On set pics show some kind of run down trailers they call the “covey nest” which I adore…4 hour cut where are you my beloved) So I don’t think people would notice or care about little wild gremlins running around or Lucy Gray giving birth where nobody goes voluntarily anyway.
______
Upon her revealing it to the covey there were some mixed reactions about the reveal, especially with Tam Amber and Barb Azure being the oldest having the most worried ones. Lucy Gray insisted on keeping it a secret for the babies sake with the two oldest Covey members agreeing. The one with the most reaction variety was Barb Azure, while Maude Ivory and CC thinking about names, where to put a little crib, colors, new and old lullabies or if the babe would like goat milk.
Meanwhile Barb Azure being wooried about:
Food shortage, Lucy Gray now needs to eat for two and later be able feed the little one
Performances, if they want to keep this a secret Lucy Gray has to step out at some point and even then its risky
Billy Taupe who tries to get her back with an angry pissed Mayfair on his trail who goes lengths to hurt Lucy Gray
Medical assistance
Birth in itself and where with who
Potentially also Lucy Grays lingering ptsd since the games maybe the little critters improve it
Don’t get me wrong she is just worried and scared for her cousin, but whatever Lucy Gray chooses for herself Barb Azure will be there to support her with the challenges laying ahead (She’s a great aunt by the way).
_________
Lucy Gray: please don’t tell HIM a thing, Coriolanus will turn Panem upside down trying to get back here
Barb Azure: what? Oh no sweetheart don’t worry about that I won’t tell him a thing…WE wont tell him a thing, I promise.
Lucy Gray: *sigh of relief* thank you
Barb Azure: especially not before I shot him myself….where are those riffles at Lucy Gray-
Lucy Gray: Barb Azure NO-
—————
Also yes absolutely, especially Clementine the little stomach bug was trying to eat everything that she could get her hands on, especially grasshoppers from the meadow. Rosalyn tried to eat flowers or grass and Cedar is definitely a dirt babe. Builds character and resistance.
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void-f3lt · 7 months
Text
🌟•:{Iter Astra}:•💫
In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have jolted up the moment he saw a humanoid lizard with sharp ass teeth, cause that headache and ringing ears was not worth making said orange and black monitor lizard with horns, also, jolt. Actually it looked like he scared the shit out of everything in the other cells, whoops at least he knows everyone else knows now.
His cell was less wide then the others and it has a cubby like area at the top, back and only solid wall, it was about seven and a half feet up, with a gap between the tile that he could probably put his fingers in so he could climb that easier. There were many different types of aliens, some sentient some not, in neighboring cells. 
One cell to his left and four to his right that he can see residents in but, there was definitely more probably twelve to sixteen and he can also hear at least one other floor under him. He was much smaller than all of them, since the stupid height average in space is six to seven feet tall for sentients that looked like the prey species. Though most of them still have claws, sharp teeth and/or talons, so like the animals back on Earth, they probably could still eat him if they hadn’t been fed for awhile. 
Whatever they drugged him with made him feel a little dizzy and nauseous so he laid back down. He did not whimper. He was just… unwell. *Yea. That was it.* He wasn’t scared because he was in space jail with predators and lost his brother... He was just feeling a bit sick. The lights seemed to be strong UV lights given the fact that he can see his Blaschko lines *I really hope I don’t get skin cancer from this or something. Why do they use UV lights in the first place.*
Every now and then, he’d look at the aliens in the other cells, they were interesting to look at and he was curious. There were aliens that walked outside his cell too and they wore armor and they either had more muscle or spikes. One looked dull purple humanoid scorpion, that one was staring at him for a little too long in his opinion. He tried to commit how often they passed by to memory. It would be helpful later to know their patrol schedule. 
The staring from nearly every other sentient seeming being there was unnerving. It felt like hours before most of them seemed to lose interest in him. Now a few aliens in the cells to his left and two from a cell to the right, seemed to be arguing amongst themselves. As Vecko would call it ‘a skinny big bird’ looking alien kept looking back at him, he kind of remembered seeing one back on another planet fighting some criminal, so he, a free traveling unlicensed space pirate, is trapped in a trafficking ship with a fucking space cop. 
As he realized this he fell on his back banging his head violently on the metal floor, groaned and said with his hands covering his mouth and eyes closed, “Fuck my life, why does it always have to be Me.” And judging by the sudden silence he scared the shit out of the other sentients again.
The big bird like sentient looked like a humanoid Sulpher-Crested Cockatoo, but with a longer beak. Instead of white feathers they had light gold and their crest was more beige-taupe. Pistachio green eyes. Their wings didn’t look like they could fly with them but they still looked longer then Tobey was tall and he was 5’3. *Fucking hell, why does the interplanetary height average have to be in the fucking double digits?* They also had taupe brown talons that were most likely three inches on the wings and the ones on their legs were closer to four or five inches. 
Also it was wearing a worn down sleeveless to accommodate their wings, black leather jacket that looked like the color of juniper bark in some places, the collar being the mast prominent from where he’s angled. *Probably faux given.. would they actually have issues with real leather? Are there cow looking aliens?* They also had a white tank-top, black sleeveless leather jacket, a black belt with venetian red and dark and possibly stained with blood, beige cargo pants, it looks more like shorts though. Apparently Alt/Punk fashion is universal, who knew.
After seemingly the end of a conversation that he completely missed Sulpher (what he’s calling the bird) stood up and started walking over to the bars and then squatted in front of Tobey, who shifted back just a little bit before realizing that Sulpher can’t reach him cause of the electrocuted bars. A slightly familiar warbling came from Sulpher. He only says slightly because he’s heard similar when stealing borrowing his ship from the sellers in that unlicensed port he crashed into. 
Sulpher didn’t try to reach through the bars but they were looking directly at him. Not his eyes though cause apparently that’s a universal way to either get your ass beat or cause an entire building to be evacuated. Yes he learned that the hard way. Fun days.
Sulpher shifted after a moment, bringing their armwings together to fiddle with its talonfingers. *Were they nervous? Is that what happened to their collar?* They made noise again and Tobey noticed a pattern as well as a questioning little shift to its tone. *So it is a language!* And they were trying to ask him a question. Now he’s getting excited. The lizard from the right-most cell said something, and then he whipped his head back and made everyone flinch, again. He should really stop doing that.
Sulpher then replied with a bright tone, and  turned their attention back to Tobey. They pointed at him and then drew a circle in the air. Tobey shifted to sit criss-cross (which Sulpher and a dull navy with pastel pink accents, humanoid dragonfly looked at him weirdly when he did so *probably not normal then*) so that he could see better and also to be more comfortable, he and his brother always sat like this when they got dad to go on a rambling spree.
Were they asking what planet he’s from? That seemed possible based on the context. “Earth.” The aliens all froze when he spoke. Sulpher recovered first. They put a hand to their chest. “### ##### ## Ariho.” Tobey squinted his eyes a little in frustration that he didn’t know words he hasn’t been taught yet. “Ariho,” they repeated while patting their chest. They’re telling him its name! Or species. Either way not a normal word, therefore important.
“Ariho?” He mimicked almost perfectly, (a hint of a British and it would have been perfect) and apparently that isn’t common thing and/or they just weren’t expecting him to get it right first try. Everyone listening startled *again, why??* but then Sulpher made a chirping sound. They were probably happy, maybe they were part of a species that was oriented on parent/child relationships. 
That’d be pretty cool, and convenient if he played his cards right. No, no manipulating.
Then Sulpher/maybe Ariho pointed to Tobey. Do they want his name?
“Tobey,” he offered. 
“Obeey?”
“Tobey.”
“Toebean?” That one made him laugh.
“Tobey.”
“Tobey?”
“Tobey,” he confirmed with a nod and thumbs up, which in hindsight probably confused them a little but either way they got names down, Now what?
Sul-Ariho? repeated the pointing and drawing a circle motions, this time adding a gesture to the cage around them. He was still a little dazed so, they were back to square one on that one. The charades repeated a few more times before they realized he wasn’t getting they tried something else, that he could not make sense of in the slightest therefore that also failed. 
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kpchrs · 5 months
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I think between shippers (and this is me saying this, an outsider to both ships) there’s Def the nagging voice saying “Coriolanus sucks irl” in everyone’s mind
So that’s Def a part of the civility in my opinion. Like why fight when the main guy in your ship is the worst guy alive. Bonding moment IG lol
LMFAO You are so right, Anon. Bonding moment for real. As some people in the post's comment said, "we both share the toxic blond" and also "we're trauma-bonded".
But I think it's not really a nagging voice. We all know Coriolanus Snow fucking SUCKS. If you compile all of my thoughts about him from everywhere, the majority is me clowning on him actually. I want to do violence to him.
It's funny, and I'm sorry for the out of topic, but this...wish makes me fantasising about a "Coriolanus Snow & Conscience!Reader" Crack AU. I've told some of my friends but just for fun I will tell a little bit here:
Okay, the premise is right in Chapter 1, we the readers/the fans whatever you wanna call us, get inside his head and it's up to us to try to put him on a good(?) path. (Emphasis on TRY.) Or actually, it's just an excuse or catharsis for us, especially me, to clown him in his head tho, because his thoughts are so deranged, yeah? It will be fun to mock him, tease him, and "scold" him, and we will bicker a lot, and he can't do aaanything about it.
So it's like this (below has some real excerpt of Chapter 1 of the book [page 3-4] but switched to present tense):
This morning he went to her room at daybreak, only to find both his cousin and the shirt missing. Not a good sign. [...] He thinks of people putting a price on her. With her long, pointed nose and skinny body, Tigris is no great beauty, but she has a sweetness, a vulnerability that invites ab-- NOOOOOOOOO! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT YOUR OWN COUSIN?! The voice -- scream -- comes out of nowhere and echoes very near in his ears (inside him?). To say it surprises Coriolanus is an understatement. Grabbing on air, he fails to stop himself from slipping and falling on his bottom.
Lol.
I'm not sure I want to write it because writing, even more in English, is daunting, but it's really fun to think about. It will be on the Snowbaird route, though. I imagine we will follow his love story with Lucy Gray, but I think...we will unfortunately fight over her.
LOOK! At Lucy Gray's arrival, The Voice screeches annoyingly loud in his head. It's my girl! Even after weeks, Coriolanus still hasn't decided if The Voice is a crazy part of him or an entirely separate entity somehow attached to his mind. However, the possessive term it used tugs the wrong string deep in his chest. Whether it makes sense or not, he hisses at it, 'She's not your girl.' The brief silence that follows is the most peace he gets these recent days. Oh shit, you are jealous. 'I am not.' You totally are. Just like with Billy Taupe. C'mon, I'm inside your head. I know. 'I am not.' Listen, Coryo-- 'Stop calling me that.' --just accept that Lucy Gray is everyone's girl, okay? She's my girl. She's not really just yours. 'Who in the Gem of Panem is everyone? Who even are you?' I can't tell you that. It's against the rules. 'What rules?!' Uh-uh, still can't tell. Give it up already, Coryo. Coriolanus is losing his mind. He has had a talking creature inside his head for weeks and it is just now he truly feels he is losing his mind.
Lol. Writing is hard, huh. Okay, I'm not sure this is categorised as a character & reader fic now that I used third person, not second person pov, but eh xD
I'm willing to talk about it more though, if anyone is interested!
Thank you for the ask and the space to bullshit, Anon!
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sasusakucore · 4 months
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Lucy Gray Baird - an innocent victim or a manipulator?
What's your first impression of Lucy Gray?
Do you think she loved Coriolanus in tbosas?
What do you think might have happened to Lucy Gray in the end?
What's your opinion about theories :
1. Greasy Sae as Lucy Gray.
2. Coin as a daughter or relative of Lucy Gray.
Thank you :)
@curiousnonny
I am happy to answer this ask. This is my second one(the first one was given by an homophobic asshole so I blocked the ask request for some time). I love the ballad of songbirds and snakes especially Lucy gray, her entire character and history, her relationship and dynamic with snow and the way she parallels katniss. I am sorry if the answer is a bit long.
1)She is a victim. Sure she was manipulative in the beginning but I don't think she intended for her or snow to fall in love, she just wanted to make sure her mentor cared for enough to invest in her as much as he can in power(snow went beyond his power for her to win and also showed care for her which made her feel grateful and happy and one of the reasons for her to fall for him)so that she could survive but during her time in the capitol, both came to love each other especially before the games began. Plus we need to remember that there is a power imbalance, snow is from the capitol and she is from the district, so he has a lot power over her despite his economic status and later as a peacekeeper, he still held power over her. And during his time in the district, both were deeply in love with each other until coryo lied to her about his 3rd kill which made lucy gray to stop trusting him. Lucy gray is person who values trust a lot even over love(like in real life you can love someone but don't trust them because they might harm you and this is especially true with survivors of abuse, some of them having some affections for their abuser but they don't trust them) and coryo was basically a danger to her the minute he broke her trust plus I think she figured it was sejanus, so she was extra fearful for her life that if she stayed with and did something he didn't like or he might think of her as a 'loose end' in the future, he would kill her so she definitely planned her escape and she was right about it since coryo went on a rampage the minute he became paranoid around her. Plus coryo did love her but it was in a twisted way. He wanted to control her(he literally thought about putting her in a cage and got mad when she has a life outside of him(he was very jealous when it comes to her past relationship with Billy taupe despite the fact she would want to be atleast 10 feet away from him)). In real life there are several cases of abusers killing their victim just because they did something the abuser didn't like or the victim is a 'loose end' for them or that they are losing control over their victim. Lucy gray, in the eyes of the society's standard of a victim is definitely not a perfect victim since she doesn't act like the society's version of what typical victim is(no survivor/victim of abuse is a perfect victim and even if they are, society still blames them. Survivors are still survivors of abuse regardless of them killing or hitting back or insulting their abusers or using other shady means to escape their abuse because in the end abuse is a situation where one person has more power over the other. Survivors come in many forms, they could be unpleasant personality wise but it doesn't change the fact that they are a survivor of abuse(we see how survivors having mental issues are treated horribly by the society)) and some people blame her for coryo to go on a rampage because she 'provoked'him, which is victim blaming at the finest Plus even before Lucy gray did anything 'provoking ' towards snow, he was still unhinged(especially the cage thing).
2) My first impression was that she is a terrific character, a total badass, very intelligent and charismatic, amazing singer who vocalize her thoughts and feelings in her songs, is very loyal and passionate towards those she loves, doesn't tolerate bullshit and got nice survival skills. I just fell in love with her and I am obsessed with her and she is one of my favourite characters. Her parallels with katniss are amazing the both the girlie's have many similarities as well differences.
3) She did love Coriolanus but as the cast of tbosas said both her and coryo(although his love is twisted) loved each other but valued their survival more. The biggest examples of her love for Coriolanus is when she was happy to see him at the hob, her song for him, her introducing him to covey and the lake and her desire to run away with him.
4)I am open to both the possibilities that she us either alive or dead though I lean a bit to the she is alive and living her best life away from panem partially because this would make snow mad and because after all the shit she went through, she deserves better.
5) (i) The first one is interesting and I would have believed that it could be possible if it wasn't for the fact that lucy gray would be in her 80s in the trilogy and greasy sae according to wiki is in her 70s. Plus, it might have been difficult because someone might have recognized her plus snow was keeping an eye on 12 for some years until he decided to show some leniency or just focused on other things though it can be possible she could have came back to 12 if we were to ignore her and greasy she's ages.
ii) Sorry, but I don't think she because I don't think a child of lucy gray would be as cruel as coin. Lucy gray would 200% want to avoid raising her child to be like snow.
I edited the last one because I misread the question.
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ronweasleyisourking · 6 months
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The most likely characters in the original trilogy to be related to the covey, in my opinion, is Gale's family and in this post, I will explain my theory, using etymology.
The Importance of Names
In the covey, each character has a two-part given name and a surname, each with specific importance. This follows the traditions of both Appalachian and Romani people, who the Covey are based off of.
The first name is after a ballad. Lucy Gray is after "Lucy Gray" by William Wordsworth. Barb Azure is named for Child Ballad 84, "Bonny Barbara Allen"; Tam Amber and Clerk Carmine are also named after Child Ballads (39 and 42). Maude Ivory is named for "Maude Clare" by Christina Rosetti. Billy Taupe may have been for "Billy in the Darbies" by Herman Melville or "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" by Billy Joel, or possibly both. While not all these characters' stories take as much inspiration from their ballads as that of Lucy Gray and while no character in the covey should be called simply by this first name, it is still important.
The reason no character should be called by their first name only is because the second name is the one that truly connects them to their community - and loved ones may even use just this second name as a nickname/term of endearment. Lucy Gray was named for the gray of winter, Maude Ivory for the ivory of the piano, and Barb Azure for the serene color of the sky. Second names should never go unmentioned because doing so separates the character from their community.
The surname is after profession. Baird is for bard.
Where do the Hawthornes come in?
First, I should mention that I believe that Gale is related to the covey through his mother, not his father, so the name "Hawthorne" will not be brought up.
Hazelle Hawthorne is Gale's mother, and her name within the books is just that: "Hazelle". Perhaps, having the name of a color is not enough to connect her to the covey but it sure is interesting. Was the tradition of two names lost before her birth? Or is she referred to as Hazelle because that is Katniss, a girl she is practically family with, knows her as such? I have some ideas for the ballad that she could be named after, though nothing will ever be set in stone, but I do like the name "Hazelle" for her. The color seems to emit so much warmth and comfort, as does her character in the books.
As for her children, it is clear that the traditions of the covey have died by now, but I still see significance in their names. Gale is a word commonly associated with old tales and ballads, a specific one being Child Ballad 80, "Old Robin of Portingale". The word also has meanings associated with madness and extremism, but also with nature, i.e. gale-force winds. The covey was particularly fond of nature and often they are named in relation to it. Rory is a name that means "red king" or simply red, which follows the once traditional second names of the covey. Vick could either be the Old French occupational name meaning "bishop" and if this were Hazelle's maiden name, it implies a perhaps her family had a religious role within the covey, or it could refer to Victory, a common theme in many ballads. Posy is another nature name, after the bouquets, however it is quite interesting because posies have at times been used to send secret messages - was her name an act of rebellion? Was Hazelle already invested in the idea of rebellion at the time of Posy's birth? And what group within Didtruct 12 would be most interested in rebellion after the death of Lucy Gray?
While there is no way to confirm it, I am convinced that Hazelle and her children are related to the covey. And it doesn't even mean that Katniss cannot be related to Maude Ivory. After all. Her and Gale are "cousins", right? 😂😂
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unhelpfulfemme · 4 months
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I was tagged in two very similar chain meme things by @mitth-eli-vanto and @weirdsociology and decided to roll them up into one, since a lot of the questions are the same!
Last song: Younger Hunger - Dead Inside
Favorite color: oxblood and taupe (if you count taupe as a colour)
Last movie/show: A rewatch of Lawrence of Arabia that I quit halfway through (that movie is looong holy fuck)
next on my watchlist: Saltburn! I've been hearing many mixed opinions and want to see for myself!
Last game: Not much of a gaming person tbh. I am quite literally straining to remember the last time I played any kind of game but it was probably... Either Civ VI or Crusader Kings II, back when I had more time for it due to the, uhh, numerous lockdowns?
Last book: A reread of Pawn in Frankincense by Dorothy Dunnett *chuckles* I'm in danger (of crying for days)!
Sweet/savory/spicy: spicy all the way!
Relationship status: married to PhD thesis 😢
Last thing I googled: Beach by Bobbi Brown
Current obsession: eggplant pasta recipes and rock climbing ❤️
Greatest flaw: ADHD-fueled sensation seeking and crippling lack of time management skills. A tendency to derail my own life out of pity for other people that pushes me to overly accomodate them. Massive authority issues. This is all in relation to career issues I've been having that you probably don't wanna hear about lol ❤️
fic i’m currently reading: none at the moment because I can't read several things at once and I'm in the middle of a long book series. BUT a new chapter of The Good He Seeks by husborth has come out since I started my Lymond reread and I am genuinely honest to God gnawing my nails off with the anticipation of reading it :)
I will find out where you live and threaten your family if you don't participate in this memeObviously zero pressure tagging: @ashlanoree @ozvezdja @capablecapybara @quigonsjeans @attoliaattolis
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foxfinding · 2 months
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I realised this morning that an author I've been really enjoying lately deleted half of their works and also their tumblr. I was just scrolling through their page like, last week. I have most of the missing fic downloaded, but I apparently forgot to to update my file, so I'm missing the latest update of one I really loved.
Some of their works are still being updated, which is wonderful, and I'm so grateful for, but I'm like. Gutted that half of it is gone, and the fact the tumblr is too, like.
It just feels really ominous.
The fandom is kind of known for popular authors getting doxxed also, so when folks delete their social media accounts, I always wonder if it's because of the those same people who have chased out other really lovely, wonderful, creative people.
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a-taupe-fox · 2 years
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WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY FIC IDEAS FOR A FANDOM I AM NOT IN. 😭😭😭😭😭😭
I have not interacted with the source material.
I have no desire to interact with the source material.
I *am* however, very Fandom Adjacent,
and have... MANY™️ overlapping experiences with certain popular characters.
And I keep seeing headcanons and fic snippets and things and thinking
"Okay, but like. It's NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL."
I am THIS FUCKING CLOSE to making a list of all of the things I want to write Spite!Fic about
FOR A FANDOM I AM NOT IN!!!!
Someone please come save me. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
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balladofmyramblings · 4 months
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Lucy Gray Baird - an innocent victim or a manipulator?
What's your first impression of Lucy Gray?
Do you think she loved Coriolanus in tbosas?
What do you think might have happened to Lucy Gray in the end?
What's your opinion about theories :
1. Greasy Sae as Lucy Gray.
2. Coin as a daughter or relative of Lucy Gray.
Thank you :)
@curiousnonny
I’d say a victim who HAD to be a manipulator, but overall was innocent and just knew what was up.
The first example we see is from when we are first introduced to her- the dress! She’s wearing that to the reaping to make a statement, to stand out, to let everyone know she does NOT conform and is already manipulating their view of her into what she wants.
However, later on, we also see that wearing the dress is the only thing keeping her together. So, we can infer that while it may have started out as something not super soft or sweet, suddenly the dress isn’t that anymore. There’s also the fact that she lets the little girl with the juice thing touch her dress- she’s trying to decide if the public and her manipulation of them is more important than keeping things close to her.
Then again, there’s the possibility here that we’re severely over or underestimating her (thanks, Coriolanus’ POV). Maybe every single part of her was orchestrated and carefully chosen by Lucy Gray, or maybe none of it was, and that’s part of the amazing mystery about her- we don’t KNOW if she was or not.
Were those tears fake? Did she ever actually love him? We’ll never actually know, and that’s part of why her character is so great.
My first impression though is she knows what’s up. It’s crazy how, even before manipulating the games was a thing…she manipulated the games. She might not have done it knowingly (it was probably more for the benefit against Billy Taupe & Mayfair), but she did, and it was incredible. I can’t say I ever thought she was crazy, but maybe a little unhinged.
I was also VERY against Coriolanus and Lucy Gray’s relationship in the beginning (like for my first 4 rereads), but overall came to like it, and how it shows different parts of their characters and how it REALLY showed Coriolanus’s character development into a tirant.
For if she loved him, I’d say that we honestly have no clue. It’s why she’s so interesting to explore. I mean, throughout the series, these characters stay pretty much the same as when they are introduced. Sejanus, the district 2 rebel sympathizer who can be a little goofy occasionally. Tigris, the girl who takes care of people, and protects them. Dr. Gaul, the maniac who’s powerful.
But with Lucy Gray? We’re first introduced to her as some slightly deranged district girl, and she also has that little bit of being district automatically added to how we perceive her (thanks, Coriolanus’ POV) so we automatically view her as less than, crazy, etc.
But this changes. We later view her as someone ABOVE the districts, and a performer, rather than a crazy person, and someone to take pity on. We (reader and Coriolanus) might even unconsciously underestimate her during this stage BECAUSE of this.
What’s super interesting about Lucy Gray is just how versatile the arguments about her can be. You can go around and around in circles, debating if she was a cold blooded killer or not. Like for example, her kills in the arena. The way she taunted Reaper with the flag, and literally ran him to death? Absolutely insane, but later on, she felt bad about it. Or did she? We have no clue.
Back to if she loved Coriolanus, though- I think she convinced herself she did, just like how Coriolanus convinced himself he did, and neither of them wanted to see how far they’d take that so we got the ending we got. Lucy Gray realized she couldn’t gaslight herself into falling in love with him because she couldn’t ever really love him because she couldn’t ever really trust him. I’ve talked about them before somewhere else, I think in a post about the endings, so if you’re interested in that I can link it but still. It’s fascinating, the way her character is written so well.
Dialogue is such an important part of character, and rereading Lucy Gray’s dialogue is especially confusing for me because every time I do, my mind changes. A lot of people would remember her differently if Coriolanus (and therefore us) spent less time thinking about her and more time interacting with her, but eh.
Personally, that’s why I think her most authentic showing would be around 2/3 into the book, while they have that little honeymoon period when Coriolanus is a peacekeeper and she’s just singing before stuff goes down. I know that wasn’t a question, but I want to expand on it.
There’s less pressure there to constantly preform and become this person she wants herself to be. Lucy Gray was one of (if not the) first to use capitol people’s views of the tributes to her advantage. She figured out the game and she played it, and now she has to realize how to stop playing it. She also has to make sure she can trust Coriolanus.
So really, it can be argued that all of her personality is a test or a performance. It can also be argued that none of it was.
I’m going to move on before I start going in circles again lol, but yall get the point.
I think in the end Lucy Gray realized she couldn’t trust ANYONE (and as she’s said before, trust is super important) (except for maybe the Covey, but she didn’t want to endanger them or herself by staying with them), so she just went off into the woods.
I know she said something about being too lonely without Coriolanus, but again, this calls the question; was she trying to manipulate him and play up his ego or was she really just sensitive?
Again, part of her character is her mystery. There’s a reason she’s named after the Lucy Gray from the story. She just…flew off.
I could see Greasy Sae as Lucy Gray. I think it’d make sense for her to come back in like 10 years once the mayor’s dead, pay off her good peacekeeper friends, and then watch the Covey and her/Katniss’ family from a difference (because I definitely believe she and Katniss are related).
Does that mean I think it’s true? Nope! I think Lucy Gray truly has left district 12 forever.
However, I will say for sure, she’s definitely not in district 13. Not as a citizen or Coin. It goes against everything she believes in and enjoys, and I think the citizens of such a recently broken home wouldn’t LET her become one of them. Plus the ages are off. Are we forgetting Coin didn’t want music at Finnick and Annie’s wedding? It’s honestly one of my least favorite theories because to truly believe it, you’d have to misinterpret Lucy Gray’s character (one of the hardest to misinterpret, given my reasons above) AND Coin’s character.
Ok. Sort of misread that question, but I’ll answer it too.
I don’t think Coin is related to Lucy Gray at all. Any child of Lucy Gray’s would be Covey, and I think it’d hurt her too much to raise a child so colorless and unempathetic. While I do admire this theory more than the other, I just don’t see it happening at all. Maybe if Lucy Gray was pregnant, dropped the kid in 13, and then fled, and then Coin had to be raised in that environment and see the destruction and devastation and stuff…or maybe seeing her mom after the games, and the impact they can have on people…still, it’s an eh for me.
This was really fun to answer, and sorry if I rambled too much or went in circles a lot lol. Thanks for the question, @curiousnonny! As always, feel free to debate but not argue in the replies/reblogs!
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adaine-party-wizard · 4 months
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okay so decided i will be doing a lowkey adaine cosplay moment on saturday (it’s cause @gilears has made me feel a little Too Seen so now i gotta) and the current struggle is which bag to use and which shoes to wear
bag option: will be doing a fanny-pack-as-a-crossbody thing for practicality. colour options are navy blue (i associate blue with adaine) purple (pretty and the colour of her shirt in the art, also goes with one of the shoe options) light brown/ taupe (closest to her like leg pouch in the new art however giant logo kinda ruins the vibe) and black (basic)
shoe options: i WANT to wear my white converse that have blue and purple stars and moons embroidered on them because they are the correct Vibe but it is Winter there is Snow, docs the other likely option. i have boots more similar to her art but they are from 2011 they are riding boots i dont think i’ve worn them in like 8 years probably i dont like them much and they’d be uncomfy with the jeans im probably wearing. other similar boots are uggs and like, wrong vibe not the vibe
decisions are hard please give opinions thx
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lgcjaehwa · 2 months
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CRYSTALLIS MISSION 009: DESIGNING FOR MLB word count: 332
SWEATSHIRT VS VARISTY JACKET: jaehwa has a preference for sweatshirts over varsity jackets. while a varsity jacket typically come in two or three colors, making them challenging to match, she finds sweatshirts to be more versatile and easier to pair with various outfits. in her opinion, they are suitable for any occasion, whether it's a casual outing to the movies, attending classes, or practicing in the dance studio. when styled with a skirt and knee-high boots, a sweatshirt can create a cute spring or autumn look. alternatively, swapping the skirt for skinny jeans can give the outfit a cooler and cozier vibe.
BASE COLOR: choosing the base color for the sweatshirt proved to be a dilemma for jaehwa. she was torn between three options: black, light taupe, and an off-white shade with a hint of yellow. while black and light taupe were classic neutral colors essential for any wardrobe, the off-white shade had a cute appeal that resonated with her personal color.
DESIGN: in jaehwa's opinion, the colour of a sweatshirt was easier to determine when a design was given. leveraging her newfound hobby, jaehwa hand-drew a small crystallis logo intended for the upper left corner of the garment. it was later revealed that it will be hand-stitched instead of printed. on the back, she sketched the mlb logo and added a colorful gradient using each member's individual colors. to inject a touch of fun and uniqueness, she incorporated emojis that represent all the members inside the logo.
FINAL RESULT: after comparing her drawing against each base color, jaehwa ultimately opted for black. light taupe failed to achieve the desired effect, while the off-white shade rendered her design slightly too bright for her liking. the pastel colors of her design stood out most vividly against the dark backdrop, enhancing its overall appeal. in addition to its design and color, the sweatshirt boasts an oversized fit, featuring long sleeves and a slightly snug band at the end, giving it a snug, thigh-hugging appearance.
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browneyeddevil · 4 months
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Lucy Gray Baird - an innocent victim or a manipulator?
What's your first impression of Lucy Gray?
Do you think she loved Coriolanus in tbosas?
What do you think might have happened to Lucy Gray in the end?
What's your opinion about theories :
1. Greasy Sae as Lucy Gray.
2. Coin as a daughter or relative of Lucy Gray.
Thank you :)
@curiousnonny
I think Lucy is probably a mix of both; innocent victim, she certainly didn't want to go into the Games and then be exiled from the last of her family. On the other hand, she's a performer at heart and it lent her some favours knowing how to act so she could be perceived a certain way. However, I don't think this stemmed from a place of malice but rather the fear of certain death in the arena. Girly was just trying to survive and make it back home. I also don't believe she ever attempted to manipulate Snow or even lied to him. She was very open about her beliefs when talking with him.
My first impression of her was kind of mild, to be honest, I thought she was quite an inoffensive character, especially when compared with other tributes who were far more brazen in their disdain for the Capitol. She definitely came across as very confident and comfortable in her own skin, which I appreciated, and I did like her introduction at the Reaping Ceremony. I think it worked really well to establish who she was as a character. I just didn't really know what to do with her, to be honest.
I think she definitely cared for Snow and was well on her way to loving him, especially when he arrived in Twelve as a Peacekeeper. Up until that point, I think their relationship was more of a fling/comfort to her before she died. She was still heartbroken (or even her heart was just unavailable) because of Billy Taupe. However, when Coryo arrived in District Twelve that's when she started to properly consider him. The two spoke a lot about trust, and how it was more important to them than love, and I do think that she trusted him implicitly. She took him out with her family to the lake and was open with him about her history and her thoughts on the Capitol despite knowing his roots. But the longer Coryo stayed in Twelve the more red flags she encountered; his possessive tendencies, his disdain and lack of empathy for the miners hanged, his hatred of the mockingjays etc. All in all, I think she wanted to love him and be with him, but I can't see her being heartbroken over him. Betrayed, angry, and heartbroken that she had to leave her family behind sure, but not mourning her relationship with him.
Personally, I like to think that she survived initially, maybe even made it to another district and built a new life there. But ultimately, I don't think it actually matters either way. That was the whole point, was it not? Sure, we can believe that she survived and lived as a hermit in the woods, lived a full life in another district, or even died when Snow was shooting at her like a madman. But in the end, it has no effect on the story of what happened after, a moot point.
Which brings me to the theories: I don't necessarily mind the implication that maybe Katniss has some loose relation to the Covey (it's at least got some things to back it up, like Katniss knowing the Hanging Tree) but that's kind of where my line is drawn. I'm gonna be honest, I don't really care for either of the theories mentioned above.
Greasy Sae is such a background character and has so little effect on the grander story why would it even matter if she was Lucy Gray in disguise. Like? Idk it just doesn't change anything or even bring anything new to the story, so why?
Coin having some relation to Lucy just makes the war seem so petty? Trivial even. Like this isn't a war stemming from some scorned lover. This theory, in my opinion, actively takes away from the story and even harms it. It makes the conflict seem so shallow? And the themes of the original series just, don't work as well. Also, it makes Coin a way worse character, the fact that sometimes people just are power-hungry, corrupt, and lack empathy is what makes her compelling. Take that away, and she becomes really fucking boring and, again, shallow.
Thanks for the ask nonny, this was really fun to answer (and actually made me think lol).
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