mav is the one who takes charge in their relationship, domestic life-wise, decision-making wise, etc.
and i don't mean big life-changing decisions (those are usually made together), I mean that mav leads their life as in: what they're doing that day or on their day off, what they're cooking, who they're meeting, what they're wearing, what chores they need doing, how their house looks, etc. This extends to some stuff that can be serious at times (and if they turn serious, they will have discussions about it together), like parenting bradley or career advancement/choices - ice also takes mav's lead.
there are three factors to this:
mav is an extrovert, ice is an introvert. if it was up to ice, they'd spent their whole life just the two of them, locked at their house with little to no outside contact (minus slider and the stray cats ice likes to feed - mav will argue slider is also a stray they occasionally feed because ice likes him...). and sometimes, mav likes that and thinks they need it (ice more often than him) but he also wants them to have some form of social life.
ice is in charge everywhere else. his whole work life is making decisions for others and calculating what's best and keeping discipline in place all around him. he honestly likes to be told what to do at home and have his brain just rest and switch off and know planning everything is taken care of by mav. to some extend, he also knows that if it was him making decisions and taking the lead, it'd also take so much more time because he'd overthink and overanalyze even the smallest things while mav just goes with his instinct/feels. and if he's really honest, mav is so much better at managing their domestic life than him (ice didn't have the best examples as a kid, lived with a lot of house help hired by his father managing everything, etc).
ice is smitten. everyone knows. their friends know (they ask mav if ice is free if they want to do something that involves ice or if they need ice for something - which slider finds fucking hilarious, but also not really surprised since he met shy little tommy in usna at the age of 18 and had once been his keeper). their coworkers know this (ice's secretary doesn't schedule his calendar without mav's input). the whole navy knows it (what wouldn't this man do to keep maverick in the air?).
and it's not like ice minds - if he minds something, he speaks up, okay, he's a grown ass man, he can tell his partner he doesn't like something. usually, even if mav asks him to make a decision on something, like what to make for dinner or which shade of curtains he likes more, ice will just say, 'doesn't matter, you pick,' because that's genuinely what he thinks.
Buddie fans, my loves, come have a seat for a moment.
I want to have a chat, from a long time Buddie lover to you, whether you’re new or have been here a long time.
It’s okay.
I’ve been in the trenches with you. I’ve been pulling for Buck and Eddie to get together for years. I haven’t given up, even as I’ve seen other fans leave because they lost hope. I don’t blame them. The Buddie section of the fandom has been powerful and beautiful and all consuming. We’ve gone seven seasons and up until this point, not one of the two men in question was even confirmed to be queer.
But we all need to take a moment and breathe. That’s it. Stop doom scrolling for a moment and breathe in.
Good. Now hold for a moment.
And breathe out.
I’m going to get real here, alright? And you might not like everything I say and that’s ok.
We need to stop being a problem. Stay with me. I’m not saying we need to stop shipping Eddie and Buck. Far from it. I will love that ship forever. I’m not saying we need to stop our fanfics or fanart or our love for these two. Our feelings are valid. Many of us have been in love with these two for a long time. The Buckley-Diaz family is a strong unit.
Our feelings are valid and we feel what we feel. But our reactions are utterly and entirely our own responsibility.
We need to stop the bullying.
Let’s face it, many Buddie fans have also been long time bullies in the fandom. Particularly in regard to the actresses who have played the female love interests in the past. Don’t get me wrong, aside from maybe Ali, I have disliked every love interest introduced. But have we not yet learned to separate actress from character? If we are going to dislike an actress, let’s do it for a valid reason. Marisol’s actress for example is problematic. But many fans have rained hell down upon any woman introduced.
I’ve noticed this issue for a long time. But now we’re dealing with the issue being even more widespread because of Buck/Tommy. Now fans are bullying each other. The fandom is divided, even in what is probably one of the better seasons we’ve gotten (in my opinion). I need you guys to stay with me here.
Buck is bi.
Let’s say that again. Evan Buckley is bisexual. A major character on a major show on a major network, previously a womanizer and still a very masculine figure, is queer.
This is monumental. This is amazing.
But so many of you are letting your feelings about Buddie get in the way of appreciating the progress we’ve made. Especially with the reintroduction of Tommy Kinard, Buck’s love interest.
Let’s clear up a couple of things, shall we? Tommy Kinard is not Sal DeLuca. He is not Captain Gerrard. While he was part of the old 118 and definitely was in the old boys club, not only is he not the major problem, but in most cases that he’s an asshole, it can be traced back to his own secret. It’s not great, sure. But let’s look at the facts. Chimney is friends and still keeps in touch with him. Hen appears to hold no animosity and was clearly comfortable with him. In Bobby Begins, they all are friends. And clearly, Tommy has undergone a massive self-growth period. You cannot try to back up your point with inaccurate facts.
People can change. People can also be forgiven. It’s the prerogative of those involved. Enough said.
“But TK6,” you may say, “Buck should be with Eddie! Tommy is a plot device!”
Let’s set aside instant gratification culture really quick and talk about storytelling. You cannot get everything you want when you want it. You also cannot have your cake and eat it too. Buck and Eddie, if both queer, were never going to come out at the same time. Do we really want that?! Because identity is messy. Self discovery is messy. Eddie has Catholic guilt. Buck has self esteem/worth issues. Life isn’t a fanfiction. The real possibility of their relationship surviving such a transition isn’t all that high. IF Eddie is canonically queer, he’s going to have a rougher path than Buck has had.
Also, everyone is a plot device. Let’s get real. If a character doesn’t move a plot along, what’s the point? YES, Tommy is there for a storyline. That doesn’t in anyway invalidate his existence or his presence in Buck’s life.
If you want an instant Buddie storyline, visit ao3! There are amazing stories on there.
Now let’s talk about Buck/Tommy, or TEvan.
I am a long time Buddie lover. I also proudly ship TEvan. Yes, those can coexist. I don’t often multiship, but it’s a beautiful thing. I want Buddie to be endgame, sure! But I’m also okay if TEvan lasts. If they end up being endgame, will I be disappointed about Buddie? Of course. I will also be thrilled because Buck and Tommy are a sweet couple and I’m here for it.
As a queer woman, I’m happy that Buck is bi. Multisexual representation is still sorely lacking. Male sexuality that lets a man keep his masculinity while being queer? Even more so. Just take a look at the ao3 tag. Buck is emasculated in many fics. That’s why I stopped reading a lot.
We have a ship here that includes two very masculine men, who are emotionally vulnerable and exploring something new. I understand ship disappointment. But the negativity is wild. We need to stop the bullying. We need to stop the cheating storylines. We need to stop making Tommy into an ab*s*r only because we apparently can’t handle a love interest being a good person.
At the end of the day, these are fictional characters. It’s a fictional show. But these are real people. All of us are sitting here behind our screens with real feelings. We need to stop.
Buddie may one day happen. And maybe they won’t. TEvan might be endgame. They might not be. Tis the way of 9-1-1. It’s exciting, isn’t it? Waiting for something new and exciting. It was starting to get a little stagnant.
As a queer person, I’m not trying to gatekeep anyone. However, we cannot sit here and say “stop queerbaiting us!!!!” (They weren’t, we’ve always had queer representation on 9-1-1) “give us more representation” and then when they give it to us say, “NO! Not that way!”
If it was about the representation, it being Eddie or Tommy would matter a lot less.
So if you are someone using representation to shield yourself, kindly just be honest with yourself and everyone else.
In the words of our Lady and Savior Taylor Swift, “You need to calm down”.
Now, back off into the world of scrolling you go, my lovelies. Remember, keep an open mind and breathe. At the end of the day, it’s a show. But I for one will happily wait for every episode because I’m loving this.
Yes, I have indeed seen the blurry video that's been going around this afternoon. I know some folks were having difficulty seeing it, so I will post it here:
I think probably the first thing I thought was that this video is too short to really draw any full-on conclusions (to quote Buffalo Springfield, "There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear..."), and to wonder where the heck it came from. (It was posted as a story on a fan page on Instagram, but there's no indication of who recorded it or why it was publicized to begin with.)
Beyond that, though, and because we do not have a context for what is happening (although given the folder David is holding, it looks like it was filmed around when the group photo was taken), I am just looking at the things that are most plainly visible. One of which is what you mentioned, with Michael jerking back suddenly into the woman behind him. It's been suggested that Anna touched Michael's arm to guide him to move because the other woman was trying to pass through. When I watched it again, though, it looked more like the order of events was Anna reached for Michael's arm, he visibly pulled back right when she made contact, and then the other woman moved to keep from colliding with him. That is my interpretation, at any rate.
It also looks like a conversation is happening (possibly between Michael and Georgia, with David in the middle), and Michael seems to look somewhat agitated. Georgia, who is on the right of the frame, appears to then slap her hand to get their attention. This very well could be because it was loud, there were a lot of people talking, and it was difficult to hear. Given how close she is standing to David, though, Georgia could have also just put a hand on his arm the way Anna did with Michael, but she didn't, and I'm a bit perplexed as to why. The hand slap actually reminded me of a school headmistress, or something Judge Judy would do, because those are the only two people I think I've ever seen do a gesture like that.
Whatever her reasons, it seemed to work, as David's head snapped up right away. I did notice though that Michael continued talking (perhaps possibly determined to get whatever point he was making across), and it gave me the feeling that he and Georgia were having a bit of a back-and-forth/fighting for David's attention. (I guess that means the answer to the question of, "Can Michael fight?" is "Yes, if David Tennant is involved".) It could also be that AL was trying to sooth him/get him to be more agreeable to whatever Georgia was saying, but it doesn't seem like that really worked.
Again, it's a very short video and without context it's hard to say anything definitive, but that is my interpretation. I'd still like to know where in the world this video even came from, especially because it seems to cut off so suddenly, giving the impression that there was more. Strange days indeed...
NEVER LOVE AN ANCHOR ── dan heng x gn!reader x blade, former dan feng x gen!reader x yingxing, 2.4k
you dream of blood.
the golden ichor that seeps through the jagged cracks of an old, divine blade. the deep red that drips from your wounds as a cruel reminder of your mortality, an ever existing shadow that haunts you through all the ships you travel through.
you dream of love.
a golden hairpin that catches your eye while walking through the bustling streets of a marketplace. the red paint that smudges on a lover’s lips when you exchange kisses. strokes of black ink upon parchment, reading words more poetic than one can ever have the courage to say aloud.
it is dizzying, in the way all dreams are. you are sitting under the moon and sharing a drink with someone you consider your friend, family, lover, and the next you are driving your spear through his chest. there are no blades of grass on this ship, no grassy fields for you to hide in, and the tendrils that you feel swaying, rustling, in waves past your ankles, are the chains of the sins you bear as someone they call their beloved.
the crew of the astral express are a welcome distraction, kind and warm as they offer you their companionship in their own personal ways. you help march 7th pin up photos in her room, laughing as you reminisce over your past travels through silly selfies and scenic photos. you sit with himeko during breakfast over a cup of coffee (yours brewed by yourself rather than the gorgeous redhead, thank the aeons) and indulge in the peaceful silence, a sense of normality that the woman is more than happy to give you after all that you’ve been through. mr yang tells you stories of other universes, weaving the already existing threads of all the lives you’ve seen around you into something completely different yet the same— and sometimes you can’t help but wonder if he lived a different life before all this.
but no matter what, you always find your way back to dan heng.
though you have your own assigned room, the simple arrangement of a flat pillows and a blanket on the floor of the archives is as much of a home to you as it is to dan heng. you’ve spent many a night in his room, poring over texts and books with him, more often than not passing out on his lap or in his sleeping area.
( “they come as a pair,” march 7th once told the trailblazer when they asked about the two of you. “himeko said that arrived on this ship together. whatever they went through in the past, they made it through because they had each other. but that’s just what i think.” )
it’s true, in a sense. what would you have done without dan heng, travelling through all those ships that always met the same end? you wonder if you would’ve lasted long enough for himeko to find you and bring you to the astral express.
probably not.
dan heng feels responsible for you. he doesn’t say it, but it’s obvious. you once confessed your insecurities to him on a dark night, back when the two of you were still getting used to having a proper roof above your heads without fear of the ship getting attacked or waking up to security banging through the door.
( “what if they think i’m useless because i’m always clinging onto you?” you had asked him in a small, weak voice.
“…they don’t seem like those sort of people.”
“but what if?”
dan heng had looked at you, his expression tired and soft all at once as he sighed.
“then they’ll have a problem with me too.”
“why?”
“because,” he brushed his fingers over your gaunt cheekbones, worn from all that you’d been through. “i’m just like you. if something took you from my side, then i might as very well be useless to them.” )
there’s a known truth between the two of you, one that you never speak of; but you both know that it’s a fact. if you hadn’t been involved with dan heng — with him — you’d still be at home in the xianzhou alliance. you’d be blissfully oblivious to the convict on the loose, the exile who has returned home. you’d be living your life— a normal life.
but you aren't.
instead, you dream of him.
it should be impossible. bracers are not meant to be shared between a trio, and whatever gift you had been planning to share between the three of you was lost upon the exile. and yet, even without the ancient magic of the vidyadhara, he somehow manages to make his way into your dreams, haunting you like a ghost.
some nights, you dream of those arms that had always held you with such certainty, an impenetrable shield even when bloodied and battered. other nights, you dream of those hands driving a blade through dan heng’s heart, squeezing your throat until you take your last breath through a broken windpipe.
and every night, when you wake up from those dreams in dan heng’s arms, you feel that pain welling in your chest, settling for days as it finds comfort in its new home, made up of your aching lungs and your shattered heart. the days and nights blur together like this— haunted by a man still living and breathing, though not quite human, in the nighttime, and traversing through the worlds like a ghost searching for meaning in the daytime.
you don’t remember how it ended up like this. or do you? it all feels like a dream, all the details and images blurring together to be forgotten by morning. but it isn’t morning, and you can’t wake up from this reality. your head throbs. a concussion? who cares.
you can’t afford to let your guard down on this ship you once called home. you’re here for a reason, and though that reason is your top priority, you can’t afford to be caught either. the cloud knight that found you and dan heng — sushang — doesn’t seem to recognise either of you, and neither does the strange tradesman luocha, but you still can’t take any chances. panic blossoms in your gut, unsettling as you grip your weapon in your weak hands.
ah. that’s right. you’re fighting. reason grounds you with the fuzzy memory of your enemy standing before you— an ambush, because whatever forces are at work here clearly play just as dirty as the antimatter legion and that damned aeon they serve.
a fight you can’t lose, no matter how badly your head is throbbing right now, because you still have to find the others, have to save them from— from—
“ren,” your grip on your weapon loosens as the dust clears, revealing the man standing before you.
the enemy, your brain screams, though it can’t even make you move away. the word that slips through your lips is familiar, and yet not. your head hurts thinking of calling him by his true name, the name you called him before he turned into this.
blade, is what kafka called him.
ren, is what it means in your mother tongue, the language spoken in moonlit nights as the three of you sat under the stars, the silence broken only by a whisper of their names.
the name comes out as a quiet, pathetic croak, staring wide eyed at his figure. he’s frozen just as you are, his broken blade aimed straight at you with an arm that wavers just the slightest.
it’s like a domino effect; your walls crashing down the moment you see his mask slip for the smallest moment.
“yingxing!” your voice breaks as you call out to him again, almost desperately (it does not occur to you that you've let your memory slip, called out for a man long dead). your feet are moving from under you before you even realise it.
blade lunges forward, his sword drawn.
a desperate cry of your name wretches itself out of dan heng’s throat in a way that makes your heart ache, but it’s too late now. his warning comes only seconds after you’ve begun to run straight to danger, death, a threat to your life seemingly unseen to you as you surge forward like a blind lover, but you can see him.
the sharp angles of his face, the familiar bracer on his calloused hand, the searing heat of his vermilion eyes. he’s so close— close enough to kiss, close enough to kill, close enough to be reality rather than an illusion forged by a dream.
his blade is not what meets you. instead, it’s his hand. dan heng’s panicked screams is barely audible over your hammering heartbeat, your pulse quickening as blade’s calloused fingers wrap around your throat. he’s stronger than you — you would know even if he hasn’t been haunting your dreams all those years — and so he can easily snap you in half the second you’re in his clutches.
but then you’re pressed against him, back to his front. blade pulls you as close to him as humanly possible until you’re both flush, sharing the same, saccharine oxygen after years of breathing stale air through stone lungs. despite the sharp end of a sword held over your throat, you allow yourself to close your eyes, reveling in this single moment as if you’ve lived an eternity where the three of you had never once hurt each other. though he had an eternity without a single regard to how you’d hurt each other. in these stolen moments, you let yourself be stupid, oblivious, selfish, just to breathe properly for the first time in what feels like a millennium.
“let them go,” dan heng hisses, breaking you out of your reverie.
“no,” blade’s eyes narrow. there is no mocking in his expression, no sardonic smirk or cruel taunts. his walls are still up, none of that broken emotion that you’d only seen for a split moment when your eyes first met, but he lets himself drop the bravado.
between the three of you, there is no such thing.
you whisper a soft cry of his name, making dan heng’s grip tighten on cloudpiercer as he moves to snatch you out of blade’s grip, but your former lover only growls.
“come any closer, and i’ll cut them.”
his voice is scratchy, worn like the calloused hands that are wrapped around your nape, squeezing almost painfully. a distant memory flashes in your mind, of these same calloused palms washing your back after a long day, cleaning the blood and grime.
these same hands could be stained with your blood, if he so wishes.
“you won’t,” dan heng hisses, and you hear something in him break like glass shattering on the floor. “you can’t.”
he sounds so sure of it, that this man will not slice that blade over your throat and take your life just as he had taken dan heng’s in so many eternities.
you’re reminded of the fact that no matter how many times the hourglass has turned over for dan heng, no matter how muddled his memories become, he once loved this man just as you did— once relished in his presence and touch as it lulled him back to sanity, masking the weight of all the sins the three of you had committed over the lifetimes your strings of fate had been entangled.
blade moves as if to cut your throat, to finally take the first life, the first step in the nth round of this cycle of violence, but his sword only manages to press down just the slightest against the skin of your neck before he stops himself. his hand — the one adorned by that damned bracer — shakes as he glares at dan heng with a look that can kill.
“fuck,” blade mutters under his breath. the word is not meant for you, but you hear anyway. blade pulls back from you roughly, and a barely audible whimper tears out of your throat when he suddenly pushes you forward and into dan heng’s arms.
dan heng’s eyes widen, clearly just as surprised as you when blade relinquishes his hold on you. he catches you with unsteady arms, trying to keep cloudpiercer levelled at blade as if the man will suddenly lunge forward and take him from you again.
blade stares at the two of you for a moment, watching as dan heng clutches you to his chest like you’ll disappear if he let go, as you hold a palm to your neck where the thinnest line of red bleeds through. his eyes narrow, and the only other indication of emotion in his face is the slightest downturn of his lips.
“i’ll be back,” blade says, and then there’s that cruel smile on his face again, a taunting glint in his eye as he looks at dan heng. “i’ve stolen your little eternity countless times before. what’s one more to the tally?”
dan heng growls, his grip tightening on cloudpiercer, “you damned—!”
but then blade’s already making his exit, leaping off the platform in a manner that gives you deja vu.
( a memory flashes in your mind, the image of him jumping off your balcony as jing yuan knocked on your bedroom door to make sure you were still asleep while dan feng dove under your bed for cover, a mundane moment of peace and carefreeness almost forgotten from where you had pushed it deep into crevices of your mind. )
i’ve stolen your little eternity countless times before. what’s one more to the tally?
after a breathless moment that seems to drag out for an eternity, dan heng’s arms finally uncurl from your frame, his eyes tracing your figure to make sure you’re unharmed. his eyes drag over the thin cut across your neck in an adagio, his breath hitching as he sees you bleeding the same colour of blade’s eyes.
“he didn’t kill me,” you breathe out. you don’t know why it’s only settling now. the relief is clear in your tone, but it’s obvious from the violent tremor of your hands that it’s only to mask your own uncertainty. "he didn't kill me."
dan heng is quiet. you’re too scared to look at him, at the expression on his face. you just stare at your shaking hands, and watch as he rests his palm over your own to soothe the tremors.
“he always had a soft spot for you,” dan heng whispers, something breaking in the tenor of his voice.
one-shot ✦ 3.1k w
pairing ✦ seonghwa x fem!reader
au ✦ Ateez OT9 (reader as 9th member)
tags ✦ smut; established relationship; jealous!hwa; voyeurism ; reader is close with Mingi; bit of angst if you squint
summary ✦ while on tour with your band, it's finally time to relax for a couple days in Paradise. At least that was the plan until your boyfriend gets jealous of your sudden proximity with another band member.
18+ only | mdni
notes ✦ this was a request sent to me weeks ago ♡︎
You didn’t know how long you had been here. All you knew is that the sun was slowly going down and your entire body felt sore, starting with your back as it hit the wall at a strong, steady pace.
“Hwa— slow down, they might— hear us” Your words were barely mumbled through heavy pants as you looked up to meet your boyfriend’s gaze, his entire face showing signs of exhaustion mixed with his typical manic stare. There was something in his eyes telling you not to push him too far, although you might have done that already, all prior decisions leading to the moment he had lifted you up from the floor and unexpectedly slammed you against the nearest wall with his lips already feasting on your neck.
“So what? Let them hear you” His voice was cold as stone, like a command, and with the blink of an eye, you knew exactly who “them” truly meant to him. Mingi. Whose room just happened to be next to yours. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t noticed the fuming look on your boyfriend’s face the minute your feet had left the ground only to climb onto Mingi’s back and perch your bikini cladded butt on his shoulders. Actually, anyone could tell Seonghwa genuinely hated the idea of you two paired together, even as a team over a silly beach game Yeosang had suggested, calling it “team building” with a chuckle when it had done nothing but push Seonghwa over the edge of whatever sanity he had left.
“Now that’s just stupid, someone could get hurt…” Seonghwa stated as soon as he was paired with Wooyoung over rock paper scissors, purposely ignoring the little celebration dance you and Mingi had quickly come up with, as the opposite team. “Isn’t the whole point of this vacation to actually rest, by the way?”
“Relax, party pooper! Some of us would like to have fun… now giddy up, beautiful!” Although Mingi meant no arm, his words reached Seonghwa like a bullet right to the head as he struggled to compose himself, his eyes glued to his friend’s hands— painfully gripped to your thighs. If his heart wasn’t beating like crazy already, seeing Mingi’s face comfortably tucked between your legs was his last straw. Everything suddenly turned into a blur as he reluctantly lifted Wooyoung off the ground to help him up. The least he could do now was to make sure this game wouldn’t last long enough for him to spiral into more sinister thoughts— like the devastating eventuality of Mingi feeling your flesh through the thin fabric of your bathing suit. Or you getting worked up over the mere friction of his hair against your slit. Every nasty, fucked-up thoughts he could have were now piling up into his head until he couldn’t think straight any longer.
“Let’s get this over with” You knew he meant every word literally and judging by the look on his face, Seonghwa wouldn’t hesitate to go hard on his bandmate, even if that meant for you to fall head first into the water in the process. Nothing else mattered but for this nightmare to end and for his visions to stop. Anything seemed like an excuse for him to dive deeper into paranoia— the way your hands were framing Mingi’s face, sometimes to the extent where you had to pull at his hair a little not to fall back, sending him to a darker place and a scenario that definitely involved your fists tearing his brown strands apart while you came from the constant flick of his tongue against your clit. Lucky for him, Seonghwa had been paired with the noisiest member, Wooyoung’s excited yelps coming to the rescue everytime he drifted back into the absolute nonsense of his vivid reveries.
“Watch out!” Wooyoung’s high-pitched voice was the last thing he heard before everything turned to a sapphire blur as the youngest dragged him along through his fall until they both disappeared under water. Everything seemed so much more peaceful down here, from the muffled sound of voices to the infinite quietness of the Abyss— and for a second, Seonghwa felt suddenly thankful for the short yet unexpected lull of his defeat.
“Baby, are you alright?” Your voice sounded familiar yet faded from his blocked up ears. Eyes red with salted water, Seonghwa struggled for a while, adjusting to the brightness of the sun as he finally found your gaze, pleased to find his favorite face painted with worry— yet your body still attached to Mingi whose hands were now tightly locked above your knees, keeping you still as you towered over everyone from 6 ft above.
“C’mon man, don’t be such a sore loser!” Mingi called out as Seonghwa decided to escape without a word, his feet anchored into the sand as he walked back to grab his clothes on his way back towards the hotel. But as all the members were quick to joke about Seonghwa’s tendency to turn into a grumpy mess anytime he failed a game, you couldn’t help but notice the slight difference in your boyfriend’s attitude this time. He wasn’t angry over the game. He was entirely consumed by jealousy.
Running in the sand wasn’t your best decision, but still an unexpected work-out, especially when Seonghwa’s legs would take a single step when yours needed three to four more, but eventually, you managed to catch up with him, your hand instantly wrapping around his arm.
“Hwa? Is everything okay, baby?” If facing his broad, muscled back wasn’t enough to dismantle you, the look of absolute rage on your boyfriend’s face as he turned around definitely sealed the deal. With his long black hair pushed back, his caramel skin merely sunkissed and a few droplets plummeting over his cheeks like a comforting memory from the Sea, Seonghwa looked absolutely ethereal, making it hard for you to focus on any of the words coming out of his plump lips.
“Let’s not do this here” He almost commanded, his mind still playing tricks with him as his eyes lingered over your body and how tightly hugged you seemed in that bikini now that it was soaked, your nipples perking against the fabric as goosebumps traveled up to the back of your neck under Seonghwa’s touch. With his palm pressed to the small of your back, his pace more determined than ever, Seonghwa led you back to the Hotel, his lips completely sealed through the entire walk to your room.
There wasn’t much of a fight, let alone a talk happening as you reached the corridor, waiting for Seonghwa to unlock the door with the plastic card you’d been given when checking into the fancy hotel for a couple— much deserved— days of vacation in the middle of touring Europe. While Greece wasn’t on the few stops planned for the Summer tour, you were the one suggesting the destination, your body craving some sunlight and delicious food while bonding with your members. Sometimes it wasn’t easy being the only girl among eight, only male members, but somewhere along the way, these guys had quickly become your chosen family. Brothers, for most of them, with an obvious soft spot for Seonghwa who had been promoted to the boyfriend status within months of putting the group together. Mingi was close behind, his contagious smile and perpetuous cheerful mood always coming handy in times of stress or hardcore promotion— though it sometimes dragged you into a difficult position within your relationship.
And now here you were— taped to the wall with Seonghwa’s hands keeping your legs tightly wrapped around his hips as he rocketed himself into you. By now, your bikini top had risen above your breast from your boyfriend constantly pulling at the fabric without much patience, eager to attach his lips to your sensitive skin, the flick of his tongue over your erected buds almost sending you over the edge as you clenched endlessly around him.
Seonghwa was — for the most — a gentle yet passionate lover. Always taking his time to get you hot and bothered, nose deep into your cunt while edging you just the right amount before he decided to have you in his own way. But somehow, his jealous side turned him into a whole different person. Whenever his boyfriend ego was triggered, he suddenly became a man on a mission, eager to claim your body and to make sure you knew who you belonged to.
The room was filled with an obscene mix of your moans and the perfectly cadenced sound of your skin slapping against his, air heavy and warm, almost suffocating as your neck found a collar in the shape of Seonghwa’s lean fingers wrapping tightly into your flesh, forcing your eyes to meet his dilated pupils.
“You’re gonna cum for me, love”
Not a question— very much more of a statement. There wasn’t a second of hesitation in his tone as the words slipped off his lips like a command. You were gonna cum for him.
Still, the fact he made sure to use one of his favorite pet names was enough of a hint for you to find comfort in his usual warmth.
And with a single nod, you allowed Seonghwa to ruin you some more.
With long strands of black hair plastered all over his face, tangled into a thin coat of sweat like a chaotic mix of spiderwebs and some glue, Seonghwa looked absolutely dismantled— so far from the perfectly neat aura he typically brought into a room and though you could barely think straight as he hammered his hips between your abused thighs, you couldn’t deny the sparkle of pride in your eyes as you realized no one else would ever get to witness this version of him.
Pins and needles were slowly invading your legs, creeping up your thighs from being held up against a wall for too long but all thoughts were long gone when a particular sharp thrust sent you off, forcing your eyes to roll at the back of your head as the taste of blood finally hit your tongue, teeth sunk into your bottom lip until the skin broke from the permanent pressure.
You felt it coming, the familiar warmth knotting at the pit of your stomach, flames licking at your cheeks as they turned a brighter shade of pink from gasping for air. Eyebrows knitted together, Seonghwa’s gaze found your face— you knew he could feel it too, the way you were clenching so much harder around his throbbing cock, how your velvety walls swallowed him with such ease as he suddenly got sloppier with his thrusts— and when he leant just enough for his lips to ghost over yours, his breathing tickling your tongue as your mouth awaited desperately for the kiss you had been craving for too long, a sudden whine traveled up from your throat, dying in the air still hanging between your faces as his mouth failed to connect with yours.
Desperation found its nest in a soft grunt as you tilted your head back, hitting the wall behind you while Seonghwa smirked in victory. He had you precisely where he intended you to be. Putty in his hands. Desperate. A single tear prickling in the corner of your eyes from the lack of compassion he was providing while still driving you to the finish line.
A knock on the door suddenly dragged you out of your thoughts, your eyes instantly landing on the corridor, irrationally worried someone may have complained about the noises coming from your room— and while it would be the perfect time for a break, Seonghwa unexpectedly decided to ignore the intrusion, his fingers pressing into the flesh of your ass as he hammered himself into you harder than ever. If you weren’t too dizzy to think straight, you could see the adrenaline in his eyes, the thrill of getting caught and the twisted urge to let whoever was behind the door know he was balls deep into your cunt and unavailable to greet them.
The knocking eventually stopped after a few attempts, leaving you nervous, breathless and worried about the consequences while hoping it was just one of the other members and not some concerned employee of the hotel or even worse, your manager.
“Lost in your own thoughts, love?”
You had been downgraded to just “love” , no longer his , but he still loved you.
“Worried someone might hear us? Mingi, maybe?”
Though you knew what this was all about, having Seonghwa express himself and boldly mention his band member as the issue was a new perspective. Not only was there anger in his eyes, but you could now perfectly see the hurt in his black pupils and the way he frowned. That was the look of a man too scared to admit he felt threatened, a man who feared to lose you, as insane as it sounded to you— you were hook, line and sinker in love with Seonghwa and never in a million years would you dare look at someone else. How could you, when he was exactly and precisely what you needed?
“Speak of the devil” Seonghwa added, forcing you to frown a little as his hand reached for his phone on the table right next to you. You had missed the buzzing sound of a call, deeply anchored into your own thoughts, but when your eyes caught a glimpse of Mingi’s name on the screen, you couldn’t miss the way your heart almost stilled in your chest.
Moreover, you went absolutely livid when Seonghwa decided to answer while still perfectly sleeved into your cunt.
“ ‘sup man? “ he simply asked, his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear while pushing himself into you at a slower pace but so much deeper, stealing an unfortunate squeal out of you. Head foggy with nerves, arousal and fear, you could hear the muffled sound of Mingi’s voice on the other side of the line as Seonghwa found some sadistic pleasure in keeping the conversation casual. Like he wasn’t wrecking your insides.
Looking into your eyes with a devilish smile, you could see the darkness draping over your boyfriend’s face as he moved you to the table, sitting you comfortably on the edge while pressing a palm on your stomach so you would lay back on your elbows just enough to enjoy the show he was about to put on.
His phone laid next to you now, Mingi on speaker, making you nervous and exposed while Seonghwa pushed your legs apart, kneeling in front of you while keeping the conversation going with his friend— something about a song they were working on together the night before and struggling with some lyrics, not that you cared much about it when Seonghwa’s tongue eventually pressed flat against your slit, collecting your arousal with a single, strong flick as you shivered uncontrollably against the table.
Everything felt so wrong, so perverted, like he had invited Mingi to join a private party of two, offering a chance for him to stand in the corner of the room, cock in hand, while Seonghwa made sure to show exactly how you liked to be owned.
Arching your back to push yourself further into his tongue, you could already see some stars dancing on the ceiling, almost dragging the air out of your lungs as Seonghwa wrapped his lips around your clit, sucking at it like a starved man, making a show out of it.
“Anyway— are you guys coming down for dinner?” Mingi voice interrupted, forcing your hands to cover your face, teeth pressed around your thumb as you tried your best to compose yourself, to stay quiet as you squirmed and shook into Seonghwa skilled hands.
“Maybe later— had a late snack” Seonghwa muffled, his tongue flicking around your sensitive bud as you soaked his chin, praying that the awful sound of your own depravity couldn’t be heard over the phone.
“Yeah you sound like you have a mouthful” Mingi joked, laughing at the realization as he eventually ended the call. And while you should have been mortified, the way Seonghwa looked up to smirk triumphantly almost sent you over the edge.
Seeing you squirm and clench around nothing, Seonghwa traveled up to find your lips, pressing a palm against your mouth while the other guided his hardened member to your aching hole, pushing himself in one hard thrust without warning. Screaming into his hand, head tilted back and almost over the edge of the table, you could feel the way it rocked against your back, ready to collapse as Seonghwa fucked himself into you at the roughest pace, printing the varnished wood into the back of your thighs.
“Fuck— Hwa— I’m… close” you were a blurbing mess at this point, almost drooling into his hand as he traveled his gaze back and forth, smirking at the way you swallowed him perfectly and up to your perfect, fucked out face.
“You are, uh? I can feel it…” his teeth sunk into your flesh, biting into your collarbone as he bottomed out one more time— and then nothing.
Gasping for air, your whole body still trembling from skimming over the edge, you looked up to see Seonghwa unfolding himself off your embrace, pulling out and tucking himself back into his underwear.
“Wh—what are you doing?” you dared to ask, sitting up although your entire body felt like it was about to collapse. Sore and halfway between climax and deprivation.
“I’ll go work on that song with Mingi” he smiled, leaning for a quick peck on your lips as you stared at him, completely puzzled. Offended, even.
“Are you fucking kidding me now?” you were fuming at this point, ready to put on a fight according to his next answer.
“I said you’d come for me, my love, I didn’t say when”
You watched as Seonghwa gathered his clothes, fixing himself up in the mirror and pulling his messy wet hair into a tight bun with only a few strands framing his face. You had never felt such an insane mix of humiliation and thrill all at the same time.
“You better be ready for me when I come back, I am nowhere near done with you” walking towards you, Seonghwa pressed one firm hand behind your neck, his lips finding yours— at last. There was something different about his kiss, more demanding, quite not as desperate as you wished it to be, but meaningful enough for you to know he wasn’t upset anymore.
“Maybe I’ll let Mingi watch, this time” he smirked against your lips, his tongue tracing the outline of your mouth at a devilish slow pace while a chuckle died in his throat— and while you hated to admit it, you could feel a fire sparkle into your guts at the eventuality.
Whyyy is King Tharman dragging poor Kate out of Anthony’s sick bed?!
There’s two main reasons.
One is that without Kate and Anthony’s permission the only statement they’ve been able to make is
Earlier today Princess Kate was involved in an altercation early during which gunshots were fired. The Princess and members of her close team are receiving medical care.
The longer it goes without an update the bigger the rumours swirling. The more likely it is that news sources will try to breach the hospital where Anthony’s trying to recover. The rumour that Kate’s dead is really starting to pick up steam and the quickest and easiest way to dispel that rumour is for her to be seen leaving the hospital.
The other reason is that Tharman knows that Kate likely has a very important choice to make. She needs to decide whether her relationship with Anthony is important enough for her to go public with or not and for her as the heir to the throne a public relationship is tantamount to being engaged. He wants her to make this choice where there’s less emotion than at Anthony’s bedside.
He’s not angry at Kate. He’s not even angry at Anthony, they looked very sweet together actually. He’s a little annoyed he had to pay Anthony so much overtime during what was clearly a dirty weekend in hindsight but he’s had time to get over the shock of this. He’s not about to wade in and start forcing them apart now. If Anthony is who Kate wants she can have him, he just feels that he’s let himself down a little in not being someone his child could talk to.
Hi coco , I don’t know if your still doing requests if not juts by past this .
Fem reader x Marshall
Reader is some sort of celebrity and her and Marshall’s sex tape gets leaked
SECRETS OUT - ONE SHOT
Eminem x Celebrity Reader
Author’s note : Thank you so much for your request. I Hope you like it ❤️. I thoroughly enjoyed writing one shots and HCs so if you have requests, feel free to send them to me in my Ask.
Synopsis : You’re a prominent influencer, having a secret relationship with Em for years. None of you intend on making it public… until your sextape gets leaked.
When you started dating Marshall, the two of you had a serious talk about how important it was to him that your relationship remained private. He knew that you shared a lot of your life online - hell, it was kind of your job as an influencer - and respected it, but he was adamant about not being featured on your social media accounts and YouTube channel. You respected his wish. To be honest, you were a little relieved : your last relationship had ended because of public scrutiny and you didn’t want history to repeat itself. Especially since the person you were dating was a megastar. No offense to your ex, who was still a very successful influencer, but next to Marshall Mathers, he was chopped liver. If publicly dating someone with ten million YouTube followers was hard, you couldn’t imagine how it would be if everyone knew you were dating Eminem.
You actually did a good job at keeping your followers and his fans in the dark about your relationship. To everyone, the both of you were single and, even though they were rumours about the two of you dating other public figures, you had never been linked together. No one expected you, a twenty-something fashion and beauty influencer to date Eminem. From the looks of it, you didn’t have much in common and didn’t run in the same circles.
So your relationship flew under the radar for years and you even managed to get married without the public knowing. You had the most beautiful wedding, held in a secluded location with only your closest friends, with a lot of logistics and NDAs involved. Everyone joked that you had to be the only influencer who didn’t share the most important day of their life on social media. Especially when the wedding was so insta-worthy. A few years ago, you would have been a little bummed about it, but being with Marshall kept you grounded and reminded you that not everything was meant to be shared online. If anything, the secrecy of your wedding and the « no phones or camera allowed » rule allowed everyone to enjoy the moment instead of focusing on filming it or snapping pictures of their plates or outfit. That didn’t mean there were no pictures taken though. The only person who immortalised the wedding was the photographer and, though guests were sent the pictures, they were asked not to share, and everyone respected your wishes.
Just because the two of you didn’t share pictures online didn’t mean you didn’t take plenty. In fact, your phones were full of cute selfies of the two of you. At the beginning of your relationship, he often made fun of your habit to try and immortalise moments, but he ended up getting into it. When the two of you met, he was still using an old BlackBerry and took the crappiest selfies, but you managed to turn him into the perfect Instagram husband. In fact, he was the one who helped you do your daily outfit posts and he was more than decent at telling you how you should pose. And if he was a bit judgy of influencers at first, he had come to understand your line of work and your love of fashion. He was extremely supportive of every thing you did and his eyes were gleaming with adoration when he was watching you film your videos, though he still liked to tease you.
One evening, during your honeymoon, you found him filming himself in the mirror as you walked out of the bathroom in your finest, sluttiest lingerie.
- What are you doing ? You giggled.
- Immortalising the outfit. So, it’s simple, the boxers are Givenchy, fall collection… care to share yours ? He chuckled as he pointed the phone to you.
- So tonight, I’m wearing a gorgeous Dita Von Teese set, you said as you posed and played along. We have this gorgeous corset, and the panties are amazing, too…
- Turn around and show the back, babe, he instructed. You’re gorgeous.
This became a little game that you played during the whole honeymoon. Each night, Marshall filmed you in your lingerie, under the pretense that he wanted to remember your honeymoon as vividly as possible. This made you laugh and you let him. It started as « innocent » « outfit of the night » videos but, on occasion, you both felt frisky and ended up filming a literal sex tape, or rather a series of them. Nothing especially elaborate, just one of you holding the phone while doing the deed, just for laughs. You didn’t even watch them after or think about it. It was really just the two of you clowning around, making fun of your own IG account and enjoying your honeymoon. Once you got back home, you didn’t keep it going and eventually came to forget there were videos of you and Marshall having sex on his phone. Until the videos were leaked, that is.
You had been married for about six months and enjoyed your weekly brunch with Marshall’s daughters when they suddenly went silent, after Stevie showed her sisters something on her phone.
- Oh my God, I’m going to puke, Stevie said.
- Girls, no phone at the table, Marshall groaned.
- Have you guys… seen the news ? Hailie asked.
- What news ? You asked back, a tad confused.
- The Pistons headline, Alaina said.
- What’s wrong with the team ? Marshall asked with a raised eyebrow.
The girls frowned and stayed silent for a second before handing the phone to the two of you. There was an article about you and Marshall, soberly titled : « Detroit’s ultimate Piston : Eminem sextape leaked (featuring influencer Y/N ». The headline was enough to make you want to die. The article wasn’t much better. It commented on the videos and showed a few screenshots of tweets reacting to the leak such as « Bro can’t take a decent selfie but you can trust him to point the camera at his dick correctly 👀 » or « Damn. He’s 51 but Y/N’s the one who’s gonna need hip replacement surgery with these trusts 💀». You and Marshall stared at each other while the girls were looking at you. You felt humiliated. Not only were the videos leaked online, you were confronted by your step-daughters - though they were old enough to be your sisters - about it. You looked down, absolutely mortified.
- I’m going to be sick, you said as you left the table and headed to your room.
You heard Marshall calling your name but there was absolutely no way you could face anyone right now. Once you were alone, you anxiously checked your phone. Of course, everyone was in a frenzy. Your manager was texting you and your social media accounts were flooded. Both in the comments and your DMs, people were going crazy and talking about the videos. You already had a huge following, but it was something else entirely. You immediately called your manager, who was beyond pissed. Apparently, some brands you collaborated threatened to sever their ties with you. Of course, you getting rammed on video didn’t really fit in with your usual good girl image and it wouldn’t be a good look for them. Now, not only were you ashamed but you were also terrified. You had worked too hard for your career to crumble that easily.
- What should I do ? You anxiously asked.
- For now, nothing, she said. I’m going to consult with a few people to see what we can do for damage control. Though if I were you I’d get ready to film an apology video.
- I didn’t do anything wrong, you pointed out. These videos were not meant to be shared.
- You know how it is, Y/N. I’ll get back to you ASAP.
- Thanks, you said sheepishly. Talk to you soon.
When you hung up, you couldn’t resist the temptation to go and check other articles. Obviously, news traveled fast and you were now a trending subject. Marshall being the more famous of the two of you, his name was on every headline but, from the looks of it, you were the one whose reputation was suffering the most. While everybody seemed to praise his performance - and impressive physique - you were deemed a slut by the Internet. Even worse, some people were already making memes with your face and some rappers beefing with Marshall were reposting them. You had always been a « glass half-full » type of person but you literally wanted to die. In a flash, it seemed like you could kiss your career and reputation goodbye.
After about an hour, Marshall joined you in the bedroom and took you in his arms while you were sobbing.
- Hey, he said sheepishly.
- I-I’m sorry, you said. But I can’t go and face your daughters. I just can’t. I can’t face anyone right now, I-I…
- It’s fine, he replied before kissing your forehead. I sent them home.
- Im sorry, you said. I know how much family brunch means to you…
- As it turns out, having your kids lecture you about your leaked sextape isn’t as fun as people make it out to be, he said sarcastically.
You couldn’t help but chortle. Even in this type of dramatic situations, you could always count on Marshall’s dry humor. He placed another kiss on your forehead and wiped your tears with his thumbs.
- We’ll be fine, he said reassuringly. Don’t worry, babe.
- Why aren’t you freaking out ? You asked. You should be freaking out.
- Oh, I’m freaking out, he said. I mean, I’m livid. But on a practical level, I know people will forget about it eventually, you know.
- Easy for you to say, you pointed out. The Internet is raving about the size of your dick and commenting about how in shape you are for an older dude… meanwhile, people are calling me a slut.
- You’re not a slut, he said as he rolled his eyes.
- Tell that to the thousand of people calling me a rapper groupie or whatever that is, you groaned.
- Doesn’t matter, he shrugged. We both know that’s not true. You’re not a groupie, you’re my wife.
- Well I’m about to be a stay at home wife, you said with tears in your eyes. I had my agent on the phone and sponsors are already breaking contracts… I-I’m losing everything, Marshall…
The tears started streaming down again. Mentioning the situation out loud was upsetting, it only meant it was real. You were really on the verge of losing everything. Your husband knew better than anyone how much your career meant to you, the work you put in and everything you had invested to be successful. To you, it wasn’t just a job : it was your dream. You had always tried your best to have a pristine reputation as an influencer and stay out of drama but now, people were looking down on you and calling you names. And you dreaded the perspective of doing an apology video. It was humiliating. In most recent years, you had focused your content on beauty and fashion instead of your private life but now, it was up for public consumption. Marshall held you tight as you told him about the comments you received and how sad you were about losing collaborations you were looking forward to.
- You don’t need these people’s money, he said.
- You know it’s not a matter of money, you replied curtly. It’s never only been about money. It’s more than that.
- I know, he said. But look, these videos were stolen from us. And if these brands who put that much effort into building a so-called relationship with you drop you easily, it’s not worth it. They should be sending you flowers and publicly supporting you.
- You know that’s not how it works, you sighed.
- All I’m saying is that it’s unfair, he said. And I’m sorry you’re going through this. But I know you. You’re strong and you’re resilient. And your followers love you. You’re not going to lose your career over this.
- I’ll do my best, you shrugged. My agency wants me to film an apology video.
- Are they serious ? He groaned. You don’t have to apologise for shit. These videos were fucking stolen, Y/N !!!
He was clearly mad. Funnily enough, he seemed more angry over the unfairness of the situation than the fact that everyone could see him having sex on video. But then again, it probably had something to do with his reputation being pretty intact. Sure, that would probably earn him a few lines in diss tracks people might be tempted to put out, but there wasn’t much to be ashamed of, as far as he was concerned. First of all, the videos clearly made a good job of shutting down rumours about his size, and he still came across as someone who had sex. On the other hand, you were more visible on the videos and earning a reputation of an easy and slutty influencer, hungry for fame. Typical double standard. You cursed whoever had managed to steal these videos. And deep down, you were mad that they had been so easily stolen.
- Why were they stolen in the first place ? You groaned.
- What ? He asked. You know how it is… people’s phones get hacked all the fucking time. Whoever did that was probably hoping to get their hands on new music. Joke’s on them, though. We only function with CDs to avoid this type of leaks.
- Joke’s on them ?! You almost yelled. The joke is on me !!! I couldn’t care less about your CDs. No offense but I’d rather have your album leaked than my career ruined, Marshall !!!
- Sorry, he said as he nervously scratched his beard. Poor choice of word. Of course it’s worse. What I mean is… hacks happen all the time. Every month there’s a new story about a celebrity’s phone or computer or cloud being hacked.
- And I’m usually over here, making fun about people who don’t know how to protect their data, you said as you rolled your eyes. The most basic thing to do is to at least put this type of photos in a folder that requires double authentication.
- Double what ?
He looked at you with big eyes. Of course, he had no idea what you were talking about. « That’s what you get for marrying a dummy when it comes to technology », you thought. You didn’t want to get mad at him, but you were pissed. You rolled your eyes at him and let your head fall on the pillow.
- I have to go and call Paul, he said. We’re both going to have to do damage control. But we’ll be fine, I promise you.
- Mmmmh, you groaned.
- I’ll do my best to find whoever did that and sue their ass, he assured you. And whoever shares these videos, too. When we got married, I swore I would protect you and you best believe I’m making good on that.
- Thanks, you said sheepishly.
The following couple of days were especially tough. News had obviously traveled fast and everyone in your life knew about the videos. You thought facing Hailie, Alaina and Stevie was hard, but FaceTiming with your parents was even harder. You could tell they were disappointed, and mostly worried for you. Both of your management teams were trying to find the best way to get through it. Unfortunately, crisis management wasn’t the same for a rapper as it was for an influencer. Marshall’s team advised him to stay silent while yours was almost begging you to address the elephant in the room, preferably with your husband, who was an ogre about it.
- I’m not appearing in your damn apology video, he groaned. It’s stupid enough that you have to do one of these.
- I have to do what’s best for my career, you pleaded.
- You always said these videos were disingenuous, he pointed out.
- Well, yes, but what am I going to do ? You groaned. Disappear and kiss my career goodbye ? And I’m not you, Marshall. I can’t just ignore it and go back to posting videos as if nothing happened.
He hummed and you kept talking about it, trying to come up with a solution. You weren’t thrilled about the idea of addressing the situation and he was right : you had nothing to apologise for. And he was fully against the idea of standing next to you like a First Lady while you filmed something so silly. Of course, it turned into an argument. There was only so much pressure you could take. And you knew Marshall was doing his best and keeping in touch with his lawyers, but you were mad that he wouldn’t support you publicly.
- I’m asking you to stand next to me for a damn video, that’s all, you sighed. I’m not asking for the moon, here. You don’t even have to say anything.
- Then what’s the point in me being here at all ? He shrugged. We agreed that I would be kept out of your content, Y/N. That was clear from the start.
- Because everyone thinks I’m a whore ! You yelled. I was fine with people not knowing about us, but I am not fine with people calling me a rapper whore. And I am not fine with my husband not supporting me. You said we were a team ! You promised to care for me and protect me for the rest of our lives. Or were these vows just words to you ?!?!
You knew he would be pissed off by your words. He had always made it clear that his vows were absolutely serious and solemn. And you knew for a fact that he had put a lot of heart and thought into writing them. He didn’t say anything, just sighed and left the room. Obviously, you both needed to take time off because this escalated into an argument. You groaned and stayed in the bedroom, which you had barely left since the videos had leaked.
A couple of hours later, you went downstairs and found Marshall watching some boxing match on TV.
- Hey, you said sheepishly.
- Hey, he simply said.
- Look, I’m sorry, I…, you began.
- Don’t sweat it, he shrugged as he gestured for you to come sit on his lap.
You sat on him and watched with him in silence, enjoying the sensation of his arms wrapped around your waist. When the match ended, he turned off TV and smiled at you.
- I took care of things, he said.
- You did ? You asked.
- I did, he confirmed. You don’t need to film that stupid video.
- What did you do ? You asked with a raised eyebrow.
He seemed pretty sure of himself, proud even, and you tried hard not to show it, but you were still a bit doubtful.
- Check Instagram, he simply said as he handed you your phone.
You nervously checked your account. You were tagged in thousands of new posts. Only these weren’t posts of the sex videos. Your account was flooded with pictures of your wedding, posted by your friends and reposted by tons of fan accounts. Your closest influencer friends had posted the beautiful pictures of them with you at the wedding. Marshall’s friends had done the same : 50, Dre, Porter, Royce… everyone was posting about your nuptials. The most beautiful shot was the one shared by Marshall on his account : a gorgeous black and white shot of the two of you after the reception, holding hands and staring at the fireworks, captioned : « For better & for worse. Happy 6 months anniversary. ». Everyone was going absolutely crazy in the comments, not failing to show their surprise and mentioning that he was now following one account : yours. You looked at him, almost crying and took him in your arms.
- Oh my God, you said. I can’t believe you did this.
- Called in a few favors and asked our friends to post the wedding pictures, he said with a smile. I figured the Internet would focus on these rather than the videos. So far it seems to be working…
- You didn’t have to, you said emotionally. I know you wanted to keep the wedding a secret.
- I also wanted to keep our sex life secret, he chuckled. But I care more about you and supporting you. Now, everyone knows I have your back. Until death do us part. And if anyone dares come for you, I will end them. I promise.
- I love you, you said emotionally.
- I love you too, he replied before kissing you. I’m sorry I was grumpy about the whole thing. You were right, these vows were never meant to be just words. I want to put them in action.
You kissed him passionately and you both took a minute to enjoy the posts everyone made about your wedding, reminiscing about that special day.
- I’m happy I don’t have to make that stupid apology video, you confessed.
- Me too, he chuckled. I did make an apology though.
- You did ? You asked in surprise.
He showed you his IG story. A black screen with simple text - in true influencer fashion : « I want to take a minute to apologize about the videos that have been leaked. I am sorry if anyone was confused. They were misleading and I want to state that the boxers were actually not Givenchy but Calvin Klein. Sorry for the confusion. 👀». You chortled and kissed him.
- What ? That was the only thing worth an apology, he pointed out with a smile.
- You’re such a troll, you said as you playfully rolled your eyes.
You spent the following days in bliss, showered with love from both your followers and his fans. Everyone was going crazy about your wedding and, even though there were still mentions of the sextape, most of the attention was focused on your relationship. Both of your management teams were also happy to put the incident behind them, though now they had to deal with plenty of interview requests. However, you agreed that even though your secret was out, nothing would really change. You slowly got back to business. Though nothing didn’t really change for Marshall - who was always in hermit mode in the studio - you had a lot of new followers and tons of collaboration requests. The sponsors who had been quick to drop you even came back and attempted to suck up to you, though you absolutely refused to work with them again. You were in your home office, reviewing partnership requests when you came across the biggest offer of your career : none other than Calvin Klein wanted you to be the new face of their underwear campaign, offering you a shit ton of money. It was the biggest opportunity you had ever received but you were a bit nervous when you mentioned it to your husband.
- What do you think ? You asked after you brought it up to him.
- I think we’ve established that you look good in underwear, he grinned.
- Yes but that would be banking on our sextape, our relationship… would it be ok with you ? You asked.
- I’ll cut you a deal : I’m ok with you doing that campaign if you’re ok with me using your moans as ad libs, he said with a smirk.
- You can’t be serious, you giggled as you rolled your eyes.
- What ? He chuckled. We’re partner in life, we might as well be business partners.
What about......Angel Dust is dating Charlie's twin brother, and Y/N gets his short king dad to free Angel's soul from Valentino?
I decided to go for some angst then comfort but I hope I was respectful and appropriate
The Last Straw
Angel Dust x Male Reader
Tw: abuse, toxic relationships, this one talks about the abuse and its affects more than my other fics have so please do not read if that is something triggering for you
You guys had to keep your relationship a secret for various reasons. One being, that the prince of hell and a famous porn star would draw a lot of attention if people knew you were dating. The other being Valentino. Angel's boss who owned his soul and treated him poorly. You knew Angel was afraid of him. Worst of all he was more worried about Valentino hurting you than him.
You knew with the power you held you could obliterate him out of existence but Angel begged you to stay out of it. Despite your worry you decided to respect his boundaries. Especially since you intervening could make things worse for him. You couldn't break deals. It was out of your control. Some days were alright, but some days Angel came home so exhausted he didn't want to even eat. You worried about his well being.
One day he came home tired again. He seemed so quiet. You noticed that he was wearing a fancy scarf he had not left the hotel with earlier. You went to his bedroom with him and once you two were alone you brought it up. At first he tried to play it off but then he got defensive when you asked him to take off the scarf. But when you've been with someone long enough you can see when something is wrong. When he removed the scarf you were upset but not surprised that it was covering up bruises. You felt a pain of sadness initially before a burning rage rose inside you. He begged you not to get involved but you couldn't let this happen anymore. But you didn’t want to freak him out so you tried to calm yourself and sat him down to talk about what you planned to do. Hopefully if you talked this through you could calm him down too.
"No one should ever put their hands on you like that. I'm going to get my dad involved. He knows how to break deals and he is perfectly capable of protecting himself." Angel tried convincing you. "It's fine! It's fine babe. You don't have to get your dad involved. He's probably busy anyway." But you stopped him. "Angel, I love you. And when you love someone you'd do anything for them. And doing anything for them just comes easy. If I was in the same situation I know you would do the same for me." Angel's makeup ran down his cheeks mixed with tears before you opened up your arms offering your comfort. He accepted and fell into your embrace. You two held each other for a while. Despite the heaviness of what just happened there was now some kind peacefulness in the silence and sound of the two of you breathing. Angel pulled you in closer. You could almost fall asleep but you still had something important to do.
You asked Angel if he wanted to come with but he wanted to stay and spend some time with Fat Nuggets. "Just still all emotional ya know?" You smiled and nodded then kissed him before heading out of his room and towards your father's tower. It wouldn't take much convincing. You knew your dad hated guys like Valentino. And he really liked Angel. You just wish you had done something about this sooner. But it wasn't healthy to hang on to guilt like that.... So you took a deep breath.... and opened the door.
fic idea I'll never write because it has too many fight scenes and I'm bad at those soooooo
quirkless Izuku Midoriya in the support class, approaching every hero student before the sports festival, offering his skills as a quirk analyst to help them prepare, starting everyone off with a free sample of advice to entice them into the deal
with a caveat
he is going to be fighting in the sports festival too, so if they agree to let him coach them, they will be giving him a leg up on them as he will know all their strengths and weaknesses, but coaching them in private means that none of the other students will be aware of their new moves
his talent as an analyst and strategist are already well known at the school, to the point that teachers sometimes even consult him, and he takes tea with Nedzu twice a week, he's scary smart
but he's quirkless,
the hero students think giving him an advantage is just going to even the playing field right? it's only fair to give him a fighting chance, some students agree just for that reason alone, he's so passionate, it would be such a shame to see him crash and burn right at the start
they mean well, they truly do
there are only two and half hero students who don't take him up on his offer
one being Bakugo, because Midoriya knew better than to even bother offering, partly due to his pride and ego, partly because Midoriya was already extremely familiar with Bakugo's quirk, but also because Bakugo knows damn well it's a fool's deal and he's already told off everyone in his class for being dumb enough to accept it
one being Monoma, who took one look at the situation at hand and laughed in Midoriya's face, surprisingly this wasn't due to any amount of pride, quite the opposite, Monoma did not underestimate him for being quirkless, as someone who had to spend half his time fighting quirkless himself he was well aware that Midoriya was just as much a threat as everyone else and Monoma would treat him as such
the half being Todoroki, who in the process of taking Midoriya's advice on how to exert more fine control over his ice, and then realising he's doing the same for almost every other student in his class, realised exactly how much of a threat this quirkless boy actually imposed, and then realised that if he wanted to have any chance of taking him unawares he might be forced to use his fire, as it's the only part of his quirk Midoriya had absolutely zero knowledge of, in fact it was one of the few quirks left in the whole hero course that Midoriya had no knowledge of
at the sports festival Midoriya shows up carrying several cases of support gear, he's been cleared by the teachers to be allowed one support item in each match on the condition that it was made by a support student in his yeargroup and that he was at least somewhat involved in its design and creation (powerloader was in charge of observing this process to ensure he met the guidelines and grew a few new grey hairs because of course their most terrifying analyst teamed up with his most terrifying engineer)
Midoriya chooses not to use any of his support gear in the team challenges, he wants to show that he belongs here on his own merits, to prove that he can make it using nothing but his own hard work and ingenuity
it's the one on one fights he utilises his support gear
Midoriya calculated which students were most likely to make it into the 1v1 rounds and prepared a customised support item to fight each of them, taking full advantage of every weakness he'd unearthed during his coaching sessions
he doesn't use any gear in his fight with Shinsou however, he wasn't from the hero course so Midoriya didn't offer to train him (Shinsou had as much to prove as Midoriya did and he had no intentions of getting in the way of that, and Shinsou would have turned him down regardless) but he had a vague enough idea of what his quirk was so their fight would essentially be nothing more than a quirkless brawl
it's a close call but where Shinsou's attention was split between fighting and trying to get a reaction from his shit talking, Midoriya was focused 100% on nothing but the fight, despite it being easy low hanging fruit Shinsou never uses Midoriya's quirklessness to bait him into responding, not wanting to stoop that low
his fight with Todoroki is intense, but with heat based support gear he's able to get through Todoroki's defences
Midoriya didn't get the Todoroki Family Traumadump in this universe so instead of a 'your quirk not his' speech we get a 'don't hold back on me they will jump at any opportunity to blame my success on someone else because I'm quirkless, I want everyone to know I won because I worked the hardest for it' speech
Todoroki ends up backed into a corner and forced to use his fire, unfortunately for him Midoriya was not only prepared to go up against his fire, he also built an entire strategy around Todoroki's poor control over it, it's close but in the end he's able to manoeuvre Todoroki out of bounds by using the fire to obscure the boundary line, and he wins the fight
Midoriya ends up facing Bakugo in the final round, to start with Bakugo is absolutely fuming at the fact that Midoriya made it this far, he is even extra pissed off when Midoriya states the only support gear he'll be using in this fight is leg gear to help him manoeuvre around, not even using an offensive weapon
Midoriya uses every little piece of knowledge he has on Bakugo to predict his movements and attacks, but Bakugo had been training privately specifically to avoid Midoriya seeing his progress (as much as he shit talked Midoriya for being quirkless he knew damn well that he was a genuine threat, even if he wouldn't admit it), but Bakugo had never seen Midoriya fight before today, with no edge over him strategically other than what he had learned from watching the previous fights, which helped little due to Midoriya's fighting style shifting with each opponent
it's a brutal, long drawn out battle, but Midoriya's close familiarity with Bakugo's quirk gives him an advantage Bakugo just can't catch up with, Midoriya mostly uses Bakugo's own quirk against him, eventually baiting him into pulling off a bigger than necessary blast with enough kickback to throw him in the air and then takes advantage of the uncontrolled momentum to throw him out of bounds, taking a risk and falling close to losing his own footing on the boundary line in the process
Midoriya wins the sports festival by a hair, securing a future seat into the hero course
Bakugo is actually really humbled by the experience, he has to go through a whole process of rebooting his brain to figure out how to feel about the whole thing, he wants to be pissed off but Midoriya had fought him with every ounce of strength and tenacity he had, it was more of a challenge than any of his own classmates had given him, he'd done everything in his power to beat this kid down their whole lives and instead Midoriya had taken that and turned it into fuel to prove him and everyone else wrong
Bakugo stops calling him Deku after that, saying the name just doesn't suit him anymore, Midoriya says that it never suited him, but it's nice that Bakugo is finally catching on
when Midoriya is eventually moved into the class, a couple of the students are a little pissed about the underhanded way he went about the whole thing, feeling as though he had kinda misled them and taken advantage of them trying to be nice to him by giving him an extra edge in the competition
Midoriya points out that he had been very transparent from the start, and that if they had taken him seriously and respected him as an opponent then they never would have taken his deal in the first place, he wasn't taking advantage of their kindness, he was taking advantage of their quirk bias
Aizawa backs Midoriya up by stating that Midoriya had actually cleared this strategy with the teachers to ensure it wasn't breaking any rules, and he was exceptionally disappointed that a majority of his class had fallen for the bait, and that they should take this as a lesson in not underestimating their opponents regardless of their quirks
Midoriya and Bakugo end up working together for more cohesively and make a terrifying duo, eventually even going with matching themed hero names Arsenall and Dynamight (lifting DIRECTLY from this tiktok because it's absolutely fucking genius, except in this universe the name is in reference to the vast variety of support gear he uses rather than the multiple quirks he has)
anyway I made this whole thing as a side effect of an idea where canon Midoriya gets hit by a quirk that pulls alternate timeline versions of himself into his world and Arsenall was one of them, there was also a guerilla journalist/vigilante Midoriya called Rabbit who I might also make a post of because I actually had the outline of an entire fic about him mentally noted down at one point so he is way more fleshed out
the other two versions didn't have super fleshed out stories but mostly because one was just quirkless Midoriya if he joined the support class but didn't enter the sports festival, and the other was villain Midoriya who is already basically an existing fanon character so I didn't feel the need to flesh him out so much
Rewatching ‘the many lives of Scratch’ TGAMM is…. Ah, quite an experience after the series finale and knowing what I know.
-first off, there’s the whole ‘I don’t remember my death day, but I’d rather forget this moment’ line is…. Uh… well… Ouch.
-Also the irony of Scratch never remembering his death day because he never really had one.
-And apparently his reaction to hearing about Geoff’s death day involved hiding in the doll house and shut himself off from the others…. which parallels how he reacted to certain things as a human.
-side note: I love how Dana delivers Scratch’s ‘Oh…. No,’ line when he first sees the death day party everyone throws him.
-When the McGees and friends sing that one song, there’s a line where they want to know how Scratch left his body and became a ghost. And I’m all ‘Oh… yeah… that’s actually true. But it’s not a happy tale.’
-Just the fact that everyone’s guesses were so wildly incorrect. I’m sure we all had our theories and guesses and yet the truth ended up being so average sounding (as well as sad).
-Geoff’s story kind of hurts now. Though I like that he also imagines Libby to be the president and Darryl is her body guard.
-As Libby told her story, I’m thinking ‘why does the cow remind me of Todd? It almost has the same hair and eyes.’ Also I think it’s sweet that she imagines Molly being like a little sister to Scratch, though I bet that detail would have been altered if she knew how old Scratch actually was.
-Also, I can’t get over the fact that Libby had Scratch AND Molly both die in her story. It’s a bit morbid, but I’m guessing she couldn’t imagine them being separated. That or she wanted to create an insane ending.
-I liked that Libby imagined Scratch to be someone who’d be willing to be brave enough to take on danger for someone close to him, which is what he is now… but actually wasn’t when he was human.
-Scratch kept insisting on having an appealing body type in the stories. The poor guy has no clue what he looked like as a human and is desperate for a more idealized version of himself. And yet the truth is… his real appearance isn’t that bad looking, and it actually IS a perfect match to what his personality is like, but it’s not one he’d be thrilled about going back to, even without the memories of what happened. (And this fuels a belief of mine that Scratch was more than likely insecure about his appearance before he lost his soul.)
-Scratch complaining about nobody making him human is now an interesting line. I think none of them ever imagined it because they are so used to Scratch looking like a ghost. Molly was the only one who had a hint of what he looked like as a child and yet… when she makes her guess, we don’t see her imagining anything. Was it because what she imagined would be too accurate/close to the truth since she knows Scratch so well?
And it’s also ironic because by that point he and Molly have actually seen his true appearance and didn’t even realize it at the time. And then coincidentally come the very next episode, we actually see his human form once more in two specific moments. One of which draws specific attention to him. As if to remind us about someone….
(TW for Batman stuff, like spoilers and mention of injury/death) Hello, I know very little about the canon Batfamily because I can't exactly just read all of the comics (there's way too many, and they're very expensive T-T) so instead I spent like an hour reading the entire Fandom . com entry on Dick Grayson, and this is pretty much my timeline of important events that I got from that (I'm typing this in hopes that it'll help me remember it).
Dick Grayson Canon Lore Stuff:
•From a very young age Dick Grayson was trained as an acrobat, hence his job as a performer in his family's circus act.
•When he was eight years old, he overheard a well known crime boss threaten the circus performers if he wasn't paid by the circus owner. The owner didn't pay him, and that night Dick witnessed his parents high wire snap, leading to both of their deaths. (He felt responsible for not warning them)
•He was put into a juvenile service system, because social services in Gotham were full. In this system he was often beat up by the others, which led to him eventually being put into a Catholic orphanage instead.
•Bruce Wayne adopted him, but Dick didn't want to replace his deceased dad with a 'stuck up' billionaire, plus he felt like Bruce didn't give him enough attention (Probably because Bruce was still dealing with the trauma of his own parents death and didn't like getting attached to people in case he lost them as well), so he snuck out in hopes of solving his parents murder himself.
•He met Batman, also investigating the murder, which led to him finding out that Batman and Bruce Wayne are the same person.
•They find the crime boss, but he 'dies of a heart attack' before he can be arrested.
•Since Bruce saw so much of himself in Dick, he asked the boy if he wanted to become his sidekick and Dick decided to name himself 'Robin' after what his mother used to call him.
•He was trained for six long, hard months before he was allowed to do any real missions, and he had to go through one full night eluding Batman without help before he was allowed to officially become Robin.
•For the first year or so Dick had a lot of fun with his job, and treated it as a fun adventure he and Bruce participated in together.
•That was until he had a fight with Two-Face, in which Batman and the DA were both stuck in nooses. Dick cut the rope around the DA with a Batarang, but Two-Face had crafted a double trap and this made the floor fall out so the DA landed in a pit of water in which he drowned. This was Dick's first time witnessing an on-the-job death which would serve to haunt him for years to come, plus he got himself a beating from Two-Face (Okay but like, wouldn't he have been like 9 or 10 max Jeezums- 😭🖐).
•Bruce temporarily 'fired' Dick, not wanting to see him get hurt any more.
•Dick served as Robin for a while longer, still working with Bruce and also forming his own Titans team.
•When Dick was 17 he got shot in his shoulder by the Joker, which prompted Bruce to officially fire him out of fear for his safety. Dick decided that he didn't need Batman anymore, plus he had some issues with the way Bruce did things, so he moved from Gotham to New York to be more involved with the Titans, and he dropped out of highschool.
•Bruce didn't really like this, and told Dick that if he was no longer going to work with him he would have to retire the Robin title. Dick left Wayne Manor afterwards, and handed over leadership of the Titans to Wondergirl.
•Unsure of himself and what he should do now, yet not wanting to give up crime fighting now that it was such a big part of his life, he went to find Superman. For a brief while Dick stayed with Superman, and Superman told him of a Krypton hero who had been known as Nightwing. Because of this time with Clark, Dick decided to finally become his own hero free of Batman. He named himself Nightwing after the Krypton hero, and made himself a costume based off of something his father once wore back in the circus.
•Now as Nightwing he helped lead the Titans, though his relationship with Starfire was worsening over time.
•Jason's death was a bit of a turning point in his character. Even though originally he hadn't seemed to like Jason (mainly because Jason acted as his replacement, and because of his not so great relationship with Bruce) Dick seemed to grow into a kinder/gentler person after the event.
•A while after this, Dick discovered that the mob boss who had killed his parents was not actually dead but was in a coma instead. Dick went looking for him, but witnessed him being gunned down before he had a chance to do anything for himself. Bruce claimed that he was worried that Dick would seek revenge for his parents death if he knew the truth, so he told the young boy that the mod boss was dead instead. Dick was obviously upset because of this, and his relationship with Bruce stayed strained.
•While he was still serving with the Titans, Tim Drake sought him out and asked him to return to being Robin (Because after Jason's death Bruce was going crazy without a Robin by his side), but Dick refused because of his bad relationship with Bruce and his enjoyment for his current job. He did help Tim become Robin, though.
•A lot of bad things happened with the Titans, people passed, people left, people changed, but Dick fought to stay the heart and center of the team through it all.
•Despite their strained relationship, Dick tried to impulsively marry Starfire, but the ceremony was interrupted, which eventually led to Starfire leaving and returning to her home planet.
•Bruce was brutally injured by Bane, but because his relationship with Dick was so bad and he didn't want to 'force' his son to return, he temporarily gave the Batman title to the not-so-stable Jean Paul Valley, with Tim there to help him out. Jean proved too unstable, however, and Dick returned to Gotham to help Tim deal with him. Dick decided to step away from the Titans to focus on Gotham, and the still healing Bruce asked him to be Batman until he was alright again which Dick agreed to.
•During his time acting as Batman, Dick built a great brotherly relationship with Tim. In addition, Bruce admitted that he hadn't originally asked Dick to act as Batman for him because he didn't want to force him to come back, and the two finally began to fix their relationship.
•Dick pretends to be a villain working under Deathstroke for a while, until Deathstroke betrays him and kills at least 100,000 people with a bomb. Dick tries to find and help any survivors, but is unable to because of the radiation which weighs heavily on his mind. He also proposes to Barbara Gordon around this time.
•Dick recovers and Bruce asks him to join him and his current Robin in rediscovering his roots. Dick is hesitant, but Barbara insists that he helps, and suspends their engagement for the time being.
•Dick returns to the Titan's tower, because there's someone there pretending to be him. Turns out it's the revived Jason Todd!
•While on a case, he gets buried alive by a mysterious voice that tells him he's 'supposed to be dead'. He has a hard time finding work because he's in a cast, and is having some trouble due to his injuries.
•By this point his relationship with both Bruce and Tim have improved dramatically, and he's close with both of them.
•The Titans decide to reform their group.
•Okay I'm gonna try and put this as simply as possible…
Bruce was targeted by a group called 'Black Glove', supposedly going insane and running away. Dick doesn't want Tim to have to deal with everything himself, so he returns. He gets kidnapped and drugged by the International Club of Villains and is scheduled for a lobotomy, but gets out of it because Bruce's 'insanity' was made up to expose the Black Glove. Batman fights with Doctor Hurt on a helicopter, but the helicopter explodes. Batman is fine and works with the Justice League, but then is seemingly killed in his confrontation with Darkseid. In his will, Bruce begs Dick not to become Batman. Because of his refusal to become Batman, someone else takes up the job instead, calling himself Batman but using lethal methods that Bruce would never allow. This 'Batman' is actually Jason Todd, who shoots Damian and almost kills Tim with a Batarang. Dick and Jason fight and Dick shoves Jason off of a speeding train, seemingly killing him though Jason says they'll 'Meet again soon'. Dick finally decides to become the official Batman, but refuses to make Tim his Robin because according to him, he sees Tim as his equal and not his sidekick. He instead makes Damian his new Robin, which of course pisses off Tim. Tim, believing Bruce to be alive, takes up Jason's old Red Robin mantle and goes searching for Bruce. Dick moves base because the Batcave reminds him too much of Bruce, and struggles because Damian is constantly reminding and taunting him over the fact that he will never truly be able to replace his father. When he next fights Jason, Jason remarks that if the Lazarus pit could revive him, it could revive Bruce too as he's being arrested.
There's quite a bit of stuff that happens in between here, most notably the death of a young boy called Baby D which influences Dick's future character, but since I've been typing for hours:
Thinking about what Jason said, Dick takes Bruce's body from his grave and takes him to the Lazarus Pit. While it does reanimate the corpse, the revived 'Bruce' is angry and violent. This is because it was never Bruce at all, it was actually a clone of him. This gives Dick, Damian, and Alfred a similar hope to Tim, that Bruce is actually still alive. Tim brings evidence that Bruce is actually lost in time, and after a bit of digging and more evidence finding, they manage to bring Bruce back.
•Dick finally becomes Nightwing again, now with red on his costume which reflects his darker and more grim outlook on life and humanity after his time as Batman.
•Nightwing gets stabbed on a mission.
•He also, on a different mission, momentarily dies but they manage to start his heart again.
•Dick puts down his Nightwing title for a while and becomes a secret agent for Bruce, but the wiki has no info on this.
•Dick goes back to being Nightwing, finally returning to his original black and blue suit instead of the black and red one. He reforms the titans, but after working with them for a bit, but ends up moving back to Blüdhaven soon after.
•Someone is sent to assassinate Dick, and he gets shot in the head. He manages to survive, though he has amnesia and for a brief while becomes 'Ric Grayson' until he gets his memories back. When Ric tries to restore his memories he is kidnapped by the Joker who brainwashes him into believing that he was the Joker's sidekick, though he's eventually rescued and gets his memories back. After this event, he officially rejoins the Batman Family as Nightwing.
•There's no info after this.
Grrrrr I might do this for the other characters but idk because this took forever and I am tired lmao
So, I recently read a fic by @kijosakka called breathe you in my lungs and make you mine. It has codependent and obsessive Alenoaheather in a way that's just peak writing and I'll recommend it to anyone who loves exploring the darker side of their blorbos:
It gave me so much brainrot that I managed to come up with my own spin on obsessive Alenoaheather. That involves giant/tiny. Because I couldn't help myself. I'm putting it under a read more for those who don't want to see more psychological fics/aus. But yeah, enjoy reading about Noah getting the attention of a much larger Heather and Alejandro, and having to deal with that!
So this AU's got the equivalent of wolfwalkers. Except instead of having a wolf that comes out of you while you sleep, you get a giant ghost. While in that ghost form they can't be seen by anyone except for others also in their ghost form. They can also be intangible at will. Let's call them specters.
How does one become/gain a specter?
There are three requirements:
Having an obsession
Acknowledging it as obsession
Choosing to pursue it rather than make peace with it
After that last point, one's obsession becomes simply too large for their human body to hold. So they manifest a specter that contains all of their most obsessive and possessive tendencies so their human body can be more at peace.
In the beginning, Heather and Alejandro only meet the first requirement. They're both obsessed with status, but thanks to their upbringing they just thought it was a part of life rather than an obsession they were pursuing.
When they meet and see each other as equals, they become obsessed with each other. As they're obsessed each of them was restless/felt like something was wrong/missing.
All they knew was that the only solution seemed to be growing even more obsessed, so they kept letting themselves do that.
The moment that solidifies their transformation is when they do confess that they're in love with each other.
For the average person, that might have been enough to satisfy their obsession since now they can be at peace with their love.
But not these two. They've fallen in just as much love with the chase, with their rivalry, as they have with each other. They're too ambitious and stubborn to let that obsession go. And now that they know for a fact that the other feels the same way?
It creates this positive feedback loop of obsession. That's the night each of them wakes up massive outside of their bodies the second they go to sleep. They're large enough to grab a person in wrap their hand around their entire body with little effort. They only have one instinct driving them that prevents them from completely freaking out at this new situation.
Find your love, and be with them always.
They're both keeping this hidden because specters are usually 'kill on sight' for humans due to how dangerous they can be. Which means they can't do anything too obvious…buuuuut that doesn't mean they can't find ways to cause havoc/ruin lives while keeping their size hidden. The two are drunk on power and very addicted to it and each other.
Along comes Noah, who they fully intended on just having him be another one of their victims to discard once they were bored of him. They start messing with him when they get back home from school and rest…but he's a lot more perceptive than they give him credit for. They see that he's not attributing a shattered lightbulb or an unfortunate incident of 'bad luck' as weird accidents. He starts looking around everywhere when it happens. He's looking up.
And that's absolutely exhilarating that someone is growing wise to their tricks. To have someone search desperately for them.
They stop their other nightly schemes and immediately pour all of their focus onto toying with Noah. He constantly has large shadows looming over him but can never see their source. When he's inside, there's loud tapping at the windows, strong enough to shake the window frames. Noah can feel two separate gazes on him: one icy, one hot enough to make him sweat.
It's exhilarating, to know how much power they hold over him and yet don't use against him. They could do so much worse, and part of him wants to see them try. He can handle anything they have to throw at him.
Noah doesn't tell anyone about the two specters he suspects are stalking him. Instead he decides to investigate to figure out who they truly are. It leads Alejandro and Heather to follow him even when they're just human to see how close he's getting to them. He's not going to any authorities about this, and that's so very telling.
He eventually gets to a point where he's bold enough to quip at them while they're invisible and large. He wants to know what they're after, and at this point he's run out of other ideas. Besides, the temptation to poke the sleeping lions to see what they'll do is too strong for him to resist forever
Everything stops. He's worried that acknowledging their existence might have been a step too far. This only gets confirmed when he feels something suddenly holding his arms and legs to his sides and is lifted high off the ground. The fear overtakes him as he desperately tries to struggle out of this iron grip.
Only to feel a large, soft wall suddenly press against his face. Hard. It feels like someone is attempting to suffocate him with the largest, warmest pillow they could find. Trying to breathe only invites the wall to press further against him.
He's suddenly freed of the wall, only to feel himself jostle as the other ghostwalker has now stolen him away to do the same thing. They do it for just as long before allowing him the chance to breathe.
He gets to take in a single gulp of air before suddenly he's being pressed from both sides. It's like two weighted blankets have decided to cocoon him in their embrace. He's given a chance to breathe before he's enveloped in their warmth again. And again. And again. The two specters only seem to get more violent, more desperate in their assault each time.
Until Noah lets out a genuine yelp of pain. The assault stops immediately. Only to return, much gentler this time.
It feels like it lasts an eternity. It feels like it's only been a few moments. Until finally, he's slowly lowered to the ground. The iron grip on him releases as he swears he can hear giggling and chuckling.
He can feel the ground quake as the two of them decide to let their footsteps be felt, though neither is to be seen. Their footsteps fade away. Noah is left disheveled and shaking.
His only regret is that he'd been so shocked he hadn't even thought to kiss them back.
The pattern continues day after day. He never had to wait too long after school had ended before he'd be picked up and carried off somewhere more private. They always waited for him to be alone. He started intentionally seeking out places without people to lure them out faster. They'd tease him, bat him around, and kiss him.
Oh, how they'd always kiss him. Once one of them got started, it always turned into an aggressive assault until they were satisfied. Any attempt at struggle only encouraged them to kiss harder and faster. They loved feeling him squirm. They were spoiling him rotten with affection.
Oh how it made him crave more. He struggled on purpose to rile them up. Once their kisses got aggressive enough, he would sneak his own kisses back. There was no way to tell who he was kissing, or if they could even feel it. It encouraged him all the more.
They would always release him. Eventually. He'd return home and get some actual studying in before turning to bed.
Sometimes they would be cruel enough to drag him out of bed and out the window. They'd go for round two before allowing him to sleep.
They would even go for at least one more round. His only evidence of this would be dreams of pillows and waking up to an open window and things strewn about his room.
Those nights were the best sleep he could ever remember.
He was desperate to hunt down his secret admirers. If only to satisfy his own curiosity. He was sure he was getting close, and he did have his suspicions about Alejandro and Heather. But he still didn't have anything concrete.
He couldn't let them know if he ever did find them out. There was no telling what they would do if they knew he was aware of their identity. He didn't want to risk them stopping.
Until the day the routine broke. He waited in an alley after school. Nothing. He went home, constantly checking for signs of them on his trip. Nothing. He studied, he went to bed, he faked being asleep. Nothing, nothing, nothing.
This could just be a one night event. They could just be drawing this out to make it all the more passionate the next night. Or maybe they could have just decided they were bored with him and would move on to the next person. It was the most ideal scenario. He'd finally have peace.
Except he didn't want them to stop. He wanted them to keep going.
No. He needed them to keep going.
My god.
He needed them.
Heather and Alejandro came back to school the next day exhausted. Neither had been able to get any rest thanks to their families. They'd pulled all-nighters, and worse, they hadn't been able to spend a moment of time with the ones they loved most.
When they saw each other during school, the first thing they did was run to a secluded part of the school to make out. Once they'd satisfied their pent up frustration, they went to go check in on Noah.
He wasn't in his regular spot. They went to ask Noah's friends, but none of them had seen or heard anything from Noah since yesterday.
Had they pushed Noah too far? Was he furious? Was he merely sick, or was something else at play? Was he taking their one day of reprieve to run, or try to get rid of them? He better not dare. He was THEIRS and they'd do whatever necessary to prove it.
A sense of foreboding washed over the two. They felt as if someone were observing their every move as if they were under a microscope. They went through the rest of the school day, though they could barely concentrate.
They practically burst out of school the second it was done. They gathered next to Alejandro's car. He'd made a habit of parking it farther away from the school in a secluded alley. It also meant he could get away with taking a quick nap in the car. He hated waiting to drive back home to mess with Noah. For now, it served the benefit of talking away from others.
They would go to sleep, grow, and separate so they could hunt Noah down as efficiently as possible. Alejandro put his key into the door while Heather began to turn away.
A sharp, warm breeze hit their faces the moment they exchanged their goodbyes. It was enough to cause pause. It was February.
Alejandro's car began to move away from him. The wheels were unmoving. It slid 10 feet away, almost gliding along the asphalt, before stopping.
Just as they were putting the puzzle pieces together, the two were suddenly shoved into each other. Hard. Their faces were pushed together for a forced kiss. The grip was so tight it was as if something were trying to force them to meld into each other as one.
Someone didn't like them separated.
Someone didn't like breaks in routine.
Someone was starving for the affection he'd been denied.
Noah didn't bother with starting off gentle. He kissed them both at the same time with the same intensity they usually reserved for the end of their sessions. He kept going over and over. It wasn't as if they couldn't handle it.
He slowed only when his misplaced fury was quelled. His kisses grew softer. It was the closest thing to an apology they'd get from him.
At the final kiss, he gently set them down next to Alejandro's car. He'd had his fun making them squirm both with his absence and under his gaze the entire day. It was well worth the blemish in his attendance record.
Though they couldn't see it, his manic grin matched their own as they looked up to where they suspected him to be.
Chad reed on always the entourages creating the drama. I cannot believe that is what caused rosquez downfall but also given the level of Vale's celebrity and the way he carried himself, I can totally believe that it was the entourage (iPad stand I'm looking at you) that brought the end
(about reed's 2020 quotes in this) yeahhh I mean the downfall was caused by a whole bunch of factors, not just any one thing... like all great tragic narratives, it feels inevitable from a global perspective and yet thoroughly preventable in its specifics, with loads of points where you think, 'oh, if things had just gone a little bit differently'... there's this tension in how, in the end, maybe it would've always gone wrong, but a lot had to come together for it to go wrong in quite such a spectacular fashion
reed's definitely correctly identified one of the factors - the entourages, and valentino's entourage specifically. though fwiw, I did cut off the article before reed predicted the marc/fabio rivalry was headed a similar way (this was from 2020, obviously before the arm injury):
for better or for worse, fabio has skipped the villain arc to head straight to the depressed frenchie arc
regardless of whether this rift would have happened or not, the idea that marc would have gotten a new appreciation for the situation valentino found himself in is at least an interesting one. though if anything, the rivalry with fabio would have more closely paralleled valentino's with the other aliens (new talent coming through, but with the previously dominant rider still a regular winner). now is the time marc's learning what it feels like to come back from a prolonged absence from being competitive at the highest level - and of course with a new superstar simultaneously making his debut
so yeah, anyway, tragedy, you can point to all sorts of strains and pressures and tension inherent to professional sport that were exacerbated by the personalities involved and the influence of the media and the passage of time etc etc. but never mind all that, let's get back to entourages! I know you mention everybody's favourite b-list shakespeare villain, but I'm going to basically mostly ignore him because it's well-trodden ground. yeah, it does help to have one guy who's whispering poison into your ear for a prolonged stretch of time before showing up at your motorhome doorstep with a bunch of telemetry and a dream. and yeah, there were people in valentino's entourage definitely encouraging this path to doom. but what I'm also interested in is the flip side - why nobody stopped him
I would like to submit into evidence this passage detailing the thoughts of vale's mechanic alex briggs. now briggs in this excerpt blames two groups for how things went down in 2015:
the yamaha side (specifically the press group) for not talking him down from the ledge before the presser
the crew chief and other assorted italians on the team for being too "yessy" and not standing up to him
let's briefly (for a given value of the word) focus on the first one. if you're a random yamaha pr person and you see the valentino rossi run to a press conference (given he was late) with a bunch of papers in his hands (well, he's not actually holding the papers in those gifs, but presumably somebody's got them), it's probably a tough ask to expect you to hold up the valentino rossi and ask him what exactly he's intending to do with those papers. also, is he really going to back off because you, random yamaha pr person, have asked him to please not accuse the competition of sabotage? added context is that some at yamaha were aware of what valentino thought about the race at phillip island (which we'll get to in a sec), but god knows if the pr people did. unless he confided in anyone on the yamaha side what the plan was, a lot of them would have been blindsided too - which does come back to the problem of how big a deal valentino is and how maybe you're a little more cautious about questioning what he's about to do with those papers than you would be with somebody else. it does feel like perhaps a bit too much to expect for them to have launched some last-minute intervention, or to even know what kind of intervention they could have gone for beyond low-level comedy hijinks to stop him from even getting to that room. why did nobody from yamaha place a banana skin in his path
but we do know that at least some in yamaha were aware of valentino's great big phillip island sabotage theory, because lin jarvis has very helpfully told us as much (from the post-sepang media scrum):
Q: Do you think it was a mistake for Valentino to [provoke?] Marc so much on Thursday with a very personal and hard attack?
Jarvis: There are always many different ways of addressing different problems - Valentino chose to do it in that way. Perhaps that is what provoked Marc into being quite aggressive on the track. I really don't know, you need to ask Marc not me about that. Every action has a consequence. That's life.
Q: And did you know before that Valentino was going to be so aggressive with Marc in the press conference? Did you know before? Did you discuss with Valentino about this decision or you didn't know until it happened?
Jarvis: Personally, I was not aware of that. I was aware of Valentino's opinion of the race in Australia, but I was not aware... but I was not aware that he would -
Q: Don't you think because Valentino at the end of the day is an employee of Yamaha he should discuss before with you about such an important decision, to attack a rider of another factory in such a heavy way [...]?
Jarvis: You can't control every incident, everything that happens and you know, generally we have a very good [...] relation, connection with our riders, we talk to them before about things before, but anyway I think this is something Valentino felt strongly about and it was his decision and that's it.
note the use of the word "personally", which does leave the door open to others within yamaha (outside of valentino's inner circle) knowing what was going to happen. jarvis, unsurprisingly, comes down pretty firmly on the side of 'well what were we supposed to do'. given that jarvis admits he knew valentino's theory and is hardly a stranger to valentino's modus operandi - after all, he was already team boss at the time of another tense press conference in sepang eleven years prior that took place in the wake of valentino accusing a competitor of messing with him - you do have to wonder whether yamaha could not have tried a little harder to stop valentino. but again, accounting for the power of valentino's status and the power of his character, I'm personally unconvinced yamaha could've done much to convince valentino to change his mind
so then: the italians. a little bit of context - briggs started working with crew chief jerry burgess in 1994 and both of them were on mick doohan's team for all of his five 500cc titles. when doohan's injuries forced his retirement, valentino inherited his championship-winning team upon moving up to 500cc. jb was vale's very first crew chief in the premier class, and him as well as briggs have been working with vale since december 1999. understandably, this is a very tightly-knit group. it is one that made the jump to yamaha with valentino - here's just a quick excerpt (also from oxley's valentino rossi: all his races) about briggs' thoughts on that move:
When Valentino decided to defect to Yamaha, he was determined to have his crew go with him. Only one stayed at HRC. "We first got to know about the Yamaha deal in Portugal, I think [September 2003]," Briggs continues. "I wanted to stay with JB, because I hadn't finished learning what I wanted to learn.
"I remember a clandestine meeting in the car park at Phillip Island, about salaries and how everything was going to work. It was really exciting. When I very first started working with Honda the whole group was very much a team. Towards the end we felt like it started to become a bit us and them: the engineers and management, then the mechanics and the riders. They'd sort of got too big for their boots - they'd designed this wonderful bike, so it was like it had nothing to do with us. That made it easier to leave.
and also about the move to yamaha, from the 2020 barker biography of valentino:
But with his trusted crew chief Jerry Burgess and most of his other team members from the Honda garage agreeing to defect with him, Rossi had the crew he needed, not only to win but also to enjoy his racing. It was a heartening display of loyalty and something of a risk for all involved. ‘When I announced to the mechanics that I was going with Valentino they said, “I’m coming too,”’ Burgess later explained. ‘Some of those guys were leaving very secure jobs and taking a big gamble.’
the group also survived the move to ducati (obviously a deeply frustrating two years not just for the guy riding the bike) and the move back to yamaha. but then, valencia 2013, valentino announced his decision to fire jb in a press conference organised for the pair of them. his 2013 season had been deeply frustrating - yes, he had gotten a podium in his first race beating both marc and dani, but after that generally speaking he couldn't come close to matching the other aliens when healthy. he was comfortably the fourth best rider that year, scrapping and clawing his way through midfield battles and having to rely on misfortunes befalling the three title contenders to achieve his podiums and his sole victory at assen. he was considering retiring at the end of the 2014 season once his current contract expired, but wanted to try everything he could to see whether he could be competitive again against the world's very best. and so, he made the decision to roll the dice and get himself a new crew chief, the italian silvano galbusera
now I have to say, personally I have a lot of time for this decision (even if it was maybe not... uh, enacted in the most graceful of manners, given how sudden it was). I come from a sports background where a certain ruthlessness in personnel decisions is encouraged and generally praised - if something isn't working, you should have the courage to make a change, even if it's deeply uncomfortable (including on an interpersonal level). also, while it was a sudden departure, it's not like burgess was that keen on sticking around much longer (again from the same oxley book):
Valentino ended his collaboration very suddenly at the end of 2013. Burgess was shocked but not too much, because he already knew that he was coming to the end of his own career.
"When it ended for me I'd already been doing it 30-odd years and I'd told Valentino a few weeks earlier that I wasn't going to sign any more multi-year contracts. I was 60 by then, so I'd go year by year. I'd already signed a contract for 2014, but I would've thought if we hadn't had any more success by then that there wasn't much point in continuing. I felt we would win more races but I was more doubtful about championships.
"I'd read enough sporting biographies to know that sportsmen change their coaches towards the end of their careers. It can give them a spike in results but it doesn't change the overall story. Looking back, Valentino's career went on longer than I expected. He enjoyed some success but no more championships and that's what you race for. Of course he was in the unique position of being able to get a factory bike until he retired. He was very special and deserved everything he got."
which, look. again, personal bias, but to me it's reasonable to part ways with somebody who doesn't think any more titles are plausible, because at that point it's just somebody who has a very different view on your career than you do and may well not stick around for much longer anyway. also, at the end of the day, jb was wrong! valentino came extremely close to winning another title, and just because he didn't, doesn't change the fact he could have. if it had rained on the 8th of november 2015 in valencia, we might be having a very different conversation. (or if they hadn't changed the bloody qualifying format post-2012.) honestly, if the 2016 and to a lesser extent the 2017 season had gone just a little differently - a working bike in mugello here and an unbroken leg there - he could have been a genuine title threat in two more seasons. in any case, what it does show is that valentino even at the end of 2013 was still as determined as ever, was ready to engage in what was a huge gamble (given how almost all his success had come with the highly decorated jb) on the off chance he might find what it took to win again. this will not have been an easy decision for valentino. here's a write-up of the presser at valencia, that stresses how uncomfortable the occasion was, how surprising a decision it was to jb, but how publicly at least there was a lack of recriminations (which, to be fair, wouldn't be much fun to do in a shared presser):
(you'll note that the phrasing in the presser about athletes attempting to extend their carrers by changing things up is echoed in what he says in that book interview where he adds that it doesn't change the overall story, again suggesting he didn't really believe valentino would be competitive. he also uses the same phrasing in ANOTHER interview that confirms as much, but I think you get the point.) valentino said at the time, "it was a very difficult decision for me because I have a great history with jeremy. he is not just my chief mechanic. he is like part of my family. my father in racing". this is somebody he'd been working with since age 21, somebody who is not only revered within the paddock for his work with several of the sport's greats but is also a man who valentino obviously has a close personal connection to. meeting for the first time when vale snuck into the honda pit to check out the bike he might ride next season, hitting it off immediately, countless rowdy dinners together, parties, jb and another older colleague sitting back when food fights started, watching valentino grow up, working with him throughout all his big manufacturer switches, all his successes and all his failures... as much as anything else, it's evidence of how strong vale's desire to win was, how determined he continued to be, to make this choice at this stage of his career. and jb was open to the idea (at least publicly) that it might end up being a smart call:
the 'dirtiest' part of the whole affair is how it was actually carried out - it's not great form to tell your crew chief the day before you end up doing a press conference together to announce your choice. for whatever it's worth, this is how valentino justified the timeline:
and lastly, which I think is the most key part, is valentino's belief. because at the end of the day, the only reason why he's doing any of this, and the only reason why what was to come was possible at all, is that he himself still thought that he could challenge for another title - as much as that belief had come under strain:
now what this piece also goes on to say is that nobody believes this will work. nobody believes that firing jb will lead to better results. people expect that this is going to lead to his retirement, quite possibly at the end of 2014. it's worth just remembering sometimes how extraordinary valentino's return to the top of the game post-2013 really was, how it went against how we expect a rider's competitive lifecycle to work, went far beyond the longevity exhibited by any top rider before or since - all while going up against riders who are widely believed to be some of the best to ever do it. valentino beat jorge in both 2014 and 2016, and remains one of two people to outscore prime marc marquez over the course of a season. not to engage in too much rossi prop here, but sepang 2015 can't really be understood without all the frustration that led up to it, to this one golden chance, this miracle that everybody had believed to be impossible (sometimes even valentino). this wasn't supposed to be happening. it was happening. and then, so so close to the finish line, valentino could feel it slipping, slipping, slipping away
but of course, we still don't know whether changing crew chiefs is the key factor that made him competitive again. maybe he just needed a bit longer to get back into the swing of things post-ducati disaster. maybe the bikes just started to suit him better. hey, maybe it was that nifty exercise regime he'd engaged in a wee spot of espionage for so that he could pinch it off his teammate. what we can say, however, is that valentino's choice both tells us a lot about his mindset, as well as (to finally bring us back to the actual point of this post) representing a massive shift in his 'entourage'. this is what briggs is referring to in his quote - the italians. the new crew chief. the people who couldn't stand up to valentino. now obviously, as mentioned above briggs had worked with jb for the better part of twenty years and can hardly be considered a neutral party. here were briggs' feelings on the matter (yeah it's from the same oxley book again, I got it new for eighteen quid which is a very generous price, would recommend):
When JB was out at the end of 2013 it was like losing my mechanic dad. I remember being in the garage when we found out about it. Then they arranged a kind of farewell, a kind of hodgepodge farewell. It was terrible, I didn't like any of it. I was just hiding behind one of the bikes in the garage, crying, going, what's going on here? It didn't seem right to me. I think maybe Valentino thought he would get faster again sooner, but I think it took at least a year to get the taste of the Ducati out of his mouth. I think if he'd stayed with JB we would've won the championship in 2015.
which. look. we don't have time to unpack all that. but. the point is that obviously briggs wasn't exactly a massive fan of the change within valentino's team, and his comments about the 2015 season do have to be read with that in mind. as to whether vale really would have done better in 2015 with jb at his side, your guess is as good as mine. all that being said, a part of me wonders how much losing that grounding presence enabled valentino's late-2015 spiral. maybe not in terms of talking valentino out of the great big fluctuating lap times treachery theory - to state the obvious, valentino got himself involved in plenty of drama during jb's time as a crew chief. jb himself occasionally helped add fuel to the fire in those feuds, like his infamous comment about how he would be able to fix the ducati's issues in 80 seconds that casey still brings up every three business days (the comments were poorly phrased but also somewhat taken out of context, in that jb was talking about a specific set-up problem). he's generally been pretty happy to be forthright about valentino's rivals, for instance this about casey:
My feeling at the time was that Casey probably only had one game plan, and having watched Casey over the years, he doesn't have a plan B. If it doesn't go his way from the outset, it's probably one of the weaknesses that he had through the youth that he had, through the lack of experience that he had. That's not a criticism of him per se, he was still only 22 at the time.
(this is about laguna seca 2008 and how he helped valentino win that race, including in plotting out vale's rather ruthless tactics - which casey was of course not exactly a fan of.) or these. uh. harsh comments about dani from spring 2010:
Q: Is that atmosphere or track knowledge? Is it like the Spanish finding something extra at the racetracks in Spain?
JB: Well, therein we show the weakness, don't we? If you can get up on that weekend, on the technical racetracks of Spain, why can't you get up on the technical racetracks like Australia, where the Italians do? Lorenzo is a guy who will and does. Stoner has been able to get up on tracks all over the world. Unfortunately, Dani Pedrosa's into his 6th year in MotoGP, and he's won 8 races, Jorge Lorenzo's two months into his 3rd and he's won 6. It's night and day between those two, is the way I see it. Dani's an extremely fast rider, but a shockingly poor racer.
Q: Were you surprised at Jerez [2010] when Pedrosa fought back when Lorenzo passed him?
JB: When did Dani fight back? With two laps to go, and he didn't even get close enough to try to come back. Dani has never been a fighter in races, he's a lovely kid, don't get me wrong, but you can see that Lorenzo, having Pedrosa in front of him, it was never going to be the way he was going to finish that race. He was going to finish on the ground or he was going to finish in front of Pedrosa. That's the sort of race that we want, we had that with Biaggi and Valentino, and from history with Schwantz and Rainey. All the good riders have always had somebody they have had to put the target on the back of. It was Doohan and Gardner, and Doohan won that battle hands down, and I think Jorge Lorenzo's going to win this battle [with Pedrosa] hands down.
kind of a dick! so his attitude to valentino being valentino has generally been a) well having enemies is good, actually, with an added slice of b) good luck to his enemies :) - see also this quote (from the barker biography) in the context of the gibernau rivalry:
And that made Rossi even more dangerous, as Jerry Burgess pointed out: ‘Valentino is the sort of rider I wouldn’t want to get angry. He can take you apart on the track.’
so yes, jb is also perfectly brutal in his own right, as you presumably have to be to work alongside valentino so closely for so long. he is, however, also somebody valentino has a massive amount of respect for, somebody who helped turn him into a legend and is responsible for a lot of vale's success - not least, of course, in the pivotal move to yamaha. he was replaced by a man of a far far lesser stature in the sport, one who presumably would have been grateful to valentino for the biggest job he was ever going to get. if briggs is right and there was a shift in valentino in 2015, surrounded as he was by italians (derogatory) who could not stand up to him, who allowed valentino to insist on war and peace on the pit boards, to focus more and more on things that had nothing to do with riding... it would be going a little too far to say that valentino was missing an adult in the room given he was, in fact, in his thirties and should have been capable of being that adult. and who knows what jb would have said or thought or done about the great big childhood hero deception theory. but sepang 2015 was the culmination of a lot of things, including a pressure cooker of a season that grew more and more tense and put more and more stress on everyone involved - perhaps for none more so than valentino. maybe, just maybe, if he'd had somebody around him with fifteen years of experience in handling him, who could have just occasionally told him to knock it off, to concentrate on the racing, to keep things simple (always jb's defining philosophy), to maybe not get so wrapped up in the great big spanish collusion theory...
or maybe it wouldn't have mattered! maybe we're getting cause and effect all wrong here; maybe valentino was deliberately fashioning his entourage into one that was only going to give him positive feedback. maybe he would have just stopped listening to jb, maybe the very decision to fire jb makes it clear he was no longer interested in what jb had to say. it's a tragedy, after all! maybe it was always going to go like this. maybe it was always going to end like this
speaking of entourages, marc's manager played a bit of a cameo role in fanning the flames just a little further (article from marca, 26/10/2015):
alzamora obviously will be somebody valentino is familiar with, having raced him in 125cc and also having just coexisted in the paddock over the years. valentino could of course be lying, but idk, why would he? he's already made his case by this point, and what if alzamora were to contradict him? if it's true and this conversation did happen, you do have to say it's a spectacularly unhelpful intervention from alzamora. even if marc was mad at valentino, why the hell are you telling valentino this AFTER sepang 2015? what's the plan here buddy
^ 1999 world champions: alzamora in 125cc, vale in 250cc and alex criville in 500cc. people think motogp lore is complicated but if you know like, five guys, you're set for about twenty years of drama
which does get to the heart of the matter - a lot of these people have big egos and their own agendas and they love to run their mouths. they like talking a big game and getting involved in things they really shouldn't be getting involved in. is reed right that these people in the riders' entourages 'created the drama'? well, no, I think the two men at the centre of this particular tragedy were plenty capable of doing that themselves. nevertheless, you can point to how professional sports (and motogp in particular) forces you to rely heavily on a small group of people to keep you sane at the centre of the storm, and the risks that can emerge when that small group collectively unmoors itself from reality. you can point to the perils of fame, both in making your reliance on your inner circle so unnegotiable as well as in providing you with the status and power and ego to ignore anyone who might wish to change your mind. you can point to specific figures in this story who managed to incite the conflict between the two of them, as well as how the pressure cooker competitive environment they were operating within helped set up the ultimate catastrophe. you can point to how valentino lacked anyone with the power to stop him - both in the direct sense of forcing him to reconsider and the indirect sense of commanding his respect enough to make him see sense. maybe, just like in 2004, valentino had simply been "looking for an excuse" and he was always headed down this path. or maybe if somebody had just held him back a little that year, kept him focused on his riding, maybe if the right person had intervened at the right time...
SYPNOSIS: wherein Hwang Stella's life is tangled in a predicament involving her clandestine identity as a racer, her seemingly daily life as the official heir to the Hwang Empire, and seven guys with whom she has a complex history with.
PAIRING: enhypen members x fem oc.
GENRE: 18+ (mdni), reverse harem, chaebols, semi-college & racing, eventual adulthood, non-idol au, eventual enha being f1 drivers, multiple pov (this fic is written in first pov).
WARNINGS: expletives, mention of pregnancy, making out, smut.
When reality dawned the day after the wedding, where the guys and I had a heart-to-heart talk in relation to our relationship, I knew that I needed master courage to inform my family about our relationship, but what I felt most strongly about was the idea of marriage.
Maybe my unexpected ambition to settle down with my beloveds stems from the fact that I am hopelessly in love with them, and the prospect of a future without them frightens me. But I unequivocally want to spend the rest of my life with them, until I grow old and wrinkled. Never mind the fact that I might be dismissed once my management learns of our relationship, because nothing is more worthy to me than my seven beloveds.
Yes, the notion of me marrying and having seven husbands seems preposterous, but I don't care. At the very least, I am thankful that marrying more than one person is legal here. Besides, I have long since come to an agreement with myself that I truly want this. Of course, when I consulted with Aera three days ago regarding this─in which I was still a tad uncertain about my decision and needed her advice─she was more thrilled than me and wished me nothing but the very best for our future together.
However, I know that I need to overcome another obstacle: my family. So, two days ago, I invited all of them for a group video call where I informed them of the dinner that would happen at Minjun's crib, to which he wholeheartedly agreed, especially when I told him that I was close with the Formula One stars, albeit he, like the rest of my family, had no idea of our relationship.
Perhaps that was until today.
As soon as Kelly welcomes us into her cosy home with a wide smile, with the guys trailing behind me, a moment of incertitude dawns on me while a small part of me is regretting my life choices when my eyes settle on familiar faces in my line of sight. Hyunjin is seated alongside Yeji and Haneul on the couch in the living room, while Sophia is seated on the floor and busily doodling away on her book.
Aside from the nervousness, I can't deny the fact that I am also apprehensive about their reaction and, above all, Hyunjin's reaction. I have been hoping that he won't turn out to be an overprotective brother who hates that his younger sister is in a relationship, with the only exception that his younger sister is more than ready to settle down.
"It's good to see your lovely face again." I give Kelly a warm smile as we pull away from the hug.
"The same goes to you, honey." Kelly pats my cheek gently while my heart warms at her kind gesture. Not once has my biological mother ever treated me the way Kelly has.
"Stella, sweetie!" The volume of Minjun's voice draws the attention of my siblings and Sophia to us, as do his jovial chuckles with a mirthful grin on his face that is rather contagious, prompting me to chuckle as well as the nerves fizzling out.
"Dad!" Instinctively, I go straight for his embrace as he welcomes me with his arms, which provide strong security. As I tighten my arms around him, laughter elicits from him while my heart warms being united with my real father once more.
"I thought you were joking when you said that you're close to these stars, honey." Minjun tells me as he pulls away from me, and as I look at him, I hold back a chuckle upon seeing the way his eyes are sparkling as he stares at my seven boyfriends standing by the entrance awkwardly.
"Park Sunghoon?" Haneul's voice is tinged with surprise as I turn my head to look at them, who are now approaching us. Haneul looks equally shocked before confusion dawns. "What are you doing here, little brother?"
"I'm not little, damn it." Sunghoon mutters under his breath.
"Unnie!" Sophia crashes into me, almost causing me to fall if it weren't for Kelly, who supports me from behind. I merely chuckle as I reciprocate Sophia's eager hug.
"Jungwon." Despite being confused, Hyunjin greets Jungwon, who, in return, gives him a small smile while uncertainty flickers in his gaze. Hyunjin seems to be staring at Riki for a few minutes before finally recognising him amidst the shocked glimmering in his eyes. "Ni-Ki?"
"Hyung." Riki greets him, smiling faintly. A familiar sentiment wraps itself around my heart as I watch Hyunjin pull Riki into a brotherly hug without hesitation. After all, Riki was much closer to Hyunjin when we were younger.
"It's nice to meet you all again." Yeji says with a kind smile before greeting the guys individually with a brief side-hug.
Hyunjin raises his eyebrow at Yeji as soon as she is done. "Since when did you know the rest?"
"It's a long story." Yeji tells him while her eyes meet mine with knowingness. "But I can only tell you after dinner. Right now, I'm feeling rather famished."
"That's right. My baby has been saving some spaces in her tummy for today's dinner." Haneul back-hugs Yeji. The way he speaks is as though he is speaking to a baby, which brings my attention to Sunghoon, who is feigning a look of utter disgust at his older brother.
"It's an incredible honour to meet you. I'm a big fan of Formula One." Minjun is busily greeting and conversing with the guys, shaking hands and hugging with a broad smile on his face.
"What is the term that you youngsters use nowadays?" Kelly stands next to me with her arms folded below her chest as we watch all of them being amiable towards the guys, who no longer look as tensed as they were earlier. "Ah! Fangirling, that's the word." Kelly shoots me a grin. "Your father is blatantly fangirling over them."
"What?" I laugh lightly. "But he doesn't look like it."
"Oh, trust me, I know your father. He's over the moon." Kelly's grin falters and is replaced by one I can easily decipher. Astuteness. "Tell me, which of them is the one?" She asks, her voice dropping to a whisper.
Bit by bit, the nervousness returns to my system. "How did you know?" I match the volume of my voice with hers.
Kelly's lips curve into a half-smile. "Just a hunch. Is it Jungwon?"
I remain silent for a few minutes before looking away from her knowing gaze. "Let's have dinner first. I have something important to announce." I say, hating how I sound a tad weak.
Kelly brings my attention back to her when her hand touches my shoulder. She offers me another smile that seems to ease my nerves. "You should know that whatever it is, we will support you."
"Thanks, Kelly. I appreciate it." I whisper, but uncertainty remains lingering in the air.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Dinner has never been as effervescent as it is right now. There is a warm, fuzzy feeling in my tummy as I watch the sight upon me in sheer silence ─ Riki and Jungwon entertaining a blabbering Sophia, Jay and Kelly can be heard easily over their exchange of words in regards to recipes, Heeseung is conversing with Minjun amiably, whereas Sunoo and Sunghoon are conversing with Hyunjin and Yeji. Jake seems to be chuckling at whatever Haneul is telling him.
I have been dreaming about a day where my family and the loves of my life get along harmoniously. I wouldn't trade for anything if this is what it looks like for every family dinner in the near future.
A sudden wave of emotion that is peculiarly profound hits me, bringing tears to spring in the rims of my eyes while I hold back a sob. It is rather confounding that I feel strongly emotional about this. I don't even know if these are happy or sad tears. Everything suddenly feels overwhelming, and why the hell am I being like this?
"Stella?" Yeji's voice laces with concern, snapping me out of the trance, and when I refocus, I am taken aback to see all of their eyes on me, looking at me worriedly with tinges of surprise. "Are you crying?"
"Why are you crying, Unnie?" Sophia asks, her pink lips go pouty while she looks genuinely sad for me.
"I'm not." I release a laugh that sounds embarrassingly broken as I wipe the traitorous tears sliding down my cheeks. "I'm just─" Alas, a hiccup leaves my lips before the dam regrettably bursts, startling everyone with my unexpected waterworks. "I'm just happy." I manage to utter in between the weeps before Kelly, who is seated next to me, embraces me into her arms, and I feel thankful to her for shielding the ugly sight away from their eyes.
Fortunately, it takes me a minute or two to compose myself. As I clear my throat, my eyes accidentally meet Yeji's emphatic gaze while a small smile arises on her pink lips. "If there is anyone worthy of deserving happiness, it is you, dear sister." Tears glisten in her eyes, but she doesn't cry.
"I agree." Haneul wraps his arm around Yeji as the latter instinctively leans into him comfortably. Haneul offers me a kind yet sympathetic smile. "Our Stella has been through a lot, hasn't she?"
The prior effervescent ambience is infused by melancholia. Even my boyfriends look equally rueful as they send me small smiles that seem to ease my nerves.
"I'm sorry for ruining the mood." I say, but earn a chorus of 'no, you didn't.' and looks of disagreements. I heave a sigh, knowing what comes next. "There is something I need to tell all of you."
"Are you pregnant, honey?" Minjun's question completely throws me off guard, and judging by the looks on their faces, they, too, are equally shocked as me.
"What? No!" I answer him rather vehemently as I shake my head. I can feel heat weaving across my cheeks at the thought of it. "Nothing with pregnancy!"
"Oh! I know!" Sophia shoots her hand up and waves it. "You're getting married!"
Technically, she isn't entirely wrong. "Not exactly."
"You're moving abroad?" Hyunjin raises an inquisitive eyebrow at me.
"Or maybe she's getting promoted!" Haneul wiggles his eyebrows at Hyunjin.
Another sigh leaves my lips. "Again, it's nothing what you guys thought─"
"Actually, if I may?" Heeseung cuts me off, prompting me to meet his stern yet assuring gaze, which temporarily alleviates my nerves. Once he gives me a soft smile, I ease the tension in my shoulders.
Heeseung doesn't seem as nervous as I am, and his eyes remain unwavering as he looks at each of my family members. "Aside from Jungwon and Ni-Ki, we've actually known Stella since college." He starts off, treading his words with a tinge of caution.
"You've known my daughter since college?" Minjun leans forward with his hands clasped together, his face has no traces of any prior conviviality. He hums, looking rather intrigued. "So all of you were originally from Seoul as well."
They nod their heads simultaneously before Heeseung continues, "Each of us has a different history that is rather complex." Nostalgia can be seen glistening in his eyes, while a faint smile appears on his lips.
"They're the ones who tracked down my location and saved me four years ago from the terrible incident." I interject before any of them can speak next. My voice comes out softly while my eyes shift from Hyunjin to the seven of them, and my lips quiver with a smile. "I never really got to thank you all for saving me, even when I thought that I was not deserving to be saved."
"Thank you so much." Minjun takes us by surprise. He sounds serious, yet there is a wistful smile on his lips as he looks at the seven of them. "If it weren't for all of you, I wouldn't have reunited with my daughter."
"Yes, thank you." Hyunjin tells them with firm eyes. "We owe all of you for saving our precious Stella."
"You don't have to thank us, because we would save Stella in a heartbeat for the second time, always." Jake says, wearing a small smile, before his eyes briefly meet mine. "We would always save the love of our lives without a second thought."
"Love?" A frown touches Hyunjin's lips.
"Yes." Heeseung answers for Jake, his tone holds such resolution, as if he isn't afraid of the possible dreadful outcome. "As I said, we had complex histories with Stella, but one thing that has always remained constant is our unconditional love for Stella."
"We're in a polygamous relationship." I quickly intervene as I look at my family, particularly Hyunjin and Minjun. "I've been apart from them for too long, and now that we're reunited, we've consensually decided that it was only right for us to be in a polygamous relationship. I love them."
I hold back the tears that are threatening to spill for the second time as I maintain unwavering eye contact with Hyunjin and Minjun, unable to decipher the emotions written across their faces.
"They knew of Minhyuk's abuse, and they saw the horrible wounds and scars that were Minhyuk's doing. They comforted me and supported me despite the fact that there were obstacles along the way." At this point, I am close to imploring my family to understand. "I'm not asking for your blessings, and I will not break my relationship with them just because you disapprove. I have never been happier than I am with them now."
"Stella─" Minjun heaves a sigh, but I cut him off, displaying my desperation.
"I know that our relationship is overwhelming for you, but I can assure you that we will make it work." I swallow a lump in my throat before I release a shaky breath. "I really love them, Dad. You may not understand how and why, and I am all for explaining any questions you have, but please don't force me to break up with them. I don't see a future without them in my life."
As soon as I finish, I await for anyone to speak up, and I swear the silence is so loud that I can hear a pin drop. The sound of a chair is being dragged, prompting me to look at Hyunjin, and my heart sinks in the pit of my stomach as I watch him make his way out of the dining area.
"Give him time." Yeji quickly tells me upon seeing my face drop. Even her assuring smile doesn't do much to diminish the sinking feeling. "I'm sure this is overwhelming for him, but he'll come around. You know he always does."
"I just have one question for you, gentlemen." Minjun clears his throat, his face looking more serious than earlier, while he leans keenly forward, as though he is an investigator. "Do you have plans on marrying my daughter?"
"Of course." Jake answers rather swiftly. "But not any time sooner. Besides, that is up to Stella. We have come to a mutual agreement that marriage is solely up to Stella."
"I am rather disappointed." Minjun releases a soft sigh. "I had hoped that Stella would get married soon."
"Wait, so does this mean that you approve?" I ask, my eyes widening as I look at Minjun.
Minjun's serious facade cracks as he shoots me a fatherly smile. "I admit that I was overwhelmed by your announcement, and who am I to force something upon you when all I ever want for you is to be happy?"
Tears are starting to blur my vision. "Dad."
"I mean it, sweetie." Minjun's voice comes out soft, as does the way he gazes at me. "I can see that you're happier with them, and that is more than enough for me, especially when these gentlemen have proven their unconditional love for you from the moment they saved you back then." Minjun then looks over to them with a firm head nod. "I entrust you with my daughter, and without a doubt, you will protect and cherish her the way she deserves."
"Of course. You can count on us." Jay reciprocates with a firm head nod as well.
"I, for one, have long since known that you guys would eventually get together." Yeji chuckles, her hand that is holding her glass of wine tipping towards us before she takes sips of the wine.
"Well, little brother." Haneul shoots Sunghoon a smirk. "It looks like we're bound to be bro-in-laws."
"We are already brothers, dumbas─" Sunhoon shuts his mouth at the realisation of Sophia, who is seated across from him.
"So you and you," Sophia points her fingers at Jungwon and Riki, her eyes sparkling with wonderment. "are my Unnie's boyfriends?"
"Yes, little one." Riki grins as he ruffles her hair.
"That's cool! I have more big brothers!" Sophia bounces in her seat, oozing with enthusiasm.
"I'm sure another reason your father is happy for you has to do with the fact that your boyfriends are his favourite Formula One stars." Kelly tells me, purposely allowing Minjun to hear.
"That may or may not be true, my love." Minjun shoots Kelly a grin, to which the latter scowls, but her cheeks are painted pink as she looks away from his gaze.
Despite the rest of my family being happy and accepting, my mind drifts off to Hyunjin while my eyes shift to his empty seat.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
The time strikes nine p.m. by the time we finish the scrumptious dinner, but none of us has yet to leave. Jay and Sunoo are helping Kelly out with the dishes in the kitchen, while her adamant insistence can be heard from here. The others are mingling in the living room with Yeji and Haneul, while Minjun can be seen conversing with Jake and Sunghoon.
I begin to make my way to where Hyunjin is, and I hope he is still there. As I step out of the house, my gaze lands on his figure, seated on the swing bench by the porch, and he seems to be in deep thought.
"Oppa." I call for him in a wavering tone, and thankfully, he turns his head to look at me. My lips quiver in sadness while my eyes turn crestfallen. "Are you mad at me?"
A sense of deja vu hits me, and I immediately recall the times where I thought Hyunjin was mad at me for doing something that wasn't my fault the first time he saw a noticeable bruise on my cheek that Minhyuk had punched me when we were younger.
Hyunjin's gaze softens before he heaves a sigh, his fingers running through his long strands. "No, I'm not mad at all."
"Then why did you walk away?" I ask, taking steps forward until I'm closer to him, towering over his figure. I clench a fist. "You didn't look happy either."
"I just feel overwhelmed, Stella." Hyunjin sighs once more. "I mean, you're in a relationship with seven guys. Doesn't that feel overwhelming for you?"
"No." I answer him firmly, but upon seeing the expression on his face, I release a sigh and invite myself to sit next to him. "I'll tell you about my history with them some other time, but you should know that when you're in love, be it with one person or more, things won't be exactly as overwhelming as you thought. Yes, being in a polygamous relationship is certainly not an easy journey, but the love you have for your partners will always prevail over anything."
Hyunjin remains silent for awhile, as though he is processing my words and whatever happened earlier. He lifts his head up to meet my eyes, and when a small smile dawns on his lips, the nerves have finally diminished. "I'd never thought I'd see a day where my baby sister was finally in love." He smiles faintly and ruffles my hair. "Your happiness matters to me most, you know?"
I can't help but to lunge forward, my arms latching around his as I hug him while he chuckles and reciprocates the hug. "Thank you." I whisper with such gratitude, tears welling in my eyes, before I blink them away. "Don't be shocked, Oppa, but I'll be marrying them sooner than you think."
"Oh?" Hyunjin pulls away and raises his eyebrow at me. "I mean, I'm not entirely shocked since I can see how utterly in love you are with them, but pray tell, how? Is it even legal to marry more than one person here?"
"Yes." I nod my head. "There probably won't be any weddings. What matters to us most is signing the necessary documents to officially legalise us as married couples. Besides, imagine having to plan seven weddings." I grimace at the thought of it, but if the guys do want to throw a wedding each, then I'll just have to agree to it. Their happiness matters to me most.
Hyunjin and I continue to chat, be it about my boyfriends or reminiscing about the happy parts of our childhood amidst the pain. One thing is for sure ─ I am glad that he is just as accepting as the rest of my family members.
What's left next is to break the news to the rest of my boyfriends regarding my settling down with them.
I guess I can say for my best friends that we are finally at ease after having been accepted by Stella's family. It isn't hard to like her family, especially when they are amiable and exude such warmth that we can't help but to lower our guards. As for Hyunjin, he had gathered the seven of us in the living room earlier and wanted to speak with us alone, prompting the other Hwangs to disperse.
Aside from the fact that Hyunjin subtly hints that he would threateningly do something if any of us hurt her, he sincerely wished our relationship nothing but the best, and somewhere along the lines, he couldn't wait for us to officially be his brother-in-laws very soon, which rendered us confused, because why did he emphasise soon? The only exception is that Jay and Jungwon didn't look too surprised.
Intrigued, I begin to make my way to find Stella, but she isn't spotted in the kitchen or anywhere on the first floor, really. I spot Kelly emerging from a room, and I approach her with a kind smile. "Hey, Kelly. Have you seen Stella? I've been trying to search for her."
"She's upstairs in her room, two doors down on the left." Kelly informs me before a smile touches her lips. "If I'm not wrong, she's with Ni-Ki."
"Thanks." I give Kelly a quick smile before making my way up to the second floor. I release the scoff I have been holding back. No wonder he was seen leaving in haste earlier, as soon as Hyunjin dismissed us. That sly duck.
"Two doors down." I murmur to myself, my eyes shifting from the white painted door to another, until I hear a familiar squeal and giggle just as I nearly reach her room.
The door is ajar, allowing me to take glimpses of them. Ni-Ki has her seated on top of his lap with her back facing him and his chin resting on her shoulder. His arms are wrapped securely around her waist while he seems to be whispering in her ear, eliciting giggles from her. My gaze softens at the endearing sight.
Despite not being the one who is making her giggle and smile, I am rather content. As long as she remains happy, then everything else is fine with me.
I compose myself, feigning an annoyed look before slowly pushing open the door, prompting their heads to turn to me, but my eyes narrow at Ni-Ki. "Time's up. It's my turn to spend some time with my darling."
Ni-Ki sticks his tongue out to me while remaining unmoving. "Make me."
"Riki." Stella slaps his arm over her waist with chuckles leaving her lips.
"Fine." Ni-Ki releases an exasperated sigh before giving her a deep kiss on the cheek and removing his arms from her waist, allowing her to stand. He grabs her hand to kiss her knuckles before proceeding to leave the room.
As my gaze settles on her face, her lips curve into a sly grin. "Were you seriously jealous of your best friend?"
"No." I scoff, rolling my eyes, and subsequently amble towards her while I notice mischievousness dancing in her pretty eyes. "Why would I be jealous when I know that I already have you wrapped around my fingers?"
Stella attempts to run away from me, but a squeal leaves her lips at the moment I catch her with my arms wrapped around her waist firmly. Her kissable lips form into a pout, and the way she is looking at me with those eyes goes straight into my pants.
Nevertheless, I keep my desires for this irresistible woman at bay as my lips curve into a smirk. "Trying to run away from me, darling?"
"No." She denies, her eyes flickering down at my lips briefly for a moment before she looks away with her cheeks flushing in pink.
I hum, my fingers ascending to her cheek and stroking it delicately yet dangerously. "Good, because you wouldn't want to face any punishment, especially when your family members are just downstairs. But then again, I don't care."
Stella gasps, her eyes narrowing at me. "You wouldn't."
"Oh, I would, darling." I spin us around, inviting myself to sit on the bed and pulling her down with me, having her settled on top of my lap as she straddles me. I see the way her eyes darken with lust, reflecting mine, while my hand begins to rub her bare thigh with the hems of her dress hiked above.
"You wouldn't." She repeats, but this time, her voice wavers with each rub of my hand on her smooth thigh.
"Don't test me." I murmur, my eyes zeroing in on her pink, plump lips. "Kiss me."
Stella hesitates, and soon she leans in but stops just as her ghostly lips graze across mine teasingly. Her eyes form the shape of a crescent while a soft chuckle emits from her. The longer she teases me, the more fuel it adds to my desire for her.
Without any thought of gentleness, I pull her by the nape and slam her lips on mine, kissing her slowly yet passionately, which has her practically melt against me, but my hand grips her waist while the other is continuously rubbing her thigh.
"I've missed you so fucking much." I murmur in between kisses, bringing more chuckles from her before I silence her with my lips. This time, I force my tongue into her mouth, to which she wholeheartedly welcomes me.
Her hands slither upward on my chest until they drape lazily over my shoulders, and I feel her hip movement, to which I place both hands on her waist to assist her. She pulls away from my lips, gasping softly at the sensation of my hardening bulge coming into contact with her core.
"Shhh, you gotta be quiet or I'll stop, pretty girl." I warn her in a seductive lull, watching her in awe at the contortion of her face. She looks so fuckable right now as she throws her head to the back with her eyes rolling to the back and her moist lips parted open with pathetic soft whimpers and moans from the delirious friction of our cores against each other.
As I continue with my administration, my eyes shift to the door, and thank fuck, it is closed. I look at her face once more before I switch positions, settling her to lay on her back on the bed.
"Where are you going?" Stella whines as I make my way towards the door to lock it. "Sunoo!"
"Shhh, I told you to be quiet, didn't I?" I hiss lowly, but as soon as I turn around, my breath catches in my throat at the divine sight of her white dress hiking up to her waist, allowing her white lace underwear to be visible to my eyes. Fuck, there is a wet patch forming on the material.
"Sunoo." She whines again, as though she is doing it on purpose to arouse me with her sweet sound. My feet bring me towards her, and the next thing I know, I silence her with my lips, but this time, kissing her harshly and nibbling and tugging on her lower lip, eliciting a pained moan from her before I resume devouring her.
"Naughty girl. I told you to be quiet." I rasp against her lips, smirking as I feel her shuddering beneath me when my fingers descend to her lower region, going underneath the material of her underwear before they stop right at her clit.
As soon as I rub her clit in circles, her lips part open, wanting to moan out, but I slip my tongue into her mouth, dancing once more with her tongue.
I don't stop my administration on her clit while my other fingers begin to multitask as they seek for her hole, entering slowly to not hurt her. The moment I feel her hips moving, I take that as a sign to shove my fingers into her wet folds and start fingering her.
I pull away from her lips, relishing the cute, pathetic moans she attempts to quieten and how adorable she looks trying to silence herself by closing her mouth with her palm, but unfortunately for her, I'm in the mood to tease her.
"Sunoo, please." Stella pleads as I use my other hand to pin her wrists above her head with ease. My eyes fall down to her chest, where a glimpse of her cleavage is teasing me.
"I said to be quiet, pretty girl." I say lowly when a high-pitched moan leaves her lips, my hand on her wrists tightening while my fingers are working their way to make her cum.
"You're so mean." She whimpers, tears welling in her eyes, but the way her hips are sensually grinding on my fingers as though she's riding my cock drives me to finger her roughly and fast despite the restriction of her cute lace underwear.
"Mean?" My tongue hits the roof of my mouth while my eyes feast on the gorgeous sight of her beneath me as she struggles. I dip my head to plant a wet kiss on her neck. "You have no idea how mean I can get, darling." I chuckle against her skin, feeling how drench she gradually gets, and so I remove my fingers from her pulsating hole, eliciting a whimper from her, to which I place a kiss on her lips.
Without a word, I hook my fingers underneath the string of her underwear and pull it down, letting it fall to the ground before I proceed to remove my pants. Before she can even make another cute noise, I kiss her briefly and, at the same time, hold my length, which feels painful with each passing second, and aim it at her wet folds.
I allow the tip to enter, causing her breath to hitch, but that's just it. I begin to pump my cock with the tip resting in her pulsating hole.
"Sun." Her voice compels me to look up at her face, and this time, the way she is gazing at me feels different. Her gaze alone feels intimate compared to what we're doing. "I love you."
Amidst my raging lust, my eyes soften, and I lean in to place a delicate kiss on her lips, my heart swelling with adoration for her. "I love you more, darling." I whisper as she gazes at me sweetly.
"Do you─" A soft yet cute gasp leaves her lips when I pull out the tip, and instead, I allow the tip to slide against her wet folds, hitting her clit each time. She swallows a moan while she gazes at me with hooded eyelids. "Do you want to get married to me?"
Her question almost makes me cease my movement, but I remain constant, attempting to reach my high while at the same time my face contorts into confusion. "Of course." I answer rather roughly, feeling my orgasm close to impending. "Just like the rest of the guys, I do have plans on marrying you, darling."
"What if I tell you that I want us to get married soon?" She asks in a ramble before letting out a soft moan that goes directly to my raging cock.
"Okay." I grunt before my orgasm finally comes crashing down on me as I pump it out, releasing white spurts as they land messily on her stomach. I watch as she attempts to finger her clit, but I swat her fingers away to assist her by rubbing my tip against her clit.
"Okay?" She asks in a breathy moan, baring her neck in my eyes, to which I lean down to kiss and nip at her skin.
"Anything you want, pretty girl." I murmur softly, relishing the tiny, soft moans coming from her lips. I trail my kisses to her face before whispering in her ear, "You want to get married tomorrow? We can do that too. Just say the word, and I'll drive us to sign the documents."
"What about throwing a wedding?" She asks again, and this time, she finally comes.
We pant with heavy breaths before looking at each other in the eyes. Despite still heaving, my lips curve into a grin. "I don't need a wedding, unless you want to throw one."
Uncertainty glints in her eyes. "I don't know." She mumbles. "But I know for a fact that I am ready to settle down with you."
"Then okay." I say, now lying next to her acutely but still hovering over her. I grab her hand, holding it to my chest while my fingers toy around hers, and gaze deeply into her sweet eyes. "Name anything you want, and I'll give it to you, darling."
"I want you to kiss me again." She utters softly. "And I want you to tell me 'I love you' a lot of times."
I grin before leaning down to kiss her lips sweetly, which has her smiling against my lips. "I love you." I manage to murmur in between our kisses before I pull away to pepper my kisses all over her face, down to her neck. "I love you, and I love you. Only you."
Stella giggles as I continue to tickle her with my kisses on her neck. "We should really get going. The others are probably wondering."
"Let them." I scoff and nip at her skin once more, causing her to yelp out.
"Sunoo." She whines, pushing my face away from her. "You came on my stomach. I feel icky."
"Woops, sorry, darling." I apologise with a kiss on her forehead before wearing my lower garments and grabbing a tissue on the nightstand to wipe the excess of my cum from her stomach until no spot can be seen.
I grab her hand, assisting her to stand, but the second she does, her knees buckle underneath her, prompting me to hold her against me firmly. "I haven't even fucked you, and yet, you're going all jelly on me, pretty girl." I smirk down at her as she shoots me a scowl.
"Behave, or I won't allow you to." She boops my nose with her finger.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, I would." She says mockingly but pecks my lips before giving me a sweet smile that has my heart pounding against my chest. "Let's go, handsome boy."
"After you, pretty girl."
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Stella has ordered her family members to remain further away from us where they are unable to hear us, or more like Stella, since she has something she needs to inform the seven of us. I sit next to Jake, who is staring at Stella, pacing back and forth while she chews on her bottom lip.
"What is it, sweetheart?" Heeseung's gentle voice seems to pull her back to reality as she finally looks at us.
"Wait." Jay narrows his eyes at her. "Is this the part where you tell us about your pregnancy?"
"What─ no! I'm not pregnant!" Stella accidentally raises her voice as she shoots him a scowl. "Why does everyone think I'm pregnant?!"
"It isn’t a bad thing if you are, sweetie!" Minjun can be heard from the stairs, eliciting a groan from Stella.
"Dad!" She yells frustratingly, yet we find her adorable.
My lips curve into a smile while a chorus of chuckles emits from us at the audible sound of Kelly's chastisement towards Minjun.
"Anyway," Stella clears her throat, her cheeks flushed in pink, to which I find her endearing. "I'm not pregnant." Her tone indicates that she is firm in her declaration. "But there is something else that I need to speak with you about."
"Let me guess, it's about you wanting to settle down with us." I say with a drawl, drawing their attention to me, and the visible confusion written on my best friends' faces except for two affirms that Stella has yet to inform them.
"Settle down with us?" Jake murmurs, his face contorting into confusion, yet there is a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Is this true, love?"
Stella looks rather sheepish, and she lowers her head. "Yes. I am ready to settle down with all of you, as in, I want to get married." Her words are spoken in a soft murmur, but we manage to catch onto them.
"But what about your career?" Sunghoon asks, frowning. "You do realise that once our management learns of our relationship and, moreover, the news of us getting married, any one of us or even all of us might be dismissed?"
"Trust me when I say that I've already thought about the risks and everything." Stella says firmly, but her eyes soften afterwards. "Besides, there is no way the Formula One organisation will have its esteemed stars dismissed. I'll be the one to hand in my resignation letter."
"Are you sure?" Ni-Ki asks gently. "I mean, you've contributed so much to the organisation, and you've worked hard to get where you are now. Wouldn’t it be a waste just because you want to get married to us?"
Stella gives him a faint yet beautiful smile. "Nothing is worth more than spending the rest of my life with you, not even my career."
Judging by the expression on their faces, I can affirm that they are feeling the same as I do. My heart is pounding hard while butterflies flutter in my tummy. The fact that the love of our lives just declared her love and devotion to us makes me want to storm over to her and give her a kiss. It even makes me want to buy a diamond ring right now and propose to her afterwards.
"So, when?" I grin, practically oozing with excitement at the prospect that Stella and I will finally tie the knot.
"After the Grand Prix in Brooklyn is over, I suppose." Stella gives me a soft yet sweet smile that makes me melt internally.
"What about Hwang Minhyuk?" Heeseung sounds irate upon saying the name.
"As for now, we don't have to worry about him." Stella smiles at him assuringly. "Henry has assured me that we won't be seeing he-who-shall-not-be-named, especially when he offered a reliable security system that guaranteed our safety."
"We have our own securities, princess. It's you that we're more worried about." Sunghoon frowns. "I hope Henry is as competent as I expect."
"He's great at his job." Stella whips out her phone to type something. "Just in time, he sent me a text."
"What did he send you?" Heeseung approaches her before standing next to her and glancing at her phone.
"He and his team discovered something." A frown touches her lips. "Apparently, Hwang Minhyuk found me through a connection he had with someone in the Formula One organisation."
"What the fuck?" Sunghoon clenches his jaw, and the fire in his eyes reflects the same as mine at the thought of Minhyuk daring to lay a hand on our beloved once again.
"Henry is still trying to obtain more information on who the person Minhyuk had a connection with is." Stella's shoulders slouch in defeat, but Heeseung steadily wraps an arm around her shoulder, giving her a kiss on her crown as she leans into him.
"Don't worry. We'll make certain he won't be able to lay a hand on you ever again." Heeseung tells her softly, while there is an undertone of promise.
"Agreed." Hyunjin comes into the living room with the rest of the Hwangs, except for the little one. "Sorry, we couldn’t help but eavesdrop on you guys."
Stella shoots her family a sad smile. "You guys heard everything, huh?"
"Heeseung is right, sweetie. We won't allow anything to happen to you." Minjun affirms as he has Kelly in his arms, who looks equally determined as she nods her head in agreement.
Stella turns even more crestfallen. "But I made a promise to myself that I'd be the one to protect all of you." She says repentantly, looking at each one of us with glistening eyes. "I wanted to be one to protect all of you this time."
"Allow us to protect you." Haneul says with a grin that resembles Sunghoon's. "I've long since wanted to give that bastard a good punch."
"Get in line, brother." Sunghoon chuckles darkly.
"Don't worry, baby sis." Hyunjin steps forward to place his hands on her shoulders, his firm eyes staring into her crestfallen ones. "We are all in this together. That monster made my life a living hell too."
"I second that!" Yeji chimes.
"We love you, Stella." Hyunjin smiles softly before giving her a peck on the forehead. "And we'll do anything to protect you."
Stella releases a shaky breath and wipes a fallen tear from her eye. "But nobody dies." She says resoundingly, making certain that she looks at every one of us in the eyes. "I've already lost Mary." She whispers brokenly. "I don't want to lose any one of you to that devil."
"You won't. I promise." Heeseung tells her firmly.
"No one, and I repeat, no one dies." Stella looks at us once more before settling her gaze on Hyunjin.
Hyunjin gives her a smile and nods his head firmly. "No one dies."
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have two "perfect" role models in the shape of two unlikely royals - who are themselves "spares to the spare."
The young royals, who could be considered the "spares" to future King, Prince George, the first born child of Prince Wiliam and Catherine, Princess of Wales, should look to Prince Edward, the new Duke of Edinburgh, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, for how to go about their life as working royals.
Edward and Sophie have been hailed as the perfect role models for Charlotte and Louis due to their successful roles within the Royal Family.
The couple recently carried out a historic ceremony on behalf of King Charles III, marking 120 years of friendly relations between Britain and France.
Their rise to prominence has been a long time coming, according to former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
Jennie told OK!: "They thoroughly deserve the recognition they are now getting."
She added that despite their work often being overshadowed by other royals, they have remained devoted to their causes.
As they take on more prominent roles, they are proving themselves up to the task and serving as excellent examples to their great nephews and niece.
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It is a position which has notoriously come with question marks attached as the Royal struggles to carve out a life for themselves in the shadow of the crown.
Jennie added:
"They [Edward and Sophie] have always been quietly devoted to their various causes, but their work has been overshadowed by other royals.
I suppose every cloud has a silver lining... and as the King calls on them to take a more prominent role, Edward and Sophie are showing they are very much up to the task.
"They are also serving as excellent role models to their great nephews and niece - showing that you can be a 'spare' or even a 'spare to the spare' and make a real success of working as a valued member of the Royal Family."
But among the many benefits of the Prince and Princess of Wales ' preference for gentle parenting directed by what Catherine has learned from her studies of early years education, it is clear that the couple will be striving to normalise their younger children's lives with the hope that they never feel like working as royals is their only option.
"William and Catherine must be acutely aware of the problems for a royal spare," Jennie explains.
"They have already shown that they have a different and modern attitude to bringing up royal children.
I'm sure they will do everything to make Charlotte and Louis feel every bit as special, loved and valued as George.
I imagine they will encourage Louis to explore life outside the royal fold... it could be the military, but it could also be working in the charity world or whatever he finds appealing after his education is finished.
I'm sure they will encourage him to go to University, which they both enjoyed and where, of course, they found love.
"And from there they will want him to find a life that is meaningful to him as well as appropriate for the son of a future King.
They will try to ensure that he feels he is living a life of value, irrespective of his place in the line of succession.
And that will probably involve service of some kind as they have emphasised from the start that they want their children to understand that having empathy with others is not only a kindness but is rewarding as well."
Edward and Sophie have seen their popularity and recognition within the Royal Family soar over the past 13 months, since being given new titles.
The pair are increasingly front and centre at crucial events, stepping in for the King while he prioritises his health recovery.
Prince Edward is a trusted supporter of the arts sector, taking up his late father's Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme mantle.
Meanwhile, Sophie champions gender equality tirelessly, raising critical awareness around issues like female genital mutilation (FGM) and avoidable blindness prevention.
Away from participating in Royal duties or representational roles on behalf of the King, Edward and Sophie, along with their two children — Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, 20 and 16 respectively — reside at Bagshot Park close to the Windsor Estate, whenever they're not away studying at university or school.
hello friends. despite my 9 million existing dreamling wips i'm feeling the need to branch out a bit for the sake of my mental variety. what pairing other than dreamling should i write a little something for? could be romantic or platonic
other way of phrasing i guess: any pairings you really want to see more fics for in the fandom?