#and then gradually escalates to genuine interest

[spanktony]

“YOU TOOK A BULLET FOR ME…” - rosita espinosa

summary: you take a bullet for her.

words: 800+

warnings: gun/gunshot, near death experience, and that’s all i believe.

notes: posting this as i try my hardest to get out of writers block & answer my requests! also lost the request to this ☹️

navigation. request.

You had found yourself in Negan's group, the Saviors. You didn't exactly like what you did—taking raids on random communities—but you understood that it was necessary for your survival in this post-apocalyptic world.

Negan knew you since you were a teenager, and he saw potential in you. He believed that you had what it took to be a valuable member of his group, and he made sure to keep a close eye on your progress. Which is exactly why you joined him on a hot afternoon to seize supplies from a new community called "Alexandria."

"Remember, kid," Negan sneered, his barbed-wire-covered baseball bat, Lucille, resting on his shoulder. "We're here to take, not make friends." Negan said, exiting the truck. You quickly nod, following behind him as you both approach the gates of Alexandria.

The gates were opened quickly, and everyone began to take supplies from the community, loading them into the back of the truck. You watched the chaos unfold, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Deep down, you knew that this was not the kind of person you wanted to become, but what choice did you have?

You help one of your fellow group members load a crate of food into the truck, trying to push away your conflicting emotions. Dwight walks up to you, "See that car over there? I think they might be holding something in there, check for me."

You nod, making your way over to the car. A woman in an olive-green top stands in front of the trunk of the car. You send a slight smile, wiping your forehead of sweat as you approach her.

"Mind moving?" You ask politely, gesturing towards the trunk of the car. The woman gives you a suspicious look before reluctantly stepping aside. As you open the trunk, you can't help but wonder what you might find inside.

The trunk is filled with guns, ammunition, and various other weapons. You glance at Negan and Dwight, occupied with taking other supplies from someone else. You take a deep breath, grapping some of the weapons. The woman is watching you with an upset look on her face.

You leave a few of the weapons behind, not wanting to take everything. You turn to the woman, "Maybe next time hide in a better spot," you suggest, trying to lighten the tension.

The woman's expression softens slightly, but she remains silent.

That was the first time you met Rosita, the next couple of times you saw her, she kept that same guarded expression. It became clear that she was still wary of you, despite your attempts to ease the tension. Nonetheless, you still continued to make small talk with her, hoping to gradually build trust and establish a connection.

You shared stories of your own experiences and asked her about her interests, trying to find common ground. Slowly, Rosita began to open up, sharing snippets of her life and even cracking a smile from time to time. It was a slow process, but you were determined to break through the walls she had built around herself.

As the days turned into weeks, your conversations became more meaningful and genuine, and you could sense a growing bond between the two of you.

Just as your group was leaving, one of your members got into an argument with Rosita, and she didn't look like she was backing down anytime soon. Instead of letting the situation escalate, you walked over to the two, attempting to mediate and diffuse the tension.

But your group member acted too quickly, pulling out a weapon and pointing it at Rosita. You immediately stepped in front of the gun. A loud sound rang out as you felt a sharp and hot pain in your chest.

You fell to the ground, gasping for breath and clutching your chest in agony. Ringing and Rosita's voice calling for help filled your ears, but your vision started to blur as darkness closed in.

Days blurred together as you drifted in and out of consciousness. When you finally awoke, you found yourself in a small, makeshift infirmary. The harsh, sterile scent of antiseptics filled the air, and you realized you were no longer with the Saviors.

Rosita sat at your bedside, her eyes filled with relief as she saw you awake. "You took a bullet for me," she said softly, her voice tinged with disbelief.

You managed a weak smile, wincing at the pain. "I guess I did." You glanced around the room, noticing the bandages wrapped tightly around your torso. "How long have I been out?" you asked, your voice barely a whisper.

Rosita's expression softened as she replied, "Almost a week." Shit.

"How am I supposed to get back to my group?" You thought aloud, concern etched on your face. Rosita's eyes flickered with worry as she responded, "You can't go back to Negan after what happened. It's too dangerous."

You sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "I know," you murmured, a sense of uncertainty creeping in. "But what else am I supposed to do? I doubt your group would be willing to take me in permanently."

Rosita's expression softened as she reached out to touch your arm gently. "I'll convince them. For now, relax." You nodded, grateful for Rosita's support. "Thank you," you whispered.

#spanktony #tonyspank #the walking dead x reader #the walking dead imagine #the walking dead #twd x reader #twd rosita #rosita espinosa x reader #rosita x reader #rosita espinosa imagine #rosita espinosa #thewalkingdead #gender neutral reader

[scart-t]

Threads of Deception: Unraveling the Honey Traps

Pairings:  Alhaitham, Cyno, Kaveh, and Tighnari x reader (Seperatly)

Y/n, a master of deception, takes on the dangerous task of honey trapping four influential figures in Teyvat: Alhaitham, Cyno, Kaveh, and Tighnari.

With their extraordinary charisma and alluring charm, Y/n meticulously plans their interactions with each target, aiming to extract valuable information or gain leverage for their own purposes.

Y/n adopts different personas and disguises to entice and manipulate their targets, using their communication disorder to their advantage by appearing vulnerable and innocent

ALHAITHAM

In their mission to honey trap Alhaitham, Y/n meticulously crafts a plan that revolves around portraying themselves as a vulnerable and helpless individual in need of assistance. They carefully study Alhaitham's preferences, interests, and weaknesses, using that knowledge to their advantage.

Y/n orchestrates a chance encounter with Alhaitham, strategically positioning themselves in a situation where they appear distressed or in danger. With a well-rehearsed display of panic and fear, Y/n catches Alhaitham's attention, prompting him to step in and offer assistance.

Under the guise of gratitude and admiration, Y/n gradually builds trust with Alhaitham. They cleverly leverage their communication disorder, making it seem like they struggle to express their gratitude verbally. This draws Alhaitham's sympathy and creates a sense of protectiveness within him.

Y/n skillfully deepens their bond with Alhaitham, sharing seemingly harmless personal stories and gradually escalating to discussing political matters. They listen intently, nodding along, and using their non-verbal cues to convey understanding and agreement.

With each encounter, Y/n strategically drops hints and asks innocent questions that nudge Alhaitham into revealing confidential political secrets. They play the role of an attentive listener, coaxing Alhaitham to open up, knowing that he underestimates the potential threat posed by someone who appears so vulnerable.

Y/n's ability to extract information is a delicate dance, always balancing between appearing helpless and maintaining the facade of an admirer. They carefully choose their words, ensuring they don't arouse suspicion or give away their true intentions.

As their interactions progress, Y/n uncovers hidden agendas, corruption, and plans that Alhaitham would never disclose to others. They meticulously document the information, building a case that could potentially bring Alhaitham's schemes to light.

However, beneath their deceptive facade, Y/n grapples with conflicting emotions. They witness Alhaitham's genuine care and concern for them, forming a connection that blurs the lines between their mission and personal feelings. It becomes a constant battle between duty and their own vulnerability.

The honey trapping of Alhaitham serves as a compelling exploration of power dynamics, trust, and manipulation. Y/n's ability to exploit Alhaitham's weaknesses while grappling with their own moral compass adds complexity to the story, leaving readers questioning the boundaries of deceit and the consequences it carries for both the deceiver and the deceived.

CYNO

With Cyno, Y/n takes on the guise of an aspiring adventurer seeking guidance and mentorship. They strategically position themselves in Cyno's path, impressing him with their combat skills and determination. Y/n carefully crafts an image of an inexperienced yet eager individual, eager to learn from someone as renowned as Cyno.

Y/n starts by engaging in casual conversations with Cyno, expressing their admiration for his legendary exploits and the treasures he guards. They appeal to his ego, making him feel respected and appreciated. Gradually, Y/n begins to win Cyno's admiration and trust by showcasing their own unique abilities and their dedication to becoming a formidable adventurer.

As their bond strengthens, Y/n becomes a constant presence in Cyno's life, always seeking his guidance and wisdom. They accompany him on quests and expeditions, offering unwavering support while covertly extracting information about the hidden treasures and ancient artifacts Cyno is entrusted with safeguarding.

Y/n listens attentively as Cyno recounts tales of his past adventures, skillfully steering the conversation towards the specifics of the treasures he guards. They show genuine fascination and curiosity, using their non-verbal cues to express their awe and intrigue, subtly encouraging Cyno to disclose more details.

By establishing themselves as a trustworthy confidant, Y/n gains access to Cyno's vulnerabilities and insecurities. They exploit these moments of emotional connection, using their communication disorder to their advantage. Y/n's occasional struggle to express their thoughts and emotions further endears them to Cyno, as he sees their vulnerability as a reflection of his own.

Through their interactions, Y/n manages to gather crucial information about the locations, weaknesses, and defenses of the hidden treasures and artifacts. They meticulously document this information, knowing that it holds great value for those seeking power or influence in Teyvat.

While successfully extracting the desired information, Y/n finds themselves caught in a web of conflicting emotions. Cyno's genuine mentorship and their shared moments of camaraderie blur the lines between manipulation and genuine connection. Y/n grapples with guilt, knowing that they are deceiving someone they have grown to respect and admire.

The honey trapping of Cyno becomes a thrilling exploration of trust, mentorship, and the sacrifices one must make in the pursuit of their objectives. Y/n's ability to gain Cyno's admiration while extracting vital information creates a captivating narrative that challenges the reader to question the ethical implications of their actions and the true cost of deception.

KAVEH

Y/n, recognizing Kaveh's involvement in Teyvat's underworld and his shrewd business acumen, decides to approach him as a potential business partner. They meticulously research Kaveh's interests, connections, and illicit activities, aiming to gain leverage and expose his hidden dealings.

Y/n strategically positions themselves in situations where they come into contact with Kaveh, showcasing their own business expertise and demonstrating their value as a potential ally. They employ their keen observational skills to identify Kaveh's vulnerabilities and areas where he may need assistance or connections.

With charm and charisma, Y/n engages Kaveh in conversations about mutual business interests. They impress him with their cunning negotiation skills and ability to navigate the complex world of Teyvat's black market. Y/n strategically highlights their own knowledge and resources, subtly suggesting that they possess insider information that could benefit Kaveh's operations.

As their relationship deepens, Y/n gains Kaveh's trust, positioning themselves as a confidant who understands the intricacies of the underworld. They exploit their communication disorder to appear innocent and unassuming, luring Kaveh into a false sense of security.

Y/n employs their exceptional listening skills, attentively absorbing information about Kaveh's illicit dealings, hidden contacts, and potential rivals. They make Kaveh feel heard and understood, creating a sense of loyalty and dependence on their partnership.

Gradually, Y/n begins to extract details about Kaveh's operations, subtly steering conversations towards sensitive topics. They skillfully employ persuasion techniques, leveraging their understanding of Kaveh's desires and fears to entice him into revealing key information about his illicit activities.

Y/n captures every piece of information, documenting Kaveh's connections, secret transactions, and any potential weaknesses they can exploit in the future. They understand the value of this knowledge, not only for their own purposes but also for the potential impact it can have on Teyvat's underworld.

Yet, as Y/n delves deeper into their role as a confidant to Kaveh, they find themselves conflicted. Their growing familiarity and genuine moments of connection with Kaveh blur the lines between manipulation and friendship. Y/n grapples with the weight of their actions, torn between their mission and the genuine emotions that develop amidst the deception.

The honey trapping of Kaveh delves into the dark underbelly of Teyvat, exploring themes of power, loyalty, and the price one must pay for uncovering the truth. Y/n's ability to seduce Kaveh with their negotiation skills while extracting vital information raises questions about the boundaries of morality and the consequences of delving into the world of crime and deceit.

TIGHNARI

Recognizing Tighnari's position as a military strategist and leader, Y/n approaches them as a compassionate and understanding confidant. They carefully observe Tighnari's behavior, studying their patterns and vulnerabilities to establish a bond based on emotional support and trust.

Y/n strategically positions themselves in situations where they can offer a listening ear to Tighnari. They create opportunities for intimate conversations, showing genuine interest in Tighnari's concerns, fears, and frustrations. Through their empathetic nature and understanding demeanor, Y/n becomes a trusted source of solace for Tighnari.

As Tighnari confides in Y/n, sharing the pressures and challenges they face in their military role, Y/n skillfully navigates the conversations towards critical military strategies and weaknesses. They use their keen observation skills to identify gaps in Tighnari's defenses, unspoken vulnerabilities, and potential blind spots.

Through active listening and emotional support, Y/n gains Tighnari's trust and fosters a sense of camaraderie. They create an environment where Tighnari feels comfortable discussing sensitive military matters, knowing that Y/n genuinely cares and understands their struggles.

With each interaction, Y/n carefully steers conversations towards strategic discussions, extracting valuable information about Tighnari's plans, troop deployments, and potential weaknesses in their military operations. They ask insightful questions, employing their communication disorder to appear more vulnerable and harmless, putting Tighnari at ease.

Y/n's ability to provide emotional support and empathetic understanding becomes a crucial bargaining chip. In exchange for their continued support and listening ear, Tighnari unwittingly reveals critical military secrets and provides Y/n with invaluable knowledge about their strategic thinking and vulnerabilities.

As Y/n acquires this sensitive information, they meticulously document Tighnari's military strategies and weaknesses. They understand the potential impact this knowledge can have on Teyvat's balance of power, making them a formidable force in shaping the outcomes of future conflicts.

However, as Y/n's bond with Tighnari strengthens, they find themselves torn between their mission and the genuine connection they have developed. They witness Tighnari's burdens and the weight of their responsibilities, sparking conflicting emotions within Y/n.

The honey trapping of Tighnari explores the complex interplay between trust, vulnerability, and the pursuit of strategic advantage. Y/n's ability to extract critical military information while providing emotional support raises thought-provoking questions about the ethical boundaries of manipulation and the true cost of exploiting someone's vulnerabilities for personal gain.

#genshin Impact #genshin imagines #genshin headcanons #genshin alhaitham #genshin cyno #genshin tighnari #genshin kaveh #alhaitham x reader #cyno x reader #tighnari x reader #kaveh x y/n

[vaya-writes]

The Wyvern's Bride - Part 3.7 (NSFW)

When Adalyn gets sacrificed to the local wyvern, she’s a little annoyed and a lot terrified. Upon meeting the wyvern, she discovers that he’s not particularly interested in eating people, and mostly wants to be left alone. In a plot to save himself from the responsibilities his family keep pushing on him, Slate names Adalyn as his human Envoy, and tasks her with finding him a wife.

6800 words. Cis female human x Cis male wyvern (slow burn, arranged marriage, eventual smut). firefly-graphics did the divider.

Masterlist - Previous

All the smutty content warnings. There is penetrative sex. There is oral. There are handjobs. There is overstimulation and a little bit of edging. There's a heap of profanity and a bunch of fluff too.

I'll include content breaks if you don't want to see the explicit stuff, but the whole thing will be suggestive. This chapter IS about Adalyn seducing Slate. But it's also a confession chapter, so there's wholesome stuff for the non smut readers too.

Slate is steadily growing closer to his wit’s end. 

It had started with the nightgowns. The first had been a pale spring green colour. Modest in cut. Daring in meaning. The colour that wyverns tend to flush around their mates. Signifying trust. Fondness. Love. He’d never expected anyone to do that around him.  

But Adalyn can’t possibly know that. 

She’s been wearing them every night whilst lying beside him.  

Things had escalated during yesterday’s beach date. (Outing. Trip. Whatever.) He should have said something. She’d asked him what to wear, and he hadn’t said anything about the colour. It had to be his fault, really. If he’d said something, perhaps she wouldn’t have worn that sky blue delight. Had the audacity to wear such a shade in public. Blue, the colour of attraction, desire, lust.  

He wants to strangle the cousin who’d gifted it to her. Or thank them. He’s not sure yet, there are too many feelings he needs to sort out. Mostly because females only flush blue when they’re open to advances.  

Another thing Adalyn couldn’t possibly have known. Especially with that genuine smile, and that sweet look of focus whenever he’d chatter about something most people found boring. It wasn’t wanton behaviour. Even if wearing the colour beside him in public had made his brain stall several times. 

He’d barely been able to look at her. Had spoken about every fun fact under the sun to stop from spilling his guts or disgracing himself. Because there’s no way Adalyn had meant anything by the dress.  

She’d married him to save him from embarrassment. To try something new, away from the mundanity of life in Fleecehold. Not because she was attracted to him. Not because she wanted him.  

He’d decided it must be Rin, playing a trick on him. Especially as things intensified. Starting with that letter. That parcel. The only thing Adalyn had said about it was that Rin had sent her a book.  

So, he’d deduced that this is Rin’s doing: Adalyn wearing more and more of those colours. A green tunic here. A blue shawl there. The nightgowns fray at his sanity the most, gradually getting shorter or more elaborate. 

He doesn’t sleep well. Lies perfectly still in the bed next to Adalyn, entertaining thoughts that are downright obscene. Frustratingly aroused, most mornings he has to excuse himself before she wakes, to find a private spot in which he can relieve himself. He tries not to think about her when he does. Tries and fails.  

The touches are equally tantalising in their torment. She’d started small. Innocent brushes here and there. A hand on his elbow. A bump against his shoulder. Adalyn reaching up to straighten his collar, or brush hair out of his face. Always with a smile. Gentle grazes that drive him mad. 

Lunch breaks are fraught with tension. Since he’d helped her with the garden, Adalyn has incorporated handfeeding Slate into her repertoire. Offering bites of her own pastries or catching him when his hands are otherwise occupied. Today Slate emerges from her wing, filthy, to find her holding his lunch. 

“Open,” she demands. 

He does so without hesitation. Is scarce able to breathe at her proximity, at her intense stare. He feels his cheeks flush grey-green, but is unable to look away, unable to hide any of the awe or desire from his face.  

She uses her thumb to brush some crumbs from the corner of his mouth, and he damn near melts. She smirks at his reaction, and that’s when he begins to suspect that she’s complicit in the attempts on his control.  

It has to be intentional, at the point. It has to be. The colours, the touches, the ancestors damned pheromones. She’s wearing them again, he notices, not for the first time.  

It had gotten so much worse when she’d unearthed the perfume. Rin’s gift, he begrudgingly remembers. The explosion of scents and pheromones that had given him a headache when first revealed. Now skilfully applied, just faintly enough that at first he thought they might have been his imagination.  

Scents that beckoned him closer. That bade him lean forward when she walked past, or that made him hyperaware of where she was in the room. Ones that whispered hello and tried to put him at ease. Others that got under his skin with how daringly inviting they were, almost begging him to reach out and touch Adalyn.  

Today she’s wearing one of the latter. Along with a teal dress – unseasonably short. He’d be concerned for her wellbeing if he weren’t so busy sneaking glances at her woollen leggings. Or the way the dress clings to her chest. And her ass.  

Ancestors, is he really ogling her so openly? He has to shake his head clear before recentring. She has him in such a daze, that he hadn’t processed any of their conversation. Had he even said anything? Had she? He’s searching his memory when Adalyn turns away and bends to pick up the picnic basket.  

He watches the dress creep up the back of her legs, completely rapt again.  

A strained sound escapes his throat, breaking the spell and startling him out of his trance.  

She’s packing up and he has no recollection of eating. He really did sit through the visit, mute and staring. He curses himself. He’s becoming a pervert and a lecher.  

“I’ll see you at dinner,” she smiles at him, and it hurts.  

He watches her leave before looking down and realising with shame that he’s hard again. It’s probably a contributing factor to his dizziness.  

The only thing that holds him back is perhaps she doesn’t realise just how strong of an effect these things are having. If she’s trying to make him want to jump her, to pin her to the bed and fuck her for hours on end, then mission accomplished.  

But if she’s just trying to court him, to encourage him closer, to tell him it’s okay to feel things, to care about her more than they’d discussed...  

He doesn’t know. He just doesn’t know what to make of the advances.  

It comes to a head when Slate returns from work that night. Adalyn has made dinner again and is dressed in the same teal dress she’d worn at lunch, though she’s stripped out of her shoes and leggings. Her scent wraps around him – inviting and lovely – and he sits and readies himself for another painstaking meal.  

He glances up when she asks about his day, and nearly drops his fork. She’s wearing makeup. Which by itself isn’t a big deal. She’d spent the past few days experimenting and trying on different cosmetics. But tonight her lips are painted a washed out blue and there’s a pale eyeshadow to match.  

It’s ridiculous, but the colour goes right to his hemi. He stares back down at his food, a bit shellshocked, completely spacing on the question she’d asked him.  

“Sorry, I missed what you said?” 

“I said, what did you get up to today?” 

“Oh, uh, the usual. I spent some time in your wing working on the second floor. Then...” he looks again. Can’t stop himself from glancing back up at her too innocent expression, her carefully composed interest and smile.  

He loses track of his words again. “You know, just the usual.” 

Adalyn regales Slate with details of her day while he forces himself to eat. He barely tastes the food. Barely hears what she’s saying. He’s not sure if he’s more in a hurry to finish and leave the table or dreading what comes next.  

Adalyn finishes before he does, and watches him eat with a stare that’s almost predatory. For a moment Slate forgets himself. Forgets his size and his magic and his near immortality. He feels like her prey. A thrill goes through him at the thought. He squashes it down immediately. 

“I think I’ll go do some more work before bed,” Slate mutters, standing once he finishes. 

“Slate.” 

He halts at his name.  

“Please sit back down.” 

He does, face flushing; worried that he appears too eager.  

Adalyn stands and approaches him. All his nerves strain when she stops behind him and rests her hands on his shoulders. He feels like he could jump out of his skin. 

“You should take a break. Are you really going to work through the night?” 

Mute, he shakes his head, mesmerised by her tone. Her words are masked with faux sympathy.  

“Good,” she murmurs, before kneading his shoulders.  

Slate’s face turns greener when a whine escapes his throat. He covers his mouth and coughs, hoping to disguise the slip.  

Adalyn huffs her amusement before digging her fingers in, unknotting his shoulders and working her way down his back. He feels like putty beneath her touch, mouth slightly agape, entire self-control devoted to keeping any more embarrassing noises to himself.  

When she stops he could almost cry, but instead things intensify when Adalyn rounds the chair and takes a seat on his lap. 

He stares at her, eyes too wide. 

“Is this okay?” For a moment she seems hesitant. Doubt creeping into her expression. 

He nods, almost frantic in the movement. “Mhm.” 

She sags in relief before looping her arms around his neck. It puts her face a little too close to his, and he swallows; the only movement he’ll allow. 

She crinkles her nose. “Your clothes are wet.” 

He waits, desperate to see what she does next.  

“Would you... like help taking them off?” 

He goes stiff at her words. In every sense of the word. Thankfully she ignores his erections, using her finger to trace a pattern on his chest instead.  

He’s clenching his jaw so tightly that it hurts. His hands dig into the armrests. He’s worried his claws will materialise and splinter the wood. He has to reply, he remembers, or he won’t get to see what happens next. 

“If you want.”  

She raises her brows. “I’m not asking what I want, I’m asking what you want.” 

By the fucking Ancestors. 

Unbidden, his hands go to her, trembling as he cradles her jaw. The other drifts into her hair. He gets even harder when she relaxes into his touch, turning pliant under his grip. He tries not to sound so choked, so raspy, but he can’t hide his desperation when he replies. “I want to kiss you.” 

She lifts her chin in silent permission, eyelids drooping and jaw going slack. But it’s not enough for Slate. He presses his forehead against hers. “Please, I need to hear you ask.” 

He’s breathless when she shifts, bringing her leg around so that she’s straddling him. He can feel much more of her now. Seated like this, it’d be impossible for Adalyn to miss the bulge in his pants. Shame darkens his cheeks.  

Then she grinds her hips against his.  

The movement is so minute, he’s not sure if he imagined it.  

Her hands tighten around his neck. She brings her lips to his ear. Speaks so clearly, there’d be no mistaking her words. “Kiss me, Slate.” 

Every doubt, hang-up, and hesitation empties from his mind. His shame slips away and it’s almost blissful the way he’s able to turn, touching his lips to hers without overanalysing his actions. 

He realises he’s holding his breath. Pulls back to let it out in a whoosh, before leaning in and kissing her again. He’s too occupied with her touch to fret about the gall of his actions, and he’s moves instinctively, trailing soft kisses along her jaw and neck. He wants to commit every sound she makes to memory; every hitch of her breath, every pant and subdued gasp. He wants to worship every inch of skin he can reach; enjoy every shiver and sound he can wring from her. 

Adalyn is the next to pause for air. Slate doesn’t let up though – having been given permission to kiss his wife, he intends to make the most of the experience. He lavishes kisses down her throat, across her shoulder, savouring her warmth. He lets his teeth scrape against her skin and nearly trembles with excitement when she flinches, before tilting her head back to give him better access. 

“What else do you want?” She murmurs. 

“You.” 

She huffs a laugh. “I’m tired of guessing. Elaborate.” 

He makes himself pull away. Feasts his eyes on her. Her lipstick has smeared. The colour might drive him insane if he looks any longer. 

He closes his eyes and tilts his head back, trying to organise his thoughts. He doesn’t get the chance. Adalyn picks up where he’d left off, leaning in to suck a line of kisses down his throat. He lets out a shaky breath and his grip on her tightens. 

Adalyn pauses. “Is this still okay?” 

“Yes. Fuck, yes. Please, don’t stop.” 

Emboldened by his plea, Adalyn grinds against him – there's no way he’s imagining it this time - her kisses becoming fiercer, their embrace more passionate. She nearly growls when her access is blocked by his collar. “I want to see more of you.” 

--- NSFW Content Ahead ---

Slate doesn’t check himself, removing his shirt faster than he’d done before. Pieces finally click in his brain, and the next step of the evening presents itself to him. He stands, hands going under Adalyn’s ass, and carrying her to the bed. She isn’t fazed by the relocation, doesn’t even stop rubbing against him. She just wraps her legs around his waist before dragging his lips to hers again.  

He kicks off his boots on the way there. Starts unlacing his pants. They make it to the bed and he sits, letting Adalyn straddle him and push him against the mattress.  

“Much better,” she says before trailing her lips down his chest. She takes her time, and Slate practically melts at the attention. Wonders if Adalyn had been as eager to get her hands on him as he’d been her. Probably, he notes as she kisses and sucks nearly every inch of him. She’s exploratory in her path. Her cheek grazes his ribs when she kisses the indent of his scar. She runs her hand along his side, over the ridges and valleys of his muscles. When she turns her attention to one of his nipples he jolts. 

He’s so focused on her mouth that he nearly misses her hand creeping down past his waistband. He lets out a shuddering breath when she rubs against his erections. His thoughts fizzle out when she fists her hand around one of his cocks and pumps it.  

“Is this alright?” She murmurs against him. 

He drags his pants down in answer, giving her better access. She squeezes and Slate can’t help but moan. It takes everything he has to not buck into her hand. 

Adalyn doesn’t bother restraining herself, grinding against Slate’s thigh. When she stops mouthing at his chest he grasps her by the hair again, prompting her upwards to his face. She doesn’t need further instruction, and goes back to kissing him, mindless and messy.   

Slate is close to coming. All she’s done is rub his cock and sit on his lap, and he’s nearly finished. He’s not sure if he should be embarrassed or elated. Is still caught up in surprise at the turn the night had taken. 

Adalyn pulls back to catch her breath. She looks almost smug, watching him writhe and twitch under her touch. She brushes his hair back before placing her free hand on his cheek. “You look good like this.” 

It takes a monumental effort to pull her into focus. He’s so hazy with need and so close to coming that tears prick his eyes. Adalyn is a blur of colour. The smear of her makeup, the marks blossoming on her throat, the flush in her cheeks – it's intoxicating. Another sound escapes him. 

Her face softens at the noise. “You okay?” 

“Adalyn...” He’s breathless. It’s an effort to speak. “If you keep- I want- I'm-” 

“Use your words, dearest,” she leans down in a slow, deliberate movement. Presses her lips to the skin beneath his jaw. Then sucks.  

He can’t use his words. Instead, he sees white as pleasure shoots through him, intense and unrelenting. His hips leave the bed. His breath catches in his throat. His eyes flutter closed. He doesn’t notice Adalyn’s praise as he comes – quite possibly harder than he’d ever done in his life. 

Awareness drifts back to him as he comes down from his high. It doesn’t take long for him to reorient himself, but when he does the room is spinning. His brain feels like mush. Adalyn is still straddling his thigh, her hand splayed against his chest for balance. He wonders if she can feel how hard his heart is beating. She still grips one of his cocks, looking at the mess he’d made with an unreadable expression.  

His tongue feels like lead, and he tries to string the right words together. “I’m sorry, I...” 

He cuts off when she gives his spent cock an experimental squeeze. His hips jerk and he wheezes.  

She huffs and smiles, watching him as she raises her hand to her mouth and licks her fingers clean. 

His untouched cock throbs. What few thoughts had formed in his head quickly disperse. 

“Why are you sorry? It’s not like I did this on accident,” she chides. 

Fuck, he wants more. He needs it. But Adalyn is still dressed. Still composed, looking down at him with a bright-eyed expression he’s entirely unfamiliar with. Five centuries worth of matriarchal and societal conditioning are the final tethers keeping him from responding. From grabbing Adalyn ravaging her. Playing out every dirty little thought he’s had, every fantasy, every impulse.  

He has to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s wanted before he can act. That he’s wanted.  

“Do you-” he starts, looking up with searching eyes, “Do you feel like this too?” 

She relaxes on top of him. Her lips twist into a wry smile. “Well, I didn’t come.” 

Need unfurls inside of him, sudden and desperate. To see Adalyn come undone the way he had. To make her gasp and moan and beg for him. To make her feel the way he constantly does around her; needy, depraved, dying for her to take the initiative.  

Before he knows it, he’s swapping places with her. Kissing down the length of her body. Slipping off the bed to kneel on the floor. Murmured pleas stream from him, too fast for him to process each one, “-let me help, let me make it better-” he grips her by the knees and pulls her towards him. “Please, fucking please, I want you so badly, I need to taste you, need to touch-” He parts her thighs. Wetness strings between them. She’s not wearing underwear. The observation knocks the breath from him. 

He kisses her inner thigh. His unspent cock aches, painfully stiff. He grinds against the end of the bed, yearning for friction. “Ask me to touch you. Give me permission. Fuck, Adalyn, tell me what I need to do to make you want me.” 

A hand closes around one of his horns, tugging. His whole scalp lights with pleasure at the sensation, and he shivers, staring up at Adalyn. Having her exert control over him like this is intoxicating. 

Despite her actions, she doesn’t look like she’s in control. Her hair is mussed, her face pink, and she bites down on her lip viciously. Still, she tightens her grip on him. 

“I already want you. I’ve wanted you for weeks. So stop teasing and just-” she cuts off. She lets out a groan, “Gods, are you really going to make me say it?” She pulls her dress up and stares pleadingly. “Use your mouth.” 

Her words are the final fraying on his restraint. Lust rolls in and he pulls her to the edge of the bed. Too eager to temper his actions, he thrusts his face between her folds, tonguing up and down and before he finds her clit and sucks. 

He should have stroked her first. Fondled her breasts or used his fingers. But there’s no room in him for sympathy and he continues his rough treatment, enthralled by the way she squirms beneath him. Her legs shake and jerk, and a stream of high-pitched noises escape her throat. He holds her steadfast, draping her knees over his shoulders and nuzzling closer. 

“-slower, please-” he hears despite the clenching of her thighs around his ears. 

Part of him flickers with remorse. He’d attacked her without any preamble or warmup, lapping up her juices like a wyvern starved. The rest of him is unmoved. Thrilled to hear Adalyn beg. Delighted at being told what to do. And merciless. Having waited long enough for Adalyn to give him an order, he intends to follow this one to the letter, even if she grows to regret the request.  

“You want me to slow down?” He hums as his imagination runs free. She’d been teasing him all day. Two could play that game. 

She whimpers and nods her assent.  

He moves back, giving her some space and lathering kisses on her thighs once more. Despite his sadistic intent, he nearly loses himself worshiping her legs. He sucks and nips at the soft flesh of her inner thighs, watching marks bloom and darken with unshakable focus.  

She goes limp with the treatment. Her moans drop in pitch, her breathing evens out. They both relax, drawn into a new rhythm; less manic, less starved. Softer; more intimate. Her spasms grow further apart, and she seems content to lie there under him. Until she’s not.  

There’s a gentle tug on his horn, and he blinks up at her. She looks wrecked. Her eyes are watery, and her makeup is smudged. He wonders if he’s taking things too far. 

“Please, Slate. Not there.” 

He holds fast to his plan, trusting Adalyn to tell him to stop if it gets too much. He kisses her other thigh. “Here then?” 

She shakes her head. 

He holds back a smirk. Kisses her knee. “Here?” 

Adalyn lets out a whine. Bucks her hips. “Stop teasing.” 

“You told me to slow down.” He nips at her skin before dragging his nose upwards, perfectly content to draw things out. “Unless you want me to go fast again?” 

She doesn’t say anything. Drops her head and lets out a frustrated whine. 

“Tell me where, Adalyn.” He doesn’t hide his smile this time. 

“You know where.” She sounds petulant.  

Warmth spreads through him, but he continues to play dumb, and shrugs. Echoes her earlier words. “Elaborate. I’m tired of guessing.” He scrapes her with his teeth again. “Plus, I like hearing you tell me what to do.” 

Tears drip from her eyes. Slate pulls back, startled. He’s about to apologise, certain he’s pushed too far when she grabs him by both horns. Guides his face to her pussy. 

“Here.” 

His mind goes blank at the action, his thoughts skittering away. Until he’s only aware of her grip and the delectable warmth before him. He takes his time with kitten licks and soft kisses. Teasing forgotten, he treats her with awe, with gentleness. His wife spreading her legs for him is such a privilege, he can’t help but savour every taste.   

Despite his abandoned plan, Adalyn still feels Slate’s exploratory pace. He winds her up until she’s groaning and bucking once more. Impatient, she uses her grip on Slate’s horns to grind against his face.  

Slate drops further at the sensation. With his eyes shut tight and Adalyn’s thighs pressed hard around his head, it’s too easy for him to lose himself. He works without thought, drawn into her taste, her sounds. Her grip on him sends goosebumps down his neck and he hums, happy to relish the sensation, letting Adalyn pull him wherever she likes. 

Trancelike, he moves with increasing fervour, flicking his tongue against her clit before moving down to tease her entrance. Over and over until he’s sucking hard at her pearl just to enjoy the way she shudders against him. He doesn’t notice the growing tension in her limbs, or the change in her volume. Doesn’t notice the signs of the orgasm creeping up on her until she’s gripping his horns with every ounce of her strength and gasping out his name.  

It draws him out of his daze. Rekindles his lust. Slate decides then and there that he needs to hear Adalyn say it again. That he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her like this – moaning and incoherent. Appetite barely whetted, he keeps working, sucking harder on her clit and teasing her entrance with a finger. She’s so slick, slipping inside is effortless. She whines and tries to jerk back, but Slate is resolute, intent on pushing Adalyn as far as she can go. He adds another finger. 

She’s a mess beneath him. Still shaking, riding out the aftershocks of her orgasm. Unable to come down with the way Slate keeps going. She wants to relax, wants to relish the intrusion, but is too heightened to do so. She’s barely aware of the sounds leaving her, the whimpers and groans.  

Every time she untenses, Slate moves his fingers, prompting her to clamp down. Again and again, until she stops trying to pull from his grasp. Starts opening for his touches again. Though she can’t yet stop her cries or hold still. Tears brim her eyes. It’s almost as if she doesn’t know what she wants. 

His prior plan to tease Adalyn until she begged comes back to him. He could keep going, turning her into an oversensitive mess. But looking at her, he doesn’t think he has the restraint. Watching her twitch and loll her head just reminds him of how much he wants to experience her pleasure for himself. To sink inside of her and feel her tremors directly around his cock. 

Slate rests his cheek against her thigh and pauses to catch his breath. He uses the moment to check in. “How you doing, Ad?” 

She tries pressing her legs together, succeeding only in pulling Slate’s face closer. A spent little noise escapes her.  

He can’t help but smile. “Sensitive?” 

She nods. 

He runs his free hand up the outside of her thigh, soothing. “Do you want me to stop?” 

She covers her face. Flinches when Slate curls his fingers inside of her. But doesn’t pull back.  

“I asked you a question.” He takes mercy and eases up. Lets her think unimpeded. Even if he wants to keep distracting her. 

A moment passes and she shakes her head. Her voice is barely a whisper, but Slate still hears her reply.  

“More.” 

He plants a soft kiss onto her thigh. He’s desperate for the next step, still achingly stiff and untouched. But if she wants more, who is he to refuse?  

He kisses his way back to her core, spreading her legs and ready to taste her again when he’s accosted by the swat of her hand. 

“Slate,” she cries and indecency of the sound makes his mouth water. “Please,” she wraps her hand around his horn once more and tugs. “I need the rest of you.” 

He doesn’t have the discipline to hold back. To feel anything but relief at her words. It’s all he can do to crawl up the bed, breathless, until he hovers over her face, caging her in with his forearms. He still needs to see her ask. 

“Say that again.” 

Her nose crinkles and she balls her fists against his chest. Her voice is small. “I need you...” 

Her embarrassment endears him. Arouses him. He can’t help but lower himself, settling between her legs. He strokes her thighs. Creeps his fingers closer to her dripping folds. She pants at the touch, spreading her legs eagerly. The sight threatens to unravel him, but he can still draw this out. Just a bit more. 

“You’re going to have to be specific, sweetheart.” 

Her hazy eyes clear long enough for her to blink up at him, pleading through dampened lashes. “I need you to fuck me.” 

Ancestors. When she looks at him like that, when she says something so crass – he's not going to be able to hold out much longer. His legs tremble as he rubs his cock against her folds. Carefully. Tauntingly.  

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you.” 

She whimpers. Hits his chest. “I said, fuck me.” 

“Ask nicely?” She could give him hell for it later. Right now, nothing beats the glee he feels hearing Adalyn beg. 

“Please,” she whines and tears escape down her cheeks. She wraps her legs around his waist and grinds against him. “Please stop teasing, please just fuck me, please Slate, please.” 

He can’t hold back anymore. Not when she’s lined up so perfectly or begging so prettily. He can’t stop himself from leaning down to brush his lips against her cheek. He tastes her tears before moving his lips to hers, gently at first. Heat grows inside him until he’s kissing her with abandon, fervid and hungry. When he pulls back he’s breathless, but no less eager. 

“I’d be delighted.” 

The last of his patience fleeing him, Slate thrusts inside.  

Her legs wrap tighter around him. They’re both silent but for their heavy breathing. The pause probably only lasts a moment, but it stretches on for Slate, enthralled by Adalyn panting in his ear, the tremble in her muscles, the absolute euphoria of having one of his cocks inside her.  

She moves first, grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling. She lifts her hips to ease the dress up, the motion sending pleasure curling in his gut. Still, he takes Adalyn by the wrist. 

“Leave it on.” 

Adalyn leans back to look into his eyes again, even as her cheeks grow redder. There’s a question in the air, and as he stares at Adalyn, some of the mania, some of the subservience leaves her. She looks pleased. “You want me to leave it on?” 

He nods, suddenly abashed by the request. By the ease at which Adalyn can take control of the situation.  

Her smile widens and she pulls him down into a heated kiss. “Don’t rip it. I like seeing what it does to you.” 

He groans against her neck, heart pounding when Adalyn rolls her hips against him. “You’re a fiend, Adalyn.” He starts fucking her, resisting the urge to sink his teeth into her shoulder while he does. 

She meets his thrusts, thighs trembling with the effort. She takes his hands, coaxing him to squeeze her ass, to touch her waist. “Your fiend.” 

His hemi throbs at the words and he lets out a near growl. The curve of her hips, the warmth of her skin. She’s so soft beneath him. “Yeah?” 

“Mmhm.” 

Slate sits back, pulling Adalyn onto his lap as he goes. She doesn’t need to move much, legs already locked around him. Splayed open above him, with her dress ruffled and her hair loose, Slate doesn’t know where to look. He can’t see a single part of her he doesn’t desire.  

She takes his hands again. Glides them up her stomach, pushing the fabric up as she goes, until her breasts are peaking out. He doesn’t need further instruction, and begins to fondle her, awed. He leans in to suck and nip at her flesh. She jerks in his lap, arching and gasping at the attention, and Slate groans as she clenches around him.  

“All yours, Slate.” 

His hips jerk. “Fuck.” He starts bouncing Adalyn on his lap, eliciting a stream of her gasps. She closes her eyes. Bites down on her lip. He reaches between them to press against her clit, delighting in the way she starts to squirm. “If you keep talking like that I’ll end up fucking you all night.” 

She laughs, but cuts off in a moan. It takes her a moment to reply. “Why wouldn’t I want my husband to fuck me all night? I happen to like him a lot.”  

Her teasing, sultry tone is undermined by her breathlessness, but it still does things to him. He stops palming her breast and grabs her by the hips. Overrides her easy pace on top of him in favour of a rougher fucking. Bucks up against her momentum and weight, driving himself deeper with each thrust, until he’s nearly slamming her down onto his cock. 

There’s still a part of him wondering if he’s taking it too far. Worried he might hurt Adalyn. The bed shakes beneath them, and the sound of their fucking echoes in the stone room. But Adalyn seems to enjoy the treatment. Her mouth is agape, her back arches, her nails scrabble to find purchase on his back. 

There’s no more room for rational thought, watching her like this – feeling her like this. The only thought he’s capable of having is the realisation that he needs more. He fucks her harder, faster, chasing that need for more. More of Adalyn. More of her sounds. More of that hot, wet texture gripping him so tightly. Until she’s convulsing on top of him, clasping a hand over her mouth, strained gasps escaping her. 

He grabs her wrist, unthinking. “I want to hear you.”  

Slate doesn’t give her a chance to respond. Keeps bucking, even as she trembles, limbs wracked with tension. Her moans peak, then stop entirely for a moment as she flexes. The spasms around his cock, the additional slick – feeling her come on top of him is his own undoing.  

The last of his thoughts turn to static. Every muscle in his core tightens. Then he’s slack jawed, head thrown back as he comes inside of Adalyn, hips faltering and coming to a stop once she’s taken every drop. 

“Fuck,” he says. His muscles turn to jelly. When Adalyn stops twitching around him she too goes slack, collapsing against his chest.  

“Yeah,” she agrees.  

--- NSFW Content Ends ---

He closes his eyes against the spinning of the room. Catches his breath. His muscles burn with a pleasant exertion. Strength is already starting to return to his body. The only downside to his quick recovery are the thoughts spooling back into his head; invasive and demeaning. 

Did he really just fuck Adalyn? 

He opens his eyes, and blinks down at her, bewildered. Hair sticks to her nape. Her heart is still pounding, but she’s boneless, the slight drag of her fingers against his arm the only indication of her consciousness.  

Yes. That had just happened. She’d climbed into his lap and asked him what he wanted. And then he’d carried her to the bed. 

She’d literally seduced him. 

Right? 

He curses his doubt. He should be ecstatic. Basking in afterglow. Giddy at Adalyn’s proximity. Not analysing whether or not his wife had actually wanted to have sex with him.  

He glares at the ceiling. He knows he’s being ridiculous. He knows it, he knows it, he knows it. It’s something he’ll have to unlearn. To talk to Adalyn about. Because if she does want him the same way he wants her, and he’s being cautiously obtuse – he winces at the thought. 

“Did you say you’ve wanted me for weeks?” It’s honestly a miracle he remembers the words. The rest of their encounter had been intense enough that all the foreplay, the banter, had burnt into afterthoughts.  

She stirs, opening her eyes to look up at him. Then smiles, her cheeks flushing before she hides her face against his chest. Her words are muffled. “It sounds familiar.” 

“Did you mean it?”  

He feels her swallow. She shifts so that she’s no longer straddling him, instead curling up against his side. “Yes.” 

He stares. Tries to reply, but words just catch in his throat. 

She wants him? (Wanted him. Still wants him?) Does she mean physically? Romantically? He has to know. Has to ask. If only he could formulate a proper sentence.  

Seconds stretch into minutes. Worried he’ll lose his chance, his nerve, he blurts: “Do you like me?” 

She pauses in stroking his collarbone. Looks up at him again, another wry smile at her lips. “You’re asking now?” 

He flushes. “Well, I know you wanted to- that you wanted me. But I mean... Do you want to court me?” 

The smile drops as she presses her lips together. Her face goes red as she stares up at him. She probably doesn’t realise Slate can see so much detail in the dark. 

Finally, she lowers her stare. Her voice is small. “I’ve been trying to court you for weeks.” 

He’s shocked into silence. Barely manages a weak, “What?” 

“I thought bringing you lunch every day and trying to spend so much time with you might clue you in.” 

His eyes widen further. 

“But humans do things differently. We’re a lot more reserved with physical touch and professions of emotion until we’re sure there’s returned feelings. And it’s usually done in equal parts by both men and women. I felt bad approaching you because I didn’t know how you felt about it.” 

He splutters. A small part of him starts spiralling. “You-” 

“I think I would have driven myself insane if Rin hadn’t sent me a book last week. It’s a treatise on wyvern physiology, though there was some etiquette stuff in there too. But even trying some of the stuff it mentioned, I was worried I might go too far.” 

He’s still incredulous. “You like me. Romantically?” 

She hides her face in the pillow. There’s a muffled noise of affirmation. It’s cute. 

It doesn’t tamper his bewilderment. “Why?” 

She turns her face, enough to be audible. “Well, you’re handsome. And interesting. And kind. And easy to be around. And every now and then you do something that’s really attractive. Liking you was mostly... just a crush. That snowballed into something bigger.” 

Amusement breaches his shock, and he relaxes. “You think I’m attractive?” 

Her face turns redder. “Yes. When you... lift things. Or when your clothes get wet.” 

He can’t help but laugh. Wraps his arm around her shoulders and draws her close again.  

“Do you...” she hesitates. Looks nearly as bothered as he’s felt these past few days. 

He scans her face, wondering what could possibly be wrong. Finally, it hits him. 

“Oh!” 

She deflates at his exclamation. He nearly panics at the posture. Rushes to reply. 

“Adalyn, I adore you.” 

Her brow crinkles. “But I’m... I’m just...” 

He takes her by the jaw. Runs his thumb over her cheek. “You’re thoughtful. You take me seriously. You listen to me. You respect me.” 

She calms enough to frown. “That’s a low bar.” 

Slate presses his forehead to hers. “You make me feel welcome. It’s... you have no idea how much I appreciate you.” 

She untenses when he leans in and touches his lips to her own. She melts into the kiss and his mind goes delightfully fuzzy. It’s sweet, and soft, and he loses track of time. His head spins when they pause. Close enough to share breath.  

He flushes as he contemplates his next words. “Can I... Can you tell me more about how humans make advances? Maybe not right now, but...” 

She smiles, and it’s sweet enough to wind him. “Of course.” 

He stares for a moment. Touches his forehead to hers again, inhaling deeply. Sweat and time have dulled her perfume, but it still lingers in the back of his mind, ambrosial and rich. Euphoria trickles into him, steadily enough that he leans down to kiss her again. Slowly, with a gradual increase in hunger. Until his hand is curling in her hair again, and he’s nearly on top of Adalyn – the heat between them rekindled. 

She breaks away, her eyes crinkling as she grins. “Are you still hard?” 

His lips twitch. “That’s the other one.” 

“Didn’t I get that one off before...?” 

He huffs. “I told you what’d happen if you kept running your mouth.” 

She laughs before stretching up to kiss him again. The intensity returns, Adalyn definitely encouraging it with the way she clings to him, her hands coasting along his back, her breasts pressing against his chest. Until she pulls away, and shuffles back. 

Slate doesn’t have time to be disappointed, because Adalyn rolls onto her stomach and lifts her ass. She gives an enticing wiggle, rubbing against him. “I could take more. But you’re changing the sheets afterwards. 

Something in his chest begins to soar. He could probably tear up from happiness, from affection. Especially if he thinks too long about her smile, or how easily she’s able to proposition him.  

He sets aside the feelings for later.  

Then pins Adalyn to the mattress, ready to start again.  

Next

#vaya writes #the wyvern's bride #christ it's finally done #this took me like a month and a half and that was mostly just to edit and revise SO MANY TIMES #there will be more but there's nothing else mapped out so I'm a bit tentative about what to write next #but yeah I want a nice epilogue #and then maybe a series of shorts for things like more cute dates and Slate going into rut #monster romance #tetaro #wyverns #dragons

[hungrywriter]

10 days (pt. 5)

Jobe Bellingham x Reader

Taglist: @hummusxx @luvvtrent @fleurographist @bl00dst41ned @elyne01 @iissza @fictional-l0v3r 

A/n: hehe sorry i’m late...

Over the course of the next three days, Jobe rarely left Y/n's side, eager to spend as much time with her as possible. He accompanied her on errands and found ways to be together even when she had work at the resort. Gradually, Y/n began to open up, genuinely interested in the stories Jobe shared about his life in England. Jobe initially worried that he was talking too much, but he soon realised that Y/n enjoyed hearing about his experiences. Encouraged by her interest, he eagerly continued sharing more tales. However, Y/n remained guarded when it came to her own family, indicating a topic she wasn't yet ready to delve into. Although this saddened Jobe to some extent, he found solace in the genuine friendship they had forged during his vacation.

On the ninth day, Jobe couldn't find Y/n anywhere. He searched for her at the house, but she wasn't there. He then went to the resort, but she was nowhere to be found. Determined to locate her, Jobe approached the townspeople and even denied a game of football, a choice he never thought he would make. Through his inquiries, he discovered that Y/n was at the docks, preparing for a week-long fishing trip. Curiosity sparked within Jobe as he noticed the words 'Captain Kai' painted on the side of the boat. Although he briefly pondered the meaning behind it, his primary focus remained on finding Y/n.

Arriving at the docks, Jobe spotted Y/n setting up the boat for departure. He couldn't help but tease her, a playful smile on his face. Y/n stepped away from her task, responding with a genuine smile that immediately brightened Jobe's mood. He was relieved to see her in good spirits.

Y/n expressed her uncertainty about whether Jobe would want to join her, considering that fishing could be boring at times. Jobe, smitten and eager for any opportunity to be with her, couldn't resist a charming response. "How could I resist, love? Besides, any time I spend with you isn't boring. I'd spend a whole day fishing just for you," he slyly remarked, seizing the moment to win her heart. Y/n rolled her eyes playfully but couldn't hide the small smile that graced her face.

Jobe climbed aboard the boat, lending a hand to Y/n as they prepared for their fishing expedition. Once they were both ready, they set off, venturing deeper into the vast ocean.

 -

They had been out at sea for two hours, and a palpable tension hung between them. It was evident that both Jobe and Y/n harboured feelings for each other, yet neither had made a move. Despite numerous opportunities to express their emotions, like when Y/n patiently taught Jobe how to handle the bait or the fish hook, he found himself paralyzed by nerves each time he considered confessing his feelings. Jobe's frustration with himself grew, while Y/n appeared content with the status quo.

As the day progressed, Jobe thought it couldn't get any worse, but he was mistaken. The sky darkened, and the rain began to drizzle, quickly escalating into a torrential downpour. The once-calm waves transformed into monstrous mini-tsunamis, filling Jobe with terror. He was gripped with a fear of death, especially without having the chance to reveal his true feelings to Y/n.

The fierce rain left them with no choice but to head back home. However, a crucial rope that held the sail in place broke, leaving Y/n struggling to regain control of the boat. It violently swayed from side to side, nearly tossing them overboard. Lost and disoriented, they were pushed further out into the sea until they stumbled upon another island.

Amidst the chaos, Jobe's mind raced with various scenarios, his fear and inability to act immobilising him. In a sudden twist of events, a wave struck the boat, causing Jobe to lose his balance and hit his head on the railing. His senses faded as he heard Y/n calling out his name.

- 

Jobe awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Blinking against the brightness of the morning sun, he realised he was lying on the sand.

Gazing around, Jobe spotted the boat a few feet away, partially damaged from their previous ordeal. His eyes then fell upon Y/n, her back turned as she rummaged through the boat's supplies, her frustration evident in the way she clenched her fists.

Wiping the last traces of sleep from his eyes, Jobe approached her cautiously, unsure of how to address the situation. He knew they had been through a lot, and emotions were bound to run high.

“Shit. shit. shit. Where is it?!” She muttered under her breath. 

"Y/n," he called gently, trying not to startle her. She turned around, her face contorted with anger, and Jobe could already sense a confrontation brewing. She jumped down from the boat and ran up to him, her emotions boiling over. Unexpectedly, she gave him a tight slap across the face, leaving him stunned and hurt.

He looked at her in horror, the sting of her hand still lingering on his cheek. She appeared strangely satisfied with what she had done, her eyes blazing with frustration.

“Why did you do that?!” He exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

She pointed her index finger accusingly and shouted back at him, her voice laced with bitterness. “If it weren't for you, my father’s boat wouldn’t have been broken. We wouldn’t have drifted further into the sea. We wouldn’t be stuck on this godforsaken island!”

Jobe's initial shock was now replaced with a mix of anger and disbelief. He couldn't believe she was blaming him entirely for their predicament. Feeling hurt by her accusation, he decided to stand up for himself.

“My fault?! I’m sorry I can’t control the fucking weather! Besides, the rain was bound to happen. You saw the clouds when we left the port. With or without me on the boat, you would have been stranded!” he retorted, his voice tinged with frustration.

Y/n shook her head, not wanting to admit defeat. She grabbed her knife and walked towards the direction of the woods. Jobe's anger quickly vanished, replaced with fear and anxiety. He didn't want to be left alone, especially on an island where there was no life or civilization.

“Wait! Where are you going?!” Jobe's voice trembled, his concern for her outweighing his anger.

“Anywhere without you!” she shouted back, giving him the finger as she stormed off into the woods.

He decided it would be best to give her space, rather than follow her and escalate the situation further. Alone and uncertain, Jobe looked around, pondering his next move. He knew that staying on the boat was not a viable option for survival, as it was damaged beyond repair. He needed to find a way to make do with what little resources the island had to offer.

As the sun began to set, he collected wood for a fire and scouted for any potential sources of food and water. The island felt desolate and unforgiving, but Jobe knew he had to remain strong and resourceful.

As the night fell, the reality of their situation sank in, and Jobe felt a deep sense of loneliness and regret. He wished he hadn't fought with Y/n, even if her accusation was unfair. He missed her presence and longed for the comfort of companionship.

He sat on the sand, cooking the fishes they had caught earlier that day on the fire that he had made, which made him proud of himself. He looked at the pile of items beside him, Those were some things that he took looted from the boat, things that he felt that can be used or just still brand new. One of the items was a walkie talkie. It still had its battery but Jobe couldn’t reach anyone. He was staring into the sea when he felt a figure beside him. He grabbed a makeshift stick and pointed to the unknown creature. 

“Relax, it's just me,” Y/n said, with her hands up. “Nice weapon, Where did you get it from?” She snickered. 

“Shut up, it's the only thing that I could do alone” He said as he put away the stick. She chuckled and that made him smile. There was a silence between them and they watched Jobe roast the fish,

“I’m sorry,” Y/n began, “I shouldn’t blame you for bridging you into this mess. It’s just that all my life I’ve been alone and suddenly you came and for the first time in my life, I actually had fun. And then we got stuck here and I’m scared you know? Usually I know what to do but now I’m just lost,” 

Jobe listened to her story and he realised that he had never seen her parents before, just that one picture frame at her house when they had first met. Questions popped up in his mind but he wasn’t sure if she was in the right mind to answer them.

“I’m sorry too. It’s okay to be scared. I’m scared too. But we can’t let fear consume us. Right now, we need to find our way out of here,” Jobe said, his voice filled with reassurance and sincerity. Y/n looked over to him, her eyes meeting his, and she could see a glimpse of hope in them.

She smiled to herself, admiring his unwavering determination even in the face of uncertainty. Despite the challenges they had faced, his resolve remained strong, and it gave her a sense of comfort she hadn't expected.

Without a word, she moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his presence. Y/n leaned gently against his shoulder, and for a moment, she sensed him tensing up. But soon, she felt his body relax, as if he had allowed himself to trust in their connection.

In that quiet moment, under the starlit sky, they found solace in each other's company. The waves crashed softly against the shore, and the crackling of the campfire added a soothing ambiance to the night.

Jobe leaned his head on hers. He can’t believe it. After 9 days or trying, he had finally won her over. He felt a sense of accomplishment. As the night wore on, they shared stories, hopes, and dreams, finding solace in each other's company. The stars twinkled above them, and in the midst of the wilderness, they found a sense of peace and contentment they had never experienced before.  

It was already late at night, and both of them were laying side-by-side on a makeshift bed made from extra clothing and fabric. They were looking at stars, something Jobe had rarely seen since living in Britain. Since they were comfortable with each other, Jobe felt that it was the right time to ask the questions that were bothering him since the fight. 

"Just now, at the boat, what were you trying to find?" Jobe inquired, his tone cautious, hoping not to evoke any negative emotions again.

Y/n's smile faded slightly, but she seemed willing to share this time. "Remember that day when you asked me to go out, and I went on that errand without taking you inside the shop? I was actually selling most of my belongings. I've been saving money to find a way off this island," she explained.

Jobe's frown deepened. "What about your parents?" he asked, genuinely curious about her past.

"My family died in a wildfire when I was young. That's when the resort manager took me in, and I've been working at the resort ever since. There's no reason for me to stay on this island. You saw it for yourself; the village has almost nothing, except for that resort," Y/n shared, her voice tinged with a mix of sadness and determination.

However, Jobe felt compelled to disagree. "That's where you're wrong. The village does have something special, a hidden gem," he said with a soft smile.

Y/n frowned, intrigued, and asked him what it was. "It's you," Jobe said, causing Y/n to burst into laughter.

"You are so corny," she teased.

"Yeah, but I made you laugh, didn’t I?" Jobe responded with a playful grin, and they both laughed together, sitting up on the sand.

Their shared moment of laughter brought them closer together. Jobe's hand instinctively found its way to her cheek, and he gently pulled her face towards his. Their lips met in a sweet, tender kiss, and for a moment, the world around them disappeared. It felt as if they were made for each other, their connection deepening with each passing second.

After a while, they separated, catching their breath, but their hands remained entwined. Y/n smiled, her eyes shining with affection. "You're a better kisser than I expected," she admitted, and Jobe couldn't help but chuckle.

"Is that so?" he replied with a playful glint in his eye.

They lay back down together, finding comfort in each other's embrace as they drifted off to sleep. Under the starlit sky, on the isolated island, Jobe and Y/n discovered a love that felt destined, a love that bloomed amidst the challenges and uncertainties they faced.

#Jobe Bellingham #jobe bellingham x reader #jobe bellingham imagines #jobe bellingham blurb

[1tsjusty0u]

hm. another. whats zeldas opinion of revali/vice versa?

OHHOHO…….

alright so!! pre cal!!! revali likes/relates to her that expands into likes but also realized they are. Very Different People. and theres some issues about that. he also thinks shes really cheesy + is kind of dumbfounded by her sometimes. for zelda its Finally someone who doesnt like this twerp blindly (the twerp is link), to being, once again, different people but they can agree on One thing at least which depends from situation to situation. they dont argue but more passively disconnect from each other. unless they agree on something! also revali gets the whole powers deal with zelda and gets the struggle and all that jazz. well sort of. he understands the effort and not mastering her powers and the pressure that comes from that. but at the same time. wh. why is she the princess/why does hyrule have this grip if not for her powers. her interest in sheikah tech is probably why shes leading it but . why not an actual sheikah ………. he doesnt mention it mostly but its just a question of ‘why am i following you…’ . revalis american voice actor had that mindset except for link, which i get where hes coming from but i. do not think revali is following orders from link. that would be certain sheikahs as well as some of the guards. also revali is like. a teen to me. but anyways yeah!!! when they first meet they bicker slightly about the divine beasts but ultimately bond of their hatred of link. past this revali Does listen when she talks/rambles about the divine beasts. he doesnt really know how to do Conversation when she does it and either nods along or tries to relate it to something to not just Be Silent and have something to say. zelda sometimes gets annoyed by it but appreciates the effort. they dont really talk a lot save for champion meetings which at some point would escalate into a roadtrip at some point. revali and zelda would both be put off by each others social and rupee status. theyd probably like doing archery together! revalis issues later on kind of start when his opinions on link. dont change because fundamentally its the same just views it at a different angle. so the normal type of bonding is strained slightly. he doesnt know How zelda hates link as in the specific way she hates link not. how could she. thatd be kind of stupid. but like. her thought process. and when his has changed and hers has not he just kind of lies. i dont want link to be the only factor for this either; general things like once again the social statuses of the two and how that’d affect their views, just simply not getting the sheikah tech only really liking medoh, and just. not really knowing how to bond? revali has 0 hobbies. zelda tries to though it is hard when youve got to prioritize your powers. the sheikah tech is just an alternative method For her powers . she may have been genuinely interested in it if she hadnt had to worry about that but its more likely that it wouldve stayed buried. as of right now she Does like it but theres a more. desperate angle to it. shes less doing it because she wants to and more she Has To. plus she’d probably have shame about her ramblings, especially for things that arent Important like the sheikah tech. also she has no idea how to relate to revali at all. she doesnt get the training 24/7 thing and its like. ‘please tell me you do something. fun to do’ ‘ . ‘ . and then for her thered be the thing of when she doesnt hate link. no idea how i’ll make that work (im. Not doing the yiga memory for that one) or how gradually the change happens and whether she just kind of. projects onto him/just acts nicer or both. either way her opinion would have have to had changed from retaliation based on the assumption that link hated her to ‘oj he doesnt hate me.’ trying to make amends. but once that happens she doesnt really know how to feel about link. like on one hand the core issue of him not really being able to emote hasnt changed and cant change really. she has to be able to accept that or just. not care when people Do hate her. self confidence . especially consi

dering link didnt even hate her at first he just . Did Not Emote. gotta accept that people will think their things and move on. i dunno wording it it doesnt feel right but. yeah. anyways once that changes how does she. talk or relate to revali anymore. she doesnt hate link anymore what do they talk about. uh. so yeah! she’d probably try with chemistry and such but its a bit of a dead end. he’d be glad she’d appreciate rito culture and actively asks about things but theyve got to. talk to each other

post cal if revali and the others dont disappear!! he’d be pretty worried over all, and would Not approve of the whole reestablish the monarchy. zelda would uh. while she did in fact miss him and shes glad to see him shes not happy about the questioning of her life choices however she would be happy to see him. i think. gradually she starts the monarchy idea? because at first shes busy with living in kakariko and learning how to fight and exploring sometimes and helping paya and working on the slate/making a new slate with communications. this. this is actually furthering the they leave argument. however if they stay while wreath is doing fuck all then they can stay with zelda. also they could. just simply stay at their own regions and such….. they might as well be alive at this point. Anyways during that time she’d just be happy to talk and train with him. revali would elaborate on things wreath did so she Wouldnt do them (like getting hit by a boulder hypothetically). hes impressed by the machine guns she’d probably make at some point. however i think urbosa and mipha and daruk would take more of a lead on helping her. the same thing of agreeing on that One Thing pre cal would happen here too. but would probably openly disagree on some of the things she thinks during travels. i think she’d get more serious post cal though and he can respect that . more serious as in more willing to talk about things/snap. ts underswap sans is this a joke ruthless route

so basically ! mutual meh. more likely to get stuff done together but i dont think theyd know how to be friends with each other. zelda would Try at the very least its just hard. i dont know how well i explained any of this especially with zelda. also i dont think they could Not be friends its just they have very little commonalities. theyd have to be ok with that. also for more general observations revali thinks shes weird and zelda thinks hes weird firey flaming text the weirdos

#wreath of the bild #HELLO AGAIN #ive seen revali/zelda fics and on one hand theyre interesting but also. i dont think either of their characters are like that

[richincolor]

Recommendations

So far this year I've enjoyed quite a few books and would recommend these for readers wondering what to pick up next.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley Heny Holt and Company [My review]

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is – the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won’t ever take her far from home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.

In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot – will not – stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.

Sometimes, the truth shouldn’t stay buried.

In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee First Second [Jessica's Review]

A debut YA graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl’s coming-of-age story—and a coming home story—set between a New Jersey suburb and Seoul, South Korea.

Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee knows she’s different. Ever since her family emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she’s felt her Otherness. For a while, her English isn’t perfect. None of her teachers can pronounce her Korean name. Her face and her eyes—especially her eyes—stand out. As the pressures of high school ramp up, friendships change and end, and everything gets harder. Even home isn’t a safe place, as fights with her mom escalate. Deb is caught in a limbo, with nowhere to go, and her mental health plummets. But Deb is resilient. She discovers art and self-care, and gradually begins to start recovering. And during a return trip to South Korea, she realizes something that changes her perspective on her family, her heritage, and herself.

Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) [My Review]

Gary Võ is one of the few Vietnamese kids in his school and has been shy for as long as he can remember—being ignored and excluded by his classmates comes with the territory. So when the most popular guy in his grade offers Gary the opportunity to break into his inner circle, Gary jumps at the chance. All he needs to do is steal the prized possession of the most beautiful and untouchable girl they know—Gloria Buenrostro.

But as Gary gets to know Gloria, he’s taken in by her authenticity and genuine interest in who he really is. Soon, they’re best friends. Being part of the “in crowd” has always been Gary’s dream, but as he comes closer to achieving infamy, he risks losing the first person who recognizes his true self. Gary must consider if any amount of popularity is worth losing a true friend.

Next up, I am looking forward to reading Everyone Wants to Know by Kelly Loy Gilbert and Clementine and Danny Save the World (and each other) by Livia Blackburne. What's on your TBR?

#young adult #book recommendation

[thegettingbyp2]

Hey there!

Absolutely love your Aaron fics <3

Would you feel like writing one where reader's his less well-known co-star in a musical? Both of them being romantic interests obv-iou-sly and they have to kiss and be super close cause that's their role but then it escalates to more than roles off stage. Smutty maybe? Or not, either will be great, I know it.

Thank you <3

Seven Wonders

‘You ready?’ a shirtless Aaron came up behind you, making you jump. This had become a pre-scene ritual for you both before he jumped on top of the metal table and adjusted the sheets around his waist.

‘You bet!’ You replied like normal, grinning at him.

‘Then let’s go,’ he said, taking your face in his hand and pulling you in for a kiss as you were both wheeled onstage.

You and Aaron were currently starring in the musical version of Catch Me if You Can and whilst Aaron already had a few shows under his belt and was gradually becoming more well known, this was your Broadway debut. When you first met Aaron, you were nervous because you knew of his steadily growing reputation and you wanted to prove to him that you were just as good as anyone else he could have been performing with. As it turned out, the two of you got along straight away and quickly because close friends. However, with the roles you were playing, it involved a lot of close contact between the two of you and you quickly felt the lines becoming blurred; you didn’t let this interfere with your friendship with Aaron, no matter how much you wanted to know if your feelings were returned.

Little did you know, Aaron had been having the exact same thoughts. He absolutely loved getting to know you throughout the rehearsal process and he couldn’t help the thrill that would run through his body every time you were told to re-do the Seven Wonders number; excited for the opportunity to have his lips back against yours.

After the show, you and the rest of the cast went for a couple of drinks in a local bar to celebrate another week of successful shows. You and Aaron had ended up sitting next to each other, squeezed together on one side of the booth. For the whole time, you were hyper-aware of every brush of Aaron’s arm or leg against yours and every time his head would turn towards you with a grin on his face, you couldn’t stop your breath from catching in your throat.

‘No no because you two have so much chemistry on stage, how can you say there’s nothing going on outside of the show?’ Dan, one of the other cast members asked, already well on his way to being drunk. You and Aaron on the other hand were pleasantly tipsy so still had a grasp of your thoughts, being able to hold your tongue better than your friends.

‘It’s called acting,’ you said, shrugging lightly as Aaron quickly agreed.

‘Yeah, you see, we have to act as if we’re madly in love so the audience will buy the story, otherwise what’s the point,’ Aaron said with a chuckle as he looked down at me, nudging my side slightly.

‘Yeah but you two are something else! You’re always together outside of the show! Personally, after we finish here, I can’t wait to get away from you all until we have to be back at the theatre tomorrow evening.’

All you and Aaron could do was laugh because he had a point; you did spend a lot of time together in-between shows. ‘She’s my best friend,’ Aaron said lightly.

When you all left the bar, everyone went their separate ways apart from you and Aaron who began to wander down the street.

‘You were great tonight,’ Aaron said after a brief moment of silence.

‘Thanks, so were you,’ you replied as light-hearted as you could, trying not to let on how much his compliment affected you.

‘No seriously,’ Aaron said, pulling you both to a stop in the middle of the street, ‘whenever we’re on stage together, I just feel this energy that feels like we’re meant to be on stage together. When we do Seven Wonders every night, it just feels right, like the set and audience fades away and it’s genuinely us just talking about the places we could go together.’

As he spoke, he had been taking small steps towards you until he was close enough to hold both of your hands in his between you. Hearing those words come out of his mouth made you wonder if you were dreaming or not; you never thought in a million years that Aaron would say anything like that to you.

‘I don’t-’ you began but was quickly cut off as Aaron took another step towards you, gently pressing you against the wall.

‘Just tell me to stop and I’ll stop,’ he said before bringing his lips down to yours. His lips pressed against yours with just the right amount of pressure and he smiled against your lips when he felt you return the kiss. When you both broke apart, you looked at each other, knowing that things between you had just changed massively.

---

‘You ready?’ Aaron said, coming up to you and hopping on the table. Despite this being an exchange you made eight times a week, this time something felt different; the question felt a lot more loaded than any other time.

‘You bet,’ you replied, smiling lightly at him.

‘Then let’s go,’ he said softly, eyes not leaving yours as he pulled you in to connect your lips as the scene began. However, this time neither of you found yourselves wanting to be the one to break the kiss, only pulling apart at the last possible moment.

As you stepped out of the theatre, a hand reached out to grab your wrist. A small yelp left your mouth as your head turned to see who it was who had grabbed you, calming down when you realised that it was Aaron. ‘Jesus! You can’t do that! You could have been anyone!’ you exclaimed as your heartrate began to calm back down.

‘Sorry, but I really need to talk to you,’ Aaron replied, eyes wide. ‘(Y/N), since last night I haven’t stopped thinking about you. You have no idea how much I wanted to bring you back to mine after I kissed you and then in the show tonight, I just wanted to carry on kissing you, I didn’t care if it ruined the show, I was consumed by you.’

‘Me too,’ you said quietly, looking down at your shoes to hide the blush on your cheeks. Aaron’s hand came to your chin and gently tilted your head up so you could meet his eyes.

‘Really? Because if what you just said was true, I’m going to bring you back to mine right now. I need you, (Y/N).’

‘I meant it,’ you said, flinging your arms around his neck and pulling him in to a quick kiss, ‘take me home,’ you whispered against his lips.

---

The door slammed shut as Aaron pressed you against it when you got back to his. Your leg was hiked up around his waist and his hands were settled on your waist, keeping your firmly where he wanted you. His tongue licked into your mouth as he deepened the kiss which made you whimper against him.

‘God, (Y/N),’ he whispered into your mouth as one of his hands moved down to run his palm against your thigh, pushing his hips against yours slightly. He quickly grabbed your other leg, lifting you into the air and heading over to the sofa before laying you down and crawling over your body. ‘I’ve wanted to do this every night since we first rehearsed Seven Wonders,’ he mumbled into your neck as his mouth and hands worshiped your body.

You both quickly got rid of your clothes until you were both naked, still on the sofa as Aaron kissed his way down your body, pausing when you bucked your hips as he pressed a gentle kiss just above your centre.

‘Aaron,’ you gasped, wanting him to move slightly lower.

He kept eye contact with you as he pressed a gentle kiss to your clit and you threw your head back as you felt your eyes roll to the back of your head as he got to work. His tongue slid through your folds and your fingers threaded through his hair, giving yourself something to hold onto as your legs quickly began to shake as he pulled your first orgasm of the night from you.

He moved back up your body and kissed your neck as you came down but quickly stopped your hand as it began to trail down his body until you lightly held his cock in your hand. ‘Not tonight.’

‘But I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel,’ you whined as you began to pump your hand up and down, feeling his breath falter against your neck, however, he soon found the strength to bring your actions to a halt.

‘We have all the time in the world for that baby, tonight’s about you.’ A shiver ran through your body at the pet name and Aaron took the opportunity to thrust into you quickly, both of you moaning against each others mouths. One of Aaron’s hands was propping himself up over you, the other resting on your waist as both of your hands came to rest on his waist. He pulled out only to thrust back in and setting up a smooth, languid pace that allowed you both to enjoy each other. It wasn’t long before you felt yourself nearing the edge again and you knew Aaron was too by the way his hips would suddenly speed up before slowing back down. You moved your arms up around his neck and gently pulled him down to connect your lips softly, that being the thing that tipped you both over the edge.

You laid in silence as you both caught your breath before Aaron stood up, picked you up and carried you into his bedroom where he laid you down and pulled the sheets up to cover your body as he got into the other side of the bed. As soon as he was settled, you snugged into his side, dropping a kiss to his bare chest.

‘Thank you,’ he said breathlessly and you couldn’t help the giggle that escaped your lips.

‘What are you thanking me for, I’m pretty sure it was you who did all the work there.’

Aaron let out a breathy laugh as his arm wrapped around my shoulders, tracing circles on my back. ‘That’s not what I meant. I meant thank you for choosing to pursue theatre and acting. Thank you for auditioning for Catch Me if You Can and being good enough to land the role because I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t in my life.’

You felt tears prick at your eyes at his words and you buried your head into his chest. ‘Thank you for being the best person I know.’ He dropped another kiss to the top of your head before sliding down the bed, keeping you in his arms and getting comfortable. It was in that position you both quickly fell asleep.

#aaron tveit #aaron tveit smut #aaron tveit imagine #aaron tveit x reader

[wordsandrobots]

This morning I finished watching the Fafner in the Azure series, having been recommended it by @caparrucia​. In turn, I would highly recommend it as well.

It definitely benefits from viewing in chronological order (the movie Right of Left, series Dead Aggressor [26 ep] followed by movie Heaven and Earth, series Exodus [26 ep], then finally series Beyond [12 ep]), because it commits to telling a long-term story involving both cycles and evolutions of its various elements. Put bluntly, I cannot imagine the start of Beyond hitting as hard as it did for me without the context to know exactly how wrong the scenario I was presented with was. Moreover, this is a story about the endurance necessary to save the world. As daunting as nearly 70 installments might look, it justifies the time it takes.

I’m not quite sure how or if I should summarise the plot, since another thing I think it benefits from is the pace at which things unfold. The basic outline is that Earth has been overrun by telepathic crystalline beings called Festum and giant mecha called ‘Fafners’ are the only effective weapons against them. But the directions it takes that premise and the ways it commits to them are extremely interesting, with a heavy emphasis on understanding, compassion and community that takes none of those things lightly.

It’s got a remarkable handle on escalation too, one that means virtually every battle is an edge-of-the-seat affair - I don’t think I haven’t been so scared for characters during action sequences for a while now. And though there are definite animation improvements as the series goes on, the direction is superb from the beginning: there’s a whole visual language to how the Festum work that gradually sinks in, until fairly simple visual effects start to hit incredibly hard. Plus it’s flat-out beautiful in landscape shots and many of its fight scenes

The character work, both visually and writing wise, is really top notch as well, again because of the long run as much as anything else. We see the cast age and change in ways that often go unremarked on a plot level but add depth to the story being told. Moreover, it insists on humanity in impossible situations, without allowing said situations to justify arseholery. Sometimes persevering is the only choice and sometimes terrible actions - even those ‘rational’ in a military sense - aren’t worth throwing away the things you’re trying to preserve.

Above all, it pulls off some really impressive long-term thematic payoffs. I am genuinely envious of how well it lands its punches. Very, very good stuff.

#fafner in the azure #soukyuu no fafner #and yes #in case anyone wondered #I am an emotional wreck after finishing #thanks Rie #anyway #watch Fafner #especially if you like having your heart ripped out of your chest

[queergodot]

Damon Gant's "we're the same, you and I" speech to Edgeworth at the end of Rise from the Ashes was horribly set up, to the point where Gant's claim of being similar to Edgeworth and Edgeworth agreeing has little to no basis in the narrative, BUT. Damn if the thought of it doesn't make me go a little insane.

Like Damon's one of the Big Evils in Ace Attorney (OG Trilogy). He is explicitly an incredibly selfish person, and aside from like, maybe five stray lines, we don't get much of any indication that he was ever anything less than an evil bastard. Which is the "we're not so different, you and I" speech fell flat to begin with. BUT.

If we take it at face value, and take those stray hints that Gant might have been a good person once upon a time (the fact that Gant was friends with known Good Person Lana Skye, the lines the Judge said to Gant about 'remembering when he fought for justice' that Gant never disputed) and take them at face value as well, and THEN take the few stated similarities between him and Edgeworth (accused of forging evidence after rising up in their chosen career path at a frightening rate, the fact that they hate criminals), a quite interesting picture emerges.

If we take his and Edgeworth's parallels at face value, Damon Gant becomes an evil created, rather than born. And that is fascinating to me.

We know a lot more about Edgeworth than we do Gant. We know why Edgeworth became the person he is: severe childhood trauma. Obviously, Manfred von Karma manipulated and molded him into a heartless prosecutor, but it's safe to say that wouldn't have been possible (or at least a lot harder) without his father being murdered and the (supposed) murderer getting off. The lack of justice for his father's murder, by Edgeworth's own admission, made him hate criminals with a fiery passion that I honestly think Von Karma didn't have much to do with. Even after his mental health trip to Europe, Edgeworth continues to be a prosecutor, and while there's obviously a lot of reasons for that, I think it's fair to say that his father's murder did genuinely re-arrange Edgeworth's priorities and would've even without Von Karma's manipulation.

Edgeworth's exact backstory is hard to duplicate, but a general gist, a crime robbing him of something he loved, only for the criminal to get off? That's less unique. And if we follow the parallels, it's not hard to argue that might've happened to Gant.

It's fascinating how this changes the light on Gant's actions. Gant's desperation to control the prosecutor's office is suddenly less about his selfishness, and more about a desire to see as many criminals get what they deserve. In a twisted, horrifically misplaced way, it's about justice, now. And if he had to kill for it? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It's not that he isn't a selfish bastard all of a sudden; he's just a selfish bastard with principles, now.

Basically, if we read Gant as an Edgeworth parallel, he becomes a fallen hero. Someone who was probably a nice kid, who became a detective with the best of intentions, who likely didn't even actually start forging evidence until way after the rumors started, who really was just that good at his job. Someone who slowly but surely became consumed by his own hate, could not or would not see the possibility that someone might be innocent, gradually becoming more and more corrupt in his efforts to put everyone he could behind bars, until it finally escalated to the point of no return and he became what he once hated.

And, by extension, if we read Edgeworth like a Gant parallel, he becomes a narrow subversion of the fallen hero trope. Someone who would've escalated to forging evidence, rather than just coaching witnesses and withholding it. Who might've one day escalated to murder, if it served his goals. And the only reason he didn't was because a stubborn childhood friend relentlessly reminded him of the fact that the world is not as black and white as he'd fooled himself into believing it was. That he just so happened to have someone trusting that he could be better when it mattered most.

It's why I really wish these parallels had been better set up in canon, because I think this is a fascinating angle for their characters. In addition, it could've really reinforced the importance of trust in pursuit of justice in an interesting and unique way. Not just trusting in someone's innocence, but trusting in their capacity to be better.

#My posts #Ace attorney #Damon gant #Miles edgeworth #Infodumping #Aa1

[project-catgirlpillar]

Ranking all wildbow protags (of the stuff i read, and assuming i remembered them)

10. Caspar thorbay (Peer): even the stuff supposed to make him interesting got repurposed into Sylvester who is Just way better. Also turned down His Chance at a cool piggirl girlfriend so i hate him

9. What-his-face (face): He gets points cause His reaction to some Kids trashing all His expensive Shit is "they Just lost their Parents acting Out is an understandable reaction" which Shows He has the Patience of a saint so at least He gets points for that. I still don't remember His Name though so i'm Not Putting him any Higher (also face sucked)

8. Genevieve fray (boil): what is she doing in this list? she isn't a Main character

7. Victoria dallon (ward): i am entirely neutral about her

6. Ben trover (poke): gets points for His Name being sex Joke. Also gets the Points Caspar lost for the pig rejection as a reward for Dating a goblin

5. Taylor Herbert (worm): here's where we start getting into the good stuff, the Girl who started it all, the Queen of escalation Herself honestly she's still pretty Low but you can blame recency bias for that

4. Blake Thorburn (pact): i Love seeing characters suffer and Boy does Blake Deliver on that front

3. Lucy Ellingson (pale): my least Favorite of the kenneteers but honestly that says more about the Rest of em than her. She's fucking badass and honestly has some of my fave single Moments in pale, Like when she pulls a Gun on her teacher (genuinely clever Out of the Box thinking in Addition to being really funny), and having to face John in Arc thirteen. I also Think her "Sense of Injustice Thing is really cool"

3. Avery Kelly (pale): another pale protag and i honestly feel guilty putting her above Lucy but oh Well. Honestly she's Just kinda Generally delightful and also she has the coolest practice Out of the three of them

2. Verona hayward (pale): honestly considered Putting her at number one but then decided Not to separate her from her friends i Love her enthusiasm at getting to learn Magic, she Just thinks it's the tightest Shit ever and she is very right about that. Again i also Love characters who suffer and have self destructive tendencies so i really Love her

1. Sylvester lambsbridge (twig): stupid Name aside i Love this Boy. I Love that He's kinda an asshole and a Bit of a piece of Shit. I Love that He gradually grows into what is arguably a better person, but still kinda sucks by the end of twig. Also once again a character i can pity which is very important

#idk man #wildbow #its half past two am i am not proofreading this bullshit #sorry for putting this before your eyes

[madara-fate]

This is just my two cents but am I the only one who thinks that Hinata is only famous all due to because of Naruto and how she always liked him? While there are Hinata Fans out there that genuinely love her character and praise Hinata for having her own strength, just mind their own business and don’t engage in any fandom pathetic conflict; there are people out there who only seem to praise Hinata for being Naruto’s lover, Naruto’s supporter, saving Naruto’s life and being Naruto’s wife. It seems they can’t praise her without involving Naruto into the equation while I don’t blame them for such since a huge part of Hinata’s character is being a love-interest to Naruto but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have some few praise-worthy moments of her own as well.

The worst thing I’ve seen is how they boast about the fact that Hinata snatched the MC which I don’t really take much pride in if I were them. The worst thing is they’re trying to reduce Naruto to only that as well by saying that Naruto’s biggest flex was marrying Hinata and all those delusional comments about Team7 being toxic and that they’re not Naruto’s real family etc. It kinda looks sad that you’re only relevant due to your husband. I know this sounds very harsh but in reality, Hinata would’ve been nothing without Naruto since Hanabi would be the Head, maybe Hinata could’ve been a Jonin but they said that Hinata never wanted to become a Ninja and was forced due to her Clan so she really would’ve just been some sort of maid in the Hyūga Clan— helping Hanabi and maybe train some Hyūga Children but won’t have an active role as an Ninja or in the story.

Anyway, back to what I was really trying to convey. I feel like people only praise her for the role she plays in Naruto’s life since we already know how much fans dickride Naruto then it’s not baffling. It was said in one of Kishi’s interviews that Hinata’s popularity gradually escalated as time went on and all Hinata showed (excluding fillers) was her getting all shy for Naruto. If we make a Poll with the following contenders: Hinata vs Naruto & Sasuke vs Sakura (instead of that usual useless poll for clout) then we might be able to measure the popularity and prove my theory about the stem of Hinata’s fame in the Franchise.

While some would reason out that Hinata is going up against Naruto, the most famous character in the show— it wouldn’t be that valid for Hinata is allegedly the most famous female character in the show. The total amount of votes will have a huge contrast but there should still be a considerable amount of votes since Hinata should have loyal fans and if there isn’t then I guess it just means that the root of her popularity is because she’s considered to be one of Naruto’s "trophies" and not because they like Hinata as a character and who she is and what she’s made to be. It’s not really shocking since I see a lot of NaruHina stans who wishes Hinata to be in Team7 and being Tsunade’s pupil.

Anyway, this is just what I wanted to say. I always wanted to say my thoughts to someone but knowing the community— some opinions just won’t be as well received as the others even praises aren’t exempted. For that sole reason I decided to send this anonymously and I wish you’ll spare some time to convey your feelings about my message.

Well, you start off by asking if you're the only one who thinks that Hinata is only famous all due to her feelings for Naruto, but then you acknowledge how there are Hinata fans out there that genuinely love her character and praise Hinata for having her own strength, so doesn't that immediately answer your own question?

It kinda looks sad that you’re only relevant due to your husband.

Well that's not true, so why even bring that up?

I know this sounds very harsh but in reality, Hinata would’ve been nothing without Naruto since Hanabi would be the Head

Why does that mean Hinata would've been "nothing" without Naruto?

She really would’ve just been some sort of maid in the Hyūga Clan

She would've been a maid in the Hyuuga clan??? Where are you getting these ideas from?

The total amount of votes will have a huge contrast but there should still be a considerable amount of votes since Hinata should have loyal fans and if there isn’t then I guess it just means that the root of her popularity is because she’s considered to be one of Naruto’s "trophies" and not because they like Hinata as a character and who she is and what she’s made to be.

I still don't see why the results of that poll would in any way indicate the reason why people like Hinata. Literally the only thing polls establish, is what preferences people have. They do nothing to explain why those people have such preferences.

#Hinata Hyuuga

[ubaid214]

Slots, Roulette, and Electronic Cards: The Range of On the web Casino Activities

In the past few decades, engineering has unquestionably changed numerous industries, and the world of gaming is no exception. With the arrival of on line casinos, the gambling business has noticed a shift from traditional brick-and-mortar establishments to electronic platforms, letting people to indulge in their favorite casino games from the ease of the homes. This information delves to the electronic change of the casino earth, considering its benefits, considerations, and what the future holds. toto12 login

The Rise of Online Casinos

The late 90s found the start of online casinos, with a couple of web sites offering restricted games, primarily standard designs of blackjack and poker. Quickly forward to nowadays, you will find 1000s of on the web casino websites offering a great variety of games, from slots to call home dealer games that replicate the real casino experience.

Advantages of On line Casinos

Convenience: One of the main factors for the reputation of on line casinos is convenience. People may accessibility games 24/7 without the necessity traveling or stick to any gown codes.

Range: Online programs provide a broader range of activities compared to standard casinos. Some systems home thousands of position variations alone.

Campaigns & Bonuses: Online casinos frequently offer lucrative bonuses for new people and continuing offers for regulars, improving the gaming experience.

Modern Features: With the increase of engineering, activities now include advanced design, animations, and also electronic and increased reality features.

Security and Equity Considerations

However, with the rise of electronic tools, you can find genuine concerns about safety and fairness. It's critical for people to decide on systems which are licensed and controlled by recognized gambling authorities. Arbitrary Number Generators (RNGs) ensure game equity, but people must still do their study before investing.

The Potential of On the web Gambling

The future seems promising for online casinos, with a few emerging traits:

Portable Gambling: With the escalation in smartphone application, several online casinos are concentrating on providing a seamless mobile experience.

Live Vendor Activities: Linking the difference between conventional and online casinos, stay dealer activities provide real-time gambling with actual traders, enhancing the credibility of the experience.

Cryptocurrency: Many on the web casinos are now taking cryptocurrencies, ensuring confidential and fast transactions.

Virtual Fact: VR technology is gradually creating its way into the web casino world, encouraging immersive gaming experiences.

Conclusion

On the web casinos represent a perfect mixture of custom and technology. While they may perhaps not change the attraction of walking right into a great casino in Las Vegas or Macau, they give unparalleled ease, variety, and innovation. As the industry remains to evolve, people can expect a lot more interesting functions, games, and opportunities on earth of online gambling.

[lifestyleader]

psychology tricks

One relatively easy psychological trick you can play on someone is called the "foot-in-the-door" technique. This technique is based on the principle of consistency, which suggests that people have a strong desire to be consistent with their past actions or commitments.

Here's how it works:

Start with a small request: Begin by asking the person for a small favor or a small commitment that is likely to be accepted. It could be something as simple as asking for their opinion on a non-controversial topic or requesting a small favor that requires minimal effort.

Gradually escalate: Once the person agrees to the initial request, follow up with a slightly larger request. The second request should be related to the first one and should still be within a reasonable range. By building upon their previous commitment, you increase the likelihood of them complying with the new request.

Reinforce consistency: Highlight the person's past actions or commitments to remind them of their consistency. Emphasize that they have been helpful or supportive in the past, and the new request aligns with their previous behavior. This reinforces the desire to maintain consistency and makes it harder for them to refuse the new request.

Here's another psychological trick you can try called the "mirroring" technique. This technique is based on the concept of mirroring, where people tend to like those who are similar to them or exhibit similar behaviors.

Here's how you can use the mirroring technique:

Observe and mirror body language: Pay close attention to the other person's body language, such as their posture, gestures, and facial expressions. Try to subtly mirror their body language by adopting similar postures or gestures. However, be careful not to mimic them too obviously, as that can come across as insincere or mocking.

Reflect their speech patterns: Notice the pace, tone, and word choices the person uses when speaking. Aim to match their speech patterns to some extent. If they speak slowly and softly, you can adjust your own speech to a similar rhythm. If they use certain phrases or vocabulary, you can incorporate those into your own conversation.

Find common ground: Look for shared interests, experiences, or opinions that you can discuss. By highlighting similarities and commonalities, you create a sense of familiarity and connection. This can help build rapport and make the other person more receptive to your ideas or suggestions.

Remember, the goal of the mirroring technique is to establish rapport and create a comfortable atmosphere in a conversation. It is important to be genuine and subtle in your mirroring efforts. Trying too hard to imitate someone can be off-putting, so always approach it with a natural and authentic mindset.

#lifestyleader #psychology #psychic #tricks #tips

[rockfleet]

Unraveling the Bond Market Conundrum: Powell's Rate Hike Dilemma and Shaky Waters Ahead

UNRAVELING THE BOND MARKET CONUNDRUM: POWELL'S RATE HIKE DILEMMA AND SHAKY WATERS AHEAD INTRODUCTION: The bond market has been a hotbed of uncertainty and volatility in recent months, and the turmoil shows no signs of abating. The turmoil only escalated when Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell hinted at further interest rate hikes in a recent speech. In this blog post, we'll delve into the intricacies of the bond market, Powell's rationale, and the multitude of factors contributing to the heightened unease in financial markets. A BLEEDING TREASURY MARKET: For the past two months, long-term Treasuries have been enduring a relentless downward spiral. Investors have been nervously eyeing their portfolios as these safe-haven assets, usually known for their stability, have been hemorrhaging value. But why has this been happening? POWELL'S INFLATION REALITY CHECK: Powell, in his recent statement, emphasized that inflation continues to exceed the Federal Reserve's target. It's a statement that merely reflects the reality of the situation. Inflation remains a critical concern, and acknowledging it is a step toward addressing the issue. However, the puzzling part is Powell's insistence on more rate hikes. Quarter US inflation (GDPPPI) Fed rate hikes 10-year Treasury yield Q1 2023 +3.6% +0.50% 2.50% Q2 2023 +1.4% +0.75% 3.50% Source: US Government THE LAG EFFECT OF RATE HIKES: Over the last 6-12 months, the Federal Reserve has been gradually increasing interest rates, a move aimed at taming inflation. The effects of these hikes are still rippling through the economy. Soaring Treasury yields are, in a way, doing the work for the central bank, making further rate hikes seem somewhat unnecessary at this juncture. INFLATION BELOW 4%: A notable aspect is that despite the concerns, inflation is still below 4%. This raises the question: Does the Fed genuinely need to tighten monetary policy further at this moment? Market sentiment appears to lean towards 'no,' and this sentiment shift has led to reduced odds of another rate hike in the futures market post-Powell's speech. POWELL'S CONUNDRUM: The bond market seems to suggest that Powell's intentions could potentially do more harm than good. While the Fed's role is crucial in maintaining economic stability, the timing and magnitude of rate hikes need to be calibrated carefully. A misstep could send shockwaves through financial markets, affecting not just bonds but also stocks and the broader economy. LOOKING AHEAD: The upcoming week carries a sense of trepidation, and numerous catalysts are contributing to the unease. The escalating conflict in the Middle East has already sent crude oil and gold prices soaring. The political turmoil surrounding the Speaker of the House is far from resolution, and the specter of a government shutdown on the looming November 17th deadline only adds to the uncertainty. THE BOND MARKET AS A BAROMETER: The bond market often serves as a barometer of broader economic sentiment and is highly sensitive to shifts in monetary policy. At this juncture, it's acting as a gauge for the market's perception of the Fed's decisions. The rising Treasury yields may be seen as the market's way of expressing concern over the potential economic repercussions of premature or excessive rate hikes. CONCLUSION: The bond market's struggles and Powell's insistence on more rate hikes are making investors uneasy. The delicate balancing act of taming inflation while not stifling economic growth requires precision and a thorough understanding of the prevailing economic conditions. Powell's intentions are clear, but the market's reactions reflect a growing apprehension. In the week ahead, a multitude of external factors may further amplify the uncertainty, and for investors, caution is paramount. The path forward for the bond market and the broader economy remains a complex and uncertain one, with significant challenges to overcome.

#economics bonds fed bondmarket #investing

[frauleinandry]

finally finished my persona q playthrough! ultimately, i thought it did some things well and some things not so well, but it was definitely more of a positive experience than a negative one. i'd rate it 3/5 in general. detailed thoughts under the cut!

for a bit of context, i like persona 3 a lot, dislike 4, and have minimal experience with etrian odessey (played a demo, enjoyed it, but knew the lack of plot/characters would mean I wouldn't have fun playing 40+ hours of it). i wanted to get through this game and q2 before persona 5 tactica came out so i knew what to expect story-wise (though the chances of me finished q2 before november are pretty much non-existent now lmao).

starting with the plot, i thought most of it was good, but there were a couple of weaker aspects. the gradually escalating creepiness of the labyrinths up until the rei reveal was really well done, and i absolutely loved the twist with her character. the way the themes from personas 3 and 4 were combined was sublime - her rage and sadness was so poignant, and it definitely managed to tug at my heartstrings. zen's whole deal is interesting too - i find persona doesn't tend to implement its god characters very well, so he and chronos were a refreshing take on it.

on the flipside, i didn't particular enjoy the plotline related to the actual persona characters. i chose to play the p3 route to avoid as many teddie/yosuke shenanigans as i could, and the whole senpai vs kohei thing felt like a child had written it. it's basically what happen in p3 canon but shittier. it reeeeeeeally didn't help that they use the investigation team as an example of a 'good' team, since their dynamics are rancid. i also think persona q really could have done a lot more with the 'ps: you're gonna forget this once you leave' thing, as opposed to it being a one-note revelation in the epilogue.

moving on to the characters... hm. very mixed bag here. on the positive side, it gave shinjiro in particular some much needed screen time - he actually felt like a genuine member of SEES here, as opposed to the guy who shows up and is then killed off almost instantly. it also toned down yosuke's creepiness a lot, which. well, i ain't complaining. also, i'm very happy yu/minato actually get to have a personality here. tbh persona MCs would really benefit from being upgrade from silent protags into something more similar to fire emblem three hopes shez (though probably with a little bit less character than them).

at the same time, akihiko (and to a lesser degree chie) are utterly butchered, and the portrayal of numerous other characters feels very surface level. sure, the cast is too large to really flesh everyone out, but... nobody should be feeling blatantly OOC. zen and rei also didn't really feel like people until the end of the 4th labyrinth, which makes sense from a plot perspective, but is bad from an actually-getting-attached-to-them one. as good as i found their storyline, as individuals, they're both pretty forgettable. ultimately, i think the character writing is fine in the strolls/during the sillier moments, but falls apart during the serious ones.

gameplay, yet again, was another mixed bag. the dungeon crawling is a lot better than in persona 3/4, especially in the later labyrinths where FOE movement is a lot more complex. i enjoyed most of the puzzles, and the little character moments scattered around the levels were fun too. mapping was cute, even if it was a bit of a novelty - i can't see it working on the switch or anything, but the 3DS is a good console from things like that.

of course, here's where the '.... but' comes in. in persona q case, i comes in the form of the combat sucking ass. the boost system is irritating to wrangle, but a necessary evil if you want good personas/not to chew through tons of items. in the end, i used impure reach naoto to basically skip 90% of the fights. also, what the fuck was that chronos gimmick? like, don't get me wrong, the death timer was cool in theory, but when i first fought him i only had 3 revival items on me because i simply wasn't using them!! suffice to say, i had to fight him and the spider again, and was pretty unimpressed with that.

the game is also really hampered by not sharing party exp. there's no way to use every unit unless you do tons and tons of grinding (and who has the time for that in the year 2023), but you also get penalised for not training certain units too. i didn't unlock ultimate personas in my run-through since i benched yu after the second labyrinth and didn't want to spend ages levelling him up asdfghjkl.

there was one gameplay thing i thought persona q did really well though... and that was sub-personas! god, i fucking loved that idea. like, i love it to the degree that i'd legitimately prefer it in the mainline games over the current wildcard system - let's just say i made an excited post when i saw this feature was returning in tactica. it adds a level of customisation which means any character can shine with the right investment, and i just think that's neat.

#there is probably typos and grammar mistakes in this but eh #i'm too tired to care about that #persona q #review tag

[moviediscuss2]

Unveiling the Art of Masterful Storyline Narration in Movies

In the realm of cinematic experiences, storytelling serves as the cornerstone upon which captivating movies are built. While visuals and special effects certainly play pivotal roles, it's the narrative that breathes life into the characters and their journeys, creating an emotional connection with the audience. In this article, we delve into the art of masterful storyline narration in movies, exploring how it shapes our understanding and appreciation of the film.

The Power of Engaging Beginnings: Every memorable movie starts with a compelling opening that immediately grabs the viewer's attention. This initial scene often foreshadows the themes or conflicts that will unfold later, setting the tone for the entire story. Think about iconic films like "Inception," where the spinning top becomes a symbol of reality and dreams colliding. A well-crafted beginning not only establishes the narrative's direction but also sparks curiosity, urging the audience to immerse themselves in the unfolding plot.

Building Complex Characters: Central to any exceptional movie is the creation of characters that resonate with the audience. These characters are multi-dimensional, possessing flaws, dreams, and evolving arcs. Consider the transformation of Walter White in the TV series "Breaking Bad." His journey from a mild-mannered chemistry teacher to a morally ambiguous drug lord is a testament to the power of character development. An effective narrative provides characters with depth, enabling viewers to relate, empathize, and invest emotionally in their fates.

Plot Twists and Turns: A well-executed storyline keeps the audience engaged by introducing unexpected plot twists. These twists challenge the characters' beliefs and motivations, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Films like "The Sixth Sense" are celebrated for their ability to seamlessly integrate shocking revelations that force audiences to reevaluate everything they thought they knew. When used judiciously, plot twists not only create memorable moments but also elevate the overall impact of the story.

Pacing and Climactic Moments: The pacing of a movie narrative plays a crucial role in maintaining momentum and tension. Strategic pacing ensures that the story unfolds at a pace that allows for character development, relationship building, and the gradual escalation of conflicts. This, in turn, leads to climactic moments that define the film's climax. Think of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," where the final battle at the Black Gate serves as a culmination of all the storylines and character arcs built up over the trilogy. Skillful pacing ensures that these climactic moments are earned and resonant.

Conclusion: Crafting Lasting Impressions: A masterful storyline narration is the heart and soul of any great movie. It's the thread that weaves together characters, conflicts, and emotions, culminating in a cinematic experience that leaves a lasting impression. As viewers, we're drawn to stories that captivate our imaginations, challenge our perceptions, and evoke genuine emotions. Whether it's the exploration of human nature, the triumph of the underdog, or the unveiling of hidden truths, the art of storytelling in movies continually reminds us of the power narratives hold in shaping our understanding of the world.

Anchor Text: If you're interested in exploring more about the intricacies of movie storytelling and analysis, head over to Movie Discuss, where we delve into the depths of cinematic narratives. Our passion for dissecting stories and unraveling their layers will enrich your movie-watching experience like never before.

#movies #movie story #movie review #movie explained