#i guess he is technically in the first image

[shriika]

"who are you?"

@fancifulplaguerat got me thinking about nina and victor and now i genuinely cannot stop... (doodles below the cut)

#hey you know when daniil says “victor i-” and nina straight up laughs at him... i think about that like 20x a day #neither dead nor haunting the narrative but a secret third thing made possible by love #i still have more art of these 2 to post but the next few will have daniil in it properly... smiles... grins.... #pathologic #мор утопия #victor kain #nina kaina #daniil dankovsky #i guess he is technically in the first image #edit cuz i forgot my own art tag again #shriikadraws

[aceyogurt]

Technical difficulties

Pairing: ex Vox x reader

Content: jealous Vox, fluff, implied sexual content, SFW

Summary: You and Vox have been apart for some time now, but after hearing you might be with someone new he pulls some strings…

You had originally broken up with Vox due to how busy he was as an overlord along with his dramatically high ego. Which as you can guess he wasn’t exactly content with your actions. Originally he swore you off saying he didn’t need you and even though you knew he was just mad, you’d be lying if it didn’t hurt. But after that break up things became incredibly awkward..

It was especially awkward because, technically you still work under him due to a contract. Which wasn’t ending anytime soon… To your surprise though he didn’t pull any strings to make your work more painful then it already it was.

Well that was until he heard rumors that you might be sleeping with another actor you met on one of your recent sets…

After that you’d been assigned to x10 more projects then you’d been used to absolutely exhausting you. And that coworker of yours was fired due to unknown reasons. And haven’t been responding to your calls.

This extra work load meant much more press conferences and interviews, and the one you had today you weren’t excited for. Why? Because it was Vox’s show, Vox was interviewing you. And boy you were praying he wouldn’t make things weird. I mean he cares a lot about image so surely he’ll be appropriate… right?

You get the recording studio and see Vox speaking to Valentino in the corner of the room, trying to ignore them you make your way to the food display, which had an assortment of treats you enjoyed.

After around your fourth strawberry tart a voice speaks from behind you causing you to jump. “You keep eating at the rate you’re going, you’re going to get sick on set.” You didn’t even need to turn around to know it was Vox. You roll your eyes and respond back to his comment.

“I’ll eat as much as I’d like, thank you very much. And if you didn’t want me to be eating you should’ve chosen different snacks” in response he just chuckles putting a hand on your shoulder. “Well I guess you’re right, we’ll start in five.” And before you could get comment in he walked off to deal with other affairs.

Your eye was already twitching you knew you were going to hate every second of those interview…

You sat across from Vox in a loft chair that was thankfully comfortable. The tape starts rolling and you hear his signature intro start playing.

‘Welcome to the show’ ♪♯

Vox had his typical smile as he starts the broadcast. He introduces you seemingly normal and began to get into the interview wasting no time. “Let’s start off easy, how have you been?”

“I’ve been well, been busy recently.” You say with a slight jab that only he would notice, and you know he does as he attempts to cover up a laugh with a cough. “So I hear, hopefully not in an exhausting way.” He says as if he’s not the one who assigned you this shit, and knowing you’re exhausted. You nod and decide to play his game back, crossing his arms. “Well it’s certainly keeping me on my toes, luckily I have a lot of good co-workers to keep me sane though.” You say purely to get a reaction out of him.

And man were you successful, he’s smile is strained and you can see him fisting his hand from what you were implying. “Well isn’t that lovely.” There was an akward silence before he spoke again. “Well how about we play a game yeah?” The rules of the game were fairly simple you guys draw a challenge card and if you fail to complete it in the given time the other person gives you a consequence of their choosing.

The first few rounds went by fairly smooth, with nothing worth noting, you both had won your challenges so…. This particular challenge you weren’t sure you were going to win though… “Well what’s the card say” Vox chimed in since you hadn’t read it aloud yet. “Eat a cherry pie in under 60 seconds” now this would probably be possible for you, if you for a fact hadn’t ate six strawberry tarts right before this. You already could feel the sickness you’d get from all these sweets. And from the grin Vox had you figured he already knew that.

Not even twenty seconds into the challenge you forfeit not wanting to throw up, you wipe your face with a napkin as Vox speaks about your punishment. “Well seeing you failed to complete your card that means I get to choose a punishment for you right?” He ask as if he hadn’t already planned out what he was going to say. You groan annoyed nodding as you just want to get this over with. “Just say what your thinking already”

He laughs “well, we all have heard the rumors about you and a certain someone getting together… mind telling the audience if what they say is true?” You should’ve known he’d ask about this, of course he would. Instead of looking at the camera you’re now looking at him. “Well normally I wouldn’t share private relations but, I suppose this case is an exception. Me and the person you’re referring to aren’t together nor have we done anything together.” You say unwillingly, see Vox had obviously been paying attention with every interaction you had with this co-worker since the rumors spread and he wasn’t able to fully get ahold of your guys relationship because, you made sure to hide as much as possible.

Now that you admitted that there was nothing between the two of you though another question rises into Voxs mind ‘why be so secretive’ this question though he didn’t want to ask publicly…

The talk show ends shortly after and you thought you were done dealing with Vox. Yeah no, around 30 minutes after the show Vox calls you into his office, which you reluctantly tend to.

“You asked to see me?” You say praying he wasn’t going to bring up what you think he was. “You know I was thinking, you say you didn’t have a relationship with him. But you took so many extra steps to hide from my view, which I can only see you doing if you’re lying about not having any kind of relationship… unless of course there was another reason?” He speaks so obviously full of himself. You bite your tongue in annoyance.

“My relationships and how I protect them are none of your concern Vox” he laughs, like genuinely laughs. ���Good one, but we both know why I’d be interested to keep tabs on you guys, now tell me, why’d you do it…” he pauses being a lot closer then he should be to you, he leans down meeting your eyes. “Because if I’m being honest the only theory I have is that you wanted to get my attention”

You try your best not to react but of course your eyes avert his gaze. “Why would I even-“ his voice gets a lot more serious but still egotistical, “if I’m wrong all you have to do is say so” the room goes silent.

“Thought so” he says pleased with himself, you were pissed. And as he turns around he adds one final comment, “I’ll be free tonight”

#aceyogurt #hazbin fanfic #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel vox #hazbin vox #vox x reader #hazbin hotel fanfiction #hazbin hotel vox x reader #vox x you #vox hazbin hotel #vox hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin fandom #vox headcanons #hazbin hotel headcanon #hazbin hotel x you

[theemporium]

! Luke Hughes falling for a girl in college who isn’t the stereotypical hockey girlfriend, (and all his friends and family are stunned at the fact he chose her).

thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

.

When Luke had casually mentioned to his brothers over the phone that he had been talking to a girl from one of his classes, everybody already had an idea on what she would be like.

Brother confidentiality was thrown out the window in seconds and the Hughes family had been conspiring ever since. They took the crumbs Luke gave them over the weeks and they conjured up an image of you before they had even met you. But they knew Luke, they knew what his type was like, so they really hadn’t considered you being all that different from past girlfriends and flings.

It was around the summer break when Luke finally got to introduce you to his family.

The lakehouse was just going to be the Hughes family for two weeks before the others joined and, after a few months of being official, Luke wanted to share you with his family. And they seemed just as eager to meet the girl who captured the youngest Hughes’ heart.

To say they were shocked when they met you was an understatement. Not in a bad way, not at all. But simply for the fact you were nothing like they expected at all.

“So, honey, how did you two meet?” Ellen had asked during the first initial meeting, the whole family sat in the living room to officially meet you for the first time.

“Was it a hockey game?” Jack guessed, a teasing smile on his lips. “Luke always had a habit of trying to impress girls during games.”

“Oh, uh, I actually wasn’t a fan of hockey when we met,” you admitted with a sheepish smile. “To be honest, it took Luke a month before he convinced me to come to a game. And even now, I’m not totally convinced I understand how it works.”

That was the first surprise.

The second happened mere hours later when you insisted on cooking dinner for the family. You wanted to thank them for their generosity of letting you stay, and you wanted to show them you weren’t just planning to stay around like a guest for the whole time—even if you technically were.

And it seemed like the longer you spent with the Hughes family, the more they were caught by surprise by the girl their son had brought home. But they loved it, they loved you and just how happy you made Luke.

“She’s a great girl,” Ellen said to her youngest son as they stood side by side in the kitchen, cutting up some fruit before they took it out to the patio where the rest of you were sitting.

Luke lifted his head to look out the window, a fond smile on his lips as he watched you animatedly talk away to his dad. He knew Jim had been eager to try and teach you the rules of hockey (something Luke had tried multiple times to do) and despite the fact he was sure you were still as clueless as you were before, he couldn’t help but feel something in his chest tighten at the fact you were trying so much with his family.

“Yeah, she’s amazing,” he murmured as a faint pink tint spread across his cheeks. “I think she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Ma.”

Ellen’s gaze softened. “You seem really happy with her.”

“It’s kinda nice knowing she likes me for me and not all the hockey stuff, ya know?” He said with a shrug. “She likes Luke, not ‘that other Hughes brother that wants to make it big’.”

Ellen smiled. “That’s what you deserve, honey.”

When they made their way outside, it seemed almost automatic for Luke to pull you off your seat, plopping down on the chair before bringing you down on his lap. You didn’t even stop your conversation with Jim, just briefly smiling down at the boy before you continued talking away to his father.

You weren’t what the Hughes family expected, but they cannot say they are anything but happy you were a part of Luke’s life.

.

#luke hughes #nhl #new jersey devils #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes x you #luke hughes x y/n #luke hughes fic #luke hughes one shot #nhl x reader #nhl x you #nhl x y/n #nhl fic #nhl one shot

[unikhroma]

i got the idea to make a bingo thing for spamton fan designs after my friend showed me some bingos for other deltarune fan stuff :] basically i gathered a bunch of canon-divergent/not confirmed/otherwise notable* design aspects i've noticed in spamton fan art these past years and put them in. feel free to fill it out if you want!

addendum: this is mostly intended for your interpretation of spamton during or post ch2, which is why some things like "not even a puppet" are in there (it's p heavily implied that he wasn't a puppet at some point but is now)

*under the read more cause i'm trying to keep this section brief

filled out card + a lot of rambling below:

*obviously there's nothing wrong with being canon-divergent and putting your own spin/interpretation on a character, i draw spamton buff and with huge tits it's fine lol. i may have my opinions but it's whatever; i'm not an authority i'm just some guy. also i put in trans/gq in as a design thing since that often does factor into a person's presentation/looks

----

also here's my filled out card:

(i guess i should've put some images of him at first whoopsie)

----

did i rig it so i can win? technically yes but technically no

i wanted to arrange the card to have common traits that i saw together in bingo-winning lines, but i soon realized that it was impossible to get everything to fit together that way. especially with contradictory squares like tall and microscopic or puppet-exclusive features being in a line with the "not even a puppet" square

i couldn't fit in everything i thought of either. i actually wanted to have "100% canon compliant" on here cause i thought it would be fun. i think the people who stick really close to his canon design are just as interesting as everyone who does their own spin

idk i think this is all interesting! the deltarune fandom is unique in that everyone has to interpret character designs from a small size, so people almost Have to diverge from whatever may have been intended for a character, and that results in a lot of different interpretations. it's definitely helped me strengthen my own sense of character design as someone who used to be kind of a hardass about fan art accuracy

#my art and things #deltarune #spamton

[suzukiblu]

WIP guessing game: help

"I know about Billy, Marvel," Batman says, and Billy . . . blinks.

"You know?!" he sputters. Okay, so apparently his secret identity was just . . . literally never a secret at all, then. Which, well–Batman, so that just figures, really. So actually this is kind of a relief and might even mean that he's fine with–

"Yes," Batman confirms with a nod. "So I understand your current reservations about parenthood."

. . . wait what.

"Huh?" Billy says, blinking stupidly at him.

"I don't know how much of you is still C.C. Batson or what you do or don't remember about being him," Batman says. "But the resemblance is undeniable, if nothing else. Certainly your and your wife's deaths were . . . well, suspicious. And you're hardly the first archeologists to dig up a god or six."

Oh, okay. Well.

This is apparently what Billy gets for his personal mental image of a "hero" being his dad, then, isn't it.

Crap.

"To be honest I've been looking for Billy for a while now, I just didn't want to bring it up before I found him," Batman admits, looking dissatisfied with himself. "My most recent reliable intel puts him in Fawcett City, but I assume you're aware of that, given your evident attachment to the place."

"You're looking for Billy?" Billy asks incredulously. "Why?"

"Because he's your son," Batman says. "And because he's a homeless child who's been abused and neglected and needs help. I honestly don't know where you go when you're not being Captain Marvel–frankly I'm not sure if you even exist when you're not being Captain Marvel, given what little I actually know about your powers and your death and your role as the Champion of Magic and just how damn impossible you are to find when you're off-duty–but I'm assuming that wherever it happens to be is not necessarily conducive to providing a stable home environment and being legally dead certainly can't be helping with that, so my original intention was to find the boy and help you arrange some manner of care for and visitation with him. And given the revelation of your relation to Robin, well . . . I'd like to take Billy in myself, if you'd both be comfortable with that. It seems . . . appropriate, under the circumstances."

"You want to foster Billy because I'm Robin's soulmate?" Billy says, absolutely positive that he's misunderstood literally every single word that just came out of Batman's mouth. There is no possible way that he did not.

"It's not exactly out of my wheelhouse," Batman replies wryly. "Although I'll be keeping this one out of the tights, ideally. Though I make no long-term promises about that because quite frankly at this point I'm spoiled for soulmates who insist on wearing capes and I wouldn't really be surprised to turn up another one, especially given that Robin is yours and your own involvement in the superhero community."

Billy stares at him.

"Wait, are all the Gotham vigilantes your soulkids?" he blurts unthinkingly.

"Not all," Batman says. "But, well . . . probably more of them than you'd expect."

"Oh my god," Billy says in disbelief. "And you're just telling me that?! You don't tell people things, you're Batman!"

"I haven't always been the father I should have been," Batman says, and then he pulls down his cowl. Billy chokes, and then chokes again because apparently Batman is Bruce freaking Wayne and his brain just . . . just needs a moment to process that fact, like there is literally any way whatsoever that he could ever actually process that fact. He would've been less surprised to see a Kardashian under that mask, he's pretty sure. At least they've got athletes in the family, technically! "So I'm not going to make things difficult for you with Robin. Clearly he needs more than I'm capable of providing, and I'm perfectly willing to be transparent and to co-parent with you as much as possible. I want Robin to be safe and content and grow up well, and frankly put, Batson, you've proven yourself to be a good man time and again and I trust you to do what's best by our son."

Okay, well, now Billy just feels like dirt.

"You do know what happened to Billy, don't you?" he asks just a little bit desperately, because there is literally no way that this conversation is a real and actual thing that's really and actually happening. "Like, just–everything that happened there? There's a reason he's not in school or the system or with a relative or anything like that."

"What happened to Billy wasn't your fault," Batman tells him, meeting his eyes all quiet and intent and sincere. "And I will do everything in my power to help you make it right."

"Oh no, you're actually like . . . just genuinely a really good person, aren't you," Billy says despairingly, staring at him all over again and really, really wishing he could swear right now.

Maybe he'll just go throw himself into the sun. Maybe that's what he'll just go and do.

The corner of Batman's mouth quirks up wryly. His eyes even crinkle a little, which Billy can see on account of his total lack of cowl right now, oh god.

Billy despairs.

"I mean it," Batman says gently. "It wasn't your fault, and it doesn't mean you can't be a good father now."

"I need to talk to Robin," Billy says, because he definitely, definitely needs to talk to Robin. Batman inclines his head in an accepting nod, because Batman is probably under the impression that Billy wants to go give Robin a good ol' traditional "I know I'm not your biodad but I'm here for you, champ!" kind of speech, and Billy just . . . really cannot explain the real situation to him right now. Or ever.

Can he just lie to Batman for the rest of their lives, maybe? He can just pretend to be his own dad for the Justice League and keep dodging whatever Bat-surveillance happens to be in Fawcett and parent his older-than-he-is soulmate, right? That's a thing that he can do?

That's probably not a thing that he can do.

Although he might be willing to try, at this point.

#billy batson #bruce wayne #shazam #batman #chromatographic #rinfic #wip: billy and damian and the whole soulmate thing

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Happy with the staff content this year but am I the only one who is disappointed with the PV we got? It's basically a slideshow of art we've already seen, major downgrade from the year 1 PV that had literally all the events. There was a drop in quality of the anniversary PVs over the years and it really shows this year. Sorry if you find this too negative I don't mean to hate I just wish Twst would do better for it's ANNIVERSARY.

[For everyone's reference, here are the anniversary PVs in order of release: 2021 / 2022 / 2023 / 2024]

Mmm, now that you mention it, I noticed this trend with the Halloween PVs 🤔 For year 1, there was a video that showed all members of the NRC casy, even those that did not receive cards at that time. There were then several short variants of the PV released for year 2/Endless Halloween Night (part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4). Altogether, they feature all of the characters, including the students from year 1 but heavily shadowed and with glowing eyes to indicate ghostly possession. Even Glorious Masquerade features all of the students that get new cards for the event plus Rollo, although there are notably more still shots here. The Stage in Playful Land CM, by comparison, is significantly shorter and only shows us the three SSRs (Ace, Ortho, and Kalim) as well as the two new characters (Fellow and Gidel).

As this anon has said, the anniversary PVs have changed a lot over time too. The first one was the most animated and integrated several event outfits. The second one was also animated a fair amount, but you can tell corners were cut in some places where they transition to photographs/still images. This alone works thematically given that the player is a photographer, but you can still catch dips in quality when it comes to the art style. I remember finding Deuce running and the Kalim + Silver flying scene odd, as well as Jade and Trein's faces strange in general. Then the third PV rolls around and it only features the third years; the animation also seems to be much more sluggish (although this could be a stylistic choice; not sure). A friend actually recently pointed out to me that Lilia's pose looks like he was pulled straight from other assets; his artwork in the animation is almost the exact same as his smiling expression in the game. This year's is the most different (+ most static) and, like year 3's PV, only provides "new" content for a select few characters (the dorm leaders). They also reuse pre-existing illustrations already found in the game that don't seem to be picked for any particular reason (like, there are random Master Chef/Culinary Crucibles groovies in there). This direction, I'm guessing, is less costly and more efficient than making an entirely original animation, which is what was done in previous years. (Not that Disney or Aniplex is hurting for money to fund this, lol) Would I have preferred another PV in the style of year 1's? Yeah, for sure. I want to see other events and their outfits animated! Was what we got this year bad? Not necessarily; I think the production and editing was very technically impressive, but I'm still sad we didn't get anything substantially "new" to chew on (as someone who isn't a fan of most third years or the dorm leaders). Maybe it's just something we perceive as a deficit only because year 1 set the bar so high. It is what it is; whoever was in charge of the anniversary PV was probably doing the best they could with whatever budget they were given 😔 Let's hope that next year's will be a return to form, or that at least the money/effort is being redirected to other bigger projects (maybe the anime?).

#twisted wonderland #twst #notes from the writing raven #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #spoilers #twst anime #twisted wonderland anime #Silver #Kalim Al-Asim #Lilia Vanrouge #Deuce Spade #Jade Leech #Mozus Trein #Ace Trappola #Ortho Shroud #Rollo Flamme #Gidel #Fellow Honest #Riddle Rosehearts #Leona Kingscholar #Malleus Draconia #Idia Shroud #Ignihyde #Vil Schoenheit #Azul Ashengrotto #Cater Diamond #Trey Clover #Rook Hunt

[beyondthesefourwalls]

Remember You Even When I Don't (2)

Summary: A training accident, the doctor had told him. A nasty one that led him here, laying in a hospital bed with a splitting headache and an inability to remember the woman sitting beside him. What he did know, though, was that you were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and you felt important to him. That, as it turns out, would become an understatement.

Words: 3.3K

Pairing: Bradley Bradshaw/Reader (no use of y/n, so can be read as unnamed oc)

Warnings: angst, hospitals, memory loss, language.

Notes: The response to part one was so overwhelming in all of the best ways. I'm so glad that so many people enjoyed it! Please let me know your thoughts for part two as well!

This was inspired by a one shot by the lovely @roosterforme and would not exist without her assistance. If you haven't read any of her stuff, please check out her masterlist - you won't be disappointed!

Part One

----------

The pain medication kept him knocked out for most of the night. He remembers waking up a few times, blinded by pain or uncomfortable in the small hospital bed, but you were there every time. You slept curled in the chair beside him, wrapped in that green sweatshirt. Once, when the pain was what jolted him awake, you woke too. You hit the button for a nurse and smoothed his hair back on his forehead, his skin sticky with sweat despite the coolness of the hospital room. 

“You’re okay,” you murmured to him, shushing him gently when he groaned again. “It’ll go away in a minute, you’re okay.” 

As the nurses came in and administered him more medication, you stayed right there beside him. Your hand was still in his hair when he fell back into a drug-induced sleep.

Still, though, when he roused to consciousness with the sun shining in through the slightly raised blinds, he wondered if it was all a fever dream and if you ever existed to begin with. He was almost afraid to open his eyes. Yesterday was the only memory he had of you. There was still nothing before that, except for how you made him feel. While confusing, there was no way that a dream could make that up. He opened his eyes slowly, and there you were. 

You were leaning back in your chair, watching the tv that was playing on mute in front of his bed. He couldn’t tell if you were reading along with the subtitles you had turned on in an effort not to wake him up or simply watching the moving images. You held what looked like a large cup of iced coffee in your hands. 

You were just as breathtaking as he remembered from yesterday. His heart did the same flip that it did when he first laid bleary eyes on you.

He didn’t get to ponder you for too long before you turned your head in his direction and noticed that he was awake. Your eyes widened a fraction and you stared at one another for a moment, and Bradley thought it would be easy to get lost in your gaze.

“Hi,” you whispered, breaking the silence. 

“Hi,” he spoke back, his voice rough, but relieved. You were real after all. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Less like I got hit by a train and more like I got hit by a truck, so I guess better.” 

“Technically, you were hit by a plane. I imagine a train is close enough though.” 

It took him a second to get the joke, but the laugh he let out felt good. Mentally, at least. Physically, it hurt his ribs. But you were making jokes with him and he’d take that over you crying again. 

“Not many people can say that, huh?”

“No,” she agreed with a shake of her head, “but you’ve always been a special one, Bradley Bradshaw.”

Blushing was an unfamiliar feeling. So unfamiliar that he didn’t realize that’s what he was doing at first, but hearing you say his full name and compliment him, because he knew that’s what you meant, made his face feel warm and his heart race. Your eyes flicked to his heart monitor, but you didn’t comment on it. 

“I asked your nurse if you could change since you might be more comfortable in your own clothes,” you said instead, motioning to a duffel bag that was set on the counter on the other side of his room that he didn’t notice before. “She said it’s fine, so I had a few things brought for you this morning. If you want.”

“That sounds great,” he said, because it did. He hated hospital gowns. He hated hospitals, period. “Any chance I can take a shower?” 

“No, I’m sorry. But um…they’re going to take you for more testing in a little bit, probably, and they said a nurse will help you clean up and change afterward.” 

You looked uncomfortable as you said the words, and he wanted to ask you why, but you pushed on before he could. 

“There should be a few pairs of sweatpants and shirts to choose from. If you don’t like anything in there I can get something else.”

“I’m sure whatever is in there will be fine,” he said softly. You were nervous, he could tell. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” you nodded in response. 

There was a tension settling in the room that he didn’t quite enjoy. He supposed it was unavoidable, all things considered. Despite it, though, you remained in the seat beside his bed, almost within reach of him. Your hair was down this morning, one side tucked behind your ear to keep it out of your face. You were still wearing the Eagles sweatshirt that was too big for you. Your eyes were tired, and he wondered if you got anything more than restless fits of sleep last night.

“I’m sorry if I woke you up last night,” he started, unable to take the silence anymore. Your eyes snapped up to him. 

“It’s alright,” you insisted, sending him a small smile that had his heart fluttering again. “This chair is actually more comfortable than it looks.” 

He sincerely doubted that, but he didn’t call you out on it. You took a sip of your drink, barely putting it down before bringing it back to your lips for another. The ice rattled in the cup as it moved. 

He tried to make out what it was that you were drinking. Coffee, obviously, but he found himself curious as to what your typical order was. Were you just a cream and sugar kind of girl, or did you like flavors? Based on how long the order on the white sticker was, he guessed the latter. He couldn’t quite read what it said, but he could see the name above it. His eyebrows pulled together, causing an ache behind his eyes that he tried to push away. He remembered you saying that you had had a few things brought for him, not that you retrieved yourself, so he assumed whoever went to the home the two of you shared is who stopped and got your morning beverage, as well. For some reason, he felt a furling in his stomach. It was irrational, he knew, but the thought of another man doing these things for you, for him, made him feel something akin to jealousy. That wasn’t fair, he knew. He didn’t know your life or your family or even you. 

But he felt something for you. He didn’t exactly know what, but a connection that he’s never felt before existed between the two of you like an invisible string. It was one he found himself wanting to tug on and follow and see where it led. 

The unknown was intimidating to him, and that’s what this was. Everything about this was unknown.

“Who’s Pete?” he asked before he could stop himself. He hoped his voice didn’t come out as insecure as he felt. 

“What?” you asked, eyes widening and back straightening. He nodded toward the near empty coffee cup in your hand where the name was written above your order on the plastic. Your shoulders dropped and then tensed, which confused him even more. 

“Ah.” 

“I assume that’s who went and got my clothes? I’m sorry, I just don’t recognize the name.” He was trying, so hard, to pull something up to the front of his mind, but he couldn’t. He didn’t remember being close with anyone with that name. Maybe it was a family member of yours that he had forgotten along with you, but something told him that wasn’t the case. You wouldn’t be looking at him the way you currently are if it was a forgotten father or brother-in-law. You were eyeing him like you were uncomfortable in his presence, like you were scared of what to say to him. It was the first time he saw a look like this from you and he didn’t like it. There was something there, something about this name and him asking that unsettled you.  

A knock on the door interrupted the potential conversation, and now Bradley felt frustrated. He had so many questions and he knew the answers resided with you. One of the doctors from the previous day, Dr. Anderson, according to his coat, stepped in, offering a good morning as he scrolled on the tablet in his hand. 

“How are you feeling today, Lieutenant Commander?” 

The title was still unfamiliar to him. His gut reaction was to correct him, but the last time he did that, he found out he was missing four years of his life and an entire wife, so he refrained. 

“I’ve been better.” 

“Have you remembered anything overnight?” 

He saw you flinch out of the corner of his eye and the ice rattled in that damn coffee cup that he still had so many questions about due to your grip tightening for just a moment. 

He clenched his jaw and gave a single shake of his head. “No sir.” 

Dr. Anderson set the tablet on the foot of his bed and braced his hands against the plasti footboard, giving him the ability to look at him straight on. “That’s not uncommon,” he assured, though Bradley felt nothing of the sort. 

The white coat looked back and forth from the two of you a few times, and Bradley didn’t like the look he had in his eyes when they settled on you for a longer moment before looking back at him again. 

“It’s come to my attention that the time you're missing means you may not remember being married. Is that correct?” 

Bradley gritted his teeth, but nodded. 

“I see.” The doctor seemed to weigh his words for a moment before he spoke again. “Perhaps, Lieutenant Commander, it may be best if we speak in private?”

A flash of anger flared through him at the suggestion. You startled next to him, sucking in a breath as your eyes widened at the words. That protective instinct he had in regards to you had a glare hardening on his face. “Excuse me?” 

“Bradley…” your voice was gentle, soft, and it had him settling just a little bit, but his eyes remained on the man in front of him. 

“I mean no offense. I want to do whatever I can here to help you get on the road to recovery, but in order to properly treat you, you need to be completely honest with how you’re feeling and your injuries. Having someone who is currently a stranger to you could very well impact that. Would you be more comfortable if she wasn’t in the room with us?” 

“She is sitting right there, and no, Doctor, I would not be more comfortable if she weren’t.” 

“Lieute-” 

“She’s staying.” 

Dr. Anderson sighed, which grated on Bradley’s already fraying nerves, but nodded. He proceeded to ask him question after question, inquiring about double vision and how bad his head hurt and if he was having any trouble with the range of motion in his neck. They went over all of his injuries again and what his path to healing realistically looked like. His body should heal with no problem, but his head was trickier. 

“Unfortunately, there’s no cure for amnesia,” he was told when he asked, and he hated how nonchalant the doctor was when delivering that news. “The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. You sustained a significant amount of trauma to it that would have been considerably worse if your helmet didn’t take a brunt of the hit. Quite frankly, you’re lucky to be alive, Lieutenant Commander.” 

Bradley couldn’t fight the urge to look over at you. You were already staring back at him. You tried your best to smile at him, but he could see the pain in your eyes. He hated that he was the one who put it there. It was overwhelming how much causing you hurt,hurt him in return. 

Another knock at the door sounded and Dr. Anderson waved in the nurse standing in the doorway with a wheelchair in front of her. 

“I want to take you down for another scan to check on the swelling you had. If it’s gone down more overnight, we’ll be able to get a better view of any damage that perhaps we didn’t see before. We’ll grab some updated blood work and do a few other cognitive tests while we’re at it. Jackie will get you all squared away and wheel you down there.”

He grabbed his tablet off of the bed where he set it earlier, giving Bradley a nod that he returned. Instead of immediately turning and exiting, though, he turned to you. 

“Mrs. Bradshaw? Could I have a word outside?”

Hearing you be called Mrs. Bradshaw nearly took the breath out of him. But no, Bradley thought, he didn’t like that idea. Not with the way the doctor had looked and spoken to you a few minutes ago. But the older nurse was already speaking to him, asking questions of her own while unhooking some of the machines he was connected to. You stood up, following Dr. Anderson out of the room without a word. Bradley couldn’t do anything more than watch you leave. The door shut behind you and he immediately felt on edge.

“It’s good to see you awake, Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw,” she commented, helping him slowly swing his legs off the bed after she had raised him more upright and lowered the safety bars.  She held onto his arm and waist as he transferred from the bed to the wheelchair she had placed directly beside it. His ribs ached with the motion and his vision blurred as his head pounded. It took him a moment to catch his breath and he found himself having to then breathe through a wave of nausea. 

You walked back into the room right as the nurse was unlocking the wheels of the chair. Your face was desperately trying to remain neutral. 

“What?” he asked, the concern washing over him taking him by surprise. 

“Nothing,” you insisted. But Bradley knew you were lying. Your eyes gave you away. They were so expressive that he felt like he could almost see right through you. He knew you were upset and something he didn’t understand twisted in his chest that you were trying to keep that from him. 

“I’ll get him back to you in an hour or two, dear,” Nurse Jackie smiled at you as she wheeled him out of the room. 

Bradley was so tired of being cut off when he wanted to speak with you.

“You’ve certainly been a popular patient,” Nurse Jackie informed him as they waited for the elevator. 

“Ma’am?”

“That wife of yours has barely left your room, the poor thing. I think the furthest she’s gone is the cafeteria, and that’s only when she was coerced into doing it by your friends, and even then not for long.” 

“There’s been others here?” he asked, confused. 

“Oh, of course. There’s been a carousel of visitors in this room with usually one or two more in the waiting room. The two of you don’t lack love or support, I’ll tell you that.” 

That surprised him. He racked his brain trying to figure out who she could be referring to, but came up short once again. Bradley wasn’t close to many people. Making connections with people was hard in this line of work. He wasn’t usually in one place for long enough to have something genuine, friendships or otherwise. It was a sacrifice he was always content with, made easier by the fact that he bore so many emotional scars from all the love he lost early on in his life. He was man enough to admit that.

But yet here he was, being told that he apparently had so many people he was close to that his hospital room had become a revolving door. He had a hard time believing it.

The thought stuck with him when they got on the elevator and made their way down several floors. He went through the motions of it all, doing what was asked of him and answering all the questions he could, but his mind was elsewhere, searching for something he didn’t know. 

The machines scanning his brain made him feel claustrophobic. It was unfamiliar to him because he spent his days locked in the cockpit of a single-seater jet, yet he felt like he was aware of every inch of himself as he tried to lay as still as possible. He was becoming uncomfortable in his skin and feeling things he never did before. This wasn’t him and he couldn’t make sense of it. 

By the time he was being wheeled back down the hallway to his room, three hours later, the thoughts had festered so much that they etched a tight scowl on his face. The testing should have only taken an hour at most, which irritated him further. 

It didn’t help that you were on the phone with someone when the Nurse, a different one whose name he couldn’t remember, pushed him through the door, only to quickly hang up once you spotted him. 

“How’d it go?” you asked, and the nurse was answering for him before he could even process the question.  

“Just fine, ma’am.” The response was curt. Bradley watched your face fall at the tone the nurse gave you, lacking the kindness that Nurse Jackie had when she took him away. 

“I’m going to help him get cleaned up and changed,” the nurse continued, stopping him near the bed and locking the wheels on the chair so that it wouldn’t move. 

You cleared your throat and nodded. “Right. I uh-I can get out of the way.” 

“You don’t have to go,” Bradley said, meeting your eyes for the first time since this interaction began.

“It’s okay,” you said, forcing a smile onto your face as you grabbed the duffle you had shown him earlier and set it on the bed. “I um..I’ll leave you to it and be back in a few minutes, okay?” 

It wasn’t okay, but he didn’t feel like he had a right to feel like that, so he nodded instead. “Alright.” 

The process of getting something akin to a sponge bath and into new clothes was painfully uncomfortable for him. The nurse didn’t say much as she helped him, only giving him direction when she needed him to move a certain way or checking in to ask about his pain level if he flinched too hard. 

That part of him that he didn’t recognize wished you had stayed and helped him instead. 

By the time he was settled back in his hospital bed, he was tired and in pain. The nurse administered him another dose of painkillers before she made her exit. 

Bradley decided he preferred Nurse Jackie from earlier in the day. 

He tried his best to relax into the bed, focusing on keeping his body still until the drugs kicked in. He rested his hands over his stomach and paused. For the first time since he had been helped into them, he looked down at what it was he was wearing. 

He knew this t-shirt. It was soft and well worn, a UVA logo faded with time. It was one he had had since college. He wondered if it was a coincidence or if you had requested this specific one, knowing he’d recognize it. The thought eased some of the frustration he felt, but it didn’t go away completely. 

Bradley didn’t like feeling helpless and out of control of himself, and that’s exactly what he was right now. 

You said you would only be gone for a few minutes and he wanted to stay awake so he could talk to you, to maybe finally get a few answers, but the exhaustion from moving around mixed with the pain medication finally kicking in had him drifting off to sleep, your face and name cycling through his mind. 

--------

Part Three :: Series Masterlist :: Main Masterlist

*Part 4 and beyond are also on the masterlist!

Notes: Don't forget to comment & reblog! It's so unbelievably motivating.

Tagging those who asked or interacted with part one. I think I caught everyone, but I'm very new to this so apologies if I missed you! Please let me know if you'd like to be added or taken off this list :)

Tag List: @roosterforme - @mak-32 - @hoyaharper - @wildxwidow - @gretagerwigsmuse - @bradshawburner - @iamaslytherin0 - @lilyevanswhore - @too-fangirl-to-fuction - @fav-fanficssss - @benhardysdrumstick - @fandomxpreferences - @acatwriteshere - @1234-angelika - @double-j - @cocoskween - @sunflowersteves - @teacupsandtopgun - @littlezee80 - @sometimesanalice - @je-suis-prest-rachel - @khaylin27 - @infamous-reindeer - @hotch-meeeeeuppppp - @sarahjoestewy-blog - @sunnysidesidra - @notroosterbradshaw - @yanna-banana - @inthestars-unerthesun - @avengersfan25

#bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw imagine #tgm fanfiction #bradley bradshaw x oc #Bradley bradshaw x female reader #rooster x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster fanfic #alli writes #top gun fanfiction #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw fic

[blakeswritingimagines]

Brand New Man

Summary: You seem to have won your husband's heart all over again after the news of you having his child until he shows you how truly his heart is to you.

A/N: This is a technical part 2 still just an alternative with the happy ending everyone wanted. The first half is the same just so it flowed easily.

Word Count: 4.8k

A/N: Part 1 Burn The House Down

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon/Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used nor do I claim to own them.

"I'm pregnant." She spoke softly.

His eyes widened for a split second before he broke out in a soft chuckle. Was he imagining things, or were you truly saying what he thought he heard? “Do you mean it?” He asked slowly, taking in every word. He was unsure, but this would explain the weight gain, as well as why you had been so… moody. He had no other choice but to believe you for now. A child! This changes everything. Aemond was shocked. “P…. Pregnant?! Are you… serious?!” He was speechless. He tried to keep his composure but he could not hide his joy and excitement. Was it true, you were carrying his child? The thought alone sent his heart racing. He looked at you and put a smile on his face. This was the news he had been waiting for all this time. And he looked you straight in the eyes. “Is this true?” he asked, his eyes filled with joy and wonder. You heard Aemond's reaction, his eyes widened in shock and excitement. And you knew it was as you expected. You were truly carrying his child. "Yes, it is…" You replied in a sweet voice as your face grew bright with a wide smile. You felt so happy that Aemond was excited about the news, hoping the tension between you both would dissolve. "I am pregnant with our child." You continued, as you placed your hand on your stomach. "I've been trying to keep it a secret, but it has become difficult to hide. I guess I can make it official." You laughed and glanced at Aemond, who seemed to be beaming with enthusiasm. You wanted him to be happy and to hear the news he had been waiting for all this time. "It's true," you said, your eyes shining brightly.

“A baby?!” Aemond said with a grin. “You’re saying we’re going to have a baby?!” He placed his hand on your stomach, as you had done. “My lovely wife… I had feared that this day would never come. I could not imagine a day when we would not bring forth the next generation of our house. But, my worries are gone. We have made what I most desired.” Aemond laughed with joy and embraced you, holding you close in his arms as his grin grew wider and wider. Your hand rested on your stomach, the movement of your hand looked as though you were comforting the child being carried within. And he was overjoyed by this revelation. This was no secret anymore. Aemond was a man changed. He smiled and took your hand bringing it to his lips and kissed it. "Our child. Our beautiful child."

Months later, the pregnancy went smoothly and you began to notice your belly growing larger and your mood changing. You felt your emotions become more intense as the pregnancy became more advanced. Your moods shifted from happy to angry to anxious to affectionate, all in the span of just a few hours. You could not explain it. Aemond knew your mood swings were common and he understood it the best he could. However, these mood swings of yours were becoming more frequent and intense as the pregnancy progressed. He was constantly finding himself walking on eggshells, unsure of which mood his wife might have. Your mood swings were often unpredictable, and Aemond never knew what to expect from one moment to the next. But he understood, you were carrying a life within you, it was bound to create such mood swings at the least. He had to be patient with you. And he was. The days he seemed to be distant were now fewer and further between the two of you, he was there by your side always. He could see the weight changes, you were getting rather large now. He could notice it in your face and around your midriff. It was not easy being married to someone who was so emotionally unstable. It was especially exhausting being forced to play the role of husband and father. He was constantly stressed about you and the baby and his nerves frayed at the slightest change in your behavior.

The pregnancy was taking a toll on you. Your mood swings were becoming more and more uncontrollable. You would be laughing one moment, sad the next, and you could not figure out what to do about it. You felt that you were losing yourself and had no control over your feelings. You were now getting closer and closer to the due date. Your belly was huge and you were uncomfortable even as you constantly asked if you were fat or pretty. You tried hard not to let it bother you, but it was getting more difficult to ignore. “My dear, you’re gorgeous.” Aemond’s tone was filled with love and kindness as he spoke to you. “You are bigger yes, because our child is too, but you are not fat. And you are not losing yourself.” He added as he held you close. “You are becoming a mother. These feelings are natural. You are carrying our child within you. Your emotions are bound to be different. This is how it should be. You are going to give life. You are becoming more beautiful with each day since the day I met you.”

You listened to him carefully as he tried to reassure you about your changing body. You felt your confidence rise at the way he talked, calming your nerves with his words. You looked into his eyes and saw nothing but love, nothing but honesty. "Thank you, my love… You are right. This is how it should be." You smiled faintly, feeling more at ease. You felt your mood shift slightly, your pregnancy hormones calming down. It felt good to hear the words come from him directly, not just in your head. He was happy to see, that his words were helping. He took you into his arms and held you. His hand stroked your belly, as he spoke. “You are more beautiful now than ever before.” Those were the words he believed in this moment. You were not getting larger, you were getting more beautiful. Because the child within you was, a part of you both. It was beautiful to him. Aemond kissed you, it was a long kiss, filled with love.

It had been a year since the day of the child’s birth. In many ways, a lot has changed. Aemond and you had grown even closer than before. The little bundle of joy was a source of joy for you both. Tonight you would learn something that would change everything, and he dreaded this moment. He led you into the garden. “My love.” He spoke softly. “The feast is going well, and I wanted to take some time with you to speak in private.” You were enjoying the peace of the garden, taking in your surroundings and breathing in the fresh air. You looked over at Aemond when you heard his voice, glancing up at him with a soft smile, seeming to have a certain air of importance about him. You could hear the music fading from the distance and the distant sounds of the party still ongoing, but your surroundings were now much calmer than before. "Is something wrong?" You asked in a sweet voice, as you stopped in your place and turned to face him. "What would you like to speak about?" You asked quietly, sensing that something was troubling him but not wishing to intrude.

He looked at you with a smile, but it did not reach his eyes. Your eyes were sharp and observant. He had to think carefully about his words. “Nothing is wrong. I just-“ His speech stumbled as he tried to find the right words. How could he say what he was about to say? “There is something. I have been meaning to speak to you about.” Your smile faltered as you noticed the change in his demeanor. You paused, waiting for him to continue, taking note of his hesitancy. It was obvious that there was something he wished to say, but was having difficulty doing so. You nodded gently, encouraging him to go on. This is going all wrong. The thought plagued his mind. This was not going the way he wanted. He did not want to lose you. “I have been distant from you…. More distant than I should have been.” He told you. “I have been distracted by my duties.” He paused. “I’ve been busy, but that is no excuse.” He began. “I apologize. I have let my responsibilities keep me from you, and that was something I should have avoided.”

"I have been concerned…" You said softly, listening to his explanation with a soft expression on your face. You were disappointed that he had been distant so easily, yet he seemed to have a good reason for it. "You have many burdens as a prince and as a husband. It is understandable." You gave a reassuring smile, though your eyes remained sharp, and observed his reactions to your replies. “I am thankful for understanding.” He began, choosing his words carefully. “And I want to start to remedy this. From today I will focus more on you and our son. My duties can wait, you and our child cannot.” You listened to his words keenly, watching him carefully, not wanting to interrupt him as he chose his words carefully. You were pleased to hear him express his desire to spend more time with you and your son, but there was still a part of you that was unsure. "You promise?" You asked gently, your voice soft and quiet. "You will no longer distract yourself with your duties? From now on, you will dedicate your time to our family?"

“I promise.” He told you in a quiet voice. “My duties are unimportant when compared to yours. You are my beloved wife, and I was a fool to forget that. My priority will always, and I mean always, be my family. Never again shall I make you feel that you have to beg for my attention. As long as you forgive me for my behavior. I promise,” he told you, speaking firmly. He could notice the doubt in your eyes. “I swear by all things that I hold dear. I will be a father to our son. Your husband and protector. And I will ensure that we all spend time together as a family. I have ignored you for far too long dear. I know the weight of these words, and I have no intention of going back. I swear it.” Your doubts seemed to dissipate as you listened to him pledge his devotion to you and your son. You began to believe in his words and felt the trust in your heart returning. You couldn't deny that you were pleased to hear him speak with such sincerity, his voice full of conviction as he made a solemn promise.

"I believe you," You told him softly, feeling reassured by his words and his tone. You took a deep breath and paused, allowing him time to speak. As you did, you wondered if perhaps there was something more he wished to tell you. A sense of relief washed over you as you heard his words. You were glad that he acknowledged his mistakes and vowed to change his ways. Your expression softened, and you took a step towards him, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. "You are forgiven." You told him in a warm and loving voice, bringing your face closer to his. You were glad to see him change so quickly, and you were happy to have a husband like him who would dedicate time to the family. You were truly a good woman he thought. He was taken aback, as you spoke with compassion and understanding. He felt touched by this and felt the guilt leave him. A little at least. He did not expect you to walk a step closer, your hands reaching out to his face. His heart skipped when your hands touched him. Your lips were so close to his. He yearned for you. He missed you. He could not resist and he leaned forward and kissed you deeply. It was something he was wishing to do for a while now.

Aemond did not let up. He had been this hungry for a kiss before back when he first laid eyes on you. The passion was intense, as he pressed himself upon you. He wanted every last bit of you with a fire burning through him once more. You returned the kiss with the same vigor. The heat was palpable. Your movements were seamless, and you were as one again in this moment. It was one of the most heated kisses you had ever shared. It was the kiss of a man who had been away from his wife for far too long. The kiss was heated, and you could feel the intensity of his desire for you. You felt his hands exploring your body, his touch sending shivers of pleasure through your bones. Your breasts pressed up against him, and you let out a soft moan of enjoyment as you kissed, your tongues tangling and twining together in an erotic display of passion. You gave yourself up fully to him, submitting to his every move and giving him complete access to your body.

His hands groped and fondled your breasts, feeling your body responding to his touch. Everything about you was a sight to behold. Your body was pure bliss. You were a goddess in his eyes due to your beauty. Everything about you was perfect and you were his alone. Aemond found every inch of your body perfect. He felt his body grow warm and hot. Your moans turned him on, and he let out the same noises. The kiss was so intense that the world around you both seemed to disappear, and it was only you at that moment. Slowly pulling away he softly panted. "I'm sure we can sneak away to our bed chambers but for a moment no?". You chuckled softly, the kiss still lingering on your lips. You felt every inch of your body come to life in his passionate embrace, and you loved how he desired you. She looked up at him, smiling warmly. "I'm sure we can find a way out of here for a moment…" She leaned up and pressed her lips onto his, kissing him again, her tongue teasing his lips. "For a moment." She looked at him, blushing faintly. She was taken by surprise by his sudden urge to take her to their bedchambers, and her breath hitched softly at the thought. She glanced away nervously. "Let us go before we are caught," she advised softly. She did not resist his advance. The urge was mutual.

He grabbed your hand and ran with you out of the garden and straight into your room, closing the door and locking it behind you both. The adrenaline was rushing through his blood like a river. His eyes were blazing, and he was focused on one thing and one thing only. You could feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins as well, the excitement of what was about to happen filling you with energy. You followed him into the room, feeling his intensity as he locked the door and led you toward the bed. Your heart pounded in your chest with nervous anticipation, and your breathing quickened as you wondered what he had in mind. He picked you up and laid you on the bed. His breath was heavy and quick, as he looked at his beautiful wife. His heart beat heavily in his chest, with desire, and with intent. There was nothing that was going to get in the way of what he wanted to show you. He would make this up to you, he would take all his pent-up desire and release it.

He could not keep his eyes off of you. In this moment, he could only think of one thing, and that was you. You were the most beautiful thing in the world to him, and he would take you here. The heat of his desire for you was intense. You could feel the heat pouring off of him and onto you. He stood at the edge of the bed. He leaned in toward you and spoke in a low, animalistic tone. “I want you.” Staring up at him as he stood at the edge of the bed, his eyes burning into you with intense desire. Your breathing quickened, feeling the heat from his tone of voice. You leaned up on the mattress slowly, meeting him halfway as you let your body lean into him. You placed your hands on his shoulders, drawing him closer to you and closing the small gap between you. "Take me."

He chuckled softly, pulling you gently down onto the bed. You could feel his strength as he held onto you. You seemed so small and vulnerable, and he was the giant. He could do anything to you right now. He could take command of you and do as he wished with you before he started undressing you both. "Be rough…" You whispered in a breathy voice, your gaze locked on his. You trusted him completely, eager to see him reveal his passion again. You lifted your arms, allowing him to slide your clothes off, exposing your skin to him. You had missed this intensity only he could provide, and you were looking forward to being taken by him as he pleased. “Are you asking me to be rough with you?” He grinned, looking at you with desire in his eyes. “Or are you telling me?” He smirked, looking over your body with an almost predatory eye. Your words were like a challenge and an order to him. He gave a smile. He took the hint. Aemond did not wait another moment. He grabbed you by the waist and pinned you against the mattress. You could feel the power and strength of his grip, and you could feel how intense he was becoming. He started to kiss you passionately.

You gasped softly as he forced you onto the bed and pinned your body down, his strength sending jolts of electricity through your bones. His grip was firm the same way as when he first got your attention, and you could feel his intensity as he pinned you down, not allowing you to move or escape his touch, and you couldn't help but tremble from the pleasure. Your hands traced down his strong back, exploring his muscular physique as you let out a low moan in response. Aemond felt the chills run through your body as he pinned you down and took control of you. You were so small and your body so vulnerable. You were his now. Your moan did not go unnoticed. It excited him even more. He ran his hand down your back, exploring those curves and shapes that you always hid. It felt so good to touch you like this again. You let out another moan, which in turn caused Aemond to moan as well. He was so turned on he could barely control himself. Aemond looked at your body and smiled. You were perfection. Your breasts were perfect, the shapes of your body reminding him of a goddess. You were everything he desired and more. He lowered himself between your legs. He groaned as he kissed your thigh teasing you.

Your body trembled beneath the touch of his hands, your nerves tingling with exquisite sensation. You gasped softly, feeling him kiss your thighs, his touch teasing and tantalizing. You were filled with suspense, your breath caught in your throat, feeling him kiss and touch you in this way. Your lips parted, and you moaned softly as he started sucking on your skin again, your back arching slightly. As he kissed your thighs, he could feel your body arching and your breath becoming shorter. Your lips parted, and your moans were getting louder. You were enjoying it a lot. He took pleasure in this. He wanted more than anything to see you feel a wave of pleasure that broke down every wall and defense you tried to keep. As a result, he began to kiss higher and higher, toward your inner thighs. You seemed so sensitive Your breath was caught in your throat and you could barely moan. And you let out a soft moan from the feeling of his lips on your dripping cunt. and it was driving you crazy with anticipation. He was not letting up, pushing you closer and closer to the edge.

The sensation of his lips kissing your swollen cilt was driving you crazy with anticipation, and you bit your lip to keep from whimpering. His kisses were so soft yet so intimate and sensual. You felt as though his mouth was a fire that was consuming your body, the heat radiating from his mouth as he licked and sucked sensually eating you like a man starved. You gripped the blanket tightly, trying to keep your moans quiet, yet his touch was making it impossible to do so. You were close to the edge, and it was becoming unbearable. Your reaction to him was everything he hoped for. You were reacting perfectly. You biting your lip was only making you more desirable to him. Your moans were growing louder and stronger with every motion he delivered to your pussy. He was not allowing you to feel anything but this sensation. Aemond could feel how close you were to the edge, and it caused him to moan as well. It was an incredible feeling. He wanted you to reach that point now. His kisses were getting more intense and his touch more passionate. The kiss had turned into a tease, he ran his tongue over you, your flesh as smooth as silk.

You couldn't take it anymore, and you let out a loud moan of his name, your body shaking uncontrollably with pleasure. Aemond's tongue was driving you crazy with need, and you couldn't resist anymore. Your back arched slightly as you pushed your hips against him, enjoying the feeling of his tongue. The heat inside you rose, and you felt your body grow restless and tense, wanting more and more. You had finally reached the edge, and you could not hold back anymore. Aemond had control of you in this situation, and he was going to take this opportunity to take what he wanted. There was no more teasing or playing. Your moans had driven him over the edge, and now he wanted to satisfy his desires and needs. Aemond was in a frenzy from the passion as your body quivered. He kissed you one more time and suddenly he grabbed you by the legs, pinning you down so you were unable to move. He was now going to take what he wanted while giving you more pleasure.

You gasped softly as Aemond pinned you down while moving to hover above you, the sensation of his hands on your skin sending shivers of excitement through your bones. You felt a wave of heat wash over your body, your heart rate rising as you were filled with a rush of primal desire. His hands on your body gave you a sense of powerlessness, yet his touch was filled with so much intensity and passion that it almost made you want him more. You were on the edge, and you eagerly awaited him taking you. Aemond saw the way you were responding to his touch. he understood your desires and your needs. He had never felt as in this moment as he was now. He saw the way your body heaved and your hips pushed into him. He was overwhelmed with desire and a need for you. He pinned your legs up into your chest, as it was easier to position you. He wanted every inch of you, and he intended to take you just like this.

You gasped softly as you felt the sensation of his cock stretching you out, his warm and firm body filling you completely. You felt his weight on top of you and liked the power that came with it. You could feel his hands exploring places you hadn't felt him touch before, your body quivering and your breaths coming out in soft sighs. Your body was overwhelmed with pleasure as you coupled together, the passion and energy building between you as your bodies moved together in a slow rhythm. Aemond enjoyed the control. He loved the feeling of his body against yours. He could hear your sighs and your moans of pleasure, which drove him crazy with desire. Your body was so responsive and you had no control over what he was doing. Your body was his, so to speak. Aemond could feel himself approaching a climax, this was something he couldn’t deny or fight against.

You liked the feeling of him on top of you like this again, his body pressed against yours. The power he had over you drove you crazy with desire and pleasure, the warmth and comfort of his body over yours making a feeling of protection wash over you. Your body was submissive to him at this moment, allowing him to do whatever he wanted with you. You couldn't help feeling turned on by the power dynamic between you two. The pleasure building within your body was becoming unbearable, and you were close to the edge. Aemond was in another world. All he could feel was the heat and joy he got from your body. You were so responsive and it was such a thrill to have you beneath him like this. He was enjoying himself immensely. Aemond would hold nothing back. He didn’t care if it was too intense, too much, or too strong. He just wanted to feel the ecstasy and pleasure that came with this. As you felt yourself approaching the edge once more, he would speed up the movement and his rhythm, making it more intense and passionate. With each moment that passed, he wanted you more and more. He knew you would break soon and he was enjoying every second of it. The pace of his actions and the rhythm of his motions were increasing. Your body was his to explore, savor, and delight in and he was going to do exactly that. Aemond made sure he would not finish quickly, he wanted this to last, so his strokes continued and became more aggressive.

Your breath hitched, feeling Aemond's passionate thrusts, each one sending waves of pleasure through your body. Your body was tense and stiff, as you were getting closer and closer to your climax. Your thoughts went blank, and you focused on the sensation of his cock inside of you. You grunted softly as you moved together in a pleasurable motion, the heat, and desire building up more within you. You could feel yourself reaching the edge, a deep ache inside of you beginning to build. Aemond heard your grunts and he felt you tense up. You were getting close and clenching around his member. Each moment was so intoxicating, so enticing for him. The sounds coming from your mouth told him all he needed to know. He knew how close you were, and he was enjoying every second of it. The heat inside of him was increasing, as he neared the peak himself. Your body was quivering as you were pushing yourself closer and closer to that climax, that release that you wanted so badly. You were on the verge of explosion, everything that was pent up inside you was finally releasing. Your fingernails dug into his back as you grunted softly. The sounds of pleasure were heard across the chamber. Your eyes were locked with his, You were in an absolute state of bliss.

Your bodies moved with incredible intensity, a rhythm built between you. The sounds of pleasure from you both echoed throughout the bed chambers. He held you tight, not allowing you to move away or escape his touch. He was enjoying this way too much to let you go. He was right there with you. your pussy tightened against his cock as the sensations became overwhelming for you. He could hear your breathing become heavy and rapid. The sound made him tremble with desire as he reached his own climax. He was tired and spent. He was still panting as he looked down at you. Your eyes were closed as you attempted to catch your breath. He could sense this helped but couldn't help but think. The feeling of forgiveness. He took a breath and then spoke. “Do you forgive me?” You gasped softly as you were still recovering from the intense climax, your legs shaking slightly underneath you. Your eyes locked with his again, and you looked at him with the same emotion you did when he had first taken you. You were overwhelmed with a feeling of euphoria that was difficult to describe, you were so overwhelmed you couldn't say anything for a long moment until you caught your breath and whispered.

"Yes."

#house of the dragon #aemond targaryen x reader #house of the dragon aemond #prince aemond #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen #hotd aemond #aemond x reader #aemond x you #aemond smut #prince aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen smut #aemond targaryen x you #aemond targaryen imagine

[yourheart-inmyhands]

I’m here to add onto the idea/request of a previous fic with the archons with a reader who is a fallen god/archon. So instead of reader being banished or overthrown like how the archons may think.. turns out reader/old text books were keeping something from them. Reader faked their death (like another certain archon *cough* *cough* zhongli) and when pressed into why they faked their death. All that reader says is ‘I fell in love with a human centuries ago yada yada and gave up some of my powers and status’ yeah turns out they’ve been human for a couple hundred years and still held onto their god like powers and life span😭. So reader is all like ‘I can be an archon if I do desire again. BUT I grew used to living as a human and I’ve gotten used to you 🫶’ (totally not because they don’t want to resume their duties and explain to their citizens why they were “dead” for a couple centuries) 

hi i only did venti and zhongli for this because i'm trying to cut back to 2-3 characters per post so if you want to see the other two feel free to requests them! i'll be sure to attend to it quickly since i technically shorted you on this one, which i apologize for, i hope you still enjoy it :D

Warning: this post contains yandere-themes, including delusional behaviors, obsessive behaviors, mentions of implied violence, mentions of nations being destroyed, and other potential topics. Please read at your own risk!

Yandere!Venti feels jealous at first, you had loved someone else? But he quickly gets over it, focusing on the fact that you were in fact, technically an Archon. He couldn’t guess which one you were, so you’d have to tell him, but he’d be fascinated to hear about the stories of who your people used to be. It’s pretty clear that wherever you used to is no longer an existing place, the Archon war having wiped out any nation and their God that could not hold themself up against the powerful beings. Venti feels a sick satisfaction at the idea that he may have been responsible for destroying your previous region, he thinks it’s funny.

Venti listens as you tell of your previous home, your people and their land, your first love. He doesn’t care to think of who your first love was, praising the fact that they were dead right now and he was alive and here with you. He tries to remember back to the Archon War, trying to think of who had been responsible for wiping out your nation. It was a long time ago and with many smaller gods culled so that the strongest seven could remain in control. Venti hopes it was him who had the pleasure of destroying your lands, he thinks it would be a cute little coincidence that he had destroyed your people whilst you pretended to be mortal and ran around with a human man. He tells you that you don’t need to return to Archon status, that no one was waiting for you, and if you weren’t careful one of the others might step out of line and execute you. He would never let it happen, but he uses it as a scare tactic, wanting to keep you weaker and more human, below him.

Yandere!Zhongli would find it curious, his extensive memory bringing back the exact playthrough of what had happened back then. He remembers hearing of a lesser god passing, he remembers smiling, taking advantage of your ‘passing’ back then to overtake your land. He doesn’t bring it up to you, not wanting to tarnish his perfect image of himself in your mind. 

It was kind of sickening, that Zhongli could remember way back, back when he still went by Morax, back when killing off weaker gods was something more commonplace. You had passed mysteriously, leaving behind a godless nation with no one to protect it. And Morax was all for having the upper hand. He didn’t bring it up as you reminisced about your days in power, contemplating about returning. “Who left is there to return to? In this day and age you couldn’t gather a following without it being seen as a declaration of war to one of the currently throned seven, me included.” It’s a subtle way of putting it but Zhongli made it clear that it was best you continued to lay low, lest physical action need be taken, Zhongli included. The man much preferred that you say weaker and below him on the food chain, in your place, where he could easily assert his control over you.

#genshin x reader #genshin x male reader #yandere genshin x reader #yandere genshin x male reader #venti x reader #venti x male reader #yandere venti x reader #yandere venti x male reader #zhongli x reader #zhongli x male reader #yandere zhongli x reader #yandere zhongli x male reader #yandere venti #yandere zhongli #yandere genshin

[jaggedcliffs]

This is exactly 100% the very accurate dialogue the script-writers had in mind when they wrote this scene.

Image description under the cut.

Narration, as Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng come across Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen in the Unclean Realm in Episode 21: Just a normal encounter during the Sunshot Campaign...

Wei Wuxian, looking alarmed: oh no, my ex! who hates my new cultivation! who I also never began dating in the first place. can you break up with someone if you were never technically a couple?

Lan Xichen, looking at Lan Wangji with concern: I’m guessing you two are still on the outs...?

Lan Wangji, staring angrily ahead: No. There is nothing wrong. I am feeling nothing. This is my feeling nothing face.

Lan Xichen, now looking ahead with concern: ...alright, if you say so.

Jiang Cheng, looking at Wei Wuxian with concern: So, uh, you guys still going through a rough patch, huh?

Wei Wuxian, putting on a smile: Actually I am not bothered by this whatsoever. I am, in fact, very happy and normal and will say hello like a normal, untraumatized person whose crush isn’t rejecting him.

Narration, as the two parties come close and bow: *polite, normal bowing*

Wei Wuxian, looking at Lan Wangji: *YEARNS at Lan Zhan*

Lan Wangji, meeting Wei Wuxian’s eyes: *no yearning. no talking. still angry*

Wei Wuxian, looking to the side, somewhat hurt: oh. oh alright, cool cool cool 

Wei Wuxian, covering it up with a stiff smile as he nods at Lan Xichen: anyway, nice seeing ya Zewu-jun

Wei Wuxian, walking fast past Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji: completely unrelatedly, time to go.

Jiang Cheng, looking up after Wei Wuxian in alarm: Wait, what? Really?

Jiang Cheng, also walking fast past Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen: Shit, I’m out too, then

Lan Wangji, turning around to stare at an off-screen Wei Wuxian: *YEARNS where Wei Ying cannot see*

Lan Xichen, also turning around to stare at the off-screen Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng: Well...that sure was something.

#jagged watches the untamed #wei wuxian #lan wangji #lan xichen #jiang cheng #the untamed #cql #fan edit #incorrect quotes #this is has sitting in my drafts for MONTHS #I decided to finally finish polishing up the borders on the text and post it #wwx

[mixelation]

more (a)synchronicity. the meetcute <3

ummm okay so one thing to remember is that minato has met tori TWICE and simply does not remember her because he hasn't realized she's the main character. but she remembers him. not fondly.

*****

There was a platoon of Kumo-nin squatting in a small riverside village. Minato killed them, as part of his general orders to keep enemy ninja out of the smaller countries as much as possible. He also found that getting on civilians’ good sides made his life easier. If he was lucky, they’d tell him some info and offer him food and lodging. 

He killed the first three Kumo-nin almost instantly when they came out of a home to confront him. The fourth and fifth took a couple minutes to hunt down, as all the villagers ran around and screamed and fled into their houses. The seventh had taken an old lady hostage in her own home, which was just pathetic. Minato caught the old lady as the Kumo-nin’s body fell. 

“Hey,” he said, putting her back on her feet. She was shaking, and he had no idea if that was just an old lady thing or she was upset. He smiled his most harmless and disarming smile at her. “Are you alright?”

He didn’t hear her answer— which didn’t really matter, because no one looked into his nicest smile and didn’t think they were okay— because someone stepped into the doorway. 

Like most of the homes in the village, this woman’s house was a single room. The Kumo-nin had darted in here at random and left the front door open. Minato turned, expecting to see a village leader or warrior. That’s usually who came and talked to him, before he could properly trot out his charm. Civilians were often terrified of ninja, especially in the small countries where they could be attacked or displaced by their wars at any moment. 

It wasn’t a leader or a fighter in the doorway though. It was a young woman, who watched him with curious dark eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back tightly, and the only thing that seemed slightly remarkable about her was that her frayed dress was an uncommon style to this area. 

“Hi,” Minato said brightly, friendly as can be. “Um— I just saved your grandmother here from those nasty ninja...”

“She’s not my grandmother,” the woman replied. She leaned against the doorframe, casual as could be. “But thanks, I guess. You’re not a nasty ninja too?”

“I’m a ninja,” Minato confirmed. He winked performatively at her. “But I’m not nasty. I’m from Konoha.”

She snorted, unimpressed. Well. He supposed his charm couldn’t work on everyone. 

The old lady was still shaking terribly. Minato helped her into the big plush chair she had at the foot of her bed. As he did this, an older man he’d bet was the village leader appeared at the doorway, and the woman explained, in a surprisingly bored drawl, he was Konoha and that he’d killed all seven Kumo-nin. 

The seventh one’s body was still in the middle of the room. Minato stepped over it to greet the leader. 

“Is everyone alright?” he asked first. The leader boggled back at him. The woman just raised her eyebrows. 

The leader had barely acknowledged her. Minato was drawing a blank for what her role might be. Not important, not impressed by ninja, even charming helpful ninja… Village weirdo?

“I’m Minato, a Jounin of Konoha,” he introduced himself, jabbing his thumb at his headband. “Those ninja that were harassing you were Kumo. As your ally, I’m happy to—”

“Konoha isn’t our ally,” the woman said, eyes meeting his. A tiny smirk crossed her face. “You’re on the Grass side of the river. The Kumo-nin were our allies.”

Minato had known this. He introduced himself as an ally to basically all civilians in the smaller countries, to help with his friendly persona and promote Konoha’s image. People rarely called him out, because during this war, ninja were almost uniformly horrible to civilians outside of their homelands. A lone handsome and friendly Konoha-nin was almost always anyone’s preference, even if their country was technically at war with Konoha. 

“Also— why do ninja always talk like we have no idea what their hitai-ate mean?” the woman asked.

Well. It had never occurred to Minato that people in a backwater town might be well-versed in ninja customs. 

“Reina…” the village leader said, shooting the woman a warning look. Then he turned back to Minato. “The Kumo-nin were stealing our food, disrupting our work, and harassing our women. We’re thankful you got rid of them.”

Minato smiled. Reina rolled her eyes and walked away. 

The leader went on to say that he would happily host Minato for the night as thanks, but he would have to report the attack to Kumo. He apologized that the message would likely reach the nearest administrative camp quickly, only giving Minato a few days to vacate the area before they were alerted. 

“It’s okay,” Minato said cheekily. “I’m fast.”

The village buzzed to life after that. The Kumo-nin bodies were moved, rolled in cloth and lined up in the shade of the town square in case Kumo wanted them. Villagers rushed about, checking on friends and family. The old lady’s actual grandson bowed deeply to Minato in thanks. 

Minato sat on the edge of the bone-dry fountain in the middle of the square, watching all this. The villagers seemed a little jittery around him— eyeing him in evident fear whenever one scuttled past— so he didn’t want to do anything that might scare them. It was boring, but he obediently sat still and tried not to bounce his leg too much all day long. 

The village leader’s wife came over and introduced herself, and then offered Minato with some onigiri to snack on. He asked about the old lady and was assured she was fine. 

“I wouldn’t mind,” Minato said, turning up the charm as he accepted the riceballs, “chatting with you and your husband about anything interesting going on around here.”

“Around here…?” the wife said. “The most interesting thing is you.”

She smiled bashfully. Ah, well. At least his charms were working on someone. 

“No other ninja?” Minato pressed. 

“Oh,” the wife said. “Well, I’ll ask around. My husband will surely tell you more at dinner.”

She left. 

The sun lowered in the sky, and the village calmed. Reina sauntered over to him. 

“You look bored,” she said. “Do you want to do something useful?”

“Sure?” Minato replied, half-convinced she was going to tell him to go clean something.

“Don’t worry,” she said, and finally offered him a real smile. “It’s interesting.”

Minato hopped to his feet. 

Reina led him through the village, seemingly completely unbothered to have a ninja at her back. Civilians were like that, he guessed. It was weird, but it wasn’t suspicious. He watched the bun at the back of her head loosen ever so slightly with every step as she marched down the main road. 

(Improperly tied hair… also a very weird civilian thing.)

“There’s a ninja paper down in the river,” she explained as she walked. “I noticed it a few days ago. I guess the Kumo-nin put it there, but I don’t know why.”

“Ninja paper?” Minato asked.

She turned slightly to look at him with one eye as she walked. 

“You know the… special paper.” She drew a few random circles in the air with her finger for him. “With the squiggles?”

That was, actually, potentially, extremely interesting. It could be evidence left by their mysterious fuinjutsu user. It could be the final clue Minato needed to find them. 

Or, more likely, given the mystery fuinjutsu user tended to paint or carve onto natural objects, it was just one of the Kumo-nin’s fishing traps. But it could be a clue. 

They passed the border of the village, and the cobblestone street turned to a packed dirt path. Minato quickened his step slightly to walk next to Reina. 

“Is it doing anything?” he asked. 

She gave him a look. “Doing anything…? Don’t they just explode if you step on them?”

Not doing anything then, okay. So she just thought it was a safety hazard she’d need another ninja to get rid of. 

“You said it was in the river?” he prompted instead. 

“Yeah, it’s in the water,” she said. “It’s like… um…” She made a few hand gestures which were meaningless to Minato, and then had the grace to look embarrassed. “Well, you’ll see.”

The path rose over a slight hill, and then they could see the river down below. It wasn’t very big or impressive here, but a lot of trade traffic would come through here in peace times. The banks were manmade stone walkways, to aid with the horses than sometimes lead boats. 

“It’s up there,” Rein said, pointing. She stepped off the path to make a more direct route across the grass down to the riverside. “I marked it so I could find it again.”

They walked maybe thirty minutes. Minato didn’t mind. The breeze was nice, and this area of the country was all open fields, meaning he could see down the river for what felt like miles. It would be sunset soon, and the sun was already glinting off the water in pretty ways. He still preferred the shade of Fire Country’s forests, but it was nice to be able to see so far every once in a while. 

He did try to talk to Reina, as they walked. She didn’t seem like she had much to say about the maybe-seal she was walking him to, but a good shinobi was always fishing for information. 

She seemed cagey at first, but with some light, half-joking flirtations that made her make unimpressed faces at him, he got her to open up about her life. She complained the village had nothing to do and that she had to walk to another town if she even wanted to buy a book. When he asked why she didn’t leave, she looked at him like he was stupid. 

He was almost starting to take those looks personally. 

“Because I have no money, and ninja are shooting fireballs at each other all over the place,” she said. Then she looked away, kicking a pebble down the embankment and into the river. “Plus someone has to raise my little brother.”

At some point, Reina’s bun loosened to the point where she had to take it down. 

“Ugh,” she said, pulling the tie and then shaking out her hair. “Did you know war can make hair tie shortages?”

She held up a deformed elastic tie for him, as if making some sort of point. 

“Why don’t you just… use a ribbon?” he tried. He knew Kushina liked the elastic ones because she was always complaining about snapping them, but Kotone had only ever used cloth ties. 

Reina stared at him like the thought had never occurred to her. Minato smiled uncertainly back. She was a village girl. Surely she knew about traditional hair ties? Or pins? What were hair pins for? He’d picked them out of lovers’ hair before. They must have been doing something. 

Minato suddenly felt like he’d only ever known two women in his entire life. 

“Your hair is curly,” he observed, and then immediately felt deeply stupid. 

“Oh,” Reina said, a hand resting where her hair fell over her shoulder. It was quite long too, although not as long as Kushina’s. It was also clearly tangled and unwashed. “Well, right now it’s more like a mess…”

“I think it’s pretty,” Minato said, flashing his best, most charismatic smile at her. “It suits you.”

He wasn’t even lying. It really did make her look like the village weirdo, suiting her perfectly. 

She turned away, her cheeks clearly pink. 

Ha! Gotcha, Minato thought. Finally. 

They came to the right part of the river a few minutes later. Reina had stacked up a tower of flat river stones right at the edge of the embankment. Minato stood next to the tower and peered down into the river. It was only maybe knee-deep at the edge, and the water was clear enough that he could easily make out every stone at the bottom. 

“It’s further out,” Reina said, pointing. 

Minato watched her over his shoulder as he stepped out onto the water, waiting for her look of wonder as she realized what he was doing. Instead, she just sort of smiled blithely at him and squatted next to the rock tower. Minato felt bizarrely disappointed. 

What are you expecting, Namikaze? Minato chided himself as he plodded out across the river. What had he become, that his ego needed him to be able to impress this random civilian woman? She’s just the village weirdo. Who cares if she doesn’t think you’re charming?

He spotted the “ninja paper” soon after. It was a standard tag tied to a kunai wedged in the rocks below, waving gently in the current. Minato squatted, squinting down at it. He couldn’t make out the actual seal on the tag, but it was the wrong shape for an exploding tag. 

“Well?” Reina called. “Aren’t you going to go get it?”

He turned his face to look at her. One of her hands was absentmindedly tracing a pattern over the top rock of the tower. She was watching him eagerly, more eager than she’d been all day. 

“Go on,” she said, a nearly flirtatious tease in her voice. “Dive down and get it, Konoha.”

“No,” Minato said slowly. Something was wrong. “It could be a trap. Reina, how did you see it all the way out here?”

“Hm?”

He stood fully. His hand twitched at his side, itching for a kunai. But— no— she was a civilian. He didn’t want to scare her until he was certain. He could still get info out of her village, and he’d make that job a lot harder for himself if he freaked out their weirdo. 

“The ninja tag,” he said. “How did you find it?”

“Oh,” Reina said, blinking at him in what seemed like full understanding. 

Then her little smirk was back, sure of herself in a way that almost looked dangerous. The setting sun glinted in her hair, caught in her curls and turning them almost red. She pushed the rock tower over, the stones plopping into the water. 

Minato did not react immediately, because she was just a civilian tossing some rocks in the river. But then, suddenly, he was underwater, and the water was boiling. 

The pain kept him from reacting immediately. Every inch of his skin lit up in pain. There was a force sucking him down, preventing him from moving his limbs and escaping the way his brain was demanding. He squeezed his eyes shut to protect them and grabbed mentally for any Hiraishin marker. He had no idea where the one he picked was— his brain was confused and screaming at him about the pain and he couldn’t tell which way was up or down. 

Then he was on land, cold air on his blistering skin. He took a deep, calming breath. Everything hurt, but now it hurt in a way he was more accustomed to. He could focus. He was in an empty field. The civilian woman had tricked him— had— had— he had no idea what she’d done. He didn’t know anything that could make that happen, except maybe a very creative and pissed off Kiri-nin. 

He teleported to the Konoha hospital next. Leaving a marker there had seemed like a convenient idea to him when he’d done it, but he’d left the marker in the room he’d been staying in when he’d made the decision. The nurse currently in there screamed. 

He got immediate medical treatment, though. 

Kushina came to visit him on the second day of his hospitalization, and he succeeded in not crying in front of her. She succeeded in holding back on making fun of him for being a light shade of pink. 

“Stupid,” Kushina told him from her seat by his bed. “You’re lucky you didn’t boil your eyes out of your head.”

He’d gotten out quick enough he’d done no permanent damage to himself, at least not with Konoha’s medical intervention, his medic-nin had said. He hadn’t corrected her that any damage done to his person would have been inflicted by a random civilian woman. The report he was going to have to write on this would be embarrassing enough. 

If he’d been in the water much longer, he'd have been at risk for boiling his organs, including his brain, which not even Tsunade-hime could undo. He was certain this would have happened if he’d listened to Reina and dived for the tag. If he’d floundered for a minute more, he’d be literally coked. 

“I think it was the fuinjutsu user,” Minato explained to Kushina, after he’d filled her in on the whole story. Talking hurt, because he’d damaged almost all of his skin. “The village weirdo must have… figured out how to use the seal, or they taught her how, or something.”

“All that in one little seal, though?” Kushina asked. Her brow was furrowed, like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. 

“It’s not impossible,” Minato said, but Kushina looked doubtful. 

He was inclined to believe her doubt. Jiraiya liked to brag that Minato was a fuinjutsu master, but the only thing he had on Kushina was more experience in space-time fuinjutsu. If she disagreed with him on anything else, well, she was probably right. 

“How have you been?” Minato asked. Kushina puffed up her cheeks and exhaled. 

“I spent ten hours yesterday decoding a report,” she said. “I swear to every god there is, training genin was better than this—”

Minato relaxed back into the lumpy hospital pillow to listen to her rant. Kushina had recently switched to a purely office role for a pay bump, and because she wanted a break from training “brats” up to be battlefield ready. She’d thought she’d be spending all her time on fuinjutsu development, but she was frequently being saddled with administrative odd jobs. This was, to Minato’s understanding, just something that happened now due to the war. More and more able bodied shinobi were being sent out, and so there were fewer people to do the gruntwork at home. 

“If you're bored,” Kushina said, suddenly brightening up. “You can decode reports, and I can go back to trying to figure out a water purification seal that also fits in a canteen.”

She came back later in the evening with a convenience store bento (which was vastly superior to Minato’s hospital dinner) and a stack of coded reports. 

“Have fun!” she cooed. 

Minato thought about just not doing the work, with the excuse that he had burns on over 90% of his body. But… he was bored. 

Needless to say, when he was finally released a week later, he was itching to do something, even if he’d been warned off anything but “light” exercise. Interrogating a civilian would be light, wouldn’t it?

At least one of his markers was still in the village in Grass Country, left on one of the kunai he’d used in his initial attack. He dressed in his uniform, double checked his weapons, and went in. 

He landed on a table, which groaned and shifted under his weight. A man with a Kumo hitai-ate was two feet away from him, and he let out a sad muted scream of surprise. Minato slit his throat before he could properly finish his yell. 

There were two other shinobi in the room, but they were both dead a second later. 

Minato took a moment to assess the situation. The room matched the same style of single-room home as the village, so he probably was actually there. The rickety table held all three kunai he’d left behind: one of his Hiraishin ones, and two standard issue ones. There was also a scroll unraveled, where someone had evidently taken notes on the incident where he’d killed seven Kumo-nin.

Annoying, he thought, lips thinning. If Kumo was using their brains, they’d have sent more than these shinobi. Minato spun a kunai in his fingers a couple times, preparing for a fight. This still counted as light exercise, right?

In the next ten or so minutes, he combed the village and hunted down and killed a grand total of fourteen more Kumo-nin. His heart rate was barely elevated by the end of it. No way his medic would be mad at him. 

When none of the villages came out to speak to him, he went to the house of the village leader and knocked on the door. 

“I need to speak to Reina, please,” he said. As an afterthought, he smiled. 

“She’s gone,” the leader said, clearly nervous. 

Minato raised his eyebrows. “You really don’t want to be lying to me,” he said. 

“N-no,” the leader said, putting his hands up defensively. “She really is gone. We thought she left with you.”

Minato narrowed his eyes. “A young woman just disappeared with a ninja, and you didn’t follow up?”

“I…” The leader was fidgeting now. “I apologize if she offended you. She’s not one of us. None of us know who she is or where she came from. If she did anything, it doesn’t have anything to do with us.”

Minato stared. What the fuck?

“P-please,” the leader said. “Kumo is already fining us for the other shinobi you killed. We can’t afford—”

“Tell me more about Reina,” Minato pressed. 

He didn’t care about the leader’s cowering or begging that he just leave them alone. He was done trying to charm and play nice; he’d already killed too many ninja in this village. No amount of smiling and happy words would redeem him, and he was feeling too impatient for that today anyway. 

Reina, apparently, had shown up only a few days before the Kumo-nin, claiming to be a distant relative of a recently deceased elderly man, sent to clear out his things. She’d presented his death certificate as proof. She’d been living in the man’s home and hadn’t spoken much to anyone. Everything she’d said about her life in the village to him had been a bald-faced lie. 

“Anyone can get a death certificate,” Minato said. “That’s not proof. Why did you trust her?”

The village leader was clearly upset. His voice shook as he spoke. 

“We didn’t… we didn’t think like that…” 

Oh good, so the whole town had just believed her story with zero follow up questions. 

The village leader seemed to realize how little MInato thought of him. He tried, “She was useful. She wasn’t afraid to speak to the ninja for us. We never questioned her.”

Minato asked some more questions, but the leader had nothing else to share. Minato made him show him the old man’s home. When he told the leader he no longer needed him, the man ran from him. 

Minato searched the house. For a place she was supposedly cleaning out for several weeks, there were still a lot of things left behind, to the point that it was unclear if Reina had taken anything at all. Minato found no valuables, so either she’d taken them, or the man had none to begin with. She had… eaten all of his nonperishable food?

There were a couple of items of women’s clothing tossed into a laundry basket, and a mug decorated with cutesy cartoon crabs on the table that Minato doubted had belonged to the old man. There were still a few sips of coffee in the mug. Minato poured out the coffee and stored the mug and the clothes in a scroll. 

He went down to the river next. It only took a few minutes at ninja speed, but with the stone tower now gone, it took him a while to relocate the site where she’d attempted to boil him alive. He spotted the kunai eventually, still wedged into the bed of the river and sporting a tag. 

Minato was hesitant to stick his hand back in the water, even if it was now a completely normal temperature. He’d taken a fire poker from the old man’s home, and he used it to hook the kunai and pull it up. The water wasn’t deep; he probably could have stood up if he hadn’t been busy being boiled. 

The seal on the kunai’s tag was nonsense. It literally did nothing but move chakra around inside of it. That was, it would do nothing but move chakra around if it had any chakra in it at all. 

Minato walked back to shore and sat on the stone embankment, feeling completely flummoxed. The tag was completely nonfunctional. 

So, Reina was some sort of run-of-the-mill conartist, but he didn’t understand what her goal had been, or how it connected to the mystery fuinjutsu user. Maybe the Kumo-nin occupying the town had disrupted her plan? But who had made the boiling trap, and how had she known how to activate it? The mystery fuinjutsu user had a history of helping civilians. Had they told Reina she could use it on the Kumo-nin, and instead she’d decided to use it on Minato?

He turned that last idea around in his brain for a while. Setting a death trap for ninja was pretty consistent with the mystery fuinjutsu user’s MO. But seven ninja was more than they usually went after. They did not seem to care about confronting high-ranking ninja, but they usually isolated ninja before acting; for whatever reason, they were opposed to facing multiple opponents. Besides, Minato could not see how this trap would even work on seven people. 

And how had the trap worked at all?

Minato sat cross legged on the embankment and closed his eyes, focusing on replaying the moment in his mind. 

He thought of Reina, in her out of place dress that was out of place because she was. He remembered her coaxing him to dive, and then her face when he’d asked her how she’d found it. 

She hadn’t been afraid. He thought about her eyes, wide with understanding, her lips slightly parted. That wasn’t the face of a woman realizing she’d been caught in her own trap. That was her realizing she’d won. 

She won, Minato realized. She’d won the second he hadn’t drawn a weapon, and she’d known it. She’d known exactly how the trap worked, and exactly how ninja worked. She couldn’t be as fast a ninja, but she knew how to take advantage of a moment of hesitation. 

No, she won before that, Minato decided. She’d won when she’d gotten him on the water and told him to dive. If he’d not found her suspicious, he might have dived, or he’d be distracted getting the kunai, and she would have activated the trap and maybe killed him. If he’d found her suspicious, she could choose not to activate the trap, and he would have pulled up a useless kunai and left her alone. The worst that would have happened is that he’d found out she’d made up a brother for some reason, but he’d have no reason to be personally offended over that.

But instead of any of those options, he’d found her suspicious and then hesitated like a damn fool, and she’d recognized her opening. 

He thought about her triumphant smirk, about how her curls had framed her face, how the sun had lit her eyes up a warm brown. 

Then she’d dumped her rocks in the river. 

Minato pushed down his nervousness over the water and stepped in, picking up rock after rock along the riverside. 

An hour later, he had four rocks with half-faded seals painted on them. 

This was a really creative but nasty trap, he had to say. This would have killed most ninja. 

It was... almost exciting. He hadn't lost to anyone in forever.

He got out his storage scroll to add the rocks to the things from the house. It was dangerous to seal a seal into another seal, but the chakra on the rocks was long faded. They wouldn’t be boiling anyone alive. 

He frowned at the rocks as he put them away one by one, mentally cataloging his first impressions of them. 

Even if Reina was given the trap by the mystery fuinjutsu user, why had she been so confident about how it worked? It was clear now that she was comfortable around ninja and had probably worked with them before, but… 

On a hunch, he unsealed the mug. He turned it over in his hands. Cartoon crabs marched around it in rings, and every few crabs was a heart. 

Village weirdo, Minato thought, almost affectionately. Then he flipped the mug over. 

On the bottom, drawn in a practiced hand, was a seal to keep the mug warm. 

Ah, he thought.

Reina was the mystery fuinjutsu user. 

#asynchronicity #my writing

[witchslove]

I Can Do It Better

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Summary: When you find out your best friend has never had an orgasm, you help her out.

Warnings: 18+ nsfw content; smut, bottom!wanda, fingering, semi-clothed sex, drinking games, cheating(?)

–––––––––––––

“Never have I ever had a boyfriend.”

Wanda threw her head back in a laugh at your statement and took a swig of her drink. “Well, obviously. You don’t like guys,” she said, glaring at you playfully.

“Anything is fair game in Never Have I Ever, Wands,” you retorted with a smug smile on your face. “And technically I could’ve in the past before I realized it.”

“Fair point,” she mused, giggling as she began to think of one for you.

The two of you had decided to have some sort of a girls’ night, which consisted of watching a movie and getting drunk. After the movie ended, you were a little more than halfway through a pack of beers and decided to play some drinking games. 

You and Wanda were long-time best friends and told each other nearly everything so you figured a friendly game of Never Have I Ever couldn’t hurt. If anything, you might find out something you didn’t know and it would only bring the two of you closer. 

Wanda racked her brain trying to think of something she’d never done that you had. She finally landed on one and before her slightly drunk brain could register just how personal it was, she blurted it out. 

“Never have I ever had an orgasm.”

If you had been drinking from your beer, you were sure you would’ve spit it out everywhere. 

Wanda’s face paled as she realized what she just said out loud to her best friend; it was something she’d never told anyone before. 

She couldn’t go back in time and not say it, so she just looked at you and waited for you to take a drink, because that was the rule of the game. She hoped you would brush it off and take your turn, but you didn’t.

“What about… I thought you and Vision…” you said, your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

Wanda sighed, her cheeks turning rosy. “Um, yeah, we did but he didn’t- I didn’t…” she mumbled out, feeling shy.

You sat there, processing what she was telling you. It didn’t surprise you that Vision wasn’t good in bed. You’d never really liked him and you’d told Wanda she could do better, but she disagreed with you. He was the first guy to ever put in real effort on dates and he was kind, if not a little odd. 

You tried to appreciate him for at least that and at the end of the day you just wanted to see the brunette happy. Sometimes you weren’t sure if you just wanted to dislike him because she wanted to date him instead of you. 

No, she was your best friend. You didn’t see her that way - or at least that’s what you told yourself.

“And you’ve never… you know, touched yourself?” you asked awkwardly, not really wanting to pry or make her uncomfortable, but genuinely curious. Her admission caught you terribly off guard and you weren’t sure if it was your interest as her best friend or your interest as someone who maybe wanted to be more than friends that pushed you to drag out the conversation.

Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “No,” she said quietly. “I mean I’ve tried, I just… couldn’t get there.” As the words left her mouth, she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She was certain the night couldn’t get any more embarrassing. 

The image of Wanda with her hand between her legs trying desperately to get herself off flashed in your mind and you had to suppress the groan you wanted to let out at the thought of it. 

“I’m sorry,” you responded, causing her to look up at you inquisitively. “That you’ve never, you know.” 

It could’ve been the way you said it or it could’ve been the drinks, Wanda didn’t know, but either way she was speaking once again before she could stop herself. “Is it as good as everyone says it is?”

“It’s better,” you muttered, immediately feeling bad when you saw a frown overtake her features. “I mean, it’s okay I guess.”

Wanda let out a defeated sigh. “I wish I knew what it was like, I feel like it’s this big inside joke everyone’s in on except me,” she said dejectedly. When you turned to her, she was playing with her fingers in her lap, a nervous habit of hers that you found adorable if not a little disheartening knowing she was anxious. “Vis and I tried and he- he got there. But I don’t know, I don’t think I did.”

“Oh, trust me, you would know if you did,” you quipped, trying to lighten the mood. You realized that was the wrong thing to say when she brought her knees up to her chest and avoided eye contact.

“Wanda,” you started, scooting closer to her. “It’s okay that you haven’t, I was just surprised is all. I don’t want to see you sad over this, how can I get that pretty smile back on your face?”

“Give me an orgasm,” she joked, but it came out sounding more like a demand.

You stopped breathing for a second, not sure if she meant it or not. “Do you really want that?”

It was her turn to tense up, taken aback by your response. Her eyes met yours and she could sense your nerves, which mirrored her own. “You- you would do that?” 

“I mean… I could,” you swallowed. “But would it be weird?”

She stared at you thoughtfully for a moment before replying. “I don’t think so. It would just be a friend helping out another friend, right?”

“Yeah,” you lied, knowing that doing this favor for her would be dangerous for you and your repressed crush on the brunette. “Right, exactly… a friend helping a friend.”

“Okay,” she paused and took a breath. “Then yes.” 

“Yes?” Your mind was reeling with what was happening and you were struggling to keep up.

“Yes, I want… that. For you to…” she trailed off, waiting for it to click in your mind.

“Oh, right, yeah.” Your body felt warm and you worried your hands would start sweating. “Okay, so just… here? Now?”

“I don’t see why not,” Wanda answered, fidgeting.

“How much did you drink?” You really didn’t want to miss an opportunity to touch the girl you’d been fighting the urge to want for so long, but you definitely weren’t going to take advantage.

“A little more than two beers. I’m fine, Y/N, I’m not drunk.”

You looked into her eyes for any sign that she was lying and all you saw was anticipation.

You nodded, before trying to figure out how you would do what she asked of you. “Lay down, get comfortable.”

She complied, leaning back against her pillows before looking up at you expectantly. You cleared your throat, your mouth feeling suddenly dry. Mentally trying to shake away your nerves, you moved closer so you were hovering over her.

“Is this okay?” You wanted to be sure she really wanted this.

“Yes,” Wanda breathed out. “Now get on with it.” You both chuckled and the suffocating tension began to ease up.

“Yes ma’am,” you said teasingly, before leaning forward. “Um, can I kiss you? Or do you just want me to…”

Wanda blushed, almost looking away. “If you think it will help, then it’s okay.”

You smiled reassuringly and leaned in, closing your eyes as you pressed a featherlight kiss to the corner of her mouth. Pulling away to read her reaction, you noticed her pupils had dilated and couldn’t help but smirk before attaching your lips to hers.

You kissed her slowly and gently as if to let her know she could stop you at any time, but she didn’t. She lifted her head to deepen it, following your lead as she moved her mouth against yours. 

Your tongue swiped against her lips to ask for entry and she opened her mouth in response. The first touch of your tongues together made her moan softly into your mouth and you felt a pang of arousal upon hearing it. You wanted, no, needed, to get more of those sounds out of her. 

You broke the kiss to trail your lips down her jaw and neck. You kissed the skin and sucked lightly, avoiding leaving any marks. Once you reached her ear, you took the lobe between your teeth and gave it a soft tug, noticing the way her body shuddered beneath you.

You pulled away to take her in, enjoying the sight of her so clearly worked up already. Her eyes were dark, her chest heaving. She looked adorable biting her lip as she looked up at you.

Your fingers played with the hem of her shirt, sliding into the fabric to touch heated skin, silently asking for permission to keep going.

She gave you an enthusiastic nod and you let your hands explore freely, finding her covered breasts and giving them a gentle squeeze. Her breath hitched in her throat and you wanted more. Removing your hands for just a moment, you slipped them under the cups of her bra, letting your fingers brush against her straining nipples.

A whimper escaped her mouth at the feeling of your hands on her and the delicious sound made you throb.

You decided against putting your mouth on her breasts and sucking the sensitive buds into your mouth because, as much as you wanted to, you weren’t sure if she wanted to be so exposed to someone that wasn’t her boyfriend. This wasn’t supposed to be anything more than you helping your best friend solve a problem, scratch an itch. The last thing you wanted was to make her uncomfortable.

You removed your right hand from her bra and brought it down to just where her skirt ended. “Are you ready?” you asked, drawing teasing circles on the soft skin of her thigh.

“Yeah,” Wanda answered breathily. “Please.”

The sound of her begging made your head fuzzy, but you focused on the task at hand: giving Wanda an orgasm. Just the thought of what was about to happen made you undeniably aroused.

Your hand moved up her thigh, under her skirt, until you reached her underwear. You ran your fingers along the front of her panties, almost moaning at the wetness you felt seeping through the fabric. 

“Fuck,” you mumbled, heat settling low in your stomach at the realization that Wanda was this wet for you. 

Wanda was underneath you, so turned on from your touch that she was dripping and making a mess in her panties. 

You applied more pressure, finding her clit through the fabric and rubbing small circles into it. 

Wanda threw her head back and whined, her hips jerking up at the new sensation. “That- that feels really good.”

You smiled and stopped only long enough to tug her panties down her legs. She kicked them off and spread her legs when you brought your other hand down to pry them open. 

Your fingers immediately went back to their place on her clit, massaging it more purposefully now that you were touching her without any barriers.

“Oh fuck, Y/N,” she moaned, her face scrunched up in pleasure.

Her bare pussy felt amazing under your fingertips, her clit pulsing and folds drenched. She felt soft and warm against you and you were already addicted. 

You dragged your fingers through her slick folds, nudging her clit on each upstroke, drawing cute whimpers from her. Straightening your middle finger, you slid it into her slowly, watching her face for any signs of discomfort. You knew she wasn’t a virgin, but you wanted to be gentle and work her up to an earth-shattering orgasm.

She moaned at the intrusion, her throbbing pussy practically sucking your finger in as deep as it would go. You moved it slowly in and out before adding another finger, making her gasp and buck her hips. 

You could definitely get used to the feeling of her velvety walls clenching around you, but you quickly shook the thought from your head. This was a one time thing, a favor and nothing more.

You began to thrust your fingers inside her at a steady rhythm, curling them in search of the spot that would make her scream. 

You knew you found what you were looking for when she let out a choked moan, her back arching off the bed. 

“God, that feels - oh - so good,” Wanda panted out, desperately gripping the sheets for something to hold on to.

You brought your thumb up to rub her clit in time with your thrusts, smiling to yourself at the way her hips couldn’t seem to stay still.

Your free hand came to her waist, pinning her down as you continued to pleasure her.

“You look so pretty like this, Wands,” you said, unconcerned with whether or not you might regret saying too much. “I can’t wait to see you fall apart for me.”

The moan that followed your words was nothing short of needy and loud. You couldn’t help but take a mental note that she liked being talked to while she was getting fucked. 

Whatever you were doing to her, it was working. Wanda had never felt like this even when she tried to grope her own tits and slip her own fingers inside herself. She felt a tight heat deep within her, building up, begging to be released. Her whole body felt like it was burning, a delicious warmth that started deep in her core where your fingers expertly curled against a spot she didn’t even know existed, spreading out like wildfire across the rest of her body. 

She didn’t know it could feel like this. With Vision, it started out as a dull pain from him entering her with little to no foreplay besides a lengthy makeout session. At some point it had felt nice and she could feel herself craving for a release, but it never came. He didn’t really bother to touch her clit, nor did he manage to hit whatever heavenly spot you were stroking over and over again, making her see stars.

You were nothing like him; the way you were touching her was unthinkable. She didn’t even know it was possible to feel this good.

She was close, so close she could taste it and she almost didn’t want it to end so soon. But as much as she wished she wasn’t coming undone so embarrassingly quickly, she also wanted it more than anything in the world. 

With your eyes on her, dark and full of lust, your mouth saying things that made her even wetter if that was possible, and your fingers curled deep inside, she knew she was about to break.

“I think- fuck, I think I’m gonna-” Wanda tried to get out between moans and whimpers. “It feels so…”

You leaned down until your lips were nearly touching her ear, so close she could feel your warm breath sending shivers down her spine. “Come for me, Wanda. Make a mess on my fingers.”

That was all it took for Wanda to tumble over the edge into pure bliss. Her back arched and her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth hung open in a silent scream as she trembled beneath you. Her legs closed around your hand, trapping you there, not that you had any intentions of leaving just yet, your fingers still pumping slowly inside her as she twitched against the bed. 

She clutched the sheets so tightly she was almost worried she might rip them but she couldn’t be bothered to care. She couldn’t even form a coherent thought as she rode out her orgasm, pulsing around your fingers and coating them in sticky wetness. 

When she finally came down, she laid there trying to catch her breath as your movements slowed to a stop. You tenderly pulled out, making her whine either from the emptiness or the sensitivity, and wiped your fingers off on the sheets.

She hummed as her pussy clenched with the aftershocks, finally calming down enough to open her eyes and look at you. 

When she did, she almost felt ready to go again. You were laying by her side now, still facing her, but what really drove her insane was the way you were looking at her. Your gaze was hungry, your eyes twinkling and lips parted to let out uneven breaths.

She could see in your face that you wanted her and she couldn’t remember ever feeling so desired, not even by her own boyfriend. 

The moment lasted but a second before you were sporting a smug grin like your normal self again. “How was that?” 

Wanda laughed. “Did you like… miss everything that just happened?” she joked, making you chuckle with her. “It was amazing. Thank you.”

“As good as everyone says it is?”

“It’s better,” she repeated your words from earlier back to you and you beamed at the compliment.

“Glad I could help,” you paused, trying to decide if you should say what you really wanted. “I think… I think you should break up with Vision.”

Her eyes widened, but she let you continue. 

“You deserve someone who can please you like that all the time. And it’s really not that hard if they’re actually paying attention to you and what you like. I’m not telling you what to do or trying to ruin something that makes you happy. I just think you deserve better.” 

Her heart fluttered with how much you cared about her and she didn’t know how to respond, feeling uncharacteristically shy in the face of a serious conversation about feelings, so she teased you instead. “So what you’re saying is I deserve mind-blowing orgasms.”

You snorted at that before answering. “Something like that.”

“Okay then give me another one.” She wasn’t sure where her boldness came from, but she couldn’t take it back now.

“What?” Your mouth dropped open in shock.

“I said…” She leaned forward until your faces were inches apart. “Give me another one.”

“What about Vision?” 

Wanda’s face softened, her tone becoming more serious. “I think I actually am gonna break up with Vision,” she admitted. “Not just because of what you said. Although you were right.” 

“That you deserve mind-blowing orgasms?”

She slapped you on the shoulder, laughing. “No! Well, yes, but about all the other stuff too.”

You smiled at her and couldn’t resist messing with her again. “So, about what you said…” You reached out to place a hand on her waist, gripping her hip with a smirk forming on your face as you leaned in. “I’m guessing no one’s ever tried to make you come with their mouth?”

Her breath hitched. “No,” she replied, biting her lip in anticipation.

“Let me make you feel good.”

She nodded and you lowered your head, excited to give in to temptation. As soon as she felt your mouth on her, she knew this wouldn’t be the last time.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff smut #wanda maximoff x y/n #wanda maximoff imagine #bottom wanda maximoff #top reader #alexa writes

[darqx]

Some BP/HH/General asks

That mood when you want to share all the things but also want to keep it under wraps for the actual thing haha! Thanks very much anon!

As for your questions, I can't actually be specific cos there's no definitive number I have in mind for either. Basically there are a number of sectors (you can consider them their equivalent of countries - they have less than what we do though), and a number of species of demon of which I've designed about seven of. The ones I've shown before are these guys (and do you think I could find this pic again? No, I had to recreate it cos for the life of me I couldn't remember what ask I'd previously stuck it in lol):

One day when i have enough species and stuff out there I want to make a proper field guide \o/

Thank you very much for the interest! ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ I would actually love to for BP, but before I jump the gun there I have to get the comic out first lol. That being said I have made mini-games before featuring the HH versions and some other characs alas they are all lost at the moment to the sands of Flash becoming obsolete 😩

Me and Gato do still collab sometimes (and send each other Xmas presents)! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

I have been working on one off and on for a while actually! Hopefully I'll have some pages to post next year or so*, I've been doing a bit of thumbnailing recently :D

*that is the plan but i also don't know where people find the time to do anything with a full time job lol.

Hullo! Glad you are enjoying the snippets of BP I've got here and there :D Here is an older ref on Izm back when i first got the idea (at that time i didn't really plan to do anything with it, it was just an AU. Now it's my main project haha. Anyway the ref is a little bit out of date in that regard.)

I used to have a "field guide" which was also made quite a while ago, unfortunately the death of Flash kinda killed it. Here's a screenshot of some relevant info from it though.

That's an interesting one as it's questionable how sentient souls are after removal 🤔 In my mind its only form is the smoke light, it can "see" to some degree and MIGHT be able to talk (but in a very no one can hear them sort of way, a la i have no mouth and i must scream. So i guess it can think "aloud"). The more time passes the less sentience it has.

It could try, though it wouldn't really get anywhere if it's in Rire's collection. He might just eat it lol.

.D: Good with kids, will be fine in all aspects.

Izm: The fun dad however needs a partner that knows what they're doing to ensure the child safety during shenanigans.

Marcus and Zeke: Also would be good parents though might be more helicopter out of protectiveness/worry when first starting out.

Ren: Geek parent very good for homework help. Some Asian parent tendencies eg "ah see, i told you not to do that right? Now you see what happened."

They are similar to our known society for this! So basically, there are some good families out there (eg Zeke - who is a demon - is from a pretty average loving family), and there are some bad families out there who only care about power or having an heir or whatever.

HH Rire is a human. I differentiate between him and Demon Rire because they are two different characters...even though they are also technically the same character lol. You can consider them as alternate universe iterations of a base "Rire" concept.

I actually half jested this in an old comic lol

I am sorry to inform you that a HH webcomic doesn't actually exist 😅 I did a lot of art, animations and one shots (such as the HHJ comics) with them, but nothing actually planned or serialised or anything. Whatever's currently on my DA or here is basically what exists.

Bringing this image back cos it's relevant lol.

You spelled it correct there though! XD

#answer dump #battle priest #hh au #sz #hedonehigh #long post

[happy-beeeps]

To Build a Home

WC: 4.2k

Pairing: din x reader

Synopsis: You’re on the hunt to make this house on Nevarro a home, but you’re wrestling with feelings of inadequacy in you and Din’s relationship after he adopts Grogu but doesn’t take you as his riduur. Fluffy, emotional hurt comfort, domesticity, slice of life, Din is a fisherman for 30 seconds.

Warnings: none really! Vaguely ooc Din but I think I got it back. Ever since that one episode of The Bad Batch I’ve just been dying to send Din fishing

A/N: HAPPY MAY THE 4TH!!!!

Fun fact, when I started this blog three years ago it was because the Mandalorian had just come out and people had only just started writing Din fic. I was in the trenches with the other mando fic pioneers. Technically this is the same reader as my first ever longfic “I don’t do droids” which I’ve semi abandoned BUT I do plan on making a better spin off version soon! It's not at all necessary to read that to understand the reader’s backstory though!

* * *

You’ve been to markets before. The familiar fast paced environment had always been something of a vice to you when you traveled with Din, the reprieve from being crammed on the crest or a short expedition for something to snack on. Once or twice Din himself had even accompanied you, with the baby wrapped around your chest in a bundle of fabric, his hand interlaced with yours. Now, though, you’re alone for what feels like the first time in years. You’re wandering through the market at a speed so slow it’s almost comical, taking time to touch, to see, to hear.

It’s exhilarating.

Nevarro has grown since you had first been here, and you can’t say it’s been particularly easy for you to return, to immerse yourself in a system that’s caused you so much pain. There are nights you find yourself thrashing at the sheets at the image of Din’s body crumpling under fire as the rest of you were forced down through the halls of the covert, or the ice that filled your veins when you realized your son had been taken. That Nevarro is gone, however, up in ash like the volcanos that dot the landscape of this system. You have a home here, a real house, and you’re determined to make it into something to rid both you and Din of your nightmares.

You left Din and Grogu at the house and took the small speeder he had been restoring for you back to the city center, parking it just outside the bustling square, ready to go if need be. Old habits die hard, you guess. The city itself now brims with life, families duck in and out of each other as they weave through the streets, droids pull carts of fresh produce. It’s all very exciting, very reassuring. 

“Lady Djarin!” A booming voice calls, one that stops the people nearest to you as they part ways to make space for the figure coming through. Greef Karga walks through the parted crowd, offering handshakes and smiles to those he walks past, before coming to stop at you and extending his arm. “Going shopping?”

You blush slightly at the moniker, Din had been clear that you had been made part of his clan and while you were by no means married, you appreciate the sentiment. “You know if I let Din make decisions on the house it’d stay as barren as the day we moved in.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he chuckles, escorting you through the streets and alleys. It really is beautiful here, with overflowing greenery practically spilling out of the windows of the residents, flowers of numerous bright colors dotting shopfronts and the hair of those who walk past you. “Have you been to our markets before?”

You glance at him and quirk up an eyebrow.  “Have I ever had much time for shopping when we’ve been on system?”

“You’ve got a fair point.” He leads you farther, until you approach a colorful alley with storefronts boasting fruits, silks, and small goods that stretches farther than you can see. “I recommend the flowers from the Togruta woman halfway down, if you were to pick some up,” and pats your hand before leaving you to your own devices. He knows you well enough at this point to know that you aren’t unable to defend yourself, and that you do occasionally appreciate the rare moments you get away from father and baby.

It’s not that you don’t love them both dearly, you do, so much so that you keenly remember the feeling of bringing a vibroblade up to the chest of Moff Gideon before you were quickly thrown aside. You’ve got the scars to prove it. You adore them. You also needed a moment of peace, to think and feel and make a home out of the house you were so graciously gifted. Besides, you can’t help but feel a little lost in your place in life now, as the dust has settled. Din had clearly adopted Grogu as his son, a fact you really couldn’t be happier about, but where did you land? You had waited with baited breath for him to ask the Armorer to add you to their song, but he hadn’t. Instead the three of you left soon afterwards, planning to meet up at Nevarro after he went to talk to an old friend with the New Republic. You had grown to resent his little two seater N-1, much preferring the space of your trusty fighter.

You walk down the alley, stopping to feel the fabrics and scarves that line the booths. One stall boasts brightly colored blankets, and you rustle through the soft blankets before you find a warm cream color dotted with tiny, multi-colored, embroidered flowers.You hand the shopkeeper the credits, and continue to walk down the street, doing your very best attempt to not buy everything you touch, though you aren’t sure you’ll succeed.

“Fruits! Fresh fruits here!”

“Instruments for the finest songstress!”

“Silks and scarves, keep warm when the sun sets!”

“A treasure for the finest student, primers for language!”

It’s this last seller that stops you in your tracks, reminding you of the reason you first met Din anyways. Sure, your role had grown now, twisted into something beautiful and pure, but aside from being lover, mother, confidant, and pilot, you were at your core, his translator. 

“What languages do you offer?” You say, walking into the old man’s small storefront. It’s cool inside, with walls painted a deep blue with light blue outlines of nearby star systems, like a map projected. He’s got datapads and even a few books of flimsi strewn around, tucked into cupboards, as well as collectibles from systems you could only dream of visiting. 

“What language do you need?” He grins, pulling out a datapad from his pocket and opening a menu that seems to scroll for years. “I offer most standard tongues, as well as a few more useful in the outer rim. You strike me as someone who’s looking for something a bit more unique.”

“I’m a translator by trade,” you say, scrolling through the offerings until you find something that stops you. “Standard is my craft.”

“A scholar then,” he pauses, and takes the datapad away from you. “When was the last time you learned a language for yourself?”

“I learned Kaleesh when I was younger,” you shrug, and the shopkeeper laughs.

“What does a woman like you need a war-tongue for?” “All the best people in my life are fighters.”

“Perhaps the language of a friend then, a spouse?” he offers, and you stop in your aimless wandering around the shop. Of course, how could you have been so stupid.

“I’ll take one basic primer, for a child, and anything you’ve got on Mando’a.”

Your arms are beginning to tire from the amount of things you’ve picked up: you’ve got toys for Grogu, fruits and vegetables, some meat for dinner, the blanket, your downloads, a few silks to hang for drapery, seeds, and a rug that’s set to be delivered in a rotation. You’re about to turn back, content with the amount of credits you’ve ran through in a day when you notice her, the Togruta woman and her flower stand. She’s inarguably stunning, with wide eyes and lekkuu that stretch down her chest, her markings intricate and carved down her face in an eye-catching way. 

“Hi,” you begin as you walk up to her, she’s pruning a bright orange flower now, and she glances up from her work to offer you a smile. “Your flowers come highly recommended by magistrate Karga.”

She scoffs and sets her flower down, offering you a worn hand to shake. “I’m Obesha.” She gestures to the blooms bursting from her cart. “What are you looking for?”

“Well, I’m relatively new in town, me and my,” you struggle to find the word. Din isn’t your spouse, but he’s more than your boyfriend. Frankly, lover feels a little too intimate for this woman you just met. “Companion and our child just settled outside town and I’m looking for something to brighten up our home.”

Obesha grins, before plucking a variety of blue, yellow, and white flowers carefully, tucking in pieces of greenery amongst them. “Turning a house into a home is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding things a being can do.” She gingerly plucks at the leaves, pruning it to perfection, before wrapping the bouquet up in a light gray cloth, which for some unbeknownst reason feels softer than anything you’ve felt before.

“What is this?”

She hums and turns back into her shop, coming out with a larger swatch of fabric, this one decorated with finely worked sheer lace, dyed the same blue-gray as the fabric on the outside of the bouquet. “It’s custom in my village to wear these for special occasions,” she pulls the wrap up to model it on herself, and you’re struck by the way the light filters through the lace. “It’s deceivingly warm and very beautiful.” She folds it up into a small square before handing it to you, “consider it a housewarming gift.”

Your mouth falls open as you struggle to reach into your bag for the credits. “Please, let me pay you, I have the money.”

She extends a hand forward to hush you, then gestures back down the alley. “Pay me back by letting me know what your family thinks of my arrangement.”

* * *

You’re distracted your whole ride back, which you admit probably isn’t the best thing for you to be as you navigate the desert. It’s not a particularly long ride to your home, which you’re grateful for, and you smile as the familiar form of the ships parked outside the small cabin beacon you in. Din and Grogu must not be home, considering he usually rushes to you to take anything you’re carrying and you can typically hear Grogu’s coos before you see him. It isn’t a surprise then, when you walk in to find the house empty, and notice the small message flashing on the datapad he’s left behind.

Gone fishing just down the springs.-D

It’s a habit he’s picked up after the brief time the two of you spent apart, when Grogu went to live with the Jedi and Din went off on his own. He came back to you quickly, finding you easily while you worked as a translator on Tatooine, with the daimyo you and Din had gotten to know very well. He never left without a message again once he had you back, and you smile as you swipe the note away.

“Time to organize!” you clap to no one in particular, and begin setting things up around the home. You tuck the new blanket in along you and Din’s bed (a concept that still feels so foreign after the places you’ve been sleeping recently) and the toys on a shelf in the small room you’ve begun calling Grogu’s nursery. The rest is relatively simple, tucking fabrics along windows and placing fruits in the kitchen. You put the bouquet down in the middle of the small table, and are sure to add fresh water to the vase. It’s really coming together, you have to say. The cabin isn’t particularly large, the majority of the house consisting of one large room that works as kitchen, living, and sleeping space (which you’ve done your best to section off,) a small ‘fresher off towards the back, and the small room you and Din have given to Grogu. It’s perfect for your little clan of three, and you don’t find yourself wishing for more from the space, settling down on the couch and digging into the Mandalorian language pages on your datapad.

You aren’t sure how long has passed when your legs want for movement, and you set the datapad down and opt to go find your fishermen. It’s still blazingly hot on the surface, so you forgo the small shawl and walk towards the direction of the springs. You and Din had both dipped in them on your first night here before you realized the springs died off into a small, cooler pond a short walk away. There, Karga had explained, there was a thriving population of fish and other reptiles that were open for fishing. 

You spot them before they spot you, Din’s shiny helmet reflecting in your direction. It’s another thing that’s had your gut twisted in on itself. You’ve seen Din’s face, the day Grogu left you had seen it. In that moment you had fallen deeper in love than you realized even possible. You were absolutely supportive of him and frankly, you were elated he’d been able to be welcomed back into his covert, but you couldn’t help but feel like an absolutely terrible person for it. Honestly, you hadn’t expected this move to domesticity to churn up so many emotions for you, particularly when this is the thing you’ve basically been dreaming of since the two of you first kissed.

Now, he’s perched on a rock, pole in hand, while Grogu sits on his knee, eyes fixed on the pond. You walk up quietly behind him but years of experience have him turning his head to spot you walking. Grogu turns too, and you can swear he gurgles out something to the effect of “buir!” as he bounces up and down on his father’s knee. You move in to scooch beside Din, who happily makes room for you, as you run a hand down the side of his helmet.

“Hi,” you breathe, and his hand, not on the pole, moves to find your fingers.

“Hi.” He murmurs back, and you rest your head on his shoulder. 

“I got some things for the house,” you lean over to scratch Grogu’s ears, “Got some stuff for bug and some food for dinner.”

“Can I cook for you?”

Your cheeks bloom at the words, “Sure, I’ve never had your cooking.”

“Never really had the space to do it,” he shrugs, “but I do now.”

You settle into a comfortable silence after this, and he sets Grogu down to splash in the edge of the pond and rests the fishing pole on the side of the rock. With his hands free, he heaves you up onto his lap and slides his arms around your waist. “Did you get anything for yourself?”

“One or two things,” you wave a hand in the air, “got a language learner for Grogu, thought we could try and teach him basic.”

“Please, as if we need to give him more ways to say ‘No’” He groans, but you can tell from the shake of his shoulders that he’s laughing, and he pulls you in closer to his chest. “We haven’t caught anything all day.”

“Mmm… so he clearly doesn’t get his patience from his father.”

“No, he gets it from his mother.”

You look up at him with wide eyes. Sure, you know you’re his mother, but hearing those words, after the adoption, it floods you with a warmth that has you wishing you could just kiss him right now.

“Cyare,” he starts, his hand coming to rest on your cheek, but is disrupted by the sound of violent splashing. You both jump up just to see Grogu standing at the edge of the pond, fish in hand. 

“I guess only one of you had trouble today,” you nudged him playfully before going to scoop up the baby, while he dropped the fish in the pond.

It’s been dangerously quiet inside the house, and you’ve been relegated to sit out on the small bench on the front porch. You appreciate Din cooking but the simple fact that you aren’t entirely sure he knows how to cook slipped your mind when you agreed. Now, you try not to think about that fact, and dedicate yourself to the datapad in your lap. You’ve seen some familiar words, buir and cyare, even the diminutives Din calls you late at night, cyar’ika and mesh’la.  You’ve always wanted to pick up his mother tongue, and you want to kick yourself for not doing it sooner. Now, you’re devouring it, trying to learn it all. It’s a rich language, more complex than most you’ve learned. You’re so wrapped up in your reading that when Din opens the front door you jump, and he leans forward to grab your hand, guiding you out of the chair.

“I think it’s done?”

“You aren’t inspiring a lot of confidence here,” you laugh as you walk inside, sitting down at the table next to Grogu. Din brings over the pot and you peer in. He’s done what looks to be a solid job, the vegetables are chopped a little more rough than you could’ve done, and you can tell the meat is slightly overdone, but considering it comes from him, you spoon it onto your plate like it’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten. You pour some out in front of Grogu and you feel Din’s eyes practically burn holes in your head.

“Yes?”

“I want to know if you like it.” He’s so quiet, the voice sounding almost shy. You reach over and place a hand atop his. 

“There isn’t a universe where you make something I don’t love.”

You both begin eating in silence, (his use of seasoning is surprisingly impeccable, and the meat is only a touch rough) when he starts up again. “The flowers are a nice touch, and the drapes.”

“Thank you,” you blush. “I just wanted to warm it up here.”

“Maker knows I don’t know what I’m doing, we’re lucky to have you.” He reaches over and taps you on the chin before turning his attention to Grogu, running a rag on the table across his mouth as he manages to smear every bite of food across his face.

After dinner, the two of you work to clean the kitchen while Grogu plays with one of the new toys you brought for him in the living room. You and Din are chatting, about nothing, about everything, when the warmth of the moment hits you, and you lean your head on his shoulder. He’s since dressed down to just his helmet, and you can feel the warmth of his skin radiate beneath his shirt. “This is nice.”

“What, dishes?” he laughs, but you can feel his arm snake loosely around your hips as he sets the last plate down.

“Just, this” you gesture to the house, to the pile of dishes, to Grogu playing, “it’s nice to have a home.”

“I already had a home,” he pulls you in closer, you can smell the sweat of the day and his spiced aftershave from where your head falls on his chest. “When Grogu falls asleep, I want to take you somewhere.” He pushes his forehead on yours, before moving to sit on the floor with Grogu, leaving you standing in the kitchen, grinning like an idiot at the scene before you. This is your family, your clan. Husband or not, Din is the love of your life, you’ve lost him and the baby once and you don’t intend to do it again. You set down the cleaning rag and join the two of them on the floor, happy to oblige in whatever game Grogu is playing.

* * *

“Where’d you get that?” Din asks as he leads you down the rocky sides of the springs.

“The florist, it’s shockingly warm.” You pull the shawl tighter around your form and Din stops suddenly. You're back at the pond from earlier only now it looks different. There’s a small blanket strewn across the rock you had sat on earlier, and he scrambles to light a few assorted candles that litter the ground. Even the scenery appears to have changed, as tiny yellow lights dot the air.

“They’re actually tiny lifeforms,” he says, gesturing to the yellow dots, “Karga told me they come out at night over here.”

“It’s beautiful, how come we haven’t been here yet?”

“Just waiting for a good time to get you alone.” He pulls you closer to the rock and the two of you sit down, your back pressed to his chest as you watch the sky turn a deep purple color as the yellow lights dance in the sky. You sit like that in silence for a moment longer when his voice comes out, rumbling and warm. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing’s wrong, why?” You sputter, and you want to smack yourself for how incriminating that sounds.

“You’re hiding it, and hiding it well. But something’s wrong,” his voice comes low to your ear now, still modulated and heavy but him. “What I don’t know is why you won’t tell me.”

“I’m… It’s really not a big deal.”

“Can I guess?”

“If you want.”

“Well,” he breathes in, like he’s holding his breath, “I commed Bo.”

You whip your head around at that. He must have been really concerned to enlist the help of one of your favorite Mandalorians.

“Oh? What did Bo say?” “That I’m a nerf herder.”

You snort at that and settle into his chest again. “Sounds like Bo.”

His hands come up to turn you towards him, and he pulls your legs so you're facing him, your legs wrapping around his waist. You’re close like this, if you leaned forward you could rest your forehead against his. “You doubt me, what I feel for you.”

“That’s not really the way I would put it,” you murmur, and he closes the gap for you, bringing his helmet to your head. “I just was worried… that I wasn’t a part of your clan. You’ve adopted Grogu, and that makes you his father. But I’m just-”

“His mother. Cyar’ika, I haven’t been fair with you.” His hands move to press small circles into your back. “I shouldn’t have let you feel doubt in me, in our clan. You are to Grogu as I am. You’re my-”

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum,” you breathe, and it’s your turn to cut him off, whispering the sweet words to him in the echo of the world. You can hear his breath hitch as he grabs you tighter. “I’ve been practicing all day.”

“You don’t need to speak my language to be a part of me. You already have been for longer than I can say,” he murmurs, and his hand goes to the back of your head. “Gar solus ner aliit, gar solus but buir.”

It takes you a moment to catch up with the translations, the sweet words he’s whispering, and Din uses this moment of thinking to bring both his hands up to his helmet, disengage the locking mechanism, and pull it off, resting it on the rock beside him.

“Din!” you shout, and smack your hands over your eyes, but he’s faster than you and catches your wrists in your hands. 

“Look at me mesh’la.” And you do, you drink him in with everything you have, bringing your hands to trace his lips, his nose, eyes refusing to leave his. “I finally have something to offer you.” He whispers, his lips so close to your ear that you swear you’ve died. That must be the case. You’ve simply ascended into the great beyond. “I didn’t add you to the song on Mandalore because I wanted to have something to give you, something to promise you forever.”

You look past his shoulder to the silhouette of the cabin. “Our house.”

“Our home.” He holds your cheeks in his hands, and you can tell he’s been as starved of this as you have. “You’ve made it a home.”

His lips are on yours in an instant, and you’re devouring him like you’ve been starved. Sure, you’ve kissed him since he put his helmet back on, but the weight of all of this, of his helmet being gone, of you seeing him again, it’s like the first time all over again.

“Din, your creed.” You murmur between kisses.

“Save me the trip back to Mandalore and marry me then.”

You pull back, searching his eyes for any joke, and you want to cry when there isn’t one.

“I told you, when I had something to offer you.”

You’re laughing and crying now as he fiddles with the lace hem of your shawl before delicately draping it across your head. “My riduur.”

Even with your expert knowledge of linguistics, the vows are clunky and foreign in your mouth, but with Din smiling at you, you have no complaints. He scoops you and his helmet up almost immediately, walking you back into the cabin and tossing you onto the bed. He breaks from your gaze for just a minute to go into the nursery and emerges with a sleepy-eyed Grogu.

“Hi baby,” you croon as Din places him on the bed and he waddles towards you.

“He loves his buir” Din whispers as he falls into bed beside you. The little green cover stealer is quick to settle between you and his dad, his hands reaching out to press on both of your foreheads. You look over at Din, whose eyes are once again finding yours.

“Welcome home.” He whispers.

You mean to tell him that you love him, that you’re happy to be married to him, but sleep 

finds you first. Not that it matters. 

He already knows.

#din djarin #din djarin x reader #din x reader #din djarin imagine #the mandalorian #mandalorian x reader #mando

[lippmannssplatteredblood]

Was it ever confirmed Lippmann was based on Walter Lippmann?

No.

But wait, there's enough evidence! (Ty anon im using this ask as an excuse to ramble and getting these off my chest)

As we all already know, most of the characters in BSD, especially ability users, are based on real life authors. Stormbringer explicitly stated that bsd!Lippmann was "an extremely powerful skill user" so he must be based on someone. And guess what? There happens to be a writer with the exact name as his.

Walter Lippmann was an American journalist, politician, and writer. He was deemed as "the most gifted and influential American political journalist of the twentieth century". His works mostly took the theme of public relations and stuff. Sounds familiar?

I'd like to add this part from the etymology section of his(bsd) wiki btw, just in case you didn't know.

Does it end there? No, not quite.

Let's take a look at his most popular work; Public Opinion.

"...The pictures inside the heads of these human beings, the pictures of themselves, of others, of their needs, purposes, and relationship, are their public opinions. Those pictures which are acted upon by groups of people, or by individuals acting in the name of groups, are Public Opinion with capital letters."

"The pictures in our heads", page 29

People, generally, have some sort of "persona" of themselves that they would try to plant on other people's minds. Kinda like the Japanese "three faces" proverb, you may say. And how do they achieve it? By only presenting that persona; by masking; by acting.

"Royal personages are, of course, constructed personalities. Whether they themselves believe in their public character, or whether they merely permit the chamberlain to stage-manage it, there are at least two distinct selves, the public and regal self, the private and human."

"The pictures in our heads", page 7

Simply said, him being an actor might be a reference to (or a representation of) that human nature which P.O. talks of. An actor acts—they dive into the role of another character that's not them. (Which, when you think about it, is just what us humans do on a daily basis, except they do it professionally and for a living, which when you think about it again—)

Mr. Lippmann also published books titled "A Preface to Politics" and "A Preface to Morals" which is....interesting.

Okay, "preface" and "face" technically are different. Though they still share somewhat a similar meaning.

But hear me out. Let's go back to the persona thing. Generally, what people would want to be perceived as is as the perfect, ideal versions of themselves. To make that happen, they would have to put on a good first impression. And what's usually the first thing that people notice about a person? Correct—their appearance; their face.

Lippmann(bsd) was multiple times described as "perfect" (like okay asagiri, he's pretty, we get it), especially regarding his looks (and capabilities). See what I'm saying?

Lippmann was the stage face, the public image of the Port Mafia. He was the preface to the Port Mafia. He created the pictures in people's head of the Port Mafia.

As a verb, however, "face" has another meaning:

He negotiated with front companies, met and talked with political figures, and even dealt with the press if push came to shove.

I feel like this might be merely a coincidence or a pun, though. But the fact that his field of work in the Port Mafia was specifically negotiating with the "real world" is definitely not something Asagiri just pulled out of thin air—or so I believe to be the case, at least, having read this paragraph.

"This is the underlying reason for the existence of the press agent. The enormous discretion as to what facts and what impressions shall be reported is steadily convincing every organized group of people that whether it wishes to secure publicity or to avoid it, the exercise of discretion cannot be left to the reporter. It is safe to hire a press agent who stands between the group and the newspapers. Having hired him, the temptation to exploit his strategic position is very great."

"The nature of news", page 344

Oh, by the way, remember this scene?

It's just a silly, filler interaction that seemed not to reference anything, but just you wait.

"Men cannot long act in a way that they know is a contradiction of the environment as they conceive it. If they are bent on acting in a certain way they have to reconceive the environment, they have to censor out, to rationalize. But if in their presence, there is an insistent fact which is so obstrusive that they cannot explain it away, one of three courses is open. They can perversely ignore it, though they would cripple themselves in the process, will overact their part and come to grief. They can take it into account but refuse to act. They pay in internal discomfort and frustration. Or, and I believe this is to be the most frequent case, they adjust their whole behavior to the large environment."

"Intelligence work", page 383

Then again, these are but my interpretations and/or speculations which I'd like you to take with a grain of salt, as I could very well still be wrong (because Asagiri loves to trick us, apparently).

I could go on and on and on and on and on but I'm afraid I'd just be blabbering nonsense at some point. Thank you for reading my (hopefully coherent) ramblings.

#its their birthday btw!!! #(23 september) #i hope im making sense and if not just hit me with a mallet. #i feel like that one meme of a guy going on conspirational rants. i am connecting the dots!!! i swear!!!! #tried to read his other works but never got the time to really finish them. if you have something to add please do! #bungou stray dogs #bsd stormbringer #bsd lippmann #ask #this ask is like three weeks old im sorry anon

[harunade]

unapproachable . sung hanbin

pairings: bf!hanbin x f!reader

warnings: kissing , suggestive???, only one bed trope, one sided e2l, hanbin is meannnnnnnn….. not proofread so sorry in case of typos!

a/n: first post on this acc yayaya im in love w hanbin

Having a rich friend was nice, especially when his birthday came up and he booked a whole hotel floor 4 hours away from your homes to have a two day long party. What wasn’t nice, though, was the technical error in the computer of the hotel that meant Ricky had only 5 rooms keys, instead of 10. “I have an idea! How about we each pull a straw and the people with the same lengths share a room?” Yujin, the youngest there, came up with a plan to brighten the mood, since everyone, especially ricky was stressed.

After everyone agreed, the rooms were set: birthday boy with zhang hao, taerae with gunwook, yujin with gyuvin, jiwoong with matthew and hanbin with… you. The younger boys were especially happy with the outcome, since they’ve always loved being roomies. But you felt anxiety filling your body. You didn’t hate or dislike Hanbin, you thought it was the opposite, and that you were the one hated or disliked.

Hanbin had an image of a nice, polite and trustworthy friend, which was a honest and accurate one. But with you, he always ignored you. Even when you spoke to him, you couldn’t get more than 2 words and a dirty look out of him. You asked the boys about it, especially Zhang Hao who he was particularly close to, and they all teased you and said he just wants you badly. Obviously, you knew it wasn’t true. Although he never full on insulted you, you knew he was silently judging all your moves.

When you entered the hotel room, you found Hanbin walking around it while brushing his teeth. His black locks were damp and stuck on his forehead, so you assumed he had just taken a shower.

After you took a shower yourself, you were surprised to find Hanbin improvising a bed on the floor. “What are you doing?” you asked him and recieved a scoff. “What do you think i’m doing? I’m sure you dont wanna share the bed and the couch is stained with who knows what, so i’m making a bed myself.” You were barefoot and felt the cold floor beneath you. Although hanbin disliked you, you didn’t want him to catch a cold the day before his friend’s birthday. “Get in the bed” You told him as you covered yourself with the blankets. “N-“ “I said get in the bed. i don’t want u sleeping on the cold floor.” you interrupted him and he just obeyed.

Hanbin made sure to keep some distance between you two. As you tried to fall asleep, you couldn’t, because the room was too cold and the covers were too thin. “Bin” you called his name, not particularly expecting a response, especially since you used a nickname. “What do you want?” he said bluntly. “Aren’t you.. cold?” you asked. “Why? Are you?” you felt him shift as you hummed. “Come” he motioned you to come between his open arms, which you did. You saw him look the other way as you snuggled against him, but you could’ve sworn you saw a pink tint on his cheeks. “Thanks, bin. Maybe you’re not so bad after all” you heard him tsk. “just sleep”

An unknown number of hours later you woke up. The sun hadn’t risen yet, which meant you could’ve gone back to sleep. Before you could close your eyes, you became aware of the position you were in. your chest was pressed against Hanbin’s, his hands wrapped around your waist and your face in his neck. Maybe he didn’t hate you that much after all.

You let your half asleep head take over you and you pressed a kiss to his neck. He was asleep anyway. “What was that?” you heard a murmur from above you. He wasn’t asleep. “um.. a thank you gift, for keeping me warm.. i guess..” you stuttered. “Okay.. Give me one more.” huh? you couldn’t believe your ears. but you did it anyway, pressing a harder kiss to Hanbin’s neck. He unwrapped himself from your waist and cupped your face. “Do you think i hate you?” he made you look up at him. you nodded and a pout was formed on his face. “ i don’t. actually, i want to kiss you right now. can i?” you nodded again. “use your words, pretty” “yes, please kiss me before i fall back asleep.”

Said and done, Hanbin pressed his lips to yours, angling your face with his hands. The kiss was soft at first, but evolved quickly as hanbin pressed you on you back and deepened it. Your hands shot to his neck and your fingers pulled lightly at his black locks. When you felt him moan into the kiss, you used that opportunity to heat up the moment more. After you both lacked air, Hanbin pulled away staring down at you. “sorry i acted rudely towards you. i just liked you and had no idea how to approach you.” he confessed shily. “i’m not that unapproachable, bin. i’ll forgive you if you kiss me more” “deal”

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