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julemmaes · 7 months

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Stuck

Elide Lochan x Lorcan Salvaterre modern au

A/N: idk wtf this is, I got an idea and then it spiralled into something completely different and considered how I ended I might write a second part where they fuck it out of their system, just for the sake of it

Enjoy!:)

Word count: ~2300

"No. Nonono, fuck no. Not today, please!" She cried, running her fingers through her hair and pulling at the roots until it hurt.

Elide groaned, shutting her eyes closed.

She tried to draw a deeper breath in and when the tight skin dress didn't stretch enough for her to do so, Elide felt anxiety crest.

"Fuck me," she whined, running to her living room, where the biggest mirror in her flat leaned against the wall. Maybe the problem was that she couldn't see properly and something was obstructing the way.

Turning with her back to the glass, she started slapping at her back, trying to reach for the zipper. Once her fingers closer around the tiny chip of metal, Elide yanked the thing down.

Nothing.

She closed her eyes in despair, breathing through her nose. When air got stuck in her throat again she blew it from her mouth.

Her eyes started stinging.

"Please, not today."

She had had the longest day at work and she needed to get out of this dress, so she could decompress after the tiring shift. But no, she couldn't. Of course not. The universe hated her and she was cursed.

And she was stuck.

She tried again, slower, gentler. The zipper didn't even shift.

Elide never really considered herself claustrophobic, she easily got into elevators and toilet stalls without windows. She never felt any kind of panic whenever she was in tiny, crowded spaces and such.

But she was starting to doubt how much she truly knew herself at this point.

She clutched her neck with a hand, forcing herself to take small, slow breaths, trying to calm down and think of a solution.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was out of her apartment and striding down to the only other one she was sure wasn't vacant.

She couldn't waste any time checking which neighbor was home or not and the music coming from apartment E24 was proof enough someone was in there.

She reached the door in the blink of an eye and started slamming her palm against the flat wood surface, so hard that her skin tingled with pain.

"Fuck!" A clearly masculine voice came from inside, “The Police!”

“Shut up, Fenrys, it’s not the Police,” another male voice came through. Whoever it was, they were immensely calmer than the former speaker.

“Fuck you, Ro, you can’t know!”

Elide called out, “I’m not the Police, please open the door!”

“You open it, Dorian."

“Are you for real?” Another person.

"You're closer to it—"

"It's your house."

"—and I'm scared."

"Hellas above, I'll get the door."

Elide didn't have time to step back that the door unlocked and a second later a guy larger than life stood in front of her.

She sagged, leaning forward. She couldn't help the relieved whisper that escaped her. "Thank gods."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she was already turning her back to him.

"I'm fucking stuck and if you don't help me right now I might collapse."

Dramatic much, she could hear her best friend's words in her head.

"I've been trying to get out of this hellish trap for twenty minutes and I–" she paused, panting as if she'd just ran a marathon, "–I can't really breathe."

When her plea was met with silence she turned her head enough to look over her shoulder and she only then realized how tall the man standing there was.

He towered over her, by two heads.

He was staring at her with parted lips and a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry what?" His voice was rough, scratchy in a way that made Elide blush.

She whined, not above crying in front of strangers if it came to it, "The dress, it won't come off, I need you to zip it down. Please."

A loud, barking laugh came from inside the apartment and then a chorus of various voices started.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"No one will believe us when we tell this story."

"Lucky bastard."

"I can't believe it myself and I'm living through it."

Elide ignored the others and focused on the giant guy, looking him straight in the eyes, "Listen I just need you to pull it down, I can't do it myself and I live alone, please I…"

"Okay," he murmured. He stepped forward, lifting his hands toward her dress. He looked at her back before his eyes flitted to hers, "Can I?"

"Please," Elide repeated.

She tensed when his fingers brushed her skin, and held her breath when he brought the hems of the dress together and tried to pull the zipper down.

"It doesn't work," he stated.

"No shit, Sherlock," someone said from inside. "She literally told you that."

Elide brought her hands to her face and groaned for what felt like the thousandth time that night.

When he stepped back, she turned and eyed the others—there were seven guys, plus the titan standing next to her, in total. They seemed to be in the middle of some kind of videogame tournament. Snacks and joysticks lay everywhere and they were all wearing some kind of comfy clothes.

She had to hold back her smile when she realized she'd walked in on a slumber party.

"Do any of you know how to fix zippers or am I destined to die in this?"

"I heard using soap works, come inside."

Elide's attention shifted back to the guy next to her. She had to bend her head back to look him in the face.

He was wearing black pants and a black sweater, and he had his arms crossed over his chest. He was eyeing her curiously, as if he was studying her. Elide couldn't say she minded the attention.

He was pretty good on the eye, too.

Another one of the guys shot up, "Sure, let the stranger in, it's not like this is my house."

"You're right, I'm so sorry," Elide looked back at the room. She stepped inside nonetheless, "I'm Elide. Lochan. I live in E27? I think we crossed paths a couple of times?"

"Oh, maybe." The owner of the house came up to her, extending a hand and flashing her a shit-eating grin, "Fenrys, Moonbeam."

"Nice to meet you, where do you keep the soap?"

He seemed taken aback for a second and slowly lowered his hand. A few surprised snorts sounded in the room. He pointed a finger down the corridor, "Bathroom."

Someone brushed past her, murmuring a curt come as they passed.

She didn't have to be told twice and followed the Wardrobe-wide Guy into the flat.

He moved around the bathroom like he owned the place, and Elide would probably be embarrassed later when she realized she'd literally just barged into someone's house and demanded their help, but she needed to get out of this dress and couldn't really think of anything else at the moment.

"Turn around."

Elide did as told without a word.

She hissed as a few droplets of cold water slid down her back.

"Sorry," he grumbled. The soft sound of the soap bar grating against the zipper was the only audible thing. And she was growing aware of her surroundings.

"What's your name?"

"Lorcan."

"Cool," she cleared her throat. "Cool, cool."

He huffed a breath. His version of a laugh, perhaps?

She felt the dress being pulled down, but nothing unzipping, then he clicked his tongue.

"It's not working, is it?"

"Nah," he said, putting the soap back and washing his hands. "I could try with some oil."

Elide let go of a shuddering breath, she just wanted out of it.

When she said nothing, Lorcan rounded her and stood in front of her, glancing down at her face. His chin jutted out, "You okay?"

She nodded swiftly, offering a tight smile.

Now that she knew someone else was taking care of the issue at hand, she was feeling calmer. And she could think more clearly.

The guy in front of her was stunning.

He had long, black hair that reached his waist. Eyes just as dark and a white, deep scar that ran from the side of his forehead down to his temple that appeared even paler in contrast with his dark skin. She wondered how he'd gotten it.

"Are you claustrophobic or some shit like that?"

That question brought her back to reality and made her aware of the fact that he'd been watching her just as closely.

She shook her head, "I'm just exhausted and I want to sleep. But I can't sleep in this."

His lips curled on one side and after a few seconds where they just studied each other, he jerked his head toward the living room before silently heading back.

She was on his heels in a heartbeat.

The moment they stepped into the full room, Elide dared looking at the crowd. She stopped in the hall when one of them talked.

"Lorbear, I see you're no good at undressing ladies in distress."

Lorbear. This group was close.

Elide snorted, rolling her eyes back and then fixing her stare on the blue-eyed prince charming that sat on the only armchair. "You think you could do better?"

A white-haired guy chuckled, addressing her directly. "Our Dorian here hasn't seen a single dress in his entire life, he wouldn't know where to start."

She smiled knowingly, enjoying the distraction as much as the friendly banter between the boys.

"Do I need to remind you how you met your girlfriend, Rowan?" Dorian grinned back, lifting a foot to poke at the other's leg.

Rowan—she supposed—tensed and clenched his jaw, slapping Dorian's foot away, "Please, don't."

Elide's interest was piqued, so much so that she wanted to ask questions, but Lorcan's voice called for her from the kitchen.

She waved at the others, "Wish me good luck."

A chorus of good luck rose from the couches.

"Sorry," she said as she sauntered in the small kitchen, "I got stopped."

Lorcan gestured at her to turn around, "Don't mind them, they're all jerks."

"I like them," she shrugged as she positioned in front of him. "Plus, you're the one hanging out with them, if you really thought that, I don't think you'd be here."

His fingers slipped under the fabric on her back and something coarse scratched at her skin.

"It's paper, so you don't get oily," he warned.

"Oh," she was surprised. By the small kind gesture, and by the reaction her body was having to the infinitely unimportant brush of his touch. "Thanks."

"No prob," he drawled, his voice traveling over the back of her neck.

Elide scrunched her nose. What was she doing?

"Would you mind leaning forward a bit for me, 'lide?"

'Lide.

She was going to die.

You're not, Manon's voice sounded amused in her head as she obeyed.

They went through the process again, just for the zipper to not even budge.

He cleaned the metal, wiping it until it was dry enough that it wouldn't dirty her.

She turned to face him again and he bent his head to the side, scratching his jaw.

"Can I cut it?"

A laugh bubbled up in her throat, "No, it's my work uniform, you can't cut it."

He stared at her for the longest time, then went, "Are you wearing a bra?"

What?

Someone laughed from the other room, "Smooth, Slavaterre. Really smooth."

Lorcan huffed, running a hand down his face, "I was wondering if we could take it off from the head. You know, like a shirt."

Elide suddenly felt stupid. She blushed lightly and muttered, "I didn't think of it."

"So?"

It was her turn to stare at him, in silence, contemplating her next move.

The way his gaze didn't falter for half a second gave her a kind of confidence she rarely possesses these days.

She shook her head, "Yes, I am."

"Do you think you can do it by yourself?"

She nodded.

Lorcan hummed, "I guess my part is done here, then."

"I guess," she replied, never stepping back from the staring contest.

When his eyes slid lower, slowly, to her mouth, she smirked. He mimicked her, and his tongue came out to wet his plump lip.

It wasn't her style, not really how she found hookups, but Lorcan was attractive and seemed to be really appreciative of whatever he was seeing in her.

"What if," she added, speaking so softly that only he could hear her, "I get stuck?"

Something glimmered in his eyes, and he took a step forward. The movement forced her head further back and when his hand lifted to play with the hem of her sleeve, her arms covered in goosebumps.

"I could help with that," he rasped, caressing her shoulder. He ran a finger down her collarbone and Elide took a sharp breath in.

Their eyes met again and she swallowed.

"Then I'll make sure to call you, if it comes to that."

Lorcan's lips curled again, tempting, "I would love that."

Fenrys' scream came sharp as a needle, bursting their bubble of tension and longing.

"Don't you dare make out in my kitchen!"

Elide averted her gaze, pushing her tongue against her cheek to avoid laughing. She really liked these people.

Lorcan stepped back until a good two meters distanced them and then inhaled, extending a hand toward the living room.

She walked out of the kitchen first, heading directly for the front door.

She spared a long look at Lorcan, letting him see the sincerity behind her next words, "You know where to find me, Salvaterre, if you ever need company."

She loved the taste of his name on her tongue.

He smirked, taking his stance next to the kitchen door. He nodded his head once, clearly letting her know he would take up on her words.

She didn't even look at the rest of the guys as she said goodbye and left, closing the door behind her.

She was halfway down the corridor when shouts and cheers exploded from Fenrys' flat.

Oh, just how fast things had changed.

tog tag list (if you wanna be added or removed, just dm me or send me an ask)

@maastrash @ireallyshouldsleeprn @sleeping-and-books @gwynethhberdara @thegoddessofyou @ghostlyrose2 @claralady @sayosdreams @perseusannabeth @letstakethedawn @tangledinmysoul @post-it-notes33 @booksstorm @nalgenewhore @queen-of-demons-and-hell @imagine-me @vasudharaghavan @cupcakey00 @bri-loves-sunflowers @queen-of-glass @thewayshedreamed @the-regal-warrior @fangirlprincess09 @januarystears @rowaelinismyotp @starbornsinger @bookstantrash @thegreyj @feysand-loml @autumnbabylon @a-court-of-milkandhoney @highqueenofelfhame @story-scribbler @mariamuses @rhysandswingspan @whoever-you-choose-to-love @endlessdaydream

#elorcan #elide lochan #lorcan salvaterre #tog fic #meet cute #ill try to write some smut as a second part i swear

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deiaiko · 11 months

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#13 - Reunion

Masterlist

Let me know your thoughts in the reblogs <3

#no khun you don't *see*#get the hint bro #bam thought khun has forgotten about him when he pulled him away #and then bam tries to be careful with his hands because he knows khun doesn't like to be touched by strangers #if you zoomed in you can see that khun almost shed tears #also that last panel of khun (thinking): I want to say no pda but then I'd be a hypocrite. so he just :x #yoo it took two weeks but yay it's finally here #the long awaited scene(s)#I hope it's worth the wait #the empty speech bubbles will be detailed on writing format when the time comes #i love the first panel of the fourth page viole looks so cute there #tower of god #tog #two sides of the same coin comic #my comic #my art #bam #baam #25th baam #25th bam #the 25th baam #the 25th bam #jue viole grace #koon #khun a.a #khun aguero agnis #khunbam #koonbaam #bamxkhun

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gracie-rosee · 3 months

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There’s a startling lack of TOG content for sjm romance week. I fear a lot of tog writers have gone and disappeared 🥺

#throne of glass #sighhh #I miss my 2021/22 tumblr #pandemic peak tog fic era #rowaelin #maybe I’ll write something #if only to fill the void in my own heart

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throneofsapphics · 10 months

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cold shoulder

Rowaelin x f!Reader

Summary: You got into an argument with Aelin, and she gets sick of you ignoring her.

A/N: Tiny plot, mostly smut.

Word Count: ~3.4k

Warnings: NSFW, possessive, overstimulation, slightly dark, light d/s. I think that's it.

I’d finally made a friend. It took nearly six months, the entire castle avoiding me like the plague after I came to live here. The Queen and King’s mate, whispers would follow me, somehow unaware I could hear them.

Both Rowan and Aelin were gone, leaving me to my own devices in the castle. My head was pounding, and I made my way towards the healers room. The castle always had one on call. I know where it is, but I’d never visited. I took a few breaths to center myself, facing the heavy oak door, and knocked three times.

“Oh come on in you bastards.” The voice, a female - or woman, chuckled from within. I fought the urge to smile, pushing the door open.

“Apologies if I wasn’t who you were expecting.” The woman standing in the room squeaked, dropping the glass in her hands. A wave of magic caught it and laid it on the table for her. “I’m Y/N.” I introduced myself, but didn’t hold out a hand. It was polite to let her do that.

“Oh Gods I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to call you that. I’m Reina”

“I’m happy to meet you Reina. I heard I might find some tea here. To help with headaches..” I shifted back and forth on my feet as she jumped up, ruffling through some of the several jars of dried herbs, to make a small mixture, placing it in a small glass canister and screwing the lid on. “You’re a saint,” I breathed, and she laughed.

“Would you like for me to brew it for you?”

I debated for a few long moments. It couldn’t hurt to talk to someone. “I’d love that.” I finally said. She nodded rapidly before fluttering around the room again. I made casual conversation, asking her where she’s from, about her family, and what she thinks of the castle. Of course she didn’t dare say anything negative about it. Even if she did, I wouldn’t report back.

“Thank you.” I said as she pushed the warm mug in my hands, along with the tin full of more herbal mixture. Staying here to drink it might be pushing her comfort levels. “I’ll return the mug.”

She smiled, opening the door for me. “It was lovely to meet you.”

“And you as well.” Her voice squeaked again.

I was chatting with Reina, the woman who’d given me the tea all those months ago. I’d visited her again a few times, and she’d always been more than helpful - always had a solution or a brew for something. Honestly, I craved company as well, and she was cheerful and knowledgeable. I learned so much about herbs and plants from her, and soaked the knowledge up like a sponge - even going to pull some extra books in the library.

Reina and I stopped towards the end of a hallway, when she told me she’d be leaving, at the end of the week - back to her village. She’d been here on an apprenticeship, to learn more and go back to serve her village. A program that Aelin started years ago, shortly after her coronation.

I gave her a tight hug, she seemed surprised but hugged me back. “I’ll miss you.” I sighed, pulling back and grasping her forearms, as she held mine.

“I’ll miss you too.”

“Maybe I can come visit?”

“I’d love that.” Reina beamed.

I felt her presence then. Aelin. I stiffened, and dropped Reina’s arms to see my mate a few paces away, glaring daggers into Reina, who looked absolutely petrified.

“Leave.” She ordered my friend, who scurried down the hallway, almost running.

“She’s my -” I turned and hissed.

“Not. Here.” Aelin said through gritted teeth, pacing towards me to stop right in front. She wrapped an arm around my waist, gripping tightly and walking back towards - towards my rooms? They were closer I guess. Her touch was laced with pure possession.

“What -”

“Wait.” She interrupted my sentence again, and I clenched my teeth. Her grip tightened, holding me closer, her fingers digging into my side. That might be a bruise tomorrow. We finally got to my rooms, and I looked to her for an explanation.

“I can smell her on you.” Aelin’s eyes were narrowed. My mouth opened, but before I could speak she said, “Go take a bath.”

“Excuse me?” My eyes widened. Is this a real conversation?

“Go take a bath. Her scent is on you.” Aelin tugged at the mating bond, sending her emotions down it. The jealousy. Something with the bond encouraged me to yield, to give in to her will - to please my mate and make her happy.

I rolled my eyes, but didn’t say another word and spun on my heel, stomping off towards my bathing room. I despised myself for it.

I ran the water, making sure it was hot, and threw my clothes in the basket. I scrubbed my body down with the rose soap, the one Aelin had got for me after she found it was my favorite. Once my skin was scrubbed pink and my hair washed clean, I dried myself off and focused on keeping my cool. I threw some clothes on. Fleece lined leggings, and one of my favorite long sleeve tops - cut right below my navel, and flowy. A beautiful darker green color - Terrasen green. Apparently my subconscious is doing everything it can think of to please my mate.

I took a few conscious breaths and stalked back through the door, letting it swing shut behind me. I stopped a few paces ahead of her, and crossed my arms, not bothering to put a pleasant expression on my face. Aelin’s eyes narrowed, but she looked at me almost approvingly.

“All to your liking, your majesty?” I used the term to tease her. To aggravate her a bit. Based on how her nostrils flared, it worked.

She circled around me, much like a predator. I felt myself stiffen, a bit of fear creeping in. “Good, I can’t scent her.” She spit out the last word ‘her’, like she was some sort of demon. My shoulders relaxed a tiny bit. Gods, this is ridiculous.

“She’s my friend.” I exclaimed. “I hugged her because she’s leaving.” I heard her say something under her breath, something suspiciously like if she wasn’t leaving I’d make her, but I chose to ignore that, and pretend it didn’t come out of her mouth. “Am I not allowed to have friends now?” I said sarcastically.

“Not when I can scent their arousal on you.”

My jaw dropped. “She’s just a friend.”

“Have you told her that?”

“Of course I have.” I swallowed harshly. “I’m needed in the library,” I muttered, walking maybe a bit too quickly out of the room.

“This conversation isn't over.” Aelin growled from behind me.

I stopped in the doorway, turning to face her. “It is for now,” and strode out of the room, letting it slam behind me.

Y/n was pissed, and I couldn’t figure out why. Everything was … almost normal, but she avoided touching Rowan and I, shrugging away from any kind of intimacy, and spent more time than usual in the library. I asked the head librarian, who feigned ignorance. I didn’t push the woman for answers, not wanting to cross that boundary.

After three days, I cracked and asked Y/n. Her mates eyes darkened. “You don’t remember?” She spit out, teeth clenched.

I fought the urge to laugh at the venom in her voice, completely at odds with her normal demeanor, but I knew it would make the situation ten times worse if I did.

“Obviously not,” Rowan said, not bothering to hide the amusement in his tone. “Care to fill us in?”

“You got pissed over me hugging a friend.”

That’s what this is about. “Her arousal was over you.” I snarked back at her.

Rowan looked at me, why haven’t I heard about this?

Slipped my mind. Thankfully, he left it alone for now.

“It’s not my fault I’m pretty.”

Rowan stiffened next to me, but Y/n shoved her plate away, stalking out of the room.

She stayed in her old chambers that night - from when she first came to live with us, and no amount of coaxing from Rowan could bring her back over to ours.

I didn’t sleep well that night, by myself. I’d grown so used to having both of them with me, the three of us tangled up together. Past midnight, I regretted my decision but I wouldn’t go sneaking in there. Part of me knew I was being a bit ridiculous holding on to the grudge. I probably would’ve been pissed smelling someone else's arousal on my mates.

But, it stung. Part of me couldn’t help wondering if they’d reject me because of it. Maybe they’d think I was somehow ruined? Stupid, I chastised myself. The thought bloomed out of nowhere, rooted in my own insecurities, but it was enough to make me avoid them.

My patience was running out. I wanted to touch her mate, to feel her, to scent her arousal. But - Y/N didn’t start anything, didn’t initiate anything, and I couldn’t figure out why. For Gods sake I even swallowed my pride and apologized to her. So, like a rational person, I brought it up in the middle of dinner, and bluntly. Never one to sugar coat my words.

“Why are you avoiding intimacy?”

Rowan’s look said ‘rutting Gods, Aelin.’

“I’m scared you’ll reject me. Or laugh at me somehow.”

That. That was not what I expected. At all.

“Y/N.” I said her name softly, dinner forgotten as I rounded the table, pulling her chair out so I could kneel in front of her. On my knees - for her. I grasped both of her lands in mine.

“Petal. I’d never reject you. Or laugh at you. You know exactly what you do to me.” I met her eyes, and trailed a hand up her thigh, up her side. She shivered as much touch ghosted over the side of her neck, all to grip her chin. Rowan had moved, and he was standing behind her now, a steady presence. If she noticed him, she didn’t turn or look away from me, her attention focused wholly on me. Gods, I loved that, being the center of her attention.

One hand stayed on her chin. Gripping that soft skin, the other covered her chest, right where her heart was. I felt the heat of her skin through her top, and scented her arousal too, starting to creep up through her. I kept the smirk off my face, barely.

“This is mine.” My voice was low and possessive enough I almost didn’t recognize it. I rose from my knees, standing in front of her. My hand guided her chin, tilting so she’d see me - look in my eyes. Her hands gripped my hips, and she stood with me. “You belong,” I emphasized, “to me.”

She bit on her bottom lip, and my thumb tugged it free with a rough movement. Harsh. “I would never reject you.” I yanked her up, one hand wrapping around her waist to pull her flush to me. The chair flung out of the way, and she tried to turn but I held her in place. Rowan’s hands trailed over her shoulders and down her side.

“You belong to us.” He told her, leaning down so his lips ghosted her ear. Eyes meeting mine.

Our mate.

Our mate. I repeated to him.

She shivered, her body reacting to the pure possession in our touch. “Or have you forgotten that?” I teased.

“You haven’t exactly shown me.” She teased back, even as a bit of fear crept into her. I could scent it too, and for some reason I loved it. “You haven’t either,” she turned her head to face Rowan. He snarled, flashing his canines when she turned back around.

“You have no idea what you’ve just done.” I said softly, tracing the line of her jaw.

“I just told the truth.”

Oh, there’s still a fire in her.

Our scents are weaker on her. I spoke to Rowan.

We need to fix that.

Do exactly what I say. He rolled his eyes, but he gave a short nod.

I traced my hand down the lines and curves of her body, relishing in every soft bit of skin. I kissed my way down, through the valley of her breasts, stopping to leave a mark right in the middle. I loved the way she screamed as I bit into her, and sobbed. She was begging before I’d even touched her pussy, before my hands touched her breasts.

“Aelin. Gods, Aelin. Please.” Eventually I gave in, licking one long strip up her core, before biting down on her clit, tugging it. Her back bowed, arching as she sobbed. “It hurts.” She whined. Her eyes fixed on Rowan, like he might convince me to let her finish.

“Don’t look at me.” He said, “I’m enjoying this.” She fixed her gaze on me again, pleading.

“I don’t care if it hurts.” I whispered, my warm breath fanning her as she shivered. She got even wetter. “My little painslut.” I whispered, rising back up to meet her lips. My knee pressed into her core, and she whimpered into my mouth, her nails scratching down my back.

“You’re mine.” She moaned, pulling me as close as she could.

I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “I’m yours my love.” And I kissed her, again and again until her lips were bloody and bruised. Her hands squeezed, pinching my nipples, before scratching down my back to squeeze my backside. She craved me as much as I craved her. Our bodies wanted to be together, belonged together. The mating bond thrummed with joy, feeling fulfilled again for the first time in over a week.

One of my hands pushed at the back of her thigh, pinning her leg up near her chest, before I made my way back down.

One finger entered, tantalizingly slow, and rubbing circles inside of her, right inside on the spot. My lips wrapped around her clit, sucking hard. She screamed - loud. I hope Rowan has a shield up. I alternated between sucking and grazing my canines over her until she came undone beneath me.

After that, I didn’t stop. I kept going until she gave me another.

It was almost too much, so overstimulated, so much pain mixed with pleasure but I didn’t want it to stop, didn’t want her to leave. I kept wiggling. Her eyes narrowed, before she lifted slightly.

“Rowan.” She called, “Hold her.” He listened, climbing up on the bed and kneeling behind me, his hard arms caging my body, tugging me tightly into my chest.

“It’s too much.” I whimpered, my chest heaving.

“Then safeword.” Aelin demanded. I didn’t, and kept my mouth shut.

“You’ll take everything she gives you.” Rowan breathed into my ear. “And thank her.” I shivered, his words making the hair on my arms raise. “Do you understand?”

“Yes. I understand.” My voice shook as I replied.

“Good girl.”

I yelped as Aelin’s fingers pinched my clit. The already bruised and overstimulated spot.

“What do you say?” She teased.

“Thank you.” I said through heavy breaths.

“My little pain slut, that’s what you are, aren’t you?” She crooned.

“Yes. Gods, yes.” I sobbed, as she flicked again, before her fingers pinched it. Tears started streaming down my face.

“So pretty when you cry.” She purred, leaning in. Her tongue lapped one of the tears, before she met my lips again. Rowan’s arms stayed firm around me - I couldn’t move if I wanted to, I couldn’t feel her or touch her, but I pushed against him as much as I could, trying to get closer. His hold is unbreakable, I don’t know why I expected anything else.

“Your turn.” She grinned, and met Rowan’s eyes, over my shoulder, hers glazing slightly. Speaking, they’re using their bond. They moved so quickly I was caught in between them, caught off guard as my body was maneuvered. Aelin leaned up against the pillows, and I was between her legs. Her hand fisted my hair, and pushed me down into her. I hooked both of my arms under her thighs, holding on and started absolutely feasting on her. It hadn’t taken me long to figure out exactly what she likes, and I absolutely loved pleasing her like this. I could do it for hours, and she knew that. She’d had me sit under her desk and do it for hours before. Makes work bearable. She’d told me.

I startled and whimpered as rough hands gripped my hips, yanking them up. Aelin’s hand fisting my hair kept me firmly in place.

Fingers slipped inside me, stretching. Preparing me. I kept licking her, lapping at her, even as Rowan pushed into me, inch by tantalizing inch.

And how would you like me to fuck her, milady? Rowan asked his wife, amusement on his face. She thought about it for a second, her hand keeping Y/N firmly in place, moaning at their mates' touch. He knew she’d keep her there for hours, if she was in the mood. Keep her all to herself.

Slow. But hard.

He could do that. He pushed himself all the way in, right to his hilt, and Y/N moaned against Aelin, drawing a moan out of her. He pulled out slowly, almost all the way, before slamming right back into her, she cried out and jolted, but kept her head right there.

Gods it was almost torturous, Rowan moving so slowly, yet so harshly, against me. My already bruised and sore pussy. But - I felt Aelin coming undone under me, and I focused on that, redoubled my efforts, even as his cock threatened to distract me. She was close, so close, I could feel it. Then - Rowan’s hand snuck around my hip, right to the apex of my thighs, pushing harshly against it. I screamed into Aelin, and that sent her over the edge.

Sneaky Bastard. He’d done that on purpose - knowing what the vibrations from my scream would do to her. I could practically feel how pleased he was with himself, as he pulled out of me, Aelin panting in front of me, her hand releasing my hair.

“Do you trust us?” Aelin asked me, through heavy breaths.

“Of course.” I said, immediately, almost offended. She glanced at Rowan, who left. “I feel a bit left out.” I grumbled, rising up to my knees. A grin formed on her face, and she gripped my chin, forcing my eyes to stay on hers. I heard Rowan coming back, and tried to turn.

“Look at me.” She ordered, and I listened. Maybe I shouldn’t have because silky ropes tied my arms behind me. Rowan tossed another length of rope to Aelin, who caught it, and pulled me up towards the headboard, looping the rope in between my hands, and attaching it firmly. I sat on my knees, and watched with wide eyes. The knots were clever, and there was no escaping them - at least without magic.

“I figured you might need a break.” Aelin crooned as her hands pushed on Rowan’s chest, pushing him down to lay on the bed. She lowered herself on him, and I watched as she rode him, my eyes wide and breathing heavy. I’d never done that … and no, Rowan would never let me. Watching, though. I liked that.

He leaned up, her arms steady on his shoulders, and his hands gripping her hips, helping guide her on him, lifting all the way up, before slamming right down. She fucked him - hard. Gods, it was mesmerizing.

Rowan could tell Aelin was in her element, and loved every moment of this. Especially Y/N watching, tied up and helpless to do anything about it. He groaned, coming close to finishing, and felt Aelin start to pulse around him. She threw her head back in a moan, rode him through her orgasm, and until he spilled inside her. His gaze turned to their mate, watching with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed, wiggling to try and get some friction or release.

“Don’t.” He warned her, and she froze, a sheepish smile forming on her face. He lifted Aelin off him, bringing her up to sit on his face. She whimpered on top of him as he licked one long stripe up her pussy.

#rowaelin x reader #throne of glass imagine #tog x reader #rowan whitethorn x reader #aelin x reader #rowan x reader #no beta we die like men #throne of glass smut #bad writing #rowan x aelin #rowan whitethorn x y/n #aelin x y/n #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #rowaelin #throne of glass fic #I switch between first and third person I'm sorry

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normal-thoughts-official · 1 year

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Why Joe and Nicky deserve to win the sun and moon showdown, and if they don't I'll end up in the INTERPOL Most Wanted list

A not at all dramatic essay

(Plain text version here)

1. Not only do they canonically use moon imagery to refer to each other, but their context adds new symbolism to that metaphor that other duos don't have

If you haven't seen TOG and aren't familiar with the van speech, well, I recommend that you do, but I'll transcribe it for your convenience:

"He's not my 'boyfriend'. This man is more to me than you can dream. He's the moon when I'm lost in darkness and warmth when I shiver in cold. And his kiss still thrills me even after a millennium. His heart overflows with the kindness of which this world is not worthy of. I love this man beyond measure and reason, he's not my 'boyfriend'. He's all and he's more"

Yeah, pretty long way of saying "actually we're husbands", but let's focus on the "he's the moon when I'm lost in darkness" bit. That bit alone is already insanely romantic and enough to make us fans go rabid with this tournament, but there is an extra layer of romanticism to it, because Mr Yusuf al-Kaysani (aka Joe) is Muslim, and in Islam, the moon represents the guidance of Allah through life, the calendar is based on the moon cycles, and the brightness of the moon is compared to both the face of the Prophet Muhammad and the first batch of souls to enter Paradise. Therefore, the moon, in Joe's culture, is intrinsecally linked with the divine, guidance, holiness, and time

So, when Joe compares Nicky to the moon, he's not only saying that he brings light into a dark world; he is saying that he is the very guiding light that leads him to a blessed life, that he is the foundation through which the world and time can be understood, and that his beauty and holiness is comparable to that of the souls of Heaven themselves

Which is all already enough for me to bite through wood, but the specific relationship between the moon and the understanding of time in Joe's culture is also particularly meaningful for Joe and Nicky, because Joe and Nicky are two of the 5 people who are immortal in the entire world. And one of the core themes of the movie is how that sense of timelessness leads them to isolation, and a constant state of loss. There is a deep melancholy that permeates their entire existence due to the fact that time as we know it no longer makes sense to them, and they live outside of it, skirting around eras and history. So, by comparing Nicky to the very body that marked the passage of time for Joe, he is saying that Nicky is what helps him make sense of the impossible, that he is the constant in Joe's eternity, that he brings meaning to their confusing and sometimes alienating existence

But wait! There's more!

Because Joe and Nicky met in al-Quds (also known as Jerusalem) in the year 493 AH (also known as 1099 CE in the Gregorian Calendar) and had to travel together across the desert for a long time, which means that, for the first few years of their life together, they were in fact relying on the moon to guide them in their path. So they both have a deep intrinsic understanding of how the moon is a compass, the most reliable thing in uncertainty. And the moon has been guiding their steps, their relationship, since their paths were first joined. And they weren't separated since

Like. Listen, I'm sure Star Trek is great and its fans are lovely, and I salute the Star Trek fandom for everything it did for fandom history in general, but you cannot tell me that Spirk has this much baggage associated with the sunmoon symbolism. It just doesn't. If this were a hand touching tournament, no one would have as much symbolism linked to it than y'all, but when it comes to being the sun and moon, no one is doing it like Joe and Nicky

2. The most appealing aspect of the SunMoon dynamic is how they need to defeat all odds to be with each other, and Joe and Nicky have that in spades

"Oh I don't think that's the most ap-" IRRELEVANT. I'll talk about the other ones too. Just keep reading, okay? /joking

As you might know, Joe and Nicky met on opposite sides of a battlefield. They killed each other. (Many times). And what happened then?

They ressurrected and became immortal. That alone is already impossible, but it gets better - even for the rules of immortality in their universe, Joe and Nicky are still an impossibility that has never happened before or since

Because in The Old Guard, immortality is extremely rare. There have only ever been 7 immortals in the entire history of humanity. There are usually several millennia between the appearance of one immortal and the next one. Other than them, the shortest time gap between one immortal appearing and the next was 800 years. But Joe and Nicky became immortal at the same time, on the same day. Their very existence bends the rules of an universe that already bends the rules of the universe they lived in beforehand anyway. Joe and Nicky being together defies the very fabric of time, and if that isn't some sun and moon shit, I don't know what is

But it's not just some destiny shit either. Joe and Nicky were also not supposed to be together by other standards. For starters, they were on opposite sides of a war. Nicky was a fucking priest, and he joined the goddamn actual honest to god crusades. He was hateful and ignorant and awful, and when he chose Joe, he left behind everything he knew before him. All his certainties, his beliefs, his faith, his family, everything he had ever been taught. I'm also gonna go ahead and say that that ties into the whole "the sun is what makes the moon shine" metaphor - because everything that defines Nicky as he is now is the direct result of how meeting Joe changed him

And listen, listen to me. I'm not saying that he stopped being a bigot for Joe, because if he did, I doubt Joe would want him. He did it because it was the right thing to do, and he was wrong and ignorant and indoctrinated by the church. But he still had to make the choice to turn his back to all that, and that plain and simply would not have happened if he hadn't met Joe. It was Nicky's own effort, but meeting Joe was the catalyst

Joe, similarly, had to overcome a lifetime's worth of (well earned) resentment and hatred for what Nicky did. Joe forgiving Nicky at all is already nearly an impossibility (and he would be well within his right to never do that), but he didn't just forgive Nicky, he fell in love with him. And he chose him, well aware of how bloody and terrible his past was, and despite the fact that there is no way he wasn't deeply conflicted about what he felt for Nicky after everything the Christians put him through. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard this process must have been for Joe, and it was one he didn't have to go through at all - which means that he chose to

And that's not even taking into account the very personal resentments between the two of them, because they weren't just on opposing armies, they literally and personally killed each other. Several times over. And yet, impossibly, against all logic, against everything they had ever felt and believed in prior to each other, against possibly their own desires, they fell in love. They fell in love and have been hopelessly devoted to each other every since

And THEN, on top of all that at the beginning of their relationship, they lived as an interracial, interfaith*, gay couple, through what were undoubtedly the worst times in humanity's history to be either of those things. For 900 years, they had to love each other in secret and with varying degrees of risk associated with ever being found out as a couple, or even with being associated with each other at all to begin with

(*It is debatable what their current relationship with their respective original faiths is, since it isn't mentioned in the movie. But even if both of them had turned their back on their religions, they are still culturally Christian and culturally Muslim, and that makes a difference. Personally, though, I don't think either of them turned their backs on their religions, although I do believe Nicky turned his back to the Catholic Church as an institution for obvious reasons)

That's not even counting all the incredibly traumatic shit that they went through ever since (which I won't mention in detail because it's spoilers and also this is long enough already) and that would definitely break a couple with a less unbreakable bond. Through centuries and centuries of pain and regret, they have chosen nothing and no one but each other, first and foremost, no matter what that meant.

Nicky even brings it up in the comics:

[ID: Joe and Nicky touching foreheads with their eyes closed. Nicky is holding Joe's chin and he says, "why is it so difficult, Joe? We've been afforded more time than any lovers I can name. And still, every moment we scrape together feels precious. Something always happens-" End ID]

(From the Tales Through Time one-shot series. I generally think the comics are meh and the movie is where it's at, but I do recommend reading this one. It is set before the movie happens so there are no spoilers)

There has never been a time where being together was easy, and yet, Joe and Nicky chose each other no matter what. They chose each other even when it meant being separated and getting only scraps of time together in secret. If that isn't some sun and moon shit, I don't know what is

3. They complement each other

And not in the dumb stereotypical "the sunshine one and the grumpy one" way either. For starters, Joe isn't bubbly, and Nicky isn't grumpy. No, they have two characteristics that I think represent the sun and moon way better than that anyway - Joe is an extremely intense person, and Nicky, an extremely cool headed one

Joe doesn't feel anything by halves, and despite the fact that he has lived through several lifetimes, it still seems as if everything he goes through is happening for the first time. Every time Nicky or another one of the family dies, Joe looks just as desperate as he would a millennium ago, despite the fact that he's had centuries to get used to the fact that they die and then come back to life. He's the only one who's that affected by it (obviously none of them enjoy seeing each other die, but the rest seem to have accepted to some degree that it's a part of their lives, or at least gotten used to it). He has experienced so many horrible things, yet he is still as affected and disgusted by it every time, going as far as lashing out sometimes. When he's angry, no one is able to hold him back from yelling at the person he's angry at (not even Nicky). Similarly, not even an actual van full of armed homophobic guards is able to stop him from simply dropping a passionate speech about how important Nicky is to him, complete with getting misty-eyed and kissing him at the end (and I'm not even bringing up the fact that both of them have their hands and their feet tied)

To me, that is the most sun-coded possible trait, because the sun is intense, hard to ignore, and quite literally burning. The intensity with which Joe feels also feels like it could burn, but it's also what makes him so warm and loving

Nicky is also a pretty intense person, but, unlike Joe, he is super cool headed about it. For starters, Nicky is a sniper; he is capable of staying still for hours at a time, observing, figuring out the best time to strike. That demands an amount of control over himself, his feelings, even his instincts, that is admirable. But he's not just like that on a mission; Nicky is very careful with what he says, when he speaks, what he lets other people see of him. His expressions are all subtle, contained, and even when he is in a state of murderous rage, he doesn't lash out. He doesn't lose control. The same way that the moon and the sun share their brightness, Joe and Nicky share their intensity, but Nicky is able to subdue it while Joe burns with it and lets that be his strength

Where Joe is expansive and wears his heart on his sleeve, Nicky is cautious and guarded. Where Joe gets lost in his own feelings and loses sight of what they need to do, Nicky keeps their heads straight and reminds him of what they need to do. Like the moon that guides one through the desert

They're different and complementary, but also intrinsecally tied to each other. They have the same spark where it matters, but present it in different, complementary ways. They are a part of each other, but they're also themselves first and foremost. That's what the sun and moon are all about

Sun and moon imagery has been the staple of the Joenicky fandom since day fucking 1, and for good reasons

VOTE JOE AND NICKY IN THE SUN AND MOON DUO SHOWDOWN

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tranakin-skywalker · 8 months

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youre giving my togrutakin brainrot i NEED to draw him and ahsoka and shmi i need to see more i need it injected into my neural synapses.

so in love with your redesigns and everything oh my gosh like im actually exploding.

i love the fact that the skywalkers r several generations into living on tatooine so of COURSE they'd have adaptations...... ough...... ahsoka and anakin..... thing 1 and thing 2....... youre making me go insane i need more

Share in the togruta brain rot with me. It is inescapable.

Here, have some Togrutakin fighting for his life trying to put Ashoka’s lekku jewelry in

#he’s like one of those single dad’s who learning how to braid his daughter’s hair #I need to just roll around in the tog au like a hog in mud #might write something for it one of these days #I’ve got this idea in my head that Anakin and Ahsoka actually knew each other growing up #since they were the only togruta at the temple close in age #and when ahsoka got around 12/13 and no master showed any interest in her she started to panic that no one would take her on #so Anakin decides he’ll just have to get knighted asap so that she can be his padawan #everyone is like”Anakin you are 19 you can’t have a padawan yet #Anakin ignores that and does it anyway #yoda allows it because he likes causing problems on purpose #myart

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youssefguedira · 2 years

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we're not meant to be alone

The Void (Brennan Lee Mulligan), Fantasy High S1 E17 / The Old Guard (2020), screenplay by Greg Rucka / The Old Guard (2020) dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood / Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay (2019) / The Best Care Possible: A Physician's Quest to Transform Care Through the End of Life by Ira Byock / Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit

#the old guard #so i did one of these! because i was writing angels earlier and had some feelings #this was originally supposed to have the angels in my time panel but. tumblr image limit #but yeah angels in my time thesis #anyway this is my favourite theme in tog i think. its like. imo tog has this lovely undercurrent of hope to it #it's an action movie and it's heavy in places but also the ending to me is saying it does matter helping people does matter #celeste's scene is one of the most important in the movie because of the turning point it is for andy #at her lowest moment a stranger in a pharmacy helps her without question. later nile says she knows the good andy's done #i also loved the emphasis on the sea of people in the script + celeste's slightly extended speech #there's outtakes from this bc i found a lot of quotes i liked #but i couldn't not include healed femur #anyway. going to sleep now i think #do i tag people in these? who knows

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empty-dream · 5 months

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Wangwang... That bastard. I wish he'd told me that sooner. I miss him.

#tower of god #tog spoilers #lo po bia yasratcha #myart #mypic #UEUEUEUEUHUEHUHUEHUEHUE #this fucking cat drove me to depresssion TWICE #OOH MY GOD IM GONNA HURL #i still cant believe this #he actually became my fav WHAT #one day im gonna write yet another essay about him #tho it will prolly mostly me screaming crying throwing up

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non-un-topo · 9 months

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Found this old doodle and added some colours

#tog #the old guard #kaysanova #siggy draws #so grey and brown lol my gosh #either joe got tired of losing his shoes in the snow or he broke his legs and they healed a while ago lol #either way there's no way nicky isn't struggling sdfgfs but he's not gonna put him down!#joe ain't waify. they have to weigh the same amount. nicky is just on a mission. why put husband down when husband is having so much fun?#this feels so old for some reason lol. i had that brain worm that told me i absolutely had to upload something.#have to force myself to take a break from drawing and writing!!#i kind of preferred this without colour hmmm. i might have posted it on my ko-fi a while back?? now i can't remember

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peri-helia · 2 months

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If I can’t dance (I don’t want any part of your revolution)

I hope the song choice isn't ooc for Nile but I was re-watching St. Trinian’s and this happened.

“Are you sure she’s ready for this?”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that” Nicky retorted serenely, not even bothering to look at Copley, as they both watch over the railing as Nile maneuvers herself through the tangle of red wool threads that was doubling for the lasers she would navigate.

Copley sighed, privately wondering if there would ever be a day he didn’t put his foot in his mouth around these people. Probably not in his lifetime.

“I only meant she doesn’t seem happy with the arrangement. I know she’s fully capable, believe me. When –“ he swallowed, unsure of how much Nile had told them of the events preceding their rescue from Merrick Industries, “Nile tracked me down, I offered to come with her. What happened to you was my fault and I was determined to put things right. She just looked at me and said that out of the two of us, she would be the one to walk out of there again”

Out of the corner of his eye, he’s sure he sees the corner of Nicky’s mouth tick upward infinitesimally.

“Technically she jumped out the window” Joe says as he appears behind Nicky, taking a mug of coffee from the tray to offer it to Nicky. Copley’s eyebrows hit his hairline and as he turns to look at the other two men they are both definitely grinning in a mixture of pride and bemusement.

“Faster than the elevator” Nicky quips and it must already be some private joke from the way Joe snorts into his coffee mug.

“Before I forget, Copley, Booker wants you to go over the IDs” Joe tells him

“Again?!” he doesn’t know if it’s the forger critiquing his work or perhaps wanting to be seen as making as much effort as possible as part of re-earning everyone’s trust. Still, given the sharp looks he’s receiving from both Nicky and Joe, Copley decides its probably a smart move. Besides which, it doesn’t look like Joe’s asking.

---

“Thank you, habibi” Nicky sighs as soon as Copley is out of earshot. He takes a grateful sip of his coffee, naturally brewed to perfection. Joe gently presses his hand to the small of Nicky’s back in comfort.

“I don’t like him watching us training any more than you do. Especially when we’re still working through the logistics”

As they watch, Nile’s foot catches in some of the wool for the umpteenth time and Andy stops counting the seconds. Nile gives a shout of frustration and pulls her way free of the strands.

“That’s enough for today” they hear Andy say, passing Nile a bottle of water and patting her on the shoulder for an effort well made.

Copley’s a double-crossing bastard, but he’s not stupid. This way isn’t working for Nile. But she’s so determined to do this part of the job and none of them want to dissuade her. Retrieving the stolen artwork has been her gig from the start, she was the one who brought it to Copley. If she triggers the lasers, it’s nothing they can’t handle but it’s a challenge she hasn’t had before and Nile is determined as ever to rise to it.

Sure enough, the next thing is Nile saying “I can do this” as much to herself as to Andy.

“We know you can” Quynh unfurls herself from where she’s been watching, “But a break might help. Try again later and it will go smoother for the rest.”

---

About an hour later, the pedestrian access door into the warehouse bangs open and Nile shouts, “ANDY! Andy, I’ve got it!”

Looking up from the mess of schematics, tea things and poker chips, they see Nile striding triumphantly into the space. She hits the loading bay door control panel. There’s a bit of banging of something that sounds heavy and likely expensive, when Booker appears on the other side with a flatbed trolley; two massive loudspeakers precariously loaded atop it.

Nicky wonders briefly what they’ve done with Copley. He’s probably weeping over the budget somewhere, because they definitely didn’t own these speakers this morning.

Something he’s grown to love about Nile, something they all love her for truly, is her innovation. It’s similar to Andy in a way, and maybe in a thousand years they’ll get to know Nile’s way of thinking well enough that they can see her logic but the thrill of the surprise is a treat in itself for the time being.

Once they get the speakers unloaded and set up, Nile walks towards the red string maze again like a gymnast taking first position. She nods at Booker and at her cue, he hits play on her iPod.

A pop song with a heavy beat starts thudding through the warehouse, filling the space so that the room itself thrums with sound. Casting a quick glance at each other, they watch as Nile starts working through the crisscross of threads. It’s…transformative. She’s clearly focused; her jaw set determinedly as she moves through the set-up. But her moves are more sinuous than they had been earlier. The air of distraction is gone and it is like watching a dance; the way she twists and slips through. The threads don’t touch her. Before they know it she’s made it through to the other side of the mats. She’s giving a victory bow as the song fades out.

“Nearly three minutes exactly” Booker announces, pausing the music having evidently been timing her.

Nile beams at them, hands on her hips. “I realized that the counting was putting me off. Sorry, Andy. I train better when I’ve got my music blasting and I suddenly thought what if I can time myself to a song roughly the same time as the we’ve got before the timer on the laser resets. What d’you think?”

It’s clear from Andy’s face that she’s thinking, the world’s best strategist, assessing what she’s just seen. The smile that breaks over her face is like the sun coming up; intrigued and pleased all at once. Something she appreciates probably most of all of them is someone realizing their potential.

“I think we’ll walk it”

---

“The Storm on the Sea of Gallilee by Rembrandt has been returned to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, having been deemed lost after a burglary more than thirty years ago. It was discovered this morning by a cleaner, along with a note that read ‘Thought you should have this back. Thief’s details with Interpol. Love your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman’. More on this story at-“

That piece had been one of his bloody favourites and now all he’s got is a bleached spot on the wall and probably about twenty minutes before the cops show up. What he’d dearly like to know is how they even got in and why his Spotify has a Sophie Ellis-Bextor song in his recently liked that wasn’t there before.

#the old guard #my writing #tog drabbles #its 2am help #tog fanfic #tog fanfiction #I couldn’t think what to call the bad guy so I didn’t oops

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deiaiko · 12 days

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#20 - Visit

Masterlist

Let me know your thoughts in the reblogs <3

☕ Buy me coffee ☕

#the first page middle panels are flashback before viole arrived. if that isn't clear from the black speech bubbles and dark panel divider #Im giving gyetang the on screen chance he deserves <3 you're welcome #ok actually this update supposed to have 3 pages. but i cant seem to make the third one right. it'll be for next week in writing format #also i wish i could make grace look even more out of it than that but any more lines on his face and he'd look rather old than sad #tower of god #tog #two sides of the same coin comic #my comic #my art #bam #baam #25th baam #25th bam #the 25th baam #the 25th bam #jue viole grace #hwaryun #gyetang

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separatist-apologist · 3 months

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HOFAS spoiler below:

The showing vs the telling is egregious in this book. Who needs characterization at all if you're just going to keep telling me over and over and over what kind of person Bryce is? None of her actions line up with what I'm being told, does it even matter?

#anyway im trying to get through this as quickly as possible #hofas spoilers #sometimes i wonder what it is about acotar i enjoy so much since i have such beef with sjms writing style #it doesnt bother me in acotar the way it does in cc and tog #maybe because i love feyre who knows #haters bookclub

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phatburd · 5 months

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A preview of something that's on my WIP back burner. I'll get to it when I get to it. I got a couple of other things percolating right now that have my attention. This idea, however, is one I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I figure, I'm working on a fic with pre-immortal Booker in it, I may as well give Nile the same pre-immortal treatment.

#the old guard #my writing #im feeling angry and bitter looking at the TOG tag these days #we need more #nile freeman #she exists #stop erasing her #ill get to this #and if i don't #please poke me

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queen-of-badomens · 1 year

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Seeing The Old Guard on the Big Screen and Gina Prince-Bythewood in Person!

Last Saturday, November 5th, there was an event in Santa Monica, CA, US, where Aero Theatre would be showing The Woman King (2022) and The Old Guard (2020) and hosting a Q&A with director Gina Prince-Bythewood in person. I love these movies, and even though I’d already seen both (The Old Guard many times), I knew I had to go.

[Image of my ticket for the event, image taken by me]

For a few of my thoughts on the event, what I learned, and what it was like to see The Old Guard on the big screen, click below!

It was a free-to-attend event, only having to RSVP online, but seating would be on a first-come, first-serve basis, so I made sure to arrive early. Though, I perhaps ended up arriving way too early… In fact, my brother insisted I didn’t need to be there any earlier than 11:30 PM for the 1 PM event, but anxiety made sure I arrived at 10:30 AM, which was later than I had originally planned. There was absolutely no one there waiting, no one was even in the theater yet, but you know what? I was there, I was going to watch The Old Guard in a movie theater for the first time, and that was all that mattered. So I parked myself across the street with a pastry and a hot tea and watched until I saw life. Which, as it turns out… wasn’t until 11:30 AM, but my brother doesn’t need to know that…

Based on the marquee, The Woman King would be shown first, followed by the Q&A and ending with The Old Guard. I knew TOG would not be what drew most people to the event, and while I am a fan of both movies and Gina Prince-Bythewood, my main drive for getting up early and forcing myself to go to a crowded place was to see the The Old Guard on the big screen, something that was sadly denied to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This would be, as later confirmed by the moderator of the Q&A, the first time The Old Guard was to be shown in a theater to a public audience. I wished my online TOG family could’ve been there with me, but I hope I did my best to represent our collective love for it.

[Front of the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA, USA, image taken by me]

After checking our RSVPs and vaccination cards (I still wore my mask the whole time inside), they began letting us in at about 12:00 PM. By that time, a sizable crowd had gathered so I was happy to have gotten there early. Once inside, I had a fairly good choice of seating and chose a place not too far from the stage but not too close so I could enjoy the films without straining my neck and eyes. Also, since it’s an older theater without stadium seating, I also picked a centered seat so I would have a good view.

[The screen at the Aero Theatre, image taken by me]

The Woman King was shown first, and I enjoyed the opportunity to see it again. Especially with a crowd who clearly loved it and cheered loudly at all the great moments. It is a rousing film and a great action movie that has a lot of character driven moments, and I recommend anyone who hasn’t seen it to go if they are able. It tells a not-well-known story of African women warriors, the Agojie, of the Dahomey kingdom in the 1800s. And it truly accomplishes one of GPB’s goals as a filmmaker to “disrupt the genre,” something I’ll touch upon again in a moment.

After TWK came the Q&A, with Gina Prince-Bythewood strolling with swagger and yet also casually towards the stage to take a seat with the moderator, Mark Olsen of the L.A.Times. I was a little starstruck to see her in person, this visionary who helped craft these two amazing movies, but also happy to see how cool, calm, and collected she was. GPB had confidence without the overbearing ego and a quiet strength that I know she uses to fight for her vision.

[Gina Prince-Bythewood in the flesh! image taken by me]

While most of the questions were about the process of making The Woman King, a few questions touched on The Old Guard, making it clear why TOG was being shown in addition to TWK. And GPB’s answers showed me how TOG compliments TWK, how both movies create something unique and ground-breaking for the Hollywood industry that has long failed to tell diverse stories. So, now I want to focus on a few things from the Q&A and what they say to me about The Old Guard.

The moderator pointed out that TWK isn’t just a historical epic, it also functions as an action movie and a finely tuned character drama. This is something that I would argue is also true for TOG – it’s not just a summer action/comic book movie. It doesn’t feel anything like an MCU film but instead functions as a meaningful character drama, which is why I believe it has such a devoted fan base even two years after its release. Both TWK and TOG have awesome fight sequences worthy of numerous rewatches, but they also make time for quiet character moments, something that studios tend to cut in order to get to the action faster. But GPB comes from making deep character dramas, and she brings that to all her films, regardless of genre.

Getting into action is relatively new for GPB, but it’s something she wanted to do in order to make a film that her kids could see themselves in. But she had to get her foot in the door first, which began with filming the pilot for the Marvel TV show, Cloak and Dagger. According to GPB, having that little “Marvel” on her resume got her in to direct Silver and Black, a now defunct Sony “Spiderverse” project, which then led to her being hired for The Old Guard. Though, in the end, GPB said Skydance really hired her because they loved Love and Basketball, her first movie, a much beloved film and most definitely a character driven story. And I think that says a lot about what kind of movies TOG and TMK turned out to be.

[Gina Prince-Bythewood and Sanaa Lathan on the set of Love and Basketball, image taken from imdb.com]

The moderator also pointed out how TWK “works as a character drama, and it works as a super kick ass action movie. Like, those things don’t necessarily all go together, but don’t often get all those things in one movie, especially the way that you have like character beats happening within action scenes,” and he wanted to know how GPB managed to strike that balance. She said that Hollywood loves action movies because they bring in money, but in her pitch to the studio, she wanted to emphasize that it was more than just an action flick. That what she wanted for this film was for it to be “intimately epic,” and that for her “that meant that the quiet character moments were as seismic as the big set pieces, knowing that those two things had to work in tandem. You will not care about the action if you don’t care about the characters or there’s no stakes.” And I think that’s very true of the movie, but also something she definitely did with The Old Guard.

After all, some people might dismiss it as a dumb summer flick, but I think it functions as an “intimately epic” movie too. There are no world ending threat or giant CGI villains to fight – the climax is a shootout in a small set of an office/lab/penthouse – but still, the stakes matter in the movie because you care about the characters, because the filmmakers, led by GBP, took time to show those quiet moments that made us all such devoted fans of these characters. She made sure to show Andy meeting Celeste in the pharmacy, Booker talking about his son’s death, Joe and Nicky spooning in the background, and Nile listening to music to ground herself. GBP drops these little crumbs throughout the movie because she knows that “you have to care about these characters for it to matter.” That all pays off later, so that when Andy says, “Let’s go get this motherfucker,” you feel that line and are cheering as they make their way through the lab, mowing down everyone in their path.

GPB also talked about how important training was for all the TWK’s actors to go through that in order to develop and feel connected to their characters, but also for her as the director in capturing their performances. She said, “That helps me put character into the action because I show performance. I’m not cutting around stunt doubles, this is really them, giving me everything that I need.” And we know training was a big part of the actor’s preparation for TOG as well, so when it came time for the viewing of TOG, I made sure to pay attention and realized for the first time that for a lot of the action scenes, you can actually see the actors’ faces most of the time. And that absolutely makes the movie feel more alive and real. For two hours I wholeheartedly believed these immortal warriors existed.

[Still from The Old Guard, image taken from straight.com]

But it’s not just about strength and how bad ass the characters are – although make no mistake, they are tough as nails, and I would personally love to see a story where Nanisca from The Woman King (played by Viola Davis) meets Andromache the Scythian (played by Charlize Theron) and they go on a tear–, GBP knows to show that vulnerability is strength. She personally has a “no crying rule on set” which she attributes to her athlete mentality growing up and also being a woman in Hollywood – you can’t cry as a woman, she explains. But she did mention that she broke her own rule and cried during her pitch for TWK, but it ended up getting her the job. Because Viola Davis said it meant that she could trust GPB as a director. I think that is a very powerful message, and something that is felt even in TOG, where these immortal warriors are compelling because they are permitted vulnerability and emotion.

The moderator said how TWK could have easily just centered around Viola Davis’s character, Nanisca, but GPB made sure to also tell the stories of the other women around her. When asked why that was important to her, GPB explained that she loved all the characters and wanted them to have more, and Viola supported that. Because Viola knew “that the better the whole ensemble is, the better the film.” And so GPB tasked the cast with coming up with their backstories, some of them coming up with such amazing stuff that GBP wanted to make movies just out of those backstories. And this really reflects in the film with how strong and layered the characters are, you truly care about all of them and their fates. It may be Viola Davis’s movie, but she shines because everyone around her is also shining. And I think that’s true of TOG too.

The Old Guard could easily just have been just about Andy and Nile, and though they are the main characters and focal points of the story, we know from interviews that the other actors, such as Marwan Kenzari, put a lot of consideration into their characters, such as collecting poetry that reminded him of Joe and Nicky’s relationship, even though they were secondary characters. They could have easily faded into the background and been forgettable, but there’s a reason that these characters have their own set of devoted fans even today. Their scenes are fewer but no less impactful and they help make a richer story. Even Copley, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, has a heartbreaking scene that explains why he, a seemingly good man, would sell these immortals to a heartless Pharma-bro. There are not just one-note characters, and together they make Andy and Nile’s stories stronger.

It’s deeply intentional that fans love and care about Izogie, Amenza, Nawi, Gezo, Ode, Malik, Joe, Nicky, Booker, Quynh, Copley, and even Celeste. Because Gina Prince-Bythewood wants to make character driven stories, and she succeeds in both of these films. If she had been allowed the budget, I know she would have shot more backstory flashbacks for all those characters. But, as she pointed out, studios often want to cut those moments to get to the action quicker.

Another connection that was a delight to learn about was that GPB used the same fight coordinator on The Woman King that she used on The Old Guard, Danny Hernandez. GPB told us that when she got TMK, Hernandez was her third call, because he is, according to her, “a genius.” So in terms of action, these two films really feel like siblings. And GPB was very grateful for having done TOG first so she could meet him and then have him work with on TWK. TOG also taught her, she said, what it takes to do good action – as many takes as you need and actors who are willing to give it. She explained, “And this sounds really basic and obvious, but if you did not shoot it, it's not gonna show up in the edit room.“ And it’s not just about action. We know that the famous Van Speech had numerous takes to get just the right one, the one that still makes us go nuts. Which again leads me to ask, Dear Netflix or Skydance, when are we getting BTS footage and the deleted scenes?!

[Charlize Theron with what I’m 82% sure is Danny Hernandez in the background, image taken from looper.com]

The moderator then asked her about a phrase he’d heard GPB use a few times – something I referenced earlier– which is that as a filmmaker, she wants to “disrupt the genre.” And he wanted her to talk about that and how she did that with TWK, to which GPB replied: “Sad reality is, disrupting the genre was literally putting black women at the center of it,” words which were met with thunderous applause from the audience. TWK is a unique movie in that it is a historical epic and centers on so many deeply complex black women. And in the same way that GPB disrupts the historical epic, she did the same with the hero’s journey in The Old Guard, putting Nile, as played by Kiki Layne, in a role traditionally inhabited by a long line of white male characters. GPB and Greg Rucka worked together to really bring that genre disrupting story to film, where Nile is like Luke Skywalker (to use a big pop culture reference), discovering a strange new power, leaving everything they formally knew behind, to follow a wise, old warrior who will guide them. And yes, I am saying that Andy is a more bitter, drunker Obi-wan. But in all seriousness, one could easily name a dozen other hero’s-journey stories about some white dude, but Nile makes it unique, to finally have a black woman inhabit that role in a major movie. Even with the multitude of comic book movies taking over Hollywood, The Old Guard has done something none of them have yet. (Though, Wakanda Forever may finally change that, I’ll admit. But hey, more cake, right?)

Finally, the moderator mentioned the sequel for The Old Guard, which drew loud cheers and applause, only to turn to disappointed “awws” when he mentioned that GPB wasn’t directing it, though that was soon followed by some good hearted laughs as she smiled sheepishly to the audience.

It was previously reported that GPB has a “no sequels rule,” and she explained that while, yes, she does, it’s because for each film, she puts so much of herself into that particular film in order to say everything she wants to say. So if she ends up wanting to do a sequel, it means she didn’t say everything she wanted with the first film. Which means something went wrong. She went into TOG knowing it was a trilogy, and she admires Greg Rucka and his “amazing mind,” but she had a personal connection to the arc of the first film so that was the story she wanted to tell. She explained it was just her personal thing and feels like she doesn’t have anything new to bring to the sequel. And while I am saddened that she did not direct the sequel, reigns handed over to Victoria Mahoney, I appreciated the thought GPB put into it and I respect her reasoning.

[Mark Olsen and Gina Prince-Bythewood, image taken by me]

With that, the moderator opened up questions to the audience, and though I tried to ask a question, I was sadly not picked (I planned to ask about TOG deleted scenes). Also, in the end, they only had time for three questions which were mostly focused on TWK and film making in general. Not to mention the one lady who took up a lot of time with her three part question that everyone else had a hard time following, so much that the moderator had to cut her off. If he hadn’t, I’m sure she would still be talking to this day...

As GPB made her way off stage, a large crowd gathered to get last minute questions in or just to shake her hand. I tried diligently to get to the front so I could give her a small gift bag of TOG fan made stickers, but it was nearly impossible and I was so nervous by then, I was literally shaking. So I handed them to a woman next to her and explained it was a present for Gina and then I ran off! I have no idea if they got to her, but if they didn’t, it’s okay, I might not take a gift from the panicking grown woman who hands it off and then runs for her life.

About half the theater cleared out after that, but a sizable portion stayed for the viewing of The Old Guard, myself included. Me and this other lady were probably the most excited people in the theater, her loudly declaring “You should stay! It’s a good movie!” to which I added, “She’s right! She speaks the truth!” Mystery lady who left before I could talk to you – are you on Tumblr? Hit me up, let’s be friends!

[Proof of TOG on the big screen, awkward image of the hotel concierge checking out Booker taken by me]

Then, I finally got to see The Old Guard as it was meant to be seen– on the big silver screen! And guys, let me tell you, it was freaking amazing. We were SO robbed of this experience and it is my fervent wish that somehow it gets a limited run around the world so people can experience it as well. I feel like I noticed more details and just fell in love with the story and the characters all over again. And I know there’s division when it comes to the soundtrack – some love it, others hate it – but I gotta say, in a movie theater, I think the song choices hit harder and work so much better. You may still dislike it, but I personally felt more emotionally roused in the church fight scene and during Nile’s elevator ride.

Also, it’s important to say that the people who did stay were a vocal group, and it was such a joy to be part of it! I feel like Joe comes off as snarkier with an audience, his lines definitely earning the most laughs and rounds of applause– let me tell you, the audience loved him laying into Booker. And his beautiful eyes as he teared up in the van scene really popped on a big screen. Actually, all the actor’s eyes were simply stunning. And as for audience reactions to certain sequences, I would say that the biggest winners were a tie between the Van Speech and Nile’s defenestration with Merrick. Both got huge cheers and applause. It was, as GPB would put it, intimately epic.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on that evening and please join me in a prayer circle for there to be a run of the first movie in theaters as we get closer to the release of the sequel. Thank you for reading! And go see The Woman King if you haven't! (and can!)

#The Old Guard #TOG #gina prince bythewood #The Woman King #Charlize theron #kiki layne #marwan kenzari #luca marinelli #Matthias Schoenaerts #I hope this was fun to hear about #I love TWK but my heart is still in TOG hell haha #though someone write that Nanisca/Andy fic!

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normal-thoughts-official · 1 year

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Hopping off that last post slightly to say that I also think a good part of the reason Joe can afford to still feel everything so intensely is because of Nicky. Not just because of the obvious part where they are both sickeningly in love and have been for thousands of years without ever feeling it any less, but also because I think Nicky built a dynamic with him that allows Joe to stay so passionate

(There's more than just that, obviously, such as the fact that the group NEEDS someone like Joe, who isn't jaded or cool headed, but I already talked about that on the other post)

Nicky is the ice. That's a fact. He's not cold as in unfeeling but he is extremely cool headed. The greatest example of that, in my opinion, is the way he treats Booker after his betrayal: while Joe rages and screams at him, Nicky just tells him to leave it. You'd think that he isn't mad, but in the end, Nicky is the only one who doesn't say goodbye to Booker. Nile talks to him at the bar. Andy tells him about his punishment and hugs him. Even Joe looks back and gives him a nod, despite his anger. Nicky doesn't acknowledge him. I don't think he looks at him or talks to him once after they learn about the betrayal. He isn't telling Joe to leave it because he isn't pissed; he is saying it because now is not the time and they need to focus on getting out of the lab. Rationality first, feelings later. The goal always comes first to Nicky. He's a sniper, he's calculating, he's steady. It's the main mark of his character, in my opinion

So, he provides the steadiness that Joe needs, which allows Joe to not become quite as steady himself

I see that in pretty objective, practical ways - their dynamic in battle being the most obvious example. I am once again bringing up the battle outfits; Joe is more focused on his damn baseball cap than on packing his weapons. He puts his scimitar on his back (completely impractical) and then also tries to carry a bag slung over one shoulder (that keeps bumping into the scimitar and going back and he needs to keep readjusting it in a never ending battle with his own setup). He has like one gun on him. Meanwhile Nicky is Weapons Georg-ing his way through the desert like nobody's business. And then we see that half of these weapons are meant for Joe. Nicky is so attuned that he knows instinctively when Joe has ran out of bullets and he passes him guns without either of them even needing to look at each other, much less say anything; it's completely obvious that this is something they have been doing for centuries, that it comes naturally to them. If Nicky weren't there to give Joe weapons, Joe would have to have an ounce of practicality and keep his love for the vibes at bay long enough to pack efficiently. But Nicky IS there, and so Joe can afford to be the dorky, somewhat carefree man that Nicky adores, and bring some levity as they are heading to their mission (his cocky, teasing little smile as they are in the helicopter, for example)

If Nicky weren't there to stay between Joe and the door, if Nicky didn't sleep with a gun in his hand, then Joe would have to. But he does, so Joe doesn't, which allows him to dream peacefully and without worrying too much about whatever nonsense might be heading their way. I could keep going, but you get the picture: Joe would have had to keep more of a lid on his feelings if Nicky weren't there to take care of the practical problems that demand a cooler head

(And just to be extra clear, by that I don't mean that Joe is a Hotheaded Angry Brown Man and Nicky is The Voice Of Reason. I mean that Joe is a romantic and an artist, someone who's very in touch with his feelings and open about feeling them, which makes him uniquely vulnerable in their line of work. And that Nicky, knowing that, covers his blind spots)

And Joe, in turn, covers Nicky's blind spots as well, of course. He's the one (quite literally) holding Nicky together, making sure he doesn't let that overly rational head of his get the better of him and bury his feelings too far. Where Nicky hands Joe weapons, Joe finishes off Nicky's kills; most of the time, when they're fighting together, it's Nicky incapacitating people and then throwing them over his shoulder so Joe can kill them. That always stood out to me, because we know that none of them like killing; I think this is Joe's way of shouldering that weight for Nicky, making sure he has less to worry about and feel bad for, too

I used to think that Joe was the emotional protector and Nicky was the physical protector because of that (like, obviously both do both, but this was the role they took most prevalently). But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Nicky is also protecting Joe's feelings; because Joe doesn't have to grow more jaded and cool and rational if Nicky can do that for him. So he can continue to be who he is - light, passionate, loving, intense, open, vulnerable - because Nicky's got his back. It's my personal headcanon that Nicky has vowed to himself that he'd do everything in his power to keep Joe from losing that spark in him, and he's making good on that promise

It's a very interestingly equal relationship, where they not only balance each other out, but in doing so, allow the other to remain who they are, because that stark difference is part of what they love about each other

#god i missed writing meta. it's been a while #the old guard #tog #yusuf al kaysani #joe the old guard #nicolò di genova #nicolo di genova #nicky the old guard #joe tog #nicky tog #kaysanova #joenicky #meta #long post #no tldr #no plain language

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