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#prima ballerina barbie
barbielore · 8 months
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I have made a post before referring to the Fashion Model Collection (colloquially referred to by fans and collectors as the Silkstone Collection), but for all that it is officially referred to as a single collection, there are a lot of interesting subthemes within the collection so it merits a revisit.
For example, a number of these dolls (as of course is expected for "she's everything" Barbie) represented a number of different, and largely historically feminine careers.
(All pictures below sourced from Superstar Dolls Sydney, which was a great resource in putting this together.)
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In line with the fact that the Silkstone collection was very much marketed to adult collectors, some of these are also a little racy.
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I've been looking at these for a long time trying to figure out which one is my favourite, and I genuinely can't decide. I think perhaps I am going to give an honourable mention to Prima Ballerina Barbie, who is not following a traditional career, but who looks amazing doing it.
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peach-artblog · 1 month
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song stuck in my head
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piedinthepiper · 2 months
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Prima Ballerina ˖ ⊹
Yandere!Jimin x ballerina!reader
Summary: What’s the difference between a great ballerina and the greatest ballerina? The answer is Park Jimin. And he had his eyes on you in more than a professional way.
Warnings: heavy dubcon, Jimin is super cocky and thinks he knows everything (misogyny?), cursing, corruption, Jimin is also a creep, age gap (reader is of legal age), stalking (non descriptive), smut
Wc: 4.3k
A/n: Written for this request. I love black swan and ballet so I had to do this! Hope you enjoy! Don’t be a silent reader! Like, repost and comment!
Disclaimer: This is 100% fiction. I am in no way saying that this is how any member of bts would act. Nor do I condone the actions detailed in the story. This is purely for entertainment purposes only. If any of the warnings trigger you, or you’re under 18 ¡do not read! I’m not your mother, and I don’t take any accountability for what you decide to read online!
Another disclaimer: I know nothing about ballet except for whatever ballet they show in the Barbie movies. Everything is off Google, so some technical terms and such might be incorrect.
You did a final jump before the dramatic music came to an end. His eyes were piercing through you. Watching your every movement, your every step, your every breath. But he watched you all, you thought to yourself. Everybody had to be perfect for the premiere of Swan lake. The hardest and most demanding ballet you had ever danced in your career. The choreography was almost impossible. So Mr. Park had yet again kept you there for hours overtime, and all of you were exhausted.
“Agh, my feet hurt. I hope this was the last round.”
Your friend, Maria, whispered to you. You smiled at her and was about to answer, when a loud clap was heard throughout the room. It silenced everyone.
“Ms. Sanderson, do you have something to tell the company?”
Mr. Park locked eyes with her. Staring her down from across the room like a predator. She looked a bit tongue tied for a second.
“Ehm- no. No, Mr. Park.”
He nodded at her answer.
“I do think I heard complaining back there, are you sure you didn’t say anything?”
She looked down to the floor and carefully shook her head.
“I don’t believe you, you’re pathetic. Out of my studio!”
He yelled at her and pointed a sharp finger towards the exit. Her eyes continued to stay on the floor. Accepting her fate.
“I said it!”
You yelled back and raised your hand. His eyes turned back to you.
“Bold of you, Ms. y/l/n. Thanks to you all the swans have to practice for another hour. The rest are dismissed.”
The room was filled with sighs and groans.
“Ok, let’s make that two.”
No one uttered a single word, afraid that the time would get longer.
“That’s what I thought. You, come with me.”
He briefly pointed at you, before he started to walk out of the practice room.
“The rest of you can take a 10 minute break.”
Maria looked at you with a apologetic look.
“Thank you, y/n.”
She said and grabbed your hand. You gave her a small smile. Of course you would stand up for her. She was your best friend in the company.
“Yeah, thanks a lot y/n.”
One of the other girls said sarcastically. You didn’t pay it any mind, you would also be furious if someone made you stay two hours overtime when you already were on overtime. You grabbed your leg warmers.
“No worries, you know I got you.”
You comforted Maria, before you started walking towards the exit. You knew Mr. Park went to his office. It wasn’t your first time being scolded.
“Sit down.”
He said once you entered. He was already sitting behind his desk. You sat down opposite of him, leaning down to slide into your leg warmers.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Park.”
You started off with. Trying to sound as apologetic as possible. He sighed.
“Do you think I do this for fun, y/n?”
You got up from your crouched position and looked him in the eyes.
“No I don’t.”
He was one of the best ballet teachers and directors in the whole world. It was obviously an honour just to be able to dance for him. But you knew he had a soft spot for you for some reason. That’s why you were comfortable taking Maria’s place.
“I would much rather be at home as well, relaxing and eating a good meal. But there would be no Swan lake, and there would be no good ballerinas without me.”
He pulled his hand through his black hair in stress. It was slicked back like usual, but throughout the day a few strands had loosened.
“If everyone stopped practicing at five o’clock like scheduled, the premiere would be nothing but chaos. Do you understand that, y/n?”
You nodded. He looked you up and down for a second. Taking in your form. He slowly got up and walked towards you. He grabbed your chin harshly, making you look back up at him.
“I’ve been observing you for the last days, you truly are far too beautiful and talented to be just a swan.”
You raised your eyebrows at his sudden compliment.
“You’re prima ballerina material, for sure.”
His hand slid to the side of your face, cupping your jaw.
“Too bad I have to fire you.”
“What?!”
Your eyebrows crossed as you shook your head out of his grip. His hand went into his pocket, making him look surprisingly relaxed.
“The two of us, let alone the entire company, knows that this isn’t your first time being sent to my office.”
You looked at him in shock. You couldn’t believe what he was saying.
“If I don’t give you the consequences, it’s going to look suspicious.”
You shook your head. He was going to fire you just because something as simple as complaining?
“You can’t do that.”
“I’ll do whatever I want with my ballerinas.”
He smirked again, before walking to stand right in front of you. You looked up and down his long body. Before looking back at him with your most innocent, but still sultry eyes.
“Please don’t fire me, Mr. Park. You wouldn’t do that to me would you?”
He cocked his head at your plea. Scanning you up and down yet again. He had a puzzled look on his face.
“Don’t test me.”
You grabbed his hand as you fell down to your knees. You knew he liked it when you begged. And since this was a life or death situation for your career, you didn’t mind being a little extra.
“I’ll do anything. Please just let me continue to dance for you. I’m nothing without you. I can’t- you can’t-”
You knew what buttons to push. His ego was too big to not take the bait.
“You’re right. It would be a shame to waste your potential.”
He lifted your head up again by your chin. A sudden sexual tension hit you, once you saw the outline of his bulge. You knew your actions had an effect on him, but not to that extent.
“It would be a shame to waste such a pretty face.”
You tried your best to look him in the eyes. It was hard to not shy away at a situation like that, even for you.
“Please, Mr. Park.”
He inhaled sharply, before he broke out in a smile.
“I forgive you, y/n. I can’t live with myself if I don’t give you another chance.”
You smiled up at him as well, preceding to get back up on your feet. But his arm found your shoulder and stopped you in your ascend.
“Wait.”
He warned you, and you quickly sat back down on your knees.
“I like seeing you like this, it’s not often you look so- submissive.”
Chills ran down your spine at his words. You definitely did not take that as a compliment. You were quite fiery, yes. And in any normal situation you would never let a man speak to you like he did. But the fear of losing your job, combined with the reverence you felt towards him, made you defy yourself.
“After this season I want you to take private lessons with me. Every Tuesday and Thursday.”
You nodded carefully, not looking up at him.
“Don’t look so down, darling. I’ll make you my next prima ballerina.”
“He said what?”
Maria half whispered in shock.
“Ms. Sanderson.”
Mrs. Petrova, your instructor, who was so old she probably was alive when swan lake was composed, hushed her. Maria looked at her before looking down at her moving feet. The company was warming up, standing in clean lines against the railing, moving to the rhythm of the slow classical music.
“Not only did he not fire you.”
She whispered once Mrs. Petrova was at the other end of the room.
“But he also said he would make you a prima ballerina?”
You nodded.
“Switch to third position!”
The two of you switched.
“Wow, you are so lucky. Mr. Park hasn’t had a prima ballerina in years.”
You smiled at her, and lifted you head higher when Mrs. Petrova walked by. You remained silent until you knew she was far enough away.
“I’m happy of course, it’s just- I don’t know. There’s something weird about him.”
“Yeah he’s like really cocky.”
She answered and held back a laugh.
“That too, but he’s just eerie. Like I don’t know if I want to spend so much time with him alone.”
“Ms. y/l/n! Would you like to share something with the company? Or do I have to send the two of you to Mr. Parks office?”
Mrs. Petrova suddenly bursted out. You locked eyes with Maria. Not knowing what to answer the old hag.
“We were just talking about-“
“Boys, just boys.”
You interrupted Maria. Not wanting her to say anything about you or Mr. Park. Mrs. Petrova gave the two of you a strict look, before the music started playing again.
“Please focus on your movements, not the opposite gender.”
She scolded before walking away from the two of you.
“And fourth position!”
“He just kept looking at me weirdly, and telling me that I’m beautiful and shit.”
You said as the two of you were walking down towards the cafeteria for lunch.
“Oh my god! He probably has a crush on you or something!”
Maria said a little bit too loud. You poked her in her side with your elbow.
“Please, keep it down.”
She started laughing, and you quickly followed. As you turned a corner you crashed into something. Or rather someone. A hand snuck around you waist, keeping you from falling. You looked up, finding the familiar brown eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Park. I didn’t see where I was going.”
He looked at you for a second, before smiling. He didn’t let go of your waist, and when you became aware of that you awkwardly stepped away from him.
“No harm done.”
He simply said and walked away. You looked over at Maria.
“I get it.”
She simply said as you started walking again.
“Right?”
You asked, looking back at her as she tried to keep up with you.
“What ever look he just gave you was not the look you give to someone you have a crush on.”
The season had ended, for a minute you felt relief. Knowing you had time off now to just relax before the next season. But as you read the message on your phone, you felt that relief fade away.
“Studio 5, next Thursday at 07.00 am. Don’t be late.”
You sighed, was this really what you wanted? Of course it was a dream come true to potential become Mr. Parks new prima ballerina. But you couldn’t help but feel weird about that time in his office. It seemed like he had other intentions in mind. Mr. Park was an attractive man yes, but he was way older than you and you didn’t want his attention in that way. He was your teacher, your mentor. Not a potential hook up. You didn’t see him in that way, and you hoped against all odds that he didn’t see you like that either.
What you didn’t know was that in that moment, outside on the dark street. He was there. Looking at you through your window. Watching your puzzled look at his text. He didn’t know his intentions fully yet either. But he did know they were not good.
“Higher.”
He simply said as he watch you dance to the music. It was your fifth lesson together, and everything was going well. You hadn’t seen the side of him that you saw when he proposed this idea. And you were enjoying yourself, getting these private lessons had really helped you improve. In the next second arabesque, you lifted your leg even higher. Showing him that you listened. But he still shut the music off. You stepped down from your tips, looking at him as he walked up to you.
“Turn around.”
He said once he reached you. And you did as instructed. You looked at him through the big mirrors.
“Do your second arabesque.”
You stood back up on your toes, and gracefully bent into a second arabesque.
“Look at yourself in the mirror.”
He said, and you did. You instinctively pushed your leg even further up, once you saw your own reflection.
“Now back to full position.”
You moved your face upwards again, looking away from the mirror. You felt his hands touch your waist. He straightened your back, before one of his hands went to your lifted leg.
“Look back at yourself.”
He almost whispered in your ear, now with one hand on your waist, and the other holding your leg higher than what you were comfortable with. You smiled once you saw yourself. Your arabesque looked different, more sophisticated.
“When you do your second arabesque, or any arabesque for that matter. Remember this. Straight back and high leg.”
He said in a low comforting tone once he saw your smile. You nodded, and stepped down from your tippy toes. He let go of your leg, but moved that hand to the other side of your waist.
“Think of me holding your waist, it’ll help you stabilise.”
He whispered now, you felt his warm breath on the back of your neck. You turned to look at him.
“Thank you.”
You muttered. His eyes immediately fell to your lips, and in a split second his lips were on yours. You were caught off guard, and didn’t respond at first. But once it dawned on you what was happening you quickly moved your face away from his. You felt his hands on your waist tighten.
“Please don’t ever do that again.”
You looked up at the mirror, wanting to see his reaction. He was looking you dead in the eye, with anger written all over his face. He leaned down to kiss your bare shoulder, still maintaining eye contact. Before he deeply whispered.
“I’ll do whatever I want with my ballerinas.”
His hand moved up to your face as he turned to kiss you yet again. You pushed him away, and tried to make a run for it. But he snaked his arm around your chest.
“Let me go!”
You struggled against him, now scared of what would happen if you didn’t get away. Your fight or flight instinct kicked in and you elbowed him as hard as you could in his side. His hand loosened and you ran. But not quick enough. He grabbed you by your arm and threw you into the big mirror. It was pure luck that it didn’t shatter. His body locked you in.
“Hush, I won’t hurt you.”
He said, and for a second you stopped fighting. You were out of breath, but still managed to give him a death glare.
“Let me go!”
You tried once again. He shook his head.
“Do you think I just give away free lessons? Don’t you think you need to repay me?”
You felt something hard against your abdomen. You wanted to cry, you didn’t know what to do. His face shifted once he saw your eyes watering.
“No, no. I’m not a rapist, y/n! God no. But if you want to be my prima ballerina. You have to get your priorities straight.”
You clung onto the little bit of relief you felt from his words.
“I’ve tried my best to stay away, y/n. I really have. But there’s just something about you.”
You felt his hips grind against yours.
“You make me fucking crazy. I can’t wait any longer. I need you.”
He let out a small moan at the friction. A tear fell down your face.
“Please, Mr. Park. Let me go.”
You sobbed. He hushed you again.
“I’ll let you go. Just listen to me.”
You took a deep breath, collecting yourself as much as you could.
“By next Thursday I want an answer. Either you show up or you don’t. Don’t be late.”
He pushed himself off the wall and gave you one last look before slowly walking out the studio. Leaving you alone in the big dance room. What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?
“I don’t know what to do, Maria. This is like a fucking nightmare!”
You said sobbing onto Marias lap as she comforted you. You called her the minute you got home, knowing that she already knew most of the backstory. She immediately came over to your place, wanting to be there for you in a situation like this. You were forever great full for having a friend like her.
“You have to report this. Surely the police could do something about him.”
She said in a calm voice, stroking your hair lightly. You sat up in your bed, wiping your tears away from your swollen face.
“Would they though?”
You asked defeated. Mr. Park was a rich and famous man. You wanted to believe Marias theory, but the hard sad truth was that you didn’t stand a chance against him. Especially with no proof.
“Either I don’t show up and give up my career or-“
You paused, collecting your thoughts.
“Or you give that bastard what he wants.”
Maria finished for you. Knowing exactly what you were thinking.
“Look, being Jimin Parks prima ballerina is huge. It really is, but- I don’t know, is it really worth it? Is it really worth loosing your dignity for a life of fame?”
She asked you with a worried face. You blinked away your tears, not wanting to cry anymore.
“What else would I do? I’ve been dancing my entire life, everything I’ve ever done has lead up to this moment. I can’t-“
You shook your head, not letting the emotions take control over you again.
“I have to show up, I have to talk some sense into him. I can’t give up now. I just can’t.”
You looked down at your hands in your lap as you felt a comforting hand on your shoulder.
“You could go to college, get a degree, get a nine to five. Anything but this, please I can’t watch you go through with this. It’s not safe to see him again.”
You looked up at her again.
“And be a complete failure? Not only to my parents, to you, to the company, but also to myself. This is all I’ve ever dreamed of, Maria.”
“You won’t be a failure! You’re an amazing dancer, you have real talent. But it’s not worth it.”
You shook your head. You had already made up your mind.
“I’m sorry.”
You mumbled. Maria sighed and got up from the bed.
“You do you, girl. But you better not call me crying next Thursday. I won’t feel bad for you.”
She said before walking out your room. You were alone with this now. But like you told her, you couldn’t give up on your dream. No matter the cost.
Thursday. You were sweating. A lump had formed itself inside your stomach, and it was impossible to to ignore it. You took what felt like your last breath before you opened the door to the studio. He stood in the other end, hands crossed over his chest, with a smirk plastered on his lips.
“You’re late.”
His voice rang through the big room, leaving an echo. You stepped into the room, the door shutting behind you. Another echo filling the otherwise dead silent room. You didn’t walk towards him, you stayed by the door. The silence making the lump in your stomach grow even larger.
“What are you doing?”
He asked, still with a slight smirk.
“Come here, we have dancing to do.”
You didn’t know what to do. Your entire body was screaming for you to run out the door and never look back. But your brain didn’t let you move.
“Come over here, y/n. Right now!”
He said in a strict tone, once you didn’t listen. Your own feet moved against your own will, as you slowly started moving forward. You put your bag down on your way.
“Good girl.”
He said, barely audible. But you heard it. All your senses were sharpened. He watched you like a predator, as you can closer and closer. You stopped at a reasonable distance. Close enough to have a conversation with him, but still just out of reach.
“Why so gloomy? You’ve made the biggest decision in your life, baby.”
He stepped closer to you. Every single muscle in your body tensed as his hand met your face in a loving embrace.
“I’m going to make you a star.”
He whispered. You shook your head.
“I don’t want to have sex with you, Mr. Park.”
His smile faded at your words. You straightened your back, trying your best to seem confident and not afraid of the man standing in front of you.
“This is all I’ve ever dreamt of. It’s all I’ve ever worked for. But I refuse to think that this is the only way I can get what I want.”
You said as you tried to conceal the shaky breath escaping your mouth.
“Please, I don’t want to sleep my way to fame. I want to earn it. So tell me, do you see a true and genuine prima ballerina in me. Or am I just a piece of meat?”
He looked at you directly in your eyes. You didn’t break eye contact. You were not giving up, not yet. He broke out in laughter after a few seconds of staring into your soul.
“Oh, y/n. Please.”
He continued laughing, as if this whole thing was a joke. You stayed as serious as ever.
“This is what I like about you. You’re so stubborn, so strong. You don’t see that often around here.”
He turned serious in a split second.
“Why would I be lying to you? Huh? I can sleep with whoever I want. If I wanted just a one night stand I’d pick one of the other girls. Someone easier to manipulate.”
His hand slid around your waist, pulling you close to him.
“I’m a man of my word, y/n. I see potential in you, I wouldn’t just say that to anyone.”
His eyes flickered down to your lips. You instinctively turned your head away, opting to looking at the two of you in the mirror. He looked back at you in the reflection.
“I see my next prima ballerina.”
He said and pointed at the mirror.
“You’re not just beautiful and talented, you have a strong mind. You’re perfect.”
You sighed, looking back at him.
“Why would you waste it all?”
He asked and softly caressed your chin. Your gaze flicked down, wanting to look anywhere but him. He was right, why would you waste the opportunity to have everything you’ve ever wanted?
“It’s honestly a package deal. You get fame and fortune, and good sex. I don’t see what the problem is honestly.”
You looked back up at him again. Trying to conceal the ick you just got.
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
His face turned into a devilish grin.
“Join me in my office.”
He hastily got rid of your bollero, throwing it onto the floor. The second you stepped into his office his lips were on yours. Your fate was sealed, there was no return now. He grabbed at your hips harshly, digging his fingers into you with desperation and lust. He lifted you up, and you instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist. He walked over to his desk, leaving your lips for a moment to push whatever was on it onto the floor. It all hit the floor and made a loud crashing noise. He placed you onto the desk, continuing his heated attack of your lips.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long, baby.”
He said in between kisses. Working on your wrap around skirt and tights. You lifted yourself off the desk so he could slide your garments off. Leaving you in your underwear and tank top.
“You have no idea how crazy you’ve made me. How many sins I’ve done in your favour.”
His lips crashed back onto yours. You started thinking of your career as you heard him removing his belt. Preparing yourself for what was to come. He pushed your upper body down onto the desk, making your head dip over the edge of the desk. You looked at his office upside down, staring at the expensive painting hanging on the wall. You felt him sliding your underwear to the side.
“What a pretty pussy you have, baby.”
He said before sliding himself into you, making you moan as you felt yourself being filled up.
“Better than I ever imagined.”
He groaned as he started to slowly move. You continued to look at the painting of the ballerina with a bouquet in her hands bowing down in a gracious pose. Your hands found his forearms, digging your nails into his skin. Your breath got heavy as you felt his speed increase.
But still you focused on the ballerina. You imagined it was you. Maybe that would be you after this. Bowing deeply to the applause of hundreds, maybe even thousands of people in the audience. They all applauding you. You moaned loudly once he hit a good spot.
“You like that? You want it, huh?”
“Yes.”
You said in a shaky voice. You wanted this, you wanted this more than anything. This was all worth it in the end. You would be a star, a prima ballerina. Someone little girls looked up to, and adults wanted to be. You would be like that ballerina in the painting. Gracious and beautiful in every way. Everything you ever aspired to be. Everything you were meant to be.
“God, I’m gonna-“
You belonged here. On that desk. In that studio. Alone on a stage, bowing to the audience after the greatest performance of their lives. You were Mr. Park’s new prima ballerina.
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scribbleseas · 8 months
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Straight Laced, Chapter V: To Be A Force of Nature…
Description: After the London’s Royal Ballet company’s prima ballerina goes missing within a string of mysterious disappearances among the ballet’s young ballerinas, you finally get your chance to debut in the leading role, taking on the position’s physical toil and immense social pressure. Although this role was supposed to be your grand jeté into the spotlight, it is quickly complicated when these disappearances catch the eye of Ciel Phantomhive — the Queen’s Guard Dog. He is a captious and shrewd man who also happens to be one of London’s most eligible bachelors.
For enough profit for you to secure your freedom for the first time, Lord Phantomhive double casts you as both his accomplice to solving these dancer disappearances and… his pretend lover. While debuting as London’s new prima ballerina, you must perfect a brand new routine: deceiving all of the nation’s polite society while actively searching for a serial killer — all while being an immigrant from France with a dancer’s reputation.
What could go wrong when you realize this off-stage performance of yours may not be an act at all?
Story Warnings: detailed description of gore, pain, and violence, detailed death, smut & explicit sexual scenes, allusions to non-consensual sex, objectification, prostitution, allusions to under-aged prostitution, smoking, drinking, eating disorder tendencies (food restriction, frequent references to wanting to maintain a certain weight, over-practicing & exercising), infidelity, fake courtship, swearing
Author’s Note: idk I have nothing to say for myself. i’m sorry this is so late. anddd keep an eye out for an upcoming poll! I need some input about which story you guys would like to see from me next, since we’re now officially halfway through this journey! As always, let me know what you think about this chapter! I love love LOVE audience interaction. So fun and so motivating. i love you all and hope you enjoy it!!
Happy Reading,
- dan (Depression Barbie LMAO)
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The End of October
The Royal Opera House, The Practice Room
“Try it again, Y/n,” Natasha ordered. The bottom of her cane knocked against the floor to cue the pianist to start the music.
Despite your obedient nod, your whole body protested.
Every single muscle in your feet begged for mercy, and your legs and lower back began to do the same. The amount of complex pointe work and arabesques in the variation were what made it such a challenge— maintaining the perfect form but without being too stiff. The Sugar Plum Fairy had to be regal and majestic; you needed to be buoyant on your toes to create the vision of a fairy ready to flutter her wings and fly.
The Nutcraker’s Sugar Plum Fairy Variation was the physical and emotional equivalent of a chess game with Ciel Phantomhive. You watched yourself in the mirror, eyeing the streams of sweat that fell from your hairline and down the bridge of your nose. Still, your arms fanned to either side and your leg drew back to create your starting position: b-plus.
This was the piece that established the fairy’s power in the land of sweets. It needed to be perfect or near perfect by now or Natasha would have your head.
“Your pas de bourreé needs to be lighter,” the director criticized, catching every error in your movement. Her gaze was heavier than a magnifying glass. “It should be airy— and you must maintain the connection between your fingers and your head.” You frowned, your eyebrows knitting with concentration.
She has cautioned you about a heavy step sequence before, Y/n. Try harder— Tchaikovsky wanted this dance to be as light as raindrops; this is the second time Natasha has told you to land gentler.
Your throat felt dry with embarrassment, but you forced yourself to power through. The music hesitated to a short stop while you spread your arms as if you were bracing for a wide hug.
Seconds later, the music launched into its famous chorded sequence up the keys and you stepped into your piqué manége. While a pas de bourreé resembled a sideways sequence of you rapidly tiptoeing across the practice studio floor, the piqué manége and coupé jeté combination was a constant step and turn rotation. You had to spring into small jumps to make each turn, repeating the process until you outlined the perimeter of a square with your spins around the studio floor.
Your head swam, dizzied because you skipped breakfast and lunch that day because you wanted the extra time in the studio. The investigation with Ciel was eating more into your practice time than you wanted to admit— he summoned you to take short promenades through parks, short appearances at bakeries, and specialty boutiques, spoiling you. Showing the public that you were well provided for — frankly blooming under the warmth of his generous fortune— was the Earl of Phantomhive’s ‘love’ language.
“Keep your chest up,” Natasha’s voice felt distant, even though she was in the same room as you and the rest of the company. “You should be thinking of your spinal cord as a fixed structure that your ribs rotate around. And keep your arms controlled with these spins. You are delicate, but there is still a commanding firmness to you.”
You took your final spins, returning to the middle of the stage to chassé up— otherwise, arrange yourself into the performance’s ending position. Both of your arms were straight and angled upwards like you were reaching for a high shelf, and your back rounded to create an energetic arch. Your left foot extended behind your right leg.
Your heart pounded in your chest as Natasha inspected your chassé, peering at you in the same way Ciel examined whatever literature he happened to be reading at the time. Her cold fingertips guided your chin a few centimeters upwards before her head bobbed in a content nod. “Keep your gaze in line with your arms, in this position. Always.”
Natasha’s lips were relaxed in their frown. She was in a particularly stormy mood during this practice, all fortified scowls and impatient scoffs before this moment. Now, rather than completely vexed, the choreographer only seemed mildly frustrated. You struggled to hold her frustration against her— you had been having the same difficulties with this dance since the beginning of the month. You were frustrated with yourself.
“I appreciate your feedback, Natasha” you replied, maintaining your appreciative pretense for the rest of the company members present. Your smile was mechanical and fake, nothing more than the flimsy curtain that the backstage hands rolled in and out between every act. For you, harsh criticism gracefully was an act— smiling while your chest burned with indignation was incredibly blood-boiling.
Especially after you dedicated at least a full afternoon to perfecting the same piece.
She sent you a curt nod in response, only proving to you that there was something on her mind. Something unpleasant…along the lines of her husband being a serial rapist and potential murderer. Guilt sweat beamed in your hairline because, by Ciel’s orders, you still were not allowed to inform her of what you learned about William. But if she found out on her own…you could certainly comfort her, right?
“You are all dismissed,” Natasha addressed the class. “But remember! Soldiers have their designated costuming times with myself and the costuming director this upcoming week! Talk to one of us for your appointment.”
You waited until Natasha finished answering every post-rehearsal question, sending a nameless company member scurrying off with notes on the performance, or some set of miscellaneous instructions. Now that dress rehearsal was only a month away, it was time for each company member to make their dances technically perfect. Natasha preferred to focus on mechanical accuracy before adding the art and drama back into the ballet with the addition of stage makeup and glitzy costuming. Furthermore, Natasha was the heart and soul of the London Royal Company— it was a risk to so much as inhale at an undesignated time.
“Is there something bothering you?” you asked, your eyes breaking away from the door once you were sure everyone was out of earshot. “You were harsher than usual. I know dress rehearsal starts soon but—”
“Everything is fine with me, Y/n,” Natasha replied chillingly, jumping to the defensive. Her hand adjusted on her cane’s grip, bringing the walking accessory closer to her to re-shift her weight. She hissed through her clenched teeth at her bad leg, suggesting the old injury was hurting her. “If I were you, I would be more worried about my dancing than my director. Your rendition of Plum’s variation left much to be desired,” she said without a hint of hesitation.
Of course not— when it came to the choice of sparing a cast member’s self-esteem or breaking their confidence into jagged pieces of shrapnel for quicker results, Natasha would always, inevitably, choose the latter. She wasn’t the best prima ballerina in London five years ago because her feedback was obsequious. “Honestly. I would have thought you would have a breakthrough with your pointe work by now,” Natasha continued, disappointed.
With her sharp cheekbones and straight, raven hair, her visage reminded you of a slightly grumpier and career-driven Snow White.
“I will dedicate every free moment to it,” you insisted, your cheeks hot. Tears stung at your eyes, but you were accustomed to the suffocating feeling and managed to hold them in until you reached the closed door of your dressing room.
The moment you turned your lock closed, you turned towards the inner side of your door, resting your forehead on the cool wood. Your tears tracked down your cheeks, but you made no effort to flick them away. Not yet. You needed to sulk. You deserved to sulk.
“My wife doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” a man’s amused tenor told you, causing your head to jerk back in surprise. “I say, ignore her. I, for one, had a lovely time watching you today, my new prima.”
Ballerina, you wanted to finish the title. Prima felt much too familiar; much too oppressive.
William Wood was as relaxed as a lazy cat, his long and lean body poised comfortably on your couch. He gave a fleeting, yet bitter, look to the gold wedding band around his left ring finger before returning his gaze to you.
You made a rapid effort to wipe your distressed tears away. Normally, you were never one to cry over some constructive criticism, but you guessed it was your building stress— the amount of time and anxiety it consumed. The dark knowledge you had weighed on your mind heavily: knowing the truth about the man sitting in front of you, how he potentially murdered ballerinas like you. The fact that he was responsible for horrendous crimes and was still free to flash a winsome smile at you with the expectation that you’d fall for it.
Moreso, you imagined he used the same strong stare and enticing words to trap all of his victims; whether or not he persuaded them that he cared about them, or ripped all of their confidence away with his own surplus of it.
You cleared your throat, hesitant to meet his cool gray eyes. While Natasha’s were slightly blue, William’s were only a monochrome silver— as if all color was drained from them. His thin lips pulled into a half smile that he likely meant to be seductive and welcoming, but the longer you watched him, the more pursued you felt. He was watching you with the salacious eagerness a hunter would, aiming his rifle at an unsuspecting deer.
How could the other girls have reacted? Amélie, Eliza, Janet? Your heart was heavy with grief. The pain that these girls would never be able to share their stories with the rest of the world. Their lives were stolen from them. By this man.
“Thank you, Mr. Wood,” you greeted tersely. You knew your smile was unconvincing; you couldn’t bring yourself to bring the warmth of recognition into it, or the respect an employee would show to her handsome and potentially homicidal employer. All you could think of was the blood on his hands and the utter certainty across his lips. He was a huntsman. “I see you have returned from Paris. How was your trip?”
How could he live with himself?
“Just fine, Y/n,” William stood to his feet and took a leisurely set of steps towards you, casually crowding you against the door you just locked. There was enough room between you for him to deny his lack of respect for personal space, but so little room that you could spot every individual freckle across the wide bridge of his nose and his cheeks. “But I’m more interested in you. Your technique has simply flourished since that Janet girl left us.”
Left us?
You tensed, but you forced your body to remain open, fighting its natural urge to curl in and shield you from the danger. There was no hesitation in William’s face— not when he started flirting with you, and certainly not now, after he suggested that Janet simply retired from dancing and disappeared. Of course, the Yard was keeping these ballerina disappearances out of the papers. No one else knew there was anything wrong except for those clothes to the ten women, those investigating, and of course, the killer.
Ciel would tell you to talk about Janet and the recent company losses to gauge William’s response. His body language, what was saying, what he was not saying. He would tell you to either ignore the flirting or use it to your advantage, as rejecting Wood would likely bruise his ego too much for you to continue pursuing this…angle. Embarrassed, William would never speak to you again…or if you angered him, he’d simply kill you later.
You would need to use this interaction to set up future time with William. That way you and Ciel could make a plan to get his confession or gather concrete evidence, considering Ciel was too cautious to make the arrest if he wasn’t completely convinced.
If the course of the investigation was solely your choice, you would have already had William arrested for assault, abduction, and at least one murder. Unfortunately, your authority only extended to waltzing tips and how to make Ciel’s publicity smile appear less like a grimace.
William’s eyebrows raised, prompting your response. He was suspicious of your hesitation— which was surprising, given that he was married to your director. How could you fail to notice this…aggressiveness before this week? Now, it was clear to you.
“That is so kind of you to say, sir,” you paused, unsure of what to say next. How could you extract more information about Janet without appearing accusatory? “This opportunity has been extraordinary for my career. It is so hard for me to believe that Janet would give it up so senselessly.” You watched William’s face, looking for any flicker of emotion, but there was none beyond his pensive nod.
“You should know how it is, by now, Y/n,” William drawled with the wisdom of an experienced man who had been watching the ballet field for a near century, rather than a measly thirty years. While the Wood family owned the opera house since its construction in 1732, William only started running the Wood’s business empire five years ago — after his father, John, died abruptly. Heart failure.
The last production the opera house had under John Wood was the Sleeping Beauty run where William met Natasha, the new prima ballerina. They were both around your age at the time. You couldn’t imagine meeting your future spouse and marrying them only for your father to die a month or two afterward.
“Not everyone can take the heat. Not everyone should. They can’t handle it because they’re not like you. You’re a shark. A force of nature; someone special. I can see it,” William continued, taking a loose strand of hair that fell free from your bun and tucking it behind your ear. His fingertips lingered on the side of your neck, and the top of his thumb kept your chin tilted upwards towards his face.
“A force of nature?” You asked, almost as puzzled as you were uncomfortable. You wished you could take a step away, but your backside was pressed against your only exit.
William chuckled, pleased to have the opportunity to explain himself. It made him feel smarter than you— something that most men adored as much as staring at you. “Yes. That means, unstoppable, strong, and…unforgettable. Beyond control. Like I said: don’t listen to Natasha. You were flawless. You are flawless.”
Your breath hitched, unable to hide the euphoria that came with praise, but of course, not without recalling that these were lines he likely rehearsed. William knew how to attract his victims with honey before resorting to vinegar. Ultimately, it made you realize that this was how Amélie, Eliza, and Janet felt. Seen. Special. Noticed by the owner of the opera house. Frankly, if you hadn’t been promoted, you doubted you would have been William’s next target.
Still, even if you knew you were a force of nature before William said so, there was something more empowering about hearing so. For once, it wasn’t your ego; it was praise. Genuine, few and far between, praise. Something educated and intricate— it might have been nearly leagues more satisfying than faraway applause from an audience that didn’t know the first thing about ballet…if you didn’t know that William had ulterior motives. If you didn’t know that this was the trap the huntsman fabricated to catch his next meal.
William took your prolonged silence as encouragement. He leaned downwards, each gaining centimeter only pushing him closer to your lips.
“Mr. Wood…” you cut his advance short, hesitating as you remembered that rejection was not an option. You tried to soften your expression, and your body, given that your words came out somewhat flat. You thought of the weak-willed princesses in children’s tales; the submissive character you put on for all of your old patrons; the long set of polite society’s rules Sebastian branded into the front of your brain.
William’s approach was to take vulnerable and insecure girls and make them feel like a force of nature because of him. Not because they were, inherently.
But you were. This time, he didn’t know who he was messing with.
“I think…we ought to wait until we have more time together,” you said sweetly, your hand coming from your side and adjusting William’s shirt collar. It was folded unevenly, and even the minute gesture was enough for him to think you cared about him— that you were looking intently enough to realize that there was a problem with his wardrobe in the first place. Any special attention from intended prey was like a drug to these power-starved men. It made you wonder why they thought they had all of the power. “Could you imagine the scandal? If everyone in the company found out?” You asked, widening your eyes with ironic innocence.
You were the black swan, Odile. Mischievous, conniving, confident. Frankly, thinking about making the arrest and putting the bastard away was what created your reluctantly seductive grin— much in the same way as Odile’s excitement to manipulate Odette’s prince.
William’s back straightened as he considered you once more, looking over you with reignited vigor, now that you were fully committed to playing his game. He tilted his head, though his eyes were slightly more hesitant to leave your lips.
“I think you’d get some enjoyment out of all that attention, Prima,” William joked, taking your hand in his. He pressed a kiss onto your knuckles before doing the same for the inner part of your wrist. His thumb rubbed the same spot on your wrist as if he wanted the feeling of his foreign lips on your skin to linger. “But unfortunately, you do have a point. I think I have a remedy for us, though,” William looked ponderous before he fished out a ring of keys from his jacket pocket with his free hand— he was still holding yours until he needed both hands to sift through the crowded keys.
To you, it suggested he had several places he needed to keep locked away. That could be residences, safes, closed doors, drawers... the number of potential areas to hide murder weapons and implicating items could be limitless if all of the locations for these keys were his. It was suspicious.
Once William found the key he was looking for, he unlinked it from the key ring. He pressed it into your palm so hard that you could feel it indent in your skin. “Here. This opens the back door of my country house. We will meet there. Tomorrow— after your performance,” he ordered, closing your fingers around the key for you. He pointedly failed to ask if you were available, presuming you would make the time for him.
“The one in… Southampton?” Your mouth felt dry. You went to William and Natasha’s country home once— about a year ago. Natasha allowed you to spend the night after you arrived at the docks after midnight, returning from a short visit to France. Your director didn’t trust you to make it back to your home safely, and she insisted you stay the night with her and William.
The Wood’s Southampton house was a symbol of Natasha’s kindness to you, and now, you were about to use it to further betray her. Failing to tell her about her husband’s crime was the first; and now, you were about to seduce him in order to expose those misgivings.
“Yes. Natasha stays late with the costuming director on Thursdays and Fridays. It’s perfect,” William reminded you. While most companies started costuming for the lead dancers, Natasha liked to start with the ensemble. She claimed it was best to get all of the mass-produced costumes fitted and out of the way before focusing on the standout pieces like yours.
Thinking about your Sugar Plum Fairy costume made you giddy with excitement. While you haven’t seen the ensemble itself yet, Poppy (the costume director that William failed to name) showed you her beautiful sketches for it.
“Meet me there at eleven. Sharp,” William ordered decisively, offering you no chance to protest. Within seconds, he unlocked your door, made sure there was no one outside to see him exit, and swiftly made his leave.
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The Same Day, Dusk
Ciel’s Carriage
“No. Absolutely not,” Ciel’s stoic, yet resolute frown pursed into a line. He angled his chin upwards, daring you to argue with him.
“What do you mean?” You demanded, your eyebrows knitting together incredulously. You wanted to stand up to punctuate your surprise and frustration, but the moving carriage wouldn’t allow you to. “This is the perfect opportunity. You said it yourself: We need to investigate William Wood. If he is with me, his guard will be down! And we need evidence and a confession!”
“We would do better to explore a…different angle. I would prefer to meet with him,” Ciel said boredly, opening his book to his current page. He clearly didn’t think much of this disagreement; you thought it was, by far, the most ridiculous one the two of you dealt with up to this point. He was being brainless— you had an opportunity to get into William’s home and make him vulnerable, and Ciel didn’t want to so much as entertain your idea! Your lead!
“But, why?” You insisted, protesting like a child fighting their mother for an extra piece of candy. “What could possibly be wrong with this plan? Setting a meeting up between you and him — without looking suspicious — could take ages!”
“It will not take ages,” Ciel said, emphasizing his use of your words. He skimmed over the words in the passage of his book — The Canticle of Saint Eulalie — idly, speaking while he read. The novel was a relic from medieval French literature, a name you vaguely recognized only to have Ciel snicker at you for not being as inclined to know every facet of your home culture. It was disquieting to know that Ciel was fluent in your first language. When he offered to speak to you in that language, you had denied it vehemently because it was simply too personal. Speaking in French took you back to your mother, dance school, and every painful memory you left back on the European mainland. “I want to extend an invitation to Wood about a business venture.”
“Ciel, it is too convenient. No one will believe that we are in love if you make a business deal immediately after courting me,” you insisted.
“It only matters if he believes that it is a true business meeting,” Ciel said, flipping the current page over.
“I guarantee you, he will not,” you shook your head, crossing your arms over your chest. “William might be a sadistic criminal but he certainly is not a moron—” unlike you, genius “…and he will make the connection between you and me. Natasha has to have told him already.”
“Honestly! You are being stubborn because this is my lead! It was my acting and my efforts that gave us this opportunity. You are insecure. You are selfish! If we let our investigation progress slower than necessary, more people die! Is it worth it? Is your—” You would have proceeded with your tirade until you and Ciel reached your destination, but he slammed his book closed with a start. The heavy sound caused you to hesitate, giving him the opportunity to intercede.
“Y/n! Your plan is too dangerous!” Ciel snapped. “You are an untrained civilian. You are not going to meet a man who has assaulted and likely killed ten other of your peers. Certainly not when he likely imagines you as his eleventh! Honestly! You must be mad. Do you have a death wish?”
“I do not care about that,” you admitted, taking in a long inhale through your nose and quickly glancing out the window. Your fingers intertwined in your lap as your shoulders fell sheepishly. “The danger,” you clarified at the Earl’s perplexed expression. “I truly…it is of no importance to me.”
“And why is that?” Ciel demanded.
“Why do I have the right? They all…died. Why do I get the privilege of…” You let the sentence die, gesturing with your clammy hands because you couldn’t string the proper words together. How could you to know to be careful when these girls didn’t know what they were getting into? They deserved the same warnings you had, but that would never be.
“Come on, Ciel. We need access to his home and his belongings. We will not get it if we pursue your business meeting idea. Please, please, let me do this,” you said, fishing William’s house key out of your jacket’s pocket. The silver key had his matching initials engraved down the side of it in cursive. “While I keep him occupied, you and Sebastian can find the spare office keys in the studio and—”
There was a new grudging respect in Ciel’s face, paired with a thoughtful frown. He was considering your idea, freshly reminded that you were extremely committed to the investigation. After all, it was a personal matter, now.
“No,” Ciel started. He quickly sent a silencing look at you, noticing the confrontational way you leaned in toward him. The carriage was rather small, putting you in the same proximity William was to you, earlier that day. “Not without us. I will not, in good conscience, permit you to go tomorrow without Sebastian and myself. We don’t know what William might try with you.”
A slow smile spread across your face, victorious. You truly were a force of nature.
“You care about me,” you grinned, nose wrinkling with glee. “How kind. Who knew the magnificent, oh-so-powerful, Lord of Phantomhive could care for someone besides himself…” Your hand flew over your heart dramatically. “I’m touched!”
“I had no idea it was controversial to ensure a civilian’s survival,” Ciel smarted, his exposed eye-rolling. His face flushed, but you couldn’t decipher the cause. Frustration from having to accommodate your ever-shifting mood? Embarrassment? No, Lord Phantomhive could never view himself as lesser-than!
Or perhaps, you were right. He did care about you.
Your cheeks grew warm at the thought, causing your head to jerk away before you could regard his lips anymore. (Were they always this plump when he scowled? And that pink?) You were all too aware of your closeness, given that you hadn’t moved back to your original position in the carriage and had been leaning towards him with the severity of either someone enraged or in love.
Enraged. You were enraged.
“Admit that I persuaded you,” you demanded, unable to keep the play stoicism on your face.
“I will not,” Ciel shook his head, relieved that the carriage was coming to a stop because it gave him an easy reprieve from the conversation at hand. “We need you to confirm the body’s identification. Will you come inside?” The Earl asked, gesturing to the Yard’s station outside the carriage. He reminded you of the meaning behind your excursion: confirming that the body found floating in the River Thames was Janet Fischer or a nameless victim. While there were numerous pictures of Janet, they needed a person to confirm her remains.
“Yes, I can.” Your heart sunk, bringing your joy with it. Your smile melted as you nodded gravely, well aware that there was no need to maintain any pretenses in front of the body. Ciel forced the Yard to clear any non-ranked personnel to avoid conflict with your public appearance versus your intended utility to the case.
Within minutes, you were facing Janet one last time. She was truly perfect— the type of beautiful that belonged between pages of a storybook. Her cheekbones were high, but her cheeks were full; her lips were soft and pink. Her blonde hair fell in wisps, too thick to stay in her bun perfectly. Even in death, her eyelashes were long and curled, kissing her cheeks.
Unlike Amélie, there was little sign of death on her, save for her lack of breathing and the obvious bruise on her temple. Otherwise, there was no foul smell, no bloodshot eyes, or gaping mouth. Janet looked as if she was only napping, her face serene without the deep sadness that used to inhabit it. No one in the company carried the same innocence and melancholia— that was why she was Natasha’s first choice for Odette.
“This is her,” your voice hardly registered above a whisper. “Janet…what happened?” you asked, blinking rapidly to keep tears from falling. You wished she could wake up and tell you. There was nothing you wanted more.
“She was officially reported as missing on the night of September 28th,” Ciel said, his presence somewhat comforting to you. Janet was already dead— there was nothing to be done except to bring her killer to justice and ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. “Exactly one day after the last time everyone has claimed to see her— the night of Thursday, September 27th.”
“This wound seems as if it was from a blunt object,” Sebastian noted, peering at the purple bruise on the side of Janet’s right eye. “But she was found near the Tower Bridge, the rest of her wounds consistent with a high fall.”
“Could she have been hit with the object and subsequently pushed?” Ciel wondered, not truly looking for a response from either you or Sebastian. He crossed his arms, searching for answers from Janet’s body.
You battled a fresh wave of nausea.
“The bruise appears to be circular. I believe the object we’re looking for is slightly round — like a hammer, the pommel of a dagger, or even the end of a cane might create this shape of bruise,” the butler continued, the broad number of potential items doing nothing of note.
If the bruise wasn’t leading to anything concrete, you opted to focus on something — anything — else. Janet went missing on a Thursday… Today was Wednesday. William wanted to meet with you on another Thursday. You had full Nutcracker rehearsals on Thursdays and Sundays, but William said that Thursday would work the best because Natasha always stayed at the studio to work with Poppy.
That made Thursdays the ideal day for him to kill someone: Natasha was out of the picture, and the whole cast was exhausted after a full show rehearsal and a showing of Swan Lake.
You stiffened, your head jerking to look at the Earl. He startled at your sudden movement, knitting curious eyebrows together. What is it now, Y/n? He asked without having to speak.
“Ciel, do you have the dates for any of the other disappearances?”
“Sebastian?” Ciel prompted.
“Annalisse Sterling’s last sighting was Thursday, September 14th and Harriet White’s was August 31st, and…” Sebastian continued, as you flipped through a calendar. You ripped off one of the officer’s unoccupied desks. You circled every date Sebastian said until he stopped at Amelie’s disappearance date.
“The majority of disappearances have taken place between these three weekdays,” you declared, showing Ciel and Sebastian the months of circled Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. “Look. And these are days where we have full show rehearsals and his wife is thoroughly distracted…it cannot be a coincidence.”
Ciel considered the theory, nodding slowly with perceptible hesitance that you wanted to kick out of him. There was absolutely no basis for him to doubt you! Why did he need to be this stubborn? All of the time? “Is there anyone we can speak to regarding Janet? We have already spoken to her family and Lord Taylor, but—”
“She never had friends,” you shook your head. It was true— Janet always distanced herself from everyone. Even Natasha, who seemed to be the entire company’s older sister. “What did Lord Taylor tell you?”
“He has a solid alibi— hosting a birthday dinner for his niece in Tanglewood. His son’s betrothed,” Ciel said. “The party location puts him too far away from the Tower Bridge at that time, and there is no evidence that Taylor told Janet to meet him there.”
“She had to tell someone that she was going out of her usual way,” you shut your eyes for a moment to organize your thoughts. “Janet was not stupid, she would never leave without notice. Her mother and her brothers relied on her income to live.”
“The mother insisted Janet found a note in her dressing room, but there was no one — and no note — to corroborate that,” Sebastian recalled, as perplexed as you’ve ever seen him. Anyone could have left a note in Janet’s room— the murder had to be premeditated if that was how the killer lured her. They knew to leave it there after the performance and to either dispose of it themself or take it from Janet after killing her. Not only that— they had access to those backstage areas. It needed to be someone who blended in at the opera house, otherwise, the interviewed dancers and stagehands would have noticed a suspicious character.
“Ciel, we need to look into William. He owns the opera house— no one would think anything of seeing him backstage. William knows when rehearsals are, and his wife’s work schedule,” you demanded, wide-eyed. Honestly, if Ciel continued to doubt you, you would suspect he was in the wrong line of work.
“Say it is William,” Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose, “how would we proceed?” He asked flatly, guessing that you had a few ideas.
Your expression wasn’t gleeful. You were unsure what to call it, besides fierce and unyielding. It was forceful, it was serious. A real force of nature would do this. You were going to do this.
“We get a confession, then. Tomorrow night.”
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Round 1A Results:
Barbie in The Nutcracker VS Barbie: Starlight Adventure
Sorry, Starlight Adventure fans, but Barbie in The Nutcracker hit the ground running and never stopped. The nostalgia factor is strong, but is it enough to get to the top? we'll see!
WINNER: Barbie in The Nutcracker (81.1%, 132 votes)
Barbie and The Three Musketeers VS Barbie in A Mermaid Tale
There were clearly conflicting feelings in the tags of this poll. Mermaid Tale started out strong, but just couldn't hold on to that lead. It was a close competition, but the queen of the waves will not be the queen of this competition.
WINNER: Barbie and The Three Musketeers (53.2%, 171 votes)
Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia VS Barbie: Mariposa and the Fairy Princess
Fairy girlfriends may have been able to beat the mermaids in the preliminaries, but this is the main event. Despite a passionate fanbase, Mariposa and the Fairy Princess couldn't overtake the OG Barbie mermaids.
WINNER: Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia (72.6%, 146 votes)
Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses VS Barbie in the Pink Shoes
Was there ever really a question of who would be prima ballerina?
WINNER: Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses (93%, 114 votes)
Barbie as The Princess and The Pauper VS Barbie: Dolphin Magic
Princess and the Pauper fans SHOWED UP for their fav. Dolphin Magic didn't have enough magic to take Princess and the Pauper's place.
WINNER: Barbie as The Princess and The Pauper (94.5%, 200 votes)
Barbie and the Diamond Castle VS Barbie: Princess Charm School
Soooo.... I may have made a mistake and accidentally set this poll for one day instead of one week. Diamond Castle had a clear lead, but this poll got less than half the votes of some of the polls in this round. Should I make a new poll for a week to give Princess Charm School a fair chance? Or should I stick with the shorter poll's results? Lmk in the comments/tags.
WINNER??? Barbie and the Diamond Castle (62.4%, 85 votes)
Barbie: Fairytopia VS Barbie and the Secret Door
Bibble and Elina are fighting HARD in this tournament, and it is paying off. The Secret Door has closed for this competition.
WINNER: Barbie: Fairytopia (86.6%, 142 votes)
Barbie: Mariposa VS Barbie: A Perfect Christmas
Christmas will not be coming in July this year because A Perfect Christmas was not perfect enough to beat out Mariposa.
WINNER: Barbie: Mariposa (94.5%, 110 votes)
Round 1B polls should be out Monday! Keep an eye out for a potential Diamond Castle vs Charm School take 2 poll.
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themakeupbrush · 2 years
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Cannes 2022 Fashion Favorites: Part 2
Click here for part 1
We’ve made it to the end, so now it’s time for the round up! These favorites are in no particular order, and are based on the overall look (dress, hair, makeup, accessories, etc). I did separate posts on best jewelry which you can find here and here
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Deepika Padukone in Sabyasachi 
One of the first looks from the festival, Deepika wore this as her opening ceremony outfit as a member of the festival jury. I was hoping to see a sari on the red carpet this year, and we got it night one! It’s beautiful, and the jewelry really takes the regality to another level. 
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Nidhi Sunil in Manish Malhotra
I know I said I was judging overall looks, but this skirt is so amazing it’s really the whole look to me. Apparently the skirt took over 450 hours of labor to create, and it really shows. 
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Jessica Michel Serfaty in Nicolas Jebran
This so easily could have been a mess, but it wasn’t. There’s so much going on between the overskirt, pattern, plunging neckline, necklace, and hood, but they all somehow come together. The other nice thing about a dress like this is it gives her a million ways to pose for a dramatic red carpet shot. 
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Coco Rocha in vintage Galliano
Of course Coco made the best dressed list. This feels like a ballerina, Black Swan fantasy look, complete with a prima ballerina tiara and stage makeup. On anyone else, a look this theatrical would look a little ridiculous, but she’s Coco Rocha. 
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Coco Rocha in Iris van Herpen
Speaking of Coco and the theatrical, here’s her second look on this list, and actually the only amfAR look to make it to my favorites. Not everyone can pull off an Iris van Herpen design, let alone make it look effortless and natural, but again, she’s Coco Rocha. 
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Marina Ruy Barbosa in Valentino
This look, as well as the remainder of the ones on this list, is more of a “love the overall vibe” situation. The dress is very pretty, but on it’s own it wouldn’t be as standout. The hair is really what makes it. I swear it’s glowing. 
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Frida Aasen in Elie Saab
She looks like an old-school barbie doll. The red dress/red lip combo is beautiful on her, and I’m in love with the back necklace with a backless dress. Back and hair jewelry are such underrated ways to incorporate more jewelry. 
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Shakira in Mônot
If Shakira makes an appearance, I’m including Shakira on my favorites list. It’s very simple. Beyond my obvious bias, she looks incredible. The dress is so insanely simple, which just emphasizes how gorgeous she is. I feel like we never really get to see Shakira glammed up for a black tie carpet, usually if it’s a red carpet event she’s in cocktail/club attire. I still don’t know how she managed to make those sheer gloves look classy. 
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Anne Hathaway in Armani
This to me is the epitome of the woman wearing the dress, rather than it wearing her. On most other people, I don’t know that I would have really looked twice at this, really the only standout thing is the sleeve/bow/train thing going on in the back, which is lovely. But she, along with that necklace, make this look noteworthy and memorable. 
Click here for Part 3
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gamerbearmira · 2 years
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A rant about how much I love Ballet
I've never expressed how much I love ballet. Like, I always wanted to do it when I was little (couldn't afford it though--closest I got to an extra curriculum activity was choir and playing the recorder.). But I love ballet.
I go on youtube and just. Watch recorded shows. The way the prima ballerinas spin in stage is so beautiful and graceful. And I love The Nutcracker, its probably my favorite. I actually enjoy The Nutcracker and the 4 Realms too. But around Christmas, I always try to watch The Nutcracker when I can. I've actually made an AU with that ballet; One for my ocs and one for Encanto, but I doubt I'll ever showcase them here lol.
And then Swan Lake??? Made an Encanto and OC AND Jojo (Phantom Blood) AU. Bro, I love it. Whenever I downloaded Barbie movies, I would always watch the Swan Lake one (along with The Mermaid and Fairy one.) I love Odette and Odile's costumes, they're so beautiful.
Also men in ballet??? Its so amazing to see how gracefully they can move while still portraying their characters. Its just. Wow. Just wow.
I have concluded my rant on how much I love ballet.
TL;DR: I love Ballet.
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biirdiee · 2 years
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Don’t Stop Me Now
Read on AO3
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Otherwise known as 'Rock You Like a Hurricane Part Two: The Electric Boogaloo'
Eddie finally gets a proper introduction to Nancy's favorite strap-on. They seem to realize they're not really sure where their relationship stands unless it's through Steve, and decide to figure it out through sex, because well...they're both not super great with feelings.
Featuring background competition between Robin and Steve.
Not really Eddie/Nancy, but united due to their love of Steve and getting laid.
Pairings: Eddie/Steve, Nancy/Steve
Rating: Explicit
Eddie has said it before, and he’ll say it again, Nancy Wheeler knew how to set the fucking mood.
She went all out in every aspect, candles, music, crisp sheets, and a freshly made bed. She even wore a little lingerie set like she did before with Steve, this one baby blue, matching the sharpness of her eyes.
Everything in her little bedroom seems to be filtered through some kind of babydoll lighting. With sheer pink curtains drawn so that sunlight turns the room into some kind of Barbie dreamhouse, its bedsheets of ruffles and white and lace, music boxes of ballerinas, and of course, Nancy Wheeler herself.
Her body looks so delicate, the body of a prima ballerina with her thin arms, tight waist, and toned legs. And as Eddie lets his eyes trace around the room, he realizes that Nancy does, in fact, have ballet shoes hanging from a hook on her bedroom door.
Eddie sometimes lets himself wonder what lurks underneath her pretty pink surface, because while he’s surrounded with ruffles and bows (sugar, spice, and everything nice…all that girly bullshit), he knows that beneath the very bed he sits on is her shotgun and pistol. And that in the bottom drawer of her dresser, hidden underneath Hawkins High t-shirts, is where she keeps her strap and lube.
He liked to call her the queen of orgasms, just to tease her, because the amount of tail this girl gets is insane. She usually rolls her eyes, but has that self-satisfied grin that tells him she cares more than she lets on. What existed first, the girly exterior or the fire that lays beneath? The classic chicken or the egg. Or perhaps they can co-exist together. What the fuck does he know anyway?
Eddie sat in just his black boxers, stomach tying itself in knots as he watched Nancy bend over the bed to whisper something in Steve’s ear, making him turn red.
“Eddie,” Nancy’s voice has a hold on him immediately, “Steve and I have done this before, so let me know if you get overwhelmed.”
He rolls his eyes.
“I think I can handle the two of you, Wheeler.”
“Promise me.” Her voice is sharp, tone making the heat in his belly spike.
“What?”
“Promise me that you’ll tell us to stop if you don’t like it.” It’s not a question, and Eddie wonders what it’s like how Nancy handles brats.
However, this is their first official time, so he’ll save that thought for later.
“I promise.” That seems to satisfy Nancy, she gives a nod, grabbing the strap and harness from where it lays on the end of the bed.
Steve, ever the eager beaver, always the impatient one, leans down to smash his mouth against his, making Eddie’s blood run hot. His hands find his hair, yanking him down further, biting his lip hard enough to make him groan.
Steve eagerly nips at his jaw, teeth scraping down to his throat, tongue licking over his Adam’s apple.
Nimble, cool fingers tentatively touch his knee, making his eyes snap over to where Nancy sits, strap properly put on. She looks hesitant, blue eyes very unsure compared to when she did this with just Steve while Eddie watched.
Eddie wonders if she actually wants him here; she seemed to warm up to him during their last encounter. Becoming such a beautiful force of nature as she commanded Steve down between Eddie’s knees, a temptress in lace.
But she didn’t have to touch Eddie then.
“Nancy, we don’t have to do this.” He says, finally getting Steve’s attention, dark eyes flickering between the two of them, softening when he see’s the look on her face.
“You okay, Nance?”
“I just…” she trails off, biting her lip, Eddie is pretty sure this is over before it begins. “I just knew where I stood when it was me, you, and Jonathan.”
Huh?
Knows where she stood? Eddie doesn’t know what the fuck that means, but he supposes they never did just sit down and have a goddamn after school special about what they all meant to each other.
At the time their odd little foursome came to life, it was the end of the world. Steve had come forward on what felt like their last night, before descending into the Upsidedown, to tell him about feelings, the mushy kind that Eddie usually wanted to ignore, but he couldn’t.
Eddie had tried to protest, that clearly there was something going on between Steve and Nancy, that they were the ones that belonged together, and Steve had laughed at him and said: “Why not both?”
“No way dude, no fucking way.” If he hadn’t seen everything he had the past few days, he might not have believed him, but Eddie had come to learn that anything was possible. And the possible now was that Eddie and Steve could delve into those mushy, dumb, romantic feelings that he had been pushing down into the pit of his stomach, but now brought him a ridiculous giddiness.
But…where did that leave Nancy and Eddie? Robin and his relationship was very clear, she only liked girls, but Eddie? Eddie liked girls and boys just like Nancy liked girls and boys, just like Steve did.
One day, Eddie really needed to sit Steve down and learn about how Jonathan came into the picture. Because clearly the three of them had something special enough for Nancy and Steve to prefer open relationships.
So, maybe Eddie just needed to figure out where he and Nancy landed?
“Maybe this would be easier if you could tell me what you fantasize about when you thought about this?” Nancy suggests, adjusting the thin strap of her bralette.
“Oh Miss Wheeler,” Eddie teases, giving her a grin, “You trying to get me to dirty talk?”
Finally, that look returns to Nancy’s face, lips pursed and eyes sharp. The look that told him she was about to give him the ride of his life.
“On your hands and knees Munson.” Eddie eagerly complies, nearly groaning as he feels Nancy’s manicured nails dig into his skin as she helps him flip over.
Steve still looks confused on how their interaction could go from insecure to domination so quickly, but excited nonetheless, moving around to kiss him again.
“Lucky for you,” Nancy begins, fingers firm on his hips, “this is something I’m particularly good at.”
“I’ll believe it when it happens, dollface.” Eddie knows he’s on dangerous ground when Steve’s eyes widen in surprise, face getting even more sheepish as he looks back at Nancy.
Making a face that basically says; do you have a death wish or something?
Which, yeah, Eddie kinda did.
Because Nancy and him aren’t close enough yet to truly understand their own relationship, but Eddie knows one thing, she doesn’t like being undermined, and he liked it when she was confident.
Eddie yelps as he feels Nancy’s cool, wet finger press against his ass, circling him before pressing in.
“Normally, it’s Steve in your position, my sweet and good boy. But I suppose a good spit roasting should turn you docile.” Her breath is hot against his ear, words rough but her finger gentle as it pushes and swirls into him, making him groan.
Eddie’s erection is almost painful at this point, precum drooling from his dick onto the sheets, his insides turning to mush as he eyes Steve’s excitement from what Nancy’s just promised.
Eddie eyes the outline of Steve’s dick in his boxers, wishing to get it out, but he’s pretty sure if both his hands weren’t supporting him he would be face first into the mattress because Nancy wasn’t lying when she said she was talented with her fingers.
He can’t help the whimper that escapes him as she removes her fingers, finally feeling the tip of her strap against his asshole.
“Steve, cock out. Now.” Nancy is right, Steve is a good boy, and complies immediately. Not that Eddie is complaining, he’s got the best view, Steve kneeling on the mattress so that his dick is eye level, toned torso and happy trail oh so tempting to run his tongue along. “Eddie, let’s make that mouth useful for once. Open wide.”
Eddie does open his mouth (his mouth is useful thankyouverymuch), trying to think of a clever retort, but Steve doesn’t hesitate to slide his cock in eagerly. Eddie groans at the taste of him, the feeling of him gliding across his tongue.
As if that wasn’t enough, Nancy finally, finally pressed the strap into him, and for a long while, Eddie is pretty sure his brain short circuits. He’s achingly full beyond what he’s ever experienced, moaning around Steve’s dick as she gently pulls out before sinking back in, not stopping until he feels her hips press against his ass, bottoming out.
Steve, a true gentleman, gives him a moment to adjust. He runs his fingers through Eddie’s curly hair.
“Fuck, fuck, Eddie. You’re so fucking good, doing so, so good.”
Eddie’s cock aches from his words, but he’s pretty sure if he got any more stimulation, he’d be a goner.
Steve finally begins to slide his dick in and out of Eddie’s mouth, and Nancy takes that as her cue to finally fuck him, attempting to match Steve’s rhythm.
“That’s it baby, just like that, look at you. You’re doing so good.” Words tumble from Steve’s lips and feed the ever growing monster that currently lives in his heart.
And now, Eddie finally gets why Steve and Nancy like having a third partner. Because this? This was sex beyond what he’s ever experienced.
The overstimulation of being thrust into simultaneously, drool shamelessly dripping from his lips onto his chin as Steve fucked his mouth, the warmth of Nancy’s hips flush against him, he can feel that sharp, hot, winding pleasure building from the pit of his stomach as she skillfully hits that special spot deep inside him.
Steve continues to groan out praises, hand now a fist in his hair, yanking it in that way Eddie likes.
“You like being full like this? Can’t even move–fuck, like being fucked from both sides?”
Eddie’s body is pure heat and endorphins, wondering how he could possibly go back to regular sex after this.
He feels the familiar stutter of Steve’s hip, sensing that his boyfriend is definitely close to finishing.
“Fuck—“ Steve hisses, “So fucking close—“
At those words, Nancy’s perfect little hand wraps around his hips, finding Eddie’s aching cock, making him see stars.
Steve spills into his mouth, salty and warm, and Eddie truly isn’t far behind with how Nancy is working him.
“Fuck,” Steve whines, pulling his softening cock from Eddie’s mouth, leaning back to observe, “that’s so fucking hot.”
That hot, white pleasure finally bursts through Eddie, Nancy truly milking every second of his orgasm by never slowing pace until he’s begging her to stop, black spots dancing across his vision.
He’s panting, heart racing, body slumping boneless against the mattress.
“Jesus Christ.” He mutters into the sheets, this woman could fuck.
“Well, did I prove myself Munson?” He can’t see her face but he knows she’s wearing that arrogant little grin.
“You mean did you fuck the soul out of me? Then yeah, mission accomplished.” She has the audacity to giggle! She plowed him like it’s her fucking job, and she’s giggling!
“Man, I missed that.” Steve murmurs, curling his body up against Eddie’s, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder.
As much as Eddie wants to lose himself in the warmth that is Steve, he can feel Nancy getting off the bed, rolling over to watch her pull a blanket around herself before something hits him.
“Woah, woah, wait a minute Wheeler!” He sits up, knocking Steve off of him. “The queen of orgasms can’t leave without having one herself!”
Then another thought hits him.
“Wait, you didn’t last time either.” Nancy’s face is unreadable, only able to watch the fluid motion of her gaze as it flickers between Steve and Eddie.
Steve stretches, unconcerned next to him.
“I took care of her,” Steve assures, reaching out to Nancy, fingers dancing across her waistline.
“Well, take care of her again then.” His nerves buzz, knowing he’s taking a leap. His and Nancy’s stance is still uncertain, she’s seen him at every level, but he hasn’t even seen her naked.
Nancy looks as uncertain as he is, but Steve is giddy at least, brown eyes sparkling. His hands run up her abdomen, tracing over the pretty lace of her bralette.
It occurs to Eddie how well Nancy and Steve know each other, how much they must truly trust each other to dip leaps and bounds beyond the average relationship. Steve’s words echo in his ears.
“It was Nancy’s idea to get with Jonathan.”
And as he watches Steve’s hand wander up Nancy’s body, seeing her relax under his touch, eyes closing and lashes fluttering, he can see how she trusts him.
Eddie knows he can’t back down from this, can’t chicken out, because this will be the deciding factor of their relationship. If Nancy can trust Eddie with her own pleasure, because she seems like the kind of control freak who doesn’t give that out easily.
“Eddie, you don’t have to–”
“No way I’m leaving, fair’s fair Wheeler.” Steve lifts her suddenly, making her squeak as he lays her down on the bed. “I don’t even have to touch you if you don’t want me to. But I’m not leaving a lady unsatisfied.”
Nancy rolls her eyes, but her breath catches in such a lovely way as Steve suckles on her neck.
“You have to earn the right to make Nancy come.” Steve’s voice is low, rumbling from his chest, tone making Eddie’s cock want to come alive again.
Ah, so that’s what it is. Now that’s a game Eddie can play.
Nancy the almighty, the queen of orgasms, and you have to earn the right to make her have one.
So he watches carefully as Steve hovers his lips over the shell of Nancy’s ear, hands slipping under her bra to grope her breast. As he whispers, her blue eyes flash over to Eddie, and nods.
Eddie tries to sit prim and proper, hands folded in his lap to show that he’s willing to watch and learn, just as he had their first time together watching Nancy touch Steve.
Steve removes Nancy’s bra, revealing delicate breasts and pretty pink nipples, mouth dipping down to latch onto one. Eddie doesn’t mind being a voyeur, there’s something thrilling about it, that same flame that buzzes under his skin.
He wonders if Nancy liked to watch, or if Steve did. His cock stirs at the image of Steve eagerly watching Jonathan and Nancy, quiet and observant, eager to be let into the mix.
They’re beautiful together, he can see why they found each other so easily at the beginning of high school, it seemed like they belonged together. Steve’s fingers dip under the waistband of her panties, making her tense, lips pressing together in a thin line, trying to keep from making a sound.
Steve’s skin is tanned, marred with scars, stark against Nancy’s smooth, ivory abdomen. He can see his fingers working her under the light blue covering her sex.
Eddie admires Steve’s jawline, holding himself in place to resist running his tongue along the stubble. Everything about him is so tempting, from the curve of his bicep to the firmness of his abdomen, and of course the very lickable happy trail–
“Steve–” Nancy’s high-pitched whine brings Eddie back to reality, noise stirring something in his chest, never hearing her make such a noise before.
Steve responds immediately, tongue trailing down the length of her body to remove her lingerie, revealing neat brown curls and her glistening cunt, Eddie perking up at seeing his two fingers pumping in and out of her.
Steve skips over her cunt for a moment, licking up the slick that stains her inner thighs, Nancy’s slim fingers finding his thick, dark hair, and promptly yanking.
“Ow, Nancy!” Nancy doesn’t even bother opening her eyes, she doesn’t bother releasing her grip either.
“Quit being a tease.” Eddie wonders if anyone has ever broken Nancy down bit by bit, and makes a mental note to ask Robin. If anyone was daring enough, it was that girl.
Steve, a good boy just as Nancy said, gives a quick nip to her inner thigh before kissing her clit. She wraps her milky thighs around Steve’s head, until all Eddie can see is Steve’s hair.
Oh to be wrapped in such a grip, it had been awhile since Eddie had been with a girl. Not that Steve wasn’t enough (all Eddie ever needed really), but there is nothing that can compare to the taste of wet pussy to put it crudely. To be wrapped in the deathly, suffocating, grip of soft thighs.
What is even better, is watching Nancy Wheeler come undone. Pink lips parted, cute little moans escaping her as her small breasts rise and fall rapidly at each panting breath. Her dark curls create a halo around her head as she arches against the mattress.
And finally, finally– a tumble of breathy moans escape Nancy along with a string of expletives accompanied by Steve’s name as she comes against Steve’s tongue. Dark lashes fluttering, cheeks flushed, breasts arching up as she cries out.
Steve finally pulls away, lips and chin shining with her arousal, Eddie decides to be impulsive. Hand reaching to Steve’s chin, pulling him forward until their lips crash together, tongue swiping his lip and diving into his mouth, groaning at the taste of Nancy Wheeler.
Perverts that they are, and apparently insatiable, Eddie’s cock had decided to come back to life finally. Steve tackles him onto the mattress, legs knocking against poor Nancy who’s just trying to recover from her singular orgasm as they begin round two.
Hardly fair, however, Eddie’s brain can only comprehend so many things, and Steve’s body pressing against his, erection hard and heavy on his thigh is the only thing his brain is computing.
“Jesus Christ you two.” Nancy sits up, curls wild and rowdy, legs swinging off the bed. Steve shoots a hand out, mouth parting from Eddie’s, to grab her by the wrist.
“You don’t have to leave. Robin said if I let you leave without making you come at least twice then she’s better than me, and I’m not letting her win this.” That makes Nancy crawl back onto the bed, smile curling on her face that special way it does whenever Buckley is mentioned.
“What’s this I hear about you having an ongoing battle of who can get the most orgasms out of me?” Steve huffs, pushing Eddie down onto his back, hands hot as they caress his biceps.
“Don’t you worry about your pretty brain about it.”
“I don’t know, I think I’d like to hear about it.” Eddie chimes in, Steve immediately giving him a glare that had no real heat. “Wheeler, you gotta tell me who’s winning.”
Nancy gives him that self-satisfied smirk he loves so much.
“Robin.” Steve jumps from him to Nancy, easily lifting her small frame and smacking her right next to Eddie.
Eddie rolls over onto his elbow, watching her twinkling blue eyes fill with mirth.
“How many?” Steve practically growls, parting Nancy’s thighs once more, ready for the challenge. She lets him stew for a moment.
“Six.” Eddie’s eyebrows shoot into his hairline.
“You’re just trying to piss me off.” Eddie breaks into cackles, chest constricting as he struggles to breathe from laughter.
“Nope. I can tell you every way she did it.” Steve gets up from the bed suddenly, going over to Nancy’s drawer of secrets. “First one sitting on her face, second one bent over the bed, third one–”
Steve pulls out a fucking vibrator–
“Sweet baby Jesus Wheeler! How many sex toys do you own??” Now Nancy is laughing at him like he’s the crazy one.
“Eddie, hold Nancy down. I’m not letting Robin beat me.”
“Dude, do you want me to die?”
“Nobody is holding me down.” Nancy’s tone shifts, making both him and Steve freeze in place. “Steve, on your knees.”
Steve complies and Nancy pauses for a moment.
“Eddie, you too.” You don’t have to tell him twice, he shoots up from where he lays on the bed and quickly finds himself next to Steve.
“Now,” Nancy swings her legs over the edge of the bed, gleaming down at him with a smirk so wicked it makes his heart hammer in his chest. “Let’s have some fun.”
_________________
Posted to Ao3 9/12/22 
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daimonclub · 4 months
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Dal Natale del 2005
Auguri di Buona Natale E' vero che a Natale tutti diventano più buoni? La risposta la troverete nel vostro albero di Natale: tutte palle! Walter Di Gemma E’ Natale da fine ottobre. Le lucette si accendono sempre prima, mentre le persone sono sempre più intermittenti. Io vorrei un dicembre a luci spente e con le persone accese. Charles Bukowski Pensiero natalizio farcito con un aforisma biblico. Polvere eravate, e polvere ritornerete. Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. Per adesso accontentatevi della merda, e del panettone! Carl William Brown Il Natale serve a ricordare a quelli che sono soli che sono soli, a quelli che non hanno soldi che non hanno soldi, e a quelli che hanno una famiglia del cazzo che hanno una famiglia del cazzo! Charles Bukowski Nella penombra della stanza, riscaldata solamente dal camino, lei si inginocchiò e cominciò a fare ciò che più le piaceva. Lo toccava, lo spostava di continuo stando attenta alle palle. Tuttavia la punta rossa non stava su e lei era insoddisfatta delle dimensioni. Ancora qualche minuto ma non ci fu nulla da fare, nonostante usasse entrambe le mani. Lui la guardò allora impietosito: "Cara, ma perché quest'anno non compriamo un nuovo albero di Natale?". Brancaleone Ok, Ok ... mancano poco più di 7 ore al Natale... e sta giornata non poteva essere peggiore di così. Godzy ha avuto una contrattura muscolare e quindi è tappata in casa, delegando alla sottoscritta TUTTA la spesa natalizia - precisamente i menu del 24,25 e 26 da comprare ex nihilo. E ciò significa file incommensurabili al supermercato, orde di umane genti con le quali fare graziosamente lo slalom tra un "tanti auguri" e un "buon natale" -__- per non parlare della fiumana che si intrattiene per le strade ad osservare le vetrine con sguardo assorto... quasi perso in quella fattispecie di ninnoli perversi che incantano gli acquirenti ogni anno... quegli oggetti, che nel loro inebriante sbrilluccichio sembrano emanare un inevitabile invito suadente: "comprami... comprami... ti starò sul cazzo dopo una settimana ma tu comprami... dai, lo so che mi vuoi. Il consumismo è l'anima del commercio"...
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Natale in casa Cupiello Poi ovviamente ci sono i giocattoli che, se guardati attentamente, sembrano prenderti per il culo e dire: "non ho bisogno d'incantarti con facili raggiri... tanto se non mi compri, tuo/a figlio/a ti farà un culo così... piangerà e poi avrà un trauma e da grande ti costerà milioni e milioni in psicanalisi, dicendo ad ogni seduta quanto ti odia e quanto desiderava Barbie-bordello-deluxe e quanto questo abbia intaccato in modo irreversibile la sua carriera di showgirl fallita mantenuta da un ricco industriale di 20 anni più vecchio di lei, col pannolone e la bava! HA-HA. Quindi vai alla cassa velocemente e zitto." Mi chiedo se non sia proprio per questa miriade di voci che precedono inevitabilmente spese folli succhiasangue che la gente ultimamente sia più nervosa ed acida del solito - io non faccio testo, sono acida soltanto a guardarli -. L'altro giorno un conducente di autobus ha sbottato per una semplice domanda di un vecchio: "mi scusi... ma la fermata non era qui?". Ok, i vecchi rompono... però non c'è bisogno di reagire come se t'avesse chiesto quanti peli pubici c'ha tua moglie! Tutto torna secondo la mia teoria della Sindrome Rabbiosa Natalizia. La gente s'incazza per un nonnulla... orde di popoli si precipitano tutte nello stesso posto, allo stesso momento, per comprare lo stesso oggetto, che poi puntualmente si esaurisce e allora scene apocalittiche si profilano all'orizzonte. Sguardi degni del più grande spaghetti western s'incrociano in vista dell'ultima scatola di Balla Ballerina Barbie-Bottana (...che inoltre allittera!) e battaglie all'ultimo sangue stile kill bill s'intravedono tra chi sarà il fortunato ad accaparrarsi l'oggetto tanto raro e prezioso quanto una nocciolina di cacca di un australopiteco fossilizzato. Altro che influenza dei polli, la SRN fa vittime crescenti ogni anno che passa.
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Non tutti amano il Natale Quest'anno, la mia cara e gioiosa famigliola ha giocato a rimpiattino fino all'ultimo momento per decidere dove, come e con chi festeggiare il tutto. Si è giocato d'astuzia, si è tentato di risparmiare fino all'ultimo centesimo, togliendo la polpetta dal piatto alle cognate ed alle nuore... scroccando tutto lo scroccabile... Alla fine Godzy - che in quanto a perversa cattiveria ne sa più di mille - (e in questa occasione l'ammiro) ha incastrato tutti nel portare qualcosa da mangiare in uno stesso posto: la lugubre, ragnatelifica, impolverata e dispersa nelle sabbie della lettiera di qualche gatto dell'aldilà - dimora nonnica paterna -. Se riesco a scrostarmi le caccole dal vestito dopo essermi seduta su una qualche sedia lercia, e se sopravvivo al tifo ed alla salmonellosi, vi racconterò il tutto. Pregate per me. Morirò. Cavalla Golosa Se amate il Natale, le feste e la letteratura potete anche leggere i seguenti articoli: Aforismi e citazioni sul Natale Aforismi divertenti sul Natale Barzellette sul Natale La fiaba del pupazzo di neve Aforismi di C.W. Brown sul Natale Pensieri e riflessioni sul Natale Un buon libro per Natale Numeri sul Natale Odio il natale (Umorismo) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Other books by Charles Dickens Fairy tales and other stories by Hans Christian Andersen Best Christmas songs videos and karaoke Christmas markets in England Christmas markets in America Christmas markets in Italy and Germany Christmas quotes 60 great Christmas quotes Christmas tree origin and quotes Christmas jokes Christmas cracker jokes Funny Christmas Stories Amusing Christmas stories Christmas food Christmas thoughts Christmas story Christmas in Italy Christmas holidays Christmas songs Christmas poems An Essay on Christmas by Chesterton Read the full article
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swanssparkle · 10 months
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ᅠᅠ
ᅠᅠᅠ 𝐖E ALREADY KNO𝐖。。。 ᅠᅠ W͜͡E 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑬𝑫 IT LONG AGO ❠
౨ৎ ' 𝓔s melliza de Artem, siendo Artemisa mayor por unos minutos. Aprovecha aquella diferencia de minutos para molestarlo y aunque ella no posea porte intimidante y sea más calmada, está dispuesta a protegerlo de todo; él es la persona que más ama en el mundo.
౨ৎ ' 𝓓esde pequeña inició en el ballet. Su madre la inscribió a clases y a Artemisa le quedó gustando bastante, convirtiéndose así en su sueño llegar a nivel profesional y ser prima ballerina, que eventualmente logró, tanto en academia en Estados Unidos como en la de Corea del Sur, ya que por tiempos vivía junto a su familia en un país y por tiempos en otro.
౨ৎ ' 𝓐prendió a tocar el violín también a corta edad, aunque instrumento es más como un pasatiempo y no inclinado a aspecto profesional. Practicarlo le ayuda en momentos de estrés o para pasar el rato.
౨ৎ ' 𝓛enguas maternas son inglés y coreano. Y aprendió japonés porque le gusta el anime/manga, así que le intereso idioma y no querer necesitar subtítulos o traducciones.
౨ৎ ' 𝓢u anime favorito es One Piece y el amor de su vida es Portgas D. Ace, tiene un obsesión y colección inmensa de él.
౨ৎ ' 𝓛e gusta quedarse viendo el fyp en TikTok, también hacer de éstos y le manda mínimo 30 tiktoks al día a Artem, que si no ve, ella se sienta al lado de él y lo obliga a verlos todos.
౨ৎ ' 𝓐ma Barbie y todo lo que hay sobre la franquicia. Sus películas favoritas son Barbie en el Lago de los Cisnes y Barbie en una Aventura de sirenas. Y sí, también ha hecho que Artem vea todas las películas de barbie con ella.
౨ৎ ' 𝓐 diferencia de su mellizo, Artemisa no está tan involucrada con lo de los casinos. Por supuesto sabe todo lo que allí se maneja y de lo que está encargado hermano, sin embargo, nunca quiso dedicarse nada de aquello, prefirió seguir carrera de bailarina de ballet y familia siempre le permite hacer lo que quiera, así que no hubo ningún problema en mantenerse al margen.
౨ৎ ' 𝓝o sabe cocinar, la cocina y ella son enemigos. Y como buena estadounidense es exagerada con la cantidad de los ingredientes siendo empalagoso.
౨ৎ ' 𝓔s social, amable, energética y de buen corazón. Parte mimada y caprichosa es únicamente con familia, especialmente con su mellizo, ya que siempre la trataron/tratan como la princesa de la familia.
౨ৎ ' 𝓝o se escandaliza por las cosas turbias que pasan en el negocio familiar, creció en un buen ambiente pero también conociendo mundo bajo, así que no le asusta nada de eso.
౨ৎ ' 𝓟adece de claustrofobia por un evento en el pasado, su mente ha bloqueado parte de los recuerdos, pero el miedo reside allí a pesar de todo. Para subirse a ascensores debe estar acompañada de alguien de quien tenga confianza o de lo contrario no es capaz, prefiere usar escaleras.
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haylanmakesstuff · 3 years
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New Barbie inspired Jewelry
Up on Etsy today; lots of Barbie, pastel goth inspired jewelry I made. Find me on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/HaylanMakesStuff and on Instagram @HaylanMakesStuff. 
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“The Ultimate Barbie” tiered necklace. 
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“The Dena” shoe necklace. 
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“Prima Ballerina” ballet slipper necklace
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“Tassel Hassle” clip on earrings (also a matching necklace in the shop!)
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Up close of “The Trixie” necklace (matching earrings available for this one!)
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electric-veins · 3 years
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prima ballerina barbie 2009
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girlsbtrs · 3 years
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Femininity and Violence
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Written by Peyton Lawrence. Graphic by Allison Thompson.
Rob Halford got me in trouble as a kid. 
He didn’t actually get me in trouble, but his lyrics were the herald for a time-out or grounding to come. Any time my dad would catch me doing something I shouldn’t- making potions, giving my barbies sharpie makeovers, or scribbling on some important paperwork- he would sing Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law.” It was never malicious, just my dad poking fun at the little troublemaker I’d grown to be. 
Those were the same childhood days when I lived my past life as a classically trained dancer. Now, I was certainly never going to be a prima ballerina, but I loved the crystals and tulle of the costumes and the pretty waltzes I got to dance to. There were times I used to put on my pastel recital costumes just to play around the house. That life met a tragic end because of a bum ankle gifted to me by genetics and made worse by pointe shoes, but before the untimely end, it was a respite from my troublemaking and a venture into whatever graceful fantasy world I chose for the day. 
I’ve been thinking a lot about Margaret Atwood’s “The Robber Bride” recently. She accuses us of, “pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else.” I didn’t have my watcher as a little girl, I hadn’t yet been faced with the expectations of what a girl was supposed to look like or how I was supposed to act. I could live in a world where Tchaikovsky and Judas Priest were on an equal playing field of music I knew and loved. Music and clothing and my passions were just that- things I loved, things I was passionate about, things I did for the sake of enjoyment and not because I felt I had to meet an obligation.
But time passes, little girls grow up, and all good things must come to an end.
I think you’d be hard pressed to find a young girl who didn’t have a “not-like-other-girls” phase. Mine came in 7th and 8th grade. Swan Lake and pink tutus paved way to black skinny jeans and Fall Out Boy. I took a break from ballet, cut all my hair off, and broke off a nasty chip in my shoulder. My watcher had arrived, and I hated him. I hated feeling like there was now an expectation to look and act like a proper young lady. As much as I genuinely liked my new interests, the dark clothing I was wearing and the music I was listening to, I’d unfortunately conditioned myself to think the girls who wore pink and enjoyed pop music were somehow less-than, despite loving Hannah Montana and glitter only a handful of years prior. 
Thankfully, I was able to grow out of that phase. I realized that being feminine didn’t equal being a two-dimensional pretty face, and hating pink didn’t earn me cool points. I restarted ballet, and at the same time, I rediscovered metal. (Rediscovered is a loose term. I grew up on the 80s glam and hair bands, this time around, it was death and grindcore. The kind of music my mom would describe as “scary”.) I loved the violence, the raw power in the distorted chugging guitar and growled vocals. This music had a magnetic draw to it- it felt so unfiltered, so brutally real.
It’s still not totally clear cut to me what my relationship to femininity is now. Sure, I’ve come around to the idea of wearing dresses and lace again, but a lot of the things I love aren’t traditionally feminine things. Good little girls don’t listen to men screaming about evisceration or play music so loud that the neighbors can hear it. But in the same breath, wearing lipstick in the pit can be seen as weakness. Men in the metal scene can and will make life a living hell for girls who refuse to act like “one of the guys”. There are days when I feel like I can’t win, when there isn’t a right answer. It’s a daily battle between who I am, who I want to be, and how I’m perceived. I’m still trying to strike the balance that feels natural to me, the combination of these things that doesn’t feel forced or performative. 
I think Poppy has the formula down to an art. She’s the first solo female artist to be nominated and win the Grammy for Best Metal Performance. Her career has evolved tremendously since her days of Youtube fame. She’s embraced the heavier sound without compromising her avant-garde aesthetic and bubblegum-y vocals. It hasn’t come without a backlash though. Her Instagram comments are filled with self-righteous men who declare that her music “isn’t real metal.” The thing is, these comments don’t change how she presents herself. She is unapologetically herself. To me, Poppy is a perfect study in combining two totally different aspects of who a person is in a way that is utterly unique. 
It’s been a challenge, trying to reconcile these two very different but defining parts of who I am. I’m trying to shake the expectations I hold and the prior experiences that inform how I view both myself and other women, trying to finally divert my internal watcher’s gaze and return to doing things just because they make me happy. Ultimately, I’m working on returning to my roots. Maybe I’m taking the long way ‘round, but I remember the little girl who sat around in frilly skirts and listened to her dad singing Judas Priest, and I’m finding my way back home to her. 
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twststuff · 4 years
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Dusk Randolph
Twisted from Twyla of Barbie and the 12 dancing princesses.
General
She loves to dance
She's a prima ballerina
She wears tights under her skirts and still doesn't show anything her aunt taught her so she could still climb things when they had guests
She likes blankets and cuddles
She's shy
Her nails always painted.
She makes a lot of her clothes, mostly because she doesn't like shopping.
She doesn't like loud noises.
She plays the flute, she's pretty good at it but she'd be better if she practiced regularly.
Her hairs normally in a bun, mostly because that's what she wears when she dances so that's all she needed to really know
She's has a large on her Magigram, she only her sewing projects and videos of her dancing.
Shes also good at makeup due to having to have it done for her recitals and long nights on youtube.
She can sword fight.
She has a ton of onesies, their all soft.
She also has more sweaters then she needs and in almost every size. Stealing them is not necessary, she'll give most of them away because it means she can get more.
Unless it's one of her favorites. Don't even touch those.
She's a Princess. Her father is the brother of the king, her uncle is married but they can't have kids so they adopted a toddler. Meaning Dusk won't have the throne and she's happy about that.
Dusk's mother died in childbirth and her father travels as the ambassador for the kingdom so Dusk was raised by a nanny for a few months until her Uncle found out. She was raised by her aunt and uncle after that. Her aunt, uncle, and cousin absolutely adore her. They attend absolutely every ceremony and recital she has. She helps with her cousin when she's home.
As for her father, his wife was the love of his life and when she died he didn't know what to do. So he dove into work to keep his mind off her. He adores Dusk and they talk on the phone every week, he sends her things he finds that he thinks she'd like. When he comes home they spend almost all of it together but it's never long.
For @vorvexia 's dorm.
Picrew
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fmdhaseo · 4 years
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ヽ(〃^▽^〃)ノ  wOoOoOoOow i’m so excited to be here finally!! typically i’m a pretty ~ minimalistic ~ person when it comes to formatting ‘n stuff, but i’ma go a little ham on this introduction because i’m really excited!! ANYWHO, my name’s cheyenne ( but please call me chey ) and i represent the drastically under-appreciated mst. i use he/him pronouns, and for anyone who’s curious, i’m 21+!! i’ve been eying this group for awhile now, but hadn’t joined because of school and work reasons, but my town’s in lockdown, so i finally have a bunch of new time on my hands to write!! now that that’s outta the way though, please love me and my first ever muse here!! her name is jeon haseo and she’s lucid’s main vocalist and lead dancer. in my head, she sounds a bit like wjsn’s yeonjung, gfriend’s yuju, and dreamcatcher’s siyeon when she sings, and when she dances, she reminds lots of people of twice’s mina and her gorgeous face-claim, wjsn’s bona!! she’s a former prima ballerina at a dance company in korea that she was pushed out of due to accusations of favoritism, and even though the board at the school were adamant against said accusations, it was lowkey kinda true lol. her dad is a former dancer that’s received tons of acclaim in the dance world, and it’s said that his name is what landed her all her opportunities in ballet —- whoops!! she doesn’t really know that though, but before i carry on too much, you can read more of my ramblings about her below the cut!! [ youtuber vc ] don’t forget to smash that like button if you wanna plot with us!!
i.  —-  haseo was born in seoul, south korea to a dancer and plastic surgeon, so they had a lot of money to sit on while they raised their daughter. she was brought up in prestigious dance rehearsal spaces, as well as in top-of-the-line hospitals, but instead of wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps, she decided it’d be more fun to dance like her dad!! she showed promise when she was little, so they nurtured her talents as best they could.
ii.  —-  her childhood really wasn’t all that bad, to be honest, like, she never struggled with making friends, she got everything she wanted, her parents were supportive... what more could she have really asked for, you know? she got along with everyone due to her many interests —- from ballet, to video games, to barbies, to monster trucks —- but that all sorta changed whenever she entered high school. being that she attended a school for the arts danced with a company in their junior program, and had a reputable father, a lot of people started to be really catty with her. she learned how ugly the world could be at a pretty small age, and it’s deffff affected how she sees the world and deals with her problems.
iii.  —-  fast forward to high school graduation, haseo gets offered a spot in a professional company to dance ballet almost immediately. a little sketchy? perhaps, but what’s even sketchier is that she was offered the leading role in her first ever show. vile words spread throughout the whole school and due to the accusations of favoritism, the company decided to terminate her contract rip. she became big sad and almost didn’t dance again until [ spoiler alert ] she was given a chance to audition for dimensions entertainment!!
iv.  —-  she didn’t really wanna become an idol, but she did it anyway because she wanted to dance for a career. she really didn’t even need to have a career with how much money her parents made, but it was important to her to be financially independent, so she decided to stick with it to see if it’d work. long story short, she discovered that she’s a FAB singer, and her long history of dance def helped her standout from the crowd. she trained for two years before her debut, and like, when she was announced to be main vocalist, she literally almost died i think lmao. like, the fact that she was granted main vocal but not main dancer really shook her ass up, but she accepted her fate and tried her best.
v.  —-  the concept changes were a whirlwind, but she likes the more soft vibes that the schoolgirl trilogy gave her. she also thinks it makes better use of her dance skills, but she isn’t really the one in control here now is she? ANYWAY —- her career is blossoming a lot and she’s really excited, but at the same time, she despises that she’s a person of public scrutiny now. she never wanted that to happen at the level that it has, but she puts up with it because she feels she already made her bed, so now she’s gotta lie in it. not to mention that she has some of her old peers from dance starting an online hate group to hate on her, so you know... this isn’t exactly what she had in mind for her life, but she just takes it in stride and hopes that, someday, it’ll make for good stories to tell her grandkids lol.
vi.  —-  i realize that i haven’t really given a description of her personality or her as a person yet, and well, that sucks, so i’ma do it right here, right now!! how would i describe haseo? let’s see —- she’s kinda, like, prissy but it’s definitely more outwardly adorable than it is obnoxious, if that makes sense? she HATES getting dirt on her clothes, she hates having crud under her nails, and she hates when other people lack personal hygiene skills, but she was taught well and doesn’t really voice her harsh judgments unless she’s provoked lol. it also appears to me that she has tons of patience naturally, but is also kind of a hot-head if you actually manage to piss her off, so good luck to your muses if that happens!! she also HATES being woken up from sleep, like, she’ll literally kill you if you do. she’s more than likely gotten into tons of fights with other lucid girls because of it —- whoops!! she’s also SUPER femme, to be honest? she takes way too long to get ready before leaving the house, and almost refuses to leave looking a mess. her hair is always immaculate, her makeup is BEAT, and her clothes are gorgeous, and all paid for with daddy’s card lmao. other than all that though, she doesn’t really fit the “rich girl” stereotype in that she doesn’t act like a snob to just anyone, yk? she’s really open to meeting new people, and she’s a fiercely loyal friend to people she loves, as well as a HOPELESS ROMANTIC [ she’s a taurus, after all ] with her bfs/gfs. she’s also MAD cuddly with anyone, like, she doesn’t give a fuck, she communicates v well with physicality and touch!! if you got any questions ab her, don’t hesitate to lmk!!
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tyhjvg · 4 years
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Black Barbie dolll
Somedays they call me black Barbie dolll, otherdays I'm a fat black bitch, a bougie bitch with too much talk and not enough fists, I fight with my words , not my hands, I'm a writer not a fighter, I can't take you to tasks with my hands so I rake you across the coals with words from my lips, with my words I can block out your sunlight, turn you into a solar eclips, I'm not a fan of ripped jeans, I'd rather wear clothes that don't appear to be tearing away at the seams. They call me black Barbie doll,you know if Barbie was plus- sized, with a fat face and tiny eyes, with more that 2 rolls, I'm a fat black bitch when I don't speak in the way that they want me to. When I allow myself to speak my mind, to talk back,to be outspoken. Do y'all expect me not to talk, why my mouth ain't broken, ask me if I can walk the walk, well I talk better than I walk , my words will choke you out, I'm like a prima ballerina, classy writer John Cena , you can't see me but I've seen ya,I'm not one for confrontation but I love a little clout chasing or should I say cloud casing , I case clouds/ case rooms with crowds, always watching out , you know for a little bit of clout, I may not fight with my hands but I'm no girls scout.
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