#stupid lionfish fuck

[nerosdayinanime]

(1)gay fish be upon ye

#tomioka giyuu #giyuu #kny sabito #sabito #sabigiyuu #merfolk #loserboy giyuu posting #fratboy sabito posting #neros art tag #mermaid au #giyuu and his big wet eyes #i finally post fish and its fucking giyuu #design i have for sabito is so fuckoff hard to draw!!! #stupid lionfish fuck #next up hes falling off the boat and scrambling back up like a wet cat for being an asshole to me (<- designed him) #i have like 5 different versions for fish au so far this ones the latest #i like how a lot of my aus im either living viscerally through sabito @ prettyboy giyuu #or im living viscerally through giyuu @ prettyboy sabito. theyre both so pretty. i love them #oh ya with the non-human mermaids like this they dont have lungs and dont have land animal vocal chords so their languages are completely #different from human language sounds and its. very hard/nigh impossible for them to speak eachother's language #my non-human sabito (& hakuji/akaza) is a special little boy bc he Does have air lungs alongside his gills #so he can actually learn to speak human & communicate like that #in one of the aus someone tosses trash in his tank for fun and he throws it back @ them 'OI! THIS AINT THE FUCKIN TRASHCAN!' and it scares #the absolute shit out of them #'alright. who taught the fish how to swear. im not mad- im just disappointed.' #oh yeah little detail giyuu always keeps his nose under the water bc he hates the feeling of water leaving-refilling his nose/mouth area #litol creechur just peeking above the waterline

[fishrights69]

My top 5 coolest fish

5. Lionfish🦁

Ah yes, a classic fish found in many books, video games or even in your bathtub if you're tripping hard enough. The only reason I placed this fish here is because the lionfish is very nostalgic to me. Back in the day my mom would sometimes take me to her office where she had one single video game installed: Feeding frenzy. Sadly it was only a demo so if I quit the game, the whole progress would go away :( (which would make me play it for like 5 hours straight as my mom worked). One of the levels had this cool looking mfer and it got printed into my brain from a young age. This Fish gets a 7/10 for looks, 10/10 for reminding me of a simpler time where depression was a foreign concept to me. 4. Galapagos batfish💅🏻

At first you might think ''yo what the fuck is wrong with this thing, is it even fish?'' and yes, it is VERY fish but at the same time it looks kinda fishy. To give you some facts about this little thing, not only does it look like someone put lipstick on it, but it also apparently cannot even swim right. This fish can't even fish and because of that, it is my number 4. 6/10 appearence 9/10 for personal abilities. It reminds me that even if I fuck up at something meant to be ''human'' it s oki , cuz this fish can't even do the one thing it's supposed to do and somehow it's still alive. 3.Flying fish🐦

Now this, this thing is magestic as fuck. Without it's wings it looks like a typical ass fish, but I can still appreciate it for what it tries to be! Imagine how dramatic it can exit boring conversations, or perhaps show up all of a sudden and creep up on you! It makes me summon my inner bad bitch fish self. 8/10 appearence 10/10 I wish I could fly away from my problems as well as this fish can. 2.Pufferfish🌵

This fish is a proper shapeshifter. Imagine being able to adjust your shape on the spot. No stupid diets to make you skinny or fat. Just swallow some water and that's it. On top of that, the spikes are amazing. I wish I had spikes like that in case someone would try to get too close to me on the playground. Their mating ritual is as amazing as it gets but sadly their toxic self cannot be ignored. 8/10 appearence(11/10 if baby), 6/10 too toxic for me tbh but I can still admire from afar 1.Longhorn cowfish🐄

This yellow blob over here is fucking adorable. Not only does it have cow in the name(I love cows too) but he also looks like he is about to give you kisses. Now he is apparently hella lonely which made me feel sorry for him, therefore he is at number 1. because I too was once lonely, smol (still am) and looked like a blob(still do). I fucking hate the colour yellow but this tiny thing makes me like it a little bit more every time I see a pic of him. 10/10 appearence 10/10 resilience, combating loneliness and removing the stigma associated with it. BONUS FISH!!!! Seahorses. Any kind. 🐴

These beautiful things tie super well with my previous fish. You see I really like animals pretending to be other animals and these babies are just that. On top of looking cool as hell, my favorite seahorse fact is that some males can also give birth! Love me some genderbending so keep slaying it babes. ✨ 10/10 looks 10/10 attitude That was it. Follow me if you wanna hear about my top 5 GARBAGE fish that suck.

#my favourite fish #fish #fish that are friends #marine life #things that make me happy #top5 #ocean #aquatic life #fishblr #fish tag #cuties #animals #animal friends

[dramarising-replacement]

if you change a modern dragon to an ancient, and that ancient has parallel genes that match the moderns current genes, those genes should transfer.

i can't see any sane reason why, say, a lionfish/hex/ghost pearlcatcher is reset to a basic aberration when it has compatible fucking genes!

"oh well, uhhh, AKSHUYALLY, it's because its ANCIENT genes and they work DIFFERENT"

i will admit i don't know shit about coding, but a teeny tiny part of me can't help but imagine it not being a fucking herculean task to make a modern gene change to an ancient parallel during a breed change.

"but the ECONOMUH!!!"

maybe it's hypocritical of me, but it's virtual money. it doesn't GO anywhere it just vanishes into the goddamn void. it is not that deep. 'JPEG dragons: the game' doesn't have a dow jones it needs to worry about or whatever.

i just feel like having to buy/brew/grind for genes that a dragon already has, just so you can turn them into an ancient, is a little fucking stupid and tedious is all!

#Rant #Cursing

[thegreatwicked]

Shadows of Deception - Chapter Fifteen

The Great Wicked

Summary: In Gotham City, a world of secrets and danger, Belladonna finds herself embroiled in a web of crime when she becomes a witness to illicit activities at Roman Sions' exclusive club, Masquerade Noir. Instead of eliminating her, Roman sees an opportunity and spares her life, forming an unconventional alliance. They pose as a couple, using each other as alibis to deceive the police. But as they delve deeper into their charade, their connection intensifies, blurring the lines between reality and deception. As desire and danger collide, they discover unexpected love in the midst of a thrilling and forbidden affair.

Rating: Explicit; graphic depictions of sex and violence

Pairing: Roman Sionis/OFC; Belladonna Black, slight Zsasz/OFC if enough interest.

She Knows It by Steven Rodriguez

Roman sat back in a plush chair outside the glass-walled conference room, his dark eyes fixed on the meeting taking place inside. Ever stare at something for too long before your mind just takes it and runs with it? Or you say a word too many times until it loses all meaning? That was how Roman was feeling.

With each passing moment he sat in that chair ‘people watching’ his mind wandered further. The conference room began to look less like a conference room and more like a giant fish tank with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls and bland artwork that was supposed to be thought-provoking but only induced boredom. And let's not forget the generic, mass-produced paintings that were meant to add some color but ended up blending into the beige office walls perfectly. So stimulating.

The ergonomic design of the chairs in the room was reminiscent of strange coral furniture one might find in a fish tank. The potted plants in the corners probably aimed to add some vitality to the sterile environment, which likely saw many long hours and late nights without exposure to any natural stimuli.

Yes, the longer he looked the more it looked like a fish tank. 

The men in their suits became a school of angelfish, drifting aimlessly. The women with their bright colored high fashion frocks like Discus fish effortlessly floating through the water. 

And there, in the center of it all, perched on the table leafing through papers and glancing back at her laptop was Belladonna. Her inky-black hair flowing loosely, cascading down her shoulders like the elegant fins of a betta fish. Dressed in the black jacket, and silver jewelry that Roman had delivered for her that morning made for a striking contrast against that only solidified his odd comparison. Beautiful and elegant. And just like a female beta fish, she seemed to furrow her brow when approached by her male colleagues - he was well acquainted with the difference between her ‘resting bitch face’ and her ‘are you that fucking stupid’ expressions to know that her colegues were not impressing her with theri smart deas. 

Why was he comparing the woman he wanted to fuck to a fish? He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Goddamn it, Cobblepot.” He muttered under his breath, refocusing his attention on the conference room and trying to shake off his annoyance.

Fuck he hated fish.

Roman couldn't understand why people would choose to have fish as pets. 

Fish were about the most ridiculous idea for a pet Roman could think of, but people loved them. Maybe because they were cheap and easy to dispose of when they inevitably died - just a quick flush down the toilet. Some people went for the more exotic options like lionfish, piranhas and even electric eels. But at least those were interesting, lionfish were venomous, electric eels looked scary as fuck and he could certainly see the benefits of having something like piranhas floating nearby. Perfect for getting rid of unwanted guests...or bodies.

Roman didn’t personally like fish. In fact he thought they made horrifically boring bets and he had little interest in pets in the first place. He didn’t even have any as a kid. Though that might have been due to his parents not having any faith in Roman not using them as target practice or something. 

Bit extreme. He didn’t hate animals, he just found them like he found most living things; clingy and annoying. 

He looked back to Belladonna adjusting her glasses and combing a hand through her hair. He liked those glasses on her, he’d have to see if he could convince her to wear a sexy little pencil skirt, then he could live out the sexy librarian thing again, the first time it was for the novelty of it. Not because he particularly liked the woman but hey, a fantasy was a fantasy.

Betafish weren’t boring. 

Hell, females could be so aggressive that they would attack males, nip at them to establish dominance and it could result in injury and even death.

God, he loved a woman who wasn’t afraid to take a bite out of him. It was what he found fascinating about Belladonna, she was afraid of him, no doubt, but she didn’t act like it. Hell, she’d put a gun in his hand and all but dared him to shoot her. Fuck the woman had some balls, her temper flaring like the vibrant fins of a betta.

They were some of the most common fish in aquariums, but commonality didn’t mean less interesting. Hell, diamonds were as common as taxis but that didn’t stop everyone from falling all over themselves saving two months salary for one. Bettas in particular were well liked for their beauty, intelligence and their spunky personalities.

The problem was that most people didn't know how to properly care for them or keep them happy. Instead, they would see these stunning creatures and impulsively buy them, only to place them in tiny fish bowls that were unfit for their needs. Her shabby loft came to mind, a place far below her worth. She'd chosen to keep a low profile, to avoid the limelight that should have been hers. 

Eventually the shimmer in their scales would fade and they’d more than likely be forgotten about. Not Belladonna, she shimmered in a dark room.

Roman blinked, suddenly aware that his mind had been drifting into an almost absurd fantasy about fish. He scowled at the thought, silently cursing Oswald Cobblepot again for filling his head with such useless information. The man had a penchant for talking endlessly about his various collections and interests, and naturally, in his years of knowing Oswald Cobblepot he’d been forced to absorb information about things he didn’t care about whenever they spoke. 

Cobblepot had a thing for penguins and naturally with his collections of oddities at the Cyrus Pinkney Natural History Museum. He also collected seemingly useless information, which he then forced upon Roman in their younger years.

Roman knew far too much about fish for his own personal liking: including tips on how to care for betta fish.

He shook his head, his thoughts went to some strange places when his mind was stagnant like it was currently. 

His fingers tapped impatiently against his leg, the urge to barge into the meeting growing stronger by the second. But he knew she would bear the brunt of those consequences and then he’d be subject to hers. And while Roman was sure he could turn that frustration into something a little more fun with most people, Belladonna wasn’t most people. He sighed, forcing himself to remain seated.

He needed to get a gameboy or something, watching the meeting Belladonna was stuck in wasn’t good for his IQ, he could feel it dropping by the second. And by this point it had to have dropped at least by thirty points, because he’d been waiting for thirty minutes. 

Once he’d focused on their moving lips it had gotten a little bit better, he couldn’t quite read lips but he could make out some words:

"Emergency... Urgent... Expensive… Client… Fired…" Roman whispered under his breath, catching a few words. Roman's eyes flicked to Zsasz, who stood beside him with an air of stoic indifference. "You picking up anything useful?" he asked in a low voice.

“Nope.”

Zsasz shook his head, but Roman wasn’t surprised, he noticed that the man's gaze seemed to be following Belladonna's assistant, Daisy, as she moved around the room. Fair enough, he was Zsasz’s boss, not his goddamned babysitter, it he wanted to eye fuck Daisy; let him. Someone should.

She was too tiny for Romans taste anyway, he liked curves, hips, breasts. Daisy was just too petite for his taste. But judging by the way Zsasz was watching her, it didn’t seem to bother him.

Back to the meeting, it didn’t seem to be wrapping up or getting any better. He knew from the way her brow furrowed and the tenseness in her shoulders that whatever was the topic of discussion wasn’t a very pleasant one. It didn’t look like she was bearing the brunt of anyone's wrath but rather she was trying to untangle a mess. She hadn’t even noticed him there on the chair in the small waiting area and he hadn’t really said or done anything because at first watching her had been somewhat fascinating. Then he made the comparison of the conference room looking like an aquarium and then… Shit. He needed to stop this.

Roman checked his watch again, scowling. Thirty-five minutes now with no sign of the meeting ending. Roman's fingers went back to tapping impatiently on the arm of his chair as he watched Belladonna continue her heated conversation with her boss. 

She threw up her hands, clearly exasperated. His fingers tightened on the armrests of his chair. 

Maybe she finally felt his gaze on her but he seemed to catch Belladonna's attention and she looked at him, he winked at her and she at least smirked at his little flirtatious charm, but she was still clearly strained by the weight of the conversation she was having. 

He knew that look well, it was the look of someone who was surrounded by incompetence or someone who was forced to fix something that wasn’t their problem to begin with. Roman gestured with a nod of his head, urging her to join him outside the conference room. But she only shook her head softly, her expression remaining serious, before turning her attention back to her boss. 

Pulling out his phone, Roman quickly typed a message. 

'Problem, angel?' 

As he hit send, his eyes flicked to Daisy, who often had Belladonna’s cell in her possession, glanced at the notification. She offered Roman a little wave hand, held up a finger then showed the text to Belladonna, and after a brief pause, Belladonna texted back, as her eyes darted back and forth from the phone to whomever was talking 

'Can't talk.'

"Damn it," Roman muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. 

Well, he couldn’t necessarily be angry, it wasn’t like she was ignoring him. But he still wasn’t wild about being sidelined. He wanted her undivided attention, not this nonsense with clients and deadlines. Frustrated but simply too stubborn to quit, he decided to try another approach and texted Daisy instead. 

‘Everything alright, Daisy? Your latte is getting warm.’

She was sitting at the conference table looking up from a laptop then looking at her phone, her eyes met his as she read the message, and she offered Roman and Zsasz an appreciative smile. They could see the tension in her shoulders begin to ease, if only slightly.

She seemed in a far better mood than Belladonna and offered a smile and twirled her finger around her temple to convey the insanity of what was currently happening. Roman chuckled.

‘Everything alright Daisy?’

She looked like she was struggling to put her thoughts into words and after a minute she got up, whispered something to Belladonna, who looked back and forth between Daisy, Roman, and her boss before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"Finally," Roman murmured, as Daisy excused herself from the conference room. 

The moment the door swung open, a cacophony of raised voices spilled out into the waiting room, as predicted, it wasn’t good.

Daisy emerged looking utterly relieved to be free from the chaos within. As she approached Roman, he got to his feet and held out her iced green tea latte, from the way she was looking at the cold drink one might be tempted to think that Roman was holding out a winning lotto ticket. She gratefully accepted the drink and a quick sip seemed to energize her a bit.

​​"Thank you," Daisy said gratefully, wrapping her hands around the cold cup and taking a long sip. Her expression softened, and she let out a frazzled breath, trying to shake off the tension that clung to her like a second skin.

Zsasz watched the exchange with an amused glint in his eyes, leaning casually against the wall. He gave Daisy a playful wink, which elicited a small smile from her before Roman's deep voice cut through the lingering tension.

“Daisy, Daisy… What’s got my girls so worked up?” She smiled at Romans' endearing ‘his girls’ note. “Bad day?”

She shook her head, “It’s one for the books, that’s for sure.” She took another sip, “Falls into the category of ‘its not our fault but it is our problem’ kind of thing.”

"What's going on?" Roman asked, charming concern coloring his voice.

"It's been absolute chaos since this morning," She began, sweeping a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Long story short, we had a huge post-fashion week photo shoot scheduled with the Gotham Literary Society, but there was some sort of paperwork snafu with the permits. Now we're out of a location and scrambling to find one to accommodate the client."

“Yes, I read about that, the site’s just been restored after a two year long renovation.” Roman added casually. Daisy nodded and emphatically gestured with her hand in confirmation as she took another sip of her coffee.

“Exactly! We need to find another location by tomorrow or we might lose the client, Lauren is pissed and well, everyone is scrambling to figure something out." She explained, frustration creasing her brow. "Her bosses are breathing down her neck, which means she’s breathing down our necks. There's talk that if we lose this client, several people might lose their jobs. It’s literally no one’s fault but someone’s gotta pay, right?" She glanced back at the conference room, worry etched in her features. "We're trying to find a place for the shoot, but it's practically impossible because most popular locations are booked already and have been for months. It's the week after fashion week, after all."

“Big client?” 

“Huge,” She looked around and lowered her voice, “Adrian Blackwood.” Romans face lit up in recognition. “He just debuted his entire collection and lets just say he had other offers for people to work with, we need to figure this thing out but we’re running out of time. He’s expecting the details to be confirmed by the end of the day which is officially in,” She paused and looked at her watch, “Six hours. Any place worth booking is booked out and any place available isn’t worth the trouble.”

"Are you or Belladonna's jobs at risk?" Roman's concern for their well-being was palpable, his fingers tapping against the side of his leg as he awaited Daisy's response.

She hesitated, biting her lip. "I'm not sure. Belladonna might be okay, but I can't say the same for myself. Assistants get fired all the time, we’re a dime a dozen but I’m pretty sure Belladonna would march out with me while giving them all the stiffest middle finger ever.”

Roman scoffed, of that, he had no doubts. Despite Belladonna’s claims of not having any friends, she was loyal, he’d only recently seen just how loyal.

"We can't have that," He said, shaking his head. He looked back at the chaotic conference room, his gaze finding Belladonna's once more. Roman furrowed his brow in thought before an idea struck him. "Daisy, I think I can help," He declared. "Tell her to come speak with me."

Daisy seemed uncertain, glancing between Roman and the ongoing chaos inside the meeting room. She took a deep breath, seemingly weighing the potential consequences, briefly opening her mouth to try and argue but Roman insisted and his tone of confidence seemed to convince Daisy it was worth the interruption. Finally, she shrugged, an air of ‘fuck it’ in her demeanor. 

"What's the worst that could happen?" With that, she turned on her heel and made her way back into the lion's den to relay Roman's message to Belladonna.

Again when the doors opened the tense tone of their words floated out, she whispered to Belladonna who looked between Roman and Daisy, confusion evident on her face. He was pretty sure she was telling Daisy she wasn’t going anywhere but Daisy appeared insistent. And she must have convinced her because Belladonna let out a sigh, rolled her shoulders and reluctantly approached her boss. 

They talked for a minute and her boss didn’t look very happy, clearly unimpressed by Roman's presence, waved her hand dismissively. But after a minute and some vague gesturing with her hands she conceded and Belladonna strode out of the conference room, back rigid and heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor. Roman watched her approach, noting the tension in her shoulders and the tight set of her jaw. She wasn’t happy by any means, though she was doing her best to conceal it but the irritation was simply radiating off her.

"Ok, Daisy said you needed to talk to me. Make it quick, Roman, I’m kind of in the middle of something." She snapped, her patience wearing thin.

“I can see that,” He wore something of a smug smile and after a silence long enough to start to get on her nerves, he spoke again before she could bite back with something smart. "Daisy was just telling me about your little predicament. It seems you're in need of a new location for your photoshoot, and quickly.”

"Yes," she replied tersely, impatience and exasperation seeping through her words. "But can we please get to the point? My boss is already in a pissy mood and I’m pretty sure I’m next on the chopping block if I don’t get my ass back in there."

"Question?" He said, clearly not bothered by her eagerness to wrap up their conversation.

"Fine, what's your question?" His leisurely questioning was starting to grate on her nerves, and she couldn't help but glance back to her boss, who seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on their conversation.

"Am I a joke to you?" Roman tilted his head looking both disappointed and confused. Sort of reminded her of a puppy with its ears half up and half down trying to suss out a high-pitched sound.

Belladonna stared at him, confused. "What?”

"Use my club," 

Belladonna stared at Roman, her dark eyes wide in surprise. "Use your club?" Momentarily thrown off balance by his unexpected offer.

"Yes," he said, his voice low and smooth. "It's mine to do with as I see fit, it’s empty during the day, and should have more than enough space to accommodate your shoot. You can use the space however you need.” Roman smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “and you can vouch for its legitimacy since it's up-to-date with all the necessary permits and licenses."

"Would that help?" he asked, a hint of smugness creeping into his voice.

"Yes, it would," Belladonna admittedly a bit lost for words

She hesitated, shifting on her feet. The offer would solve all her problems for the shoot and might even put her in a better spot for work. She’d obviously need to run it by her boss.

As if reading her mind, Roman gestured towards the conference room.

"Go. Run it by your boss." Roman said with a playful flick of his wrist, shooing her away as if she were a mischievous cat lingering too long by the cream. His dark eyes twinkled with amusement at her hesitation, a side of him few got to witness. "Do you need a slap on that gorgeous ass to get you moving?"

Her eyes flashed with something sharp, but she bit back a retort and turned on her heel, striding back toward the conference room before Roman could follow through with what she hoped was only a joke. As she spoke to her boss, he could see the shock register on her boss’s face. She glanced at Roman, then back to Belladonna then back to Roman, who allowed himself a triumphant smile, knowing he was about to be the hero.

Belladonna motioned for Roman to join them, trying not to let her surprise – or her gratitude – show too openly. As he stepped through the door, the room seemed to hold its breath in anticipation. All eyes were on him, but this time, he was not the source of any problems. In fact, he was the solution – a role that felt surprisingly gratifying. With his charming smile and easy manner, he greeted Belladonna's boss.

“Ms. Preston, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” His smooth tone eased the tension in the room as effectively as a tranquilizer. 

"Mr. Sionis, this is a pleasant surprise," Laura said, her demeanor considerably improved as she reached out to shake Romans’ outstretched hand. 

“Oh, please, Roman is fine.” 

"Belladonna here, tells me you're interested in leasing out your club for our shoot." She crossed her arms over her chest, head tilted as though she wasn’t sure she bought it. 

Surely there had to be more to it, right? 

“Leasing? Oh, not at all. Can’t have a face this gorgeous wearing anything other than a smile.” Roman's gaze drifted to Belladonna before turning back to Laura. "I'm more than willing to assist, by providing my space free of charge," He responded smoothly. "It won't be a problem."

Laura was one of the most assertive people Belladonna knew, never one to be told what to do, never one to let a man swoop in and save the day… Yet, here they were… Either the situation was worse than Belladonna had initially thought and Laura couldn’t afford to lose this client, or her boss too, was drawn in by Romans’ charm, she wouldn’t be the first or the last. Hell, it happened to Belladonna more times than she could count.

Laura eyed Roman skeptically, her expression guarded "So let me get this straight, Mr. Sionis. You're offering us the use of your club; one of the most exclusive night spots in Gotham for our shoot, free of charge?"

Roman nodded, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "That's correct, Laura. Consider it my contribution to the arts."

Laura shook her head incredulously. "Well, I'm afraid I can't accept your offer without some form of compensation. Your club is a prime location, and we can't just take advantage of it for free." Laura stood clicking her pen several times as she contemplated her next move. "But, you know, Roman," She began, "I think we could generate some fantastic publicity for your club through the shoot. If you’re unwilling to accept monetary compensation, maybe some good publicity in the fashion industry might suffice."

"Oh? How so?" 

A smirk played on his lips as if he didn’t understand what Laura was proposing, he knew damn well. But he was at least smart enough to know that he had to let her feel like she had a say in this whole thing.

"Well, I have it on good authority that the designer behind the collection is a huge fan of your club. Since your club would be the backdrop it seems wholly inappropriate if we don’t see the man of the hour. And I happen to know for a fact that the designer has a fantastic piece that only a man like yourself could do justice to.” Roman's ego swelled at the thought of being part of a fashion shoot. “It would be great exposure for both the club and the collection."

"I like the sound of that," he replied, nodding thoughtfully. "But one condition."

Laura raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what's that?"

"Belladonna does the shoot," Roman declared, his gaze drifting to where Belladonna stood, sorting through fabric samples. "She's got the skill, the eye. She'll be perfect."

Belladonna's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden turn of events. She opened her mouth to object, but before she could speak, Laura cut in.

"I think that's a fantastic idea," Laura said, flashing a quick smile at Belladonna. "It would add a personal touch to the campaign. We all know Belladonna has quite the eye for male beauty,"

Belladonna hesitated for a moment, then nodded, reluctantly agreeing. She knew she didn't have much choice in the matter.

"Great," Roman said, extending his hand. "It's settled then."

"On behalf of the entire team, thank you, Roman. And I look forward to the proofs,” She turned to Belladonna, “Don’t let me down, Belladonna. This goes well and I think you’ll have earned that bonus we talked about.”

“You got it, Laura,” She replied coolly.

“Alright, then let’s go make the client happy, I'll let him know about the change of venue, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.” Roman offered her a card from his jacket pocket.

Roman extended his hand, sealing the agreement with a firm handshake. "My pleasure, Laura. I hope you’ll find time to stop by, and if your client has any questions, don't hesitate to give them my card. I'm always happy to accommodate."

As the bubble of stress burst open like a fragile balloon, the aquarium fish seemed to have taken a cue swimming away. Daisy wrapped Roman in a hug that could rival the strength of an ant and crowned him a lifesaver, before following the other fish out of the conference room. Belladonna collapsed onto the table, hands rubbing her temples in relief… or maybe just exhaustion at the fact that it was only noon. Roman playfully nudged her with his foot, 

“Look at me on my white horse, saving the day!” He mused so proudly, “Seems it got you a bit of cred with your boss, didn’t it? And what was that, something about a bonus too?”

“And now I have an entire shoot to direct.” She replied with a tired smirk and a nod. “And yeah, she’s been dangling that bonus since the beginning of the year.”

He shrugged, prowling closer, caging her in with his arms as he braced them on the table behind her. The scent of his cologne enveloped her, dark and sensual. 

“I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.” He paused, “You’re welcome by the way.”

She tilted her head at his playful remark, giving his belt a tug, pulling him into a kiss. Her lips brushed his several times, by now they were both used to the stares and quick little instances of phones being pulled out during his lunchtime visits. 

“Thank you.”

“You know angel, I have to say, I think these conference room meetings are starting to grow on me, I’m finding them very stimulating…”

“Keep it in your pants, Sionis, mama’s working.” His eyebrows shot up at that one, and his chest inhaled a deep controlling breath.

“Easy kitten, don’t forget who holds the cards here.”

“Let's see them.” Her mood had considerably improved but Roman found that was usually the case after he kissed her, “Full house beats a flush.”

Roman shook his head, a half-smile playing on his lips as he held out her coffee. Today, it was different - her usual rose-infused mocha, but iced. The cool container melted against her skin as she took it from him, the condensation leaving small droplets on her fingertips. 

"The girl at the shop insisted you try it iced with the warming weather," Roman explained, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"And you actually took her suggestion? Shocking," She replied, taking a whiff of the sweet aroma before taking a tentative sip. 

"Jokes on her, if you don't like it I'm burning that little cafe to the ground..." Despite his playful threat, she could tell Roman was only half serious. But the drink was surprisingly delicious, and she couldn't help but wear a pleasantly surprised expression as she took another sip. 

“Good?” He asked with a smug look, she held the drink out to him but he shook his head, so she took another sip and leaned forward to give him a kiss, slipping her tongue past his lips for a rose-infused mocha-flavored kiss. He seemed a little more interested in tasting the coffee now.

"And so the little coffee shop that could, lives another day... Have you eaten?" His concern might have been slightly pandering but it was still kind of cute.

Roman looked hard at her searching for any signs of deceit, Belladonna seemed very unamused at now having two people inquiring as to her dietary needs. “Been too busy.”

Roman reached into the small brown bag that had gone unnoticed until now, revealing a box of french macarons that were almost too beautiful to devour. After careful consideration, he chose a bright pink one adorned with delicate swirls and a sprinkle of glitter. The aroma of rich chocolate mousse wafted through the air as he playfully commanded:

"Open up." 

Belladonna licked her lips in anticipation before parting them to accept the treat. She nipped at his fingers, savoring the velvety texture of the macaron and the warmth of his skin against her lips. As she chewed, Roman chuckled and shook his head.

 "What am I going to do with you, kitten? Tie you down and force you to eat?" Belladonna shrugged nonchalantly, enjoying the banter between them as well as how Romans eyes did that thing again; where they flared up and there was a little surge of something dark trying to get out.

“Don’t tempt me with a good time.”

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to drag him into the nearest closet.

Professionalism be damned.

“Kitten, don’t test daddy’s patience…” He warned her with a growl, his voice low and dangerous.

Belladonna wasn’t quite sure what came over her but she couldn’t stop the words that slipped past her lips. 

“I’m sorry, daddy.”

He jerked her forward into a hard kiss, and she was pretty sure she could feel that last little strand of his self-control pulled taut ready to snap as his tongue delved into her mouth and his hands slipped over her ass, lifting her onto the table. Standing between her legs, he pressed himself against her, feeling the heat of their bodies meld together. A guttural groan escaped his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tickling the nape of his neck.

Oh, this naughty little kitten of his…

“You like to tease me, don’t you, Kitten?” His voice was gravelly and strained in between kisses, panting heavily before finally breaking away just long enough to speak a few words.

“I’m about five seconds from dragging you into an empty office and bending that sweet ass over a desk, Belladonna, and I don’t care who hears." He kissed her again, harder this time, “You wanna play like that? Call me daddy?” He grinned a wolfish lear against her lips, “I’ll make you fucking scream it.”

A knock at the glass window pulled them both from the edge of the abyss they were standing on, looking over to the windows, Zsasz stood with his back to them, he had knocked on the glass, and several people in passing were hurrying away. No doubt they must have snapped a few pictures that would be splashed over the tabloids and gossip rags tomorrow, hell, maybe even today, it was still early.

“Kitten,” His deep voice rumbled through the air, causing her heart to skip a beat. He paused and straightened his perfectly-tailored jacket, his piercing blue eyes scanning the room before landing on her. 

“One of these days I’m not gonna care how many people are around, and if you get fired, I’ll just get you another job somewhere else.”

“My office is down the hall.” She tried to maintain a professional demeanor but felt her cheeks flush under his intense gaze.

“Temping as that is, Angel,” He used her nickname with a hint of amusement in his voice, “I did come for more than just your afternoon coffee and to check to make sure you’ve eaten.”

“Has something happened with the cops?” Her curiosity was piqued by his serious tone.

“No,” His expression turned grave, “Does the name Maria Lopez mean anything to you?”

She furrowed her brow, trying to recall any information about the name. After a minute of concentration, she shook her head. 

“No,” she answered honestly.

“No one? Not a teacher, a maid, a friend, nobody?”

“No, I didn’t get along with most of my teachers. Our maids were mostly Italian or Greek, and after what happened with Olivia, I didn’t have many friends. Plus, my father wouldn’t allow anyone with even a hint of Hispanic heritage near me,” 

Roman looked confused by this revelation. 

“His best friend was Spanish,” she continued, “They had some kind of falling out between their families a long time ago. My father saw anyone with Hispanic blood as someone not to be trusted.” Roman nodded in understanding; he knew the type of person her father was. “Why do you ask?”

Roman hesitated before offering up what he knew, “If I tell you this, you do nothing. Do you understand me?” 

His voice took on that hard quality again, the one that readied her fight or flight instinct, he was serious. She nodded slowly, but he looked expectantly.

"Okay, I promise. What's going on? Who is Maria Lopez?" She asked.

He lowered his voice, “I think that’s the alias your mother has been using.”

Her jaw dropped. “You found her?”

He shook his head. "Not yet. I'm still verifying some things, but I needed to know if that name meant anything to you."

"If it's an alias my father chose for her, I never would've known to look for it." Understanding dawned on Roman's face as he nodded. "Where is she?" She demanded, feeling a surge of hope mixed with fear.

"I can't say for sure," He admitted.

“I don’t believe you.” His eyes sharpened. "You wouldn't ask me something like this if you didn't have reason to believe she was out there."

He was amused by her straight talk and she was right, fact was he had a lot more than he let on. 

“Maybe I do have something. But,” She visibly deflated, “Nothing happens until I can verify what I’m looking at.” He seized her chin, “You do nothing. You don’t even so much as Google that name, do you hear me, Belladonna Black?”

She hadn’t been called by her full name in years and the way Roman said it… Well, it had her wondering if she could change his mind about the whole office rendezvous.

“You’re really gonna find her?” He was trying to be serious and maybe a bit intimidating but she didn’t see it, she saw him assembling pieces to a puzzle she hadn’t even been able to find pieces to in four years. 

“I said I would. Anyone jumping the gun could result in more blood spilled. Do you remember what we talked about the other night after Stan left?” She nodded and gave a feint, ‘Yeah’ It was easy in the span of an evening with Thai takeout and sleeping in the safety of his cozy bed to forget just how real the game they were playing was. 

“Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” She took hold of his hand that gripped her chin and kissed it. 

“Alright. You’re going to finish out your day and I’m picking you up at eight, not a moment later. Any other work you have to do will have to be done remotely, understand me?” 

“You kidding, I’m a hero by association today, it won’t be hard to leave by eight.”

“Be ready.” She nodded, “Now, I need to be going, Angel. I have some errands to run and before you ask; don’t.”

Roman pulled her in for one more kiss, his hands settling on her hips, maybe a little lower than might have been appropriate for a goodbye kiss but she didn’t seem to mind. It was slow and leisurely, a gentle exploration of her mouth and she could feel the warmth of his wet tongue teasing the seam of her lips. With a satisfied 'Mmm' and a heavy restrained sigh, Roman pulled back, leaving her wanting more. But before she could protest, in Roman fashion he kissed the palm of her hand, his lips lingering for a moment before he left the box of macarons on the conference table, a gesture of sweetness in contrast to his confident and seductive demeanor.

“Eat up kitten, but not too much. We’re going out tonight.”

The hands of the clock on the wall had inched closer to six pm, casting long shadows across the nearly deserted office. Belladonna, now left to her own devices after sending Daisy home with Lloyd, focused intently on her task at hand: finalizing preparations for tomorrow's shoot. The responsibility of running it all loomed over her, a weight she now bore thanks to Roman's influence.

Belladonna adjusted her glasses and diligently worked through the shot list, making necessary adjustments and confirming equipment availability. She double-checked every detail, ensuring that everything would be in working order for the big day. Somehow knowing Roman would be there not only watching but participating made her a bit anxious.

Her gaze momentarily drifted to the corner of her desk where the mostly empty box of macarons caught her eye. A small smile played on her lips as she recalled Roman's 'doting boyfriend' act earlier that day. She reached for the box, taking out the last one; a chocolate and pistachio macaron, and lifted it to her nose, inhaling its sweet aroma.

She’d never say it outloud but the Roman made one hell of a fake boyfriend when he tried, almost fooled her, before taking a satisfying bite.

As she chewed, her mind wandered back to Roman—his enigmatic presence and the powerful connections he held. She was putting a lot of trust in him, the feminist in her didn’t like how dependant on him she was and she felt a pang of unease. But at this point Roman had had multipl opportunities to either cut her loose or let her die and each time he did neither. 

The clock continued to tick away, marking the passage of time as she worked tirelessly to ensure tomorrow's shoot would go off without a hitch. And all the while, Roman Sionis' presence continued to linger in the back of her mind.

She redirected her attention to the list of garments for tomorrow's shoot, pulling out the photo of the piece Roman would be modeling, an intricately detailed, dark and alluring outfit that seemed to perfectly match his enigmatic persona.

"Damn, he is going to look incredible in this," Belladonna whispered under her breath, feeling a sudden surge of excitement at the prospect of capturing him on camera. 

The past week had been a whirlwind, and despite the chaos and danger, but oddly enough she felt perfectly safe. And the notion of Roman being close by while she worked, working in his club was oddly comforting.

She still knew practically nothing about him, and their entire relationship seemed to be built on a foundation of dependency and manipulation. 

Slumping into her chair she stared at the open search engine on her laptop thinking back to the last time she Googled him and how she didn't find much. At the time it had been disheartening but now she had more information on him, especially after her conversation with Cobblepot. She has a better idea of what to look for. She decided to try again, beginning her search at Gotham Preparatory School for Boys. 

As she browsed through the website, with some quick math she found the graduating classes section and quickly calculated which year Roman would have graduated. Once she located his year, her eyes were immediately drawn to his graduation picture – stone-faced, serious, and undeniably gorgeous. 

She studied the class photo, she noticed the space that people seemed to give Roman, as though he was a shark among a school of fish. It only confirmed Cobblepot's description of him – magnetic yet unnerving. People were afraid of him even at only eighteen. 

"Roman Sionis, man of mystery…”

Roman wasn’t Valedictorian and hadn't received any special awards or honors. However, his grades must have been decent enough for him to participate in extracurricular activities, and he was a busy boy. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as she read the list – debate team, high-ranking chess competitor, social clubs, polo, squash, fencing, boxing, equestrianism, and swimming. 

None of those sounded like Roman but given the prestigious nature of the school, she suspected his parents likely had something to do with Roman’s busy schedule; something she could relate to. The thing that surprised her the most was the chess thing, she didn’t see Roman as having the patience for that sort of thing but by all accounts, he was very good.

"Of course, they'd want their son involved in everything," she mused, thinking of how similar Roman's upbringing seemed to her own.

Though she knew she should focus on the upcoming photo shoot, the enigma of Roman Sionis proved too enticing to resist. 

She clicked further into the archives next, finding a treasure trove of photos featuring Roman in his school uniform. The crisp white shirt and sharp black blazer and his immaculately styled hair seemed to be precursors to his current love for suits. Even as a teenager, he exuded an air of confidence and danger that was undeniably attractive. His stern expression, reminiscent of a young James Dean or Clint Eastwood, gave him a "resting bastard face" that somehow only served to heighten his appeal.

"Damn," she whispered to herself, unable to look away from the smoldering intensity in his eyes. Many of his photos possessed the quality to them that his eyes seemed to follow you wherever you went.

There was an alumni section dedicated to post-high school achievements like colleges, civic honors, and prominent family legacies where Roman was mentioned as a successful club owner, nothing more. There was no mention of any continuing connection with the school, but it did lead her to a page dedicated to significant contributors – including Roman's father, Richard Sionis.

Richard's gray hair betrayed his age, though there was still a strong resemblance between him and his son. Unlike Roman, Richard wore a smile in his pictures – but it appeared rehearsed and artificial, reminding Belladonna of the way her own father would grin for the cameras. It was clear that Roman had inherited his father's good looks, but there was something more genuine in his features, less tired and fake than the elder Sionis.

Belladonna continued to read about Richard's long-standing support of the school, noting his service on the board of trustees and involvement in numerous fundraisers. It seemed that the Sionis family had a history of influence and power, making her wonder what role Roman's upbringing played in shaping the man he had become.

Who was Roman Sionis before he became Roman Sionis?

She stared at the screen, not ready to pack it in just yet.

She didn’t know if he went to college or where to look and she really had no idea what happened to him after he graduated, only that at some point his family had severed all ties with him and Roman had begun a criminal life. He had mentioned he’d done time in Blackgate, but she wasn’t sure of the reason. The criminal stuff didn’t bother her at this point, she mostly wanted to know about his family drama. Because personal family drama was irritating, someone else’s family drama was entertainment.

"Alright then," She muttered under her breath, typing in the keywords ‘Roman Sionis’ and ‘Blackgate’ then hitting enter.

Over a dozen arrest records appeared on the screen, and Belladonna felt her heart tighten in her chest. Most of the records showed Roman posting bail up until he was twenty-one, but then the pattern changed. The bail postings stopped, and he started doing more time in jail. She suspected this may have been when his parents severed ties with him, but she couldn't find anything concrete to prove it. 

Not surprising, a family like his was likely to have as many skeletons in their closets as hers did and like hers; they stayed locked up tight away from prying eyes.

She clicked on the last arrest record, dating back to when Roman was twenty-three. Her stomach churned as the mugshot revealed several injuries to his face – a black and slightly swelling eye, bloodied cheeks, and a split lip. He looked like he had been beaten very badly, yet his smug expression remained intact, as if daring the world to knock him down further.

"God, Roman..." 

Despite his injuries, there was something about his defiant gaze that made her feel a flicker of admiration. It was clear that Roman refused to be broken, even when the odds were against him. She could practically hear him boasting ‘You should see the other guy.’

Aggravated assault, property damage, trespassing, criminal menacing, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of illegal weapons, resisting arrest, and battery – it was an extensive rap sheet that painted a portrait of a man prone to violence and chaos. 

"Roman, you really don't make things easy, do you?" Belladonna muttered under her breath, feeling a strange mix of concern and fascination. 

As she researched further into the dates of his arrests, Belladonna stumbled upon the court case where Roman was tried for these numerous charges. Limited to a mid-tier lawyer, she expected him to suffer the consequences of his actions, yet one by one, he managed to beat most of the charges. It seemed as though evidence had conveniently disappeared or witnesses had mysteriously chosen not to step forward.

"Interesting," She mused, intrigued by the power Roman appeared to wield even in his darkest moments. "How did you manage all of this?"

Her search eventually led her to the final charge that stuck: tax evasion. The out-of-place accusation left her puzzled, as it seemed far removed from the violent nature of the other crimes.

"Tax evasion? That's what they got you on, Roman?" Belladonna shook her head, disbelief etched across her face. Frustration gnawed at her as she tried to find more information on the bizarre charge but came up empty-handed. “Well, the permits make a little more sense now…”

The courtroom photos were grainy, like a lower quality paparazzi shot. His expression was one of pure disgust and irritation as he stood before the judge, his dark eyes blazing with barely restrained fury. The gavel came down, sealing his fate: three years in Blackgate Penitentiary.

She couldn't find anything on Roman's prison stint without hiring a private investigator or formally requesting court documents and that required the Freedom of Information Act which was time consuming and could be expensive and it wasn’t exactly subtle. And for some reason, she didn't want Roman to know she was digging into his past.

Her eyes narrowed as she typed in a new search query – this time focusing on Roman's initial arrest that had landed him in Blackgate Penitentiary. As she skimmed the articles, she discovered it was tied to an assault case against a local criminal named Tony Zucco.

"Tony Zucco?" 

A feeling of déjà vu washed over her. She knew the name sounded familiar but couldn't quite place it. Frustrated, she opened a new tab and quickly Googled the man.

As the search results loaded, Belladonna found herself staring at a squeaky clean image of Tony Zucco – a self-made man from Old Gotham with a very old school mafia gangster look to him. He looked like the type of man her father surrounded himself with. 

The more she searched, the less information she seemed to find about the altercation between Roman and Tony. It was as if their conflict had been purposefully scrubbed from the internet. However, one detail remained consistent throughout the scarce information available – Roman had lost the fight, but not without causing some serious damage.

"Damn," Belladonna breathed out.

What did Tony Zucco do to earn Roman’s wrath? What could have possibly ignited such a violent confrontation between the two? Her instincts told her it wasn’t exactly a fight over a seat at the bar.

The case was open and shut. As far as she could tell, he’d done his three years and he was released on the date, not a day more or less. There were a few pictures from paparazzi’s of Roman after his release and he looked harder, features darker and sharper, grittier. But she couldn’t imagine that three years of prison was easy on a man like Roman who had known luxury his whole life.

Gotham was almost pretty at sunset, if you didn’t think about all the scum that came out at night, the fading sunlight doused the area in hues of orange and gold. Roman lounged against the hood of his sleek black Maserati, scrolling through his tablet. A smirk played on his lips as if he were watching a thrilling episode of his favorite show, waiting to see what would unfold next. 

Zsasz, Roman's loyal assistant, stood beside him, taking a drag from a cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air. For once not wearing his jacket in a departure of his professional look, he wore a shoulder holster but it didn’t hold a gun. No, where a small firearm usually sat tucked against a mans side instead was the scabbard of a very large knife. Scars on his arms on full display since no one was around to be scared by them, besides when it came to nightfall in Gotham, the scarier you looked, the less likely people were to fuck with you and there weren’t many men who looked scarier than Zsasz. 

"Tell me she's asking better questions this time," Zsasz asked in a monotone voice with a hint of reservation. 

“She started with my old prep school this time." Roman said, his eyes never leaving the tablet. "Nobody ever thinks keyloggers are useful until they are," 

“I prefer a more hands on approach.”

Roman chuckled, nodding in agreement. "You think she’ll find my list of extracurriculars impressive?"

“Hell no. Squash is dumb, and polo is for spoiled rich pussies," Zsasz countered, blowing out another puff of smoke. Zsasz scoffed. 

A bark of laughter escaped Roman. "You do remember I played Polo, right?." Zsasz shot him a sideways glance, the hint of a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “

Zsasz's lips quirked. "Wasn't calling you a pussy." 

"Damn right I’m not." 

Roman's attention returned to the tablet, watching in real time as Belladonna uncovered more and more of his sordid past. Part of him relished the thought of her reaction. The rest rankled at her audacity to dig into his business but he had done just that too her so he couldn’t blame her much. Still, pretty stupid to think she could dig into him and he not know. He knew about her previous day of Googling after his little adventure at the docks with Cobblepots men and he’s watched as she searched up his old school.

He had to give it to her, she’d gone right back to work after he’d left and he was pleased to see that she didn’t Google the name Maria Lopez, just as she’s promised not to. Nope. But she did take a second shot at Googling him. Her first attempt at digging into Romans past hadn’t yielded much, turns out when you write in the name ‘Roman Sionis’ into Google it’s mostly just papparazzi pictures and a few articles on his club. Roman had paid good money to make sure those articles on his arrest and his younger years were at least seven pages back in the search results. You couldn’t erase a criminal past but you could make it harder to find. 

He admired Belladonna's tenacity. She was resourceful, stubborn, and unafraid to dig into his past. Those traits only served to make her more attractive to him.

"Let's see what else she has up her sleeve," Roman murmured, his finger swiping across the tablet screen. 

A wicked grin spreading across his face as he noticed Belladonna had uncovered his criminal record. 

"Ah, there it is. She's finally found my rap sheet," He said, his voice low and amused.

"Should've been her first step," Zsasz commented, looking over Roman's shoulder at the screen. 

"Oh come on now, give the kid a break. She's new at this."

"True," Zsasz chuckled, leaning back against the car hood. "I’ll give her this, she’s has handled everything so far like an old-school mafia woman. Haven’t seen tears from her once."

“Thank God for that, I can’t stand seeing women cry.” Roman agreed, his admiration for Belladonna growing with each passing moment "Indeed, she's been a champ,"

Flicking through the rest of the information she'd gathered, he spotted something that caught his attention. 

"Look here, she's found Tony Zucco's name."

"Tony Zucco?" Zsasz mused, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "She won't find much. He's been out of the game since you shut him down.”

"Ah, yes. Good ol' Tony," Roman sighed nostalgically, a distant look in his eyes as if recalling a fond memory. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Not the least of which was the scar on his shoulder,courtsey of Zsasz's loyalty. Roman met his gaze. 

"Good shot, by the way. The ladies seem to like the scars." 

Zsasz's lips quirked again. "Following orders.” Zsasz reminded him with a sly grin as he flicked the ashes off his cigarette. “What else has she dug up?" 

Roman scrolled through the contents of the laptop. "She found the shooting at the club." His mouth twisted. "Hard to believe that lazy bastard was in business for so long, Tony never seemed to understand the value of paying your people what they’re worth..."

Zsasz chimed in. "You had a better employee retention program." 

"I did at that." Roman said smugly. They both chuckled, enjoying the memory that many would probably find deeply suspicious or deeply unsettling.

"Yeah, poor Tony never saw it coming. Shame you didn't kill him," Zsasz said casually. "Could've gotten the club for cheap if there had been a death on the property." 

"True," Roman mused, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction at the thought. “A little restraint goes a long way Zsasz…”

His laugh died and Roman's eyes narrowed to slits as he zoomed in on an article that Belladonna was currently browsing. It was a piece the Gotham Times had published shortly after the shooting—one he'd somehow overlooked until now. The street lights flickered above, casting eerie shadows across his face as he scrutinized the text.

"Zsasz," Roman said, his voice low and dangerous. "Take a look at this and tell me what you see."

Zsasz took the tablet from Roman, his pale eyes scanning the screen with a growing sense of unease. He glanced back at Roman, his voice tense with anticipation. "Two very irritating names.”

"This makes it two times now," Roman muttered, a note of irritation lacing his voice.

"Two?"

"First, we miss Belladonna's hypoglycemia diagnosis," Roman said, tossing the tablet aside where it landed with a soft thud on the leather couch. “Now this.”

"Ah," Zsasz nodded slowly, his lips twitching into an almost-smile. "A determined woman does better research than the FBI. Maybe you should take Belladonna out for a nice dinner, thank her properly for her detective skills."

Roman's expression softened at the mention of dinner. The thought of her resourcefulness brought a rare sense of warmth to his chest. 

"Dinner?" he echoed, considering the idea. His hand instinctively reached up to adjust the cuff of his immaculately tailored suit.

Roman considered it. 

"Taking a half-Italian woman to an Italian restaurant... is that too cliché?" Roman inquired, the corner of his mouth quirked upwards in a semblance of amusement.

"Boss," Zsasz replied with a deadpan delivery, "clichés are clichés for a reason. But if you want something different, I know a place. Turkish."

"That little hole in the wall joint in the Bowery?" Roman's tone shifted with intrigue.

Zsasz gave a single nod. "That's the one."

"Karnıyarık," Roman mused aloud, a hint of hunger creeping into his voice as he remembered the savor of well-spiced eggplant and minced meat. "That does sound good."

"And don't get me started on the büyükanne's baklava." Zsasz's eyes gleamed with a rare spark of enthusiasm. "Better than any of those fancy restaurants, hands down."

Dinner was a good next step but there was a new loose end to tie up. Roman's amusement faded as he glared at the article again, picking out the names that had drawn his ire—Ramirez and Craven. The detectives first on scene after he'd been shot. 

Roman sneered at the article, muttering under his breath, "So that's why you've got it out for me..." 

His mind raced with thoughts of revenge and calculated moves, feeling the weight of their names pressing down on him. 

"This changes things," Roman said, the gears turning in his head. He looked at Zsasz with a new sense of urgency. 

"What do you want to do about it?" Zsasz asked calmly. 

"Call up the lawyers and our inside man. I want everything on Ramirez and Craven by Monday." 

"Got it, boss," Zsasz replied, nodding in agreement. His fingers were already reaching for his phone, ready to make contact and set things into motion. “You wanna wait on Metropolis? Left that doctor in pretty rough shape, he might talk, might not.”

“No, I think we’ve properly motivated the good doctor to keep his mouth shut. But let’s not take any chances, keep our travel plans as scheduled. And look into that other thing, I want that sorted by the time we leave, make sure she has everything she needs.”

"Now what?" he asked, curious about Roman's next move.

Roman's mind buzzed with plans and contingencies, the dark machinery of his intellect churning relentlessly. Craven and Ramirez had been the proverbial annoying thorn in his side since this whole damn thing started. He’d have figured out exactly what their beef with him was sooner or later but thanks to his little detective, it was sooner and he’d have to make sure he thanked her properly, wouldn’t he?

But he’d also have to tell her he’d been spying on her at work as well as her home, which really shouldn’t surprise her at this point. Well, she’d get over it.

The neon glow of the city reflected in Roman's dark eyes as he glanced at his watch, the ticking seconds a reminder that time was always moving. 

"Time to go pick up my angel from work." 

He pocketed the tablet and slid off the hood of the Maserati with predatory grace. Zsasz looked up from his phone call, nodding in understanding. Neither spoke of the growing reality, which was that Belladonna was quickly becoming a more central influence in Romans life, which made her dangerous.

Her beauty and courage had captivated him from their first meeting, and he found himself craving her presence more and more each day. 

"Boss, everything's set," Zsasz said, interrupting Roman's thoughts as he hung up the phone. "Our guys will get us what we need."

"Good," Roman replied, his voice low and intense. "We'll find out exactly what those bastards are playing at, and put an end to it. But for now… let's focus on something far more pleasant." He smirked, enjoying the idea of spending time with Belladonna, even if only for a brief reprieve from the darkness that consumed his world. “I’m hungry.”

When faced with virtually no information about Tony Zucco aside from his sterling reputation within the community and the many mentionings of his hand in local businesses, Bealladonna’s bullshit detector started going off. Jaded or not, a wise man once said if something seemed too good to be true then it was.

When one word didn’t work, she opted to cross reference the name of Tony Zucco with Roman Sionis and then she found it.

The words "shooting" and "Masquerade Noir" had caught her attention, and as she read, she began to piece together a story that had unfolded just months after Roman's release from prison.

The article detailed an incendent that had unfolded at the location that would later become Roman’s club, he had been looking at the building with a leasing agent when Tony Zucco and his men showed up.

The statement of the leasing agent told of how Roman instructed her to flee and call the police and when she ran Tony’s men persued her. She imagined Roman's tall, dark frame acting as a barrier between the fleeing woman and Zucco's thugs. Roman then inteviened and tackled one fo the men by throwing punches but was qickly overwhelmed when he second man attacked Roman from behind. The witness report stated she saw Roman taking a severe beating on his knees before she went for help.

Roman out-numbered two to one, those seemed like his kind of odds. The image of his strong, muscular body entangled in a vicious fight made her shiver with both fear and admiration. It was compelling but something about it just wasn’t right. Where was Zsasz? She hadn’t bothered to look up anything about Zsasz, that one she had been a little afraid to look into.

The article continued stating by the time the police had arraived the two men were dead from gunshot wounds, Tony Zucco was shot in the chest but still alive and Roman was shot in the shoulder. She could almost hear the gunshots echoing through the empty building as Roman and Zucco traded fire.

Her breath caught in her throat as she envisioned Roman wounded and bleeding. She thought back to earlier that morning when she’d caught sight of him with that towel draped around his waist. She’d seen a few scars, one in particular on his shoulder, it had looked like a bullet but she couldn't tell from where she was.

As she absorbed the information, she could almost see the scene play out in her mind: Roman, bloodied but unbowed, bringing down the older man before collapsing into unconsciousness. It wasn't long after this brutal exchange that the police arrived, taking both men to Gotham General Hospital for treatment.

"Both men were treated and held in medical hold with armed police officers until they cold be taken to the GCPD." She read further. 

While there was push from Zucco’s attourney to have Roman thrown back into Blackgate for the shooting and there was a potential civil lawsuit against him, the judge had ruled that Roman was out numbered, out gunned and he acted in reasonable self defense. 

"Tony Zucco was sentenced to ten years for conspiracy to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal conspiracy, and criminal solicitation. " 

It had been, as far as she could tell, a slam dunk case mostly thanks to the severity of Romans injuries and the leasing agent who had witnessed the whole ordeal. She had stepped forward offering testimony, ultimately clearing Roman Sionis of any wrongdoing.

She moved from one article to another that talked about Tony Zucco’s release several years ago and he hadn’t been mentioned that much since, choosing to keep a quiet profile until almost all mention of him stopped. And a price reduction of several hundred thousand dollars had left the building vacant, which Roman swooped in to purchase it months later.

"Masquerade Noir opens its doors... quickly becoming Gotham's hottest night spot," She read aloud, her voice tinged with disbelief. The club had been born from violence, yet now thrived with people fighting to get in.

"Roman Sionis: Behind the Mystery" – another article title caught her eye, and she clicked on it eagerly. Scrolling through the text, she absorbed every detail there were interviews with staff, patrons, all speaking very highly of Roman as an employer who ran an immaculate ship. Didn’t tolerate any shady activity and overall, all who set foot inside his doors reported they loved the experience and felt safe and eager to return even if a martini cost almost twenty five dollars.

"From violence to prospering into an icon of the city; one thing is certain – he has built an empire from nothing, and many are drawn to the allure of his power and charm."

The sudden buzz of the intercom jolted Belladonna from her thoughts, her heart pounding in her chest. 

"Miss Black, Mr. Sionis is in the lobby to pick you up," The security guards voice came through the speaker.

"Thank you, tell him I’ll be right down." She managed to reply, quickly shutting down her laptop and packing her bag. 

As she stepped out of her office and made her way to the lobby, she considered what she might say to him, or even if she’d say anything at all. He’d never forbade her from looking into his past, never warned her not to go digging and what kind of idiot would she be if she didn’t at least do some light Googling into a man that she was growing more intimately connected with? Hell, she was all but sleeping with him at this point, she was living with him. 

Her steps slowed as she entered the elevator and waited for it to carry her to the first floor. He did, however, tell her to ask fewer questions or learn to look the other way. 

"Angel," 

Roman's deep voice called as he saw her, his eyes alight with a mix of desire and possessiveness and he wore a smile that could charm the devil himself. He crossed the distance between them in a few swift strides, pulling her into an unusually passionate kiss that caught her off guard. There was no one here aside from the security guard who wasn’t even watching, why the show? Something put him in a good mood. 

"Hi.” She said a little breathlessly.

He ushered her toward his black Maserati parked outside, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back. "Hungry?"

"Actually, yeah." She replied, her previous queries now pushed to the back burner after that kiss and the prospect of dinner. She wondered what he had in mind but before she could ask he answered that with a question of his own.

"Ever had Turkish?" Roman asked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.

She wasn’t sure what it was but something had put him in a very good mood, it was hard to find any hint of those little tendrils of darkness that usually clung to him. It was then that she registered his question and her lips curled in distaste, the memory of her father's rants about 'those damned Turks' still fresh even after all these years. 

"No, of course not." She said it with an almost laugh, as if it was the dumbest question she’d been asked.

Roman's gaze sharpened, and she could almost hear the unspoken reprimand. “Excuse me?’ Who's never had Turkish in this cultural melting pot of a city? It’s almost offensive.”

“Sorry?” She shrugged. "Did you forget I'm half Greek and my father is something of a xenophobe?" She replied, unable to keep the slightly defensive note from her voice.

"What's that got to do with food?" He asked perplexed as the car pulled away from the curb.

Belladonna bit her lip. Did Roman really need her to explain her father's deep seeded, outdated, cultural hatred? She thought it was pretty self explanatory. On the other hand it was just as plausible for Roman to harbor no real hate for anyone unless they crossed him in which case that was most certainly a ‘case by case’ basis. He also seemed like an ‘I hate everybody equally’ type of man. He was a total social butterfly, floating between different groups without a care in the world. Old grudges and racial tensions didn't seem to faze him at all, personal grudges? Well, that was likely different.

"Turkish food," She finally said. "Greece and Turkey have been enemies for centuries,” She managed. "Ever since the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in 1453, there's been bad blood between the nations. Even now they're still not exactly friends-"

"Despite both being NATO allies..." Roman interjected, one dark brow arched knowingly. 

His mention of something so political surprised her, Roman was smart but she didn’t really think of him as ‘politics smart.’ She had never thought of him as someone who paid attention to politics, let alone casually mention it. But in a way, it did make a certain kind of sense, the politics of crime.

"Just because someone is an ally, doesn't make them friends." 

She froze, hearing the echo of their own intricate affiliation in those words. The playful atmosphere evaporated, replaced by an awkward tension. 

Without warning, Roman's hand reached out to cup her chin and he silenced any concerns she had with a deep, passionate kiss. His lips moved slowly over hers, lulling her into a relaxed state, slow, smoldering, possessive and hungry. When he pulled away, she was left breathless, her mind pleasantly unfocused. 

"Trust me, you're gonna love it," He purred, low and seductive, his thumb stroking over her lower lip. 

He didn't acknowledge her earlier words or the uneasy parallel she had drawn between them. If her comment bothered him, he didn't let it show. 

“Was your father that much of a bigot to keep you from trying some of the most delicious food known to man?” Roman's disbelief was evident in his tone, and it surprised her. She had never thought of him as a foodie but he seemed all riled up over it.

“Roman, what do you think?” She asked dryly.

"Come on," he said. "Time you tried some Turkish delight."

“That jello thing that little prick Edmund liked from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe?”

Roman rolled his eyes, and scoffed. “You know classic children's fantasy literature but you’ve never had Turkish?”

“You mean, ‘I know classic Christian biblical propaganda?’ Then yes, I do. I went to an all girls Catholic school, remember?”

A sly smile crossed Roman's face. “Oh, Angel, trust me. That’s a detail I’ve never forgotten.”

Just an hour ago she’d read through as much of Romans criminal history as she could find, she was still no closer to discovering what it was that happened between his family and him. She didn’t for one second buy the fact that he’d done three years for tax evasion or that there was no validity to any of the other charges against him. 

He did it. She was sure. 

And she knew for a fact that the shooting that took place in his club couldn’t have been as simple as the article had made it out to be. 

Roman protecting a curiously present leasing agent when someone he had a sketchy past with had just happen to show up? Not for a second.

She couldn't explain it, but somehow Roman had found a way to get away with murder and attempted murder. And now, he was doing it again with Jimmy. Even more unsettling, she was helping him - at times, even enjoying it. She could hardly believe how comfortable she had become in his presence, especially since learning to read him better. As they drove through the streets of Gotham, for what was sounding more and more like a real date, Roman wore something that hovered between a smile and a smirk. His hand rested possessively on her thigh, thumb gently grazing her leg through the fabric of her jeans. Electric sparks shooting between their bodies like lightning bolts. She couldn't deny the thrill she felt being by his side, despite the danger and moral ambiguity of their actions together.

Roman was a man of many qualities, but at the forefront of it all was his ability to survive. She couldn't imagine how much blood he must have shed to get to where he was. Despite knowing he was dangerous and having witnessed his quick fire temper firsthand, and even being mildly on the receiving end a few times. She was drawn to him. 

Everything about this man should have sent her running and screaming.

But it didn’t. 

First he’d spared her life, then he’d saved her life more than once, called down an armed assault when she’d been in danger and nearly declared war with another criminal over her. Yet, here he was, sitting beside her, taking her to dinner after a long workday, to try something new. She wasn’t bothered by his touch, in fact, she craved it. Despite the red flags every Cosmo had ever told her to look for and run from there was a warmth emanating from those flags, like a bullet-proof, blood red blanket. 

Roman Sionis was a pit bull. An angry dog with a penchant for biting and slicing off ears. Dropping bodies where it pleased him and something about that knowledge set every nerve of hers on fire. 

He was a criminal. A killer with blood on his hands. And a psychopath with violence in his heart. And if there was a God in heaven, let him help her because she was falling for him.

I woke up a little early so here's a happy surprise for you guys! So, we got a little more insight into Roman's past, eh? Anyone else get the impression we're missing some information???? Belladonna does. Hope you guys liked this chapter, I know I'm teasing you guys mercilessly but stick with me I PROMISE YOU the smut is coming in the next chapter or two, it just depends on pacing but it will be worth it! Y'all have stuck with me this far just hang on a little longer. I need to work on a few one-shots but I have the next chapter mostly planned out so it shouldn't take quite as long. I also had some family in town so writing was put on the back burner for a little bit.

I'm really loving how this story is coming together and I really appreciate everyone's support, especially my mysterious anonymous questioner who checks in on me, I don't know who you are but I appreciate you! Comments and interaction comes from such a small group so the feedback and check-ins really do keep me motivated!

How do you guys like the new look fo the story??? I finally got Canva Premium so I think I'll be playing around with some more fun stuff like the bars and dividers. You guys know what to do, reblog with those crazy tags, comment and like! Reblogs are the best way to circulate work on Tumblr so we can reach more Toxic Fangirls! And speaking of which a big welcome to a new potential member of the Roman Sionis Toxic Love Fangirl Club who is actually a pretty damn good writer her/their damnself! Looking at you @gilverrwrites and my other toxic fangirls too! @hereticpriest @daenerys-skywalker @tarrenterror25 @supernatural-lover and @keffirinneYou guys are my cheer squad!

Have a great day, let me know what you all think, and stay toxic.

#roman sionis smut #fake relationship #fanfiction is life #original character #close proximity #slightly toxic #slight power imbalance #medium burn romance #shadows of deception #belladonna black #belladonna fucking black #i have too many fanfictions #roman sionis toxic love fangirl club #black mask smut #black mask #black mask fanfiction #roman sionis #roman sionis x original female character #simping for the bad guy #dc #dc fandom #dc birds of prey #there will be smut #romansionisfanfiction #romansionissmut #dark romance #ewan mcgregor characters #alternate universe #yandere #roman sionis has anger issues

[fruitcoops]

i love the mental image of lo and sirius either when they’re tired or just absentminded and they forget english words and they do like the weird gestures and remus and lionfish just losing their shit

We love our bilingual boys and their incredibly tolerant boyfriends! Sweater Weather credit goes to @lumosinlove <3

I

“Re?” Sirius ducked around the corner of the living room with several pieces of tape stuck his arm.

“Hey, baby, what’s up?” Remus asked, sitting up straighter on the couch. The blankets around his legs had tangled throughout the course of the movie without Sirius there to hold the other side down.

“Have you seen the…” Sirius trailed off and frowned, furrowing his eyebrows.

Remus paused for a second. “The…?”

“The—the things.”

“The things?”

“The—” He flailed a hand around. “Les deux couteaux?”

Remus raised an eyebrow. “You need two knives?”

“No.”

“Baby, I think you should take a nap before you handle anything resembling knives,” he snorted, opening the blanket and patting the couch. “C’mere, the movie’s only halfway done.”

“But I have to get his present wrapped tonight or I’ll forget about it, and I just need to find the—fuck, what are they called?” Sirius made a noise of distress and did a motion with his fingers.

“…scissors?”

Sirius smacked the doorway and Remus jumped. “Yes!”

“They’re in the junk drawer like always.”

“Thank you so much.” Sirius leaned over the end of the couch and cupped his cheeks with both hands, pulling him in for a hard kiss before running out the door again. “Je t’aime!”

“I love you too!” Remus laughed. “I still think you should take a nap before you lose any fingers!”

II

Warm arms wrapped around Finn’s chest while he wiped the countertops down, squinting in the midmorning sun. “Morning, baby,” he said as Logan’s forehead pressed between his bare shoulder blades.

“Bonjour,” Logan mumbled, pressing himself closer. “Peanut?”

“He’s hanging out with Reg today, remember?”

Logan sighed and rubbed his face along Finn’s spine. “Can we have the fancy bread?”

Finn hesitated. “The what?”

“The fancy bread. The round kind.”

“Biscuits?”

“Non.”

“Croissants?”

“Non.”

“Waffles?”

“Presque.”

“What’s a presk?” Finn asked, turning around so Logan could cuddle into his chest.

“Presque,” Logan repeated. “Almost. I want the fluffy crêpes.”

“Lo, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Finn kissed the top of Logan’s bedhead-mussed curls. “Isn’t the whole point of crepes to make them not fluffy?”

“You make them all the time,” Logan grumbled, stepping back to motion at the stove. “You take the pan, and the beurre, and then you mix everything together and make the little circles and I can’t remember the stupid word because I’m tired.”

“Are you talking about pancakes?” Logan’s face lit up and Finn burst out laughing.

“Stop laughing!” Logan protested, though he was grinning as well. “Tu es mechant!”

Finn kissed him on the lips. “Will you forgive me if I make you presk waffles?”

“Asshole.”

“What about round bread?”

Logan rolled his eyes and smacked the side of Finn’s head lightly before cuddling up to him once more. “This is why you need to learn French, mon rouge.”

“Actually, this is why I need to actively avoid learning French.” He tapped Logan’s nose. “These guessing games are the best part of my morning.”

[13uswntimagines]

Never-Ending Adventure (Christen x reader)

Request: R is allergic to animals and she really wants a pet. So the team get her a pet rock from amazon. But let’s be real Ashlyn loses it (ash and ali are her team mom) and everyone is trying to find it while Christen takes her on a date to keep her busy while they look for it

Author’s note: Special thanks to @literaryhedgehog​

“What do you mean you lost Fred?” Christen hissed up the stairs at Ashlyn and Pino, from where they had gotten her attention. All three women glanced back to the kitchen, where you were putting groceries away, but since you hadn’t reacted they returned back to the matter at hand. 

“It was an accident. He just disappeared,” Ashlyn mumbled miserably, her hand scrubbing down her face. One second your beloved pet had been tucked safely inside her suitcase and the next he was gone. 

“He’s a rock. It’s not like he can walk off on his own,” Christen ground out, gritting her teeth. It didn’t matter if Fred couldn’t love you back, you were attached to the googly-eyed rock and his painted face. 

“I would like to remind you, I advocated for her getting her a pet fish in the first place. You can’t be allergic to fish dandruff, and fish are harder to lose track of than a piece of stone.” Tobin added, coming up behind Ashlyn. You were deadly allergic to animals but insisted you wanted a pet. The team had compromised and gotten you a pet rock off of Amazon as a joke. 

“But that’s not the point,” Pino said quickly before Christen could respond. “We know you just got back from getting groceries but we need you to take Y/N on a date until we can find Fred.”

“You want me to distract her so you two can figure out how to replace Mr. Flinstone before she notices?” Christen asked, quirking her eyebrow up. The two of you were in a weird place between friend and girlfriend, but neither of you had made a move yet per se. Doing it to save the team's ass seemed like a stretch. 

“Why do you think we asked her to come downstairs and put groceries away when it is clearly Sonnett’s turn? We’re stalling for time!”

“Here,” Tierna said, stuffing a book into Christen’s hands, “One of the coaches’ kids was selling these coupon books for a fundraiser. You can use the different activities in there as inspiration for where to go.”

“And whatever the coupons don’t pay for we’ll pay you back. Promise,” Tobin said quickly. 

“You and y/n need to get your stuff together and become a couple anyway…” Pino added with a wave of her hand. Christen sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. 

“Fine. But only because I know Y/N would be really stressed out if she found out Fred was gone.” 

“Thank you thank you thank you! Okay, you go in and we’ll get started.” And with that Christen was shoved back into the kitchen.

****

You were having an amazing time. Your lunch date with Christen had turned into a walk in the park, a coffee, and now a casual stroll through the aquarium. You had always been interested in marine life, and you were having a blast nerding out. (Christen also thought your fun facts about each of the animals was adorable- well the way your face lit up when you rambled was). 

“So are we heading to another random location, or is it safe to go back to the house yet?” You asked with a smirk, stepping through the shark tunnel towards the reef fish exhibit. 

Christen froze, where she was looking at the lionfish tank. “Is… this your way of saying you don’t know any facts about lionfish?” she said, evasively. Fuck. She thought she was being more subtle than that. 

“Well, lionfish inject their venom through the spines in their back. When the skin over the spike gets pushed down, it pushes in the venom sack. Fun fact, the spine is like a hypodermic needle,” You said, pointing out the spikes you were talking about and staring wistfully into the tank.“But you’ve been checking your phone since the stingrays, and I’m guessing it’s because we’re more than halfway through the aquarium,” You finished, looking pointedly at Christen. 

“Maybe… I was checking to see if we had enough time before the aquarium closed to eat dinner at their seafood restaurant?” 

“So… they’re taking way too long to set up whatever prank they’re planning,” You nodded. 

“Why do you think someone’s setting up a prank?” Christen said, laughing in a super believable way. Wow, she was bad at this. “Hey look, are those clownfish?”

You raised your eyebrow at the woman. Emily, Ashlyn, Pino, and Kelley all in one house just spelled trouble. It was more probable they were setting up some stupid stunt to video for the fans than them just hanging out like normal people and watching a movie. Also, the fact that Christen had been taking you on different adventures for close to five hours now was suspicious. 

“I know you probably just did this because you got roped into whatever stunt they’re planning on pulling on me, but I had a really nice time with you today,” you said, looping your arm through hers, and leaning ahead on her shoulder. Christen straightened up slightly at the touch. “If you were actually serious about that dinner I don’t mind paying.” 

“My suggestion, so I’m paying and I was totally serious. I didn’t just ask you out because of those knuckleheads. I like you too,” Christen said soft, gripping your arm a little tighter, trying to convey just how much she wanted to be here. 

“Okay, if you’re sure. Hey, want to take a selfie together in front of one of the tanks? you know to commemorate our endless adventure?” 

“Yeah, I wanna remember the never-ending date forever,” Christen said, her eyes a little gooey at your cuteness, pointing towards the octopus tank. 

You pulled her close to you, angling the camera so the blue-ringed octopus was in the shot. And just as you clicked the button, you stood up quickly on your tiptoes to kiss her on the cheek. You also took a shot of the laughter that followed. The one of her turning to kiss you was a bit more of a blur though.

***

“Oh, before we go, can you grab one of me with the Red-sea rockfish?” You asked, pointing at the redfish in the tank. 

“Yeah, sure!” Christen took your phone from you and swiped it to get to the camera, almost missing you reaching into your pocket and pulling out a small painted rock. 

“Okay three, two- wait, is that Fred!?!”

You lowered your hand from where you had posed with Fred next to your cheek. “Yeah? I had him in my pocket this morning, so I didn’t lose him while I cleaned my desk, but forgot about it until we were about to go through the metal detectors a few hours ago. Why?”

“I’m pretty sure Ashlyn has the entire team scouring the house to try and find him,” Christen snorted, shaking her head. It was hilarious you were nervous about them pulling a prank on you when it seemed you had pulled an even better one on them. 

“Oh,” you said. Some things were beginning to make sense now. “So you’ve been checking your phone so they could tell you when it was safe to come home? Once they found Fred?’

“Maybe...” Christen said blushing just a little bit. 

“Okay. Well, you’d better call and let them know you found him. After we get ice cream.”

#uswnt imagine #uswnt imagines #uswnt x reader #christen press imagine #christen press x reader #literalhedgehog

[pokytoad]

Not to be an alarmist but the Murder Wasp issue is a little bit more than media sensationalism. Invasive species are one of the biggest threats to conserving native wildlife populations and while wasps are good! I'm seeing too many posts of ppl getting mad? bc of the concern? I'm a natural res. conservation major and its concerning.

Like literally don't let people on this bs site make you feel bad for being a little worried.

Invasives aren't a joke, it could end in absolutely nothing or it could be a catastrophe for n. american biodiversity. Either way I don't fucking want them here lmao, don't preach your stupid pro-wasp bullshit rn, invasive species shouldn't be """accepted""" or wtfever you want, the Asian giant hornet doesn't belong on the east coast of the United States.

It's not a hysteria-inducing event like the media is spreading, thats true, but at the end of the day: native wasps = good! non-native wasps = invasive = potential threat because it's a novel species. It's that easy. damn.

Just because we dropped the ball with lionfish and burmese pythons doesnt mean yet ANOTHER species gets a free pass. It didn't get here naturally. holy shit. wow.

And ALL THAT aside? invasive species introduction is literally a side effect of climate change, not something to praise.

y'all ignorant af.

#not @ my followers to be clear #just @ the idiot wasp sjws that are really out here trying it

[the-formerone]

"I can't swim! Someone save me!" TemaTen

Temari was born and raised in the desert. She’s been windsurfing since she could mount her own sail, alright? You drop her in the middle of No Man’s Land with her board and half a breeze and she could make it back to the cities before nightfall. She could. 

But she can’t swim. 

None of the desert kids can. There isn’t enough water to necessitate the skill; all the water they have is for drinking, and the elders are hardasses who don’t want feet in the water they need to survive. Rationing is strict, and being caught in the water when you aren’t supposed to is a punishable offense, even for a princess like Temari. 

It doesn’t help her now that she’s in the goddamn ocean of all places (she was going to kill her brothers if she didn’t die first, and if she died first, she was going to haunt the shit out of them), with salt water in her mouth, in her eyes, her tool belt and desert scarves a heavy weight the more they soak up the water around them. 

“I can’t swim!” she shouts, swallowing her pride and choking on water for it. “Someone - !”

On the ship above her, Kankurō staring down at her with more fear in his eyes than Temari has ever seen before. Gaara is still caught up in the fighting aboard, and she’s grateful. She doesn’t want her youngest brother to see her like this. 

Goddamn pirates. Goddamn fucking pirates. Goddamn fucking Red Sand Sasori. Temari was going to kick his ass if she didn’t drown. Trust a former treasonous traitor to know that the first thing to do to someone from Suna in a fight was to throw them into the nearest body of water. 

Fuck that guy. If Temari made it out of this alive, she was going to drag him back to Suna and execute him himself. His bounty would make a nice addition to her already sizeable inheritance. 

She sees Kankurō search for something to throw to her, but she also sees an enemy come up from behind him. She wants to scream at him to watch his back, to stop worrying about her, to let a crewman save her life. The enemy’s strike goes down hard on the puppet on her brother’s back, and after that, he turns and fights. 

Temari is grateful. The desert gods look kindly on those who die in battle. Less kindly on those who die choking on their most precious resource. 

Fuck the ocean. Temari would like to file a complaint. 

She prays to Kamatari, though she knows the minor weasel god can’t do much to take care of her from here. She tries kicking out her legs and arms, but nothing seems to work. Her heavy desert clothes drag her down further, and further still, and then the surface is a memory, and Temari is frighteningly aware of the fact that the next breath she takes will be water and nothing else. 

She shuts her eyes, still clawing for the surface. Her hand brushes against something oddly soft, and she reaches for it, trying to kick herself in its direction. She grabs it, digs her fingernails in, refuses to let go. The thing grabs her back. 

It’s a hand. 

Temari’s eyes snap open. She isn’t as deep as she thought. There is sunlight under the water, and what she sees in front of her is so strange she can’t believe it. 

There are all sorts of strange and terrible things to be found in the desert. Scorpions the size of a full grown man. Wandering tanuki that can possess you if you don’t get enough sleep at night. Snakes whose venom can kill you the second they bite you. Wisps of smoke and light that can grant your wishes. 

This thing is even more wonderful. 

It’s a woman. The body of a woman, or the chest at least, whose hips end in the red and white striped tail of a lionfish. Her human torso is marked with scars, her breasts bare, her brown hair in two buns. Around her hips is a strange belt almost like Temari’s, bogged down with weapons of coral and the teeth of creatures that probably fought very hard to keep their teeth to themselves. 

The woman has gils on her throat that flutter as she breathes beneath the water. Pectoral fins jut out from her tail, from her back even, red and white, only slightly differently colored than the clearly poisonous fin rays that slate between them. Temari is a desert girl, she knows poison markings when she sees them. 

But this woman in front of her is holding her hand. Her fingers are clawed, but her eyes are brown and oddly human. She is not going to hurt her. And this might be Temari’s last chance. 

Temari uses the last breath in her body to beg. 

“Save me,” she breathes, bubbles fluttering out of her mouth and up to the surface. 

The woman tilts her head at her. Then, with little warning, stabs Temari with one of those terrible barbs. And around the agony that flares outward from the wound, Temari screams. 

There is no air left in her lungs as she screams, but she does. And fire radiates from the wound, licks through her body, filling her with the unique heat of pain. 

And then it is gone and Temari is breathing. She stares down at the barb protruding from her ribcage, then up at the creature. She grins at Temari, a grin full of sharp teeth and threat and then she darts forward and presses her mouth against Temari’s. 

The kiss draws blood, and the woman sucks it into her mouth, swiping her tongue into Temari’s as she does. 

She pulls out of the kiss, still smiling. 

“You smell like sand,” she says. “Sand and wind; poison and blood. You are strong. Deadly.”

Temari has no idea what she’s talking about. She nods slowly anyway. 

“You’re mine now,” she continues, and that makes fear and arousal (unfairly) shoot through her, radiating out of the wound in her chest. “And I protect what’s mine.”

When what is decidedly not a tail brushes against her legs, Temari looks down. And where the woman once had a magnificent tail, she now has a pair of decidedly human legs, wrapped in a sheaf of red and white striped cloth. 

“Who hurt you?” the woman asks. 

Temari is still a little dumbfounded, but the woman’s gaze is both intense and impatient. 

“Pirates,” she answers. “They attacked the vessel my brothers and I were on.” 

“Kin?” the woman asks, eyes widening. “They are in danger as well?” 

Temari nods. The woman doesn’t need her to say another word. She wraps an arm around Temari’s waist and uses her powerful legs to shove them through the water. 

They break the surface with enough force to throw them high into the air. So high, they turn in a wide arc, and below them, Temari can see the sailors and the pirates look up to see why water is dropping from the sky. 

The woman holds her, whooping as they fall through the sky. They land on the hard wood of the ship like they are landing on a pillow, and Temari chokes at the unbelievability of it all. 

“Your name?” 

The woman is already drawing a knife from her belt, the barbs on her back lifting in anticipation of attack. She puts the knife in Temari’s hands, and Temari twirls it without a second thought. It’s a dagger and the weight is odd, the coral its made of scraping her palm, but she holds it well. 

“Temari,” she answers. “Firstborn of Karura, and princess of the desertlands of Suna.”

The woman lets out a laugh like ringing bells and the promise of bloodshed. No one approaches them before it, but as soon as the sound leaves her throat, Sasori’s men snap their attention to her. 

“A princess,” she coos. “How lucky of me. I’m Tenten of the Konohagakure Ocean. You fell into my territory.”

“My apologies,” Temari replies. 

A strange tickling at her throat makes her dart a hand up to it. The gils on it are disappearing, fluttering back against her skin and melting into smooth skin. 

“Don’t bother with them,” Tenten says. “I got a wife out of it.” 

Temari has exactly zero time to wrap her mind around that before Tenten, in only that sarong and wielding a spear that was definitely smaller a couple of seconds ago, impales one of the pirates that has been dancing around her, looking lovestruck and stupid. 

She takes a half second to calibrate before she dives into the fray as well, wondering exactly how she’s going to explain to her brothers that she’s married to a mermaid.

#naruto #temari #tenten #tematen #tentema #ao3 #fic #its-amihan

[an-island-of-bunnies]

Prompt: Date Night!

It’s Fanfic Sunday! (Monday whoops, ran a little late because I got carried away with the writing) Prompt is Formal Event + aquarium date, suggested by an anon and the discord chat! <3 Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the read! Will try to do the other prompts next time! Read it under read more!

“I need to talk to you,” Dario whispered. Garrett made a face.

“What? I can’t hear you over this fucking music.” Dario frowned.

“I need to talk to you,” he repeated, louder. “It’s serious.”

“Now? I don’t think it’s a good time. How about we go home already so we can talk about it there?” he offered, moving from the corner of the ballroom and making his way towards the door.

Dario gripped his arms to stop him. “We can’t leave yet,” he said, and Garrett groaned.

“I don’t want to be here.”

“You think I do? But it’s my family.” Garrett huffed in frustration.

They were at a quinceanera, for one of Dario’s cousins. It was huge and loud and colorful and it was all getting on Garrett’s nerves. Why did he agree to go again? Oh yeah, Dario bribed him with food, and Garrett would do anything for free food. But he was tired and his dark collared shirt and blue vest combo were starting to feel annoying to wear. All he wanted to do now was be in his bed, in his boxers, preferably cuddling his boyfriend until he fell asleep.

The only bright side to this was seeing his boyfriend in formal wear. Dario was wearing a good-looking open black tux, with a pink vest and bowtie to match the color of his cousin’s dress. His hair was more styled and if it weren’t for the mask Dario had to wear (because the theme was some French thing), he would see how he had more makeup on him than usual. Even so, his boyfriend was a real handsome sight and gosh, he could get lost just looking at him that he almost regretted handing him over to one of the damas for the dance (almost- because there was no way he was ever going to perform such a stylish dance in front of a huge audience).

“Hey,” he called out, drawing Dario’s attention. “Come here.” Dario gave him a confused look before approaching him. Garrett grabbed him by the tie and pulled him close to press their lips together. “You look good…” he said, as they drew away.

“If that’s your way of trying to get us to go home, it’s not going to work,” said Dario, tugging at his bowtie to fix it. Garrett smiled, because his boyfriend was trying to act cool, but he could see those ears flushing. He reached forward and took Dario’s hand, interlacing their fingers. Still ever shy to public affection, Dario’s flushing got brighter, and he hid their hands between them.

“... Can we go home,” Garrett tried again.

“I still have photos to do.”

“Then can I go home?”

“You’re my ride.”

“I’ll pick you up later.”

“I want you here.” That shut Garrett up. As much as he hated these things, it really wasn’t all that bad with his boyfriend there, and he guessed it was the same for Dario.

“Okay, but I’m going to hate every minute of it.” Dario gave their hands a thankful squeeze. “ But I’m like… really tired, man...  I don’t think I can even stay awake enough for this.”

“If you make it through, we’ll go to that aquarium you like.” And boy, how Garrett’s face lit up.

“Ooh~ midnight aquarium date? You really mean that?” Dario nodded. “Okay, fine. But I’m still holding onto the food promise, too.”

“You didn’t like the food here?”

“I did, and I took so many of those cookies for us. Still want that shake, though.” Dario smiled.

“Deal.”

----

Dario sat at the chambelanes’ table, watching Garrett socialize with his grandmother. Fuck. He brought Garrett here for one other reason than not wanting to go alone, and he didn’t tell him. But he couldn’t. The mood wasn’t right anymore. Garrett was on high edge from this party and the moment would be ruined. Why did he think this would be a good setting to tell him? He guessed he had hoped that he would feel confident enough. Still, there was another chance. There was their aquarium date, and he couldn’t think of anywhere more perfect to tell.

All he needed was a private moment between them. Soon, because he just can’t hold off anymore, or else it’d feel like he would never work up the courage again.

----

“Oh man, finally,” Garrett groaned as he parked his car in front of the aquarium. Dario sat in the passenger seat, pulling at his bowtie until it came off. Garrett whined, “Keep that on~ It looked really cute on you.”

“Just get down from the car,” huffed Dario, before shrugging off his tux jacket. “I almost had a heatstroke in this.” Garrett snickered.

“Alright, alright, just give me a sec.” Garrett unbuttoned his vest and threw it into the back seat. Then he began to undo his collared shirt until noticing Dario’s stare in his direction. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Taking off my clothes?” He swatted Dario’s hands away as they went to stop him. “Relax, I got a tank under here.” Dario still gave him a face but went back to taking off his pink vest. After tossing the shirt back, Garrett took a quick look around, kicked off his shoes, and began to shrug off his pants.

“For fuck’s sake, Garrett-”

“Dude, chill, there’s no one around,” Garrett huffed. “I’m not going in there with those stupid ass clothes.” He reached over his seat and dug through the scattered clothes to pull out some dark tattered jeans.

Dario took a glance in the back. “Anything for me back there?” There was a wait as Garrett was forcing his legs through the pants, before he looked at him incredulously.

“What? You just gave me shit for this.”

“I can’t go in like this if you’re looking like that.” Garrett gave a small grunt in reply and stepped out of the car to force the pants up to his hips. “How do you wear those?”

“They’re fine once they’re on,” he replied, buttoning them up. “See?” He goes to the back and grabbed his usual boots and a white hoodie. “Here,” he said, tossing the jacket to Dario. Dario caught it and looked it over.

“...This is my jacket. I’ve been looking for this,” Dario stated. Garrett put on his boots, before looking in the rearview mirror to check on his hair.

“Yeah, I stole it from you.”

“... how many of my stuff do you have?” Dario asked, turning to look through the back. Garrett tugged him back, pressing another kiss to him (and it just took Dario’s breath away).

“Babe, I like wearing your jackets, that’s all. Let it go so I can see the jellyfishes,” he said.

“Really…?” Dario whispered. Why does Garrett have such an effect on him?

“Yeah. It’s nice.” He felt his heart skip, and a surge of confidence overtook him.

“Garrett- I… need to talk to you.” Garrett pressed their lips together again to silence him.  

“Talk to me inside, okay?”

---

“Why would they even have it open this late?” Dario asked, as his boyfriend dragged him quickly down the hallway. “There’s like no one here.”

“For people like me,” said Garrett, stopping in front of the jellyfish exhibit. “Oh man, I could never get tired of looking at them…” An ironic thing to say since Garrett looked like he was going to fall asleep standing. Dario gave him a look before sitting on the bench nearby.

“I could say the same thing about you,” he said. He could barely make out the blush that grew on Garrett’s cheeks as the guy turned to look at him.

“...You turn into a real corny guy when no one’s around,” he replied, but in a teasing manner. Dario shrugged.

“I mean it, though.” His boyfriend kept his stare on him for a while before turning away to look at the jellyfishes again. Dario looked at them for a moment, but he couldn’t really see what attracted Garrett so much to these exhibits. They’re just…. fishes.

“Dare, come here,” he heard Garrett call, and he goes to stand next to him. Garrett wrapped their hands together, looking at him. “Look at these with me.”

“I don’t… really get it,” he said lamely. Garrett rolled his eyes.

“Just look.” He stepped closer to the exhibit between the jellyfishes. Dario followed and tried to understand, watched the colorful fishes swim around for a while…. until he got bored.  Aquariums really aren’t his thing, but he didn’t mind being here, as long as Garrett was having his fun. The guy deserved it, especially after having to be introduced to the 50+ members of the family and keeping his grandma company for half of the night (even though Garrett loved being with his grandma).

But looking over to him, watching that tired face look on with awe and excitement… He could stare forever. His boyfriend was beautiful when he was like this, especially with the blue fluorescent lights shining on him. Moments like these made him realize…

Then he remembered: he still hadn’t told him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He couldn’t get himself to bring it up. How does he even start a conversation with this topic? Then out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a blue fish. Not just any regular one, but it was a rich blue fish with a dark face and beautiful long fins that faded into black. If he could get a closer look, he could see a hint of a red hue on it, and it was a pretty sight. It sort of reminded him of…  and he gets an idea.

“I found a fish that looks like you,” he said out loud, and to his surprise, Garrett had said it, too, face smiling up at him. Dario couldn’t help but smile back. “This one right here,” he said, pointing to the dark blue fish, “really reminds me of you.” Garrett’s smile falters, and for a second, Dario wondered if he said the wrong thing.

“Uh… this…. fish… is yours,” he said, with such hesitation, while pointing at the red and white lionfish passing by. Dario paused.

“You were going to make fun of me, weren’t you?” he said. Garrett’s head dropped.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t expecting it,” he said back. He pointed to the Napoleon blue fish that had passed by. “I was gonna say that you looked like that.” Dario noticed the fish and couldn’t help but laugh, because it was just like Garrett, and after realizing it was okay, Garrett joined in.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

---

“Garrett, it’s 2 am,” said Dario, on the bench with his back to the wall. It was late and he was tired but his boyfriend was still exploring the aquarium, albeit more obviously worn out. The guy was dragging his feet and muttering to himself, and occasionally he’d struggle to read the information on the walls before giving up and returning to Dario.

“I didn’t get to feed the manta ray,” Garrett mumbled, sitting down beside him. He leaned his head onto his shoulder, eyes almost closed but watching the exhibit across from them.

“They’re closed. I told you that twice now.” Garrett yawned, and it triggered a yawn from Dario as well. He wasn’t used to staying up this late. That was Garrett’s specialty (except on days like these were Garrett’s energy has been drained). “Aren’t you really tired by now?”

“Yeah… but I like… seeing them,” his boyfriend said quietly, on the verge of sleep. They sat there in silence for a while, and it was making Dario nervous. It was getting late, and he still hasn’t told him. He had to now before he ends up deciding to repress it again.

“...Hey, Garrett?”

“...Mm-hm?” He sounded so quiet and tired, but Dario pushed on.

“We’ve been dating for… five months now…?” He hesitated before continuing, “I… honestly never thought I would be here... like this- with you. Hell, I never thought I would even meet someone, you know?” He paused, refusing to look at his boyfriend (who seemed to be listening intensely). “It’s just that… I’ve been looking back recently… and…

“You really changed me. A lot. I know I’m still having trouble doing some things and I know I still fuck up, but… you’ve been really good to me. Like… really good and I-I… just thought-....” He groaned quietly and put his hands together, his cheeks growing warmer at his bumbling words. All he wanted to do now was to bolt out the door, because it was awkward and clumsy and nothing like how he imagined it. Nevertheless, he kept going. “My family loves you, my sister loves you, my friends love you, and… I don’t think I could imagine not being with you, and I don’t want to.” He took a deep breath.

“What I’m trying to say is that I lov-… That I...” He paused, before forcing himself to look at Garrett, because fuck it, he wasn’t going to run away. He might only ever have one chance and he had to take it-

… except that Garrett was asleep. Dario felt his ears burn in embarrassment at the fact. His boyfriend fell asleep while he was rambling to himself for who knows how long. Fucking hell.

He… couldn’t bring himself to feel upset. Instead, he let go of the breath he was holding and smiled, because maybe it wasn’t meant to be, but his sleeping boyfriend was still a cute sight to behold. Careful not to wake him, Dario stood and carried Garrett onto his back. He grabbed the legs and held them at his sides before making his way to the exit.

---

They were finally home and Garrett was still fast asleep. Dario took him to his room, this time in a bridal-style position. He laid him on his bed, took off the other’s shoes, and tucked him in nicely. Then he tried to walk to his own room but stopped when he felt a tug on his clothes. He looked down to see his boyfriend half-asleep, gripping his pants.

“Hey… what did you… wanted to talk to me… about…?” he murmured. Dario smiled and crouched to be eye-level with him (and those blue eyes were so tired but still trying to stay awake… for him).

“It’s nothing important. Get some sleep.” He paused, before pressing a soft kiss to the other’s nose and giving a smile. “Love you,” he whispered, and those tired blue eyes opened just a little more because they both knew it was going to be a whole new world for them.

“... Sleep with me,” Garrett muttered, and Dario did (after finally taking off all of his formal wear). He laid in the space beside his boyfriend, flat on his back and eyes to the ceiling. Arms wrapped around his bare chest and Garrett’s head was on his shoulder again. “You have one chance if you want to take it back,” he offered.

“I don’t,” Dario said firmly. Garrett hummed to himself as he cuddled his side.

“You’re such a dork.” Silence stretched between them for so long that Dario thought he fell asleep again until- “Tell me again.”

“I love you.” It should have been embarrassing, he thought, but Dario only felt more at ease. Like a weight lifted.

“Again.”

“I love you.”

“... again.”

“I love you.” Garrett didn’t ask anymore but had buried his face into his neck.

“Dork…” he murmured. And this time he did fall asleep. He looked so comfortable, clinging onto his side with his cold legs wrapping around his body for warmth. Dario gave a soft sigh before closing his eyes to sleep. It didn’t come easy; his boyfriend’s reaction was still imprinted into his mind. The way those eyes lit up like they just found life, and looked at him with an unspoken message that was still so loud, echoing:

‘I love you, too.’

#skaroy writes #original #ocs #oc #fanfic #fanfic sunday #darren #garrett #weep #i like this one?? #i think?? #gotta focus on grammar and mistakes more tho

[nihilistlover]

Small Gods (Miscellaneous/Airport)

"You know people can be really awful, Percival. They'll come into your life. Ruin you, take everything, ask for more, and they won't even leave a goddamn tip." --- "-" Percival had just breathed. A breath. Maybe a start of a sentence in the direction of the man who had been watching his explosion at the Delta check-in from the simply metal and blue cloth waiting chairs. All stacked and bunched and too close. And he was incredibly and embarrassingly shut down. "Don't try and talk to me like this is all normal. Like you're what, gonna care about my career? My life? Or just nod and smile and make small comment. Or are you gonna show me who you really are. Because I have half the mind to get the fuck up right now because at least the rest of these people have the decency to hide themselves. Yeah, that part of themselves. The part that yells at a fucking stewardess just trying to get by in this economy like she can cast some kind of fucking spell just so your important precious ass can get back home. Yeah, not likely. I know what this is. Don't even try to pull on a mask and pretend to be the nice guy, good guy. I know there's just a bunch of stupid bored seething rage. And you've got nowhere else to put it but on other hurt and damaged people." Percival swallowed his unspoken words, eaten up by silence and self-pity and the harsh metal edges of his chair. He stared at the shattered screen of his Iphone 4S and pretended for the moment, despite it being blank and black except for the occasional ping and notification, that it was the most interesting thing within his purview. Percival wanted to clean up from the first disastrous attempt at conversation with the golden-haired man. He didn't know why, the needy, self-obsessed reasoning for needing to feel relevant loved and of immediate interest in any situation clawed at his stomach. And he opened his mouth to talk. Words and words, a conversation that would end nowhere. "You know my partner-" "You're married?" "Yeah," Percival showed his hand. "I have a husband, but no ring. Just a certificate from the state of New York." He kind of looked at Grindelwald, quieter, "It's at home." "Whoa, make the fat cats hiss." Percival laughed, "Yeah, people have their reactions." "Did you all ever adopt?" "Well, no. Can't in Florida." "Why not stay in New York. I mean kids are the reason people keep fucking breathing." "Yeah, we both moved for our jobs." Grindelwald quirked an eyebrow a wide splitting smile. "Was it really about the jobs?" "Yeah, yeah." And Percival drifted into resigned silence. --- "Do you ever think-" And Percival couldn't stop now he had Grindelwald's undivided attention. "That like there's some other place. Like another time entirely. With people like you but not like you. But they're doing and feeling the exact same things. And they're just living a whole nother life." Grindelwald smiled pulling Percival towards him. His hands smelled like gunpowder. His eyes wild and full of all the ideas and thoughts and actions and sins that Percival had always been smart enough to think of but too stupid to act on. "Yes," He titled his head towards Percival. "And they'll always be more interesting." Grindelwald kissed him, then backed away. Separating and departing and extinguishing the spark of a new flame that had ignited in Percival's life. "But never perfect." --- "I had a reoccurring nightmare as a kid you know." "Did you now? Join the club- mine was pissing myself at recess and getting my diaper eaten off by a pack of rabid tigers.”Queenie was twisting another set of fireworks together. Percival hissed out a puff of air. "O, really. Like we're all so goddamn perfect. I was a bed wetter. I'm sure you did something nasty throughout your pre-pubescent years. Even pretty people were only ugly once. They just learned to hide it better." "Yeah, I used to puke in my sleep. My Mom thought I was gonna choke or some shit. But I only did it when I slept walk." She flicked at the conjoined ends."Did you do it often?" "Often enough to ruin things. There used to be artwork all over the apartment walls. Until well yeah." "So what, was your nightmare you would like fall asleep in class and puke at school or something?" "Yeah I had one like that, but the one I had every night had to do with lights. The lights in my room. The whole apartment. The kitchen, foyer, my parents room. I even have it now. That they just don't turn on no matter how many times I try." "Did you used to sleepwalk around turning on lights?" "Yeah," said Percival he scratched at the back of his hair and swiveled in the deck chair. "Well no wonder, your eyes were closed." "I guess it makes sense." She set the bundle of firecrackers in her lap. "How do you feel about Jung?" "Feel about him?” Yeah you know, like him hate him, would fuck him for his ideas if you could. Are you that kind of secret fanboy?" "No, God Queenie. I barely know about him. Newt got an ABA I just know his work. Some of it. I think he was hack. About dreams at least. You know them having a singular meaning and kind of basic symbolism." "Well what would he think about your dream do ya think?" "That the lights don't work wherever I live?" Queenie tapped her temple, "Or maybe that you're not very bright." "O, clever one." Queenie smiled , real smug. She clicked the light off on her head lamp, and said, "I try." She lit the green ends, tossed the packet in the lagoon. They both watched and listened to the explosion. “Lionfish,” she said it to the white magnesium flash just under the gently rocking waves. A warm wind kicked up and pulled at their hair and clothes. The boat rocked on, its little blue canopy creaked over their heads. All the lights were kept off. “They're an invasive species.” “Yeah,” said Percival. He looked over the edge too. The flashbang from the bundle had long since fizzled out. He could hear the frothing commotion of upset bubbles forcing their way to the surface. The sound like opening a shook can of Cola. He added his own and said, “Motherfuckers.”

#writing #googledocs #more dumpy #unedited #small gods

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

casual reminder that you shouldn’t fuck about with things in aussie tide pools or the ocean/beach region

half of them will probably kill you, some will definitely kill you, at least three i can think of can kill you before you know you’re dead

-

noticing an uptake in ig and fb photos of people doing stupid shit again, and it’s basic marine biology /common sense peeps

-

Specifically, don’t pick up tiny octopi, yeah they’re cute... but consider this: you won’t know if its a blue ringed octopus until it’s too late, and their beak is small so you won’t FEEL the bite... 

and the only way to survive a bite is immediate medical help where they try to keep you alive long enough for the toxin to flush out of your system, as the toxin does its best to shut everything down

like... just saying... you see picks of people picking up these little creatures all the time, and you’re screaming internally bc that could be a ProblemTM, and jesus why would you do that?

i mean, there’s also conefish that’ll fuck you up

stonefish chill around the place, step on one and you’ll know

lionfish are pretty but poisonous

eels and seasnakes can fuck you up

some corals have concerning defences, but again even a scratch from one if not treated right can get hella infected

stingrays are chill, unless scared (btw Steve Irwin SPECIFICALLY said not to blame the ray, he’d startled it, so please stop hating on the little guys)

Jellyfish are everywhere >IRUKANJI/Box Jellyfish are really teeny tiny little cuties... they will cause you unending agony and can kill some people >Do not go messing with them

Blue Bottles or Man’O’War are unmistakeable. Also jellyfish-like in the way they use tentacles

Basic Jellyfish

[As you may know from your op marine biology classes at high school, jellyfish tentacles are contact-activated (cn be circumvented by thick wetsuits). All along the tentacles are hundred of thousands of nematocysts... basically tiny little cells with what is basically minuscule harpoons in them. When one touches your bare swimmer leg, they fire and snatch you up, the more you move the more it wraps and activates. Which is why it hurts like hell, you shoud never try to remove one barehanded, peeing on it is a BAD IDEA (heat can stimulate more firing) and rubbing sand on it is also bad.]

>To remove jellyfish tentacles, if you cannot locate a lifeguard (who will have supplies for this type of first aid in the tower), wash the area with seawater -anything else will trigger more. Vinegar will remove most tentacles. But make your first priority calling for an ambulance 000/additional medical aid, because some people can have EXTREME reactions to jellyfish stings (esp. irukanji), ad it can require CPR in some instances). 

Sharks - most are chill, but a few are desperate enough to come in to shore. Don’t hunt them, don’t antagonise deliberately, they live in the damn ocean btw. A smack to the nose can ward them off in an emergency but mostly getting tf out of the water is the best bet.

>Other squid/octopi, they legit have tiny ass beaks that can damage you. Sure they look cute but do you want to risk it...

>We actually have quite a few fish that can fuck you up a bit?

>The crabs have amassed an army and are coming for us all someday soon, please do not antagonise them any further. they have a leviathan.

-

There are heaps of others, but like... if you really absolutely hav to bother tf out of sealife? And you’re in Aus... there are aquariums and (in Qld specifically) there’s the Mooloolabah Wharf Aquarium with touch pools of safe creatures...?

There are options outside of seaside roulette with your life?

-

And also, blue ringed octopi might flare before being touched but may be happy to be picked up and then flare... like... don’t risk it. I cannot underline how dangerous those murderous little beauties are. You will not know you are in danger, until you suddenly can’t move or breathe, and let’s hope you have someone with you to call 000... 

-

random post, please be safe.

riptides aren’t the only danger on the beach peeps

also, if you’re an aussie and can do a first aid course, it’s a good idea to have at least one person in the family/social circle able to respond to an emergency (esp. on the beach re: the above). so think about it.

[wolfyttwisted]

If your characters (or you) were merpeople, what kind of water-based creature would their mer half be? (Mythical and fictional and any other kind of water-based creatures are allowed, not just real ones.)

yyyyeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES THIS MY SHIT

OKAY IM GONNA DO A QUICK RUN DOWN! 

JW- a horrifying lionfish/shrimp hybrid with lots of little fluttery legs! You can see a drawing of it HERE. He would also be a sea witch.

Noelle- she would be a more traditional looking mermaid with tropical fish colorations but she would also be a siren.

Jeff- straight up a selkie

Horas- i think he’d be an electric eel merdude and he’d have his own bones tattooed on his sides because he’s a nerd who’d do that for a joke.

Maurice- a hippocampitaur! You can find a whole tag of him here! 

Meranda- A FUCKING SHARK, the kind with the really long tail that looks like a knife!

Roman- a mer dolphin because he is curious playful and would probably kill a man for fun

Olee- a bioluminescent deep sea horrorterror with weird pseudo legs and a mouth that opened WAY TOO WIDE and also you can see his bones and guts in parts he’s eaten an entire package of break and bake cookie dough without even taking the wrapper off god damn it olee

Bev- a wicked lobster taur that is poisonous!

Suur- a leafy sea dragon that has to latch onto Roman with their tail to keep up with him and make sure he doesnt do stupid shit

THIS WAS A REALLY FUN QUESTION it really made my night!!!

#replies #mermaids #jw #horas #roman gulliver #olee #suur #bev #meranda #maurice #noelle #jeff #mewtwowarrior

[thepinkseat-askthemoonbunny]

Alright y'all, I know a LOT of people think that Dumbledore pulled a set-up of the Potters' deaths so he'd have a Chosen One and let the prophecy leak on purpose. Reasonable conclusion to make given the circumstances, but I think that's completely false.

1. We don't know who the prophecy was about. Even when it was revealed it didn't mention anybody, and I DOUBT that Lily and Alice were the ONLY two pregnant witches who defied Voldemort three times on the whole planet (because think about it, this could've been anybody on the planet. It didn't say Britain). I know Voldemort's powerful like a motherfucker but there can't have been only two people to defy this guy, the definition of defiance is so murky it could be anything.

2. He let the Potters choose their own Secret Keeper, and suggested to put them under Fidelius in the first place. Dumbledore offered himself at first, now you can argue this was for show but why would he do that? Because everybody may love Dumbledore but they're not stupid. Everybody knows how the charm works, if the great and powerful Dumbledore was Secret Keeper and the charm suddenly "failed", people would be suspicious as fuck. Sirius was loyal as a lionfish and Dumbledore let them "choose" him! He didn't suggest a SK who was going to betray them, didn't plant a spy, no Confundus, no Imperius, nothing! I mean if this was a "setup" he sure did the sloppiest job! If Peter Pettigrew hadn't snitched that night, Dumbledore's "plan" wouldn't have worked anyway.

3. Also he had no idea if Snape would have told Voldy. We don't know what happened that night, we don't know if Snape somehow used mind shields to keep from being Obliviated and he was devoted to Lily. He probably could've told Voldy he found nothing (he fooled the guy for seventeen years, he could have done it). And we all know there's a chance that Voldemort would've just iced everyone, said fuck Snape and the magic bullet dies, ie the "weapon" Dumbledore was trying to supposedly obtain, is killed. Why would Dumbledore go through all this to obtain some weapon that has a near hundred percent chance of not surviving. And if Voldemort hadn't chosen the Potters...forget about it.

My point is, Dumbledore didn't set this up and if he did he sure did the worst job in history. He left WAY too many wild cards running around for this big great plan to either not be enacted or go horribly wrong, and a strategist like Dumbledore if he was as super manipulative as fanon believes he is, wouldn't be that sloppy. In a setup you need to make sure it goes off without a hitch, and Dumbledore failed epically if he did such a thing.

#harry potter #hp #prophecy #potters #albus dumbledore #severus snape #voldemort