#yes I am a normal man who wants to live in London :)

[the-isopodcalypse]

I think that we spend too much time making fun of Johnathan Harker for ignoring all of Count Dracula's red flags and not enough time making fun of Count Dracula for being really bad at hiding the fact that he's an immortal, bloodthirsty monster.

#dracula daily #dracula #yes I am a normal man who wants to live in London :) #have I told you about the wars I fought in I mean the wars my family fought in hundreds of years ago? #is that a mirror?? how dare you! oh shit a rosary fuck I have to leave right now immediately

[steppin-on-the-last-train]

cowboy like me

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary: As a part-time criminal and a full-time escape artist your first priority was always to keep people at arm's length. When you meet someone who also knows what it's like to live from day to day, you're not so sure you want to let her slip away.

Foreword: Title taken from the Taylor Swift song cause it’s evermore season y’all

The first time you met the Black Widow was aboard a train heading south toward London. 

You sat, facing the window and watching the people mill about the terminal outside. Your cheeks were still red and wind bitten from your commute to the station. The car was almost full now, most everyone dressed in Manchester United jerseys and hats and the like. You blended in just fine among them. Another fan headed home after the match with a scarf and an old pair of trainers. 

You rehashed the details of your current mark in your head like a mantra. Jameson Harris. 42 Malcolm Rd. Wife was Anna Harris. Two children, Marcus and Emily. 

“All aboard. The 5:00 train from Manchester to London is off in three minutes,” the conductor announced from a speaker overhead. You could barely hear it over the excitement of the crowd. A little boy ran screaming down the aisle, his mother giving a futile chase. 

In the set of seats facing you two men about your age sat down. They were clearly drunk, laughing like hyenas and shoving each other in a manner that bordered on real anger. At least one of them smelled like heavy smoke.

“Hey, mate,” the tall, lanky one with a bad neck tattoo waved at you. “How about that game, eh?” 

You grinned widely as if you had one too many drinks coursing through your veins. “Fucking wild.” You stumbled over the words as if your tongue didn’t sit correctly in your mouth. “Best match of the season, if you ask me.” 

The other guy, fitter and dark-haired took out a lighter and a cigarette. He lit it and pulled a huge drag. The exhaled smoke blew right into the face of a passing attendant. 

She coughed stiffly into her hand. “Sir, there is no smoking allowed onboard. I am going to have to ask you to step out or please put it out.”

“Are you talking to me, sweetheart?” You averted your gaze, scrolling mindlessly through the contacts in your phone. If the woman was looking for a hero, you were a false beacon of hope. 

“Yes. Now, please. There is truly no smoking allowed in the car.” The acrid stench of nicotine once more assaulted everyone misfortunate enough to be in the general vicinity.

The man took a deep breath and stood. Elaborately he stubbed the cigarette out on the back of his seat, little bits of ash flaking into the air. The attendant moved on and he dropped back into the chair. “Fucking cunt,” he swore loud enough to cut through the din. 

You closed your eyes to shut out the cloudy winter light intent on piercing your retinas and the jerky movements of the other passengers, high off the energy from the match. You swore you would take a break after this job. You had made that exact same promise to yourself last week in Bogota, and the time before in Cairo. No, you wouldn’t stop. Just as relentless as the blood rushing through your veins, stopping would be tantamount to death.

“Excuse me.” A voice caused your train of thought to come to a screeching halt. Innocence dripped from the words like honey, and you could tell the woman’s voice was pitched up from her normal tone. “Is anyone sitting here?” A slender hand gestured at the seat next to yours. 

You pushed yourself up from the slouch you had been lounging in, feeling self-conscious. “No. Go right ahead,” you answered, cockney accent shining right through. She was pretty, you noted; about your age as well. A hitch tugged at the back of your brain. An evolutionary alarm from living your entire life on the move. This woman was not to be trusted. Underneath the wide eyes and the girlish smile was a viper coiled to strike. 

“Thank you,” she said, looking quite small against the backdrop of the raucous train car.

A wolf whistle pierced the air, looking for trouble. The bloke who had been smoking flashed a predator’s grin at the blonde beside you. “Where are you traveling to all alone now, girlie?” 

You watched the exchange from the corner of your eye. Why did conflict seem to follow wherever you stepped foot? The woman merely glanced up from her book, unwilling to feed the fire. 

“Oi. Why don’t you go ahead and look at me when I’m talking to you? I know you can hear me.” The train had begun to depart, ushering in a wave of quiet to the car as passengers settled down. The demand was impossible to ignore. Even as parents hushed children and drunkards passed out in increasing numbers, his voice only gained intensity. 

“This train is headed for London, is it not?” She asked, face as innocent as a blank sheet of paper. 

“Hey Jack. She’s a witty one,” he said, slapping his friend on the chest. The woman flicked her gaze at you. Your attention wandered to her like a moth to a flame. You stomped down on any inclination to help her. You weren’t going to lose this game of chicken.

“Sweetheart.” The man so called Jack joined in the instigating. “How about you come home with us, eh? I’ve got a real nice flat. I bet you’d like the bedroom.”

“No, I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t you come with me to the bathroom right now?” The dark-haired one surged forward, grimy hand outstretched toward the woman. Caution gone with the wind, your arm darted out on its own accord. You intercepted his wrist, tugging harshly enough for him to stumble closer to you. 

The blonde’s eyes widened and she shrank in on herself in her seat. You saw right through the act. An elderly man with a newsboy cap across the aisle watched the altercation like a deer caught in headlights. You prayed he wouldn’t call for help.

The entire damn point was to not draw attention to yourself. Today though, electricity charged the air with biting energy. The presence of the mystery-shrouded person beside you drove you past the gates of reason. 

You squeezed the man’s pinky until you heard the crunch of bone pushed too far. He screeched like a cat. “Go and find yourself another seat. I don’t care if the car is full. You’ll throw yourself out the rear if you have to. Don’t let me see your fucking face again,” you whispered in his ear. The words leapt flaming from your tongue.

Eyes wild with adrenaline and the courage of alcohol, he swung at you with his free fist. You caught the clumsy punch, seized the man by the wrist, and snapped it clean. He screamed, turning the heads of the other passengers. Your gaze swept like a searchlight through the crowd, promising more hurt to anyone who might even think about interfering. 

He crashed back into his friend’s lap before staggering to his feet. His sniffles and shuffling footsteps echoed through the silent traincar. “Go on,” you directed his buddy, who wasted no time before similarly scrambling from his seat. A final burst of dauntlessness flared up your throat. “What the fuck are you all staring at me for?” You broadcasted to the intrigued onlookers.

Half of these people weren’t sober enough to remember this in the morning. For those who did, you would be a completely different person the second you stepped foot off this godforsaken vehicle. 

“Thank you,” the woman said, sickly sweet.

“Don’t mention it.” You admitted beating up assholes wasn’t an entirely cumbersome task.

“I feel obliged now to ask what your name is,” she continued.

You raised your eyebrows, turning in her direction. “What about stranger danger? How do you know I didn’t just stop them so I could be alone with you?”

“How do you know I needed your help?” She batted the question back at you.

“Touche.” You knew she didn’t. But she had indeed wanted to keep her cards close to her chest at the expense of you revealing yours. You offered a hand. “I’m Sam.”

“Nadia,” she replied, conceding the handshake. Her palms and fingers were lined with ridges of calluses. 

“That’s a pretty name.” But not one that belonged to her, you thought.

She was so close now. The setting sunlight streamed through the window and coaxed the vibrance from the green of her irises. You stopped yourself from lingering there too long. You imagined all the people who had lost to her siren’s call before.

You cleared your throat and broke off the staring match. “Can I ask what you’re doing in England? Excuse me assuming that you’re not from around here.” If she wanted to play this game, you didn’t see the harm in joining in. 

“I’m visiting a friend.” Her American accent drew attention. Odd for a thief or a spy or whoever she was to forgo language assimilation. “What about you, Sam? Did you grow up here?” 

“I did. Never been out of the country meself.” Lies to you, but truths for Sam the football fan.

“Got anyone special at home?” She smirked, looking up at you from a downturned face.

You scoffed. She was messing with you. “No. Not for me. I like to keep available. You never know when an opportunity might come around. I’m not usually one to let a good thing pass me by.”

“And what makes a special opportunity? How do you know one when you see it?” How fitting that smoke still lingered in the air. 

“I guess,” you started slowly. “Some people just have this spark about them.” 

She wet her lips. “Do you think I have it?” If some people sparked with electricity, she certainly blazed with the sun’s heat. 

The corner of your mouth lifted in a smile. You rolled your eyes with playful mirth. That was all the answer she needed.

Good thing as soon as the train pulled into the station in London you would get your ass as far away from her as possible. And with any luck, as the moon eclipses the sun your paths would cease to cross for a very long time.

—

Prime Minister Jameson Harris had an expensive taste in liquor. You were alone in his house, save for a half dozen security agents scattered about various entryways. Tonight you doubled as the man himself while he and his family had been whisked away to another secure location. You owed a friend in MI6 a favor, so you played the sitting duck amidst rumors of an assassination plot. Just another average night.

You snagged a crystal bottle of mystery alcohol from the shelf. Twisting the cork off with a pop you smelled it experimentally before taking a swig straight from the jug. Mister Harris had a fine taste in whiskey indeed. You rounded a giant mahogany table and sat, polished leather squeaking in protest. 

The study lights weren’t overwhelming thanks to the dimmers you had spent way too long fiddling with. In addition you had lit a couple of candles. The room had smelled too much like mothballs and stale paper for your taste.

You raised the whiskey bottle in a toast to an imaginary gathering. “Long live the United Kingdom. To the prosperity of humankind. May all mutant scum drop dead,” you pronounced with the fanfare of a juvenile king. No one had stuck around to tell you your birthday, but you still had a good year or two before you were of drinking age. That much at least, you knew.

You didn’t follow politics, not keen on allying yourself with a particular nation, but the anti-mutant sentiment reached you anyhow. Hate and fear for you and your kind served as a rallying point for human leaders. They ceased pointing their guns at each other and instead set their targets on you. 

Bottle in hand, you stood abruptly and turned toward the giant bookshelf behind you. Classic novels, history collections, and political theory publications lined the entire wall. You traced your fingers down their spines. You had to stay the night here, but thought it may be wiser to resist the call of sleep lest you don’t wake in the morning. 

You pulled a relatively thin volume down. Between the stealing and fleeing and occasional strong-arming you didn’t have a lot of time to read. Tonight, you could start playing catch up with The Scarlet Letter. 

You meandered back toward the desk. Glancing up, a cool breeze rushed at you from an open window. Your stomach dropped, heavy with an iron pit. The curtains flapped in the wind, taunting you for letting your guard down.

You set the whiskey and the book down on the desk and instead wrapped your hand around the slick steel of a pistol hidden beneath. “Show yourself,” you called in the voice of Jameson Harris. “Don’t think I won’t shoot you for breaking and entering.” 

The study was by no means cramped for room, but even still there were few places to hide. You cleared the room in less than a second before realizing the door was ajar too. 

You stalked out into the hall, only to find a guard passed out on the floor. You dug your fingers into your temple. Someone was clearly amusing themselves with the game they were playing. Even so, a chill ran down your spine. You weren’t used to being the rat in the maze in these situations. 

Outside the study, the rest of the house was blanketed in darkness. For you, the absence of light made no difference. You could see just fine with the barest hint of sunshine. From above the bannister, you peered down the sight of the gun at the foyer. The ground floor lay still, as if holding its breath. The security guard posted at the front door sat slumped against the wall. You couldn’t tell if the dark spot pooling beneath his body was born of shadow or something much more sinister. 

A cold hand on your shoulder jolted you from your search. Before you could turn around, meticulously sharpened steel carved a grinning line across your throat. You clamped a hand around the wound, panic fluttering in your chest like a trapped canary. From the corner of your warping vision you saw a figure, wrapped in a shawl of shadows. The light from their eyes waited eagerly for the one in yours to wink out.

You stumbled, choking on your own blood. Pink froth bubbled from your mouth, burning with the chase of death. Your attention slipped and you shifted from the body of Jameson Harris and back into yourself. Well, almost. What you imagined you might look like without the lizard eyes and cobalt blue skin of a freak. 

Beneath your palm your skin grew unnaturally warm. The waterfall of blood ceased its torrential flow. Slowly your skin sewed itself back together. You sighed in relief. You knew you could heal, but had never tested your powers to this extreme.

Behind you a voice muttered in Russian, “What the fuck?” 

You stood straight up, flicking blood absentmindedly from your hand. Surprise gripped your heart. Standing in the corner, as still as a statue was the girl from the train that had brought you here. Nadia no longer looked the picturesque part of a wonderstruck American teenager visiting London. Blonde hair, that you now decided had definitely been dyed, lay neatly down her back in an intricate braid. She wore a black form-fitting tactical suit. Not military issued, you thought. 

You blinked and found yourself staring down the muzzle of a pistol. You raised your hands in surrender, assuming the form you had been posing as on the train. A familiar rush raced from the top of your head to the ends of your limbs as your skin reformed itself. “Remember me?” You asked, spitting out a glob of blood and exposing red-stained teeth.

She cocked her head ever so slightly and just a moment of opportunity presented itself. You lunged for the gun while she grappled with the fact you’d been three completely different people in less than a minute. You let yourself shift back to your common appearance and vaulted across the floor. Muscles wound tight, you straightened your torso and kicked at the weapon.

Snapping back to reality she snatched the gun away just in time. You stood before she could re-aim and cut at her wrist. The gun clattered to the floor and you kicked it further down the hall. 

You craned your head to avoid a viscous elbow to the nose. Sweat began to build along your hairline and drip down the back of your neck. You didn’t fight often, preferring to run into the foliage rather than confront the enemy and run the risk of being caught. You missed the rush.

She fought like a dancer. Momentum built from a lunge forward charged a stinging jab at your ribs. You pushed her two steps back and she went for a low sweep at your legs. You moved so fast you could hear the rush of cloth through the air, the sound of a fist soaring at your gut. A knife appeared in her hand, opening a surgical gash along the length of your tricep. 

Hot blood ran down your arm. You weren’t sure what the limit of your healing factor was, but as the cut refused to close, you realized you might have spent it for tonight. 

Your heart thundered in your chest. You couldn’t lose, no doubt that if she caught you she wouldn’t hesitate to snap your neck and unload an entire round into your head, just in case. But you had to think five steps ahead even as a boot came flying hairwidths from your face and lightning fast slashes struck at any spot you left unprotected. 

She flipped herself and suddenly you were flat on your back, staring up at the ceiling. You pulled air back into your spent lungs, gasping as your fingers dug into the floorboards. From the corner of your vision you saw her bolt for the discarded gun. Panic flared through you and you sprung yourself up, tackling her off course.

The both of you crashed through the bannister and went soaring onto the ground floor. She managed to maneuver herself midair so that she would land on top of you. The impact shot up the knobs of your spine, your head whipping painfully against the cool floor. Her shoulder dug into your collarbone, breaths coming in steady little exhales. You lost your focus for a split second, the pain radiating from the back of your skull overwhelming everything else. 

Involuntarily you transformed into your natural appearance, attention split in so many ways you couldn’t hold onto maintaining your looks. You grit your teeth and shoved the woman off of you with all the strength you could muster, which admittedly beat the strongest of humans even on your worst days. She flew back and smashed into a side table, residing lamp tumbling down and shattering on the floor. 

You hurdled over the staircase railing at the halfway point and cleared the rest of the steps in one bound. You normalized your complexion, hoping the dark had shielded you from her seeing the momentary exposure. 

You scooped a gun up from the ground and whipped around, catching her at the top of the staircase. Strangling the grip, you tensed the muscles in your forearms and leveled it at her chest.

“Where’s Harris?” She asked, voice as harsh as the blade caught in her fist, still drip, drip, dripping with your blood. 

“A safe place. Somewhere far away from pretty women with sharp objects.” Your pointer finger ghosted over the trigger. A voice in the back of your mind urged you to pull it. Return the favor.

She arched one eyebrow. “You think I’m pretty?”

“I think you’re good.” You’d never tell her, but even with your enhanced strength and agility she’d had you on the ropes the entire fight. If you had so much as breathed differently you were sure the roles would be reversed right now. 

“But not good enough for you,” she finished. Even as she bowed completely at your mercy her expression gave nothing away. A long time ago, you thought, she sculpted her face from marble, and the mask had been cemented in place since.

You lowered the gun. You weren’t a killer anyhow.

Blood crusted under your fingernails and in the lines of your palms, your shirt was starting to stick to your skin. You slid it over your head and tossed it on the floor, well aware of the woman’s lingering gaze. 

You turned your back on her and strode into the bedroom, stealing a new shirt before locking yourself in the bathroom.

With a sigh you stopped holding a normal appearance and shifted back into your innate form. Staying in shape had become easier as you’d grown and fully navigated your powers but the process still ate up much of your concentration. Exhaustion slogged endlessly at your mind. 

You eyed your arm which had thankfully stopped actively bleeding, but the flesh still gaped open in a deep red valley. You pulled all the cabinets open, coming up with a roll of gauze and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Catching your lip between your teeth you washed the stinging wound, a hiss escaping as you flushed it out. You wrapped the bandage tight around your arm, ripping the extra with your teeth.

Methodically you cleaned yourself up. Filling your mouth with cold water from the tap, the sour coppery taste flushed away from your tongue. Then you scrubbed at your face, neck, and chest, trying hard to ignore the blue ridged flesh of an aberration. As the adrenaline started to drain from your system, the realization that death had been seconds away from stealing your life weighed on your mind like a wet blanket. 

You scrubbed harshly at your hands until the water ran clear and then some. Staring at your reflection you slowly recomposed yourself. Freakishly red hair gave way to a more muted color, the yellow in your eyes faded to white, and bit by bit, the blue scales that cursed you with this power overturned into ordinary skin.

You curled your lips into a careless grin lined with a protective amount of cockiness. The great Mystique smiled back at you.

There you are, you thought.

The first time you had ever lied you were small and alone and desperately hungry for food. You had stolen a loaf of bread from a baker’s cart and bolted around a corner before shifting into someone else. When the seller asked you if you had seen a child run off, you looked him in the eye and told him no. 

You weren’t sure how that one little lie had consumed you until there was no you left. Every morning you woke up and put on a charming show at the cost of further warping the person you ought to be. You’d die in your castle of lies, alone and bitter. 

You walked back out into the hall, finding your attacker right where you left her. She stared down at the pool of blood staining the wood floor as if maybe she had imagined the entire ordeal.

“Unfortunately for you, I am still here,” you said. Unease churned in your stomach. Perhaps she was simply lying in wait, like a predator crouching in the tall yellow grass. “Made quite the mess though, don’t you think? The Prime Minister might have to look at new flooring.” You cringed as you stepped over the dark, coppery smelling spot. The warm light from the study spilled out into the hall. You walked into it, boldly turning your back on the woman. “Come on. I know you have questions.”

You leaned against the desk, next to a little bobble head of a dog. She walked in a few moments later, looking infinitely more at ease than she had in the hall. The knife had disappeared from her grasp. You saw right through the veil, having constructed a similar one in the privacy of the bathroom. 

“So you’re not Jameson Harris, and you’re not Sam from London’s east end.” You shook your head, flicking at the toy. “Then who are you?” She stopped a respectable distance away, standing with her shoulders back and chin high.

You told her your name. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d done that truthfully. Yet this stranger managed to coax it out of you with one question. Faith was a funny thing. “And you?” You asked, tracing the curve of her jaw with your eyes.

“Romanova. Natalia.” She told you so almost robotically, as if the name was reserved for other people to use against her. As if she did not have the right to define herself.

“Nice to meet you, Natalia.” You took another sip of the whiskey before offering her the bottle. She eyed it suspiciously. “It’s not poisoned, I promise. It’ll get you damn drunk though.”

She took the bottle, fingers brushing yours momentarily. “I prefer vodka,” she said, drinking as if she’d been denied water for the past week. She passed it back, staring at you as if searching for something. “How?” She asked, your expression denying her any plausible answer.

“How what?” You asked, failing to suppress a growing smirk.

“The disguises.” The firm line of her lips told you she wasn’t entertained by your antics. “You’re wearing some kind of suit, are you not?” You could imagine the gears turning in her head, trying to explain the impossible.  

You slid yourself back until you sat fully on the desktop. “Nope. Fanciest piece of technology I own is a little flip phone,” you said, tracing the smooth lip of the desk with your fingertips. “And I don’t wear tacky suits.” 

“I’m offended,” she said lowly, not sounding the slightest bit bothered.

“Don’t be. The whole dark assassin thing suits you,” you said, waving your hand. “Not me though. I mean, could you imagine me in a skin tight suit?” 

“I wouldn’t sell yourself short. I think you could pull it off.” She raked her gaze over you and heat rose to your cheeks. 

You transformed into an exact copy of her, inspecting your hands in wonder as if she wasn’t standing an arm’s length away. “You’re right,” you said in her voice. “I do look good.” You threw a toothy grin her way before shifting back with a woosh. 

Realization dawned on her, green eyes brightening. “You’re one of them,” she said.

“Yep.” You swirled the alcohol around, watching how the light played off the bottle. “One of them.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just I’ve never—I’ve never met a mutant before.” She seemed awestruck at the revelation. You were so used to being met with fear and disgust. 

“I’m sure you have. Especially with all of the traveling you do,” you said. You remembered the window, still propped open from earlier. “Those of us that can try to blend in with everyone else. Take any street in a big city, for example. If you walked around for a little I guarantee you’d pass at least one of us.” You gazed up at the night sky, dotted with a billion brilliant stars. The estate sat well removed from the city and its hungry lights. “Most of us learned pretty quickly how to adapt, how to stay safe and hidden in the crowd,” you explained. 

“And those of you who can’t?” You looked over your shoulder at Natalia, so curious yet so far from innocent herself. 

“We go underground to survive. Or run the risk of being killed, or worse.” You’d heard the rumors. Missing mutants spawned stories. Stories of various governments and other organizations abducting your kind for experimentation. A shiver crawled down your spine.

“Sounds like a lonely way to live.”

You slammed the window shut with more force than necessary. “Takes one to know one.” You guessed people in her life were nothing more than fleeting moments either. “My turn,” you said. “What’s got you sneaking around in the middle of the night, attempting murder on the British prime minister?” 

“That’s none of your business,” she said as if speaking to a child. She took another long drink, fingers twitching at her side as a nervous tic. “What’s got you sitting in his house playing body double?” Her voice had taken on a defensive edge.

“A friend,” you replied smoothly. “And money, of course. Turns out protecting politicians pays almost as well as stealing from them.” 

“Well I’m not a sellout.”

You narrowed your gaze. “No, you just slit throats because you’re told to, then.” Natalia furrowed her brow. “Unless you’re telling me you got bored and picked up a new hobby.” She stayed quiet, your words seemingly falling on deaf ears. “What?” You asked. Her lips were slightly parted. She stalked closer, eyes flickering over your face. “Hey, hey,” you stuttered, tripping over your feet as you backpedaled. 

You huffed as you slammed into the wall. She reached out, so close now you could feel her breath on your face. You froze, heart thundering in your chest. She cupped your cheek tenderly, thumb brushing your flaming skin. 

“Your eye,” she whispered as if it were something holy. 

You blinked, taken aback. “What?”

“It’s yellow. They weren’t different colors before.”

You broke out of her hold, forcing yourself not to run to the mirror on the wall. The frame was a golden oval, hung in between a family portrait and a pair of framed university degrees. Sure enough your right eye had slipped back. You blinked and it fixed itself, but the damage was done. 

“I should go,” you muttered, staring at the floor and beelining for the door. Too much alcohol and too little sleep and this was what you wound up with. 

Natalia snagged your wrist and held you from taking off. You knew if you pulled away she’d let you go. You untensed the muscles in your back and let her spin you around. 

You tilted your head down and met her in a slow kiss. She had you hooked and you didn’t care. You couldn’t think straight, the taste of her lips clouded your head like a powerful drug. 

You threaded your fingers through her hair and undid her braid while her hand wandered down to your belt. You pulled back, breathless. “I’m not looking for nothing here,” you insisted, even if only to try to convince yourself.

“Me neither,” she agreed. “One night.” She kissed your neck and a low grunt wound its way up from the back of your throat. “You’ll never have to see me again.”

You didn’t know why a pang wracked your chest still her words. That was the plan, after all. You knew you weren’t cut out for more than tonight. And with the way Natalia dragged her nails down your back, you guessed she wasn’t either.

“Bedroom,” you demanded, stepping out of your pants that now lay pooled around your ankles. You stumbled down the hall, blinded by her body as she lost her suit, and deafened by the way she panted your name between desperate kisses.

God, you were screwed.

—

You didn’t sleep, knowing you’d lose grip on your appearance if you did, but with each passing minute you found it harder and harder to stay awake. Natalia lay pressed into your side, so close that you could feel her heartbeat in your ribcage. Her body radiated heat, not the kind that made your face flush with infatuation, but the kind that felt like finally finding shelter after an eternity in the freezing rain. Her breaths wound in and out as if she were sleeping, but you knew she couldn’t. No. Someone who led her life had to be hardwired to never let their guard down.

Finally, after catching yourself almost dozing off for the tenth time you peeled back the covers and forced yourself to leave the confines of the mattress that seemed intent on sucking you back down. Goosebumps immediately rose along your skin, but you didn’t dare to glance back at bed and the woman feigning slumber. You stood and stretched, working the stiff muscles in your back and shoulders. Don’t look back. You followed the trail of hastily removed clothing down the dark hall and back to the study, candles still alight. 

You buckled your jeans and grabbed your bag, lingering by the door. Don’t go back. Hastily you rummaged through the desk drawers, finding a pen and pad of paper. You scribbled down the address of a PO box that you checked quarterly along with a note that read, For another one night. 

A/N

If you didn't catch it, R is a shapeshifter like Mystique from the X-Men. I wrote this piece with the intent of having it serve as the first chapter in a longer story. I wasn't certain of the amount of interest in a series though... I fear Tumblr may be drying up some.

Let me know if you'd like to see more and I can post up the second chapter, otherwise I'll leave it be as a one-shot.

As always, thanks for reading and just a reminder, my requests are open.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanov x reader

[jj0latunji]

Forever - KSI Imagine

Another imagine from Wattpad and here's a picture of JJ just cause I had it saved on my phone 😭

He looked so good at the Charity Match and so did everyone else tbh

Description: Y/N thinks JJ wants to break up with her because he is bored after moving to a small town.

T/W: None

"You know what Y/N , I left everything back in London for you but I can't do it anymore . I thought I was ready to have a child and settle down but I am not . Sorry but I can't do this anymore." He said before he stormed off and I was left crying holding our daughter Lily in my arms.

How could he do this , He told me he will be there forever but he just got bored I guess........

I thought he loved me , I thought he loved Lily but he just lied I guess........

"Babe...are you fine you are all sweaty and you were moving all crazy." JJ spoke in his cute groggy voice which he has when he just wakes up.

"I had the same nightmare again."I told him as I snuggled closer to him.

Truth be told I have had that exact same nightmare ever since I met my friend Emma at my School reunion.

She had asked me how someone as famous as the KSI had agreed to leave everything he had behind and move to humble little West Sussex , my hometown.

I couldn't tell JJ about my nightmare , what if he actually changed his mind and left me and Lily.

JJ was an No.1 charting Musician , He had his own music label and his own boxing promotion. He had his best friends and family in London but he left it all when I got pregnant.

Yes it was mostly his decision as he did not want our daughter to grow up in the hustle and bustle of London so when I suggested we could move to my old family mansion in my hometown he was more than happy to do so.

But after that talk with Emma I couldn't help but wonder how he left everything to move with me a humble waitress who was living paycheck to paycheck in busy London.

I had not known happiness before I met JJ on that rainy day in front of Nando's.

I hadn't had the happiest childhood and youth but ever since the day I met him he has treated me like a queen and I couldn't be more grateful that I met him . He was the one true love of my life and I was was the happiest with him.

But now that happiness was threatened to vanish due to my bubbling fear that he may decide he is too good for me and leave me for good. That's what everyone said when we started dating but JJ assured me again and again I was the one he wanted.

I opened my eyes and saw JJ had fallen back asleep. I couldn't believe I had gotten this lucky. I had the man of my dreams , a cute little daughter and the perfect life. I kissed his cheek and quickly got out his arms and went to Lily's crib at the end of her room.

She was sleeping peacefully. I had great difficulty getting her to sleep today for some reason , but as soon as JJ took her in his arms and sang his song Holiday , she giggled with him for some time and fell asleep in her dad's arms.

Lily was truly Daddy's girl and JJ often teased me for it.

I then returned to bed and tried not to wake up JJ as he gets really grumpy and agitated when someone disturbs his sleep. I got in my side of the bed but as soon as I got in he pulled me closer to him by my waist and kissed my forehead.

I kissed her forehead and placed her doll next to her.

"I love you." He mumbled against my hair.

"I love you too Jide." I spoke against his chest and with that I fell asleep in the arms of the man I love.

The Next Morning.

The day was just a normal Sunday.

The three of us went on our walk around our little garden in the back of our house. Lily played with Neo and Morpheus , our hamsters who now had there own separate sheds.

Both JJ and Lily then ran around the garden when I went back in to make Lunch.

At lunch , we sat down on our couch and started watching old Sidemen Sundays as JJ always loved showing Lily his and the Sidemen's old videos. Eventhough we lived quite far away Lily was close to her Sidemen uncles and Sidegirl aunts , as we visited London often and even the boys and girls came down here often.

Of course Simon loved Lily with all his heart and they both were the best of friends. He took JJ moving away rough at first but then understood.

We continued watching the videos eating our food but then suddenly all the thoughts of last night's nightmare came flooding back. I let out a sigh and JJ looked at me and took my hand and gave it a squeeze.

I knew we had to talk about my nightmare or things will only get worse.

I don't want to hide anything from JJ.

"I want to talk to you about something Jide."I told him as I looked at him.

He knew something was wrong by the look on my face.

"Okay let me get Princess here to sleep and we can talk Babe." He told as he took Lily and started playing with her.

It was almost two hours later when we got Lily to sleep.

I was stood in the kitchen washing the dishes while JJ went to tuck Lily in.

He came back and hugged me from behind and placed his hands around my waist. He started kissing down my neck and I knew if he continued this I would forget about the talk and cave in and start making out with him.

I placed the last of the plates in its place and dried my hands all while JJ was kissing my neck and whispering how sexy I looked and that I was a Milf now.( If you don't know what Milf means , please don't look it up.)

I turned around and told him, " Babe I need to tell you something."

" What's wrong Babe , is this about last night." He asked me as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I just nodded.

He then picked me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

He took me to the Sofa and placed me down softly and sat down next to me.

"What's wrong Y/N , is something bothering you , Babygirl. You can tell me everything and anything that runs through your mind . Me and You against the world remember." He spoke as placed a assuring kiss on my forehead.

" Well you know I have been having this nightmare and I am afraid JJ , afraid that you'll get bored of me and our life. I am afraid you will leave me and Lily because you miss your old life. You gave up everything for me JJ and I'll understand if you want to leave me but I am just scared. You were on top of the world and just because we had Lily , you left it all and I am afraid you'll eventually start hating me and Lily for taking all that from you." I spoke not looking him in the eye as the tears were rolling over my cheeks.

JJ just giggled and wiped away my tears and I just glared at him before speaking,"This is not funny , Olajide."

His face changed when I used his full name as he realised I was serious.

"Look at me Babe , you have taken nothing from me. You have given me nothing but happiness. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss London at first . I mean we had a lot of fun but once Lily was born , I knew I had to be the best father ever and I will never ever trade my life now for any thing from my past.You know I like to succeed at everything I do , be it YouTube , music and now parenthood , I want to be the best. You changed me Y/N, from a party going playboy to a respectful and mature man and I can't thank you enough for that. You and Lily are the most important people in my life and that will never change. I love you and Lily with all my life and I will never leave all this behind , if that's what you afraid of. Me , you and Lily will always be together forever."

I couldn't help but squeal of happiness and jump upon him.

I straddled him and placed a big old kiss on his lips and then snuggled into his neck.

"Yeah I would really be crazy to leave your sexy self."he chuckled as I giggled against his skin.

I was at peace knowing my happiness was not at risk.

I have JJ and as long as I did , I have my happiness.

"I love you so much Jide." I spoke as I looked him in the eye.

"I love you too babygirl and I always will." He spoke with a grin before lifting me up and taking me to our room.

And with that we continued our perfect little life.

---------------------------------------------------

Hi guys , Harley here. Hope you enjoyed this imagine.

Request me anything you want and I'll try to write.

Also can someone please tell me how to make a list like the masterlist that everyone has 😭.

Love you all

#ksi #sidemen #w2s #ksi x reader #miniminter #behzinga #ksi imagine #zerkaa #sidemen x reader #youtube #sidemen charity match

[vctrvn-ls]

The Spider

Imagine cancelling plans because you and AJ are both scared of the spider in the bathroom and can’t go in to get ready.

It was an unusually sunny day in London.

It was the perfect weather for you to wear that lovely sundress you'd bought at your and Aj's trip to the country for one of his videos.

Today you were invited to a triple date with Kenny, Niko and their girlfriends who you were very good friends with, Marly and Sophie.

You were excited…more for the perfect-dress weather than the actual date, but nevertheless you still wanted you and AJ to get out of the house.

You laid out your dress on the bed, admiring it for a second before heading to the bathroom to start doing your makeup.

In the kitchen, AJ was busy eating watermelon while watching the news, as a joke...well kind of.

In the kitchen, AJ was busy eating watermelon while watching the news, as a joke...well kind of.

After moving in together you realized the apartment tv was just a normal tv. It just showed regular channels without being able to connect to Netflix, YouTube or whatever else.

Of course he ordered another one, there was no way he'd be able to live with BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 3, BBC4 and however many other BBC's he had counted while flicking through the catalogue.

"So many BBC's." He told you "Oh look another one." He'd point to himself and laugh, earning and eye roll and a chuckle from you.

So, you were in the bathroom, focusing on your eyeliner. Squinting with your mouth open and tongue out in concentration.

Suddenly you saw something move with the corner of your eye. You finished the tail of your wings and blinked, before turning your head around and seeing the biggest long-legged...

Meanwhile AJ was fully hooked into the news reporter who was talking about a a big car crash that resulted in a car flying off a bridge in the suburbs.

"Holy shit." He furrowed his eyebrows, chewing. The descriptions of the scene were intense and very detailed. AJ was barely blinking from how fully into it he was.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

AJ slipped off his chair, landing right onto his butt, coughing and spitting out the watermelon seed he just inhaled.

You ran into the kitchen, one eye with makeup, the other completely bare.

"What the fuck?" AJ raised his eyebrows as he stood up.

"There's a spider in the bathroom."

"Why you yellin like that?" He huffed, putting his fork on the table.

"Why am I yel-" you cut your own words with a scoff "Go get it then." You pointed to the bedroom.

He rolled his eyes "I will go and get it." He grabbed his slipper and stomped to the bathroom.

You were so scared you didn't even want to go back until it was definitely dead.

You impatiently waited for AJ, chewing on a piece of watermelon that you stole off of his plate.

"FUUUUUCCKKKK!"

This time you were coughing up watermelon, while AJ speed bolted out of your room, shutting the door behind him.

"Did you get it?" You raised your eyebrows, leaning to panting AJ.

"What the hell do you think?"

"Yes?" You asked hopefully.

"NO! THAT THING IS MASSIVE!"

"Told you."

"You didn’t tell me!"

"Well go back and get it then genius!"

"YOU SAW IT FIRST!"

"You're the man!"

There was a small pause before the two of you cracked up, laughing at eachother.

"I-it's just like the meme," you wheezed.

"That's what I thought of too." AJ snorted.

"No but seriously go fucking get it, Aje." You cleared your throat, now being dead serious.

"There is no way I'm going back in."

"You have to."

"Says who?"

"Don't you love me?" You pouted.

"I do, but I'd rather live than get eaten by that thing. It's like twice my size!"

You chuckle "AJ."

"What?" He grins.

"I can't get ready if that thing is in there."

"Well there's nothing I can do about it."

"AJ go and kill it." You whine "Please."

"I'm sorry I literally can't. I swear I can’t. "

"You just gotta slap it." You begged.

"Then you go do it."

You shake your head. "You've filmed with things that were way worse." You pointed out.

"There's no way I'm going back there."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" You pointed to your bare eye.

AJ shrugs.

You frown.

"...You know we could stay in and watch some Netflix." He said in a suggestive tone.

"Look at our tv."

"Well laptops exist you know."

You sigh.

"I can call Niko to come get it after they've had lunch."

You nod.

"So much for the perfect dress-weather."

#beta squad #youtube #aj shabeel #ajshabeeledit #ajshabeelbetasquad #niko omilana #chunkz #king kenny #sharky #betasquadedit

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

William Rex Chapter 17

 WARNING! The following story contains scenes of violence and torture.

｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

I slowly open the door to my room, listening to the rain drops tapping on the window.

(Let's talk to Victor first)

Victor is a man who always looks at William and everyone in the Crown with compassion and cares for them.

He decided that he couldn't move the Crown, so it would take a lot to persuade him to do so.

(...Don't be timid)

I took one step into the corridor and then----

???: "Kate....!"

???: "See. I told you she would come out soon."

(Eh....?)

When I look towards the voice, I see Liam and Harrison.

Then there was Mr. Alphonse, standing by the window, looking at me.

Kate: "What are you all doing here....?"

Harrison: "Where are you going with a face like that?"

(If I can convince Victor, the next step is to get the Crown to help me)

(There should be no need and no point in lying and deceiving here)

Kate: "....I was going to go and negotiate with Victor."

Harrison: "I figured it would be something like that."

Harrison: "I know you're not the kind of person who stays in your room when you're told to 'behave'."

Harrison: "That's what Will likes and that's what he wants everyone to do."

Harrison looked at me rather seriously with his light-coloured eyes.

Harrison: "The time to turn back is now. You can lock yourself up in this castle, safe and quiet, and then you can go back to your normal life."

Harrison: "Tonight, whether a certain villain dies or lives, you don't have to know about it, and you can go on with your normal life as usual."

Harrison: "You still have a way back to that warm sunshine."

(Looking back...Harrison was also there that night when we all first met)

----FLASHBACK----

Aloof man: "Sorry if that freaked you out, but these are just props for a stage play."

Kate: "Liar...."

Aloof man: "....It would have been good for you if you had pretended to believe me."

----FLASHBACK ENDS----

(You went to great lengths to keep me out of this world of darkness with your lies)

Perhaps the lie he told at the time was a roundabout kindness.

Kate: "....Thank you, Harrison."

Smiling with gratitude for their concern and an apology for letting it go unchecked.

Harrison: "....Guess, that's it then."

Harrison smiled thinly, as if he knew what my response would be and shrugged his shoulders.

Harrison: "You were going to try negotiate with him about the Tower of London, right?"

Kate: "Yes, I want to free these innocent prisoners. Before William does."

Harrison: "What happens after he agrees? How do you prove their innocence?"

Kate: "....It is difficult to prove their innocence and salvage them through a straightforward process."

Kate: "If we were to appeal in court that their arrest itself was unjustified, they would probably be dismissed."

(If the arrests were engineered by the Privy Council, at least some collusion with the police is certain. The police cannot be relied upon)

(Even the courts would use the prisoners' trumped-up charges against William)

Kate: "There are two ways to prove his innocence. Either William pleads guilty and testifies that he has nothing to do with them...."

Kate: "Either that or William himself will be in a situation where he cannot be charged with a crime."

Kate: "If Mr. Brian wrote an article, the latter might be possible....but I am still uncertain."

Kate: "In the meantime, their freedom and dignity continue to be damaged. And William is not going to let that go unnoticed."

Kate: "I don't want to see the prisoners get hurt, and I also don't want to see William hurt."

Harrison: ".......Let me ask you something."

Harrison: "William is actually killing people. Do you think it's right that he should go free of that charge?"

Kate: "It's not....right. Killing is sinful, no matter who it is or what the circumstances are."

Kate: "But I can't stand by and watch him be judged...just because the evil he perpetrates is not right."

(That's how much----William saved me)

(That he rescued me from being unreasonable, listened to my heart and pushed me to be on my own....)

(I know how much it means to the people he saved and I know how much it means to him)

-----Options------

Pretending not to see.

Even if it's not right.

Even if stained with the same sin.

--------

Kate: "I will not be sorry if I am tainted by the same sins as William."

Harrison: "....Oh."

Kate: "Now we have to rescue the prisoners and stop William from being lured to the Tower of London."

Kate: "And in due course, the prisoners will be exonerated. ....That's the best I can do now."

Harrison: "....So that's what you've been thinking about all morning and all this time."

Harrison: "And what? Now you're going to convince Victor?"

Kate: "Yes. I also need your help, so let's start with Victor."

Harrison: "I don't think that would do anything."

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Harrison: "I don't think that would do anything."

Kate: "Eh, but..."

Liam: "Victor said 'Be as quiet as possible so they don't know you're here', right?"

Liam: "He didn't say 'don't do anything'. So as long as we appear quiet, we can do anything."

(Nn...)

Kate: "That's what he meant!?"

Kate: "But, 'the Crown cannot be moved in the name of her Majesty the Queen...!"

Alphonse: "In simple words, he meant 'I won't give you orders, so you guys can do whatever you want.' "

Kate: "That's...what he meant...."

Harrison: "Yes, that is, as far as that freak is concerned."

Liam: "Let me escort you to the Tower of London. Haha, I'm looking forward to it, a prison that's rumored to be haunted!"

Kate: ".....So, you guys will help me?"

Harrison: "We'll be working with a minimum number of people to keep a low profile, and Liam's ability to disappear makes him perfect for infiltration, don't you think?"

Liam: "....I think Will would have appreciated it more if we'd waited and trusted him."

Liam: "But if we let you go without telling him...he'll probably be sad."

Liam: "I want Will to compliment me. Oh and you too, of course."

Kate: "Liam...."

Liam's eyes were filled with madcap curiosity when he said 'fun'

Now it was like looking for a landmark in total darkness, both haunting and desperate.

We don't yet know what the circumstances are.

William may be in one of his most important strongholds.

Harrison: "I'll support you from the outside in case of emergency...And also, I don't know why Al is here."

Alphonse: "Master El asked me to do this in his place."

Kate: "Master Elbert...?"

Alphonse: "Yes. He said 'Your abilities are more suited for inflitrating enemy territory'. And...."

Mr. Alphonse puts his lips to his ear. The sweet, decadent scent softly wafted over my nose.

Alphonse: "I have always thought that if Mr. William were to be killed, it would be by an innocent civilian."

(Eh....)

Alphonse: "It's going to be a hilarious spectacle whichever way it goes, so I thought I'd follow along."

(He doesn't care if William lives or dies, or if the prisoners are freed...he is just going there for shits and giggles...?)

The attitude that everything is a farce appears to be unreliable.

I wonder if my emotions were showing on my face, but Mr. Alphonse didn't seem offended and smiled.

Alphonse: "Fufu. Don't look so worried. If necessary, I will be a helpful ally. Of course."

(....I am aware that I am trying to do something selfish that I cannot achieve alone)

(I don't care what the motive is, as long as I can get help...!)

Kate: "Yes, thank you!"

We had some discussion and strategy on the journey to the Tower of London and how to move internally.

Harrison: "That's how many people are housed there. It's not easy to break them out."

Harrison: "If you don't think it's possible. I suggest you just investigate this time and go back...just saying."

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

We secretly left the castle for the city of London, where the skies were dark, hinting on a possible downpour.

Liam: "Okay, we're about to move. Close your eyes if you feel scared."

Kate: "Y-Yes! ....!"

A floating sensation hits my body and I gasp in instinctive fear.

With me in his arms, Liam leapt lightly over the roofs of London houses.

Liam: "Will showed me this route. He said its beautiful and he likes it...woah!"

Kate: "Ah."

Liam: "Ahaha...It's thrilling and fun, isn't it?"

Liam: "Will is a genius at enjoying life, isn't he?"

I smiled somewhat unsteadily and agitatedly, nod at Liam and cling desperately onto him.

(He is trying to talk about something to make me feel at ease...!)

Kate: "Oh and Mr. Alphonse, have you used....this route?"

Alphonse: "Yes. I've been using it sometimes with 'friends' since Liam told me about it."

Alphonse: "We play this fun little game where, for every roof you fly over, you get a drink and if you get scared or fall off, you lose."

(What a dangerous game...and who are these 'friends'....?)

Alphonse: "Well, it's certainly a good route for tonight's operation. Because there are policemen roaming the streets."

Looking down below at Mr. Alphonse's comment, the shadows of police officers can be seen all over the city.

(Indeed, if we were walking on the ground, we would likely be---)

Cold sweat trickles down my spine as I recall the gun being pointed at me.

I felt a deep sense of relief at being hidden in the darkness of the night.

(I never thought....that darkness could reassure me)

We arrived at the gates of the Tower of London, as previously discussed,

Liam disappears and Mr. Alphonse, gently removes his leather gloves.

Alphonse: "Well, shall we get going?"

.........

Alphonse: "Thank you for your efforts."

Security guards: "....Excuse me, who are you? If you don't have a pass then----"

Alphonse: "Oh my, have you forgotten the face of your colleague?"

Alphonse: "We've gone to a lot of trouble to 'bring prisoners into custody'. "

When Mr. Alphonse touched the nape of his neck and whispered, the guard's attitude changed.

Security guard: "Oh yes. You can go through."

Alphonse: "Thank you. Then, shall we."

The gate is opened and we slip inside through the gap.

(Such a convenient ability to break in so easily...right?)

Kate: "Wouldn't this mean that if we let him think he's being restrained by Alphonse's ability, he doesn't actually have to be restrained?"

Alphonse: "Wow! You're very sharp even at times like this."

(Of course...!)

Alphonse: "Oh, you're not angry?"

Kate: "....If you think of it as a cooperation fee, it's about as cheap as being tied down."

Alphonse: "Aha! You're funny. I wish Mr. William had let me borrow you for a day."

(You completely think people are toys or something....)

.................

With the help of Mr. Alphonse and Liam's ability to fool the police, things went according to plan.

They stole documents from the control room and located the cells where innocent prisoners were being held.

We ran inside the cold towers, using the floor plans as a guide to kill our footsteps.

Liam: "These towers used to be used for the detention of high-ranking political prisoners and for executions."

Alphonse: "It is a horrifying historical place to invite Mr. William to feed on the general public...."

Alphonse: "Not bad, Grimsley."

Liam: "....! Al, Kate, I hear something at the bottom of the stairs."

I listened for Liam's voice, and sure enough, from downstairs, I heard what sounded like a scream.

Kate: "....Let's go."

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

With each step down the stairs, the multiple screams become more vivid and stirring in their poignancy.

(...This is---)

Alphonse: "...It looks like we're in the right place."

While hiding in a corner of the staircase, we listen downstairs.

The screams of the condemned prisoners echoed behind the layers of bars.

Policemen: "You were involved in the crime, weren't you? Look, if you don't tell us what you've done, you'll never walk again."

Prisoner: "Stop! No! I'm innocent!"

Prisoner: "I didn't know that man was smuggling drugs! Please believe me, there must be some mistake....."

Policemen: "The company you built with his support...was it something about freedom for all?"

Policemen: "And at the same time he's smuggling drugs. What a hypocrite. Come on! Tell us where he is!"

Prisoner: "No! I don't know...I really don't know...!"

Policemen: "Tch...do it."

(!!)

I see a prisoner with his head in a water trough and manage to keep my voice from jumping out at the sight of it.

Turning to the prison next to the condemned prisoners, we saw people looking exhausted and staring at each other.

Young prisoner: "Why do we have to go through this...? It's all his fault..!"

Older prisoner: "....That guy..don't you owe Sir Rex a debt of gratitude too. ...It's not right to hold a grudge against someone like that."

Young prisoner: "Oh yeah!? Okay then...where the hell is that William?"

Young prisoner: "If he is not involved in this, why isn't he coming out and saying anything! The only reason he can't come is because that article is true, right!?"

Young prisoner: "....I was going to prove to people that slum-borns are not inferior to people born in normal circumstances...."

Young prisoner: "When I said that, he even wrote a letter of recommendation to the university saying 'you can do it'....!"

Young prisoner: "I'm a slum-born, and now I'm hearing that he buys and sells people like me. It felt like all this time he had been using me.."

Young prisoner: "I thought he was my benefactor and but now, I can't...forgive him..for deceiving me like this...!"

(...As I thought)

(Anger at this unreasonable treatment naturally turns to William)

The police are suppose to be 'justice'. But they capture these people without any evidence and tortured them without due process of law...

Even the people who are labeled as evil by the police do not easily recognize it as a 'crime'.

(If William comes here and hears these people cursing him...)

(He wouldn't mind, but...I don't like that)

Liam: "Kate, are you okay?"

Kate: "...I'm fine. We know where the prisoners are. Next is..."

Kate: "'Mr. Alphonse will get the key to the relevant prison', right?"

Alphonse: "Yes. It's easy to deceive them, don't worry. You two can hide in the corner until I get back."

Mr. Alphonse wandered off and I was about to discuss our escape route with Liam, when----

???: "Ugh..Nn..."

I thought I heard a familiar voice from the nearest prison and looked over to see----

Kate: "Mr. Brian....!?"

 ｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Liam: "You mean the one who wrote that article...?"

He had fiery red hair and looked emaciated, perhaps from the assault.

(...Why are you here?...)

Liam: "Hold on, Miss Kate...I'll make a noise and get the cop's attention."

Liam: "In the meantime, ask him what happened. I'll be back as soon as I've attracted the police."

Kate: "....Thank you very much."

Liam's figure suddenly disappears from sight, and a few seconds later----

At the far end of the prison-lined corridor, a loud noise could be heard.

Policemen: "What's going on!?"

A flurry of police officers head to see what's going on.

(Now)

I went downstairs and rushed to Brian's cell.

Kate: "Mr. Brian...."

Brian: "Nn!? Miss Kate, why are you here...?"

Kate: "That's my line...! Why are you here?"

Brian: "...I went to Grimsley to ask him about the truth."

Brian: "The charges I wrote in that article were a frame-up... and he came clean."

Brian: "That Sir Rex is really an organised assassin of evil who cannot be brought to justice by the law."

----FLASHBACK----

Grimsley: "Nevertheless, it is also true that he is a mass murderer."

Grimsley: "As the revolutionaries' movement has brought about new laws and expanded the rights of citizens, assassination squads...."

Grimsley: "An anachronism, don't you think?"

Grimsley: "You're clever enough to realize that it's in the best interests of this Britain to keep quiet, isn't it?"

-----FLASHBACK ENDS-----

Brian: "....I couldn't...nod my head. I said, 'give me some time' and left his office. On the way home....I was attacked and now I'm here...."

Brian: "Why are you here? Did they catch you too?"

Kate: ".....No. I snuck in here because I wanted to free you all."

Brian: "Why....?"

Kate: "Well----"

At that moment, the upper floor suddenly becomes noisy.

There were angry, shrill voices, whistles and the sound of many footsteps.

(No way!!)

.............

----A black shadow alighted gracefully from one of the carriages.

Security guard: ".....Whoa, that's----"

Raindrops wet the red and gold of his cloak and the silver of his swaying hair, reflecting off the street lamps as if decorating the darkness of the night.

The man slowly looked up as he walked towards the gate.

Her blood-red eyes gleam seductively in the darkness.

William: "Good evening. Sorry for intruding you all."

William: "I have friends who have been invited here, so I was wondering if you could let me in."

Security guard: "W-William Rex....!"

Soon after, a high-pitched whistle shook the silence of the night.

Guards and policemen quickly rush to the gate and pointed their guns at William.

Older policemen: "You are charged with murder! Put down your weapon and surrender!"

William: "Ahahaha, that's an enthusiastic welcome. Now....who should I dance with?"

William was in no hurry and looked around at the policemen as if he were looking at a cake in a bakery.

William: "You detain and tortured innocent people and violated their freedom for this purpose alone."

William: "....If there are extenuating circumstances, it is that they are orders from someone in authority."

Older policemen: "What are you talking about! Hands up! Or else....!"

William: "Raise your hand? Okay then."

William: "Raise your hands if you feel any remorse in your conscience about what is now taking place in the Tower of London."

Older policemen: ".....!?"

Young policemen: "W-Why...why are my arms...!?"

The officers were stared down by William, as he ordered them.

Some were puzzled by their own arms lifting of their own accord while others were mortified by their colleagues.

Old policemen: "Tch, you're breaking an order! You're breaking an order!"

William smiled gently as a man who appeared to be his superior officer barked at him.

William: "Don't scold them. They are just being honest with themselves."

William: "Whoever raises their hands now should stay in the corner, silent."

William: "As for the rest----"

William: "Plead guilty."

Chapter 18

#ikemen series #otome #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #cybird #ikemen villain #ikemen villains #ikemen mc #ikemen villains william

[thesporkidentity]

an incomplete list of texts i sent as i slowly lost my mind over the second book of rivers of london, because i fully intend to drag at least one more person into this pit with me. come read with me i promise you're gonna feel so good and normal over this book, come closer

wow okay peter remains the absolute horniest bastard ever. is he a tits or an ass man? yes

oh we are just getting the surface levels hints of nightingales MOUNTAIN of unresolved PTSD and i am very 🥺

you ever feel like a character was written specifically to appeal to you? i'm getting so many tantalizing hints and i KNOW he's going to destroy because he's catnip. he is bait specifically designed to hurt my feelings

also his description makes me think of lee pace or like, 90s/00s paul mcgann and that's just Very Good and i'm being deeply not normal about it

also nightingale reads as SO queer to me, and the potential in fic to explore what that means insofar as how he has navigated the changing landscape of queerness from 1900 to present day is so tantalizing. i don't care that the author says he's not, in this case the author is wrong lol

i must say, i do not care for simone. if we absolutely MUST have hetersexual nonsense in this book i would like beverly back please. she was cool and not a cheating homewrecking jazz groupie lol

still not impressed with simone. i mean, far be it from me to judge a woman's grieving process and all, but she doesn't seem very broken up over her within-the-week dead lover. i mean, i LOVE peter and all and he's hot shit, but immediately falling into bed with him? sus

in conclusion bring 👏 bev 👏 back 👏

also peter, buddy, WHAT ARE YOU DOING

he's a disaster so even though i'm screaming DON'T DO THAT i am unsurprised he is being led around by his dick by a beautiful woman throwing herself at him

but i just. i Don't Trust Her. she doesn't make sense, and i can't tell if this is a case of male author writing wish fulfillment and thus not giving the hot girl adequate motivation of her own

or whether i AM supposed to find it suspicious the way she basically doesn't mourn the man she homewrecked who died very suddenly and then IMMEDIATELY jumps into bed with the magic cop investigating his very probable murder

and i REALIZE the only way to find out is to keep reading, it's just frustrating that women are written poorly so often that, even if he's written good women before, i still have to debate with this is a subtle clue or just Male Author Syndrome

oh my god he finally twigs that this may be weird behavior. peter. bud.

at least he got it before trying to sneak her past folly wards?

side note: god lesley really got the short end of the stick. like, her face fell off, her teeth are a fucking mess, and she probably has brain damage. she got royally shafted

peter "i'm totally straight" grant, talking about how he wants to take a muscly guy by the shoulders and kiss his cheeks and making sure to mention how many phone numbers her got while canvasing the gay bar.

hmm sure, jan

look i KNOW peter is Incredibly Horny All The Time when near any attractive woman, but simone appears from NOWHERE half dressed while he's canvassing for the jazz vampire and he just skives off like that? while looking for a potential killer? that doesn't seem like him he's not that irresponsible. that smells like conspiracy and glamour and i don't trust herrrrrrr

like, peter was already horny wanting to motorboat mama thames (lol don't think i didn't catch that pun) last book. but this book has been a whole new level of horny, and peter may be distractible but not THAT distractible surely

another side note. i love molly and nightingale's weird friendship they've developed living basically with just each other for decades.

oh jesus that's fucked up

oh the severed head is talking

oh. oh no. it got worse

peter, darling, beloved, is now REALLY the time to be talking about how hot your boss is? like i appreciate your dedication to the thirst but time and place, bud

oh never mind i forgive you nightingale is so fucking cool, i get it, i love him

he's so good. the most tragic backstory and perfect stiff upper lip old fashioned english gentleman on the outside, and then just below the surface he's a daredevil and a bit of a bitch and he fucking CARES just SO MUCH and have i mentioned how much the casterbrook wall HURTS ME?? this was revealed in the last book but i just remembered it and it stabbed me again

okay i'm done

i feel like peter has miscalculated making a deal with his cousin to teach her if she aces latin. that's gonna come back to bite lol hope you like teaching too smart for their own good teenagers cuz that's gonna be your life now

"but sir, what do we do if you die??!" "well, that doesn't seem like it will be my problem at that point :)" he's such a bitch sometimes and i LOVE him, mother

ohhhhh. oh no. the pale lady looked like molly and now molly is obviously not okay after she died, that resemblance wasn't just coincidence she definitely knew her 😢

and this is the first person peter has killed, no matter how accidentally. and nightingale is back in the hospital with his chest infection. wow everyone is just having a terrible time right now

okay. i realize that as a memory for him this probably isn't a GOOD one, it's from the war and probably much scarier and MUCH more traumatizing than he makes it sound with his dry narration of it. but god. nightingale knocked out two TANKS. by himself. with his mind. fucking sexy lol

oh damn it why can't they just let me be horny about how powerful he is instead of immediately following it with the fact that he was rear guard and making emotional that it means he was the one trusted to watch over and protect the rest of his men while they retreated as that one final shield between them and enemy fire

hhhhhhhholy shit what did simone DO to mama grant???!!!!

she just bitch slapped her!

OH MY GOD SHE TRIED TO HOMEWRECK HIS PARENTS TOO???

she's PLAUSIBLY IMMORTAL???

fuck i was right she was sketchy as hell!!

she's a fucking jazz vampire and she's been glamouring and sucking him dry! buddy, get to dr walid STAT for a brain scan and make sure she's not turning you into cauliflower!

peter don't you make excuses for her you KNOW it's possible, stop lying about your mum and trying to make her feel better you need to take her in she's a m u r d e r e r

i mean, glamour yes i realize but god, frustrating

good lad peter, i see you fighting it 💪🏾

ohhhhhhhh. oh fuck. she didn't KNOW. she didn't know she was from the 40s and killing people. oh this is bad

nightingale, attempting to show concern: "that was not the most intelligent thing you've done" xD 10/10 nailed it buddy

umm, nightingale? this may not be the black and white moral situation you think it is to go in guns blazing...

it's both funny and little sad how militant both molly and dr walid are when nightingale is injured like. i do LOVE when the person who is SUPPOSEDLY in charge gets lovingly bullied, but it hurts because that's also probably the ONLY way to make him take care of himself is if they FORCE him. and peter's not any better, he's gonna need bullying too

i do love when they team up though. molly and nightingale ganging up against peter like. nightingale gets the special treatment and a hot cocoa from molly, but peter gets the dog's leash and smug little "i'm on bedrest :)" or nightingale foisting the rest of his kidney pie on peter while molly is out of the room then grabbing his empty plate back to pretend he ate it all himself when she returns xD

the cases are interesting and all, but i think it's the core characters that are really the standout of the novel and the reason i keep reading even while i'm asking myself things like, but WHY is she killing via vagina dentata instead of literally any other assassination method? i think it's also why simone stood out so much. she HAD no background that we were told (until now) aside from being sexy. which of course i now know was intentional

"this is your brain, which is not only clean and unsullied by thought..." i love dr walid. it probably says something about me that my favorite characters all have to be at least a little bit of a bitch

oh no i'm having feeeeeelings about both nightingale and peter trying to keep the other out of the vampire raid to shield them from the emotional effects of it, just from opposite ends. nightingale doesn't want peter to have the pain of ANOTHER death on his hands, this one purposeful as opposed to the accidental death of the pale lady, so he's trying to just cut him out of it. and then peter ALSO doesn't want NIGHTINGALE to have the weight of more deaths on his soul and wants to protect him from what he sees as the unfortunate necessity of having to off someone who isn't intentionally hurting someone but still may be too dangerous to live. nightingale trying to save peter from his bleeding heart and peter saving nightingale from his practicality overriding his morality 😭 i just love when characters try to take care of each other in mirrored ways

uh...uh oh peter...no i don't think those are the police OR nightingale's paratrooper buddies

okay the audiobook is fucking excellent though, his infomercial voice while extolling the virtues of doc martins is KILLING me

oh this posh wanker. "oh what is feeding on people but another form of exploitation, and we all know there's nothing wrong with exploiting workers, equality is morally bankrupt anyway" god i hate you already you're insufferable

like of COURSE a dining club oxford nose wipe would think that way. he thinks he's sooooo slick and original with his chimeras they're such exciting new COL crimes but it all just boils down the the exact same rich white bullshit mentality

he would hate it if he realized how dull and banal his villainy is once you strip back the shock value of the trappings. just another entitled prick who views people as things, fuck this dude

i'd be tempted to say the faceless man's signare smelling like pork was a dig at david cameron and piggate if i didn't know it was written a few years too early for that lol

peter: oh no nightingale is going to give me SUCH a bollocking nightingale, obviously so relieved he's alive: very much does NOT give him a bollocking and instead tells him how impressive it is that he didn't just immediately die against the faceless man

"for a terrifying moment i thought he was going to huge me, but fortunately we both remembered we were english just in time. still, it was a close call" 🤣🤣🤣

oh ouch peter. just use all his dead friends against him. effective but also, low blow

god he wants so badly for peter to be right, too, that they and HE doesn't have to kill anyone anymore, that how that it's not Just Him ALl Alone they might have the support structure for other options. oh no i want this to work so badly so that hope is validated, but i just know something is gonna go wrong

welp

i didn't like her but i didn't want her fuckin DEAD you know?

and now the ones left standing have to deal with the trauma and the fallout

oh lesley :( they're both trying so hard to be normal about it and they're such good friends 🥺

LESLEY DO MAGIC?

LESLEY JOIN TEAM FOLLY???!!

also don't think you've been sneaky there and that i haven't noticed SOME sort of thematic symmetry of lesley struggling with having lost her face involuntarily from magic, and the faceless man having voluntarily masked himself. involuntary vs voluntary loss of identity. i'm sure there will be more parallels in the next book but like. i see you. i see you setting up face themes with these two

hopefully with lesley regaining her face somehow and thus reclaiming identity while the faceless man is unmasked thus losing the identity he built for himself and revealing the true one he hid. maybe hopefully? i want good things for lesley and bad things for the faceless one.

#rivers of london #under a readmore because it's so long and i don't want to owe even MORE of an apology to everyone in the tag than i already do

[faithintheunknownsblog]

Chapter Summary: First day on the job! Time to get settled in and start the descent into insanity.

Master List

The Blood On Our Hands

Chapter One: The New Arrival

Your eyes go wide when the chauffeur pulls up to the front gates of the Hellsing Estate. Watching in disbelief as they open up and your driver pulls in. You were already made aware of your job benefits- living in the mansion being one of them- but you still can’t believe it.

First they paid for first class tickets to London, then had a driver pick you up from the airport. Now this? It all feels so surreal, and nerve racking. This is sketchy and you know it, but there is no turning back now.

There are two people waiting at the bottom of the steps and two more people are waiting at the top of the steps by the doors. You can’t see the ones at the top very well because it’s starting to get dark outside. But the ones waiting at the bottom of the steps are dressed in suits.

One of the men in suits goes to the trunk to grab your luggage, and the other man opens the door for you. Holding out his hand to help you out of the car with a smile he says, “good evening madam.”

“G’evenin, sir!” You say with a smile as you take his hand. You have an American’s southern accent that’s a stark contrast to their British ones, which Sir Integra forgot to mention. So he’s caught off guard and you can tell by the way his eyes widen for a moment.

But he quickly goes back to normal, and helps you make your way up the steps. Now that you’re at the top you can get a clear image of the men who you couldn’t see before. And you wish that you still couldn’t see them, because they’re terrifying. Both are armed with machine guns and covered head to toe in full tactical gear.

Your stomach twists in knots, and a feeling of dread washes over as you think about what kind of things await behind the large doors in front of you.

When they open the doors you see Sir Integra standing there with an unlit cigar. But it isn’t like that for long because a man standing next to her lights it.

He’s tall and skinny, with black hair that’s tied up in a ponytail. You can tell he’s an older man by his face and his gray eyes, but he stands like his body hasn’t been affected by aging. He’s wearing black dress pants with a white dress shirt, and a purple tie that is tucked under his purple vest. He also has black gloves and a monoclonal.

“Nice to see that you finally arrived,” Integra says with a slight smirk and the hint of a playful tone.

You nod and try to make your sentences proper since Intergra was your boss, “jus’ in time too! Not wanting to be out afta sundown.”

“That’s a wise decision,” Integra agrees. You don’t know of the dangers lurking in the streets of London at night, and it’s better for it to stay that way for the time being. “How about we get you settled?”

“That be lovely Sir,” you nod. You’re tired and have jet lag, so you are happy to be led to a giant bedroom that made your jaw drop.You look around in pure astonishment “woah-“

“There are only a few rules,” when Integra spoke you snapped your attention back to her. “You don’t come out of your room at night unless told. You have a bathroom connected to your room, so there is no need for you to leave. You also aren’t to open your windows or curtains at night.”

You don’t like those rules, but you won’t protest because you’re living in her mansion rent free. “Yes Sir, understood.”

Integra smiles, “good. We’ll go over the rest of the house rules tomorrow, sleep well.”

“You too Sir!” You smile back and close the door behind them as they leave, locking it after. Then you walk over to the California king bed and flop down on it with a long sigh. You want to sleep but your thoughts keep you awake, everything circles back to only one question; “What did I get myself into?”

=======

You only got a few hours of sleep, but you’re up by 5 AM in London without any alarms. It’d be 12 AM in your home state of South Carolina. Somehow even when you’re in a different timezone your body manages to wake you up at 5 AM. It’s still dark out, and you can’t do anything but lay awake in your bed.

Which you do for a few hours, even when you hear three gunshots. Growing up on a farm you get used to it because of hunting season. Then you remember you’re no longer on the farm, but you are living in a mansion as a personal nurse.

“SIR INTEGRA!” You shout after the realization hits you. You jolt out of bed and slip a shirt over your head as you rush towards the door. But even after you unlock it you can’t open it. “SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!”

You look at the door, you know you can’t break it down. When you look at the clock you see it’s 7 AM, so you have to wait a half an hour just for the sun to start coming up.

You frantically get a med kit ready and spend the rest of your time panicking. Three gunshots, that’s three possible casualties that you know of. But how many did you sleep through?

You watch the clock, and look out the window. When the sun peeks over the horizon you rush to the door and try to open it. “Suns up! *Whyn’t you openin’?!” You shout at the door as you keep jiggling the handle. “DAMMIT! OPEN!”

You fight with the door until it finally unlocks, and when it does you fling it open. Your mind is running so fast that you don’t realize someone is standing in front of you until you crash into them. It’s the man Integra was with yesterday, running into him was like hitting a wall but you don’t process that. “Where Integra?! How many people hurt?!” You ask him but don’t give him a chance to answer before running through the halls and rushing down the steps. When you don’t see her in the living room, you rush down another hall and find the dining room.

There you see Integra at the head of the table, casually eating her breakfast. When frantically looking around the room, you see nothing that indicates there was a shooting. There was no blood, nothing was broken, and Integra was perfectly fine. Integra looks at you with a face of indifference and plainly says, “most people would be out of breath after running around like that.”

“I heard shots, where ev’body?” You didn’t mean to ignore Integra but your mind is still racing, and now you’re confused.

“Gunshots?” Integra looks past you and when you turn around you see the man in purple. “Walter, did you hear any gunshots?”

“No Sir,” Walter says and walks over to Integra’s side. When she holds up a cigar he lights it for her.

“I thought so,” Integra takes a quick inhale of her cigar. When she exhales she looks at you and gets a stern tone, “but what I did hear was you attempting to break a stupidly simple thing that even a dog could understand.”

“I’m so sorry Sir! I was thinkin’-“ you start to explain yourself but are cut off by Integra’s fist slamming down on the table.

“I couldn’t care less what you were thinking! I gave you a specific order that you failed to follow!” The anger in Integra’s voice rocks you to your core, and reminds you of the drunkard that was your father. You will resent that wannabe of a man to your very last breath.

You quickly remind yourself that Integra isn’t your father, she’s your boss, and even if she wasn’t, you won’t let yourself make that comparison again. You know nothing about her, what she’s been through, or her hardships.

And Integra has given more in the past 24 hours than that asshole did in 22 years you’ve been alive.

Maybe she’s doing it because she can afford it, but either way you fucked you and you need to own up to it. “My apologies Sir, I won’t let it happen again!”

”It better not,” Integra says harshly and takes another puff of her cigar, then waves you off. “Go make yourself presentable, and be back here in an hour.”

“Yes Sir!” You nod and leave for your room. Once you’re out of earshot Walter and Integra have a conversation.

“Sir, don’t you think you’re being too harsh on her?” Walter asks Integra.

“I can’t have people that are unable to take simple orders in my facility Walter,” Integra says plainly and takes another inhale of her cigar. But when she exhales a small smirk crosses her face.

When Walter sees the smirk he understands, “but you also don’t want someone who will be walked all over.”

“Precisely Walter,” Integra nods and checks her watch. A devious smile plasters itself onto her face, “she has fifty minutes left. Make it a challenge for her.”

Walter nods, “as you wish Sir.”

=======

You were in the middle of a shower when the hot water stopped. You tried the knobs, and came to the conclusion that you only have cold water to shower with. “Ga’ dammit! If I wanted col’ water I woulda shower at Memaws!” You shout but finish up your shower.

45 Minutes Left

When you walk out of the bathroom you see your luggage that was in your room before you took a shower is not there after your shower. “You gotta be kiddin’ me!”

After digging through the dressers and the linen closet you manage to find a shirt and pants that are way too big. Luckily you still have hair ties, you make a chain and pull them three pants loops to tighten them enough to stay up on your hips.

25 Minutes Left

When you open the door to your room you see your luggage, waiting right outside your room. With an annoyed sigh you pull the suitcase back into your room, and go to change. But the zipper is broken, you growl, “you’re really pulling my leg today!”

15 Minutes Left

You get the suitcase open and quickly change into the first thing you see. You also do a simple makeup look, and go to do your hair. But your brush is missing so you fight with your tangled hair to make it look decent.

3 Minutes Left

You run out of your room at full speed, and basically slide into the kitchen, looking up at Integra as you do. You were counting the minutes in your head and knew you had a minute left.

But when Integra checks her watch she blatantly lies to you, “you’re 2 minutes late.”

You blink, you know you counted right. You had arrived with a minute to spare. Her watch has to be wrong.

“Is this job not important to you?” Integra asks you, and laces her fingers together. With her elbows on the table she rests her hands inches away from her face.

“It is, Sir!” You reply immediately, though you already know that answering back is futile. You prepare yourself for a series of malicious insults.

“It doesn’t seem like it,” Integra says coldly and watches your reactions. Depending on what you say and do will make up her decision of how Alucard is allowed to interact with you. Because if Integra were to let Alucard around you without any restrictions he’d have a hayday.

“Sorry Sir, shoulda had al’ my things ‘gether bafore showering!” You say and lick your lips. You did have all your things ready. You would have been out of your room in 25 minutes if it wasn’t for whatever outside force that messed with you this morning.

“Why didn’t you?” Integra asks you, she picked up on your lip licking being the sign that you’re lying.

You know you’ll sound crazy if you say what actually happened, but you aren’t going to lie. So you quickly spit out your answer, “’cause outta nowhere the wooter* ran as cool as it do in apalacthit*! Den I went for ma clothes and dey weren’t dere! I look for some spares ‘roun the room ‘n’ thought I got lucky but dey didn’t fit either! I manage to get ‘dem to work ‘n’ open ma door ‘n’ see my bag! Go to ’pen the darn thing, zipper’s broke, but I got it ‘pen. Grab the first thin’ I see ‘n’ go to do my hair ’n’ ma brush missin’! But got ma stuff done ‘n’ dashed here!”

Integra blinks, she understands absolutely nothing of what you just said, but assumes that you told the truth. Which she didn’t expect.

When Integra is silent you sigh and say, “I’m havin’ a rough mornin’ Sir, but I take the ‘sponsibilities for my actions.”

Integra lets out an exhausting sigh, “though that story sounds extremely unlikely, you’re taking responsibility for it?”

You nod and plainly say, “yes Sir.”

“Are you just saying that, or do you actually know the error you made? In the instance that all of what you said is true, of course.” Integra asks you to see if you actually know what you did wrong

“I’s late ‘cause I shoulda skip makeup, I had saved time if I did.” You admit, because you know that with all the stuff that had already happened you should have just gotten dressed and come back. But you did your makeup, which ate up time.

“So let me ask you this; how do you expect anyone to trust you with their life if you can’t even tell time?” Integra is getting down to the nitty gritty, but she does have a point. Well she would have a point if she wasn’t currently gaslighting you into thinking you were late by two minutes.

“They can't, Sir,” you tell her.

Integra looks you up and down to see you dressed in a matching pair of red scrubs. She fakes a look of disgust, “what are you wearing?”

“Scrubs Sir,” you answer, not entirely sure why she’s asking.

Integra pulls the richest and most snobby attitude she can, “I told you to make yourself presentable, not show up in pajamas.”

“They ain’t pjs Sir, docs ‘n’ nurses in *‘Mareca wear ‘em round patients.” You explain, but when you think about what everyone else is wearing around the mansion, you do look underdressed compared to them.

“Americans have no sense of decency,” Integra says, faking her condescending tone.

You clench your teeth so hard that you can feel it in your ears. But you keep a soft smile and kind eyes. “‘m sorry Sir, but I ain’t have nuthin’ fancy to pack!”

Integra sighs, “we’re going to have to get you some clothes then.” She looks at Walter, “go get her something to wear so she doesn’t make a fool of us.”

“As you wish Sir,” Walter nods and leaves the room. You can feel Integra’s cold eyes glaring daggers at you. Even though it’s only a few minutes, Walter’s absence feels like hours. When he comes back he hands you something that’s folded up, so you can’t tell what it is yet.

“Follow me,” he says and leads you to a bathroom.

When you walk in you’re filled with awe, everything in this mansion is so elegant. But you don’t admire the scenery for long because you need to change.

After unfolding the clothes you realize it's a skirt and button up shirt. The outfit style itself isn’t horrible, but it’s too small and itchy. “Thing feels like Skiter* season.”

You walk to the door carefully because it feels like if you move the wrong way everything’s going to tear. Also when growing up on a farm you don’t wear skirts on the regular. Skirts also aren’t practical in nursing, but you remind yourself that- luckily- this outfit is just temporary.

When you open the door you’re met with a smiling Walter who leads you back to Integra. When she sees you she smirks and asks, “how’s the outfit?”

You lick your lips and lie, “it’s nice, thank you Sir.”

“Glad you like it-“ Integra gets up, “-are you ready to go?”

“Yes sir,” you lie again. You do not want to go out in this outfit, but it doesn’t matter. You just have to suck it up and go with it.

Which is exactly what you do.

=======

You follow Integra and Walter around as they lead you through stores that you don’t realize are more high end than you thought.

That’s until you hear the tailor tell Integra how much a custom suit would be for you. “3500€” the tailor told her.

Your eyes go wide when you hear this. 3500 USD is expensive in itself, and you know Euros are more than USD. You’re not sure by how much, but you know it’s a pretty penny nonetheless.

“That’s all? I expected it to be more,” Integra says plainly and you feel your jaw drop. Integra looks over to you and chuckles, “what’s the matter?”

“I cain’t* let ya pay that typa money on me!” You exclaim, all the money she’s already spent on you is weighing on you. But you already have clothes, so you don’t feel right with her buying more for you. “I know this chump change for ya, but you already done ‘nuff for me!”

Integra gives you a grin, “you are a part of the Hellsing Organizing, I have to make sure you represent us well.”

“That’s mighty sweet of you ma’am,” you smile. “And I promise that I’ll make y’all proud!”

“I’m sure you will,” Integra nods and pays the tailor. “Now, how about we get some lunch. I can’t believe it’s noon already.”

You step off of the platform you had to stand on when you got your measurements and walk towards Integra. “Ready to go when you are!”

The three of you leave the tailors and get some lunch.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet after that. Maybe life at the Hellsing Estate won’t be so bad.

{Words explained}

*Whyn’t: Why isn’t in one word

*Apalacthit; southern pronunciation of Appalachian

*Den: Then

*Dere: There

*Dey: They

*Dem: Them

*Wooter: Water

*Mareca: America

*Cain’t: Can’t and Ain’t put into one word

*Skiter: Another word for mosquito

#hellsing fanfiction #hellsing ultimate #hellsing #alucard fanfiction #alucard hellsing #alucard #alucard x reader #hellsing fandom #sir integra fairbrook wingates hellsing #hellsing walter #walter c dornez #walter hellsing #hellsing x reader #hellsing alucard #hellsing organization

[lumiolivierlithium]

Tastes Like Silver

Day 31 of 31 of Kinktober

Prompt: Public

Word Count: 1067

It's L and Light's anniversary. Why not revisit one of their favorite dates?

A/N: Anyone catching the references here? ;)

L and Light’s anniversaries were rarely special.  They tried to be together.  They tried to celebrate them.  But either one or the other would be too tangled up in a case to even give what day of the week it was a thought.  But this year would be different.  This year would be the year they finally got to celebrate the day they got married.  It was a beautiful day.  Light wanted a big ceremony.  L wanted to go to the courthouse and elope.  So, compromises were made.  A small wedding in Kyoto during peak cherry blossom season.  Light’s family.  What little family L had.  And it was perfect.  But that left them with their anniversary.

L had been talking about going home for so long.  It had been a couple years since he got back to London.  To his comfortable townhouse.  To his usual coffee stop.  To his normal.  Not that he didn’t love his new normal living with Light in Japan, but he felt a disconnect.  And the connection refused to connect.  That was when Light surprised him with a pair of plane tickets under the one stipulation of them putting work down for the week.  And L couldn’t tell him no.  Not that precious little face he held dear. 

And as their nice dinner came to an end, L and Light took a walk.  As they did every other time they were in London.  It got Light thinking, “Hey…L?”

“Hmm?” L laced his fingers between Light’s, his mind aimlessly wandering as they wandered through the West End.

“Do you remember the first time you took me here?” Light bit the inside of his cheek, holding back a smile.

“Of course, I do,” L nodded, “Like it was yesterday.  I remember finding you with the real estate section of the paper the day after we got here.”

“I had to,” Light shrugged, “Because if I remember correctly, someone shattered my phone the morning we left.”

“Well,” L argued, “Someone made the mistake of waking me with his infernal alarm.  And the phone had to die.”

“Excuse me for not wanting to miss our flight,” Light scoffed.

“Yes, Light,” L smiled, “I remember when we came here the first time around.  It was a good trip.  A little awkward when you met Near and Mello, but I digress.”

“You said I handled it well,” Light pointed out, “Don’t give me that.”

“Why do you bring it up?” L wondered.

“Because,” Light smirked, “I was thinking we could stand a better view of the world.”

“Really?” L perked up, “I mean, I’m not going to tell you no.  You were so awkward.”

“I’ve changed since then,” Light wrapped himself around L’s arm.

“Light,” L chuckled under his breath, “The only thing that’s changed about you is that you came out to your father.  What else could you have possibly changed?”

“We got married…”

“Really?” L looked at him strangely, “I didn’t think you were the type to be so…Old-fashioned about that sort of thing.  I know damn well you weren’t a virgin when we met.”

“No,” Light shook his head, “No, no.  Misa wouldn’t have allowed that.  But I’ve gotten comfortable with you.  Much more than I would have with her.”

“Aww,” L melted inside, “That’s so sweet of you.”

“Come on, L,” Light giggled, “Who else would I let stick his tongue between my toes?”

“No one…”

“That’s right,” Light started walking a little faster, “And I think we should take a little ride.”

“As do I,” L followed him, trying his best to match his pace, “But Light?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t think I’m racing you again.”

“Come on,” Light picked up the pace, “You can’t tell me you’re starting to feel your age again, L.  I know that’s bullshit.”

“I am,” L stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, “I ended up making the mistake of marrying a younger man that’s into some shit.  Sue me.”

“Alright, alright,” Light slowed down for L, “I’m sorry I have more stamina than you and a little childlike whimsy.  And that you’re getting old.  How dare you?”

“Shut up,” L gave Light a little shove, “I could just leave you in England.”

“You wouldn’t leave me,” Light wrapped his arms around L’s waist.

“Really?” L wondered, “What makes you say that?”

“Because,” Light kissed his cheek, “I’m about to give you a reason to stay.”

“You’re so lucky I love you.”

That’s when they saw it.  The London Eye.  Light handed the attendant L’s credit card and the two got on their car.  As the ferris wheel went up, L’s pants went down around his ankles.  Where Light was already on his knees.  Once L’s dick was in Light’s mouth, he couldn’t believe what he had.  Especially after their first time in the London Eye.  You were so awkward and uncomfortable then.  You didn’t even think this was possible.  You thought we could only do things in our bedroom.  You would’ve been stuck in missionary if it wasn’t for me.  I’m so glad I opened the door for you, Light.  And I’m even happier you stepped through it. 

“Easy, Light…” L’s grip on the seat grew tighter, “Slow down.  You can take your time.  It’s ok.”

Light only sucked harder.  He knew he was on the clock.  The ride was only twenty minutes long. 

“Light…” L’s hands tangled themselves up in Light’s hair, bracing himself for what came next, “Slow.  Down.”

But Light refused.  Deeper and deeper, faster…faster…harder…

“Light…” L growled, “I said, fuck…Slow the fuuuuuuck…”

Light threw back a confident swallow, popping L out of his mouth, “Hmm?  Did you say something?”

L, pleasantly spent, got a surprisingly strong grip on Light’s jaw, “You’re a little brat.  Did you know that?”

Light merely smiled, “But you still love me.”

“Regrettably…”

“Um…Excuse me, sir?” the operator noticed Light still on the floor of the car, “Are you alright?”

L stuck his hand outside the door and handed off his card to the operator, “We’re staying.”

“Yes, sir,” the operator didn’t even want to think about what was going to happen on their second go around, but that wasn’t his business.

When they started going back up, L stared down at Light, who still sat at his feet, “You do realize I’m a creature of vengeance, right, Light?”

And Light’s smile got a little bigger, “I was banking on it.”

#dnkinktober #kinktober #kinktober 2023 #death note #death note fan fiction #lawllight #happy birthday l

[lollipencil]

Lunar Lullaby

Found out about this species, and just knew what to do.

Enjoy and be gentle.

---

Marc glared into the camera after another five minutes alone in the interrogation room. Well, not truly alone. Steven's anxiety pulsed behind his eyes, while Jake was watching everything like a hawk.

It took another ten minutes of staring before someone finally came. "Hello, so sorry about the wait," a blonde woman in a very nice jacket strode confidently into the room, two guards following to flank the door, "Paperwork, you know." Marc just shrugged in silence, but this did not deter her. "Right, now then. I'm going to start by asking a few simple questions. Firstly, do you know where you are now?" "UNIT HQ in London." "Good. I am Kate Stewart, Chief Scientific Officer here. Do you know why you are here?" "Probably because of the incident."

Kate nodded and removed an image from the file she had been holding, placing it on the table and sliding it towards Marc. "That was some alien tech you managed to get your hands on. Where did you get it?" Marc glared down at the picture and didn't make a sound. "Did you happen upon it, or was it...provided?" "It was a gift," Marc muttered eventually. "From who?" "...He called himself Khonshu."

"Khonshu," Kate echoed as she flicked through the pile of files, "and the incident, you claimed that it's all been resolved. Can you tell me how?" Before Marc could stop him, Steven pushed his way in front: "It was a glitch, all fixed now." "Can you say what caused it?" she asked, showing no reaction to Steven's sudden appearence other than a brief squinting of her eyes. "A response to a psychic-enabled device interacting with an unexpected and complex mental state," Steven recited from memory.

Kate nodded, jotting something down in one file before closing it and pulling out a thin one at the very bottom. "Please read this, and let me know what you think," she requested, offering the file to Steven. Nodding himself, he did as asked.

The first few pages were a summary of the incident. How UNIT managed to found out about Egypt was beyond any of them. It was the contents of the pages after this summary that baffled them all. "Um, what?" Steven looked back up, "What's this?" "A job offer," Kate said bluntly. "What's the catch?" Marc pushed his way back, frowning in confusion.

"Well, given the public nature of the incident and the information we know of Osrians, we have to show that we're doing something. So, you would be his... I suppose parole officer is close enough," Kate explained, "Of cource other duties will be asked of you, but your primary role would be monitoring Khonshu while he is living on Earth." "With a change of accommodation provided?" "Yes, that flat is rather small after all, and you all will have input as to its location."

Marc rubbed the paper as he thought. "I think we should go for it," Steven stated cheerfully. "Normally I'd be more cautious, but, I agree," Jake reluctantly concured. Marc thought somemore: "You got a pen?"

---

Muffled ranting greeted Jake as he woke slowly. With a sigh, he rolled out of bed and onto his feet. Once downstairs, he paused to take in the scene.

The toaster had been gutted, the empty shell laying in the sink. Suffering a similar fate was the microwave. Their internal components were in Khonshu's hands, who was muttering with hostile intent as he fiddled with the mess of wires. "Do I want to know what you're doing?" Jake asked as he shuffled to the thankfully intact kettle. "Improving the cooking appliance," Khonshu didn't look up. "The toaster and microwave were seperate." "A fault I intend to correct." Shaking his head, Jake took a sip of his coffee: "Thanks for leaving the kettle."

A knock on the door tore Jake from the electrical hazard in the kitchen. Jake's jaw cracked with the force of his yawn, shuffling towards the front door. "Hello!" chirrped the man on the other side, "I'm your new neighbor." "Oh, hey. Jake." "The Doctor," the man shook Jake's free hand while balancing a cake with his own, "Just wanted to introduce myself and hand off this."

And, with the cake in Jake's hands and a minute's worth of polite conversation, the Doctor left with a spring in his step. "He seems nice," Steven commented just before the door closed.

#my fics #crossover fic #moon knight (2022) #doctor who #marc spector #kate stewart #steven grant #jake lockley #khonshu #fourteenth doctor

[goaways-stuff]

Dark Days

Pairing: Steven Grant x transmale! reader, Marc Spector x transmale! reader, Jake Lockley x transmale! reader

Warnings: EXTREME MENTAL HEALTH WARNING! self-harm, mentions of mental abuse, this gets pretty dark so read at your own risk, transphobia, homophobia, mentions of religious trauma, extreme angst

Rating: Mature

A/N: Please do not read if you are considering self harm or suicide. I am not a mental health professional, this story is based on myself and times where I just needed someone there. There to reassure me, so a lot of this is things I have personally experienced, with creative liberties take of course. Anyway, be careful reading this. If you're worried you may relapse into anything, don't read this. This was honestly more for myself because fics like these do help me, and they may help others too. Just be weary, know your limits.

dividers by @firefly-graphics

Tears streamed down your face as wrecked sobs left your mouth. You were clinging to your favorite stuffed animal for dear life as tears stained the soft fabric.

You thought you could do it. You thought maybe they had had a change of heart. You couldn't have been more wrong.

Your parents had reached out to you, inviting you for dinner and to stay back home. Maybe it was going to be an apology for the things they did to you for all those years, you thought. Maybe they wanted you back in their life.

You wanted them back in yours. You had always longed for the unconditional love of a parent. After years of mental abuse from your family, you were finally able to escape, but not without paying the price of losing them. Your whole family turned their back on you: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents- everyone. You assumed your parents had spread rumors and lies, or even worse- they told them the truth.

The horrible, disgusting truth about yourself. That not only were you gay, but you were transitioning to a man. You knew it'd eventually get out, but you had wished it would've been on your own time.

But all of that was many, many years ago. You had since transitioned, becoming the man you were always meant to be, met your wonderful boyfriend with three different personalities, each who you loved equally whom you had made your own little family with. You had the three of them, Steven's pet goldfish Gus (the second), and your vast array of plants.

You were happy with your new found family, loving every second that you spent with them in the comfort of the cozy London apartment, or anywhere for that matter. But, when your parents reached out, that longing for the live only a parent can give came flooding back, causing you to say yes before you could even think about what could happen.

You went eagerly to their house, your childhood home. As soon as you arrived, a feeling of regret rushed through your blood. Memories of the abuse your parents put you through conjured in you mind. You did your best to push it down, just wanting to see your mom and dad again.

As soon as that door opened, you were reminded of why you had left.

Your mother nearly burst out in tears at the sight of you; shoulders broadened, a light stubble over your cheeks and a sharper jaw, a much more masculine figure compared to when your parents had last seen you. She wailed as to what happened to her baby girl. She called your horrendous names. Your dad came running to see what the fuss with about before yelling at you, calling you slurs and justifying himself with his religion. They tried to convince you to come back to God, walk a more righteous path or whatever. They guilt tripped you, but you weren't going to let them manipulate you into coming back, no way.

You ran back to your car, tears welling in your eyes before speeding off. You quickly tried to clear your vision, not wanting to distract from driving. It was hard, but you managed to make it back to the apartment. Steven was still at work, as expected so you were alone. Left with your now, much darker thoughts than normal due to your parents.

That brings you to now, sobbing into your stuffed animal as you tried to silence the thoughts, but it was no use. Not even your happiest memories could shine through the darkness of the memories of abuse right now.

You tried so hard not to result to old, harmful coping mechanisms, but it was a useless battle. You found your feet carrying you to the bathroom, still sobbing with blurred vision. Your eyes were beginning to burn and that beginning to become sore. Before you could stop yourself, your arms opened to sink drawer, rummaging for the one thing that would take the mental pain away.

You old, horrible friend met with you once again. You picked up the razor blade. The bathroom light reflected off of it.

You tried so hard to stop yourself, you tried to think of your ever so loving boyfriends. It was what felt like an impossible battle. Before you had knew it, you had lost.

Your tears finally stopped as the shock from what you had done set in. The physical painting easing the mental one. You had a moment of mental peace before the panic set in.

What would Steven, Marc, and Jake think? God, they were probably going to leave you now. You had been clean for so long, not having done it since towards the beginning of your relationship. You probably deserved it though, because you sure as hell didn't deserve them.

The tears welled up as the thoughts of self doubt ran through you mind once again. The boys don't really love you, they're just with you out of pity for your sad, pathetic self. Look at yourself, Y/N, you're pitiful. An ugly man that still looked like a girl.

The dysphoria kicked in. Not one positive thought went through your head. You sat as the self-doubt crippled you. It was like a dark shadow, devouring more and more until there was nothing left.

The razor blade sat on the floor, covered in blood, your clothes were stained and drips were on the floor. It truly was a scary sight to see.

An even scarier sight to Steven, who just got off of work. He had no idea that you would be back, as you told him you were staying with your parents for the night.

He immediately dropped to his knees by your side.

"Oh my God, Y/N, what happened. What happened?" Tears started welling in his eyes and waves upon waves of guilt crashed over you.

"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. Please, I'm sorry," was all you could get out. Your sobs were horse now.

He tried to reach out to you, but you recoiled. You don't deserve him. Look at waht you did to him

Tears were streaming down his face as well now. "Please, Y/N, lemme help you, please," He looked at you, but you looked away, unable to face him. Unable to face the consequence of you actions.

Before you could resist, strong arms wrapped around you, picking you up and placing you on the sink. You were still stringing together Apologies as he retrieved a first aid kit.

"Y/N, my love, listen to me. Can you hear me?"

You nodded, still unable to look at him, which he knew. He knew how to handle you in moments like these.

"I need you to breathe with me for a second, yeah?"

You nodded again. Steven inhaled slowly, you inhaled with him before he slowly exhaled. The two of you repeated this as he aided to your wounds. It hurt him to see, it hurt so bad to know that you were in so much pain that this is what you resorted to. Marc and Jake were trying to fight to front, but Steven reminded them of how he was much more experienced in this side of you than they were, and he wasn't wrong. It's just that in the beginning of the relationship, neither Marc nor Jake knew how to handle their own emotions, nonetheless someone else's, so whenever you would get in a state similar to whee you are now, the reigns would be given to Steven. Though, Steven did promise them time with you after he got you calmed down and stable.

Once you were bandaged and your sobs had faded into sniffles Steven moved between your legs, grabbing onto you waist and hugging you tight. The pressure of his body and arms squeezing you was calming.

Once the sniffles had also faded, and only then did Steven pushed for what happened, though he had an idea. An idea that your words confirmed. He could feel anger rising in him, not at you, no- never. At your parents. At your stupid parents. All you wanted from them was their love, and they couldn't even do that for you.

Jake muttered what Steven assumed to be curses or threats in Spanish towards your parents and Marc was seething, yelling in Steven's head about how shitty it was to have horrible parents, and boy did he know what that was like.

Marc and Jake both started watching from the mirror behind you, making sure you were okay.

Once you were done rambling about your parents, you started rambling about the thoughts. "Steven, I'm so sorry. I tried so hard, I really did. I'm sorry, please don't leave me. I know I'm a burden and I'm hard to love and I require so much, but please- Steven please," You begged him as if it was for your life.

"Y/N, I would never, all three of us love you so very much. To the moon and back, a thought- no million times there and back. Marc and Jake are so worried about you right now, they love you, I love you. You are a light in out darkness, everytime I see your face, I just feel at home. I feel at peace with you, I feel safe. I have never loved anyone more than you, Y/N." Steven continued a genuine ramble about his love for you. He didn't blame you for anything. He knew you tried, the only thing he made you do was promise that next time, when you were feeling this way, that you would try to get him. Call, text, whatever, at anytime, anywhere. He moved you to the bed, still holding you close to him. You buried your head underneath the covers and into his chest. Eventually, once you were more ground he let go of the reigns, Marc quickly taking over.

After seeing the state you were in, Marc quickly became glad Steven had been in control earlier because he was at a loss. He had no idea what to do, or how to comfort you. "Y/N- my sweet boy, I'm so sorry. " He took your hand, squeezing it in his. He kissed the top of your head- he didn't know what else to do.

At this loss, Jake finally took over, he wanted to see you. His precioso.

"Ay, mi amor, who did this to you?" He heard what happened, but he wanted to hear it for himself. And upon this, rage built up inside, pouring gasoline on his already raging fire.

"Y/n, mi vida, te amo mucho y tú haces todo mejor. No sé qué haría sin ti."

He remained calm with you, while he knew he couldn't kill you parents as he wished to, he would find a way to make them pay for what they did.

You eventually fell asleep, having were yourself out from the crying. Steven took control once again to take care of your sleeping form.

#steven grant #steven grant x male reader #steven grant x reader #marc spector x male reader #marc spector #marc spector x reader #jake lockely x reader #jake lockley #jake lockley x male reader #moon boys #moon knight

[freyaswolf]

For years, I lived in bewildered befuddlement regarding the musical musings of Taylor Swift. I usually listen to rock or metal, so her brand of pop was not a part of my usual lineup. However, I gained lovely friends here on Tumblr who swear by our Lady TayTay, so I decided I should check out her stuff. But there was SO MUCH, I didn't even know where to start. Luckily, my dearest mutual and actual friend, @idontgettechnology , took pity on me and made me the most amazing playlist to get me started. She titled it Taylor Swift 101, with a description of "Class is is session bish".

I spent today working my way through it, and it was a revelation! I took notes, cause that's what you're supposed to do in class, so here are my highlights from the 56 song playlist. I know I'm missing out on years of lore regarding TSwift, but I'm eager to learn. After a few more listens I may even be ready for the 201 level of this class lol

Notes below the cut, to save your scrolling thumb 😜

Ok, here we go! (I'm pretty sure these are in the intended order, and mostly these are first impressions)

1. Fifteen: wow, this took me straight back to highschool!

2. Teardrops on my Guitar: yep, I'm already hooked

3. Fearless: UGH!!!!

4. Tied Together with a Smile: FUCK!

5. Whitehorse: Holy shit!

6. Cold as You: DAMN!!!

7. You Belong with Me: (SCREAMING) I'm officially invested!

8. Stay Beautiful: 😍😍😍

9. That's The Way I Loved You: FUUUUUUCK!!!

10. Come Back, Be Here: I'm dead over this one ☠️

11. Sparks Fly: EHRMEHGHERD!!!

12. All Too Well: DUUUUUDE!!! I think this is about Jake Gyllenhaal? Also, OOOUUUUUCCCHHH, I can feel her pain!

13. Dear John: EW! Girl, he's a toxic ass narcissist! Babygirl, you need to ditch those boys, get you a girlfriend instead. I volunteer as tribute, or I would if I wasn't too old and boring lol

14. I Almost Do: 🥺🥺🥺🥺

15. Enchanted: Oh the feels!!! Also, my personal head canon is that this is about Chris Evans 😜

16. Red: oh boy, have I been here!

17. Long Live: THIS IS SUCH A GREAT SONG! OH MY HEART!

18. Blank Space: HA! I love this song!

19. Out of the Woods: girl does not have normal relationships

20. How You Get the Girl: OOOOF! I mean come on, she's literally giving instructions!

21. Bad Blood: Fuck you song if ever I heard one! "You made this mess, you know that right?" Kinda vibes

22. Clean: (hand over heart in salute) I feel you sis!

23. Wonderland: Love this! Also, who is this green eyed boy she keeps mentioning?!

24. Look at What You Made Me Do: love this! "Fine, now I'm the bad guy" vibes 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

25. This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! DUDE!!! LOVE THIS!!! 🤣

26. Gorgeous: Love this! UGH SHUT UP YOUR PRETTY FACE! Also about Chris Evans lol

27. Getaway Car: Damn, I've had a few of these, and yeah nothing good happens in a getaway car. Doomed! Lol

28. Dress: HOT!!!

29. New Years Day: Oh my heart!!!

30. The Man: FUCK YES!!!

31. The Archer: wow, exhausting/exhausted, this poor kid!

32. London Boy: FUCK. (This totally made me think of JQ) lol

33. Paper Rings: LOVE!!! ❤️❤️❤️

34. Cruel Summer: relatable lol

35. Cardigan: Sobbing 😭

36. Ivy: UGH! Made me cry!

37. Exile: FML. SOBBING. FR UGLY CRYING.

38. Champagne Problems: this girl needs a hug

39. Illicit Affairs: OUCH!

40. Coney Island: 🖤

41. Hoax: I am bereft. I feel like I just broke up with all of my exes at once.

42. Gold Rush: definitely about Chris Evans. Also the way I flirt, if you're too perfect, I avoid and ignore. And if I can't do that, I heckle.

43. Tis the Damn Season: FEEEEELS!!!

44. Mirrorball: she needs all of the hugs, and some real friends.

45. No Body, No Crime: I would absolutely hide bodies for her. I would die for her.

45. Betty: I have questions? Also, I 🖤 when she says fuck.

46: Evermore: I liked it, but I didn't have a definitive "note"

47. Antihero: HA!

48. Maroon: I really love it when she says fuck. It may be a new kink for me.

49. Lavender Haze: I really want her to get a girlfriend.

50. You're on Your Own Kid: SO GOOD!

51. Bejeweled: FUCK YES!!!

52. Mastermind: 😈😈😈 I've done this. This is me.

53. The Great War: bonded like war buddies lol

54. High Infidelity: Feels decidedly Hellcheery

55. Would've Could've Should've: DAAAAAMMMMNNN!!!!

56. Dear Reader: WOW

And I am SPENT! This was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I enjoyed the whole fucking time. I am now a ride or die T Swift fan. Dude, I had no idea. Thank you so much MJ for this guided tour, I had the best time today! 🥰

#my introduction to Taylor Swift #idontgettechnology #she loves me and she gives the best presents #taytay #tswift #taylor swift is amazing #and an angel #and we don't deserve her #i can't believe i just said that on the internet #i still also love Metallica though lol

[ry-ichi1]

The Old Picture

Summary: Two or Three years ago before the event, Scrooge finds Derya's old photo when they were in the Navy with their mysterious old friend while he wants to head home.

Wordcounts: ±2700 words

Tags: tbh idk what tags I have to put on this

Warning: mentioning death?

A/N: LAKSJDKJAKASMKA THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I MADE FANFIC. If anything is wrong or missing, please tell me because English isn’t my first language (thanks to Grammarly) and I’m bad at writing. Also, I hope you enjoy this story.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Derya’s POV

Marley and Scrooge’s private banker and lender is gloomy like usual. I and Bob, who works there, tidy up all papers and prepare to go home because it’s already 6 P.M. now. Bob has already done to prepare him to go home and ask for his wages from Sir Scrooge. Again, he is always grumpy, especially when it’s almost Christmas Eve.

“Hey Derya, do you mind to come my home to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family?” offer him.

“Thanks for your offer, but I can’t join you this year” it’s because my brother, Henry, will come to my place. “I’m so sorry Bob” I feel bad for him, especially for his kids. They must be waiting for my story about when I was a pirate.

“Oh, it’s okay! No pressure on you. I have to go now, Merry Christmas Derya and Sir Scrooge!” he already step out from the door and meets his children outside. There are Kathy and Tiny Tim outside. They notice me and wave their hand.

I wave my hand to them as I peek out from the door. “Merry Christmas to you Bo­-”

“Yeah yeah merrily doo Christmas!” He slams the door.

I jump back as he slams the door. Yep, another of his normal behavior.

“And you!” He sees me annoyingly. “It’s already 6 P.M.! Why are you still here???”

“Well, I just want to head to my home, but…” I lend my hand to him as I smile slyly.

“Ughhh, okay this your wages and go home now!” He pushes me into the front of the door.

“Okay, okay! See you later and Mer-” he slams the door. “-ry Christmas” as I expected.

Ebenezer’s POV

“I swear to god why that person is still in my li-” I notice there is a small piece of paper on the floor. I pick it up and realize that the paper is a photo. I take a look at that photo “it’s that Derya?” I had never seen them in Navy uniform before and they were happy like they had no problems in their life. “And who is this man?” that question was already answered as I read their handwriting (I believe) that said, “Mar, 1823. Drinking with my friend Thompson!”. So, he is Derya’s friend named Thompson. What happened to their friendship? Wait… why do I care about it???

Prudence’s appearance makes me distract from that mind. She seems curious about what I am holding in my hand. “It’s just their photo with their dear friend and we have to go home now Prudence” I keep that photo in my coat and prepare to go home. When I reach the door, Prudence blocks my way. “Woof!” she looks at me with a serious face. “What?! You want me to return that photo now???” she nods. “Oh Prudence dear, we can do that later! We still have another day to return it!” she seems to disagree with my statement. Silence fills this room and she still doesn’t move from her place. “BAH FINE! WE RETURN IT TO DERYA NOW”.

She looks happy that we will go to their place. “I can’t believe I have to do this” I lock the door and go to their place. One question, where do they live? I never ask them where they live. What?! I’m just minding my own business! …, Okay only one way to know where they live and I kinda hate it.

“Excuse me sir, do you know where Derya Darenport lives?” this man looks familiar from behind.

“Oh! Derya? They liv- SIR SCROOGE?!?” It’s Mr. Jenkins. He looks scared to me, just like he sees a ghost. “Well, you know my debt-”

“I don’t ask about that, Jenkins. I ask about where Derya lives”

“Oh, right, well Derya lives around South London. From here, ….” He explains in detail.

“So, you said they live in a tenement?” I ask again to make sure.

“Yes, sir”

“…, thank you for the direction Mr. Jenkins”

“You’re welcome si-”

“Don’t forget to pay your debt, Mr. Jenkins. You know what happened if you don’t pay your debt, right?” I point to him with my cane.

“Ye-yes, sir”

“Good” I walk away with Prudence beside me.

Jenkins’ POV

He already walks away to head to Derya’s home. “Ain’t they already working together in the same place in 4 or 5 years? …, that man is so unpredictable”. I shake my head and go to my home.

Ebenezer’s POV

“So this place is where Derya lives huh…” the tenement looks dull. “Sigh...” I knock on the door and wait.

“I’m coming~” Finally the door is open. There is an old lady, whom I assume, is the owner of this tenement. “Oh, Mr. Scrooge! Come in” I step inside the tenement. “Is there any need or trouble that made you bring here sir?” she smiles in friendly.

“Oh, I have an important thing with Derya. So please, lead me to them”

“Ooh~, Derya lives on the third floor and-” she sees Prudence. “Also your dog can join us too” Prudence looks happy after hearing about it. “Well, follow my lead, sir”.

I follow her lead as she talks about herself (which I found out that her name is Eleanor Taylor) and the dwellers of this tenement. Speaking about the tenement, how bloody hell they can live in this stuffy place??? No, I’m not caring about them! Just- BAH HUMBUG!

“You know what, Derya always talking about you sir” she looks at me as we walk to the third floor.

“Huh, I bet they do hate speech about me, right?” How dare they talk about my bad thing to other people.

“Well… kinda, but most of it is interesting about you”

Interesting??? What does it mean??? Suddenly, My mind interrupts by the beautiful violin that plays the “Greensleeves” song. That soft melody soothes my mind and gets closer as I walk.

“Alright sir, this is Derya’s room” I never know they can play the violin. “Do you want me to call them sir?”

“Ah, no thank you, Mrs. Taylor, I will call them”

“Okay, If you need some help you can call me” she walks downstairs. “Also please again, call me Madam El” she disappears while she goes down.

I take a breath and knock on the door.

Derya’s POV

My “performance” was interrupted by someone knocking on my door. I hope it’s my brother. I open the door and I’m shocked. “Sir Scrooge! What are you doing here???” I see Prudence with him too. Ain’t this tenement didn’t allow to bring any animals here... Wait, how she can pass from Madam El??? And that’s how scary Sir Scrooge is??? Even Madam El let Prudence pass? Damn, Scrooge…

“Well…” he takes something from his coat. “I believe this photo belongs to you” he gives me a photo.

I take that photo and take a look. My eyes widen as I realize this photo is of myself with my dear old friend. “W-where you find it?”

“It fell on the floor” straight to the point.

“I- thank you, sir! This photo is very important to me” I hold my photo tightly.

“Huh! If you know that thing is important, you have to keep it safe next time you little magpie!” He still uses that “insult”.

“Okay, okay, yes sir land boy!” I know he hates that name. “And aren’t you have to go home now?” His home is far from here if I’m not wrong.

“To be honest, do you mind explain that what happened to your friend in that photo?”

Okay, that’s new for him that never care about around him. “Uhhh…”

“If you’re not ready to tell about it, it’s okay! Take your time”

“No, no, no, I’m okay with that” I look around first. “Let’s talk about it in my room, shall we?”

Ebenezer’s POV

“…, okay” did I just agree with it?

“Well, come in sir! Make sure you feel like your own home if you can” I rolled my eyes as I take a step to their room.

As I enter the room, the warm and cozy atmosphere meet me. Maybe their room is so small, but simple and not stuffy. Also, their usual scent, the ocean scent, is really strong in this room.

“May take a seat, sir” they pull the chair from the dining table that you can meet right after you enter the room beside their wardrobe. “Can I take your coat, sir?”

“No thank you, I keep it” I take a sit as they prepare the tea in their “little kitchen” on the right side of the dining table. Their room isn’t festive for celebrating Christmas Eve as I expect, but there is a small Christmas tree on the dining table. It is put in the pot and decorated with folding papers in a star shape with a big paper star on the top (which is very creative). “I like how you’re played the violin before” I break the silence between us.

“Oh! Uh…, thanks” They try to hide their bashful face while they serve the tea to me and them. “So, what made you interested in that photo?” They seem curious as they bring a chair to sit close to me.

“First of all, you never talk about him because he is your friend. Second, why did you quit from Navy? You look happy in that photo” as I finish asking, they laugh. “Wha- what’s funny about it???”

“Well, maybe I was happy like in that photo, but every happiness has tragedy after it” They’re right. “For the first question, He is already dead” their smile seem blue. Prudence walks to them to comfort them. They pat her “I’m okay”

“I’m sorry to hear that” I want to comfort them by patting their shoulder, but I might regret it if I do that.

“It’s okay, really” but their face says not okay.

“So let me guess, you quit from Navy because your friend died?” that reason is kinda ridiculous, but I believe they have more reason than that.

“Well, almost” they take a sip of tea. “I quit from Navy because I found out how sinner they are, especially what the higher position in the Navy did to my friend” they talk in rage but quietly. At the same time, their face is close to mine and our eyes meet each other. I never knew they have pretty eyes. Their eyes remind me of a ruby, not really red but- WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT??? FOCUS SCROOGE!

“What did they do to your friend?” I know this seems rude, but I have to do it to distract myself.

“Sigh…, they killed him like an accident” I’m shocked. “He died in un-justice way” they hold their anger. “He died in knowing their sins” they hold their anger tears. I‘m concerned about them now. “Because of them, he left his dear wife and a son I-” their tears can hold it anymore. My hand reflex moves to their shoulder to comfort them.  “I’m so sorry…, I shouldn’t cry over the past…” they wipe their tears.

“Take your time” I smile at them. What is wrong with me?

“Again, I’m okay” they put their hand on my hand on their shoulder. “Also, you should smile more! You look good with it” I try to hide my blushing face. I hope they won’t notice it.

“So, do you still mad about it?”

“Of course I do! I even want to have revenge on them again, but…” they look at me. “… I can’t do that because they are too powerful and I have to move forward” they smile sweetly. “Maybe the past makes me hurt, but I cannot brood over it forever and have to move on” I’m processing what they just said.

Someone just knocked on the window. Aren’t we on the third floor? There is no way people can climb on the wall. Derya walks toward to window and opens it a little. A crow enters the room with a paper scroll on its back. Oh, it’s a crow.

“Oh Sir Erebus, you must be tired, right?” they pat that crow and give some peanuts to it. Sir Erebus? Heh, What a funny name. They take that paper and read it as that crow flies to their head and sits on them. They look sad after they read it. “I guess I’m celebrating Christmas alone again…”

“What do you mean?”

“Henry, my dear brother, cannot visit me because he has some business” the grandfather clock chimes behind me. It’s already 9 P.M.

“Well, I think I have to go home now” I finish their tea and get up. “Thanks for your hospitality, come on Prudence” she gets up and follows me.

“Wait, sir!” they wear their coat. “Let me accompany you to the main door”

Derya’s POV

“Okay, it’s up to you” I think he agrees with it.

I close the door and follow him downstairs. Damn, his walk is fast as sailfish for his age. I tried to catch him up as we walk downstairs. Only silence between the two of us while we walk down. I dare look at him and think about what just happened in my room. Did he just care and smile at me? Also, I remember he just blushed when I look at him… HAH, NONSENSE! There is no way he do that such thing… or maybe…

“There is something wrong with my face?” he notices.

“Yes, there is! And you might hate it if I mention it” the wrong thing on his face is why he is so handsome.

“Huh, okay” He rolled his eyes.

We finally arrived at the main door of the tenement. We step out of the door and we meet breezing wind that bites our skin with the sky full of black ink and dancing tiny lights. “Sir, you can wait here while I find a carriage for you” I don’t care how he reacts to it, but that man needs it because his home is really far from here and it’s already night.

Not far from my tenement, I already find a carriage. “Ay, sir!” I run toward it. “Are you going to the center of London?” I ask the coachman.

“Lucky for you! My way to my home just passed there”

“Oh thank Neptune, would you mind taking that man to his home? He lives in there” I point to Sir Scrooge not far behind me. “And this is your payment, I hope this is enough” I took out my wages that gave by Scrooge before.

“Since this is Christmas Eve, I will take any payment you have” He winks at me.

“Oh, thanks for your kindness sir! Please wait, I tell him now” I walk toward Sir Scrooge.

Ebenezer’s POV

Did they just pay him with all their wages without thinking about themselves??? How do they survive if they do that every time?!

“I find a carriage for you sir! Now you can go home safely” they smile brightly as they are in that photo before. They lend their hand “Let me take you to the carriage”. I take their hand because it will be rude if I refuse it. We walk toward the carriage and they open the carriage door for me. “Before you go, …” I look at them. “… I know you will hate it but …” They take a deep breath. “Merry Christmas sir”

Derya’s POV

What did I just thinking about??? Wishing him that hate Christmas entire his heart?!? He stares at me. Okay, I’m totally fucked up now…

“Merry Christmas too, Derya” as he went in a carriage. I’m surprised by that words. Did he just Merry Christmas to me? I still stand in the same place because I’m shocked about what happened before.

Ebenezer’s POV

This carriage was already far from their tenement. I’m still thinking about what happened to myself before and their words.

“Well, maybe I was happy like in that photo, but every happiness has tragedy after it”

“… I can’t do that because they are too powerful and I have to move forward”

“Maybe the past makes me hurt, but I cannot brood over it forever and have to move on”

I take out my pocket watch and open it. “TO OUR HAPPINESS” written on it. I stare at it long and close it harshly.

“Humbug…”

#no beta the author already dead first before you #idek how to old english #oc x canon #scrooge x oc #scrooge netflix #ebenezer scrooge #scrooge 2022 #scrooge: a christmas carol #a christmas carol 2022 #a christmas carol #hehe oc lore gonna brrrrr #derya darenport #fanfic #writing

[hoodievixen]

The Voice of God [Steven Grant/Marc Spector x Priestess!OC] Part 11

Summary: Steven and Godeleve thought they finally found some normalcy with each other. Little did they know they would drag each other further into the mysteries ands secrets in their lives. (Godeleve can see and talk to Gods - mainly the Greek kind)

Word Count: ~ 2k

Warning: Moon Knight spoilers, author has forgotten what a normal conversation is after the end of the world, no beta we die like men, idk whose perspective I’m writing in rn

A/N: I don’t think I truly portrayed this in previous chapters, but Godeleve is weird. Also a badass who sasses gods.

Part 10, Part 12,  Master List

Godeleve has a weird relationship with the sun. While, yes she dose have a weird relationship with Apollo, also with the sun itself. Thanks to the aforementioned god, she was blessed to heal at alarming rates under the star's rays. Then she has spent a good portion of her life unable to find proper cover from the harsh heat. Yet even with growing used to it, and it's use, if it was too bright or too hot Godeleve would become a sweaty mess. So under the hot sun of the desert she wore tan shorts, a cream tank top, as well as a long headdress that was enough to cover he face as well as her heavily tattooed arm. While it didn't offer much protection, she much preferred it to being stuck in sweaty clothes in sweltering heat.

She wasn't giving up on Zen, and had followed the cult into the Egyptian desert with no hesitation. No one seemed to pay her any mind as she walk along beside a camel someone else was leading. Zen was up front walking with Harrow. She just watched as it all came to a stop, and Harrow declared they found the tomb. Everyone started rushing to start work. Godeleve stood in the sand, waiting for the right moment to approach Zen.

Just about everyone was doing something, occupied, but Zen just stood by  watching everything. Godeleve Rushed over and grabbed them by the arm. Zen seemed frightened as she pulled them behind a large rock formation, crouching down to hide in it's shadow. "What are you doing here?" Zen snapped. "Didn't you abandon me back in London?"

Godeleve glared and waved a finger in his face. "I'm never going to abandon you. Let alone with a cult."

"Cult is a bit extreme?" Zen scoffed

"Well actually cults are any unorthodox religion, which currently Christianity is the orthodox, so a lot of stuff is seen as cults," Godeleve informed them. "But they actually kill people, so think it's right to group them in with the Manson Family."

Zen wore a look of confusion.  "And you still don't know what a parabola is?"

"Sorry I don't know anything about your weird mushroom, hasn't really come up in my life," Godeleve pointed out. "But I'm here to convince you to come home. Forget about all of this."

"Why?" Zen questioned. "I'm welcomed here. They think I am important."

Godeleve pushed the head dress down, wanting Zen to be able to see her face. "Please, being like this use words and empty promises to bring you to their side. Nothing good will ever come from this."

Zen reached out and grabbed her hand. "Godeleve, you are my friend, but I was never your follower."

Godeleve shook her head, "You never were. I just..."

Someone had found the two crouching in the shadows. "Ah Zen, so this must be the friend you spoke of, " harrow said calmly, "It is nice to see you again Godeleve."

"Ewe," Godeleve groaned, standing up. Zen did as well, taking a partial step toward the man. It was enough to show who they were sticking with.

Harrow did not hide the smile on his face. "You are still welcome here," he offered holding out his hand to her. "Stay with your fellow priestess."

"I prefer prophet," Zen corrected it.

Godeleve shrugged, "It's gender neutral."

"And for a guy who talks a lot, I thought you would know that it pays to listen," she commented.

Her attention turned to Zen, "If you need anything, call me." With holding up the hand single for a phone, Godeleve disappeared into the shadows.

------------------------------------------------

"That is a heavy accusation, Khonshu," Osiris calmly stated.

There was a loud crack and fizzle that came from the back of the pyramid. "But it is true," said a voice currently with more of a Mediterranean than anything previously. Godeleve walked out from the shadows, a energy drink in hand. "Sorry, I meant to make my presence known sooner, but this place has so much going on, it's very disorienting." She was quick to take a drink from the can. "Is this the entrance to your guys' underworld, cause last time I felt like this was on Matapan."

"It's you," Horus commented in disbelief.

Godeleve was quick to wave, still trying to down her drink as quickly as possible. "Hi, yeah, glad you've heard of me. Been a while Isis, still think you're better than Hera."

"Godeleve," the goddess address the priestess, " You do not belong here."

Godeleve shrugged. "Not the first time I've heard that, and won't be the last. But I'm here and there's not much you can do about it."

With one last tip back she finished the energy drink. "But yeah, Arthur Harrow is trying to summon Ammit.

He is also using her powers to judge and condemn souls before it is their time. And if it matters to my guy, hopefully that matters to you." She looked directly up at Osiris.

His gaze grew sharp at her. "We clearly have different priorities."

From the slightly judgmental look on Godeleve's face there was clearly a second meaning to what the god said, and she knew it.

"Rude," she plainly commented, "But" She made a dramatic hand gesture to bring their attention back to what she had to say. "Harrow's actions have also been weakening the boarders between the realms. Beast humans belief to be myth and legend have been returning to this realm."

"We have heard nothing of this," Horus pointed out.

Godeleve shook her head, and sat down her back pack. "Glad I brought this..." she grumbled to herself. "Cause I've been taking care of them. You're welcome." Out from her bag she pulled a head with hair of snakes, and green tinted skin. She threw it onto the ground, causing most of the god to flinch and look away. "The eyes are covered," Godeleve stressed. "But as you see, gorgon, a thing that's been dead and extinct form this realm for millennia."

"It is not from our realm," Osiris pointed out.

Godeleve deadpanned looking at them. "I am something people celebrate or resist. I change people's thoughts and lives. I am obvious to some people, but to others I am a mystery. What am I?"

The gods recognized what she was meaning.

"Then why have you done nothing?" Horus asked, growing defensive.

"I'm stuck to a simple rule. An eye for an eye, and a life for a life," Godeleve explained. "And I've been to busy cleaning up the spill to properly watch the leak."

Horus sneered, "I find that hard to believe. More so when you relate yourself with that one." Godeleve glanced over to Marc, or more Khonshu at that point.

She glared in confusion. "Gods confuse me," she sighed. "You claim yourselves better than the others, but when it come down to it your all the same."

"You have over stayed your welcome," Osiris commented, standing up.

Godeleve shrugged her back pack on. "I know, but I'm going to part you with some knowledge, you have a hard time grasping. Human's evolve, they change. They won't need you the same way the once had. If you want to be remembered, do something about it." And as she dose, she disappeared into the shadows.

--------------------------

"You know for sticking together, you have been doing a lot of your own thing today," Layla commented as Godeleve walked next to her.

Godeleve had a monster drink in her hand. "I know, today has been weird." She then started chugging the drink.

"How are you alive? This is the second energy drink I've seen you drink today," Layla questioned.

"Gotta keep my heart beating with caffeine," Godeleve commented. Layla didn't believe it. "I haven't gotten any sleep in a week."

"So you have not slept since we met?" Layla questioned.

"Longer," Godeleve corrected her. The night they first met, where some would say it all started, but any would beginning it was the start of the end, Godeleve had found Layla again after calming herself. She wanted to know the woman she wrong, and found someone she'd love to remember her. With similar goal, the women teamed up, in a quasi friendship.

"Marc's around here somewhere," Godeleve told her, leading her further into the busy street.

"You still didn't tell me know you two know each other," Layla commented.

Godeleve pulled out her phone to check something. "I'd prefer it if I didn't know him at all."

"I understand that feeling," Layla agreed, "But how were you unlucky enough to have met him."

Godeleve wasn't sure what to tell her. Did she deserve the truth, yes, she deserved to know that you were dating Steven, a facet of her husband, and while do so met the part of the man she knew. Layla didn't need to know it though. Godeleve had decided she was going to finish up all of this, and leave their lives, becoming nothing but faint memories, like a dream you try to cling onto. "I met him as Moon Knight, I was sent to take care of Harrow, and of course our paths crossed."

"So like partners, or teammates?" Layla tried to summarize.

Godeleve shrugged, "More like two people with the same goal and put up with each other to reach it. There's nothing you need to worry about, not trying to steal your husband."

Layla snorted, "To bad. I'm trying to get rid of him."

"You're words and actions don't line up," Godeleve pointed out. "Would you really follow someone you don't care about do a different continent?"

"It's not that I don't care about him," Layla pointed out, "Our relationship just can't stay like this. Haven't you ever fallen out of love with someone?"

Godeleve softly smiled, as if it was a joke to here. "No," she answered.

"Well..." Layla started, not expecting that response, let alone the emotion that came with it. "It doesn't mean I hate him."

"Good," Godeleve commented, "Cause he's over there." she pointed through the crowd at the guy at a drink vendor.

Layla looked to Marc then back to Godeleve at her side, "You better be here when I get back. Don't need you slipping off to the other side of the earth again."

"Aye aye captain," Godeleve said sarcastically with a salute.

"Awe, you made a friend your own age," Apollo said, leaning up against Godeleve. She has given up on stopping him from using her for balance Many gods did, but the sun god was the worst.

"At least you waited until she was gone to talk to me," Godeleve sighed. "Who else knows I'm in Egypt."

Apollo scoffed, "You thought it was ever a secret. But keep me being here a secret. Artemis has just gotten more angry at you after learning you've been around Khonshu."

"I never agreed to be a huntress, and she knows this," Godeleve sighed. "And I'm doing fine without her blessing. As long as she doesn't mess with me, I'll be able to live my life."

Apollo dramatically gasped, "So I finally don't need to fight for you. You're all mine." He then started singing Friend Like Me from Aladdin.

Godeleve reached up to cover here ear, never a fan of his random outburst of song. Yet the singing just rang in her head. She also didn't get a chance to tell him there still a large amount of gods that cling to her. He was just the last one of him and his sister. Not to mention he'd never make it above any of the gods she served.

Godeleve noticed the couple approaching her too late. Both had noticed her slouched position. Godeleve was quick to bring her hands down and clasp them behind her back.  "Are you alright?" Layla asked.

"Yeah, my ears were just ringing," Godeleve shrugged it off.

"Which god was it?" Marc asked.

Layla looked at the two of them confused. "thanks, not like it's a weird thing not everyone needs to know," Godeleve scolded Marc.

"What are you talking about?" she wondered.

"Oh, just that I can commune with gods," Godeleve explained, "Khonshu's over on top that building over there." She pointed of across the way, before turning it to the bird. "And Apollo is behind me singing Disney songs. Sorry if I start yelling, he dose not know what chill is."

Layla looked between the two. "Are you being serious?"

"Dead," Godeleve assured her, before stumbling forward. She looked behind her and yelled something in what they could only assume was Greek.

Marc nodded, "Where do think she got her powers from?"

"I don't know, I thought she was another Avatar, " Layla confessed.

"I'm better," Godeleve comment, "I have free will."

Marc did not like her comment, " I have free will."

Godeleve scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Sure you do." She then turned to Layla, "What are we looking for?"

#Moon knight oc #moon knight #moon knight spoilers #moon knight x reader #moon knight fanfiction #steven grant #steven grant x reader #steven grant x oc #steven with a v #marc spector #marc spector x reader #marc spector x oc #layla moon knight #layla el faouly #Khonshu #the voice of god series

[the-fiction-witch]

Oh. Morning

TV SHOW PISTOL COUPLE MALCOLM X READER RATING SMUT

I woke up in a way that was becoming increasingly normal. My bed is a confusing mess of covers and limbs, barely any light yet forced its way in. I was warm, warmer then usual, my face against a bare chest, an arm around my back and waist, out legs together in some complex, convoluted way I didn't even consider what my floor looked like. I can only imagine the mess of clothes that laid on my carpet from last night. I forced myself up instantly trying to find something to drink to prevent the throbbing of my head from getting elsewhere I spotted a bottle of vodka on my bedside table so I grabbed it forcing down a few gulps before I swung my feet out meeting the soft carpet floor, I felt cold instantly, feeling my naked body against the cool breeze of the air, my nipples hard almost instantly to the new found cold, I grabbed the first item of clothing I saw on the bedroom floor slipping it on and standing up rubbing my eyes, I yawned and spotted myself in the mirror my hair in a thousand knots, my make up all but gone except the stain of my black eye liner making me look like a panda, and I wore his shirt making me giggle a little looking at the off white non sleaves shirt, admittedly I had been trying to steal it off him for a while with the detailed picture of two cowboys touching tips on it, I pushed myself up noticing the shirt was just about long enough to conceal me I couldn't help but yawn again as I looked around the floor trying to find where my clothes got flung Last night. I heard a stiff yawn and I glanced at my bed seeing him now sat up his head against the headboard trying desperately to open his eyes 

"Morning" I yawned 

"...umm. oh. Morning" he groaned 

I grabbed my cigarettes from the dresser grabbing one and throwing him the pack "ohhh you heavenly angle" he smirked taking it quickly getting himself a cigarette sticking it between his lips and lighting it up from the lighter on the table beside him, once he has a drag he threw me the lighter so I lit my own "are you wearing my shirt?"

"Yes" I giggled

"Gimme."

"No it's mine now" I giggled

"You know if let you keep it if I could" he smirked "it looks so very good on you" 

"So why not?"

"Firstly I need a shirt. Secondly viv notices one of her precious garments is missing I'll never hear the end of it" he sighed "I'll be back to her whining and complaining at me again"

"Like with the new york dolls?"

"It was a strong political message"

"That viv is never letting you live down"

"Ohh please. I'd be easier to count the times vivienne isn't mad at me then trying to count when she is, it's so rare" 

"Maybe don't do things that make her mad at you"

"Everything I do makes viv mad at me. I breathe and that something annoys her" 

"You can breathe kinda weird when your working" I laughed trying to fix my hair 

"Ohh don't you start" he sighed rubbing his face

"I'm kidding" I giggled "what was she mad at you about tonight?"

"No idea. Having a dick. Not being willing to murder half of london. Refusing to talk to the spawn of another man she insists on keeping in our house" 

"He is your step son"

"No. No he is not. He is viv's kid. None of my business. I'm only involved with the one who is mine because… well she said I have to be." He sighed "your not getting pregnant any time soon are you?"

"Wasn't planning on it malcolm" I giggled

"Good." 

"Why are you here anyway? I didn't get an explanation last night?"

"The boys were drinking. Viv is mad. Here I am."

"Great I'm your third choice of an evening" I giggled

"Y/n" he sighed grabbing my hand and pulling me into his lap "you know I'd come around more if I could. You know how… possessive viv can get. And I was drinking you know how… touchy I get when I drink. And I wanted to come see my little bunny" he smirked stroking my ass 

"You did?"

"I always wanna see you, I'm just busy. But when I get little bits of time I like coming to see you. You know how … badly I miss ya." 

"Ummmm I missed you too" I smiled giving him a kiss "what did you get in trouble for?" 

"You really wanna know?" 

"Ummmm hummm" I smiled nuzzling into his chest as he cuddled me close 

"Fine. She was doing some washing, and she… may have found that little polaroid I took last time I was here."

"Did she?" I giggled

"She did. Got very upset about that"

"Why?"

"Because you look better in that dress then her" he smirked "she asked me why I was keeping it and I had to be honest and tell her it's what I use to get hard"

"Really" I giggled

"You know I can only get hard for you little bunny" 

"You mean it?"

"Course I do" he smirked. "He likes you to much. Watch watch. Chrisy. See nothing not even a movement. Viv. Eh little bit but nothing spectacular. Then… y/n" he smirked and instantly I felt it "see he only gets hard for his little bunny. So if viv wants us to fool around I have to sit and think about my little bunny to get hard enough" he smirked moving my hips back and forth to give himself friction but it didn't take long before I was doing it myself 

"She'll be wondering where you were" I smiled noticing the time 

"Let her worry. I haven't seen you in weeks. I'm staying little bunny. All day baby" he smirked pushing me down on my matress so he now sat over me "you like that little bunny?" He smirked kissing down my neck as he slipped inside me 

"Uhhh! Malcolm!" I moaned rather in shock at the suddeness of it all 

"Fuck I've missed you so bad" he groans already being mercilous on me "so you want me or not bunny?"

"Always." I smirked grabbing his neck and pulling him into a kiss...

#Malcolm #Malcolm McLaren #malcolmmclaren #pistol #pistol2022 #sex pistols #pistoldisney+ #tbs #tbs smut #tbs sex #TBS Imagine #tbs imagines #tbs smutty #thomas #thomas sangster #thomas brodie sangster #thomassangster #thomasbrodiesangster #thomas sangster imagine #thomas sangster smut #thomas sangster x reader #thomas sangser imagine #thomas brodie sangster imagine #thomas brodie sangster i #thomas brodie sangster smut

[thegothicviking]

People still ask me..."Why do you insist on having Pride?"

And some people still see LGBTQ's as having a "disease"... Having something that needs to be and can be "fixed".

This is not about the article..(at least not yet) but I still think it's crazy that in Norway...(yes my country that is supposed to be soooo inclusive and sooo 'in the now/modern' and soooo rich and soooo great to live in; In Norway. Here. So called "convertion therapy" (meaning you are trying to turn LGBTQ into heteros and/or cis; meaning trying to turn them into what religious people think its "normal").

That so called "therapy" is still considered LEGAL in Norway. Today. In 2022. Meaning; right up until very recently...You could torture the LGBTQ behind pretty much locked doors and call it "therapy". And the state would fund this. Because it has always been considered as being a part of "freedom of religion". Luckily that "therapy" is NOW FINALLY being put up for debate and might FINALLY get ILLEGAL!

But ok back to this article on what happened in Oslo.

If you don't bother readin the article here is a summary; Friday night to Saturday (from 24th of June to 25th according to my timezone) a Norwegian citizen, but born in Iran..shot and killed 2 people outside of a nightclub called "London pub", in Oslo. This pub was a popular hang-out spot fot rhe LGBTQ. Two people were killed and over 20 people were injured in the shootings. The crime is considered as a terrorist attack, and most likely the whole LGBTQ pride celebration was the target, as Oslo Pride was going to be held, the very next day (so today...Saturday 25th of June.) Oslo pride, in collaboration with the police, decided to cancel on Oslo Pride all together as they feared that this shooting was only the beginning of something far worse on the actual parade, that was supposed to be held the next day.

Now...that was the summary of what happened in Oslo, last night. And now I have some questions; if being LGBTQ is still considered a "disease" by some.. Then please let me know how, by now, I still haven't "infected" my family yet?

How come that I am spending holidays with my BIOLOGICAL SISTER that shares pretty much all of the same genes as I do... and I hug her, and I breathe on her, and we are around each other and I have been "infected with the bisexual plague" since I was 15-16 and yet my sister doesn't even seem to ACCEPT my bisexuality, and she is STILL the straightest, MOST HETERO A4, basic person I know? She has never even confessed being interested in girls...EVER.. How come then, when I have been around her and whenever I have been around my grandparents aswell and hugged them and breathed on them and accidentally sneezed on them a few times..... If being LGBTQ is a "disease" then how is my whole family not being GAY AS FUCK by now!? When my cousin is non binary and I am being bisexual and there are probably even more of us who are LGBTQ, but far from the entire family...so how come we aren't ALL GAY/TRANS by now!?

Ok then; so maybe you don't consider being Gay/Bi/Pan/Trans etc...for being a "disease", but you consider it to be "a sin" and you think it's "wrong" and so you think we, LGBTQ's will all "burn in hell and we will all be "punished by God". Alright! You can believe this...HOWEVER I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS;

How will, we...in the LGBTQ then, "sinning" and then burning in hell for OUR "sins"...effect YOUR LIFE!? No, seriously: I am asking!

If you see a man kiss another man in the street or you read about a biological woman that discovers that "Nope! I want to live my life as a man/non binary now!"

HOW.DOES.THIS.AFFECT.YOUR.LIFE.IF.IT'S.ONLY.A.SIN.DONE.BY.US.AND WE.WHO.COMMIT.THIS."SIN".IS THE ONE.THAT.WILL.BE.PUNISHED.ACCORDING.TO.YOU.AND.YOUR.RELIGION!? ESPECIALLY.IF.YOU.DON'T.CONSIDER.IT.A.DISEASE.THAT.CAN.INFECT.YOU.DIRECTLY.ANYWAY.THEN.HOW.WILL.OUR.SO.CALLED."LIFE-CHOICES/SIN".AFFECT YOU.AND.HOW.YOU.LIVE.YOUR.LIFE!?

Well spoiler alert; ......It doesn't! It really doesn't! We are not going to affect your life the SLIGHTEST unless if your child is LGBTQ or another family member of yours is LGBTQ and even THEN you will probably just stop having contact with this family member anyway...you will simply ignore them completely! And so even them technically still being a part of your family...if you ignore them.. their life won't affect yours! Ever! If you ignore them!

When you see two women or two men kiss and hold hands or when you see/read about someone wanting to live the life of a different gender/no gender than what they were born as... SURPRISE! IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOUR LIFE THE SLIGHTEST! It doesn't even affect YOUR RIGHTS WHATSOEVER!

You want to marry your bf/gf and you are straight? Fine! Go ahead! Marry your bf/gf! Were you considered a girl by birth and you still want to be a woman? Go ahead! Keep being a woman! You don't want to get married? Ok. Then don't! You want to live in the woods and have kids ? Go ahead! Have 18 kids in the woods for all we care!! You don't want kids...? Well guess what; WE in the LGBTQ are NOT responsible for the new abortion law in the U.S, or any other similar law, being made, anywhere else on this planet. I repeat; We in the LGBTQ are NOT to blame for abortion laws! So us being LGBTQ WON'T change/remove or emphasize such laws at all! Lastly; You want to believe in God? Fine! Go ahead! You don't want to believe in anything? Fine! Be an Atheist!

Conclution; YOU witnessing people being LGBTQ won't have ANY affect on YOUR LIFE..And if it WAS a disease...guess what; I would have infected my whole family a LONG TIME AGO! If my bisexuality, and my cousin wanting to be nonbinary was a disease WE, THE ENTIRE FAMILY, WOULD ALL BE FREAKIN' GAY/TRANS AS A RAINBOW BY NOW, BUT WE ARE NOT!

So....WHY.DO.YOU.HATE.LBTQS!? WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT RUINING THE LIVES OF LGBTQ'S, WHEN WE ARE NOT AFFECTING YOURS!? Wait...fine...DO.HATE.US! You have the right to hate us! You have the right to dislike and hate our guts ALL YOU WANT! I can get that...that you want to hate us.

But what I WON'T understad is WHY.DO.YOU.INSIST.ON.HARMING.US!? EVEN.INSIST.ON. KILLING.US.WHEN.WE.ARE.THE.ONE.DOING.THE.SINNING!? AND.OUR.SO.CALLED."LIFE-CHOICE/SIN".WON'T.AFFECT.YOUR.LIFE.AND .IT.WON'T.MAKE.YOU.GO.TO.HELL.WITH.US.AND.OUR."SIN."WON'T.TAKE.AWAY.ANY.OF.YOUR.FUCKING.RIGHTS.OR.CHANGE.ANYTHING.ABOUT.HOW.YOU.WANT.TO.LIVE.YOUR.OWN.LIFE.OR.WHAT.YOU.WANT.TO.BELIEVE.IN.AND.WHO.YOU.FALL.IN.LOVE.WITH!? Because if anyone in your family are being LGBTQ....you can simply ignore them if you want! That's it! You can ignore them!

But no you are KILLING us!? When we are not taking away any of YOUR rights!?

This is bullshit. We all SHOULD know it by now! That this doesn't make any sense! and yet there are those who ask;

"Why do we need pride?"

The fact that people still tell me how; "they are soooo tired/fed up by pride already!" and how "we LGBTQ are pretty much included now anyway so why do we even bother with the 'whole pride thing'!? Enough already!"

This article above this long post is the reason why need "still need pride". The fact that Gay convertion "therapy" is still considered (still as by today June 2022) legal in a "rich, wonderful, modern country as Norway". (although LUCKILY and about time...it's being considered ILLEGAL pretty soon...hopefully!")

Sadly these are only a few examples in an ocean of hate... on why it clearly and sadly it's STILL "not enough with the whole pride thing yet!"

It's 2022! And we in the LGBTQ are still being tortured, beaten up, and still being killed in the streets. We are still getting hurt and murdered for simply living the life we want to and/or loving who we want to love, in peace, and wanting people to understand this. That we just want to be ourselves! We are not attacking anyone for living differently than us! So why are we being attacked!? Why are we being killed!? What is our crime for "deserving" this? Oh right... We fell in love! With someone! Or we haven chosen to not fall in love with anyone at all. And/or we didn't feel comfortable in the gender we were given at birth. Ah yes! That's our 'crime'. That is the reason why we are being tortured, beaten, and killed. Even today in 2022. Ridiculous, isn't it!? Scary, isn't it!?

Dear non LGBTQ's; you can ignore us even if we are a part of your family! Even if we are your kids, you do have the right to ignore us. You can do that. But beyond that? Beyond perhaps being a part of your family?; Then we in the LGBTQ won't have any impact on your life, and your religion! After all; we are the ones doing the "sinning" and so we are the one "going to hell", anygays, right? (yes pun intended).

So instead of asking us; "why do we LGBTQ folks insist on "bothering people" with Pride.."

Let us instead ask; Why do some still, in 2022, insist on harming people...and killing people, simply for perhaps wanting to live a different life, to love a slightly different love than their own?

#lgbtq #lgbtq pride #lgbtq news #lgbtq hate #terrorism #tw terrorism #tw homophobia #tw hate crime #norway #humanity scares me #i dont want to be a part of this specie anymore

[firespirited]

I have a lot of thoughts on The Sandman but first off a quick heads up: this isn’t “Good Omens but make it goth”. There are bunch of episodes that are light and a bunch that really are not. Please check the trigger warnings as netflix provides none and you will be blindsided if you expect just gore with no violence against women and children.

readmore for length. Quick reminder that I only critique in depth the things that really matter. A middling piece of media gets a meh, a bad gets “here’s what’s naf”, what’s really good and potentially great with a capital G gets the full dissection:

So I’m one of the few people who loves an anthology: any format, any genre! And I think The Sandman would have worked better as a series of stories tied to Dream (despite the original comic having Dream have a growth journey - yes I know it’s not deviating from the OG) I understand most people prefer a character arc, especially when being introduced to a new universe but for me Gaiman’s stories work best as individual stories loosely tied together by a common thread and pack a punch when they come together as facets of a whole (here’s where I stop myself from a full american gods S1 review LOL). I would have much preferred that approach rather than Dream’s journey punctuated by story episodes. As it stands, dude’s a compelling actor, it’s just that the story appears to lag between the time that’s important and relevant to show Dream’s PTSD/long term issues (and the scope of his existence) and the urgency of what’s happening in other episodes. You basically have two timelines playing out: one for contemplation and one for action and when they’re both at the forefront they clash. Binge watching makes your brain want to choose a speed and stick to it. Trust that this actually works better as episodes and let yourself digest each one with a rewatch even if you binged to please the algorithm.

Another thing that was jarring was how much this is a British show with british actors but set in America, someone would pull out a gun or go to get “gas” and wait weren’t we in London, this car has two brits and a rottweiler in it 😂 where am I? I was regularly confused about when and where we were... and the binge watching format didn’t help.

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Skip if you already know that an anti woke review is a symptom of systemic toxic conservatism: I'd like to talk plainly about the reason this show distresses many of the reviewers complaining about “diversity”. They aren’t exposed to that many dark skin black men and women in natural hairstyles, not many brown or asian middle to upper class people, they’re not used to normal bisexuality and gender non conformity on their tv screen because we have deliberately created a very watered down, whitewashed, boxed in version of diversity these past decades designed to tick boxes without being threatening: the black female character is usually lightskinned with eurocentric features, the lesbians are all white high femme middle class, bisexuals basically have a special ‘danger slutty’ way of walking and talking that it might as well be tattooed on their forehead, androgynous characters are lone outliers and ***everyone stays in their lane*** so layered and fluid characters feel like big boundaries are being crossed.

What they’re not willing to say in those angry reviews is: the masc dark skinned black man in a suit was an executive with those dreadlocks and also a former fitness coach who felt fat, was open to bisexuality and not good at sex according to his wife, and they love eachother even though they don’t like eachother anymore. And that’s way too much layering for what’s usually a 2D stereotype. And that’s only one of so many characters. They think the only way someone like that would exist is if they were made up... because they live in segregated neighbourhoods, go to segregated colleges and segregated jobs with hairstyle and grooming requirements where Jada Smith is asking for it by not wearing a wig at a fancy “proper” event like the Oscars... or maybe they have blinkers on everytime they take the train I don’t know. Then they’re also surprised when those “different” people like to live together and be friends together. Go figure.

At this point I assume no-one speaking AAVE is using the word woke anymore because maga/gammon people have taken it and turned it into the new “PC culture” if not an outright signifier of racism and very narrow sexual tolerance. I would very much like an extension that auto blocks any review or article that uses the word woke because it’s always trash, useless sewage clogging up the internet tubes and making places like IMDB or amazon reviews un-usable to the general public. It’s spam that makes comments sections, social media and reviews not just pointless but sickening to wade into. We’re stuck in our bubbles because venturing out of curated moderated spaces is now a firehose of foxnews/terfy outrage because there’s money to be made from outrage and people happy to make these once neutral places into hate swamps. There’s no polarization on both sides: there’s people who want to exist in peace and pitchfork holding mobs who want them dead. It’s exhausting.

/rant

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Ok I’ve talked about the two pacings and use of time, the usa/uk confusion and the good character layering. I’d like to talk about the use of space and scope relating to emotions and I’m having trouble finding the right words. It’s not that the CGI is bad, it’s some very good CGI. It’s just at times the scale felt wrong Hell felt like a wasteland and then a dense trek, then the throne room was clean and cramped but also way too spacious. At times it was very obvious they were filming on a small backdrop made to look big with echo-y sound but the characters lack of interaction with the scenery meant it never felt real. Stuff like that. Just off. The first two episodes are near impeccable: the wind and humidity matches the space, the creatures are real looking. It’s later on that it’s starts to feel mismatched. At the end of ep3 the london addict’s flat felt too roomy, it had clutter but not the dirt and decay, it was a strange quality dropoff.

Then you’ve got what’s supposed to be a big emotional climax for Rose that’s done with a series of dreamscapes being merged and collapsed in CGI and it’s utterly hollow compared to the raw emotion she felt earlier in a small room watching someone fall apart. Her, and our, tether is to the people she loves and the huge set pieces take away from that. I think it’s just not something that translates the emotional core well and actually would pack a far stronger wallop with 6 people sat on folding chairs in a small blank room taking to eachother about the emotional impact of feeling violated that their dreams and nightmares are visible to eachother and blurring with reality.

It’s hard to watch when you know these are character actors who can pull off that kind of riveting raw acting. A CGI hurricane in a vast field does not convey the mental devastation of feeling exposed nor of losing grip on reality. It makes the internal visceral ache into an external visual metaphor that doesn’t hurt. CGI could have been used in a more intimate setting: all of the symbology could have been projected onto people trying to hold on to eachother.

It’s a very interesting contrast with the diner episode which does the same thing with no massive spectacle required, the transgression of saying thoughts is enough to be violent - far before any actual violence happens. These people we’ve come to love being laid emotionally bare with some visual effects and mostly words would have broken me into tiny pieces.

What i’m trying to say is that we dream and feel big but these things are inside: I felt that kid crinkle the little yellow post-it in his hand far stronger than anything in the vivid and horrifying dreams. For me and those I know well, mental illness and half waking nightmares manifest in all sorts of small gestures and sounds of distress, self soothing and self harm, it’s a claustrophobic experience which doesn’t take away from the large impact.

Not really sure how to explain how some story locations and pacing and tone felt too small and others too big for what they were trying to make us feel. The medium of tv and episodes is right, the length of the episodes is right, the actors are very good, the costuming excellent, this is very high quality storytelling, the emotional core is there and yet it’s sometimes at a distance because it wasn’t always given the correct beat and focus at the right time between other beats. If that makes any sense at all.

There is a special cramped uglyness to the comics that makes it scratchy and gnawing: something they’ve managed to capture with the actors closeups but not necessarily with the storyboarding of these visually larger ideas.

#saf #movie reviews #tv reviews #the sandman spoilers #the sandman #horror #fantasy #Eventually I'll edit this to be more concise and precise. Bullet lists. Less rambling.