[ cw: death mention / ]

Y’know something I really like from the movie is how close Future Leo and Casey Jr are presented as being, even if not shown often or super obviously.

Like beyond Junior’s blatant idolization of “the world’s greatest ninja”, I want to highlight the beginning of the movie, with Junior trying so desperately to save Future Leo, Leo reassuring Junior despite his own acceptance of death, and, especially, I want to highlight the “have a slice” line.

Because…this is a line given to a kid raised in war. A line given at the tail end of what quite possibly is the most important task the resistance has ever undertaken. A line whose importance lies solely in the sentimental value of a child finally getting to experience something entirely good, and Leo knowing Junior will succeed to experience it because he believes in him.

I dunno, I think a lot of Future Leo giving Casey Jr the thing Leo himself always longed for: trust.

Winner Take All: Part 4: The Club

This alternate universe fan fiction uses characters created and owned by Pixelberry Studios. Character names, descriptions and likenesses are owned by Pixelberry Studios. The MC, Bragnae Bennett, and story is created and owned by this author.

Book: The Royal Romance (Alternate Universe)

Alternate Universe Theme: Senior Year of College for Drake, Leo, Bragnae and Madeleine in the United States  

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC / Leo Reese x MC (Bragnae Bennett – *pronounced Brawn-yah)

Warnings for this series: NSFW, Adult content, suggestive and strong language, sex

Series Description: Bragnae Bennett sought adventure when she first went off to college. Now, navigating through her senior year, she finds herself befriending two gorgeous guys, Drake Walker and Leo Reese, who engage in a seemingly innocent bet with her during a game of pool that leads to a surprising threesome.

Their intimate evening prompts deeper feelings than they all expected to arise, and Bragnae is suddenly swept up in both of their charms, unique to each man himself. Through the pressures of college, work and maintaining a social life, which man will prevail and win Bragnae's heart?

Master List

A/N: Where my Leo stans at? Sheesh! This man right here? He’s hot. I love his rebel ass with a passion. Enjoy this!

Warnings for this chapter: NSFW, Adult content, suggestive and strong language

Word Count for this chapter: 5337 (I’m really trying to keep these under 4,000, but… Leo made me do it!)

Setting for this chapter: Bragnae meets Leo for an afternoon of self-defense training, and that’s not all!

Permatags: @burnsoslow​​​​ @cora-nova​​ @dcbbw​​​ @thorfosterlove​​​​ @emceesynonymroll​​​​ @edgiestwinter​​​​ @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld​​ @msjr0119​​​​ @notoriouscs​​​​ @drakewalker04​​​​ @pedudley​​​​ @desiree-0816​ @choices-lurker​​ @kingliam2019​​ @loveellamae​​​ @drakexnadira @flutistbyday2020​​ @indiana-jr​​ @moonlightgem7​​

Series Tags: @yukinagato2012​​ @marshmallowsaremyfavorite​​ @nomadics-stuff​​ @ravenpuff02​​ @texaskitten30​​ @themadhatter1029​​ @randomfandomteacher​ @queenjilian​ @princessleac1​

Part 4: The Club

Bragnae arrived at the quad on campus. It was a Saturday, so it wasn’t nearly as crowded as it usually was when classes were in session. Still, there were people hanging out on the lawn – some playing music, some kicking a soccer ball around, others reading. The sun was shining, and the weather was perfect – not too hot, not too cold.

Knowing she’d be doing some physical activity, Bragnae threw on a pair of grey spandex leggings and a purple sleeveless work out top. She put her hair up in a high ponytail, and lightly applied make-up to her face.

Looking around the quad, her eyes searched for Leo. She was both excited and nervous about seeing him again. After last night’s awkward moments with Drake, she was anticipating the same with Leo. Although, they didn’t seem to be uncomfortable around each other when he showed up at Mikey’s. It was more pleasant and flirty than anything else.

She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart when she spotted Leo leaning against a big oak tree with the bottom of his foot propped up against the trunk. His sandy blonde hair lightly gelled in a sexy but messy sort of way – his signature style.

He had his phone up to his ear, talking to someone as he looked off in the distance. Leo wore a plain grey t-shirt and light jeans that hung low on his hips. If he had a pack of smokes rolled up in his shirt sleeve he could even be considered a rebel without a cause. Even in such subtle clothes, Leo never lacked for attention. The build of his sculpted body and his pretty-boy face drew in eyes from every direction.

Bragnae headed towards him keeping her eyes trained on his face. She was about twenty feet away when he finally noticed her, doing a double take before a bright smile highlighted his face.

“I gotta go,” she heard him say, his eyes never leaving her, as he ended the call. Leo pocketed his phone and pushed himself off the trunk of the tree as she approached.

The fact that he abruptly ended his call to give his attention to her instead made her feel special. She smiled at him. “Hey, you.”

Leo, like Drake, was a friend to Bragnae. She’d known him almost as long as Drake, but got along with him all the same. He was cocky, funny and known for going rogue on many occasions, which Bragnae found thrilling. He didn’t care what people thought of him and always walked to the beat of his own drum. There was something so freeing about that. Bragnae didn’t consider herself that way, but when she was around Leo, she liked that he brought it out in her.

“Hey, yourself.” Leo met Bragnae halfway, surprising her by pulling her into a soft embrace.

Bragnae breathed in his delicious scent, fresh like the ocean and incredibly sensual. “God, you smell good.” She couldn’t help herself. She was that taken with it.

“Thanks. So do you.” He pulled back to look at her appreciatively. “Cute outfit. Ready to learn some self-defense?”

“You’re really into this, aren’t you?”

“Goddamn right. It’s important, Bragnae. Come on. Let’s go to a bigger clearing and away from the others.” Leo turned on his heel leading her to a spot with shade. He turned around to face her causing Bragnae to stop about five feet away from him.

A smirk appeared on his face as he began to beckon her with his finger. “Come here, you.” His voice was deep and soothing.

A little confused by his change in demeanor, Bragnae still did as he asked out of curiosity, walking towards him until he said to stop. Their chests nearly touched. She looked up at him as he slinked his hands around her waist, then let them curve to the back where he cupped her ass.

Bragnae drew in a sharp breath, surprised at how he was suddenly touching her. “Leo, what are you doing?”

He smiled as he gave her a little squeeze. “I’m a patron at Mikey’s. What are you gonna do about it?”

Oh, so this was part of his lesson. Feeling his hands on her was electrifying. She summoned a strong will to concentrate and answer his question. “I’m going to move your hands away.”

“So, do it.” His expression overflowed with confidence.

Bragnae immediately brought her elbows up between his arms and knocked them away before stepping back.

“Good. But I’m coming back for more. What are you going to do now?” He took a small step towards her.

“Uh, I’m going to… punch you in the face.” He took another step closer making her think quickly.

“Make a fist, let me see.”

She curled her fingers in tightly, her thumb resting on the knuckle of her middle finger. Leo’s eyes looked to her hand.

“Good. That’s how you want it. I’m getting closer. What are you going to do?”

As he advanced, she took steps back to keep the distance. “Leo, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Come on, ya big baby. Hit me. I can take it. In two seconds I’m going to grab you so you better decide quickly.” True to his word, Leo moved swiftly towards her. Just before he could overtake her, she cranked her arm back and connected her first with his jaw in a hard punch. Leo recoiled, a hand immediately coming to the place she just struck. “Goddamn.”

Her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide with worry. “Ohmigod, Leo. Are you okay?”

He stretched his jaw out, rubbing a hand over his taut skin. “Not bad, Bragnae.” Leo waved to someone in the distance. “It’s okay!” He yelled. “I’m just teaching her self-defense.” He returned his attention to Bragnae. “How’s your hand?”

She shook it out. “It hurts.” He stepped up to her, lifting her hand to his face. Turning it gingerly with his, he inspected it. “What are you looking for?”

“Just trying to see if your knuckles are made of steel. That was one hell of a punch.” He took another second to playfully look over her hand before bringing it to his lips. Leo placed a soft kiss on her reddened knuckles, smiling as he watched her.

Grinning, she slowly withdrew her hand. “Thank you.” She raised a hand to brush over the spot where she punched him. Redness and some swelling was already evident. “God, I’m so sorry. Leo, I don’t think I can do this.” She dropped her hand and her face fell. “I can bring the sass all day, but when it comes to hitting someone… I just… can’t.”

“Why not? You just kicked my ass, and all I did was guide you through it. You did the rest. What are you afraid of?”

She sighed. “I guess I’m afraid if I hit them they’ll come back and it’ll be worse. I’d be helpless against them. I’m not strong enough to win a fight against a man.”

Compassion filled his eyes. “That may be true, but the quicker you react and show him you’re not fucking around, the better chance he’ll leave you alone. You’ve got one hell of a right hook, girl, and you weren’t even convinced I was going to do you harm. I’d bet you’d have even more force behind that strike if I was a real threat.”

She considered his words, nodding.

“Trust me, you come at a guy with a punch like that, and he’ll leave you alone. Those assholes don’t want to mess with a girl who’s going to be a hassle. They want easy targets that don’t or can’t fight back.” He moved closer to her, placing his hands on her waist. “If all you do is yell or say something sassy to them, they’re going to think they can do it again and get away with it.”

She knew he was right. It was already evident to her that some of the same creeps would return to Mikey’s trying to hit on her and touch her inappropriately.

“And if they think they can get away with slapping your ass,” he paused as his gaze deepened with a certain seriousness. “They might try to get away with more.”

Looking away, Bragnae swallowed, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Leo brought a hand up to lift her chin, encouraging her gaze again. “Look, I’m not trying to scare you, but this is something I see happening to the waitresses at the club I work at on a daily basis.” Leo worked at a hot club in town called Inferno as a bouncer, hence his desire to stay fit and buff.

“And Bragnae,” his eyes studying hers, “I don’t want to see that happen to you. I can’t be at Mikey’s every time you’re working, so I want you to feel confident enough to protect yourself. The fact that this sort of thing happens to you once a week is horse shit – especially at a pizza joint.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really expect that to happen there either, but when we get busy and the crowds pour in, it’s easy to do.”

“Just do what you did here today, and remember your goal is to defend yourself, and then get outta dodge. If they still won’t leave you alone, you go get help or call the police.”

She exhaled a deep breath. “Okay. Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to go over this with me.”

He let go of her, taking a few steps back to give her space. “You don’t have to thank me. Just watch your ass out there because there’s plenty of guys already doing it.”

She scoffed a laugh. “I will.” A strong breeze flew by bringing a blue piece of paper from the quad in their direction. In an effort to keep litter off the ground, Bragnae ran a few steps chasing after the paper before bending down to pick it up.

“Jesus Christ,” Leo said suddenly.

Bragnae whipped up and looked around before finding his face. “What? What’s wrong?”

Leo’s face contorted as he tried to get out the words. “I… you’re,” he sighed. “Your ass looks really great in those pants. Just do me a favor and don’t bend over in front of me again, or I might have to do something about it.”

The corner of her mouth curled up. “Leo, you know you’re one of those guys you just described who’s looking at my ass.”

He opened his mouth to retort, but then closed it to think for another moment. Then he held up both index fingers to emphasize his point. “Yes, but I’m not going to disrespect you.” He smirked. “Unless you want me to. I mean, well, you know what I mean.” He chuckled at himself.

Bragnae put a hand on her hip with her head cocked and an eyebrow lifted. The sexual energy he was giving off made her feel flush, but she tried her best not to reveal it.

“Sorry Miss Sassy Pants. I can’t help it that you’re hot.” He grinned playfully. “I’m starving. Wanna get something to eat?”

“Sure.” She started walking and when she got close to Leo she gave him a playful shove on his arm. His very toned arm.

“Hey,” he laughed before straightening his stride to walk beside her again.

They strolled to a burger place near campus, and sat at a table outside to enjoy their lunch.

Leo tossed a French fry into his mouth and washed it down with some cola. “So, if you’re looking for something fun to do tonight, you could come to the club with me. I don’t have to work, but my buddy is DJing, and I told him I’d stop by.”

Bragnae was grateful for the mouthful of food to give her time to think about a response. She didn’t know if Leo was asking her on a date, or to go out as just a friend. He had casually asked her to join him at other places on several occasions before… before they had a threesome with Drake, and it sounded just like this. And the afternoon so far had been comfortable and normal. It was nothing compared to the awkward start of her night with Drake.

And the flirting and touching was not new either. He had playfully interacted with her like that many times. Being open about his attraction to her, but never pursuing anything. She briefly wondered why. Aside from a few nights ago when he suggested a very erotic end to the evening, nothing else had ever come up.

The state of her friendship or relationship with Drake was still up in the air. She had checked her phone on the walk over to the restaurant, but still didn’t have anything from Drake. So, she had no idea where they stood. He didn’t exactly tell her he wanted to be her boyfriend or that they would date only each other. None of that was discussed. Of course, she basically threw him out before any of that could be discussed.

If Leo did truly want this to be a date, then would it be wrong to agree to it? In the past, she had waited for immature boys to never make up their mind about wanting to date her, and wasted a lot of time doing it. When she left for college, another rule she put in place was to not let herself get caught up in the mind games that guys sometimes play. If they didn’t call her or actively pursue her, then she would move on.

If Drake wanted to take things slow, then that was fine, but what did that mean? How slow was his version of slow? And if Leo wanted to take her out and show her a good time, then she saw no harm in that. She knew she’d find out tonight what Leo’s true intentions were, and if she was being honest with herself, she was intrigued. She liked Leo a lot. He was fun to be around, and always kept her on her toes. Not to mention he was unbelievably attractive.

Swallowing her food, she smiled at him. “That actually sounds like a great time. I’m in.”

“You will not be disappointed.” He wiped his hands on a napkin. “I have some things to do between now and then, but what do you say I pick you up at your place around 9:00pm?”

“Sounds good. I’ll be ready.”

As soon as they finished their meal, Leo and Bragnae went their separate ways. She had a few hours before she’d see him again, which was perfect to get some laundry and other things done. One of those things was to call Drake.

Bragnae pulled up his number and pressed the call button. She sat down on the chair by her desk heaving a deep breath as the phone rang. She was a bit nervous, but knew she had to own up to her actions from the night before. The phone continued to ring until his voicemail sounded. Shoot.

His recording was too short to give her time to decide what kind of message she wanted to leave. Brief or detailed. So, she was forced to wing it.

“Hey, Drake, it’s Bragnae. I just wanted to call you to… let you know I was sorry about last night,” she pulled at the fabric of her pants absentmindedly as she continued. “I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. It was childish, and we should have at least finished the movie. Anyway, it’s been bothering me, and I just wanted you to know. I hope you had a good day at work. Talk to you later.”

She ended the call feeling satisfied with her message. Hoping Drake was just busy at work and not ignoring her, she put her phone on her desk and got on with her day.

Later on, she took another quick shower to freshen up. Bragnae stepped into a halter dress that was emerald green on the top with a black skirt falling down to her mid-thigh. It fit tightly, but had a stretchy fabric that allowed her to dance and move without too much restriction. From the stories Leo had told her, Inferno was known primarily as a place to dance and drink. She hadn’t been there yet, but she was looking forward to seeing what the fuss was all about.

She added some loose curls and a glitter hairspray to her hair for definition, and applied the smoky look to her eyes. Bragnae heard a knock at her bedroom door when Madeleine peeked her head in.

“Hey, Leo’s here.”

“Thanks, tell him I’ll be right out,” Bragnae told her as she spritzed perfume onto her wrists, chest and the back of her neck. She sat down on her bed slipping on her rhinestone encrusted strappy heels. Grabbing a small black clutch, she left her bedroom.

She spotted Leo standing in the living room watching whatever reality TV show Madeleine had on. He wore dark jeans and a steel blue button up shirt. His sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He stood with a hand in his front pocket as he leaned his weight to one side. Casual and cute.

“Hi, Leo,” she said. He turned around to face her, and she watched as his eyes focused on her – hard. They trailed the length of her body as an appreciative smirk crossed over his lips.

Blinking a few times, he shook his head. “Damn, girl. You’re gonna give me a heart attack.” He walked over, pulling her into a warm embrace. His wonderful scent filled her nostrils. “You look incredible,” he told her stepping back. His hand lifted hers in the air as he prompted her to twirl in a small circle. A low breathy whistle escaped him as she spun slowly. “Good choice, Bragnae.”

“Ready to go?” She asked with a confident smile. His compliments made her feel unstoppable.

He only nodded as his eyes still trained on her curves. Loving the attention from him, Bragnae turned and led them out of the apartment. Leo followed closely after her.

The night had a slight chill in the air, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Leo put a hand on the small of her back as he led her down the sidewalk. Bragnae stopped in her tracks when she saw a gleaming white sporty motorcycle leaning on its kickstand in the street.

“I didn’t know you were bringing your bike.” Wearing a tight dress as she was would prove tricky riding on it.

Leo walked over to the bike, throwing a leg over it and standing it up straight. He looked at her with a side smirk. “I didn’t know you were wearing a dress.”

She took a few hesitating steps forward contemplating if she should go change. As she looked over the bike, she couldn’t help but notice how attractive he looked sitting on the motorcycle.

“It’s only a few blocks, babe. I think you can handle it.” He winked, looking even more devastatingly handsome.

She sighed against her better judgment. “Okay, but if I end up flashing some guy and he harasses me, I expect you to knock him out.”

He laughed. “Deal.”

Bragnae reached down to the hem of her dress, wiggling her hips slightly as she hiked the fabric up a few inches. Leo watched her the entire time looking pleasantly stunned. It was her turn to wink as she braced a hand on his shoulder and straddled the bike behind him.

Leo looked over his shoulder as she settled in. “That was really sexy.” He tilted his head to the sky blowing out a breath. “Hold on tight back there.”

Bragnae scooted forward so she could wrap her arms around his firm abs. She patted his thigh to let him know she was in place. Leo leaned forward on the handles and revved the engine. They took off down the street with the cool wind blowing through their hair. She leaned her cheek on his back as the thrill of zipping down the streets on the back of a fast motorcycle made her feel utterly free.

When they arrived at the club, Bragnae carefully got off the bike first, thankful no one was in the general vicinity. She returned the skirt of her dress to his proper length, and primped her hair after the wind had tousled it. Leo turned off the bike, kicking out the stand so it could lean on its own.

She admired the tightness in his jeans as his leg swung over the back of the bike. A warm tingle pooled between her legs. There was something about a hot guy and a motorcycle that drove her crazy. Leo pocketed his keys, smiling as he took her hand and led her inside.

He waved to the attendants who were checking IDs, passing by without interference. She felt like a minor celebrity being able to bypass the cover charge and validation of her age as Leo’s presence paid it for her. The club was painted in all black and had neon and black lighting around the dance floor and bar.

The atmosphere was thick with sexual and fun energy. The dance floor was already flooded with couples, singles, and groups enjoying themselves. Leo led them over to a clear space at the bar.

“Hey, Trip, can I get a beer and a,” he turned to Bragnae. “What do you want, sweetheart?”

“Can I get a Smirnoff Ice, please?” She asked sweetly.

Leo looked at her incredulously. “Smirnoff Ice? Such a girly drink.”

Bragnae ran her hand down her body showing off her womanly curves. “I am a girl, ya know.” She followed it up with a playful smile.

Leo reciprocated before turning back to the bartender. “And a Smirnoff Ice for the lady.” Their hands still entwined as they waited another moment for their drinks. He pulled Bragnae in, allowing her to sit on the one free stool that was available.

Trip placed their drinks on the bar, and Leo put a twenty down. He handed Bragnae her bottle, clinking it before taking a drink. She enjoyed the refreshing cold liquid rushing down her throat, and the way Leo looked at her as he swallowed his.

He put a hand casually on her thigh as he leaned in to speak in her ear. “So, what do you think about my club?”

The music thumped loudly in her ears, but she could still hear him. “It’s really nice. I bet you have a lot of fun when you work here.”

“It can be, but more often than not I have to bounce some assholes out because they’re too drunk or fighting.” His gaze migrated to her cleavage, prompting a devilish grin. “You really do look great tonight.”

She took another sip of her drink. “Thank you. So do you.” She ran her hand over his chest. “I don’t see you wearing this type of shirt very often. It looks nice on you.” He leaned into her touch sending more of his delicious scent swirling around her. “And you looked pretty hot sitting on that bike.”

“Yeah? Well, I’d like to see you sitting on my bike in that get up you have on. I didn’t quite have the pleasure on the way over here.”

“Maybe I can show you when we leave.” She bit her bottom lip looking up at him through her eyelashes.

“Only if you promise to do that little shimmy and pull up your dress again.” The tips of his fingers slid just underneath the hem of her skirt. His face inches from hers.

Bragnae drew in a sharp breath, feeling an intense throbbing between her legs. Everything Leo did screamed sex. It was becoming hard to concentrate.

“I think that can be arranged.” His mouth was so close. Memories of how his full lips felt against her two days ago came rushing back in a fury, and she suddenly craved him.

He grinned sensing the mood between them. “Wanna dance?”

It wasn’t a kiss, but she had a feeling it’d turn into something even hotter. His hands all over her body was more than enough motivation to get off that bar stool. She and Leo both threw back another swig of their drinks. He took her bottle and his, setting them back on the bar before grabbing her hand again. He pulled her onto the dance floor, maneuvering his way through the crowd to a space they could both comfortably fit.

A sizzling Latino song with a catchy beat began playing, and Leo immediately drew her in close. Bragnae instinctively threw her hands around his neck as they danced. He ran his hands down her sides focusing on her hips. She rolled her pelvis reveling in his continued touch. They looked into each other’s eyes creating a scorching energy between them.

Leo slid his hand around to her lower back while the other lifted her leg just above the knee, holding it against his hips. He grinded into her with rhythmic purpose. The skirt of her dress pushed up a bit making her feel more of him through the thin layer of her panties. He was a great dancer – sensual as hell, balanced and moved to the beat effortlessly.

After a few minutes, a different song transitioned in with a quicker beat and an even dirtier vibe. Leo released her leg, and spun her around so her back was to his chest. He nestled against her, his hands on her hips rolling them along with his. Bragnae flipped her hair to one side, looking over her shoulder at him as her arm hooked behind his neck.

Steamy arousal surged through her body. If they were naked, they’d be having sex by now. The music stimulated the already lustful environment, and Bragnae found herself leaning into his body more and more. The pleasing movement between them provoked breathy moans. One of his hands slipped over her mound, dangerously close to where she really wanted him to touch her.

She braced her other hand on his muscled thigh, squeezing it passionately as they moved. He pressed into her more. Her head fell back against him as she closed her eyes getting lost in the moment.

Soon, to her dismay, the song changed again, and she felt Leo’s movements come to a stop. Feeling a little breathless, she turned around.

“We should, uh, slow it down a bit,” he said, looking her over with hungry eyes.

Refusing to have a repeat of the night prior with almost the exact words that Drake said, she decided to tease him. “Why? Can’t keep up?”

Leo cleared his throat. “No, I’m definitely keeping up.” He adjusted the inseam of his jeans, exhaling a quick breath. Her eyes were drawn there feeling just as excited as he was. “I just meant we should go somewhere quieter.” He took her hand, and led Bragnae over to a roped off area with a sign that read Employees Only.

“Uh, Leo, I don’t think we’re allowed up there.” Bragnae looked skeptically at the cordon in their way leading to a dark staircase.

“It’s fine. I’m an employee. Come on,” he moved one of the poles out of the way to allow her to slip through. He did the same, returning it to the original position.

Bragnae climbed the dimly lit stair way that curved to a single door at the top. She stood to the side as Leo came up behind her, brushing his hand on her lower back. He knocked twice on the door before pulling out a set of keys from his pocket. In that time, no one had come to answer, so Leo unlocked it. He turned the knob pushing the door open, and gestured to Bragnae to enter first.

The room was dark except for a blue light that ran around the perimeter of the ceiling. It was bright enough to see a couple of couches against the walls, a small bar in the corner, and a sound system. After Leo closed the door, the sound from the club below was muffled. She could actually hear herself think, but her ears felt like she was underwater after leaving the loud dance floor.

“What is this room used for, Leo?” She asked running a finger over the counter of the bar, then walked to the center of the room.

“It’s usually reserved for private parties,” he told her as he headed over to the sound system. Bragnae watched him plug his phone into a cord and fiddle with it for a second before R & B music began playing over the speakers.

Leo turned and walked slowly to meet her where she stood. He picked up her hands and laid them on his shoulders as he stepped closer to her swaying them to the sensual beat. His hands rested comfortably on her lower back with his fingers inching their way over the curves of her backside.

“So, we’re not really supposed to be in here, are we?” She smirked up at him.

He offered her a not-so-innocent shrug.

She chuckled. “You’re such a bad boy, Leo.”

He smiled. “Yeah, but I’m the best kind of bad boy.”

“How do you figure?”

Even through the darkness of the room, she could see how deeply he peered into her eyes. The seriousness of his gaze shifting the energy between them. “Because I’m a bad boy with a good heart. All the rebel excitement plus an intense desire to make someone else happy.” He tightened his hold on her to drive home his point as if she didn’t yet know he was talking about her.

Her breath quickened as she got lost in his eyes, believing in every word he just said. Bragnae’s gaze lowered to his full lips, and soon he was pulling them even closer, leaning down as they connected in a slow kiss. The rhythmic music guided their lips to deepen, and kept their bodies steadily swaying with one another.

Her fingers ran through his hair as he parted her lips with his tongue. Every motion was done to the beat of the song, and it was incredible. As his tongue explored her mouth, his lips devoured hers slowly and deliberately. The rest of the world flitted away as they continued to kiss.

Leo’s hands moved down to caress her tush while holding her hips against his. She felt how much he wanted her through the growing bulge in his jeans. It felt good to be desired carnally and in such a romantic way.

Feeling the heat of the moment, Bragnae arched her back, pressing her breasts against his chest as she leaned her head away from him. Leo worked his mouth over her neck. His hot breath hitting her skin sent a chill down her spine. One of his hands slid up her stomach and over her breast stopping to knead it gently. She moaned at his touch, their hips still rocking against each other in an erotically slow pace.

Leo groaned. “God, Bragnae. I want you so bad.” He gently brought her back up to him, kissing her with more vigor than before. She offered him no protests, only moans of agreement as he walked her backwards toward the couch.

They fell back onto the soft leather. The weight of his body on hers made her writhe with anticipation. A sudden thought made her break their kiss.

“Leo, someone could come in here and see us.”

That wicked grin of his was back. “Yeah, and it’s even hotter knowing we could get caught.” He captured her lips in another satisfying kiss. “Relax. I locked it, and no one else should be coming up here tonight.”

Feeling reassured, she pulled him in again returning to their intimate moment.

hi! i know this is coming out of no where but i just had to say thank you for writing "all the hues of blue" series! i've been reading it for the last couple of weeks and i finally caught up to the latest update. english is not my first language so im trying to write this the best that i can haha. also sorry for how long this is! i hope everything gets through.

i was a giant fan of 5sos back in 2013-2015 and thanks to quarantine and a good friend of mine who only now got into the boys, i got back to the fandom. i used to read lots of muke and cashton was always to side couple who had their shit together. for some reason now that i came back i decided to look more into cashton on ao3 and on the evening of yom kippur (where i was planning to fast) i came across your update and i saw it was a 3 part series that's over 300k as of right now, and let me tell you i was freaking out. i spent all the fast basically reading the first few chapters, consuming it without stopping. also that friend who got me back to 5sos? she gets to hear all about your amazing series. we literally spent hours talking about it because i just had to share how beautiful it is with someone, she is so invested in it without even having read it and she keeps asking me for updates!

ok so i wanna start with how your writing is one of a kind my friend, i feel myself so immersed in the story that im happy when they're happy, im crying when they're crying, im anxious when they're anxious (you get the deal)

this story hurts in the good way, the way it deals with grief is truly remarkable

i love how you write calum and ashton, as separate people and as a couple, a team. i love how even when everything developed between these two very fast it still felt so neutral for them ya know? i love how they address it and they know it may seem it's too quickly how they became this close, but for them it makes sense, it's their pace, fuck everyone else's thoughts.

another thing that i love is how all the friendships work, you got ashton and luke in which luke was there for ashton for so long, he didn't push him and he just has this understanding of what ashton needed. you got calum and michael who are best friends from childhood, basically brothers, and michael is seriously so funny. he's also such a support system for calum and takes care of him. and you got luke and cal, and ash and mikey, and michael and luke and i could just go on an on about every dynamic but this would never end lol.

one more thing is the family theme that is very strong in this fic. as much as i love romantic storylines, im always much more of a sucker for family storylines. the bond ashton and calum have with their siblings gotta be my favorite. and obviously their relationship with their parents hits hard. also loved seeing how they developed the relationship with the others family.

my thoughts are all over the place and i could basically discuss every scene you wrote but i don't know how to put it into words askjdlshg, SO JUST KNOW THAT I LOVE IT

so thank you for writing this, it means so much to me, definitely became in one of my top 3 favorite fics of all time. can't wait to read more from you ❤️

Hii!!! Just know that this message made my entire day, I can’t stop smiling 🥰🥰. I admit I also cried a little because you’re the sweetest person ever, and reading how much you’re enjoying All the Hues just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, and knowing you feel with the characters just as I felt when writing it idk, it makes me really emotional. And idk, knowing this thing I put my time and heart into actually keeps anyone company even if it’s for a while, just means a lot to me 🙈🙈💙💙.  

When I first started writing All the Hues I intended it to just be a little Christmas one-shot, I kid you not hahaha. And then it evolved into this giant thing, where everyone had a backstory. And it was really important for me not only writing about romance (even though I promise you I love it), but also about friendships and family. Love in general, in every form. And not any friendship is the same, because not every character is the same. One thing I’m somewhat proud of is that the only time anyone properly exchanges ‘I love you’s as such in the first fic is when Ashton opens up to Luke. And I really felt like that was important. 

As for families and siblings, idk... I’ve read a lot of fics (probably in the 1000s) at this point in my life, I’m not even kidding hahahha, and I never really found any that had a sibling relationship that felt like the one my brother and I share, so I tried to base the ones on All the Hues off of that. Just happy to hear it didn’t come out as cringey as I thought it did hahhaha

Thank you, so, so much for taking the time to write this. I can’t say just how much I appreciate it. I truly, truly do. Thank you  💙 💙 💙

P.S.: never ever ever apologise about English not being your first language! You write it perfectly as far as I can tell! Also, English isn’t my first language either, and the fact that we’re both able to communicate through it so brilliantly just highlights how capable we are. We’re actually speaking a whole second language. That’s awesome! Love that for us ✨✨

90s Cartoon theme Songs

I grew up in the 90's. By the time my little eyes and ears could comprehend what they were being subjected to, the era of mad animation had already begun. The 1990's were a colourful time, from the acid induced dance music to the sugar and additive-laden neon sweets and drinks. Luckily the animated shows we were given were no different. Accelerating from the successful franchises of the 80's, most of which made money from the toy and merchandise tie-ins, the animation of the 1990's seemed to blast full speed with style, irreverence and a no holds barred approach to the premise of new shows. But no matter which show you loved the most (or simply just watched because you didn't have anything better to do while you eat refreshers and drank panda pop) the first and most resonating taste of a cartoon is its theme. And the 90's gave us some wonderful themes. *Be warned, if you begin looking up some of these themes on youtube it's very likely you will succumb to the endless black hole of intro's. Just as Scott and I did.* The list of catchy choruses, magical melodies and bouncing bass lines are endless. I have a special affinity for theme songs. There is something potent about the tiny snapshot of music purpose-built to set the tone of a show. Each one is like a 30 second score, encompassing the feel, the energy and often the premise of the show to come. Those of you who have stepped foot in Super Shakes will probably have noticed a handful of themes in the shop playlist (In between copious amounts of Seal). So if I took the time to go over every jingle that puts a smile on my face then this would be an incredibly long blog. [Though honourable mentions go to any theme without lyrics such as Doug, Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy; and to superstar composer Danny Elfman] For the purpose of time and sanity I'll instead present to you 3 observations during my time in the infinite back-to-back session of intro videos. So if you are simply a curious party or are in the process of creating your own authentic sounding 90's theme song, keep these in mind. Rule 01: 90's keep it brief Apart from the quality of the animation and the steady decline of muscular He-Men, a new trend also occurred - swifter intros. Just as every comic is somebody's first, the same applies for cartoons with their self contained stories and repeatability. Because of this many 80's shows began with an intro that was in itself a prologue, as is the case of the hilarious and infectious opening to Ulysses 31. [Check it out here - https://youtu.be/OZ4c1X5ene8 ] But once we past the invisible decade barrier, things start to get more straight to the point. Maybe it was because the old style was beginning to feel tired, maybe it was to simply shave an extra minute and a half off the total run time. There is a good chance that it was because as we merged into the era of lunacy and (Ani)maniacs there was no story structure. "Mama had a chicken! Mama had a cow! Dad was proud, and he didn't care how!" Enough said. Rule 02: Ducks have Soul The musicianship behind theme tunes is often passed by. Since most of the themes are over and done with in 30 seconds, a lot of these gems and respective artists don't get to become as recognised as the 30 seconds (or less) of effort that goes in to most modern pop songs. And although there were many thematic changes to soundtracks as time progressed including Guitar riffs getting more fiery and saxophones (unfortunately) dissipating, one trend I did notice was that shows with ducks had a passionate theme that few competed with. Lets begin with Duckula (Which began in the 80's but waddled into the Nine-zero's). Beginning with a dark and spooky backstory and blackened images, all is blasted away once the vocals burst in. I get the impression if the theme was a minute longer we would have some glass shattering vibrato on our hands. At several points there are moments when it is as if the microphone they used cant actually handle the singing. Kudos to the composers for making the very silly premise of this show get glossed over by the energetic theme. From Duck vampires to Duck crusaders, namely DW - Darkwing Duck. This Noire-styled big-billed master of surprise had a hearty theme too. In order to even attempt to replicate the pipes on this performer you have to fill your lungs first. You can just hear the force in their voice as they repeat the title of the show, to the point where when the second verse comes in the whole song seems muted in comparison. But so do many things after you listen to this theme a few times, its hefty. Then in 1996 as if there weren't enough rich vocals and duck centred animations; along comes The Mighty Ducks. Not the rousing live-action family comedy starring a handful of young actors (Including the future Foggy Nelson from Daredevil sporting virtually the same haircut). This is jacked up, colourful, anthropomorphic ducks playing hockey, and the theme is just as mighty. The entire song seems to be shouted and the eager singer can barely get the first sentence finished without adding some vocal flair. The incredible intensity of this theme leaves no doubt about the final statement "Ducks Rock!". This correlation between bombastic birds and soulful songs doesn't end there. A post millennium show Duck Dodgers has a theme performed by none other than world renowned welshman Tom Jones. And if thats not enough, need I mention one of the the most catchy themes of all - a Tale of a rich Duck who famously dives into his vault of Gold coins? I'm sure you can hear it in your head already. [If not click here to develop a tick that makes you "Woo-Oo" impulsively anytime you hear the title of the show - https://youtu.be/9DXo5haNd9M ] Rule 03: Repeat the title as many times as possible It goes without saying that if you want someone to remember your brand, you need them to remember the name. It's quite possible this marketing tactic was discovered in the late 80's. Pick 5 cartoons that ran in the 90's, and sing the theme. (Feel free to do it in your head if you don't want to look like a Freakazoid at the coffee shop). I'd bet that you said the title of the show at least 3 times. Yes it's intended and yes it almost seems silly once highlighted (Try the theme game again with 5 HBO shows; it's very different. I'm betting on 0), but it also puts a recognisable time stamp on our cartoons, a loveable paradigm of silliness. This may have most memorably begun with a group of adolescent-genetically irregular- Japanese covert martial arts practicing-amphibians. Yes Leo, Donnie, Mikey and Raph's unquestionable chant, which although formed in the late 80's ran deep into the hearts, minds, and dreams of 90's kids everywhere. Brought to life by the mastermind of mindless repetition Chuck Lorre (See Two and a Half Men & Big Bang Theory - J-Man), who may have unintentionally begun a more overt tradition for shows created afterwards. Notably Earthworm Jim, W.I.L.D Cats, Hey Arnold and Rocko's Modern Life all follow the formula that shouting the title is key to a good theme. You can see this method working in the Spider-Man cartoon series (Theme co-written by Media Mogul and Power Rangers creator Haim Saban). The words are repeated to the point that the synthesised vocoder chanting goes askew into saying Spider-anything. It's almost as if the singer was exhausted or Joe Perry(Of Aerosmith)'s face melting guitar was tiring them out. I used to think that at one point he was saying Spider-Glider in reference to hobgoblin showing up on screen, but it works for any word you can cram into those syllables. Spider-pamphlet. Spider-burger. Spider-spleen. You get the point. And as if to prove that the musicians and melody makers behind all of these knew what they were doing - See Exhibit B - Bucky O' Hare. The action packed, detailed crammed opening doesn't forget to add the secret sauce; the name Bucky O' Hare is mentioned various times as are most of the other characters. But as we reach the end there is a very self aware moment where after definitely screaming the name several times one vocalist asks the other "Did you say Bucky?" as if they have a quota to fill. Without a beat his colleague replies "I said Bucky." and they both harmonise for a final "Bucky O'Hare!". This not only adds another few name drops to the counter but is a wonderful little giggle at themselves and the absurdity of their job. To sum up, Memory can be measured by recall, recognition and relearning. With the constant barrage of names and vivid images drilled into our heads several times over before we have even seen the show - our capability to recite, recognise and build on our knowledge may explain why 90's shows and their themes were so (literally) unforgettable. - J-Man

(@TheMindofJMan)