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#and so i admittedly have traced one of the drawings but it kinda helped my understand like. creases in clothing

bogusbyron · 7 days

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do you have any suggestions of websites to use for drawing references or tips for anatomy? i love your art and im obsessed with how you draw bodies

Ohh thankyou so much! Ive been practicing relentlessly trying to figure out anatomy lately so I'm glad its paying off !!!!

Honestly i dont use any websites in particular? It depends on what im drawing. I save refs in various places, whereever i see them. I've got #art refs here on tumblr, a refs folder on instgram but the main one i use is pinterest. If nothing else I'll usually just google.

Admittedly i do also look at, um, not the safest for work sources for some references. Vintage gay mags, that sort of thing . Style-wise i find Tom of Finland the most fun to look at especially when it comes to torsos and the like. Huge guy tits ftw . (Dont look him up if you've got someone standing next to you).

Ive got some websites saved that are specifically for refs (like referenceangle) but i dont really use them. I find pics from pinterest are enough, and if i need a specific head angle i'll just take a picture of my own head ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

As for anatomy tips? Urm.. i'm still working on that myself if i'm honest. From what ive gathered though, overthinking it is where it starts looking a bit wrong. Starting with sketching loose shapes really helps your intuition with proportions, figuring out if something looks wrong or not. Its really important to study anatomy, and don't stick to what other people tell you you have to do, its all up to whats comfortable to you personally.

For a while now ive looked at different artstyles and how they draw bodies and its only recently ive actually looked at like real models . I find studying stylised cartoons help because you can kinda learn how far you can shape something before it starts looking weird. It entirely depends on your own artstyle and processes .

Also: don't be afraid to trace references. I used to stave off it but i found its very handy to help you learn shapes and muscle memory for how to draw them in the future without references, which i think is important

I'm not an expert and i just draw for fun so i havent done much serious studies and whatnot . Hope this makes sense? Or helps at all . 🙏🙏

#thanku for kind words it put confidence inme thats for sure #anatomy bane of my life but we keep truckin...#ask byron

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wastelandhell · 2 years

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Do you have any recommendations for life/figure drawing resources?

Oh I am probably the wrong person to ask haha. I've kinda approached art from a weird backwards way, admittedly I've only started taking drawing seriously very recently. I feel like figures are my weakest point, I used to mostly focus on faces/expressions and cartoons so this is new-ish to me. I'm also a huge hack, a lot of the stuff I draw for this blog is slapped together on sleepless nights and I sometimes just trace poses.

Social anxiety that has stopped me from doing any kind of art classes or life drawing, so I usually draw from photographs. I have a lot of books of vintage photography and pinup illustrations that I like to redraw in my sketchbooks. I'm a huge sucker for midcentury cheesecake, and that's a lot of what i draw lol.

I've never really bothered with posing 3D models like the ones in clip studio, they can help you lay down the base pose but don't reflect how muscles move under the skin. Which is i guess fine for anime, but not how I want to draw.

I think it's really important to learn how to 'see' things and translate them to paper. I remember "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" being very helpful for this when I was in high school. The left/right brain theory is pseudoscience junk but the drawing techniques were sound.

I'm making my way through "Dynamic Anatomy" right now, which I find very helpful, if a bit intimidating. In general I started by figuring out some of the bigger muscle groups, and I'm slowly learning the smaller details and working them into my drawings. Really a lot of my references are things I find through google images. I am currently looking into paid lessons, if anyone has some good ones let me know ha!

Always free and available, you have yourself and a mirror! If it's reasonable i try to make a lot of the poses and expressions I draw. I'm always referencing my own hands, and touching my face to see how things are spaced out.

If you find anything hard to draw, focus on it. Struggle with hands? You need to draw a lot more (realistic) hands. Expressions? Get a mirror out, it's time to learn how face muscles affect each other. It's important to always push yourself, art isn't always fun. If you want to improve you have to do the hard stuff.

Unrelated to your ask, but I think it's also really important to draw on paper. I've found that most skills you learn with physical media will translate well to digital, but it doesn't go the other way. I really like a heavy, coil-bound mixed-media sketchbook and Faber-Castell Polychromos.

Also adding the best piece of general life advice I've ever seen: There will always be someone better, younger, and hotter than you. Don't focus on what other people are doing/have done, you won't accomplish anything by being miserable. The only person you can compare yourself to is yourself.

#asks #sorry i am incapable of being succinct lol #long post

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wooahaes · 1 year

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I'm really glad you're doing well. I think motivation can be something that's really hard to get back, but I don't think trying to force yourself helps either. I'm glad you've found a way of writing without as much pressure! What are you using for your digital paintings? Tablet/iPad/other? What apps do you use? How do you get them to look so realistic?! I'm currently trying to improve my drawings skills haha. Please take care of yourself too! I genuinely love talking to you!! 🍧

motivations def hard to get back and i think sometimes i Do have to force myself to sit down and write Something (my writing prof in college called it "butt in chair hours" bc it helps build a habit of sitting down and writing), but i know if its not coming then i need to lay off and not force myself too hard.

digital paintings are an iPad (idk the model or anything, i can check and get back) + an apple pen! its technically my mothers but i'll borrow it sometimes.

admittedly i need to go back onto my posts and edit them with a link to pictures because technically i'm not really an artist as much as i'm someone who's learning (but im not getting any reblogs for my silly drawings and i don't really tag them). i grew up drawing stuff based off of certain anime styles, and ive kinda moved toward realism more in recent years as a way of practicing anatomy better. when i work on an ipad, i end up tracing pictures because i'm usually doing it for practice on shading n whatnot. like this was traced from a pic of baeseung with a puppy (i'd have to see if i can find it online--he posted it to weverse and i usually save his cute face), this was pulled from a pic of chris where i wanted to do some practice on painting vaguely, but my traditional stuff like this cheollie and this hao were referenced (the hao one doesn't have a ref pic w it since i was working off a screenshot of a gif--i'd have to find the gose episode and get the screenshot myself).

i dont rly view myself as an artist tbh as much as i'm just someone who enjoys drawing and is trying to learn more. all i can rly offer is just what other ppl have said in the vein of "practice practice practice"

#wooahaes.ask #🍧 anon #again im 100% not an artist! just someone who enjoys it as a hobby and wants to learn better

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babykatsu · 3 years

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PAIRING: katsuki bakugou x gn!reader

RATING: nsfw

WARNINGS: jealous bakugou, sexual implications (no full on smut), kinda fluff?, strong language, aged-up of course

REQUEST: @anniebromberg tysmm for requesting<3 here’s a lil jealous bakugou fic!! it was really fun to finally write again. i really hope u like it <3 🤲🏻

WORDCOUNT: 1.6k

SYNPOSIS:

Katsuki, your boyfriend, made sure EVERYONE knew that you were his. Well, for the most part at least. He was not one for PDA since he still liked his privacy. You know, some things are better left just for the two of you to enjoy behind the scenes. But this habit of his led to something else... So when you were both out for a short coffee date that you had somehow managed to arrange amidst your busy schedules, Katsuki was beyond fuming to see an extra trying to flirt with you.

The smell of roasted coffee beans filled your nose as your boyfriend gently opened the door to the cafe you frequented. The rich bitter fragrance, with a hint of its inviting warmth, filled the atmosphere. It made your mouth water and yearn for that creamy, smooth drink. The subtle chatter of the customers, the clinking of cups, and other cutlery gently grazed your hearing. Nostalgic. That was the best way to put how you felt right now. It took you back to your first date with Katsuki, and though he will never admit it, this exact coffee shop is his favorite date spot. The subtle way his hand slipped out from yours as you two approached the counter interrupted your train of thought.

"Katsuki?" You questioned.

"I'll be back. I need to go to the toilet real quick. Don't order without me, okay?"

"Of course!"

With that, he shuffled his way through a couple of people before disappearing out of your vision. Awkwardly, you made your way off to the side elsewhere. In your little corner of the shop, you eyed people regularly coming in and out of the cafe. Admittedly, aimlessly standing there observing people was a tad bit uncomfortable and honestly creepy, but you knew Katsuki wouldn't take long. Well, you hoped so, at least.

Your solitude, however, did not last long. It took barely a couple of minutes before one of the people who had entered the establishment locked their eyes with yours. Not only did they maintain their gaze on you, but they even began making their way to you. In embarrassment, you glanced off to the side, eyes glued to where you last saw Katsuki go, awaiting to see his familiar face in the masses. To your disappointment, he wasn't there. And now this stranger was right next to you.

"waiting for your order, sweetheart?" A scratchy husk voice questioned, nudging their shoulder to yours almost in a joking manner. You didn't take lightly to the friendly gesture, feeling somewhat violated by the invasion of personal space.

"I haven't ordered yet" You smiled briskly, finally facing the person beside you. Your response only acted as an open invitation for this complete randomer to get even closer, their hand slithering around your waist.

"How about I buy you a drink, darling? How does that sound?" Though you tried to budge, it felt as though it only made the stranger cling to you tighter.

As your heart drummed against your chest, you pleaded for Katsuki to get back soon. And to your delight, you heard his familiar voice as he obnoxiously cleared his throat.

The man's seemingly tight grasp on you loosened, taking a few steps back from you as he glanced back at your boyfriend.

"You with them?" The stranger asked, seemingly anxious. It didn't take long until Katsuki interlocked his fingers with yours, palms sweaty and his grip firm.

"The fuck do you think, dumbass?"

You knew Bakugou wanted to raise his voice, but you saw his restraint. He was clenching his jaw as he spoke through gritted teeth. And worst of all, you could see the hazy distress in his eyes as he stared down at the man in front of him. Perhaps he was holding back to save you the humiliation of causing a stir in your favorite cafe, or maybe this was his breaking point. You never really knew what went through Katsuki's head, but the defeat you sensed come from him had you worried.

"Stop just looking at me and fuck off already." Katsuki spat out before dragging you out of the coffee shop.

Oddly enough, you'd think him aggressively yelling would depict his frustration more. Only, in this case, his silence was deafening. He marched around Tokyo's streets as you delayed behind him, his hand refusing to let go of yours

"Katsuki! Hold on!" You just barely let out. "We are going home." He spoke bluntly. "Do you not have to be back to work in 20 minutes?" With a frustrated sigh escaping his parted lips, he came to a halt.

"Then can we hurry up and get home, y/n?" Facing you, he spoke in a beaten tone.

He squeezed your hand tighter in reassurance before resuming his stride, only this time walking at a more manageable pace for you to keep up.

"You know I hate it when those extras try and talk to you. It's my fault for leaving you alone." He avoided eye contact as he stared up ahead, his car coming into view.

"And I know it's not your fault that dumbasses like that approach you but it still frustrates me, you know. Like, at least if you're with me, the bare minimum I could do is make sure those jerks know their place."

You always knew he was protective over you, usually never hesitating to bark out at those who tried to approach you, yet this time was different. This time felt like he was fed up beyond recognition. A random stranger flirting with you interrupted the date you two had managed to arrange after weeks of not having any alone time.

"Please don't stress yourself over that, baby! I promise you don't have to worry. I don't want anyone but you." You reassured, encircling yourself around his arm. Pulling out his car keys, you heard the familiar chime of his car unlocking.

"I know. It's still gonna annoy me nonetheless, though. How fucking hard is it for them to understand that you're mine and not theirs?"

Swiftly, he lowered you into the car seat as you unhooked yourself from his arm. You waited as he rounded the car, taking his seat next to you. Dropping his head back, he let out another frustrated sigh.

You didn’t know how exactly to break this tension that was between you two. You clasped his hand before saying the only thing that you knew that Katsuki could never turn down.

"Then make sure they know I'm yours." you challenged with a slight grin on your face.

He raised a brow at you, doubtingly but regardless, you could see him try and contain the smile that was growing in his face.

"Do you really want to challenge me to that?" His face lit up as he tilted it towards you.

"You have 15 minutes before you have to be back at work. Do your best-" But before you could fully complete your sentence, his lips had already fallen on yours. This wasn’t exactly the way you expected him to accept your challenge. But how could you deny him?

"I'll make sure everyone knows who you fucking belong to, darling." His breath trickled down your neck as he nibbled at your ear, causing goosebumps to dance down your skin. Butterflies swarmed your stomach as you began to feel excited for what he would do next.

His silky lips glided against every inch of exposed skin and his hands didn't hesitate to caress everything his lips couldn't reach. Lightly, he raised his head once more, his darkened crimson eyes peering at you with his signature stare. Gaze dipping lower down your face, he studied your lips, glazed in his previous embrace.

His plump mouth reconnected with yours, gently melting against you. The taste of caramel dripping from his tongue as it swiped your bottom lip. You savored every taste of him, granting him access. Delicate yet rough, he readily explored your mouth. Whirling his tongue around yours, before pulling away to tug at your lip. From gently pecks, to deep french kisses, he kept you guessing every time he leaned back in. And he continued to devour you, breathlessly pressing further into you as he only ventured you further. His hands crawling up your shirt, kneading your waist as he drove his chest towards yours. There was no space left between you two. The thrashing of his heart more noticeable than ever, you felt the adrenaline that ran around his body similarly to your own. Breathless, he parted from you. His cheeks scattered in a pink shimmer as his chest rose up and down as he panted for air.

"Hope on" He motioned to his lap.

And you did just that, throwing one leg over and repositioning yourself to rest above him.

His hands resumed their adventure, leisurely inching up your thighs as his thumbs rubbed in circles. Higher and higher Katsuki's hands reached, and you grew more feverish by the moment. Eyes fluttering to his lips and next down his body, you felt the pit of your stomach lust in anticipation and nervousness.

"Don't tease me now! You know we don't have time" You whined, rocking yourself against him before leaning in to meet his lips. But, he yanked away.

"Say please" He tipped his head, a taunting grin plastered across his face. You couldn't help but feel yourself get warm at his words, a drop of embarrassment streaming through you.

"P-please" You somewhat stammered, but Bakugou adhered to his word, cupping your face and drawing you back towards himself.

His hands slipped up your back, chilly fingers hovering just above your skin as they traced up and down the ridges of your spine. But these more satiny touches soon turned desperate once more. You were met by the clawing of his nails against your back. Down, his lips crept to your neck where he resumed his caresses. Gentle squirms and cries hung from your lips as you felt every lick his cushiony tongue made, every moment his teeth immersed into your skin, and every kiss he settled thereafter. There was no doubt he had left marks and it excited your body all over as you heaved for air. Tugging yourself to him, he bucked his hips up causing a groan to leave him, his breath lingering softly as it cascaded across the back of your neck. The feeling of his hardened cock leaving you craving for more.

But before you continue your endeavor, the sound of an alarm broke you from one another. Bakugou reached for his phone before being greeted with the message he wanted to see the least right now.

'work starts in 3 minutes'

This only meant you'd have to continue what you two had started after work, which only riled you two on more.

“I’ll finish you off at home. Got it?”

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beybladefanfictions · 3 years

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Beyblade One-Shot: Constellations

(Author’s Note: Yeah, this is really random. I got this idea of Ryuga and Kenta looking at constellations together and thought it would make a cute one-shot. This takes place in my fanfiction’s continuity after what is currently the newest Ryuga x King chapter: A Departing Battle, but this was written recently while those chapters are a month old now. This isn’t needed to understand anything going on there but I thought it was cute so I’m publishing it on its own. Anyways, enjoy!)

Ryuga’s POV

The night sky glistened through the treetops above Ryuga as he made his way through the familiar forest. A cool night breeze blew his white jacket back and forth. A peaceful aura surrounded him. The only sound was the slight ruffling of the leaves and Ryuga’s footsteps.

Ryuga suddenly stopped. Around him, the trees parted, allowing him to see the stars in all their glory. Without those irksome city lights, the stars glowed much brighter, like specks of gemstones, and more colours glowed around them. Ryuga had a contempt for big cities. They were generally loud and packed and their light tainted this beautiful night sky.

A new sound suddenly filled the air. Footsteps.

“Ryuga?”

“Hm?” Ryuga looked over his shoulder. Kenta was walking toward him, holding out a flashlight.

“I figured you’d be here,” Kenta replied, lowering the flashlight as he went to stand beside him. “What are you doing out after dark?”

“Getting fresh air…” Before Kenta could reply, Ryuga added, “Calm down, your parents know where I am.”

“You told them?”

“Mhm.” Ryuga nodded.

“Okay…” Kenta muttered to himself. “Good…” As Kenta texted his parents, Ryuga looked back up at the sky.

“Are you… looking at the stars?”

Ryuga looked away. “…maybe.”

He’d never told anyone about this appreciation of his. It probably seemed strange for someone like him to appreciate something like this.

Kenta smiled. “Do you know any of the constellations?”

“Just Draco,” Ryuga replied, with a shrug.

He had to admit he didn’t really see the point in assigning shapes to stars that were in reality, billions of kilometres away from each other. Why not just appreciate their beauty for what it was? There was no point in assigning silly stories to all of them. Still, Ryuga obviously knew about Draco, the constellation his bey, L-Drago, was based on. He could even see it now. The head was a small triangle and the body was the long twisting line of stars behind it, as if it were twisting its body around the way an Asian dragon would.

“Not even Sagittarius?” Kenta asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sagittarius?” Ryuga froze. That’s right: Sagittarius was a summer constellation as well. He scanned the sky. However, he didn’t even have a basic idea of what the constellation was supposed to look like.

Kenta chuckled. “It’s right there.” He pointed at the night sky, forming some complex shape with his finger as if tracing the stars.

Ryuga tilted his head to the side. “Can you be more specific?”

“Here…” Kenta sat down on the ground. Ryuga sat next to him without a second thought. “Right there.” He pointed again. “That open triangle part is the legs.” He moved his finger up. “That long line is the body. Then that part is the arm and the part that goes out in the three directions is the bow.” Kenta held his hands out like he was holding a bow.

“Looks like a bunch of dots to me,” Ryuga grunted, his eyes narrowed.

Kenta shrugged. “Madoka showed me that one in Koma Village,” he informed, gazing at him with a smile. “Since then, I’ve been really interested in constellations. During the World Tournament, when I was left at home…” There was a pang of sadness in his voice at those words. “I started studying them since I had so much time. I can name most of the major ones.”

“How do you remember all that?” Ryuga asked, admittedly a little stunned.

“Well almost all of them have Beyblades based on them,” Kenta explained, looking back at the sky. “So I remember that way. Like right there…” He pointed at a cluster of stars that formed a triangle. “That’s Aquila, like Tsubasa’s Earth Eagle. I remember that because the corners of the triangle look a bit like wings and that one can be the head.”

Ryuga gazed at his friend silently. *Is this where these constellations came from? The mind of a child?*

“Seems like a stretch,” Ryuga replied with a shrug.

“Oh, come on, Ryuga,” Kenta nudged Ryuga’s shoulder. “You have no imagination.”

Ryuga rolled his eyes. “What are the rest of these?” he asked, laying down in the grass.

Kenta laid down as well. “Well…” He searched the sky for a few moments. “There’s part of Aquarius. It’s a little harder to see in July but you can see the tail part.” Kenta trailed his finger over the stars as if he were drawing a line on top of them to connect them.

Ryuga looked away. Aquarius… it was the constellation of the bey, Aquario. The one blader Ryuga knew with an Aquario bey was Hikaru. Guilt pricked his heart.

“Ooh!” Kenta perked up. “There’s Cygnus! The swan constellation.” Kenta gazed at Ryuga with a smile. “Fun story about that one, Yuki and Gingka told me how that constellation helped them find one of the Legendary Bladers by pointing the way into a temple.”

Ryuga raised an eyebrow. “A constellation did that?”

Kenta nodded. “Yeah, there were these rock pillars in front of it, right? And to open the door to the temple, Yuki had to fire his bey through the pillars with holes, forming the shape of the Cygnus constellation.” Kenta sighed, lying back down. “I wish I could’ve been there to see that.”

Ryuga’s jaw clenched. “No, you don’t.”

“Huh?” Kenta sat up again, tilting his head to the side.

Ryuga looked away, surprised at the jealousy that had suddenly pricked him like a needle.

“If you’d stayed with them, you never would have been friends with me,” Ryuga grunted, his fingers digging into the dirt.

Although Ryuga still somewhat resented how soft Kenta had made him, the idea of them never being friends made him feel sick.

“Right…” Kenta put his arms around Ryuga in a small hug. “Sorry, that’s not what I meant. I’m glad I followed you, and I’m glad we’re friends. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Ryuga relaxed a bit. Kenta let go of him after a few moments, looking back at the sky.

“Um…” He gazed at the sky for a few moments in silence, as if searching for something to talk about. “There’s Pegasus…” He pointed to it.

“Pegasus? In Summer?” Ryuga was stunned. He was sure Pegasus was an Autumn constellation. Wasn’t that the reason Gingka was picked as a Legendary Blader?

“Yeah, you can see it as early as July,” Kenta answered with a nod. “That square is the body, those two lines are the legs, and that curved one is the neck and head.”

“Where are the wings?” Ryuga grunted, annoyance slipping into his tone. “That’s the whole point of Pegasus.”

Kenta shrugged. “Maybe this Pegasus doesn’t need wings to fly, like your L-Drago.”

“Pegasus means winged horse.”

Kenta smirked. “And dragon means winged lizard.”

“No, it doesn’t!” Ryuga blazed with indignation. How dare someone call his L-Drago a mere lizard?!

Kenta giggled into his hand. “According to America, it does.”

“Well, we’re not in America.”

*Thankfully,* Ryuga bit back the word as he remembered King, who had recently returned to America. He looked away, his heart aching.

“Anyways…” Kenta looked back up, pointing at the sky. “And there’s…” He suddenly froze, his eyes going wide.

Concern swept over Ryuga. “What? What is it?”

“S-Serpent…” Ryuga’s heart skipped a beat. “Er- Serpens. The… the snake constellation.” Kenta was suddenly shivering. He turned away, rolling over onto his side.

“Kenta?” Ryuga scooted closer.

His friend wasn’t meeting his gaze. Ryuga knew exactly what Kenta was remembering and that same memory made Ryuga’s blood boil. He opened his mouth to speak.

“I…” Kenta’s voice was weak. “I know I defeated Reiji and everything but…” He wrapped his arms around himself. “He still freaks me out. So many bad memories…”

Ryuga put his arms around Kenta, pulling him into a hug.

“I know,” Ryuga’s voice was soft. “It scared me too.”

Kenta looked up at him. “But you said yourself he can’t do a thing to you.”

“It wasn’t myself I was worried about,” Ryuga replied, pulling Kenta into his chest. “It was you being hurt.”

Kenta returned the hug, letting out a small sob. After a few long breaths, Kenta let go, shuffling away to gaze at the ground. Ryuga froze for a moment. He needed to get Kenta’s mind off that battle…

“What’s that one?” Ryuga nodded in the direction of a zigzag formation of stars.

Kenta glanced at it. “Oh… that’s Cassiopeia… I… don’t really know anyone with a bey like that.”

“Cassiopeia…” Ryuga dipped his head. “The queen from Greek mythology.”

“You know Greek Mythology?” Kenta asked, turning to him.

Ryuga shrugged. “A little. Cassiopeia boasted about… something so Poseidon turned her into a sea monster.”

Kenta raised an eyebrow. “Well, that seems like an overreaction.”

“Everything in Greek mythology was an overreaction to something. Zeus sees anyone? Has… kids with them. Poseidon loses a duel? Curses the city into a drought. Hades sees a pretty girl? Kidnaps her. Athena sees a woman in her sacred temple? Curses her to be a Gorgon. It’s ridiculous.”

“What’s a Gorgon?”

“It’s what Medusa was.”

Kenta flinched. “Wait, Medusa was cursed to be like that?” Ryuga nodded. “Oh…” He looked away. “That makes me feel a little bad for her.”

Ryuga nodded in agreement. He and Kenta looked back at the sky.

“You can’t see all of it but there’s Libra.” Kenta pointed at another cluster of stars, near the edge of the glade. “It kinda looks like a diamond during this time actually.”

Ryuga could see that. He stayed silent as Kenta pointed out more constellations.

“There’s Capricornus, it looks a bit like a goat’s head. And Scorpius…” He moved his finger back and forth in a line. “You can see the stinger. Oh! And of course Hercules, the hero from the Greek myths.” Kenta glanced at him. “Know anything about him?”

Ryuga shrugged. “Just that Hera hated his guts.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. The Gods were all jerks. Besides Artemis. She was unproblematic.” *And awesome,* Ryuga thought to himself.

Kenta raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t she hate men or something?”

Ryuga nodded slowly. “Completely unproblematic.” He couldn’t stop himself from cracking a smile at that.

“Ryuga… you’re-you’re a boy…”

Ryuga chuckled. “Boys are the worst.”

“Ryuga, you’re gay.”

Ryuga glanced at his friend with a smile. “Then surely I know better than anyone?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

Ryuga and Kenta both chuckled.

Then Kenta let out a yawn. “We should start heading home,” he replied, standing up. “It’s getting late.”

Ryuga nodded, standing up as well. The two of them walked back to the house in silence.

#beyblade #beyblade metal fight #beyblade metal saga #ryuga #ryuga kishatu #kenta yumiya #metal fusion #metal masters #metal fury #all three seasons are alluded to in some way #reiji's also mentioned #greek mythology #constellations #fanfiction #one-shot #hurt and comfort #kinda #it's more just casual and cute

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kalofi · 4 years

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I always really love how you pose characters, and like, I dont do that terribly well... if you had the time, I was wondering like, how do you do that??

well!! i’m not the best to ask for this hdhsjsjs i literally just figure stuff out as i go. like i have a general idea of what pose i maaaay want to do but it usually ends up changing completely by the end. here’s an example of how i do poses with line work:

this is kinda embarrassing for me to post but dhcnsjdnsk anyway as u can see, i’m always changing and erasing and fixing stuff until i just find smth i like! for this piece i didn’t even use sketches or references i just went straight to lineart, which smth i do a lot. admittedly it’d b easier to have a sketch but. idk i just don’t. i would suggest doing whatever works best for you! this is how i’ve done it for a while so i’m just too lazy to change my approach 😔

but lately i’ve been trying to get better with poses so i try using references every now and then! here’s a good resource for all sorts of poses! i also just observe a lot of other artists and how they tend to draw poses and try to replicate it (but i don’t post those ones).

if ur really struggling i would say get an image of a pose you like, trace over it, then try it again with tracing! that helped me get the hang of basic anatomy before i started trying to do my own poses! i’m still trying to learn how to do perspective tho cndjdnsjsjs

i hope this helped!

#AAAAAA this is why i never wanna do speedpaint videos cause then yall will c how much i change the lineart #JSJSJSNSJANFNTUTHNDD #anyway i rly hope this was comprehensible!!if you do end up tracing over poses just make sure to keep them to urself as reference!#tracing for practice is good!! tracing for posting is :(#kalofi’s asks #ur always allowed to use references tho!#idk why some ppl say shit like ooooh ur not a tru artist if u use references #like??? thats the stupidest shit i ever heard. use refs if u want they help a butt ton

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thewolfmanslayer · 3 years

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Honestly the amount of people who say artists and writers should do stuff for free, or try to rip them off on comissions still royally piss me off.

I think the worst part of it is the entitlement, I dont want to make this too much about generations but a lot of commissioners are millenial/Gen z's who grew up on the "steal and pirate everything" mentality, take everything that you can because no one else is going to hand it to you. which I can get behind, when you are screwing over MULTI BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES. NOT THE STRUGGLING ARTISTS AND WRITERS who are trying to keep food on the table as desperately as you probably are!

It's simple, you wouldn't walk into a restaurant, order food and tell the server "sorry I don't have any money, but I've got like a few thousand followers on social media, I can get your name out there, get the restaurant some exposure" NO! They don't need "exposure" they need you to pay the damn bill!

On top of that, most of these artists and writers ALREADY HAVE FOLLOWINGS. They already have thousands of people following them, waiting for the chance to get a commission, who are willing to pay for said commission, they don't need "exposure" when they're already out there! He'll even the artists and writers with a few hundred don't need it, they'll get more followers as time goes by, their skill alone will see to it.

And what is with people trying to get free art and writing? It's not going to work! You can't harass someone until they cave, trust me, you'll be long since blocked before you even have the opportunity. I don't do comissions, online anyways, but my own friends and family, people who actually know me STILL PAY ME whenever they ask for me to do art for them because they KNOW it takes TIME AND EFFORT.

How many times do we need to have this discussion???? Like when is it going to finally click that people who need to pay their bills just as much as you do AREN'T going to do this shit for free!?

Here's the thing about art and writing, that you've heard a billion times but still aren't getting; IT. TAKES. TIME. AND. EFFORT. TO. GET. DONE. the art isn't going to magically appear and the writing isn't going to suddenly write itself, if either were so convenient YOU WOULDNT BE ASKING AN ARTIST OR WRITER IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Look at that, you see that? The first picture I did back in 2012-13, the picture beside it? I did that TWO YEARS AGO. I didn't suddenly know exactly what to do, or had anything close to a god given talent for drawing (I'm not that talented). The first picture WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST I COULD DO AT THE TIME THAT I MADE IT. In the time between these two drawings I admittedly took a break from art, but then I got back into it four years ago. EVEN STILL that was four YEARS of starting over from the basics, relearning everything, learning new things, wanting to actually improve my art.

Which, guess what, DID NOT HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. It was HOURS UPON HOURS of my limited free time as an adult drawing over and over and over and over again, every single goddamn day to get to the point that I was able to make that redraw look as good as it does in comparison. He'll, my art now puts them both to shame! Because I spent the time improving my quality!!

Now look at these artists doing comissions, they've probably put EVEN MORE of their time to get that good! They've put in LITERAL YEARS of sweat, blood, tears, frustrations and dedicated hardwork. Some did the same as me, self teaching and lots of practice, others probably had to go to school, which definitely wasn't cheap. But all of us put in that time and effort TO REACH THESE POINTS. Of being better artists, developing our styles, getting faster at drawing.

And maybe you think that this is super easy, right? That I or every other artist can just fire some art off and boom its good and done in like an hour?

FUCK. NO.

Even now it takes me several hours a day OVER MANY DAYS to make something exceptionally good! It doesn't matter how good an artist is, it still. Takes. Time.

Maybe the issue is that you don't understand how much actually goes into art, let me break it down for you, the steps that most people follow to finish ONE drawing.

-Rough draft: general character outline, get a feel for what I want to draw.

-Rough sketch: I start doing a bit of pencil to start filling in details like mouth, nose, eyes, hair, clothes. Ect.

-Penciling: I go over the rough sketch and clean everything up, maybe do some editing, this is when you can start making out all the details.

-Ink: I trace over the finished pencil with a pen tool and actually have the line art, everything looks clean, presentable, it actually looks like a character now. I'll spend time editing this and possibly redoing the inking many times over to get to a point where I like it.

-Flat color: I decide on which colors to use for skin tone, clothes accessories. Ect.

-Shading/highlights: I figure out where my light source is and how strong it is, I then apply the correct amount of lighting and shadows to the color to give it depth, I also have determine the texture of skin, clothes and accessories to make everything look real and natural.

-Blending: I smooth out the shading and highlights so that it looks more natural and isn't too hard (noticeable difference between color) so that it looks as natural as possible.

-Finish: I go over last minute details, finish any editing or corrections that need to be done. Once it's good I call it a day.

Each process is longer in length then the previous, with the exception of the final editing (as long as everything looks good) and even the rough draft can take some time. Over all this is SEVERAL HOURS of work for a SINGLE DRAWING.

So is it sinking in yet? How much is put into doing even a single character drawing? God forbid if its done with background. This isn't a "scratch a pen around and be done with it in ten minutes" kinda deal, no, this is SEVERAL HOURS OF SOMEONES LIFE BEING PUT INTO THIS

And if you still have the AUDACITY to try and wrangle free art from an artist then there's no helping you, you're just a selfish piece of shit, no question and I want nothing to do with you.

Someone might say "But I got free art/writing from.-" look I don't give a shit if someone did something for you THAT ONE TIME, these other artists and writers? Totally seperate and different people. You're one freebie experience does not, and should not apply to other artists and writers.

"But what if I really want this commission but don't have the money right now?" Well, that's tough shit. Save up and properly commission them when you can, it's not their problem.

"But what if I'm in a really bad financial situation and really want it?" That sucks, and I'm sorry, but again, not their problem. Chances are this is their only source of income and they need to make money so that they don't end up in a similar situation.

"They have a gift! They should share it!" What kind of cheap ass- LOOK, just because someone is talented or really good at something does not automatically obligate them to do anything for total strangers in anyway shape or form. These are living, breathing people, the same as you. They need to eat, they need to pay rent/mortgages, they need to pay vet bills, send their kids to college, do their taxes and everything else that YOU YOURSELF need to do. Asking anyone to spend their time doing something for free, when that something is how THEY ARE SURVIVING is beyond asinine. Not only that, this obviously isn't a hobby to them, it is very clearly THEIR JOB. Would you want to do a job where you didn't get paid at all? Doing a shit ton of work for absolutely nothing? No? Didn't think so.

"It shouldn't be about the money!" Well unfortunately, as with almost every other job, it is. We live in a world where we desperately need to make money in order to survive. That's the painful fact of the matter. If money never had to be an issue ever again then this would be a very different story. But it's not, plain and simple as can be.

Look, these people are just like you, artists and writers who are just trying to get by in a shitty ass world, using the one thing they have that let's them have an income. Leave them be, don't try and trick them, guilt them, or cuss them out when you don't get your way. Either properly comission or leave them the hell alone, plain and simple.

#artists #writers #art #writing #rant #comissions #people

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fletchphoenix · 4 years

Text

Dog Days Are Over

Hiya!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chapter four!!! okay, I love y’’all, thank you for your support and onwards with the chapter!

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It was Friday and, just to rub salt in the wound, the last period was an English exam. Just what Hugo needed when he was looking forward to a weekend of luxury and working on Olivia. His paper sat in front of him, the lines for answers sitting blank as he thought hard about his responses. His eyes grazed across the desk, noticing a small pen drawing in the top right corner, a smile gracing his face. He knew who’d drawn it immediately - Varian.

He hadn’t seen the other boy since they almost...yeah. He didn’t want to think of that and make his face flush in the middle of an exam about Romeo And Juliet, thanks. Still, the other had been supposedly avoiding him the whole time since the incident and he didn’t understand why. Honestly, the lack of hairstripe’s presence in his life was making him feel kinda lonely and combined with his sudden conclusion that he was head over heels for him..he’d kinda concluded he must’ve done something wrong and put the boy off. A cough and a clock tick prompted him to get back to work, Mrs Crick gazing at him before turning back to her book.

His index finger of his right hand absentmindedly and subconsciously traced his finger over the marking on the table as his left hand wrote furiously with a soft smile. He’d really fallen hard for the other boy in the short time they’d known each other, that time exclusively spent studying chemistry. He was intoxicating - one bit of the boy left him needing more and more. In all honesty, he was lying when he said he didn’t understand his part of the project just so he could spend time with the other. He’d intended to ask him out on a date or something, but he chickened out last time. On the bed. And then Varian hadn’t spoken to him since. Did Varian even like men? Huh. He hadn’t taken that into account. With his pen, he began to draw a little him on the desk beside the little stick man Varian had drawn of himself.

He could tell Varian was lying when he said he’d kissed “many, many ladies”, because..who the hell says that? However, it wouldn’t be Hugo’s first time crushing on a straight man (honestly, virtually everyone in this hellhole was straight, so curse the universe for placing him here) and he was too much of a coward to ask. It’s not as if he could just say “Hey Varian! I am deeply in love with you and wanted to know, are you gay or not?”. That would scare him off more than he already had. Maybe he could just..take him out? Take him somewhere nice to just talk for a while and see where it went. Yeah! He could be so smart sometimes, he praised himself with a grin. Finally the bell rang, he handed in his paper and sprinted down the hallway towards the exit of the school. He hoped he wasn’t too late - he was sure Donella would let him borrow the bike for the night. Now all he needed was his date.

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It felt like forever - though at last the weekend had dawned on them. The blessed days seemingly took their sweet, sweet time to arrive, teasing Varian the longer he had to wait. It was agony to have to wait so long for a break. But a weekend meant no school, no stress, no teachers..and best of all..

No Hugo.

Varian let out a sigh of relief at that fact. Thank god he didn’t have to see the other after their..awkward farewell a few days prior. He honestly didn’t know what was going through Hugo’s head or what he was trying to do. Was it a joke? Was he just trying to freak Varian out or something? Or did he really...no. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. In his eyes, they were sworn enemies and all Hugo did was tease him all the time. There was no way Hugo could actually like him, Varian reminded himself as he strolled out of the school and along the sidewalk before hearing a familiar voice yell his name. Brilliant.

“Hairstripe! Hey, wait up!” Hugo called from behind him, the other slowing his pace to let the blonde catch up. Ugh, of all the people it could’ve been - Nuru, Zander..hell, even Isla. It had to be Hugo Atkinson. Hugo Atkinson who became his rival and was making him extremely confused with his feelings towards him with every single movement he made. “I thought I’d lost you, aha..”

“What is it, Hugo.” Varian asked, admittedly sounding more annoyed than he’d intended.

“Geez, no need to be so rude, hairstripe. I was gonna ask if you wanna go out with me tonight. I’ll pick you up at 6 and take you somewhere nice - my treat for putting up with me for the week. Yeah?” He asked, no sign of ill intent in his face. Varian examined his face. Hugo did seem to be genuine with what he was saying, and it would be nice to spend some time with him..even if he was his rival and Varian was meant to hate him. His head entertained the thought for a moment.

“Yeah, sure. Don’t be late.” Varian replied before continuing to walk down the street. He didn’t turn around to catch the sight of Hugo silently cheering to himself and doing a funky little dance in the middle of the street at Varian’s response before racing home to get ready for their unofficial ‘date’.

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True to his word, Hugo showed up at 6pm sharp, a bouquet of flowers in his arms for Rapunzel consisting of an assortment of purple flowers, which she took gratefully. He looked kinda handsome too, his fringe slicked back though still in its regular ponytail. “Oh Varian! Hey!” he called out, a smile plastered on his face. Varian felt kind of bad..he’d put absolutely no effort into his appearance aside from brushing his hair for a few seconds, but Hugo...he’d gone all out. Varian nodded, walking down the stairs to stand beside the taller boy. “We won’t be too long, ma’am.” Hugo commented, gesturing towards a grey motorbike in the driveway.

It looked beautiful the closer they got to it, small dents and patterns over the bike more clear as he strolled closer. Hugo tossed a helmet over to Varian, a smirk on his face. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she? Fixed her up myself. And don’t worry, I know how to ride one of these things, but always wear a helmet, sweetheart.” he said smugly, “Though, you might wanna hold on tight.” he added as a second thought, swinging his leg over to sit down and letting Varian’s arms wrap around his waist as he revved the engine and starting to drive.

Varian laughed, exhilaration and adrenaline taking over and running through his veins as they sped through the city and past houses. Even though Varian had no idea where they were going, he shuffled closer and closed his eyes happily. This was beautiful, the sun setting in the distance as they drove. It reminded him of Cassandra, well, when she lived here before she moved away with her girlfriend Irene. He had to admit they were a cute couple, but he missed Cass dearly. She could’ve at least come to visit sometimes. He let out a contented sigh, his head resting against Hugo’s back as they drove.

Hugo, on the other hand, smiled as he felt Varian’s head rest against his back. Everything was going great so far - now all it had to do was stay like that. Or preferably get better. Either one would be perfect. Pulling into the beach parking lot, he swung his leg back over the bike and let his hands move to Varian’s hips, steadying him as he followed suit. “Woah there, freckles. Easy.” he muttered before taking Varian’s arm and gently pulling him along. He stood, his feet in the cold, salty water before he shot a mischievous grin towards the boy beside him. “Hey V.” he yelled, splashing the other and running. Varian gasped and chased him, tackling the other in the salty water and laughing as it soaked them to the bone. The pair stood, Hugo heading towards a bag he’d dumped on the shore and taking out two towels, carefully wrapping one around Varian and the other around his own lanky body before taking a seat on the sand and bringing Varian closer for warmth. TOTALLY not to cuddle.

They sat together, cuddling together for warmth and watching the colors of the sky blend into a beautiful sunset as both of them joked and laughed between them. Varian’s face flushed in embarrassment as Hugo cackled at his secret he just admitted. “Wait wait wait, let me get this straight. You-you created a whole new element. Like, a legally qualified element..and named it after your crush?!” Hugo asked between snorts of laughter, doubled over and smiling widely. Varian’s face twisted into a frown as he looked at the other boy.

“Oh shut up!” Varian shoved him lightly, Hugo pulling Varian along with him as he fell into the sand and thus the play fighting began. Eventually the pair ended up laughing in the sand, Hugo laying over Varian with nothing but adoration in his eyes as the other boy laughed. Varian’s laughter slowly ceased as he stared at Hugo, his cheeks flushed at the intensity of their staring match before hesitantly, his hand moved to rest on Hugo’s cheek and he placed a kiss onto his lips.

It was a terrible kiss for their first one, the taste of salt filling their mouths as they held each other close. Sand fell out of their wet, salty hair as they trailed their fingers through each other's hair, lost in the moment. It may’ve been slightly awkward and gross, but it felt right for it to be like that. For their first kiss to be initiated through a play fight on the beach as a hue of orange, red and pink swirled in the sky behind them while the sun set. It just fit right - felt perfect to both of them before Hugo broke the kiss and propped himself above Varian, laughter leaving his lips in gentle breaths before he pushed himself up to stand.

“I..that was-wow. Okay. I..need to take you back before Eugene tries to kill me.” he chuckled at the thought, helping pull Varian to his feet before placing a gentle kiss to his lips. Short and sweet, but telling Varian everything he needed to hear. Varian nodded and returned the kiss before heading towards the motorbike quietly, the towel still wrapped around his shoulders as they walked.

The ride back felt way too short, Varian hesitating before he ran inside. Silently, he turned around and placed a kiss to Hugo’s lips one final time. “Thanks for the night out. It was perfect.” he whispered with a smile before jogging inside, still wrapped in the towel with the new addition of Hugo’s jacket on his shoulders. As he walked upstairs, he sighed happily and a hand drifted to his lips. Wow. That really happened just now. He really just kissed his ultimate rival. A bubbly feeling built in his stomach as he leaned back against his bedroom door to close it, Ruddiger staying far away from him due to the salt and sand that covered his body.

He was in love.

He was in love with Hugo.

#varigo #varian and the seven kingdoms #varian x hugo #varian tangled #va #hugo tangled #tangled hugo #alchemy boyfriends #varigo high school au

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damienthepious · 4 years

Text

okay so yeah i managed another thing, smol and honestly just setup bUT- STILL

Striation (chapter 1)

[ao3] [ch 2]

Rating: Explicit

Fandom: The Penumbra Podcast

Relationship: Lord Arum/Sir Damien/Rilla, Lord Arum/Rilla

Characters: Rilla, Lord Arum, Sir Damien

Additional Tags: Second Citadel, Lizard Kissin’ Tuesday, Established Relationship, Massage, Science Shenanigans, Gentleness, (look chapter 1 is just a lot of gentle touching), (but chapter two is going to be pwp), (fair fucking warning. fair warning about the fucking.), (we just. arent' there YET.), (so i don't know how to TAG the fucking yet because. i haven't written it lmao)

Fic Summary: Arum sees something that the humans don't. This discovery leads to quite a bit of science, and quite a bit of touching.

Chapter Notes: Google Blaschko's lines, they're REALLY COOL, and the idea of Arum being able to see them hit me like a truck. Shoutout to @skunkoon for the initial idea and subsequent discord yelling about the subject!! This is rated Explicit because it is ABSOLUTELY going to pwp town in chapter two, but this chapter is entirely devoid of sexytimes. please enjoy the gentle.... happy lizard kissin'..... OwO

"Saints," Rilla groans as she stretches her hands high above her head, joints popping audibly. "Alright, so maybe I overdid it a little rearranging the mints."

"Your back?" Arum inquires, lifting his snout from his tea and tilting his head.

"Shoulders, mostly," she says, rolling them with a grimace. "I should've stopped when I got them all up and saved the replanting for tomorrow."

"Stubborn," Arum says fondly, and Rilla scowls. "Come here, then. Sit for a moment. You've more than earned a bit of rest."

Rilla considers that for a moment, glancing back towards the other sections of the greenhouse Arum has agreed to let her dig her hands into, organizationally speaking, but she feels her neck twinge when she looks and she relents pretty quickly. She sighs as she sinks to sit beside the lizard on the thick-woven blanket he's laid out, and he moves his tea and small stack of books aside to make room for her.

"Did you have fun watching me, then?" she asks with a raise of her brow, and she grins hard when Arum sputters indignantly.

"I- did no such thing. I was quite engrossed with my own business, I'll have you know, far too busy with-"

"Your pile of unopened books?"

Arum snaps his teeth together, but after a breath his posture softens and he rolls his eyes, presumably at himself.

"You always move with such distinct purpose," he admits, gesturing with one clawed hand. "It is admittedly difficult to look away, particularly when you are so deeply engaged with a project."

"Did you forget about your tea, too?"

"It tastes just as well when cooled," the monster hedges.

Rilla snorts a laugh, then winces as her shoulders twinge to remind her the kind of abuse she's put them under today.

Arum tilts his head again, concern on his face, and then he reaches a hand out. "Here. Closer, little doctor. Let someone else do the caretaking for once."

That offer is simultaneously amusing and tempting enough that Rilla lets Arum's hands snake around her waist, maneuvering to rearrange the both of them, shifting so that Rilla is seated in front of Arum with her back to his chest. When he's done moving them he doesn't pull his hands away, though, or hug her from behind like she's half-expecting. He runs all four palms up her back (she bites her lip, inhales sharply) and then he starts to massage, slowly and carefully kneading the tension out of her shoulders.

"Mm… yeah, okay, that actually feels really nice," Rilla says, leaning back into Arum's hands as the second set shifts outward to draw gentle, deliberate claws down the skin of her arms, caressing up and down in a slow rhythm.

Rilla closes her eyes with a sigh, and then the exhale slips into a low groan as Arum's hands find a particularly tender spot, and it feels too damn good for her to really mind the mild chuckle that Arum gives at her expense.

The hands on her shoulders roam, working slowly through different points of stiffness and soreness, and his other two hands draw claws down from the tops of her biceps nearly to her wrists and then back up, an even and unceasing caress.

"You keep doing the same pattern with your claws," Rilla notices in a murmur, and Arum's claws draw down again, slow and certain as his other hands continue to knead into her shoulders. "It's starting to feel kinda tingly."

"I'm simply following the lines," Arum replies mildly, and Rilla can feel him shrug behind her. "Is "tingly" a… good feeling, then?"

"In this case, yes," she says, and then she glances over her shoulder. "Hang on though- what do you mean, lines?"

"The stripes down your arms," Arum says, his tone factual and unbothered, though his words make less than no sense.

"Uh," she says, pulling forward enough that she can turn meet his eyes properly again, "what are you talking about?"

Arum raises an an eyebrow. "Your… stripes? Obviously."

Rilla looks down at her own skin, at the place on her hand where Arum had been steadily and rhythmically drawing his claws, but her skin stays exactly as un-striped as she's always known it to be. "I don't have a clue what you could mean."

Arum's brow furrows now, and he leans closer again. "Your stripes, you ridiculous creature. You have them nearly everywhere on your body." He traces his claws along her arm in wavering lines, and the contact tickles her hair and, well, it feels nice, of course, but as far as Rilla can see he's tracing a pattern that simply doesn't exist. "There," he says stubbornly.

"Not there," she says flatly. "Are you messing with me?"

Arum pulls his head back, and then he scowls. "Are you messing with me?" he retorts. "There," he says again, and then he draws his fingertips over her shoulder in an arc. "And there." Then across her stomach beneath her short top, and Rilla suppresses a laugh as her stomach jumps at the unexpected contact.

"I don't have stripes," Rilla insists, shaking her head. "Damien!" she calls, and the poet makes a questioning sound from the the other side of the greenhouse a half-moment before his head appears around the trunk of the Everdead. "Damien. I don't have-" she narrows her eyes at the lizard as his scowl deepens, "stripes, right?"

Damien blinks. "Stripes?"

Arum's tail curls in the air, the tip flicking irritably. "The repetition is becoming intolerable. The lines on your skin, you infuriating mammals. You both have them. What is the issue, here?"

Damien's lip curls into a bemused smile as he steps closer. "You know I hate to disagree with you, my lily-"

Arum snorts.

"But so far as I can see, neither myself nor our Rilla are patterned in such a way."

Arum growls, but as he's opening his mouth to argue further Rilla snaps her fingers.

"So far as you can see," she repeats, dawning realization in her voice, and Damien purses his lips to bury a delighted smile as Rilla practically vibrates with excitement. "Oh, duh, of course. Arum- you're seeing something that we can't. We already knew your vision works differently from ours, I mean, you can basically see in pitch black, but this must be something that human eyes can't pick up on!"

Arum pauses for a moment, his frill fluttering by his neck as he visibly struggles between the urge to continue arguing and the urge to preen at his superiority.

"Okay," Rilla says. "Okay. I like this theory." She claps her hands, rubs them together with a toothy grin, and then turns her gleeful gaze on Arum. "D'you wanna try to figure out exactly what it is you're seeing? I don't know why humans would have stripes, but I'm going to figure it out, and this seems like a really fun first step."

Damien watches the pair of them with a smile he clearly can't help, and Arum stares at Rilla with his lips parted, clearly too overwhelmed by her enthusiasm to remember to protest.

#elle's fanfic #the penumbra podcast #second citadel #rad bouquet #lizard kissin' tuesday #lord arum #amaryllis of exile #sir damien #E Y E Z O O M #holds hand out *feehdbahk ples*

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imagethat · 5 years

Note

Hey! Do you think that you could do a DMC5 Dante x best friend reader where the reader was previously in an abusive relationship and Dante finds out and gets kinda pissed because he always had a bad feeling about the guy? I'm a sucker for Dante fluff.

Dante x Best Friend Reader Fluff

Hi, I hope this is okay! And hopefully it all posts too, tumblr has been weird with my askbox lately! I really appreciate the ask and I hope you have a really great day^^

It was a stormy night out, which isn't unusual for Red Grave by any means. What was though was the sound of someone knocking on Devil May Cry's door at three in the morning. Dante groaned and pulled himself out of bed after a good few knocks. "How can I-" He paused as he opened the door, finding you standing in the rain. By how drenched your clothes were, he could tell you had been out in it for a long time. Your eyes were puffy and skin pale. "Y/n?" He asked with a confused expression on his face while he invited you inside. "Wait here, I'll go grab a towel and draw a bath." Dante said before rushing upstairs. Within moments you could hear the water running. He returned with a towel, which he draped over your head and started to dry your hair with. Geez, you were shaking pretty badly from head to toe. Undoubtedly having caught a cold. He contemplated internally whether or not he should ask what happened. While he was your best friend, he didn't want to overstep his bounds. "Thanks." You said in a soft voice while keeping your eyes glued to the floor. Before he could question you about what happened you added. "I'll… I'll be upstairs." In an even quieter voice. It almost sounded as if it hurt to speak. As you paced up the stairs slowly Dante watched your back with heavyhearted eyes. He wanted to ask what happened… or comfort you… but you seemed like you needed space. While you bathed he made his bed so you'd have somewhere nice to sleep then went to the phone on his desk. He had to call multiple times before a very annoyed voice answered. "What!?!" Nero demanded. Dante checked over his shoulder before continuing. "Hey, did y/n call you?" He asked in a somber voice. "No… Not that I know of at least, why?" Nero asked. "Well she… She came here, she had been in the rain and she was crying… I haven't asked what happened yet. But I was hoping you'd know…" Dante admitted. You shared a good relationship with everyone at DMC, and while Dante was your best friend, Nero and Nico knew you well too. Nico had apparently been eavesdropping and snatched the phone from Nero. After a few seconds of wrestling on the other end of the line and Nero cursing a bit in the background, Nico could finally be heard. "What was she wearing!?" Nico demanded. "What?" Dante asked before thinking back on when he opened the door. "Uhm… She was dressed a bit fancier than usual." He said, not wanting to admit to how much he payed attention to you. "Black dress? Cute leggings?" Nico questioned. "Yeah… How'd you know?" Dante asked, but his only reply was Nico saying something to Nero. Something about a damned bastard. "Listen, it's not really okay for me to share anything. Just stay with her, ya hear?" Nico demanded. "I will." Dante assured her. "We'll be by tomorrow." Nico said before hanging up, seeming pretty upset about something. Dante sat there in silence for a few moments. He didn't want to think ill of anyone, he had only met your partner a few times but… Why else would you have gotten dressed up, and with Nico's help too. He started to think more about it though. And if he was honest, he never really liked them much. The way they'd hold your wrist when he was around. Or how sometimes you'd act strange on missions and dodge his attempts to question you about it. It was starting to bother him a lot now actually.

You got out of the shower and dried off. Your clothes were drenched beyond drying right now, and Dante knew that. So he left a pair of his pajamas on the counter for you. They were laughably ill fitting, and you had to tie the drawstring on the pants tightly to get them to stay up. Admittedly it was pretty nice though. You examined yourself in the mirror. You were still shaking, and you had cried more in the tub. You scoffed softly at how bad you looked, feeling guilty for bothering Dante in such a unpresentable fashion. All you wanted to do now was curl up and sleep forever. Your body ached from how far you had walked. Closing the bathroom door as quietly as you could behind you, you gathered a pillow and blanket from the bed and headed downstairs. Dante saw you and quirked an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" He asked, getting up to meet you halfway down the stairs. "I… I'm going to sleep on the couch." You forced out, memories leaking back into your brain, instilling fear and anxiety that you'd be yelled at or worse for even speaking up. Dante carefully took the pillow and blanket from you before nudging you back up the stairs softly. "It's fine, I'll stay down here." He said, guiding you back upstairs. You fidgeted with your fingers as you sat on his bed. Dante sat down on the floor carefully and folded his arms so he could rest his head down on them near the edge of the bed. "Do you want to talk about what happened… It's fine if not…" He offered softly. "No… No… It's fine." You lied, your voice getting weaker with each word you spoke. He could see your nails digging into your wrist. Dante sat up and held his hands out with his palms up. "Can I see your hands?" He asked. You nervously set your hands on top of his. Dante's hands were leagues bigger than yours, and slightly calloused from his line of work. He traced the three lines on your palm. "Do you know what each line means?" He asked and you nodded your head no in response softly. "Well, this line," he said while tracing the middle one, "Is life span. And this one's achievements." He added while tracing the bottom line. "You know what the top line is?" He asked while tracing small circles on your palm. "It's happiness." He said after he got no reply from you. "So… overall, I'd say the fates look pretty good in your favor." He mused, smiling softly when he saw you chuckle. "You're so childish." You muttered and he grinned. "I'd say that's one of my finer personality traits." He teased. You didn't want to move your hands. Like this though, Dante could finally see your arms fully in his t-shirt and the bruises that lined them. Some softer while others seemed…. He pierced his lips before cupping his hands around yours. "Y/n?" He asked. You finally looked up at him, which you regretted immediately. When your eyes met his you were overcome with all emotions you were trying so hard to avoid. Sadness, fear, guilt. Dante was too good for you. Your partner had even said so. They had told you a million times that you didn't deserve friends, that you were worthless. To isolate you from the people you loved. You sobbed softly. "I-I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have come here…" you whispered out. Dante squeezed your hands softly. "No, you can come here any time. It's okay." He consoled you, moving up onto the bed next to you so he could hold you in his arms. He ran his fingers through your hair and tried to comfort you in every way he knew how. "Y/n…. Please tell me what happened." He said. After a few more moments, you finally worked up enough courage to speak. "I… I… well my boyfriend and I… We got in a fight last week… and he said he'd make it up to me, that we'd go to the beach together… I don't know why I always go back… but on the way there he got upset...he was yelling at me… I don't know what I did wrong… H...He left me… On highway 19… Shoved me out of the car…" Your voice gave out. You couldn't say anything else as you sobbed into his shoulder. Dante was completely taken aback. Highway 19 was a good two hours away from Red Grave… And you walked all the way back? He felt anger well in his chest, but before he could say anything you continued. "A-and he knows where Nero lives so I couldn't go there…. And I didn't want to go home…. B… But fuck… I'm so sorry for bothering you… I know I shouldn't have…" You stuttered out, feeling so awful for waking him up and making him worry. Being here was the only place you could think of where your boyfriend wouldn't find you. "Hey hey hey, you come here crying and you think the first thing I'm worried about is 'being bothered'?" He said pulling back so he could look you in the eyes. "I'd lose all the sleep in the world if it meant being by your side when you needed me, you're never a bother. Shit, think of where I'd be if I hadn't met you." He said with a soft laugh. "Still eating pizza every meal of the day, only taking missions when the bills need to be paid, and sleeping 24/7." He said. You laughed softly while wiping your cheeks. "Dante… You still do that." You said with a gentle smile despite your puffy eyes. "Yeah! But you know what makes my life different from then? You." He replied. He was being sincere, you could see it in his eyes. If you hadn't spent the whole day crying, you probably would have burst into tears that instant. Your rested your head down on his shoulder. By now the sun was rising over Red Grave, and early morning hues leaked in through the window. Dante sighed softly. "Better get some sleep… Thing one and Gremlin two are coming over." Dante said. You paused. "Nico and Nero?" You asked, knowing they'd have a lot to say about the situation. It made you a little nervous. But having them around would be nice. Dante nodded and gently pulled away. "Yeah… So I'll leave you to it." He said. But before he could turn to leave you grabbed his hand. "Will you stay in here? I-I'm afraid to be alone." You admitted. He nodded softly. "Yeah, I'll be right here if you need me. So get some sleep." He replied, ruffling your hair before making his own makeshift bed on the floor. True to his word, he stayed with you while you slept. Keeping a watchful eye over you in case you needed anything.

When you woke up it was well into the afternoon. You rose from the sheets slowly and looked around. Dante was reading a magazine leaned up against the wall. "Morning sunshine." He teased. "It's not the morning… What time is it?" You asked while rubbing your eyes. Your body still ached and your eyes stung a bit when you touched them. "Hmmm. I'd reckon 5:40?" He said. Not sounding too sure. "Maybe I shouldn't have borrowed your clothes, I'm becoming you." You teased since he always slept in. He chuckled softly. "Well if you're gonna take my place we better get some pizza." He teased back. You were hungry. "Pizza it is." You replied. "Perfect, I'll go order it then. Will… Will you be alright?" He asked, hesitant on leaving you alone now. You nodded softly, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. I want to brush my hair anyways." You said, wanting a moment to yourself. Dante respected that and left you alone. You took a moment to sort through your thoughts, trying your best to fend off the anxiousness in your gut. You opened a window to let some fresh air in, then went into the bathroom to tidy up as best you could. After that you made your way downstairs and took a seat on the couch. Dante made your favorite drink as you waited for the pizza to arrive. You two heard someone knock on the door. When Dante made no move to answer it you got up and opened the door cautiously, a somewhat irrational fear that your boyfriend would be on the other side overtaking you. But to your surprise it wasn't the pizza man or your boyfriend. Nico instantly wrapped her arms around you and smoothed your hair down while shushing you softly. Telling you how everything would be okay. She knew what happened, and most of what had happened in the past. The day before yesterday you, Nico, Lady, and Trish had all gotten together. You really needed to be with them before having a full weekend alone with your boyfriend, and now ex. You four had a girls day, planning outfits and chatting. Nico tried her best to convince you not to go but at the end of the day you still left. She felt awful about it all day, she and Nero both hated your boyfriend with a burning passion. You hid your feelings better around Dante than you did around the two. You peeled yourself from her hug as she kept her hands on your shoulders, giving you a reassuring smile while Nero crosses his arms. Seeming infinitely upset, but not with you. He had a bone to pick with your boyfriend. Shortly after, Trish and Lady showed up, and so did the pizza. The whole crew was called, just to spend the night with you watching movies. So you could feel safer in their presence and feel the full extent of the love you had surrounding you. If you needed space at any moment, they gave it to you. The next day, Dante and Nero left. You didn't ask where they went but they returned with your stuff, Nero seeming a bit roughed up. Your ex had been home when they picked up your stuff, and tried to start a fight with the devil hunter. Claiming you had no right to leave, spewing all sorts of horrible things. Dante seemed visibly upset about whatever had happened too. So it must have been pretty serious. You never worked up the will to ask what happened. After that you stayed posted up at Devil May Cry, Dante having insisted on it. Saying you could stay until you found a new place to live. As time went on though, the need to move somewhere else ceased to exist. You and the legendary devil hunter slowly realized you had feelings for eachother more than friends would. For Dante, it was something he always sort of knew, but he was respectable and never made any moves when you were in a relationship. Despite the warning flags and how much he disliked your ex. Sometimes the feeling that Dante was too good for you would creep back. Whenever you needed reassurance though, Dante would take your hand and trace the three lines on your palm. You had no shortage of oversized sweaters too. Which Dante would pretend he didn't like you taking, but seeing you in them made him really happy. During the next few months your ex was relentless. But Dante was adamant about protecting you and helping you move on. He gave you all the reassurance and love in the world. Going places with you so you wouldn't have to be alone, holding you if you had bad dreams, he truly tried to do it all.

#Dmc #dmcv #dmc v #dmc5 #dmc 5 #devil may cry #devil may cry 5 #devil may cry dante #dante sparda #dante son of sparda #dante x reader #dmc #dante x you #dante x y/n #fluff

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askzloyxp · 5 years

Note

I like the steampunk-ish feel of your outfit, how did you come up with it?

Oh, my current pastel-ish faux-vistorian look is a story of plenty a plagiarisms and developments! Follow along with me down the memory lane of my look throughout the years!

When I first gotten skin capabilities I would just wear a regular zombie skin from minecraft because you know lazy. It’s only after a year or so I started tweaking it to more liking, and first thing I added was just a bandaid around the top of the head and maybe a slightly different shirt. But by the time I got to Youtubing I decided to spice it all up because I was super into steampunk aesthetic even though I was never really good at it. Naturally, as a creatively gifted individual, first thing I did when confronted with a task of creating my identity, is steal from someone. I just googled “stempunk minecraft skin, grabbed the Steampunk Doctor skin from planetminecraft and replaced human bits with zombie ones

That’s why you can see a whole lot of look alikes such as SystemZee and other “human zloys” - this is an incredibly common skin and I have no idea how I am not being called out on it like ever. You’ll also notice that my original goggles were much more humble than the Steampunk Doctor ones. But if you think they’re just me trying to draw my own to stand out - WRONG AGAIN! Even that bit of black untextured band I couldn’t create myself. Instead I copied them from this skin known as “Steampunk engineer”

Despite my humorous tone, I want to emphasise: This is not something I am proud of. Heck, I should be kinda lynched for this. Not because of “skin stealing” - that’s something debatable and stuff, but more because I unrightfully took someone else’s hard work, modified it slightly (and frankly poorly), and then tried to make into significant part of my branding. And make no mistake - I knew what I was doing back then. That’s why I modified the original skin at all - trying to make it my own. Now, there’s a discussion there to be had about youtubers using common skins for their mc content - frankly, it’s something incredibly silly to do and if you’re thinking about starting a channel based around minecraft least you can do to help your branding is make or commission a unique skin that will be easily recognizeable as your self - which is why I modified the Steampunk Doctor one - but even using an already existing one as anything other than inspiration is gonna be a problem. like, Etho still using a Kakashi skin after all these years makes sense because at this point it’s just what people are used to, but him not changing it over the years despite his channel obviously outgrowing his ambitions is hilarious to me. Like, at no point did it occur to him “hey, I might NOT want to use a copyrighted character as a vital part of my branding”.

Anyway, luckily, my own story of plagiarism doesn’t stop there! You will notice, that my current skin is much different from the one from back then. here’s a nifty side-by-side:

You’ll notice, it’s much nicer, much more pastel, and overall looks like it was maid by a human who has eyes. It also keeps the original’s aesthetic, in many places being almost direct trace, but adds a bit of unique character too - for examplle the vest is now not a vest but a torn coat cape thing, making this much more piraty. Admittedly, it’s still super close to the original, but at least it’s not one you will randomly see SystemZee wearing. And if you have any good will left for me, this is where you’ll think that I at least paid for this one, but NOPE! This skin was made for me by one of my russian fans - DenisBioFan, whose name I because of it remember by heart. And it was just given to me for free. So in a way, I am still stealing from people, just less directly, I suppose.

And if you think I stopped doing this garbage, you will be wrong(ish). Whenever I need to make a custom skin nowadays, I still just google something up and adjust, which is kinda sad comnsidering I am not that terrible at making my own stuff. At least those skins only show up every now and again in the videos. I really owe it to myself to just take some time and assemble a full wardrobe of custom made skins that I can pick and choose from. It’s just producing mc let’splays on a regular is basically Short Notice Central, and you never know what you gonna need untill you need it.

Anyway, thanks for reading my rant about how I am a terrible person. I’ll try to do better, promise

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saturnjae · 5 years

Text

maybe ~ l.j.n

word count: 2.1k

💌 requested:

‘Hello :)) i would like to request a Jeno smut scenario (if it's okay with u ) !! Where Jeno and reader are roommates and y/n accidentally walks in on Jeno masturbating, Y/n gets all flustered because it's her first time seing a d shdjcnxjwkds it's fine if u don't make this i'm just hoping, Hope u have a great day !!’

> i kinda wrote this jeno smut to cheer myself up,it might be shitty idk. please enjoy, i really liked this request as well.

includes: masturbation, fingering, protected sex, first time, i attempted to make it a little soft,,,

:::

it was a friday night and like most college students you were going out to blow off some steam. you didn’t go out every week, but you decided to go since your friend had invited you. it took you forever to pick out an outfit and get your makeup done to a standard you were satisfied with, but eventually you got there and admittedly, you looked hot!

you walked out, through the living room on your way to the front door.

“looking good, y/n.” said your roommate, jeno, sitting on the sofa. all of your other roommates were out, but him of course. though he was pretty popular on campus, he wasn’t the type to party or even go out much; he got attention for his good looks and talents, you weren’t sure why he never took a chance with one of the girls among the crowds throwing themselves at him.

“thank you!” you said flipping you hair. though you didn’t like to admit it, you had a big crush on jeno, like any other girl, so his compliment had butterflies fluttering in your stomach. “you should come out sometime, too.”

“not my thing,” he laughed, switching the tv channel. with that, the brief conversation ended and you were out the door. however, just as you were about to enter the elevator, you got a message from your friend.

~~~

[jihyun]: so sorry y/n, but something came up with my boyfriend… i can’t go :’(

~~~

you couldn’t believe her. she no doubt had ditched you to hook up with her boyfriend, which wasn’t at all a surprise. on the other hand, you had never had never hooked up with anyone, maybe that’s why you didn’t understand her obsession over it.

a huff of frustration left you as you stomped back to your apartment and opened the door, but you were greeted by a deep grumbling sound.

“y/n,” it echoed the apartment, though you had a difficult time making it out, you were sure it was your name. and then it happened again, to your innocent ears, the strain put into the word sounded like something close to anguish, desperate even. like a cry for help! was jeno perhaps hurt, calling for you to help him?

hesitantly, you approached his room, your hand stalled at the door handle, but when you heard his cry for help, this time a little clearer, you knew you couldn’t let him suffer any longer; you opened the door carefully, but when you walked in, you realised he was far from pain.

jeno’s perfectly toned form was sprawled out on his bed, a light sheen, from sweat, bounced off of his milky skin. his bangs were matted down onto his forehead, brushing just above the tops of his eyes, which were screwed shut, drawing your attention to the open mouth. of course you couldn’t forget the main attraction: the painfully red cock his fist was vehemently pumping - the fact your innocent eyes had never seen one increased the scene’s shock value - you had a perfect view of this all as you stood there frozen.

his eyes cracked open slightly, he could make out the shape of your legs. surely, he was just imagining this, but it looked so real. he followed them up to the hem of that sinfully short, black dress you had left in, your name left his mouth again. he eyed the way the dress perfectly framed your curves, how he wanted to rip it right off of you. he was so close to cumming, but then his eyes ventured further up and were met by you beady eyes, wide with shock, and at the speed of light he threw a blanket over himself, snapping out of his lusty daze.

“shit, i thought you left!” he yelled out, a crimson tint spread over his face and chest as you stared at each other; after what seemed like forever, you snapped out of it.

“sorry!” you squeaked and turned away, before jeno had the chance to explain himself. he asked you to wait, but you ignored, speeding up your steps.

“i’m sorry, y/n.” he chased after you. halfway to your room, a strong hand gripped onto your wrist and turned you around.

“i’m fine! i think i’m fine? first time seeing a dick, should be fine though.” you blurted out, trying to control your breathing. the image of what you’d just seen played over in your mind.

you trained your eyes on the floor, but when you dared to look up your eyes were met with jeno’s chest, his body up this close was a sight to behold; he was such a potato couch, you forgot the only time he went out was to go to the gym. your eyes trailed up to meet his eyes, they burned with an emotion you weren’t quite familiar with: lust?

“i didn’t want you to find out like this but,” he gulped, taking a pause to build the courage to tell you his next word, “i like you.” the words you had dreamed of hearing from him, too afraid to tell him yourself. though the circumstances were a little different to you imagined, it still made you melt. unable to respond verbally, in that moment, you decided to pull him into a kiss.

you moved your lips against his, hoping to convey just how much you liked him back. he moaned into you bringing his hands to your hip and guiding you, until your back was against a wall, trapping you. one of his hands came up to your face and he lightly caressed your cheek with his thumb, deepening the kiss slightly. his tongue swiped along your lower lip and you immediately provided it access. the feeling of the hot, wet muscle on yours had you moaning out to him, jeno could feel himself throbbing under the blanket wrapped around his waist, but wasn’t sure how far he could take it.

“i want you so bad,” he muttered, peppering kisses on your jaw, “can i have you, y/n?” he pulled you closer and you felt his erection poke at you hip.

“i haven’t done it before, so be careful.” you looked up at him, the pure, timidity in your gaze drove him wild. he picked you up, wrapping your legs around his waist, letting the blanket fall, and brought you back to his bedroom.

he set you down, ghosting his way behind you. his hot breath fanned against the nape of your neck, as he leaned forward to lay kisses on it. slowly, he undid your zip and slid the dress down your body, letting it fall to the floor. he turned you around, caressing your hips as he gawked at your body. thankfully you had worn a nice set, since your dress was pretty tight fitting.

“so fucking beautiful,” jeno groaned, the skimpy, black lace sat just right on your body. then, his lips crashed against yours as he backed you up to the foot of his bed and fell onto it, without parting from him. his hand snakes up your body to massage your breast causing you to moan out loudly, you felt a fire ignite in your core. unconsciously, you bucked up into him and pulled away, a trail of spit still connected you.

his chest heaved as he sat up. the dim light from his lamp illuminated his lean physique, you couldn’t help but trail a hand from his chest, stuttering at the his belly button.

“can i touch it?” he took your wrist pushed it down to his base, telling you to go ahead. you had never seen a dick this close before, it was fascinating. you brushed over the soft, dark hair, the sensation of your faint touches gave him goosebumps. your hand slid down his thick shaft and it twitched slightly, startling you. jeno chucked at your dramatic reactions, but when you brushed your thumb curiously over his tip, his breath hitched.

he pushed his hips forward slightly. you wrapped your hand around the hot member, like you had seen him doing before, and slid it down all the way to his base. his whole body shuddered and his brows furrowed. you repeated the action and a grunt rumbled from him; you couldn’t help but giggle, speeding up your movements.

“shit, you’re gonna make me cum.” his hand ceased yours from moving and pinned it back on the bed. “i’ve wanted this for so long.” his whispered, removing your bralette and putting his chest against yours. he straddled your thigh and peppered kisses against your collarbone, while his hand slithered down to your heat.

“wet already,” he groaned tracing his fingers over the moist patch on your panties. he pressed down, eliciting a moan out of you, then he started to rub at it. the lazy circle he made on your nub, in conjunction with the friction the fabric caused, had you gripping at his shoulder. he pushed aside the soaked fabric and pushed in a finger, the feeling of your tightness around it made him anticipate how it would feel around his cock, drawing a moan from him.

after he felt you were ready, he put in a second digit; the slight stretch had your nails digging into his bicep. he thrust them in and and out of you steadily, soon speeding them up. when he curled them up, they hit something that had your back arching.

“jeno!” you mewled, you felt him smirk on your skin and he drove it back into the same spot. a knot began to tightened in your core. he scissored his fingers before doing it again. your breathing picked up, you could barely take it; you were almost there, but then it all stopped. a whined fell from you as you bucked your hips, in search for more.

“i want you to cum around me, babe.” he reassured you, looking into your eyes, his brown orbs overflowed with affection. he reached into his bedside table for a condom and rolled it onto himself. “are you ready?” his thumb made circles on your hips as he positioned his tip at your entrance.

“i need you jeno.” you pleaded and he proceeded to carefully push himself into you, his fingers were nothing compared to the stretch of his cock. you had never had the pleasure of taking another one, but you could tell jeno was big. your hands found purchase on his back and clawed at it. after what seemed like a lifetime, he had fully submerged himself into your searing heat, feeling it pulsate around him, needy for the orgasm he had previously deprived you of.

“please, move.” you begged once adjusted to him; quickly, he obliged with delicate and purposeful thrusts: he didn’t want to hurt you, he wanted to make you feel good.

“so tight,” he droned, burying his head into the crook of your neck. curses and the most beautiful moans came from him, he didn’t hold them back and it encouraged you not to as well. his pace picked up, you felt yourself building up again. he took one of the hands you were clutching onto him with and laced his fingers between yours.

“fuck, i’m close” he pushed deeper into you, he could tell by the way your walls were suffocatingly constricting, you were very close.

“me too, jeno, please!” he began to jerk into you faster. the pleasure was unbelievable. both of your moans grew in volume, releases ever so close. you’re sure his hand went numb from how hard you were gripping onto it and then, it happened.

the crash was more laborious than the build, your whole body went weak as your release took over. each nerve in body lit up as you shook under jeno. your vision went white and your ears were buzzing, you could barely hear the guttural moans coming from jeno, due to the feeling of your convulsing walls, over your near screams.

jeno’s thrusts grew sloppy, he chanted out your name between grunts; as he came, his mouth hung open and his whole body tensed. when he drew himself out of you, an empty feeling consumed you. longingly, you watched him clean himself up and fetch you a shirt to cover yourself with.

“are you okay? did i hurt you?” he asked concerned.

“i’m okay, thank you!” you pulled him up to you and snuggled up close to him. “i didn’t say it before, but i like you too.” you smiled into his broad chest. just as you were about to fall into a deep slumber you felt him lay a soft kiss on your forehead; you drifted off, maybe understanding jihyun’s obsession, now you had a boyfriend...

:::

again, i hope you enjoyed! i have a break from school, i’ll try and burn through requests, so i can open them again.

#requested #jeno #smut #scenario #jeno smut #nct smut #nct dream smut #jeno scenario #nct scenario #nct dream scenario

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phobiadeficient · 4 years

Note

hey! uh could you do another demosniperscout? Bc holy shit that last one was 👌👌👌👌 thanks i love your writing

aye aye captain

Sniper knew that out of their ragtag little trio, he tended to be the one who seemed… reluctant.

Scout and Demo did a lot of hanging out on their own time, because Scout was pretty much always looking to hang out with another person. They went to the bar a good bit, Scout for the music and ambience, Demo because he was buddies with the bartender. They spent far more time together than he did with either of them.

Sometimes he would go sit with Demo while the man was working on something. Not talking, no real conversation, just… sharing a space. And sometimes Scout would come by and ramble at him while he was doing something, and that was nice too.

And it wasn’t that he was jealous of them and how much they got along. It was that he felt guilty that he wasn’t a better partner to them.

Sometimes it was good. Sometimes they all three were together and the push and pull of conversation was in a rhythm that had them staying up late into the night because they didn’t want to break it. Sometimes he almost didn’t ever want to go back to his camper out so far away from everyone.

Other times, he started to feel pretty sure that he wasn’t meant to be around other people period, let alone dating two of the better people he’d ever met. They were far too good for him.

He tried to make up for it. Paid for drinks when they all went out together, brought food when he stopped by the base to visit with them.

And in bed, he tended to pick up the majority of the work. The more awkward positions, the literal and figurative heavy lifting. Every free hand was used to try and build them up higher, and if his mouth was free it was spilling praise across the both of them or drawing pleasure out of them in whatever way possible.

They were the ones working so hard to include him all the time. The least he could do was make it up to them.

Then a shift in the paradigm.

Sitting at the edge of Demo’s bed, Scout having decided to sit right down in his lap and take a lend of his mouth. And he managed to blindly sit his bottle of beer down somewhere safe, and he heard Demo shifting, and assumed it would be like that usually happened, Scout between the two of them, making all sorts of lovely noises as they drew him up and up and up.

But then Demo was behind him instead, big hands moving over his shoulders in a steady pressure. Sniper disconnected he and Scout’s lips, trying to get a look behind him. He couldn’t quite manage it. “What’re you up to, Tavish?” he asked, not upset so much as confused.

Demo hummed, lying a kiss at the back of his neck. “Just enjoyin’ the view is all,” he said casually, and Sniper glanced back at Scout just in time to catch the very tail end of some kind of communication between the two of them, something that resulted in Scout smirking at him. “Carry on, don’t mind me.”

Sniper was a little hesitant, a little wary, but he obliged, leaning back forward to kiss Scout again, who returned it with enthusiasm, arms wrapping up over his shoulders.

He felt Scout smiling against him, and then there was a hand at his own belt. He paid attention to it, still confused, and then his belt was being slid from its place and there was a hand toying with the clasp of his pants, its partner sliding down beneath him to—

He gave a startled moan, parting again as Demo had a hearty grope of him, and he shivered bodily. “What’re you two up to?” he finally asked outright, a little embarrassed of the waver in his voice that came with Scout latching onto a sensitive point just below his jaw.

“Just appreciating our boyfriend is all,” Demo hummed, and when had Scout started unbuttoning his shirt?

“Yeah. Relax, Legs, you’re gonna love it. Just chill out,” Scout agreed, already very satisfied with himself judging by the grin on his face.

“Love what exactly?” he couldn’t help but ask, attention torn between his pants being opened, his shirt being unbuttoned, lips under his jaw and against the back of his head.

“Look, Mundy, we hardly ever get you here all to ourselves, can’t you just let us pamper you a bit?” Demo asked, stern against his hairline.

Sniper hesitated again. “I suppose,” he said slowly, and then his shirt was being pushed down off his shoulders, Scout starting to kiss all sorts of lovely patterns into his collarbone as he tried to work it off. “What about you two?”

“Okay, babe, have you maybe thought that the two of us might think it would be really nice to just kinda love all over a really hot guy for a little while?” Scout asked impatiently, finally managing to get Sniper’s left arm out of the sleeve.

“Good luck finding one,” Sniper joked.

In an instant, zero mouths on him as instead the two of them started to protest that particular sentiment.

“Oh my god, shut up man, you’re a total fuckin’ catch and you know it, are you serious?”

“Love, if you keep talkin’ that way about my boyfriend we’re gonna have to brawl. Those are fightin’ words from anyone else.”

“Like seriously have you seen you? You’re a total stud, it’s ridiculous.”

“A sight for sore eye. A particularly tall drink of water.”

“Alright, alright,” Sniper cut in, surely scarlet. “Fine. Go ahead.”

“Okay, here’s what we were thinkin’,” Scout finally said, looking him over with a gaze both appreciative and hungry. “Been a minute since you bottomed. And you’re all about that.”

He flushed even further. Admittedly, he was right. He tended to be on top mostly because Scout enjoyed it so much, other times letting Demo take over that role, but it was rare for him to be on the bottom, and it didn’t take much for it to become clear that he missed it. It was almost embarrassing.

“So Demo does that,” Scout continued. A squeeze of confirmation from Demo. “Then while he does that, I suck you off.”

Sniper shifted. All of that sounded very nice. “And what do you get out of this?” he had to ask, though.

“Uh, I get to suck you off? And I love doin’ that?” Scout said, like it was obvious. “I’m an expert too, it’ll be real nice watching you fall apart like that.”

He had a point there. Scout was an absolute master at giving head. To the point where it wasn’t even something they could joke about, he was genuinely just that good.

“Alright,” he finally said, even if he did feel a bit guilty still.

Silence for a second. “So get your fuckin’ pants off,” Scout prompted, impatient as always, practically bouncing with excitement. “C’mon, let’s do this.”

Demo laughed, and it gave Sniper enough comfort to do as asked, prompting Scout to sit up on his knees to free his legs so he could shuffle his pants the rest of the way off.

“How come neither of you ever wear underwear?” Scout asked, helping shuck Sniper out of his undershirt.

“Convenience,” Demo and Sniper chimed simultaneously.

“You’re animals,” Scout deadpanned, moving back enough to let Sniper and Demo reposition. Sniper shifted so he was sat on Demo’s thighs, and was distantly surprised to find that Demo’s thighs were bare. Guess he was set, then. “Need me for anything?”

“Nah, you do what you’d like,” Demo shrugged, and Sniper heard the click of the bottle of slick opening behind him. “Just don’t finish him off, awright?”

“Fair,” Scout shrugged, and hooked an arm over Sniper’s shoulders to draw him into a kiss again.

Sniper was glad for it, because it muffled the little noise he made when warm, slick fingers slid down over him.

Demo always managed to make prep part of foreplay, hitting that point just between being a tease and being efficient, between taking his time and making his partner groan. He had broad fingers, and it had Sniper panting within moments of adjusting to a second finger, clutching Scout’s hips hard to keep from reaching down to get a hand on himself. Scout grinned at the noises that started spilling out from between his lips, pulling back a little to listen to them.

“There’s a lad,” Demo hummed against his shoulder, one strong arm around his waist to hold him still as the other teased him open.

“You can… go faster than that,” Sniper managed, voice weak.

Demo hummed again and did so, motions speeding up just a tick. Sniper forced himself to breathe deeply, clenching his jaw a little bit at the pleasure and, admittedly, mild discomfort. Scout kissed him again to coax him into relaxing, and it worked, even if he did feel embarrassed about the noises that followed.

Scout’s noises were always gorgeous, moaning and gasping unashamed, only tempered if there was a risk of noise complaints and otherwise clear as a bell. And Demo always sounded incredible too, low and sexy, murmuring smooth like honey and soothing over rough edges, rumbling through his partners and leaving shivers like aftershocks.

Sniper wasn’t much a fan of his own noises. Choked-off groans, little noises on the tail end of his panting, occasional bouts of filth just to get the two of them to shiver. He tried his best to stifle them so he could instead listen to the other two. But on the rare occasions when he was the one being worked open, he got loud. Hoarse moans, voice ragged, it was always so embarrassing, even if Demo and Scout both insisted that they liked it, encouraged it even.

He tried to stifle himself on Scout’s shoulder. Scout allowed it, fingers tracing idly over some of his scars by muscle memory.

Beyond the pleasure thrumming through him, he could vaguely hear Demo and Scout speaking to each other. He tried to tune in, but couldn’t make anything out in particular over his own panting. God, he could already feel himself drifting, inhibitions fading into background noise.

Then those fingers left him, and alertness filtered back.

“Gonna start in now, awright, Mundy?” Demo prompted, even as Scout got up off of Sniper’s lap. Sniper leaned forward enough to plant a parting kiss on his jugular, and he was grinning when a Sniper caught sight of him.

“Yeah,” Sniper agreed, and shifted up a bit. “How’d you want me?”

They settled into their new position, Demo sitting at the edge of the bed with his legs a bit apart, Sniper knelt on his lap facing outward, his own legs on the outside of Demo’s. He felt extremely exposed for a few moments until he realized that this was something they subjected Scout to more often than not, and he promptly calmed down, even if he did feel the absurd urge to cover up.

Then Scout was on the ground, tossing a pillow to the floor for his knees, settling between Demo’s legs and watching them with a hungry stare.

“Let me do the work here, love,” Demo soothed, a hand on Sniper’s flank and the other on himself, guiding Sniper into sinking down. When he was far enough down, Demo moved both hands to his waist, helping support his weight as he slowly took him in.

Shaky breathing. Occasional pangs of discomfort, overwhelmed by the feeling of fullness and the pleasure that the concept poured into him.

“Easy, Mundy,” Demo prompted, and Sniper realized he’d been pushing back against Demo’s hands, and eased up. “There you go. Nice and slow. Gorgeous.”

“Fuck, you look good,” Scout marveled, leaning his cheek on his hand and watching them both.

Sniper managed to get enough air in to speak as he finally sunk down that last inch, allowed to rest and collect himself for a few moments. “Not sure I’m gonna last long with both of you,” he warned, voice weak. Already he felt sweat beading all across his face and down his back.

“We’ll go easy on you,” Scout said, eyeing where Sniper was practically twitching with need.

“Give it a moment, Scoot,” Demo said, and Scout nodded, and Demo’s hips rolled once very lightly in warning before they were in motion.

Adjusting, minute shifting, adjusting. Sniper felt his chest practically heaving, anticipation coiled tight. Then he barked out a sound of pleasure as Demo hit just the right angle, and he felt a beardy chuckle against his shoulder, and Demo shifted to hold tight onto his thighs, and then they really got going.

It took maybe five seconds for Sniper’s usually iron-clad self control to splinter, and he was gasping on every ingress, groaning openly as Demo bodily moved him, a lift and tug back down with each roll of his hips. He shifted to follow the rhythm, to speed them up, but Demo didn’t allow it, and he was left bobbing half-desperately, eyes fluttering shut and eyebrows crooking up in the middle.

“Fuck,” Scout breathed below them, and Sniper forced his eyes back open, forced himself to look down and forward, even as his face flushed. Scout had his own pants open, and was tugging at himself in steady motions, eyes hungry.

“Feckin’ gorgeous,” Demo agreed, breathed against his back and hot against the sweat there, and Sniper could only shudder, his whole body feeling trembly and electric, like he’d put his skin on crooked.

Demo continued to tease him, to hold him just there in the surge of pleasure but not allowing it to crest. Sniper reached for himself, but Scout caught his hands, holding them off and making him writhe a little in desperation.

“Let me,” Scout all but demanded, and then there was a hand on his dick, and then there was a mouth on his dick.

Sniper’s noises rose in volume almost instantly. This setup was truly devilish—Demo bounced him on his lap, and Scout didn’t even need to bob his head, staying in place and letting them do the work for him, putting his tongue and lips to use with very little effort needed on his part.

Suddenly the pace rocketed from not enough to far too much, overwhelming and melting him from the inside. He called out a noise of utter desperation with each hard thrust into him, growing more undone by the moment. He pleadingly tried to warn them how close he was, head lolling and thighs trembling, and they only urged him on harder.

He came hard, sure he was about to pull a muscle with how hard they clenched, almost to the point of pain. Twin groans from Demo and Scout, Demo pressing kisses into his shoulders and Scout swallowing eagerly as Sniper spilled into his mouth.

A second or two of breath, then Demo’s hands shifted, and Sniper rushed to collect himself. “No, finish off,” he urged, voice even more hoarse and rough than usual. He could feel that Demo was throbbing, surely close to the edge.

“Don’t want to hurt you,” Demo replied.

“Please, Tavish,” he practically begged, too far gone to feel ashamed, and that was all it took before Demo rolled back into motion, a tick faster than before.

“Jesus,” Scout breathed, and Sniper looked down and saw that Scout was pumping almost desperately at himself as he watched the show, breath fast. “You look so fuckin’ good, Snipes.”

Sniper smiled, groaning as Demo finally crested the edge, slamming in a final two times and spilling with his own husky sound. That pushed Scout over the edge, and he spilled into his own fist, eyes falling shut and cheek pressing into Sniper’s knee.

They were kissing at him, Demo on his neck and Scout on his thigh. And it felt nice and all, but all at once Demo was starting to feel like too much in him, and he shifted as if to lift himself. Demo assisted, sliding him up carefully until he was freed, sitting him back down on Demo’s lap again.

“Made a right mess of you,” Demo observed. “Look like we just fished you out of a pond, lad.”

“Hit by a truck,” Scout agreed.

“Feels like it,” Sniper agreed weakly, leaning back into Demo’s chest and very much appreciating how he was the midpoint between soft and solid. More than usual, even. “In a good way.”

“You’ve gotta let us do that more,” Scout urged.

“Only if you two are willing to clean up the mess afterwards,” Sniper half-laughed. “I’m bloody exhausted.”

“Poor thing,” Demo murmured, lying a kiss on the side of his head sympathetically. “Care to take a bit of a kip before we clean up?”

Sniper hummed in the affirmative, pretty sure he couldn’t stand up just then, let alone be in the shower for however long.

They ended up lying together, Sniper getting to be in the middle for once. Scout tucked himself under Sniper’s chin and tangled their legs together idly, and Demo was at his back again, the warm weight of his arm immensely comforting.

“But seriously,” Scout said after about three minutes of silence, Sniper shaken back awake by it. “Can we do that again?”

Sniper considered it. Demo’s thumb drew a circle into his skin. “Yeah, awright,” he finally said.

“Hell yeah,” Scout murmured, and Demo chuckled, and Sniper smiled.

#there's four more requests in the inbox currently so uh. sorry if they take a while #//demosniperscout #//powerplay #//tenderness

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morphituu · 5 years

Text

Bell Peppers Ch. 17 (Final)

“Endlessly”

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She watched him over the tops of her glasses, unmoving, and staring critically at it placed on the countertop beside where she perched on the edge of his tub. Her eyes moved around, her ankles shifting over one another, but he still didn’t move, even when she cleared her throat.

“You haven’t blinked in like a minute,” she stated, and his eyes finally shot to her.

“It’s only been a minute?” he asked, shoulders slumping. She nodded, glancing down at her phones timer.

His hands pulled down his face with a low groan, sliding down the wall until he landed on the tile floor.

“Longest three minutes of your life, huh?” she simpered, seemingly unconcerned. He nodded, his head bouncing back against the wall. “It’s gonna be negative, don’t worry,”

“That’s not what I’m worried about, I just wanna know,”

“Minute and a half left,” she sighed, flipping her phone in her hands.

Nick looked over her, picturing a distended belly beneath her T-shirt and popped shorts, wondering how off balance she’d be what with her short stature. He rubbed his eyes with his palms, smothering the thought. Since that morning, he’d let his imagination get the better of him, all the way to the drug store to pick up the pregnancy test then all the way home, and now here, waiting endlessly for it to finish.

“Done,” she said, quickly grabbing for the test.

He rushed to her side clumsily, and they both stared down at the negative test.

“Told you,” she murmured, obviously deflated and handing it to him. He studied it closely, turning it this way and that, thinking maybe it could’ve been a trick of the light. “My only chance came and went,” she added, and he looked at her.

“You don’t know that,” he tried, tossing the used test in the trash.

“Feels like it,” she mumbled, but Nick caught her arm when she moved to walk out, and brought her into a tight hug, kissing her cheek in attempt at eradicating the visible frown on her face.

“It’ll happen, baby,” he assured, squeezing her until she returned the gesture.

“Kinda thought it would’ve been inevitable with how much we did it this week,” she said into his chest. “All that mess’a blood for nothing,”

He chuckled. “Still worth it,”

“Gonna start coming after me every time I’m on my period now?”

Impishly he nibbled her jaw. Another forceful kiss under the partly healed bruise on her face, and he let her go, smacking her ass before walking out. “Okay let’s eat now,”

Callie followed him out sluggishly, bumping into him when they wandered into the kitchen. With little energy, she went about throwing a breakfast together, often slumping against Nick when he stepped in to help. He’d chuckle and curl an arm around her neck, dragging her around as they shuffled between stovetop and fridge, and even took both their plates packed with chorizo con huevos and tortillas, his elbow still hooked around her neck as he pulled her over to his new table.

“When’s your job interview?” he asked, stuffing a hearty bite into his mouth.

“Tuesday,” she said around a mouthful of food, opening a cold can of soda. “I’m nervous as fuck,”

“You’re gonna own that shit. Do those big number equations in your head and I bet they’ll hire you on the spot,” he grinned.

“Computers do everything at banks now- they wouldn’t need my hidden talent,”

“But how often do they have a human computer that can double check their work?” he tried, bumping his knee against hers. She smiled, smacking his arm lightly.

“I need to go buy some cover-up. Can’t go in with a black eye,”

Nick nodded, sucking his teeth, and now expertly pinching a bite of the chorizo with his tortilla. She was perking up a bit now, like he knew she would when she found the Dr. Pepper he’d stashed for her in the fridge, but sensed unloading his next big surprise might send her reeling into panic.

“So you said earlier that Rosie canceled tomorrow?” Nick asked, and Callie rolled her eyes.

“I knew she wasn’t gonna go through with it- I’m getting my money back for those tickets,”

Nick swallowed his bite. “Keep the day open then,”

Her brow kicked up. “Why?”

“My parents wanna come over,”

Outwardly, she remained calm, but inside he knew she was frantic- like a person caught in a house on fire. She looked at her food, poking it absentmindedly with her tortilla. “So I need to buy cover-up today,”

“You don’t have to,” he told her. “They know what happened,”

“With me?”

“Everything. They’ve been asking how you’re doing-”

“Wait,” she interrupted. “Even the miscarriage?”

“I told them,” he stated, and she retracted, leaning back in her chair.

“You said you wouldn’t,”

“I couldn’t lie about it. Felt like it’d be a slap in the face to you- like it’d be disregarding something you battled through,” he explained.

She twisted her thumb in her other palm nervously. “How’d they take it?”

“They were pissed. They’ve been on my ass about dying without grandkids for years so when they heard it, they were about as angry as you. And they’re also very sorry,” he relayed, playing with her lithe fingers. “My mom asks about you a lot,”

Callie grinned. “Grandma by nature?”

He nodded. “Little ball of love like you,”

With a steadying breath and her shoulders rolling away some of the nervousness, she seemed to be capable of this next step in their relationship that admittedly should’ve happened months ago. She moved her hair from her cheeks, her fringe pinned back by her glasses still, and carefully poked her healing cheek.

“Doesn’t look too bad?” she asked, and he shook his head, flashing a goofy grin.

“You’re pretty no matter what,”

Another slap on his arm, and she spun her soda between her palms. “What’re they like?”

Nick leaned back in his chair now, exhaling as he chewed. “Mom comes off as mean at first, but she’s just a quiet observer, I think is the best way to put it. Really hard worker, never really takes days off. Can be super blunt, but crack her open and she’s really the best mom. Put up with all my shit and never complained,” he told her with a small smirk.

It warmed Callie’s heart to see him speak so affectionately of his mom; clearly he’d been raised right. “And your dad?”

He rolled his eyes. “Smart- like really smart, but never short for some kind of raunchy joke,” Nick explained. “But he’s a gentle giant. The kind of person who can walk up to anyone from any walk of life and start a conversation,”

“You sound more like your mom than your dad,” she simpered, and he nodded in agreeance.

“Got my mom’s height, too,” he grumbled.

“You’re still my big guy,” she toyed, reaching to playfully trace the shell of his ear. It twitched, his cheeks turning a darker shade as he gently slap her hand away. “So I suppose we should stop by the store when we’re out today,”

“Yeah, after we go to the station though,” he stuffed the last bite in his mouth. “Don’t know how long it’ll take,”

“How convincing did you sound when your captain called?”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that he has some suspicions about the whole thing. I genuinely forgot to act surprised when he called- in my head I was like ‘yeah I know he got the shit beat out of him,” Nick snickered, carrying their plates to the kitchen.

“Did they tell you where he is now?” She followed him in.

“Nah, we should get those details about that today,”

“But we won’t have to actually see him right?”

“No, not at all. They only want our statements,” he reassured, holding her face when she looked here and there nervously. “There’s no chance he could show up after those blows you landed,”

She snorted softly, her head dropped and walking into his chest for a hug. Nothing else besides the anxiousness he could smell coming out of her pores showed her apprehension, and it started to affect him. He knew they’d be in separate rooms for their questioning- how would she handle it without him?

“Should we go and get this over with then? Make it a date afterwards?” he asked against her hair, and kissed her lips when she looked up at him with a quick nod. “Noodles for lunch?”

“Oh fuck yeah.” She grinned, another kiss, and the two of them moved to his room.

It was decided that it was best for Callie to wear a long sleeve over her blood stained cast, despite their best efforts to wash it out with hydrogen peroxide. It bothered her some- every time she reached for something or twisted her arm, she had to pull it back down, and that in itself could raise suspicions.

But with them both bundled and clad in black to avoid any extra attention drawn to them, Callie held Nick’s hand in her lap nervously as he drove, often looking at her from behind his dark Clubmasters to find her knee bouncing or adjusting her glasses nervously, repeatedly cleaning the lenses. All the way to the station, and when they stood beside his truck after parking, he reassured she’d be okay and there was no part of Gerrald she’d have to face that day.

She clung to him in a fleeting hug before finally inhaling deeply and grabbing his hand tightly as he lead her to the front, her shield against the bad that inevitably awaited inside.

Her face remained angled down while her eyes did the back and forth, recognizing faces she’d seen sneer or glare before. But now people looked in confused awe, probably not having expected to see the Orc no one liked who was beaten within an inch of his life walking through the front lobby, a fiercer glare across his scarred features to ward anyone off.

It occurred to Callie that looking so weak and beaten beside him would only draw more assumptions, so she lifted her chin, her hand sliding up his arm to hold securely as they approached the front desk.

“Jakoby,” the woman in uniform acknowledged, her platinum blonde locks pulled back into a sleek bun.

“Here for Heig,” he only answered, hanging his sunglasses over his collar. I’m here to talk to no one but Heig, was what his tone really said though, and Callie squeezed his arm, enormously proud of her Orc.

The tall woman, McCann, only nodded absently as she moved away, leaving the couple at the counter to wait. A few more were still there, looking on how they figured was covertly, but Nick only flashed a passing glance with a cocked brow, unbothered as long as he didn’t hear them utter any foul words in regards to Callie.

“You alright?” she asked lowly, and he nodded, still doing once overs of the area.

“Forgot how welcoming this place is,” he mumbled, and she snickered.

“Jakoby,”

They both turned, and there was Heig, followed by investigators in bland suits, files and folders in hand. That was when Callie tensed beside him, and he rubbed her back, silently comforting her.

“Sir,”

“Gonzales here will accompany Miss Flores for her statement and I with you and Amar,” Heig instructed, stepping aside so the Hispanic detective with lines beside his eyes from smiling could greet her.

“Miss Flores, pleasure to meet you,” he introduced himself calmly, clasping his other hand over hers when he shook. Callie only nodded, and Nick kissed her head before she followed Gonzales to one of the private rooms, twisting her palm around her thumb nervously. Nick wanted to run after her, but knew she’d be okay. It would most likely end in an anxious night at home after their visit, but Callie was strong. She could handle this on her own, he told himself.

It all started from the beginning. Back to when Nick and Gerrald had any sort of contact, even passing comments when his attacker had first joined the force. There was no specific time they could pinpoint when the harassment turned from bothersome to hostile, but from the statement Callie gave them, he could’ve been planning this for years.

Judging by charges on Gerrald’s hidden credit cards from his wife, he’d been a frequenter of Two Hands and from Jakes willingness to provide details and documents, he’d booked private dances from Callie at least once a week when she was still a regular working there, which was 4 years ago. Booths were dark, and dancers kept their distance. All this time she’d performed for him, unknowing of the obsession he held for her. Years and years, building a covet unbeknownst to everyone; a dangerous, sick fascination verified by kept receipts upon receipts of his visits to her club. Who knows how many times he could’ve followed her home or lingered nearby, unnoticed.

The catalyst was Callie’s visit to the precinct that first time, and Nick could remember his face perfectly.

What he thought was a sour, defeated glare was actually, probably, one of glaring realization that by some astral and amazing coincidence, Nick had scored the girl he so desired. Gerrald couldn’t stand seeing his favorite dancer in the arms of the Orc he despised, and it sent him over.

Verified, and to Nick’s dismay, Gerrald had started to lash out at his wife and children. Screaming, breaking things, disappearing for days at a time and always with a chunk of their money withdrawn from the bank. Money that had been given to the Belye Volki in return for their muscle. The same muscle that had been used to attempt Nick’s murder. As long as money kept rolling in with the aid of his police connections, the rival Orcs gladly sent their biggest.

Gerrald only showed his face when his chance at getting his hands on Callie presented itself, resulting in her injuries and the death of their albeit very young fetus. But that brought a new edge to the charges they were pressing: manslaughter on top of attempted, and assault, not to mention breaking and entering and the class 2 felony he faced for stealing guns from the station.

By then, it had all come together. The long obsession, the careful planning, and the attacks. Hours later, and Callie and Nick had given every detail they could recall, but admittedly and horribly given their best shocked response when news ‘broke’ that Gerrald had been the victim of a grizzly attack, by unknown assailants, of course.

Heig, judging by the way he studied Nick and had questioned any involvement he might’ve had with Fogteeth, obviously had suspicions when the Orc denied having any knowledge of Gerrald’s deadly attack, but couldn’t withhold commenting on his delight knowing he got what was coming.

But it was all written, and recorded, and with a final signature, Nick rose to scope out Callie when he was told they’d be in shortly to discuss further details.

She was also finished by the time he found her, and she visibly relaxed when she turned to see him walking in, kissing her head and then forehead as he sat beside her. Any little boosts he could give, he would.

“If I’d known we were gonna be here for 2 hours I would’ve taken them up on that drink offer,”

“Don’t- the sodas here are like 2 years old,” he teased, eliciting a giggle from her. “You doing okay?” he asked.

“Um… yeah. I don’t know how to handle knowing he’s been around for so long and I didn’t know, but I’m generally okay. They didn’t tell me where he is now, though,”

“They will when they come back in,”

“Are they compiling evidence?” she asked.

“At the copying machine actually,”

“Wait what?”

The door opened behind him, and Heig along with the three dressed investigators came in, all either sitting or standing on the other side of the table and handing over their own packets.

“These are copies of your statements and the case number attached,” Heig explained, and Nick bumped her knee with his. “Jakoby you know what happens next,”

“Yes sir,” Nick nodded, thumbing through the pages.

“But you don’t,” he looked at Callie, lacing his fingers together before him. “Both of your statements with additional statements and evidence will be sent off to a prosecutor's office and once they review it, it’ll be determined whether or not there’s sufficient enough evidence to send off to a judge for an arrest warrant,”

“How long does that take?” Callie asked.

“About 3 days,” Nick answered, and she glanced at him before looking back at Heig.

“And Gerrald? Where is he?” she pressed, tensing.

“Hospital. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon,”

“Give me a number,” Callie demanded, and Heig sighed.

“I can’t release that information to you-”

“And what if he gets out and isn’t charged with anything?” she lashed out, panic rising in her blood.

“He will be,” Heig maintained, and Callie reclined some, having not realized she was on the verge of standing. “I can’t say how it’ll hold up in court or when that could happen, but this is more than enough,” he explained, and Nick was a bit surprised. From all people, his racist-ass Captain seemed more or less in Nick’s favor of the situation.

“So go home and wait for the call. And I expect to see your ass here on Tuesday without a doctors note.” Heig pointed at Nick, and he nodded, fighting back an aggravated sigh.

Nick stood before Callie did, grabbing the reports and ushering her out of the office, both eager to be done with this visit.

“I really thought he wasn’t gonna be an asshole this time,” Callie said through the corner of her mouth, and Nick snorted.

“Surprised he didn’t slap cuffs on me for being the victim,” Nick came back, Callie now snorting. “Lunch now?”

“Yes and then we can walk it off at the store.”

He was pulling his sunglasses from his shirt when his line of vision met another Orc, clad in the infamous 79 and standing with a couple others at the front, speaking with one of the receptionists. Ernie- he’d been on Nick and Callie’s patrol team quite a few times. A quiet Orc, never one to really tag along in the jokes they’d made when Nick was in the thick of his heat.

It was natural now to raise his arm and bump his forearm with other Fogteeth, nodding at one another before they went back to their business.

The sparse cops around the lobby watched, confused, their eyes lingering as Nick walked with Callie under his arm. It would’ve come out eventually, but until they had any hard evidence, no one could persecute Nick for being Fogteeth.

↠

Her hands skipped over the clearance items, snatching a bottle of bouillon. They shuffled mostly, already exhausted from navigating a supercenter earlier that day and stuffed from pho, and often either of them would stop and stand with a hard exhale, and arms hung, ready to sit down and succumb to the food coma.

“What if he wanders out and attacks us in a delusional state?” Callie asked, waiting beside Nick at the meat deli with a basket hung on her arm. “I’ve heard that when people aren’t completely conscious that they’re stronger,”

“He looked like hamburger when we left,” Nick intoned, critically eyeing the choices before him before pointing to a pile of thick steaks, asking for 2 pounds. She hmph-d, chewing her inner lip.

“What if there’s still other Orcs he hired?” she whispered, and he dropped the bag of meat into the basket.

“They won’t do anything without pay,” Nick pulled her along, tossing in spices she didn’t recognize and a few packs of spiral noodles, trading the heavying basket for a long baguette. “Volki aren’t the most efficient but they’re never ones to make themselves known. They know they’re compromised and if anything, Gerrald will be their target for the exposure, not us,”

She pursed her lips, following sluggishly until he had his arm around her waist, tugging her along.

“Three days,” she scoffed.

“And then it’s gonna be off to a judge, and everyday that passes we’re safer, so calm down, okay? Nothing else can happen,” he implored, bumping her chin with his knuckles.

“Am I annoying you?”

“No but you’re tormenting yourself. We did everything we can and that fucker very well might never walk again. You saw how crooked his legs are, and baby,” he pulled her a little closer. “His jaw was barely hanging on when you were done with him,”

She fought the little smirk, hitting his firm chest. “I wasn’t exactly done with him,”

He cackled and kissed her cheek, keeping her in his hold as they wound up and down the isles of the supermarket, grabbing items for the dinner the following day and snacks. It was nice to return to some kind of normality, but a heavy thought saddled Callie’s mind despite the wide smile splayed across her face when they’d whisper jokes or pick at one another.

Nick would return to work, healed, and Callie would return home. If anything, they’d still spend most of their time together, but why did it feel like she would never see him again? Had she grown so comfortable at his house, in his company all day and night? How lonely would her bed feel without him there? Even when she was sleeping on his couch, he was so close. Could she ask to spend the night as often- was he looking forward to having his own space back?

She shook the intrusive thoughts. All that would change is returning to everyday life, hopefully with a new job under her belt.

“What exactly are you making for tomorrow?” she asked, peering into the basket after he grabbed two thick stalks of leeks.

“S’like a creamy, meaty pasta dish. Orc staple,” he grinned.

“How come you’ve never made it for me? Huh?” she poked her elbow into his side.

“Cause you don’t like these,” he retorted, grabbing a few fat cap mushrooms. She rambled out disgusted, blubbering mumbles as her hands drew in, veering a few steps away as he tried to hand them to her playfully. He went about picking the more favorable ones as she wandered on, her hands ghosting over veggies.

When her touch slid across firm peppers, she grinned, turning to find him pulling a bag from the spinner.

“You know, I’m still waiting on my truck load of bell peppers,” she pressed, dropping one of each into the bag.

He frowned with his brows kicked up. “Stop by Costco and fill the bed up,” he said smartly, earning a light smack on his arm. “Need more time,”

“More than a year?” she asked, and he blinked.

“It’s been almost a year already?”

“10 months in a couple weeks,”

He followed as she moved backwards, flicking her head to toss aside her fringe that was in need of a trim. He couldn’t see her eyes as well anymore. But watching her move away brought him back to a humid night in the dead middle of summer, and her once long hair whipping around her freckled cheeks as the waves crashed below them at the Santa Monica pier, the glimmer in her brilliant eyes lighting up the night.

“Good thing I have you before I turn my back on the world,”

Callie closed the gap between them, and he had her sides just as she’d stretched to kiss him. “Always.” she devoted softly, kissing him again.

10 months from then to now, and nothing in his unwavering intensity for her had lessened or changed, and through it all, she’d remained at his side, even when the world had seemed to tear them apart.

Nick was gazing at her, he knew it, but he couldn’t help the incredible blessing he felt washing over him. How had he been so lucky to land Callie?

“Couple more months and I can ask you to move in,” he said softly.

Her heart thundered, and she suppressed a wide, relieved smile. “I still have 8 months left on my lease,”

“I’ll ask again in 8 months then,” he caught up to her, holding her tight to his side. “Until then I’ll fill our garden with bell peppers,”

“A lifetime's worth,” she grinned, and met him halfway for a kiss.

“Only if you stick around that long,” he kissed quickly against her temple.

“My god just propose already,” she toyed dramatically, and he tugged on a lock of her hair to silence her, but only evoked a string of giggles. “Okay let’s go home, I want out of this bra,” she grunted, wiggling her arms against her chest. “Bandage is itchy as hell.”

They didn’t leave without a six-pack of Modelo’s; it was Callie’s turn to choose the ale, but only smirked when Nick groaned. They ambled through the long check-out lines they never could seem to avoid, bumping each other back and forth lazily with the basket in Nick’s grasp. The cashier looked at Callie sympathetically when she moved her glasses down to count her change and hand it to him, but Nick just scoffed. No longer did the need to prove himself alarm in his heart. He was done trying to be friends with a world no one wanted him a part of.

But accepting that was easier. Why did he need the thrill of a nod from a stranger instead of a glare if he had Callie, and Ward, even a few friends by his side? Could passing hello’s from strangers like he wasn’t branded a freak ever match up to what he had in front of him?

He watched Callie, chatting idly with an older woman bagging her items beside her, a small smile curling her full lips.

Nearly 10 months of bliss, and fighting, and misery and blood… but such a deep, and endless love.

Next 100 years would be easy.

Right?

↠

“I’m so full,” Nick exclaimed, his head craned back as he waddled from the kitchen with Callie behind him, at last pulling the loose shirt off her body to give the sore bite under her breast some time to breathe.

“Not in the mood for desert?” she said against his skin, her arms thrown around his waist. He chuckled as they made it to his bed before he spun and threw her against the mattress, crawling after her.

Callie pulled him down with a smile, peppering his face with sweet kisses as he grunted and shifted over her before finally flopping on his side.

“Too full,” he groaned, but caressed her thigh when she rolled, holding her cinched waist.

“Why did you let me eat so much?” she groused, and he snorted.

“I can’t be held responsible for that,”

“Cause you were stuffing your face too,” she giggled, shrieking when he dug his fingers into her ribs. He let up quickly knowing if he watched her uncovered boobs jiggle around too much he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from finding his way in. “You bastard,” she said sleepily, and sighed when he massaged her hip, moving down her thigh and back up.

The bruises on her stomach were finally improving, but that meant darkening before they’d eventually fade. He traced the edges of them around her belly button, catching the length of her scar on his journey, and folding his hand to trace circles with his knuckles against the spot a bump would’ve started to show if she’d still been pregnant.

Nick pulled his hand back.

To anyone else, there was so much wrong with her. Cuts, bruises, a cast- yet she seemed so unfazed by it all. It seemed to only hold her thoughts hostage when she’d catch sight of her flat stomach in the mirror, or when she was washing her face, her touch lingering over the gash on her lip or temple. Not to mention the considerable worsening of her vision; she could hardly text now without her arms outstretched.

The soft graze of fingertips against her chin cracked her eyes, and she gave him a lopsided grin with her face pressed into the sheet, her brows twitching in discomfort when the gash on her lip stung. He traced her bruised jaw, endearment stirring the warmth in his heart when she held his knuckles against her lips, kissing softly.

Callie pulled his hand under her chin, the fingers of her casted hand lacing awkwardly with his as she scooted closer across the mattress.

Their foreheads touched, and his hand slid across her cheek to push her hair away.

She held his hands there, sighing in content when his thumbs caressed under her eyes, featherlight over the blemish.

“This is nice,” she whispered, the two lost amongst the blankets scattered about their bodies.

“Mhm,” he hummed. His heart fluttered, watching her blink into focus on him, pulling his thumb to kiss his palm. “You’re so beautiful,”

“Your face looks better than mine,” she rasped, burying her face farther into his hand.

He shook his head, wiggling so they were up against one another. “You’re always so beautiful,”

“Shut uuup,” she whined, hiding her face.

“Nah lemme look at you,”

“That’s not creepy at all,” she rolled onto her other side, but he scooted over, pulling her back against his chest and smooching her shoulder.

“I’m imagining what our kids would look like,”

She paused, and for a split second he thought he’d over-stepped, but she shimmied onto her back, looking up at him. “I think about it all the time,”

“Yeah?” he asked, resting on his elbow. She nodded.

“I wonder who’s nose it would’ve had, or if it would’ve looked more human than Orc, but I’m pretty sure it would’ve had your eyes,” she explained. “And your ears… probably your nose too- I think they would’ve looked nothing like me, honestly,”

“A boy would’ve looked like you,”

“That means you’d make pretty girls,” she mumbled, and then her brows curved up. “Oh my god can you imagine having little daughters chasing after you? Calling you daddy?”

“Okay stop,” he whined, dropping his face against her chest. Now she pulled him in tightly, caressing the back of his head as he embraced her. He stared down at the fresh bite, tempted to pull his touch over it but knew it must’ve been tender as hell.

“Nick, what if I can’t ever give you a baby?” she asked suddenly.

“Don’t go there,”

“I’m serious-”

“Don’t,” he leaned over her, clapping a hand over her mouth, her brows furrowing slightly. “Don’t do that to yourself. It’ll happen but even if it never does that doesn’t mean I’d be less inclined to follow you wherever you go the rest of my life,”

She mumbled something unintelligible, but still he nodded, removing his hand. “Yes, we can adopt 10 pitbulls if it doesn’t work out,” he assured, and despite a gloss filming over her eyes, she grinned, holding his face.

“You’re so perfect,”

“Oh stop,” he kissed her, moaning when she curled around his neck. “Wait,”

She waited, one of her thighs already having slid between his.

He thought over his words before speaking. “I don’t want to actively… try, until we know he’s behind bars,”

“Oh- duh, Jesus I thought you were gonna drop a bomb in my lap,” she exhaled, moving her hair from her face.

Another kiss, and he was sitting up on his knees, parting her legs until he found his place between them. She turned boneless in his hold, her body arching deliciously as he pulled from underneath her, bringing her chest carefully against his open mouth.

“Isn’t this actively trying?” she breathed, rubbing his shoulders as he swirled his tongue around a standing nipple.

“Think of it as not not trying,” he said quickly, rocking forward to catch her lips in another lock. “Is that okay?”

She nodded eagerly, yanking him over her, her hips raising to meet his in a firm rut. He chuffed against her jaw, giving into a few leisure thrusts with her body raised like that. “It’s gonna happen, Cal,” he paused, holding her jaw gently. “I’m gonna give you a kid one day.”

“I’m holding you to it.” she grinned, and exclaimed when he rolled, admiring her body as she moved above him.

She’d gone back and forth between the kitchen and table at least 5 times since he’d been standing there for no more than 3 minutes, and he suspected it’d keep happening until he resorted tying her to a chair.

Callie was at the table, poking the tableware into neater arrangements, glancing nervously at him and flashing her best ‘don’t-worry-I-won’t-have-panic-attack-in-front-of-your-parents-but-I’ll-have-five-beforehand’ smile. And here she came, back into the kitchen to peer over his arm and down at the simmering pan.

“I keep stopping myself from telling you it looks done cause I have no idea how to cook this,” she rattled, leaning her butt against the countertop to steal some sips from his beer, most likely. Hers had been thrown back hours ago, when she was only a fraction of the nerves she was now.

“Give it about 10 more minutes,” he nodded, setting the spoon beside the pan. “But you need to calm down. They’re gonna think you’re high on something with how fast you’re moving,”

“Pfft I wish I was high at this point,” she groaned, pushing her hands back through her hair. “I don’t even know why I’m so nervous, it’s not like I’m guilty of something,”

“Yeah they’d smell that,” he joked, and she looked at him, horror paling her face.

“Oh my god they’re gonna smell that we fucked last night!” She cried, holding her own cheeks. “They’re gonna know I was upside down!”

He shrugged indifferently, weighing his hands. “You were more folded than anything-“

“They’re gonna think I’m a skank for having sex after just losing a baby,” she complained into her palms, and Nick chuffed.

“See now you’re just making bad assumptions,”

Callie looked up at him, and frowned, dropping her gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,”

“It’s fine. But you seriously need to calm down. I can’t keep giving you beer,” he grinned, opening his arms for a tight hug. Callie rushed into him fast enough that he almost lost balance, but with a good squeeze, she was already calming and reaching under his hold to pick up the spoon and stir the creamy food.

A round of solid knocks on his door had her spinning in his arms, and he squeezed her shoulders with a kiss to her cheek. “It’s gonna be okay.”

She followed slowly as he walked to the front door, opening it calmly after shooting her an encouraging, goofy grin.

“Hey Ma,” he said happily.

“Yah, ‘hey Ma’ like you invite us over enough to act all non-chalan,” she stepped inside, the colorful head wrap fanning around her shoulders like silky hair pairing beautifully with the burgundy sweater she wore. Her accent was definite and Callie was surprised she was donning a Russian one at that. She smacked his shoulder when he opened his arms to hug her, so he pouted, his ears twitching, but nevertheless she hugged her son securely. “How’re you feeling, ukmall?”

“It’s nonchalant- I’m better. Hi dad,” Nick unwound from his concerned mother to quickly hug his dad, who from a fleeting, previous glance before, was much taller than Nick. Callie stiffened when his head turned right towards her, looking at her through glasses similar to Nick’s Clubmasters.

No wonder he liked those so much…

“Hello there,” he also had an accent, but not nearly as thick as his mothers. He moved past Nick whose mouth opened to protest, but it was too late. “I’m Oleg, I’m assuming you’re Callie,” Oleg grabbed her hand to shake gently, clasping his other over their connected palms, and she had to remind herself to shake back as she literally looked up at him.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you-,”

“Come, come meet Nick’s mother,” he gently pulled her along with a wide hand on her back. Nick shrugged as she passed, a playful frown on his face.

“This is Dinara-”

“I can introduce my’own, Oleg,” Dinara snapped, but he only smiled sheepishly, his impressive tusks flashing. Her bright golden eyes softened when flickering back to Callie, and she took Callie’s hand from her husbands, simply cradling it. “I’m glad to finally meet you, Calista,”

“I’m so happy to meet you too,” Callie replied sweetly, observing the sudden shift from ferocity to reserved concern.

“After months and months apparently,” Dinara turned on her son, motioning her hand in anger in his direction.

“Ma come on,” Nick groaned, head cocking and eyes rolling. Oleg snickered, and Nick elbowed him, sparking a playful glare-off between them.

“Think she was gonna eat her alive like the other ones, ah?” his dad teased, and Callie’s brow cocked.

“Other… ones?” she asked hesitantly.

“You make me sound like a monster,” Dinara hissed.

“He said it!” Nick defended.

“It’s okay, human doesn’t taste that good,” Oleg said lowly as he passed, but winced and exclaimed when Dinara smacked the back of his head. “Hispanic might not be as bland though-”

“DAD,” Nick hollered, stepping towards Callie who was biting back a wide smile with her fingertips against her lips as she watched his parents move into his house, and how Dinara chewed him out quietly in Orkish, but he was only a tower of laughter as he lovingly held his wife's shoulders.

“That’s them,” Nick muttered.

“I expected different from what you told me.” she grinned.

“I told you exactly what to expect.” he shrugged, motioning to follow him into the kitchen.

“You’re lucky he’s calm now. When he was a child? Couldn’t keep him still. He’d climb trees and run into traffic,” Dinara recounted, her hands animated and motioning as she recounted old stories of Nick’s younger days.

“And he would fight other kids! He was a little animal,” Oleg said around a mouthful of food.

“Okay you said I was 4 when that happened,” Nick tried defending himself, his knife pointed at Oleg.

“4, 16- what’s the difference?” his dad grinned. “Couldn’t handle another demon like him. One and done,”

Callie chuckled. “Where’d all that feistiness go?” she asked, pushing him a little.

“Left it behind in my twenties,” Nick mumbled, chuffing when Callie rubbed his arm.

“Ai, mi viejo,” she cooed, but he pushed her back, scooping his food into a bite.

“What’s that?” Dinara asked.

“My old man,” Callie answered, earning a flat glare from Nick and a booming laugh from Oleg.

“What’re you laughing at, you fossil?” Dinara defended him, and Oleg’s face scowled some.

“I’m still in good shape for 77- Callie would agree,” he retorted, puffing his chest and squaring his shoulders.

“Really? 77?” Callie asked, eyes wide in amazement. His parents both nodded, Oleg sitting up proudly.

“Wanna know something interesting though?” Oleg asked, and Nick raised his fork the same time Dinara flicked his hand.

“Oleg-”

“Orcs perform 20 years younger in bed. He should still be going like he’s in his twenties, ah? Smell it in here like the 70’s,” Oleg harassed mercilessly, smiling, warding off Dinara’s attacks as he tormented his son who had his face buried in his palms. Callie followed suit, hiding, but giggling madly. She knew they’d know how active their sex life was, but didn’t expect to be called out so harshly.

“Can we be done with the embarrassing stories?” Nick whined, finally uncovering his flushed face and throwing back the rest of his beer.

“Ahh, you have no humor, boy,” Oleg groused, evoking an argument between the two that Dinara wanted nothing to do with, so she turned to Callie.

“Callie,” she said, and Cal looked at her, lowering her drink. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m- I’m good,” she grinned.

“I mean how are you feeling?” she asked again, and for the first time that night, she could feel her looking at the bruises coating her features instead of Callie as a whole, and assumed she was asking generally about her condition.

“Um…” Callie pondered, swirling the drink in her glass. “I go back and forth,” she started, and Nick had stopped bickering with his father to look at her, listening quietly. “Some days I feel okay and others I feel like I did something wrong, and that guilt won’t lessen,”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Nick said quietly, and she shrugged indifferently.

“Can’t help how I feel,”

“It’s not strange,” Dinara commented, her chin rested atop her knuckles, her small shoulders drawn in. “A piece of you was taken away,”

Nick ran his hand down the back of her hair when Callie looked down, leaning over to kiss her cheek without waver.

“Ahh, you must see the squishy side of our son quite often,” Oleg cooed, and Nick’s head snapped in his direction to glower.

“Squishy?” Callie repeated, relieved the subject was shifting. But with a final glance in Dinara’s direction, her warm eyes said everything she might’ve wanted to say before her husband interrupted. Only compassion and understanding came from that look and small nod, and Callie wondered what she had ever been worried about in the first place.

“He’s such a grump- never showed any kind of affection for his other girlfriends. He’d sit there like a plank, wouldn’t even hold their hands or smile,”

“Those little witches didn’t even bother chewing with their mouths closed,” Dinara added in quickly.

“How many did you bring to meet?” Callie asked, eyeing Nick suspiciously.

“Okay first of all-” Nick started.

“Ffffour…?” Oleg counted, thinking back critically.

“Shut up. None of them lasted more than a month,”

“Hama was the worst. Her tusks were nearly black and she drew on crooked eyebrows,” Dinara shuddered, and Nick was hiding his face again as Callie leaned in, completely enthralled.

“There was Glasha,” Oleg held up two fingers now.

“Kept calling him Opal,” Dinara exclaimed, jabbing her thumb in Oleg’s direction.

“Shel,”

“Shel was mean,” Nick said, despite hiding. “She ghosted me after I told her I wanted to be a cop,”

“Well I can’t blame her entirely for that one,” Dinara mumbled, and Nick’s arms raised in defeat, leaning back in his chair.

“Here we go again…”

“Why do you want to stand up for a people who look at you like you’re infected?” his mother questioned, inclining over the edge of the table.

“None of the reasons you think I wanted to,” Nick snapped, crossing his arms.

“What about you, Calista? You mind if he’s the Orc cop?”

Callie faltered a bit, but looking at Nick’s downcast eyes and stiff shoulders stirred the protectiveness in her heart, even if it was his own mother berating him.

“I don’t mind, actually. I never saw Nick as just an Orc, or just a cop, or the Orc cop. He’s always just been Nick to me,” she explained, nervously reaching for his hand under the table. “I worry about him all the time, but I think Nick will bring change with him where he goes. I think it’s only a matter of time before people gain courage like him and start pursuing dreams that are usually unreachable,”

Callie’s cheeks heated when it remained silent, but Nick had pulled her hand into his lap and squeezed, silently thanking her.

“You look like the bad guy now,” Oleg whispered loudly to Dinara, and she smacked his hand again as he chuckled.

“I suppose I do,” Dinara sighed, holding her own cheek. “I worry for you, ukmall. What if something happens to you when you have children?”

“Then I’m really not gonna let anything happen,” Nick replied coolly. “Especially not to any of my kids,”

“Planning a family already?” Oleg asked, taking another massive bite of the food.

Callie and Nick looked at one another. Callie smirked, almost unnoticeable, and he did too.

“I want all boys. Bunch’a little Nick’s running around,” she simpered, and Nick kissed her hand, rolling his eyes when Oleg whined ‘Awww’.

“You wouldn’t be bothered having Orc children?” Dinara asked, and when Callie’s eyes flashed to hers, she couldn’t restrain some of her annoyance. Ultimately, she understood his mother's hesitance to let anyone near her son who’d received bitter lashings most of his life, but also wished she understood that Callie felt the same way. She didn’t want anyone near Nick who could harm him, and her heart had decided long ago that there would be no other she wanted raising her children then him, assuming she could eventually bare life.

“Halflings deal with twice the normal hate than Orcs,” Dinara added.

“Mom,” Nick said firmly, but his mother was resolute.

“You wouldn’t be bothered having hafling grandchildren?” Callie bit back hotly, but Nick saw her knee bouncing. That was a wide leap to make.

Dinara nodded, the corner of her mouth finally kicking up a bit. “Good girl. Teeavh ukavayun barun,”

Callie’s brows flickered in confusion, but Nick and Oleg’s satisfied nods silenced her. Something was transpiring here, and she didn’t want to ruin it.

“Expect your kids to be tiny assholes like this one, though.” Oleg interjected, and Dinara and Nick both rolled their eyes while Callie laughed.

The conversation winded back to lighter topics as the long dinner dragged on, but after standing her ground, Dinara didn’t blister Callie with questions most likely meant to shake her foundation; to make her prove exactly where she stood beside Nick. Children didn’t come up again, but Oleg made it a point to draw out Nick’s embarrassment at any chance he could snatch, always resulting in Dinara stepping in to fend off the teasing as Nick hid away, sometimes leaning against Callie while she hid her laughter behind a napkin.

It jumped here and there, ranging from examining some of Callie’s tattoos and Dinara telling how she’d always wanted a few all the way to how Oleg had been a chiropractor before teaching at the university. “I used to smoke joints before I cracked them.” he teased, and even Nick almost shot drink from his nose when he heard that one.

Somehow they made their way to the backyard, and with sweaters wrapped tightly around their frames, the women sat at the table with mugs of tea as Nick and Oleg wandered around his garden. His dad always had something to point at and correct, which always stirred more arguing, but Dinara rolled her golden eyes and waved them away.

“Those two never end,” she groaned, sipping her tea, and looking over to Callie as she grinned at her lover. “Calista,”

“Callie, please,” she corrected.

Dinara nodded. “I’m sorry for picking at you. I could see fire spitting from Nick’s eyes everytime I asked a question,” his mother explained, looking back to her men.

“I think I’d be the same,” Callie assured.

Dinara sighed, her head tilting. “I worry about him greatly, yet somehow after years of hate and bitter humans he’s remained my sweet boy. I’ve so longed for him to find someone so he’s not lonely,” she went on softly. “I’d always tell him- just show them how kind you are, my love, and he’d say Ma, I have! Humans hate what they fear,”

“It’s true,”

“You didn’t though. You befriended my son who’s usually a wall,”

Callie giggled. “It was the other way around, actually. I don’t usually like talking to people but he was just too damn cute in that uniform,” she admitted, and Dinara laughed.

“You better not be telling her more stories,” Nick grumbled as they walked up to them, placing their own mugs on the table before flopping back into their chairs.

“You two should join the ballet with that kind of choreography,” Callie piped, and Dinara laughed again, earning sour stares from Nick and Oleg.

“You will have to rub my back tonight, I’ve eaten too much,” Oleg groaned, and Nick looked at Callie with a pout, nodding in agreeance with his father, but his silent plea was shot down with a hard shake of her head, but winked before he looked from her.

“I suppose we should go then,” Dinara declared with a sigh, looking at Nick. “I have to take care of that,” she mumbled, eyeing his father; Nick snorted.

“You act like you don’t have any use of me when just last night you were begging-”

“Oleg.” Dinara snapped, and Callie was struggling not to choke on her tea, but Nick was covering his ears, yelling at his father to shut up. Oleg didn’t seem to understand why so much trouble had suddenly befallen him, with his palms raised and the mischevioused of smiles across his face.

Dinara hugged Callie this time, her thin arms strong around Callie’s shoulders. “Make him call us.” Dinara whispered, and with a light chuckle and nod, Dinara stepped back, holding Callie’s face a chaste moment before hugging Nick.

“Take it easy on her.” Oleg winked, flinching when his wife flicked his cheek.

She thought it precious when she watched his parents walking down the path, Oleg’s elbow hooked around Dinara’s neck and her arm around his waist, chatting silently as they left.

Nick stretched fiercely as she locked the door behind them, immediately maneuvering her bra around to relieve some of the pressure on the bite.

“So?” he asked, his arms dropping.

“Your dad is fucking hilarious,” she smiled, and he rolled his eyes, pulling his hands down his face as he turned away.

“He’s a handful,”

“Nah it’s funny,” she insisted, walking into the kitchen as Nick collected the plates across the table. Before anything however, Callie pulled her bra from underneath her shirt, exhaling in great relief when the bite no longer itched manically.

“Your mom totally has that mama bear thing,” Callie mentioned. “I’ve never met a mom so protective of her baby boy,” she cracked, and he blew a raspberry as he walked back to stack the dishes beside the sink.

“She likes you- she wouldn’t have been mean if she didn’t,” he explained, and her brow cocked. “Glasha, one of the exes? When I brought her around, my mom was silent the entire time and let her go on and on, all disrespectful, and when I apologized to her she said- ‘it’s okay ukmall, she won’t be around very long anyways,’”

Callie made an ‘O’ face, giggling the more she imagined how Nick must’ve looked when his mother dropped that bomb.

“I’m glad then. I really like your mom,” she nodded. “What does ukmall mean?”

“Tiny,” he intoned, his mouth in a straight line.

“Oh! That’s like what Rosie call’s Joaquin! She calls him ‘nano’ cause he’s small,”

“I’m only small compared to some,” he guarded.

Compared to her, Nick was a thick man, given just enough height to still intimidate humans, but to other Orcs, he was rather small. It got Callie thinking, and wondering what genes would carry on to their kids, but she shook her head stiffly.

Stop getting ahead of yourself.

“So what’s next? Cousins?” she asked, rinsing the plates as Nick nibbled on the last piece of toasted bread.

“I suppose. Next family reunion. You’ll need to make a list to remember all of them and my aunties and uncles,” he chewed. “Most of the from my dads side,’

“They like him too?” she grinned, and he nodded, his eyes rolling back in exhaustion.

“All a bunch of animals,”

“So that’s where you got it from in your younger days?”

“Probably,” he threw back the last of another beer, groaning when he leaned against the counter.

There was a pause, and then she was suddenly stepping towards him to kiss his cheek, then a sweet one on his lips as he looked at her curiously.

“What’s that for?”

“I was thinking about what your mom said,” she explained, continuing with the dishes. “That when you brought your other girlfriends around you didn’t show affection, or much of anything. It made me feel like you’re really in for this,”

“I wouldn’t’ve asked you to meet my parents if I wasn’t,”

“Well what about the others? Sounded like you introduced them pretty quickly,” she eyed him.

“That was different. I was lonely,” he intoned, his arms crossing defensively.

“Didn’t have any friends back then?”

“Well sure, but not that kind of lonely,” he mumbled, searching for the right words.

“Touch starved?” she asked, and he nodded. “I get that. Before I met you I hadn’t been with anyone for like a year and some change,”

He grinned. “Found each other at the right time,”

“Wish it would’ve been sooner,” she simpered, leaning against him when he pressed to her side, his hand against the back of her neck so he could place a few kisses on her temple.

“We have time to make up for it,” he said contently.

“Long time.” she grinned, craning her head back to kiss him.

“Endlessly.”

He’d just walked into the bathroom with her favorite mug in hand, filled to the brim with hot tea as she was pulling the curler through the last lock of hair. She quickly ran her fingers through it, reaching for the hairspray to coat her head. He coughed, leaning back from the small plume of chemicals.

She fluffed the ends around her shoulders, looking back at him in the mirror.

“Why aren’t you dressed?” she asked.

“My uniform is in my locker,” he chimed, and she sighed, looking back at her reflection. “You look so pretty,”

She shrugged, pulling on the thin collared blouse before she did the black collared jacket, rolling the sleeves up to the white dress shirt beneath accented it nicely. “If I get hired there it’s gonna be expensive keeping up with the dress code,”

“Gonna miss wearing jeans and sandals?” he grinned.

“So much. At least I’ll be in air conditioning.” She smoothed her hands down her hips, over the fitted pencil skirt that brought the entire outfit together. Callie turned this way and that, constantly tugging on ends of the clothing and fixing her neat fringe, all the while Nick watched her with a grin in his pullover and sweats.

He steadied her as she slipped on her heels, even raising her hand to spin her slowly before him, holding her own face when pink dusted her cheeks. A final spin before the mirror and a flick of her head to move her hair from her eyes, and she exhaled, satisfied with her interview outfit.

“You look nervous,”

“I am for you,” she mumbled, digging in her makeup bag to pull out the deep shade of red lipstick she often wore. “Are you sure you’re okay to go back?”

“I’m okay baby. I don’t hurt anymore. Plus, I don’t think Heig would let me waltz in with anymore doctors excuses,”

“Fuckin’ dick,” she said, smoothing her lips together after applying the lipstick.

He nodded, sipping the tea he’d originally made for her. “I guess you’re heading home today after the interview?”

At first she didn’t look up when she shrugged, but eventually she turned to face him, her heels clopping against the tile. “I guess?”

He ran his tongue over his clipped tusks. “It’s gonna be weird not having you around all the time,”

“Will you still come over? Probably tonight when I inevitably get too lonely?” she asked quietly, peaking at him from behind her bangs.

“I was gonna come over anyways. It’s gonna be too empty here,” he grinned, and held her jaw delicately to kiss her a few times as she approached him. “Ready to go?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” she grumbled, reaching to grab her bags, but he scooped them up first.

“No glasses… no, I think I’ll wear them,” she put them back on, patting her thighs a couple times. “I still can’t see,” she sighed, defeated, but couldn’t rub her eyes.

“Keep them on if they help,” he decided for her, his wrist rested over the steering wheel. A curt nod, and she fixed her tresses again before turning to him. Her big eyes were a deep, warm ocean of worry, and it in turn made him frown.

“Baby,” he whined.

“Text me? When you can and be safe?” she croaked, clutching his hand tightly. He pulled her over the center console, kissing the worry from her stressed frame. He held her tightly against his chest for a little bit, mindful of her neat hair and smartly pressed outfit, willing her anxiety to reel back enough just for today.

“I’ll be in touch, okay? Go in there with a clear head,” he kissed her again. “And I’ll be over tonight with pizza and drinks to celebrate,”

She nodded, blinking the moisture from her eyes before grabbing his face to kiss him again, lingering, committing this to memory when her heart demanded it. The rampaging fear he wouldn’t return to her at days end was suffocating her, but she wouldn’t say it out loud. She wouldn’t acknowledge her demons.

“I love you Callie.” he told her, his forehead against hers.

“I love you so much.” she sighed, her thumbs tracing his cheeks before she finally let him go.

She left her bags behind since she was going to see him again later, but had her purse tight at her side, her hands fiddling before her as she walked up the curb. Callie faced him as the engine turned over, flashing a nervous smile before walking into the bank.

He knew she’d do good. He knew from the very depths of his heart that she could nail this, and that going back to work would bring her back into routine and take up her time so her thoughts didn’t have space to drag her down. Even if it meant seeing her less, this was good for her.

He drove to the station in silence, the radio a soft lull, and the seat beside him empty.

That was going to take some adjusting to.

The precinct was as unwelcoming as ever, and he parked in the back lot like always, grabbing his warbag before walking to the entrance. Nick went generally unnoticed as he wound his way through the halls, only meeting a few unsavory glances from fellow officers that obviously would’ve preferred him not returning. Nick dished out his coldest glares, his chin lifted proudly as he made his way to the lockers.

Fuck who ever doesn’t like you.

The target poster with his name written crudely across the top had been taken down, and when he wrapped around the isle of lockers to find his, Ward was already changing.

“My man!” Daryl said cheerily, the men clasping fists and hugging quickly. “All healed up?”

“Pretty much. Little help from Callie last night.” Nick said quieter as he opened his locker. The photobooth strip was still there; he’d never taken it down, and now fixed it beside the small mirror.

“Good t’have you back.” Ward clapped against his shoulder.

No one bothered him or made snide remarks as he changed, but he knew it was only a matter of time before someone said something. The uniform was a tad bit loose; he needed to bulk back up after six weeks of laying around. The vest was pulled over his chest, his badge pinned over that, but now his cleaned Clubmasters hung off his collar, his watch finding its place around his wrist since Callie had taken it to be repaired.

All in all, he felt good. There was a sense of accomplishment coming back here. The world had tried bringing him down again, but he’d fought his way back to the surface.

“Let’s bounce, Fogteeth.” Ward cracked, but Nick only rolled his eyes when a few heads turned.

There was no warm welcome from his captain in the briefing room, but Nick preferred it that way. Standing alone didn’t bother him the same any longer. He counted the people by his side, and that was all he needed. They sat slacked in their seats as morning briefings were announced, and they rose when their routes were given, and with idle chatting they made their way to the kit room, grabbing their shotguns before making their way out of the building.

Nick’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he opened it to find a message from Callie.

2 things: 1- i forgot to pay my rent 4 days ago and now i owe an extra $450. 2- ya girl got the job

He snickered. Might as well renege on the lease. I knew you’d score that job, i’m proud of you baby

“Callie got a job,” Nick announced, slipping his phone back into his pocket as they approached the cruiser.

“That’s what’s up. Don’t you two go actin’ a fool again,” Ward quipped, both of them taking their sides in the car with Nick behind the wheel as usual.

“Nah, I’ve been thinking of asking her to move in,” Nick exhaled, reacquainting with all the controls and adjusting his seat.

“Already?” Ward asked, leaning against the door comfortably.

Nick put his Clubmasters on, nodding after he questioned himself.

Fuck yeah already.

To be continued . . .

There it is, the ending to Bell Peppers! To everyone who has come along on this journey with me and stuck around for ride; to the likes, kudos, comments and feedback on the story and art, thank you so much from the deepest corners of my heart! You all kept me inspired to keep writing and keep uploading! I would also like to take a moment to thank @rfitzhugh74 for beta-reading this monster!! I was incredibly nervous to hand over my writing, and she’s been an absolute blessing and so patient with me, so thank you love!!! 💛

Milagro is already in the works, so keep a lookout for Nick and Callie's return!

Translations: Ukmall - "small"

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crewoftheintrepid · 5 years

Text

Verfall in unserem Blut

Seren was curled in the captain's chair, bored out of her mind. She was stuck in the ship with Aydin for this mission, the rest of the crew were down in the market with Aydin feeding them information to get to an arms dealer’s stash house. Seren would go down later to actually break into said stash house after they had enough information on it.

A small crash caught her attention, and it sounded like it came from the docking area.

“Hey, I think I heard something.”

Aydin turned around in the chair he was set up in, pausing to listen. She could hear better than him, not like Atalante can of course but still better than him. “It could be one of the temp crew, but if you’re worried go check it out.”

“Fine, I will.” She picked herself out of the chair, grabbing the knife from her jacket still draped across the back of the chair.

“Take a com so if something is wrong you can call me.” He called as he turned back to the collection of maps and data he had been working on as she waved him off. It couldn’t be too bad, and there was a communication system rigged throughout the ship if she needed to call him.

She passed a few of the crew that while permanent weren’t apart of the team, a few of the temp crew as well. Until she got to the docking bay, it seemed to be mostly empty until she spotted a person knocked out on the floor. She must have heard them fall.

Seren knelt beside the person helping them up. “Hey, are you okay?”

The person looked up at her dazed. It seemed to be one of the mechanics they hired to help Carisa out. He was a grizzled man, with a rather unkempt beard and cold grey eyes that kinda freaked her out if she was honest.

“Sorry about that, missy. Must have tripped over a wrench or something.” He smiled cheerfully at her, “You must have some fine ears to hear from up in the cabin.”

“They work well enough.”

She was too focused on the cut on the man's head to notice a woman slinking towards them from behind a box that sat in the bay. She heard the steps too late and a needle was driven into her neck, the liquid inside burning as it flowed into her veins.

-Line-

Aydin looked to the door to the deck, Seren should back by now. He shouldn’t be worried about Seren, she had taken a weapon with her and- he looked over to see that she hadn’t taken a com with her since none were missing.

The others were just waiting now so he could take a break and check the security system to see if she was okay. He flipped through the feed, not finding her anywhere, which was concerning in and of itself.

The door opened behind him, and feeling something was off and he grabbed a gun from the drawer beside him. It was admittedly small, an antique revolver from the 21st century that Kael had gotten him years ago.

He turned to the door aiming for the person in the doorway.

“Careful now,” Her voice was silken and could have been calm if not for the fact that she was holding Seren by the arm, the grip elevating the blond enough for him to see her face, the young woman was on the ground blood dripping down her chin. The older woman was well built, tall and graceful in a deadly way that reminded him of Atalante on her most dangerous days. “Wouldn’t want to kill the only one who can save her.”

He was sure that Errapel could fix whatever was wrong with Seren, but he would need to get her back on the ship for that. Seren gave a shuttering cough, more blood leaking from her mouth with the sound.

“What do you want?”

The older woman smiled and it sent chills down his spine. She unnerved him in a way he wasn't used too, through that might have something to do with his daughter possibly dying in her clutches. She looked small on the floor, almost lifeless.

“Easy Mr.Tilki. Come with me and when we get to where we need to be, I’ll give her the antidote.”

He pulled back the hammer on the revolver, he trusted that Errapel could save her.

“Or I can just open her throat here, either one can be done.”

He lowered the revolver before tossing it away.

“What a good choice!” She said with fake cheer. She pulled Seren fully upright even as the blond was visibly weak.

“Let me carry her.”

A cruel laugh was his answer as the dark-haired woman dragged her down the halls to the small ship they had for when a group went planetside while the main ship stayed in orbit. He wished they had done that this time. The woman cruelly threw Seren onto the floor of the ship, beside the pilot's chair. On his way in, he hit a panic button on the status pad, it was silent to them but he knew it would sound on Kael and Atalante’s handheld comms.

They wouldn’t be able to stop the small ship leaving but it would give them more time than if they simply came back to them gone.

“You might want to watch your friend, make sure she doesn’t drown in her blood. It’d be a pity if she dies before we can get there.”

He pulled Seren to him, blood still leaking down her chin. He unbuttoned his shirt rolling it up to place it under her head, hoping to give her some comfort. The ship was cold made worse by the fact that he was just in his undershirt now. He gently started to smooth her hair n a gester of comfort.

-Line-

If he had to hear Talbot bitch about being bored one more time he was going to throw the pilot off the damn roof. Seren’s fondness for him be damned, plus it’s not a long drop he’d be bruised but not broken.

“I told you that you could go with Red and Dormouse to get medical supplies. You said you wanted to help us case out the warehouse. “

“I didn’t realize it would literally be us sitting on a roof while March goes in as a cat.”

“Don’t let her hear you call her that.” Carisa teased.

His and Atalante’s handhelds went off, a shrill sound that could have gotten the Noctis caught had she had it. It was the panic button in the Intrepid.

“Go get the others, I’m going to get March out of there, we’ll meet you in the ship.”

The woman met him outside in her second form, she must have heard the ring from inside. Those fucking ears were ridiculous.

She mewled at him, “The others took the car, so we’ll take the bike.” He opened the bag he had with him. She wouldn't have clothes when she turned back and it would be less eye-catching for him to have a ’cat’ in his bag than a naked woman on the bike.

She wrinkled her nose but leaped in. “Sorry ‘Lante.” He took off, roaring down the back roads to the forest that held the ship in hiding.

The docking bay was open and the grass had been disturbed, evidence that a ship had taken off.

Atalante jumped out of the bag rushing into the ship, he himself not far behind. He came onto his team in the empty bay, blood on the floor and a syringe there as well.

Atalante sniffed at the syringe before hissing, smelling at the blood next. Her hackles raising, the blood belongs to one of their own. She traced the trail as Errapel picked up the syringe, “I’ll go analyze this and see what it is.”

He followed Atalante to the deck of the ship tail ridged and ears flat back against her head, she had turned back to her primary form and had Seren’s coat in her hands, tightly gripping the signature item, the wing embroidered on one side bright in the light.

“It’s her’s.”

The blood. He looked to see another small puddle, across from it the revolver he had gifted to Aydin. He took off his own coat draping it over the Noctis.

Someone had taken them, had come into their home and kidnapped his child and oldest friend.

“I’ll rip them apart,” Atalante growled.

He could only agree with her as he pulled up the video feeds. Starting at the time that the alert had sounded. He saw Sereen being dragged, limp, into the smaller ship with Aydin following behind, they watched backward as the events unfolded, once the woman even looked directly into a camera. Cocky fucker. Finally, they reached the start and found the mechanic that had lured and distracted Seren, and had more than likely had let the kidnapper on board.

“Zir, get your ass up here and run this image through every database you can find, I don't care if you have to hack into anything just get me a name.” He called over the speaker system in the ship before storming off to check if Errapel got anything.

“ ‘Lante? Clothes!” he called over his shoulder as he left.

-Line-

Aydin held Seren to his side the room they were in was suspiciously nice. Seren was almost dead cold against him and it was increasingly worrying him.

The woman from the ship came in a small bag under her arm. He recognized the man that walked in behind her. Alyen Nevil, a consistent thorn in their side. He seemed to keep showing up whenever things went wrong.

So the woman worked for Alyen. “As promised.” She picked up Seren’s arm rolling up the sleeve of her shirt, drawing blood finally moving on to administer what he hoped, god damn he hoped, was an antidote.

“Give it ten minutes and she’ll mostly recover. She’ll be weak but she won't die.” The woman put her arm down but didn’t leave merely standing beside the opulent chair across from the couch.

He jolted away from fingers that reached for his chin, “You are rather handsome.” Alyen smiled reaching next for Seren, no way was Aydin going to let that pass. He grabbed the man’s hand before it made contact.

“Don’t touch her.”

“She is a beauty, reminds me of a girl stolen from my ownership four years ago,” The man continued as if Aydin hadn’t said anything.

This man, this monster, had been in control of Seren’s contract when they saved her from the mines. “You’ll both fetch a great price at auction unless Kael can rescue you in time.”

The way Alyen said Kael’s name, wrapped around it with hate and perversion, with the familiarity of lovers but the venom of a man excited to torment him made Aydin want to tear the man's tongue out.

“Ifig.”

The woman opened the case and set a canister down which released a nauseously sweet smell, he heard a lock activate and the last bit off sentence as his consciousness slipped away.

“Keres will get them ready, you finished the drug?”

-line-

It had taken one positive I.D., a favor call-in to Ewing and two days to find the mansion that Alyen was hiding out in.

He walked in alone the others scattered around the mansion's grounds, a red-haired, man greeted him at the door.

“We’ve been waiting for you.” He was searched for weapons, patted down before the man smiled. “Follow me, please.”

He was lead down the hall into what looked like a brothel, giving him an uneasy feeling. He’d seen a fair amount of brothels, and brothel auction houses. He knew that Alyen ran slave brothels. This didn’t bode well.

Kael saw a screen, an advertisement for auction, and it made his blood boil.

An unknown man and woman surrounded Aydin, one against his back one on his lap, who was dressed down in tight pants, his hair down and messy in a way Aydin would hate. They were caressing the man, who was flushed, a familiar sight that Kael still held in his mind from when they shared a bed. While Aydin would move away it was like he couldn’t bring himself to break away as the women's nail scraped down his chest and the man’s hands slipped into his pants.

The redhead tried to pull Kael away but he refused to budge.

“Now, now you mustn’t be late.” The man whispered into his ear, too close for his comfort.

They passed booths with people in various states of undress, a stage for the eventual auction. When they came to a curtained section the shadow letting him see that there were three people behind it. The redhead opened the curtain, he walked to the edge of the round bed, the redhead passed him to stand by Aleyn.

If the screen set his blood on fire what he saw made his heart stop, made him freeze. Aydin still wasn’t wearing a shirt, the button on his pants was undone and they wear hanging low on his hips. There were silver bands on his arms and one around his neck. Aleyn was just finishing devouring the man’s mouth.

He ran a hand up Seren’s back, she was more dressed than Aydin or at least more covered, lace and silk wrapped around her body, hiding only the most private parts, the rest of her body on display, her hair was done in curls with gold and jewels decorating the rest of her body. She arched up against Aleyn as he pulled her into a filthy kiss, nearly pulling the woman into his lap. Running his hand up her back. He broke the kiss guiding her down to lay on her back.

Neither of them looked like they were truly present in the moment. Aydin looked less out of it than Seren did.

“Ah, Kael.” Aleyn had the nerve to smile like they were old friends.

“I was testing the new merchandise. Both the new ‘aphrodisiac’” Fucker even used air quotes, “And the two test subjects. Though this one-” He pet Seren’s hair in a mock paternal fashion, “isn’t new. After all, I’ve had her contract in my possession for ten years so I’m within my right to just keep her as my personal… attendant.” He ran one of his hands up Seren’s chest, while the other hand traced down Aydin’s back each hand stopping in clearly possive, in Aydin’s case the small of his back, or deadly in Seren’s case a hand around her neck, which she disturbingly arched into.

“Maybe I’ll keep them both, you have fantastic tastes in near-human forms.”

He had the urge to lunge forward to tear him apart, both for his actions and what the other was implying but was stopped by Aleyn holding Seren’s knife to Aydin’s neck.

“I’m joking, of course, I already have someone to warm my bed. But I knew taking these two would bring you to me. I wanted to meet you, see you outside of your role as captain of that pathetic crew you keep.”

Zir and Carisa needed to hurry up with those explosives.

“Oh, one last thing.” He stood up pushing Seren onto Aydin who seems to have recovered enough of himself to pull her into a hold shielding her body with his. “Your family is still looking for you, though this time it's for your head on a platter.”

He caressed Kael’s face the touch making his skin crawl. “Call off your crew and I’ll let you leave with these two.”

“Give me Seren’s contract.” He demanded.

“You’ll have to buy it from me, buy her from me, this is me letting you … borrow the girl, now leave now or I’ll sell your whole crew. The android’s part will go for a pretty penny, the Noctis I could sell back to the Lumar group.”

“Guys, lets pack it up, I’ll need help getting these two back to the ship.” He relayed as he shoved passed Aleyn, picking up Seren, “Aydin, can you walk?”

“Maybe,” His voice was rough with disuse, at least Kael hoped it was only from disuse. “ ‘Lante here?”

“Your crew is at the entrance. Keres will help you to the door.”

Kael knew this was far from over. He would end the other man. But for now, Seren and Aydin need medical attention or at least a place to let whatever Aleyn gave them to work its way through their system.

His crew, his real family, being safe is what mattered now. He could destroy the other man once that was done.

#writing #mod-paige #modpaige #tw: violence #Tw:drugging #Tw: slavery #Tw:kiddnapping

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