Tumgik
#bud harper
slovenlyrecordings · 1 year
Text
GREETINGS, SLOBS.
How ya been? Got some Record Store Day money left over? Blow it here! The new CHEATER SLICKS “Ill Fated Cusses” LP is here. Never has a band been so consistently radical, and this album is everything you hoped it would be: crunchy, noisy, dark, and demented with the underlying beauty they’ve always blessed us hopeless freaks with. Jeff from TOMMY and the COMMIES has his latest solo STRANGE ATTRACTOR effort making a Slovenly mail order appearance, and we gotta say, garage punk don’t get much better! Power-pop yer bag? Then grab the two new archival releases from Hunstville, Bamalama’s finest NIGHTMARE BOYZZZ (an LP and a 7inch!) and make sure to scoop their classic Slovenly long-player “Bad Patterns” while you're at it. If you’re hoping to expand your narrow r’n’r tastes, the new “Four” double LP from HEAVY METAL foots the bill nicely. Some great new 45rpm repros are also making the scene to help you get your dance parties started right and raw. We got lots of ‘em and you won’t be finding originals in dollar bins any time soon.
Tumblr media
NEW ARRIVALS!
NIGHTMARE BOYZZZ" Singled Out: 2010-2014" (COKE BOTTLE CLEAR) LP
NIGHTMARE BOYZZZ "Say What You Mean / Backyard Coffins" 7"
HEAVY METAL "IV: Counter Electrode Iron Mono" (2xLP)
COLOURED BALLS "Ball Power" LP
TEMBO, CHRISSY ZEBBY & NGOZI FAMILY "My Ancestors" LP
MISFITS "Cuts From The Crypt" (Random colored vinyl) LP
MISFITS "Cuts From The Crypt" LP (Black vinyl)
RAMONES "Rocket To Russia" LP
RAMONES "S/T" LP
RAMONES "Road To Ruin" LP
RAMONES "Blitzkrieg '76" LP
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Slow Grind Fever Vol. 11" LP
VARIOUS ARTISTS "For Dancers Only - Primal Beats From The Basement" LP
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Born To Hula! - An Exotic Trip To The Land Of 1,000 Dances" (2xLP) (ORANGE vinyl)
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Rockin' 'n' Boppn' With DJ Rudy (A Rockin' Party Of Dancefloor Fillers)" (2xLP)
JIMMY NOLEN "I Can't Stand You No More" 7"
BUD HARPER "Wherever You Were / Mr Soul" 7"
DORIE WILLIAMS "Your Turn To Cry / Tell Me Everything You Know" 7"
KENNY & MOE "So Long - I'm Gone / Double Talk Baby" 7"
RUBY JOHNSON "What Goes Up Must Come Down / I Want A Real Man" 7"
EMPERORS "Karate" 7"
EDDIE BO "Every Dog Got His Day / Tell It Like It Is" 7"
BIG MAYBELLE "96 Tears / That's Life" 7"
BILL & WILL "Goin' To The River" 7"
COOK, RONNIE "The Goo Goo Muck/ The Scotch" 7"
"BIG" AL DOWNING "Georgia Slop" 7"
GAY POPPERS "I Want To Know / I've Got It" 7"
IDEALS "Go Get A Wig" 7"
LEE MOSES "Bad Girl Part 1 / Bad Girl Part 2" 7"
TABBY THOMAS "MMMMM I Don't Care/ Tomorrow" 7"
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Rat-A-Ma-Cue EXOTIC BLUES & RHYTHM Vol. 14" 10"
EARL CONNELLY "Every Whicha Kinda Way" 7"
COOKIE JACKSON "Do You Still Love Me" 7"
PROFILES "The Watusi Wobble / Take A Giant Step (Walk On)" 7"
2 notes · View notes
capsource · 21 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Fallout Season 1
Available for anyone who wants to use them, no credit needed but super appreciated. All these caps are 3840x1600. Some of the characters have sub folders to divvy up the caps into more manageable downloads, but if there are any issues, please feel free to let me know!
In this folder, you will find: Barb Howard | Barv | Benjamin | Betty Pearson | Birdie | Bud Askins | Burt Harper | Charles Whiteknife | Chet | Cooper Howard | CX404 | Dane | Davey | Hank MacLean | Janey Howard | Lee Moldaver | Lucy MacLean | Ma June | Maximus | Monty | Norman MacLean | Quintus | Reg McPhee | Rose MacLean | Sebastian Leslie | Siggi Wilzig | Snake Oil Salesman | Stephanie Harper | Thaddeus | Titus | Woody Thomas
Folder can be found [ here ] Buy me a [ ko-fi ] if you’d like!
74 notes · View notes
brutalrules · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
PHILLIES LOCKERROOM BUDWEISER SHOWERS
9 notes · View notes
greenwitching · 1 year
Text
george has been sleeping on top of my dresser and I've been worried about him being cold/uncomfortable up there because it's just wood, but every time I put a bed or a blanket up there for him, he just pushes it off bc he's y'know... a cat
2 notes · View notes
hoppinkiss · 1 year
Text
SH.EPARD IS SO SASSY IN THIS DLC OMG
5 notes · View notes
yandere-daydreams · 6 months
Text
tw - stalking, unhealthy relationships, mentions of masturbation, obsessive behavior, and medical malpractice galore.
Harper is the kind of man who can't help but study what he loves.
It's a bad habit - an unfortunate combination of natural curiosity and burning academic passion that always seems to end with a mess and a few broken toys. A childhood fascination with insects might lead to shoeboxes full of tattered wings and twitching bodies. A passing interest in hemogobular coagulation would be poured into a university internship that gave him access to more pints of blood than he knew what to do with, despite his best attempts to put it all to good use. A lasting fondness for hypnosis could, theoretically, earn him a small collection of pocket watches, a soothing timbre that often played underneath his passive speaking voice, and a few asylum patients too far gone to ever truly recover.
His research wasn't always destructive, but it could be. His love tended to veer towards obsession; the kind of burning infatuations that could leave more than a little devastation in its wake, if he wasn't careful. A measured amount of collateral damage was acceptable, compared to the alternative.
He studies you, too. Idly, at first - nothing more than an intrusive thought allowed to fester during your all-too-infrequent appointments, a quick jolt of excitement when he noticed your name on his schedule - then more consciously, in the form of an extra question asked at the very end of his time with you, a note tacked onto your file that doesn't strictly have to do with your health. His chances for observation are limited. You rarely make it to your therapy sessions, no matter how often he insists you should see him, and you're sturdier than he'd like, too used to being thrown around and mistreated to come running to him every time you scrape your knees. That's something he decides he doesn't like about you fairly early on. Part of a case study is deciding which parts of your subject will need to be adapted, and even you aren't beyond correction.
He records your reactions to his mis-prescribed medication with a religious sort of zealousness, reviews your symptoms and lab results while fucking his fist in-time with your pulse. He makes sure to visit your bedside personally whenever you find your way into his emergency room, and you're rewarded for your newfound attentiveness with a healthy supply of shots that leave you too removed from reality to remember your time on his examination table. Harper's always preferred the written word, but he find himself with a budding appreciation for film during his nightly evaluation of your records. His memory is keen enough, but there's nothing quite like being able to study your body detail by detail whenever he isn't fortunate enough to have access to the real thing.
He thinks, as he watches a pair of his nurses drag you through the asylum doors, that it might be time to start the next leg of his study. Studying is useful, but you've always benefited from more proactive measures, more personal attention. It'd be a discredit to his occupation if he was too preoccupied with his own little pleasures to see to the needs of his favorite patient.
It's far past time he moved on to more hands-on research methods, when it comes to you.
721 notes · View notes
superiorgoobus · 1 year
Text
Batfam as shit my friends say/do
Tim: if I was running on ice, I'd wear grippy socks
Jason: yeah it would make sense that you have grippy socks
Tim: .... fuck you
-
Jason: *trying to send a text* goddamn I can't type shit, my fingers are so cold
Steph: sounds like a you problem bud
Jason: it's gonna be a you problem when I throw your ass in a snowbank
-
Dick: haha that looks like a dildo
Duke: must you say that about every cylindrical rubber object you see?
Dick: yes.
-
Steph: hey, did I mention I hate that guy?
Cass: only fifteen times today.
-
Tim, sleep deprived: it would appear as though I have holes in my pants.
Damian: tt. those are ripped jeans. You bought them that way.
-
Dick: that guys phone is really long... and thin... just like a penis...
Duke: I am going to end you.
-
Harper: *at a Gotham knights game* IM BLIND! IM DEAF! I WANNA BE A REF!
-
Jason: I still can't fucking type...
Steph: you know what that is?
Jason: if you say-
Steph: that's a you problem bud
Jason: every time you say that it makes me more and more pissed off.
Steph: if it makes you feel better, I once said that to a guy who said if I broke up with him he's kill himself. I also told him I didn't give a shit if he died.
Jason: that is hilarious.
-
Bruce: dear god I don't want to go outside.
Clark: we're at a hockey game. You had to go outside to get here.
Bruce: well I don't want to do it again.
-
Steph: I can't believe it's -25 out, and some people showed up to class wearing just sweatshirt and jeans. This is Gotham University, no one thinks you're cool, just a dumbass.
-
Tim: *starts an argument with Kon over yikyak despite the fact they're sitting on the same couch*
-
Steph: so then my girlfriend at the time said-
Tim: you know, I probably wouldn't have hooked up with you if I knew you were a lesbian.
Steph: ... I'm not a lesbian. I'm bisexual.
Tim: oh.
-
Damian: where is my knife... I can't find my knife...
Dick: you know scissors would be way more affective for what you're trying to do, right?
Damian: yes but for aesthetic purposes I want to use a knife.
-
Tim: *mixing an alcoholic drink with blue in it*
Bernard: damn, Tim trynna kill with windex over here
-
Dick: I can't believe no one told me there was a new season of Letterkenny out!!!
Jason: hey guess what?
Dick: what
Jason: there's a new season of letterkenny out
Dick: fuck you
-
Steph: hey, zip tie my hands so I can try to get out.
Cass: no, why would I-
Harper: oh fuck yeah
Steph: *cuts her hand trying to escape the zip ties* oh, dude, look! Now I look cool!
-
Cass: *is wearing a sport bra while exercising*
Steph: Cass!!! Stop being naked every time I see you!!
Cass: ???
-
Tim: *sends Bernard a Snapchat using the peach emoji filter*
Bernard: oh my god... the booty emoji...
-
Kate: *has a sign on her office wall that says "all things are possible through sarcasm and profanity." *
-
Tim: *snaps Steph a picture of a drink with an ingredient he's allergic to in it* the urge to drink this to see if it kills me it outrageous
-
Jason: would you like a cake pop?
Damian: a cake... a what?
Jason: a cake pop?
Damian: what on earth is a cake pop?
Jason: DICK NEVER BOUGHT YOU A CAKEPOP? We are resolving this problem today. Get in the Batmobile, we're going to Starbucks and buying you a dozen cake pops.
Damian: you still haven't told me what a cake pop is.
Jason: imagine a lollipop, but cake. And spherical.
Damian: spherical cake?
Jason: yes, spherical cake.
Damian: ... how...
Jason: get your ass in the car and I'll show you how.
576 notes · View notes
princess-leaorgana · 1 month
Text
What Tieflings Do Chpt. 1
Tumblr media
Summary: After the takedown of The Absolute, Zelphie finds her city in need of more help and her home destroyed. She won't stop top help, but who can help her?
Rolan x Tav (Zelphie; ~30y.o AFAB, Sorcerer, Tiefling, not really described physically on purpose <3)
M/F
Author's Note: I fucking love tielfings. Along with this being a budding romance/smut/fluff/word vomit fanfiction, it's also my case study in DnD 5e tieflings, how they act, what sets them apart from humans and devils and elves. That being said, I have a few artist liberties in here as well where I couldn't find a straight answer, if you'll amuse me.
Mild trigger warnings - There will be smut in future chapters, but this chapter mentions injury and my hyperfixation on tieflings being carnivores. Also spoilers to the game! If you read my work and find anything else that puts you off, please tell me! <3
‘It seems as though the worst is not yet behind us,’ Jaheira said, sarcasm in her voice. Zelphie laughed at the half-elf and sighed.
‘But surely, we can be awarded a little relaxation until the morning,’ the tiefling suggested and Jaheira smirked.
‘Maybe you will relax, but I must go home, to my litter,’ she said and Zelphie chuckled.
‘Oh, I do wish I could help you with all of that,’ Zelphie responded sarcastically. Jaheira couldn’t hold back her laugh. Zelphie smiled at the older woman. She was always so self deprecating about her age, but Zelphie thought she was beautiful and always thought her so strong. To meet Jaheira, the hero of Baldur’s Gate, now twice so, was so exciting for Zelphie. She had grown up hearing stories of the Druid Jaheira, High Harper. Jaheira was everything Zelphie had been expecting and so much more. Zelphie was very happy to call her a companion, a neighbor in fact. The two looked at each other for a moment, the last two in Baldur’s Gate, well, for now. Shadowheart, Halsin, Lae’zel, Gale, Karlach and Wyll had all left. Jaheira, Zelphie and Astarion were left in Baldur’s Gate, the vampire had run off to the shadows, Jaheira and Zelphie remained. What did one say to a companion one had faced the end of the world with? 
‘I assume you have your own family to return to, little cub,’ Jaheira said and Zelphie smirked. Zelphie knew that Jaheira knew better than that. An adult tiefling in Baldur’s Gate, with a full family? Unheard of. The sorcerer had been on her own since she was a child. Not a lot of tieflings had the love of their parents. ‘You know where to find me, please keep close by, yes?’ She asked and Zelphie nodded and hugged Jaheira. Jaheira was so lithe, it was a wonder how she was so strong, Mother Nature was on her side. Jaheira hugged her tightly. ‘Careful with those,’ she said as she loosened the hug and pulled on Zelphie’s right horn. ‘And come find me when you have the strength to help us rebuild, we’ll need you.’
Zelphie headed out to the lower city, praying to any god that was paying attention to her that the small space she had been living in was still standing. The gods would not favor her, however. Her bungalow was dust amongst the streets of Baldur’s Gate. She was half expecting it. But where was she to go? She would kill to take a bath. To continue walking these streets, watching the dead being carted off, the rubble, confused children abandoned, it hurt Zelphie’s heart. There was no bath or bed for her, she would make some use of her time. On her way back to the Elfsong Tavern, she helped where she could. She made use of her volatile magic and helped push large chunks of rubble out of the way so the street could be a little clear for transportation once more. There was a lot to do everywhere, but the park near the lower city’s central wall was a hazard. Zelphie pushed herself to her limits, and twilight was making the work hard. She began her journey to the tavern, hoping for at least a roof to sleep under. 
‘Oi! Hero! I can’t believe you’re alive!’ A familiar voice called from the fountain in front of Sorcerer’s Sundries. Zelphie smiled and looked towards the voice. The tiefling population in Baldur’s Gate had grown tenfold since the scourge of The Absolute took hold. Zelphie couldn’t be happier about it. A lot of Baldurians weren’t very happy about them, not only were they refugees, sucking up precious resources, but tieflings had never had a great reputation. Hellspawn, Devil Bastards, Brighteyes, Gargoyles, a few of the many choice words Zelphie had been called in her lifetime. No one could look past their dark ancestry. Zelphie couldn’t tell a soul how far back her familial line went to the Archdevil Asmodeus, but that was all a stranger would see when they looked at her red skin, her glowing red eyes, or her long and sharp horns. How could she blame some people? What was worse than a devil? After these last few months, Zelphie would have to argue that there was nothing worse than a devil. But Baldur’s Gate would have to get used to being overrun by hellspawn, because they were certainly here to stay, and Zelphie was very happy to see this one in particular. Lia, a tiefling she had met at the Emerald Grove at the beginning of her adventure, was sitting on a pile of rubble outside of her brother’s new property, Sorcerer’s Sundries and the illustrious Ramazith’s Tower. She was waving her arm happily and Zelphie grinned and walked over to her friend.
‘Gods Lia! You’re alright! When I saw the state of the tower, I wasn’t so confident,’ she said happily as Lia lept from her seat. Lia hugged her friend tight, which was incredibly painful for poor sore Zelphie, but she hugged Lia back happily.
‘The outside of it is rather brutal, but from the inside, it’s as if nothing happened at all,’ she said cheerfully. ‘You look a little worse for wear though,’ she said and tilted her head and Zelphie sighed.
‘Please tell me I don’t look half bad for a girl who defeated an Elder Brain,’ Zelphie tried to sound positive. Worse for wear was quite a nice way of putting it. ‘I’m hoping there is one last bed in the tavern for me….my…my place wasn’t as lucky as the tower, I’m afraid.’ Lia frowned and shook her head.
‘Oh, Zelphie, I’m so sorry. I feel so guilty, watching all of these people lose their homes, I certainly know what that feels like. Come on inside, would you? Have a bath and something to eat. There’s a bed in there for you,’ she said and Zelphie frowned. Sleeping in a wizard’s tower was certainly much more preferable than an overcrowded tavern, but Lia and her siblings had just reunited. Zelphie did not want to push in as a beggar off of the street.
‘Lia, I couldn’t. The last thing you three need-’
‘Please shut up and come inside, gods dammit. After saving the city, maybe the whole world, you absolutely deserve to rest your head on a plush pillow,’ Lia interrupted, stubborn as Zelphie had ever heard her speak. Lia wore her emotions on her sleeves, she was bold and she was stubborn. Zelphie and her weren’t exactly close, but every argument she ever heard Lia participate in, she always won.
‘Fine, thank you, Lia. Thank you so much,’ she said and Lia walked her inside. The storefront of the building was as busy as it had been, but for a completely different reason. The normal store had turned itself into a place of healing, it seemed. Beds were brought in and tables were used as beds to comfort the needy. Zelphie walked past clerics healing the hurt and she looked at Lia. ‘Give three orphaned refugees a little land and see what they do with it,’ she said and Lia beamed proudly. ‘Once I’m cleaned up, I’m sure I can be put to good use down here, whatever is needed,’ she said and Lia laughed.
‘You’re fucking ridiculous, Zelphie,’ she said and snorted, leading Zelphie upstairs. ‘You’re bruised, tattered, your brain is full of holes, you are part of the group of people who get to rest.’ Zelphie sighed at that. She was dirty, she was starving, she was exhausted. Still, life went on around her, how could she sleep and rest when there was so much to be done? ‘If you even try to lift a finger for the next twelve hours, I’ll break your legs,’ she said, her tail swaying playfully. Zelphie couldn’t help but laugh at that a little. She followed Lia up another flight of stairs to a portal. Zelphie recognized this portal, she had gone through it before. ‘Rolan changed this to only allow family inside. With the given exception to the person who saved his hide. Three times.’ Lia said and Zelphie looked at her. Rolan has made an exception for her? Surely that also included the rest of her companions, not just her. Although Zelphie was a bit biased towards the tieflings they had met on the road, she wasn’t the only one to defeat the goblin camp, to free those imprisoned at Moonrise or to put a final stop to Lorroakan’s madness.
The pair stepped through the portal, and Zelphie was once more transported to a strange level of the tower. The floors below could be seen from where she was standing, and it gave her nerves an unsettling feeling as she remembered that day. But the ‘foyer’ was much different from when she last saw it. Less clutter, every book and object clearly visible for browsing. Lorroakan had been a hoarder of knowledge, not a lover of it. Clearly Rolan was good on his word, books and scrolls and tomes were neat and tidy. There were considerably less of them, as well. No more throne of books either. Items were on full open display instead of being trapped behind locked screens. Lia led Zelphie to a small hallway and up more stairs. Three flights up, Lia finally walked through and Zelphie was terribly relieved. She was exhausted. Her arms, her legs, her tail, even her horns ached. She imagined her promise to help downstairs would not pull through. She was ready to pass out on the next flat surface she saw.
 ‘Alright, let’s see if I remember this…if I get it on the first go, you tell Rolan how talented I am,’ she said and Zelphie smirked. They stood in front of a normal brick wall. Nothing fancy about it at all.
‘As if he’d believe anything out of my mouth,’ Zelphie said and Lia laughed. The other woman looked like she would respond, but turned to a wall and knocked on it with her knuckles.
‘Epoolso,’ Lia incanted and Zelphie smiled. Lia’s brother, Rolan, was the new master of Ramazith’s Tower, he was a wizard, and like most wizards, was very eager to not only learn, but teach. Lia was not a wizard, but it was clear that Rolan was trying to teach his sister a few tricks. Her incantation wasn’t correct. Lia sighed and attempted again. Nothing, just a brick wall. ‘Well, there goes my chance at impressing a hero then,’ she muttered, crossing her arms. ‘I’ll go find Rolan,’ she said and Zelphie shook her head.
‘No, don’t bother him, I can do it. The Weave and I go way back,’ she teased and Lia smirked. Zelphie lifted her hand to the wall, giving the brick a sharp knock. ‘Pulso,’ she said quickly, and a blue light materialized around the wall in the shape of a door. Lia sighed.
‘Damned wizards always make everything look so easy,’ she said, opening the door and Zelphie laughed.
‘Do NOT call me a wizard in front of Rolan, his head will pop off,’ she said and Lia laughed.
‘Don’t tempt me,’ she said and led Zelphie through the door. Inside was a little room, a bed, a wardrobe, a desk and a small wooden bath. It wasn’t much unlike Zelphie’s actual home. It was just missing the fireplace. ‘I want to catch up with you later, but I’m sure you’re dying to scrape the illithid off of you. You probably haven't eaten yet, I’ll be back with some dinner, but relax, take a hot bath. I’ll be back in a little while, alright?’ She said and Zelphie smiled and nodded.
‘Thank you so much Lia, this is wonderful,’ she said and Lia smiled, leaving Zelphie alone to her thoughts. Zelphie turned on the taps the second the door shut and for the first time in hours, sat down on the floor. She wouldn’t put her dirty clothing on the bed. She began removing her boots. She was almost ashamed of the state of her body. Before the damned kidnapping she was never seen to have a hair out of line. Seeing her skin, smelling it, feeling it, she was going to need more than a hot bath to fix herself up. Dirt, grime, blood, viscera, bruising, cuts, all of it covered her body. She was so aware of it as her bath was running. She removed her robe next, wishing she had more than her lounge clothing to wear, as her robe deserved a proper fire burial. She peeled her pants and wrap shirt off. All the clothing became a puddle on the floor. She poked through the drawers of the wardrobe to find washcloths. She began to scrub at her skin with just water as the bath began to rise. She would make that bath a soup if she got into it now.
Once the bath was full and she had used up three cloths, she got into the tub and sighed out loudly. That might have been exactly what she needed. She would be very happy to soak her skin off here. She allowed the parts of her she couldn’t reach before to soak, dunking her head, hair and horns in the water. They were very sore, her horns. Having sore horns was a newer experience for her, but it was over now, it had to be over. The residual clean-up of the city aside, she could live as she normally did. No fear of ceremorphosis, no fear of Baahlists, doppelgangers, not even goblins. Her biggest worry now was finding a place to rest her head in the future. May Lia, Cal, and Rolan be blessed for giving her refuge for the night, she thought. Her fingers and tail played with the water a little until it became much too cloudy for her liking. She stood, giving herself one last go with a washcloth and stepped out. Now, she would be allowed to preen herself. Lotion her body, file her nails and oil her horns. Being able to take time to do this routine of hers was impossible these last months. If her preening tools had been worth any gold, they would have been sold ages ago, with most of her other possessions. Every moment awake was a moment to take advantage of. To do, to go further, to save their skins. There was a knock on the door and she quickly pulled a tunic over herself for quick cover. She walked over to the door and smiled, seeing Lia once more. The tiefling’s red eyes lit up seeing her.
‘I have never seen your skin so glowing before,’ Lia said and grinned, looking around the room a bit. ‘Oh, let me take those to the wash,’ she said, pointing at a pile in the corner of a towel, cloths and Zelphie’s clothing. Zelphie grimaced and walked over to the pile.
‘You should probably just burn them,’ she said and Lia laughed. Zelphie scooped it all in the dirty towel, which was the cleanest article and Lia took it easily.
‘I was going to bring you dinner, but me, Cal and Rolan would like you to join us. Well, Call and I want to catch up, we have so many questions, but I think Rolan just wants to show off what he’s done to the place,’ she said and Zelphie smiled.
‘Alright, let me just…’ she said and rifled through her bag, finding thick stockings to cover her legs. She followed Lia out of the room, taking a quick stop at a washing room to dump Zelphie’s soiled clothing. ‘So, the infirmary downstairs, I assume you all need help. I can help. After dinner, please put me to good use,’ she said and Lia smirked.
‘You will rest after dinner, I told you. We want to catch up. You can take a break from being the hero for one night, please. Let someone else take care of you,’ Lia said, repeating herself from earlier. ‘Besides, I’m sure you’re useless while you're so tired,’ she nudged Zelphie, who smiled. She still felt guilty, of course. She felt guilty because she did want to relax, but her heartstrings pulled as she was reminded of the chaos down on the streets. The chaos she caused. She did not argue, she hoped she would be right as rain in the morning. Then she would be able to help. Lia led her to a dining room, which was almost untasteful how ornate it was. Clearly Lorroakan’s taste still lingered in the tower. The table was very small, an assumed upgrade from the new master and his siblings. Cal and Rolan were sitting at the table, but stood when Zelphie and Lia appeared. Cal happily walked right over for a hug.
‘Oh Cal! It’s wonderful to see you in more comfortable clothing,’ Zelphie said. The ranger was clearly in need of a relax, his normal leather armor gone, a white shirt and relaxed pants it was instead. He looked like a normal person.
‘Look at you though! I didn’t know how small you were under those robes,’ he said with a happy chuckle letting her go.
‘I’m so glad you and Lia were able to get here safely, where you belong,’ she said as Rolan walked over to greet her as well.
‘Don’t give Rolan all of the credit for that, mate. He told us exactly who bumped us up on the guest list,’ Cal said and pressed a finger to his own nose playfully. Zelphie laughed and looked at Rolan. Imposing as always, in his robes, but as master of the wizard’s tower of Baldur’s Gate, it only made sense. He always had a sense of imposing about him, but right now, after everything, Rolan’s confidence was well measured. A hero of Baldur’s Gate he was.
‘Hello Rolan,’ Zelphie said and held out her arms to hug him as well. Rolan smirked and followed her lead. The hug wasn’t as warm, but about two months ago, Rolan was cussing out Zelphie for merely existing around him. She was very happy for a curt hug.
‘Hello Zelphie, I’m so glad to see you safe,’ he said honestly and Zelphie smiled.
‘Safe because of the quick learning of the new master of Ramazith’s Tower, I promise you. You’ll have to show me those cannons one day. Of course I assumed they would be powerful, but it was unbelievable the amount of damage they did to a red dragon, of all things,’ she said and Rolan’s red cheeks deepened.
‘I would be very proud to do so,’ he said and nodded to the table. The siblings and Zelphie made their way to the table and Zelphie sighed with joy. Tieflings, though very similar to humans in look and biology, had a lot of quirks. One such quirk was their diet. Zelphie did travel with Karlach, another tiefling who had a huge appetite, but her decade in the hells gave her different tastes. Zelphie swore she watched her friend eat actual dirt when it came to it. Otherwise, her companions ate like rabbits. Tieflings were carnivorous by nature, and to finally dine with a group made exclusively of Tieflings, she was very happy to see food that finally suited her diet. ‘I hope the food is to our hero’s tastes,’ Rolan said in response to her little gasp. Zelphie grinned and looked up at her hosts.
‘I’ll complain about the tadpoles and the Baahlists and the goblins and all of that until I die, but only to you three can I complain about Gale’s cooking,’ she said and the other three laughed. ‘You spend months and months with two Druids and tell me how you survive,’ she said and sighed, scooping up cooked marrow for her bowl.
‘Well, we did live in that grove for a while, I think we can understand your pain,’ Lia remarked and took a bite of her food. ‘You did have that vampire though, I’m sure he was helpful,’ she said and smirked. ‘In more ways than one, I’d like to think,’ she added and Zelphie snorted.
‘Yes, he was very giving when it came to his hunts, always very generous with the blood he caught,’ she said sarcastically and Cal looked at her. The truth was the opposite. Although a tiefling could live off of blood like a vampire, vampires had an insatiable hunger for it. Astarion did not like to share his kills.
‘Did he ever…bite any of you?’ Cal asked and Zelphie looked at him.
‘Oh yes, I trained him well. Always just enough to make him happy.’ Cal went deep red in the neck and Lia smiled at her brother.
‘Does it hurt?’ He asked curiously and Zelphie was about to answer but Rolan jumped in.
‘You let that vampire bite you?’ He asked her and she nodded.
‘Yes…honestly…at the time, we had all just landed from the kidnapping and I was desperate. I know it sounds delusional, but I was very happy to have a vampire fighting alongside me. I would do anything to make him more powerful,’ she said and shrugged. Rolan raised an eyebrow at her. There was the judgment in his face she was more used to. ‘If you think that sounds stupid, I’d love to tell you the truth about Gale,’ she said with a laugh and took a bite of dinner and sighed happily.
‘Gale, the wizard? Oh you can tell me whatever you’d like about him,’ Lia said and sighed.
‘Lia, please behave,’ Rolan said and Zelphie giggled.
‘I know you three had your own dangers, I used to wish you would join us, but I’m now thinking how productive we would have been if you had,’ Zelphie said with a smirk. That would have been fun, watching Cal shyly flirt with Astarion and Lia boldly flirt with Gale. Gale wouldn’t have a clue what hit him.
‘Probably not very. I wish we would have been more help, but Rolan insisted without our own tadpoles, we might have held you back,’ Cal said and Zelphie shrugged.
‘In some instances, Rolan’s correct. Halsin and Jaheira could not come to Moonrise Towers without alerting suspicion. Although, that might have to do with them knowing Ketheric to begin with,’ she said and looked at Rolan, who was just looking back at her. ‘If it weren’t for the chance that we were tadpoled, we wouldn’t have been able to save you two or Danis or Lakrissa,’ she said, speaking to Lia and Cal, but still looking at Rolan. He had been so frustrated that he had failed trying to save his sister and brother, where Zelphie had succeeded. But he had to know, without her gods damned tadpole, she would have failed as well.
‘May the tadpole be blessed,’ Lia said and Zelphie looked at her with a smile. ‘But…do you still have it?’ She asked and Zelphie shook her head.
‘No, it was part of the last command to the elder brain, destroy all illithids, destroy self. Halsin was able to confirm they were gone,’ she explained and smiled. ‘Which is lovely for many reasons, but more so because my powers are back to what they were before the tadpole. Which means I can help downstairs and in the city. What do you need?’ She asked and Lia frowned.
‘Zelphie, we want you to relax,’ she insisted, but once more, Rolan spoke quickly. 
‘What would your talents be able to help with?’ He asked and Zelphie smiled.
‘A few things. I can cauterize and heal superficial wounds, though I’m sure you’ve caught most of those. And I have very powerful mending talents. Broken legs, broken anything. Even with the tower or store itself. My mage hand as well,’ she said and lifted her right hand, a blue one easily flowing out of it. It flew over to an end table in the corner of the large room and lifted it gently. ‘It’s very strong, please tell me what I can do,’ she said and Rolan watched her carefully.
‘We could really use it, thank you,’ he told her and Zelphie smiled. ‘I’ll meet you in the morning, we'll go over a plan,’ he said and Zelphie nodded, very happy to be of use. Zelphie’s tail lifted and swished slowly and happily, content that she wouldn’t just take advantage of her friend’s hospitality. She knew Rolan would be logical about this.
‘Rolan, we talked about this, we can’t ask the hero of Baldur’s Gate to do-‘ Cal began and Rolan’s eye contact with Zelphie shifted to his brother. He held up a hand and shook his head.
‘You are right, we can’t, but we won’t refuse her request, either,’ he insisted. ‘Whatever she wants, she’ll have,’ he finished and Lia chuckled and took a bite of her dinner. Rolan went a little red and shot his sister with an annoyed look.
‘So, how has it been here? I imagine you three haven’t even found every nook and cranny this tower has to offer,’ Zelphie asked to move the subject away.
‘Cal went through a strange portal and was lost for three hours,’ Lia said and Cal laughed.
‘Yeah, but if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t have found those scrolls Rolan needed for the cannons, I say well worth the struggle,’ he said, still laughing.
‘Yes, and you managed to piss if that djinni, which makes that part of the tower impossible to traverse through, you have my thanks, muttonhead,’ Rolan said and Zelphie giggled.
‘A djinni? Hopefully you didn’t free him,’ she said and Lia laughed.
‘Free? I’m not entirely sure, but he is long gone.’ Zelphie gasped, knowing that absolutely meant the djinni was free and causing havoc somewhere.
‘Another reason I regret allowing either of you to live here, I’m hoping a talented sorceress will prove to be much more careful as a housemate,’ Rolan said and Zelphie felt her tail swish a little more enthusiastically. Well, that felt nice, another little compliment from Rolan.
‘Thank you again, for letting me stay here for the night. I hate to be a pest, once I’m settled again, I’ll be out of your hair and find a way to pay you,’ Zelphie assured and Cal snorted.
‘Pay us? Come on Zelphie, this is our way of repaying you! How many times did she save our skins? Never mind the whole world saving bit, you’ve saved me Lia and Rolan personally more times than we deserve. Please, letting you sleep in that little room is the least we can do,’ he insisted and Rolan looked at Lia.
‘Little room? Where did you put Zelphie?’ He asked his sister.
‘One of the guest rooms on the second floor, I wasn’t sure where you would be comfortable,’ she answered and shrugged. Rolan shook his head and lifted a glass of wine.
‘No, we’ll have you move up to our floor. You’ll love it, the scenes from the balconies are beautiful. Well, they will be once the destruction is taken care of, of course.’ Rolan sipped his wine and Zelphie went a bit red.
‘I’m fine in the little room, besides, it’s just the one night, no need to fuss,’ she said and Lia looked at her.
‘What do you mean one night? Where are you off to? Aren’t you from Baldur’s Gate?’ She asked and Zelphie shrugged.
‘I can’t stay here forever, surely there is a place for me somewhere. Maybe near Cloakwood,’ she said and shrugged.
‘Your place is here,’ Rolan insisted. ‘Unless you are uncomfortable here, of course,’ he added quickly and Lia nodded, reaching over the table for Zelphie’s hand.
‘Please stay with us,’ she said softly.
That was that. Ramazith’s Tower of Baldur’s Gate was now owned by the tieflings. Zelphie would earn her place with the siblings and they would insist she didn’t need to. She already had and they were happy to have her. She listened to the three bicker and tease each other for the rest of dinner and once the food was happily finished, Rolan asked for a moment alone with Zelphie. He led her to a sitting area and was very earnest in his speech. Zelphie sat next to him on a large red sofa and he poured them more wine.
‘I wanted to thank you, personally. This isn’t easy for me to do, so I will apologize early on if I’m…clunky,’ he said and lifted his glass of sweet wine to his lips. Zelphie sipped her wine along with him, her head already a little spinny from dinner. Good food and quality wine was exactly what she needed.
‘Just you not being angry with me is thanks enough,’ she said, playful in her tone. Rolan hummed happily and shook his head.
‘I guess we can both say confidently which one of us deals with stress better,’ he said and smirked into his wine glass. ‘I will also apologize for my previous behavior. I really hope I can make that up to you. I can’t imagine why you would still consider myself worthy of your friendship,’ he said and nodded.
‘Please don’t apologize, Rolan. If I had siblings or any family out there, I’m sure I would have acted the same as you,’ she said and placed her hand on his. He looked down at her hand and then her face and placed his goblet down on a table in front of the sofa.
‘You don’t have any family?’ He asked her honestly and she shook her head.
‘No, I don’t even really remember what happened to them. I was around five, I went to bed one night and woke up in a hostel. All the woman who owned the place said to me was that my parents were gone. It hurt, but I don’t think a lot of our kind can’t empathize with that story,’ she told him honestly and she watched him chew on his bottom lip. ‘But it made me who I am today. I’m lucky I was born with magic in my veins. I might not have survived otherwise, it sounds a little backwards but I’ve always considered myself very lucky.’ Rolan’s yellow eyes read her face for a moment and placed his hands on his knees, preparing himself for something.
‘Could I trust you with something?’ He asked her, his voice a little softer than normal. Zelphie tilted her head, but nodded.
‘Of course Rolan,’ she told him and he sighed out.
‘No one knows this, besides Cal and Lia, of course but…’ he reached for his goblet and faltered. He placed his reaching hand back to his knee. ‘You and I share a similar story, I-uhm,’ he started, but Zelphie would not interrupt him. She wasn’t exactly sure where this was going. Had their parents also been lost? Murdered? Kidnapped? ‘My whole family…they were rounded up when I was ten years old. I ran and hid in a closet, my mother told me to hide. Like you, I still don’t know what happened. I uhm…I met Cal and Lia’s mother soon after that,’ he began and Zelphie’s brows furrowed.
‘You…met…?’ She asked and Rolan looked at her and he nodded.
‘Lia and Cal aren’t really my siblings. My true siblings are dead,’ he said plainly, but there was a quiver in his throat. ‘But their mother took me in…they are all I have, they were so easy to call me their big brother when we were children, I just…we never let that go,’ he said and Zelphie’s heart broke. She couldn’t help it. Even though this tragedy had happened to Rolan maybe two decades ago, she reached over and hugged him. He hugged her back and she felt his tail curl around her waist.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said softly and he shook his head but did not let her go.
‘No, I’m sorry for you, you didn’t get a Cal or Lia. I’m the lucky one here, my dear,’ he told her softly. ‘Which…for many many reasons is why I’d like you to stay,’ he said and the hug ended. Zelphie sighed at him and tilted her head. ‘You need family. We tieflings are strong, but together we are stronger. We work better as a community. Besides the fact that without you the three of us would have died four or five times over, you deserve a family as well, Zelphie. Please, let us give you that,’ he said with such earnestness that Zelphie felt her nose twinge. That was very kind of Rolan. Zelphie had always adored the three siblings, she was always jealous of their relationship and wanted more than anything for them to be together and happy. How could she turn down such a sweet offer? ‘Please, Cal and Lia mean the world to me. If anything had happened to them at Moonrise, I wouldn’t be here. I owe their lives to you. And if you did not save me, make me see what kind of master Lorroakan was, Cal and Lia wouldn’t be here with me where they belong. I would still be being assaulted by a mad man. I could never, even if I lived a million years, I could never repay you for what you’ve done for my family and me.’
‘Rolan…’ Zelphie spoke softly, and Rolan kept his eye contact with her. She felt her eyes sting and she shut them.
‘Might I ask you what you’re thinking?’ Rolan asked her. She felt his hands in hers. She opened her eyes and looked at him once more. What a difference a few life changing events could make. One their first meeting, Rolan was obnoxious and annoyed at Zelphie. Their next few meetings Rolan would have leveled her. Now? Now she would consider him a very close friend.
‘I’m thinking too much, as I usually do,’ she said with a sad little smile.
‘Would you be unhappy here?’ He asked her and she shook her head quickly.
‘No, no no, it’s not that, not at all. No, I adore the three of you. I’m honored you would have me,’ she said and Rolan’s neck went a little red. She felt his tail twitch next to her on the sofa and he moved it away from her slowly.
‘Do you feel guilty?’ He asked her and she nodded. He chuckled and shook his head. ‘Well, that proves it right there you are an only child and orphan,’ he said and reached over for his goblet once more. He took a sip of wine and Zelphie mirrored him. Her mind was spinning. The wine, the food and the new opportunity, it was all a little much for her. That and the war she had just won hours ago. After a long drink Rolan looked back at her. ‘Maybe you will feel more…persuaded if I show you your new lodgings,’ he said and stood up, holding his hand out for her. Zelphie took another little sip and took his hand. She was helped up with a little swaying.
‘I think if I’m upgraded, I might feel more guilty,’ she said and he chuckled.
‘Don’t, for you will have restless nights hearing Lia yelling at me, or listening to me practice my incantations,’ he said and she giggled.
‘Still more calm than camp. You know what calms a githyanki to sleep at night?’ She asked Rolan as he led her from the sitting room. He looked down at her and shook his head. ‘Sword sharpening. Hours and hours of sword sharpening,’ she said and Rolan laughed, looking ahead.
‘Not too many of those here, I’m afraid. There were a lot of weapons tucked away, but I had them given to the Flaming Fist for the battle. What need did we have for them?’ He said and Zelphie just smiled up at him. He glanced down at her, a little proud of himself. He knew Zelphie and her selflessness would have liked to hear that. He smiled at her smile, his blush never fading his already reddened skin. 
‘We saw those weapons, Gale and I, when we were last here. Those were very mighty pieces, that was a wise decision,’ she told him and his smile faltered.
‘Oh, well, if I’ve impressed the Gale of Waterdeep, then I’m very happy,’ he said, poison on his lips and Zelphie frowned, but she kept her mouth shut. That was certainly a quick change of attitude. ‘Very kind of a well-off man to just leave his closest companion in the dust the second everything ended,’ he said and Zelphie’s brows stitched together.
‘Rolan, he needed to go back home. He has family in Waterdeep,’ she said and Rolan huffed.
‘And he left you behind, to live in a bungalow at best,’ he said and Zelphie stopped following him.
‘You shouldn’t speak ill of him. He took quite the liking to you, Rolan. If you are jealous of his relationship with Mystra, I can assure you-‘
‘Mystra? Jealous of him and Mystra? No, no, I’m angry at the way he threw you away like yesterday’s newspaper.’ He said, holding his hands behind his back. Zelphie’s tail began to whip back and forth. She would absolutely not tolerate anyone speaking ill of Gale Dekarios, even Rolan.
‘Threw me away? He, like everyone else, went back to their lives. He doesn’t owe me anything, certainly not more than Shadowheart or Lae’zel or Wyll or any of them. What are you talking about Rolan, why are you so upset with him?’ She asked, very confused, but angry at anyone who would put Gale Dekarios in a bad light. Rolan’s eyes narrowed and he blinked for a moment.
‘Weren’t the two of you…?’ He asked and Zelphie’s face twisted for a second. She then buckled over with laughter. Rolan had, for some reason, assumed Zelphie and Gale had an intimate relationship. Gale Dekarios was very handsome, charismatic and powerful, but no. Zelphie had only felt friendship and fondness for the wizard, not love, not that kind of love.
‘You thought Gale and I were an item?’ She asked and kept laughing. ‘Oghma’s left eye, no, no, no, definitely not,’ she said and grinned at Rolan who did not look very amused. He looked down at the floor. ‘Why would you have thought that?’
‘There were a few nights when we all stayed at the inn…I could have sworn…’ he said and bit his lip and Zelphie calmed down and nodded. She knew what he must have misunderstood.
‘At Last Light Inn? No, halfway through our adventure, Gale was given…some divine directive. From Mystra, and those nights where, yes, I’d go to him to comfort him were just that. He was battling a lot of inner demons and I was just being a friend, nothing more. So please Rolan, don’t go to battle with someone you should respect and admire as a colleague. He’s a good one for you to have,’ she said and placed a hand on Rolan’s arm. ‘Not on my account, anyway.’
‘I’m sorry, I should have asked you,’ he said and Zelphie shook her head.
‘It’s nice for someone to defend me,’ she told him and he smiled a little. ‘And it proves my point that I have tried to prove to Gale a thousand times,’ she said and her and Rolan kept walking.
‘Yes?’
‘Wizards are very fucking stubborn,’ she said and he snorted. They walked a little in silence, Rolan was feeling a touch embarrassed. Zelphie wouldn’t harp on it. She would send a sending spell to Gale to reach out to Rolan. She would have them fast friends in a jiffy.
‘Down here are Cal and Lia’s rooms,’ he said, pointing to a west wing. It was common knowledge that wizard’s towers were massive. Melphie still could not believe she was in the same building. She knew she would be getting lost. ‘My bedroom is right here, should you ever have need of me. Though, I will warn you, I’m not usually there. We’ll have a proper tour tomorrow before we all head downstairs. I’ll show you my normal hiding places,’ he told her and she nodded. ‘And I think you will do nicely just across the hall here,’ he told her, walking to a door down the hall to the right of his own room. He opened the door for her and she couldn’t help the little gasp that came from her mouth. 
The room was very large. It had a high ceiling and a balcony. Two large bookshelves covered the western wall, a canopied bed with royal blue blankets and pillows right across from them. There was a door connecting to a large washroom. Desk, a vanity and a wardrobe adorned the room as well. 
‘If there is anything you’d like to change, please feel free. I’ll be changing a lot of the comforts around here in the coming months. Please, this is your home now, make it yours in whatever way you please.’ Zelphie looked up at Rolan and beamed. He smiled down at her and nodded his head.
‘Rolan, I’m at a loss for words, this is beautiful. It’s more than I’ve ever had,’ she told him and he looked at her for a moment and nodded again. His tail swayed happily, very content with the compliment.
‘You deserve more,’ he told her firmly, sweetly. Zelphie smiled and looked down. She stepped closer to him and for the third time that evening, she hugged him tight. He hugged her back, resting his chin on her temple, their horns clinking together lightly. Zelphie felt a light moan escape from her lips at the tender feeling of her sore horns. She would not sleep easily tonight. Rolan looked down at her, worried at that sound. Goodness was his face close. ‘Sorry, they are very sore,’ she whispered and he nodded and he looked up at her horns, inspecting them.
‘Please tell me you weren’t head butting illithids,’ he said and let her go, reaching up to her horns to inspect them.
‘A girl had to do what she had to do…’ she said, but it wasn’t the truth. A tieflings horns were imposing, but not exactly strong enough to do battle like a devil or demon. Zelphie did have very large horns, so the pain she felt was from them being caught or pulled. She had been thrown around by enemies who got close enough to her. Rolan raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. ‘Truth being, they were usually used against me,’ she said and he sighed, nodding. No tiefling living could say they were never at least bullied with a horn push or pull. He still pressed a finger to the crown of her left horn, rubbing up lightly. It hurt a little, but a purr was brought through her throat. Rolan stopped touching her immediately.
‘Was that alright?’ He asked, completely red in the face. Zelphie felt her own skin burn and her happy tail fell and she felt it coil around her leg in embarrassment.
‘Yes, sorry, it felt nice,’ she said softly and Rolan nodded. He took a while to think about his next words and Zelphie bit her lip. She was about to wish Rolan a good night, but he spoke first.
‘I’ll get some oil for you, we’ll see if they just need a massage,’ he said and nodded.
‘Oh, you don’t need to,’ Zelphie told him and he smiled a little at her.
‘I’d like to,’ he said simply and turned on his heel. Zelphie noticed the happy curl of his tail as he left the room. He wasn’t going to be easily swayed off, that was for sure. Zelphie knew that, she meant what she had said, wizards were stubborn and Rolan was a prime example of that. He was stubborn, confrontational, proud and fiercely protective. Zelphie knew now that was probably the guilt he felt. The same guilt she felt when others took care of her. She understood him, and she would continue to not allow his blunt speech upset her. The truth was, she adored Rolan, just as she did Cal and Lia. And the other tieflings that she had grown so close to, Alfira, Lakrissa, Bex and Danis, all of them. The siblings were priority to her. They were good people, happy people, and people that deserved the world in her eyes. Even more so now. 
Zelphie walked to her new bed and sat down on it. The mattress was plush as anything she'd ever sat on. She giggled to herself, thinking of how she would get out of it in the morning. She touched the soft blanket, running her hands over it gently. What a difference, she’d never lived like this before. Her mind flashed to an idea of how her new housemates might have lived back in Elturel, its descent into Avernus. She shook her head, not wishing to let her drunk imagination run wild on that subject. She heard a loud crash outside and lifted herself off the bed. She walked to the balcony doors and opened them. Fireworks. Someone was shooting them off and she smiled. Rolan was right, the view was beautiful, she had a view of the river. She was a very lucky tiefling.
‘Exploring?’ A voice called from behind her. Zelphie turned around and smiled, seeing Rolan again, a little tincture in his hand. Her tail moved back and forth happily.
‘Someone is setting off fireworks,’ she said happily. Rolan smiled down at her and looked off as another few were set off.
‘Here I was, hoping you would get a good night’s rest,’ he said and walked past her to the edge of the balcony. ‘But, it’s the very least the city can do to celebrate its hero,’ he said and glanced back at Zelphie. She walked over and stood next to him.
‘Baldur’s Gate has many heroes,’ she corrected him and he gave her a sly little smirk. ‘At least one of them on this balcony,’ she said and gave him a playful nudge. He gave a proud little huff.
‘Oh please, that compliment cannot come from you. I wouldn’t even have had power the cannons gave you if not for you,’ he told her and she smiled. ‘Shall we?’ He asked her, nodding back inside. She followed him back into the room. Rolan sat on the bed and Zelphie sat on the floor in front of him, her back in between his legs. ‘Please tell me if this hurts,’ he told her and Zelphie closed her eyes, bracing for pain. Pain did not come. Starting at the crown of her horns, she felt his fingers gently glide. ‘When I was younger, I was bullied relentlessly. Other children had no issue grabbing me by my horns and pushing me around,’ he spoke and Zelphie opened one eye. ‘My horns very rarely went without being sore. This would always help,’ he continued and Zelphie closed her eyes again, relaxing. He had such a soft, low voice, very pensive. Between his voice and the massage, she would fall asleep like a brick. She leaned back, her purring continued and her tail coiled around Rolan’s leg. ‘It’s alright, right?’ He asked her and she nodded slowly.
‘Yes, you’re so good, Rolan,’ she said softly. She meant it. It felt wonderful. She had never been massaged before, not really, nothing like this. ‘You have a wonderful touch,’ she added. His fingers moved up her horn and she shuddered. It hurt a little, but the chills were worth the pain. Where did all of this gentleness and care come from?
‘Thank you,’ he said softly, very happy with the praise. It was not long into this lovely treatment that Zelphie leaned against Rolan’s leg and felt her aching body weigh heavy. ‘Such a simple thing to be taken care of, but it means the world, doesn’t it?’ He kept talking softly. Zelphie did not respond. She was still purring and her tail was still around his leg. ‘Zelphie?’ He called out softly. Nothing. She was asleep. Rolan froze for a second, not sure what to do. He moved a little and she stayed still. Rolan got off of the bed and shuffled away from Zelphie. It hadn’t taken very much to send her to sleep. She slumped up against the bed. Rolan pushed the blankets to the side and looked back at Zelphie. A strong transmutation spell would do the trick. Not that he liked using magic on an unconscious friend, but it was just to help her into bed. Slowly her body lifted off of the floor and he was able to drop her gently on the bed. He covered her with blankets and left. Zelphie slept the deepest sleep of her life that night, ready to take on what tomorrow would have brought.
38 notes · View notes
claymorexpunisher · 2 months
Text
WIP AND UPCOMING UPDATES LIST
WIP UPDATES: (Tags may change as I update some of these. Go to my pinned masterlist if you'd like to check my current WIPS and get caught up if you want to before they're updated. So sorry that this post is up super late lol! :).. Also these are all smut, so minors DNI.)
As Fate Would Have It (Ch. 7/?): Drew and Fate have made up and have decided to give things a real go. But will it last? Or will the problem named Randy Orton come between them again? (Pairing(s): Drew McIntyre/OFC) (Tags: 18+, hate to love, one night stand, angst, fluff, unprotected sex, vamp!Drew, witch!reader, budding relationship, nongraphic violence, magical powers, light blood play, biting, circa 2020.)
Lock & Key (Ch.6/?): Drew surprises reader by suggesting they add something more to their already fulfilling new dynamic. (Pairing(s): Drew McIntyre/Fem. Reader) (Chapter Tags: 18+, Domme/Sub, Fem Dom, chastity, orgasm denial, oral sex, vaginal penetration, anal play, pegging.)
Brats Have More Fun (Ch.8/?): Rhea introduces Dom to Fem. Reader during an outing at Reader’s club. Dom tries to talk a big game, but Reader sees right through it. (Pairing(s): Dominik Mysterio/Fem. Reader) (Chapter Tags: 18+, Dom!Dominik to sub!Dominik, club owner!Reader, Fem Dom, orgasm denial, overstimulation, blowjob, handjob, public sex, office, cockwarming, teasing, dirty talk, begging, honorifics (“ma’am”).
Good to Me (Pt. 2/2): Rhea and Fem. Reader continue their activities from the night before. But this morning, Rhea wanted to switch things up a bit. (Pairing(s): Rhea Ripley/Fem. Reader) (Chapter Tags: 18+, fluff, breast worship, nipple play, oral fixation, plus size reader, pms, vaginal fingering, praise kink, strap-on, vaginal penetration, domme/sub, bottom!Rhea, switch!Rhea and Reader.
Liberacion (Ch.11/?): Continuing on from Lace and Leather Night, we pick up right where we left off and Harper who is heartbroken, gets to meet Roman’s girlfriend, Mariah who might just become an essential part of the Liberacion crew. We also get a peek into the fun Drew and Tatianna get up to… (Pairing(s): Drew McIntyre/OFC, Roman Reigns/OFC, Finn Balor/OFC, Damian Priest/OFC, misc.) (Current Tags: 18+, mythical creatures, budding relationships, dom/sub dynamic, consensual kink, kink negotiation, age gap, BDSM, bratting, and more.)
New Works:
I’ll Shut You Up: It’s pretty well known that Rhea and Fem. Reader can’t stand one another. Reader thinks Rhea’s way cockier than she should be and Rhea thinks as highly about Reader as much as she thinks about the dirt at the bottom of her boot. Well… so they say, at least. A packed hotel mishap forces them to bunk together, and Rhea presses her luck by running her mouth. (Pairing(s): Rhea Ripley/Fem. Reader) (Tags: 18+, enemies to hatefucking, forced proximity, overbooked hotel, WM weekend, bottom!Rhea, top!Reader, bratty!Rhea, anal play/penetration, v position, size difference, strap-on, hair-pulling, spit for lube (I KNOWWW IM SORRY), begging, spanking, biting, slapping, choking.)
Good Boy: Reader helps Dom expel some pre-conceived notions about what he enjoys. (Pairing(s): Dominik Mysterio/Fem. Reader) (18+, pegging, Fem Dom, internalized homophobia, pegging, Mommy kink, begging, milking, praise kink.)
Glutton for Punishment: Cody’s got a bit of a hunger for punishment and Reader’s more than happy to dish it out. (Pairing(s): Cody Rhodes/Fem. Reader) (18+, Fem Dom, caning, orgasm denial, light degradation, honorifics (ma’am)
That’s all for now, I think! But I may add to this post. Hope yall are excited!
@theworldofotps @alyyaanna @southerngirl41 @harmshake @mzv11 @letsgivethisonemoreshot @theundertakeriscoming @ladyshipwildrose @slutfortheeclaymore @auraravenora77 @niknakattack @moonwolfdemonprincess21 @babiidee28 @thesamoanqueen @omegasshyghuleh6661ghosts @xndalynch @84reedsy @romanstheory @kianaleani @elefrog25-blog @motherknuckers @phantasmacabre @wandering-fox @lxndonorris @girlnred @yo-yo89 @smile1318 @sassginaswanmills @exhaustedclown @@aritannahrocks1300 @superlove167 @ayeeitsali @queencherryberry @truefant4sy @codyswhitebelt @blackmeetsworld @salirophiliac @kayfabebabe @rhea-the-eradicator @souleatermia @bittersweetastoria @domripley @wrestlingprincess80
34 notes · View notes
theodorecanaryhood · 11 months
Text
The Arrow and his Outlaw
Roy Harper x Male! Reader (pride month y’all)
Happy pride 🏳️‍🌈 love you all
Warning: some swearing, sex and some violence
Tumblr media
The wall in the bedroom was a wall you had seen probably a thousand times now, but for some reason when we are daydreaming, we stare at the wall like we’ve never seen it before.
This was no exception as your boyfriend got ready in the bathroom, having showered and taken ages to get ready.
‘How’s my outfit?’ Roy said as he walked in the room, you smiled as you looked at him.
‘Lovely’ you winked, Roy furrowing his brows a little.
‘You sure?’ Roy asked for reassurance, you nodded as you chuckled.
‘Baby, you look fine’
‘I don’t wanna look fine, I want to look great’ Roy huffed, about to go to the dresser to get some clothes.
You stood and grabbed his hand, getting his attention.
‘Baby, you look good no matter what you wear’ you kiss Roy.
Roy is taller than you by inches as well as older than you, by a couple of years. Sometimes though, it is like you’re the older one. Roy is the alpha when it counts.
‘Ok, you’ve convinced me’ Roy laughs, kissing you back. Rubbing a hand down your backside while the other holds the back of your head.
The kiss gets deep as you begin to pull at the collar of Roy’s shirt, him laughing into the kiss.
‘Fuck’ you exhale, Roy going down to bite a little at your neck.
Roy has a way with his words but he tends to let his actions speak louder, sometimes his actions scream what he wants.
There has been times when Roy has had a rough night on patrol, he climbs into bed with you and just holds you. His actions screaming that he just wants someone to hold him and let him know that he’s loved.
Other times, Roy has just grabbed hold of you and thrown you around like a rag doll, violently making out with you. His actions being that he just wants some fast action.
That all being said, no matter what Roy’s actions are he always gets his way. You give him exactly what he wants.
‘Baby, Jason won’t be happy if we’re late’ you say as Roy begins to try and take off your sweater.
Roy pouts a little as he looks at the red mark showing on your neck.
‘Oops, you might want to cover that’ Roy says, laughing as he holds you by the jaw and turns your head. Observing his handy work, or rather mouthy.
‘It’s cool, I’ll just put makeup on it’ smiling as you pull out some supplies, you always have to hand for these moments.
Roy likes it rough and does not hesitate to show you off as his, in anyway he can.
Driving with Roy is always fun as he has a romantic song playing, or some other type of love-song. Hand on your thigh, while he smiles to himself.
‘You ok Princess?’ He asks you, smiling slyly as you roll your eyes.
‘Yes’
Roy calls you ‘Princess’ when he drives as you are always his passenger, passenger Princess. He finds it funny, you find it annoying but sweet.
Roy is not one for nicknames as he would rather call you by your name, but on occasion he does use a funny nickname for you.
‘Hey’ Jason cheered as you and Roy walked in the door, rushing over and hugging you both.
You hug Jason tightly as he rocks you a little, Roy laughing.
‘How was the drive?’ Jason asked as he lead you both into the kitchen.
‘Great, this is a nice place Jay’ Roy smiled, holding your hand. Jason nodded while smiling.
‘Thanks. The old man suggested I upsize as that apartment was too small’ chuckling, Jason hands you both a beer.
Social gatherings had got a lot better and a lot less awkward, as you know all of Roy’s friends and he knows all of yours.
Jason was introduced to you about 6 years ago, he introduced you to his best friend Roy a couple years after that. Then the rest, as they say is history.
Roy asked you out after talking to you for an hour, you did not hesitate with a yes. Jason was so happy when he found out that Roy finally had a boyfriend.
‘You need a boyfriend bud, really. Y/n is such a great guy, he’s funny and smart’ Jason smiled, hugging his best friend tight.
It seemed like time had sped by so fast since then, as you and Roy were already saving for a house.
Jason’s house warming was getting more lively now, as people started doing shots. Roy joining in, you being the self-assigned driver home you decided to skip the drinking this time. So you and Roy would get home in one piece.
That you did, and Roy regretted the amount of shots he did, though the exact number was not known.
‘Here’s some water for that head’ you handed Roy some painkillers. Roy gulping them and the water down.
‘Thanks babe, I think my liver has left’ Roy sighed, laying back down on the bed. You chuckling.
‘This is why I didn’t drink, but I’m glad you had fun’ you leant down and kissed Roy’s bare shoulder.
You aided your self-inflicted hungover boyfriend for the day, reminding him he had patrol that night. Which he would need to get rest beforehand for. It was a big one tonight.
Arsenal had no issues with enemies tonight as they were all going down, his patrol going real smooth.
He roared after thugs and had no issues handing out discipline, one thug tried to slash him up with a knife, but Roy was quick on his feet.
‘Not tonight’ he growled as he grabbed his hand, twisting till he heard a snap. The guys wrist snapped easily.
Arsenal was a brutal force on particular tonight, with no problem scoring a scream of pain from the enemy.
Roy strolled into the front door of his shared apartment with you, not quite tired yet, at least not enough to go to sleep. Of course, you weren’t asleep yet. Still in the habit of waiting up.
‘Hey, sexy man’ Roy smirked as he approached you, shoving his lips on yours.
You accepted, standing up onto your feet as you grabbed at Roy’s arms. Him grabbing and holding your face.
Roy backed you into the doorway as he buried his face into your neck, sinking his teeth into you like Dracula. His teeth bit down, surely to leave a mark the next day.
You wrapped your legs around Roy’s waist as he carried you over to the bedroom. Throwing you in the bed, Roy practically tore your underwear off as he took your shaft into his mouth.
‘Oh God’ you breathed out as Roy began to work on you, like if he stopped you would simply vanish.
Roy took you all into his mouth as he worked while you moaned, breathing out his name.
‘Roy, oh God I love it, Roy’
Roy slapped your bare ass as he grabbed your arm, rolling you onto your stomach. Now sinking his mouth onto your asshole.
There wasn’t a part of your body Roy hadn’t kissed, licked or bitten. He had marked you as his as Roy got on his back. Letting you do the same to him.
You pulled Roy’s underwear down as you took in his length, your mouth was filled with Roy’s throbbing dick.
Roy was quite large in the genital department so he always allowed you to take your time, the Red Headed man lay back and enjoyed while you did your thing.
‘Y/n’ Roy breathed out, you lifted your head as you locked the head of his penis.
‘You look so good’ Roy smiled, you smiled back as you got on your knees, lowering yourself on Roy’s shaft.
Sliding it in you gasped as it always amazed you how good Roy felt, you lifted up and slid back down slowly a few times. Roy throwing his head back, he sat up as he began to bite at your collarbone and shoulder.
You bounced more and more as the feeling of Roy inside you filled you up, Roy’s lips met yours in a heated kiss.
‘I’m gonna fuck you so hard’ Roy breathed out as he wrapped his arms around your waist and rolled over, you now on your back with your legs up. Roy on his knees, he began to slam into you.
‘Fuck, fuck’ you called out as Roy slammed harder and harder, sweat dripping down him as you ran a hand down his abs.
Roy dug his fingers into your thighs as he grunted louder, you throwing your head back. Rubbing yourself.
You heard Roy clapping against you as he got quicker, him almost losing his breath as his body tingled.
‘Right there, I’m coming’ you said, jerking yourself faster and releasing yourself all over your chest.
‘Shit’ Roy said as he watched as you came, Roy put his hand around your throat as he slammed a little harder.
‘Oh god’ Roy breathed out as he slammed slower and deeper, releasing his hot seed inside you.
Roy pulled out as jerked what was left onto your chest, mixing his seed with yours. Collapsing on top of you, you wrapped your arms around his neck as Roy caught his breath.
He buried his face into your neck as he breathed, you ran your fingers through his red hair, smiling out of satisfaction.
‘How was patrol?’ You finally asked as Roy chuckled, his body shook on top of you. Lifting his head up to look at you.
‘Was great, as you can tell’ he smiled, kissing you again.
‘Wanna go again?’ You asked, Roy nodding eagerly as he began to kiss you again.
The next day was filled with shopping, cleaning and cooking together. Today was a particularly hot day.
Roy wore his trusted green shorts and short sleeved jumpsuit, which never failed to keep him cool. Plus you didn’t complain as he has great legs, plus it only buttoned halfway up, showing his broad chest.
You both walked through the streets of Gotham holding hands, talking about different topics. Mostly debating on whether to watch a movie later. Roy opting for an action while you opted for horror.
Roy always made you feel safe, no matter the situation and no matter the outcome. You were safe with him, Roy loved hard and what you could never fault him on was that he always showed you.
‘Wanna go Jason’s later?’ He asked you, you nodding as you both walked into the air conditioned store.
Roy slapping your ass as you pushed the cart in front of him, kissing you on the cheek every now and then.
Sure you two got looks from people every now and then, but neither of you cared.
The day came to an end, with you and Roy laying in bed together as he read while you rested your head on his chest. Feeling his chest going up and down, while you fell into a peaceful sleep.
Roy kissed your head and gently rested you on your pillow, rolling over and turning the lamp off. Roy rolled back over and wrapped his arm around your waist, burying his face into your neck as he held you.
Both of you drifted into a deep sleep while you remained holding each other all night. Peacefully and in love.
123 notes · View notes
sc0tters · 8 months
Text
AU List
Thoughts for AUs are: OPEN
All of the au’s below are my current active ones, in these au’s you will find the blurb section which is where you guys are able to have your say in what happens during the overall storyline!
for aus that don't have a masterlist yet, they are tagged below!
AU CALENDAR
the universes!
the wips!
Cole and Parker - Big Reputations
Nick and Scottie - The Lost Baby
Luca and Aspen - Pretty Boy
Ethan and Astrid - Perfect Fit
Rutger and Emmy - His Girl
Mark and Abigail - Lessons
Nick and Francesca - Bed Buds
Luke and Isabel - Captain's Sister
Jesper and Emilia - A Bakers Dozen
Ryan and Ava - Sparks
Will and Bailey - Baby on Board
Cutter and Lillian - Meant to Be
Jacob and Ivy - Triple Split
Gabe and Jamie - Teammates In Action
Drew and Erin - It Girl
Seamus and Liana - Unexpected Connections
John and Maya - Baby Hughes
William and Matilda - Star
Matt and Sydney - Golden Girl
Luke and Allie - Hookups and Screwups
The Flyers Throuple - Teammates in Sheets
Cole and Darcy - Match Made
Adam and Sabrina - Write a Song
Sidney and Camille - Homes and Hearts
Steve and Lucie - Long Games
The Umich Throuple - Three's a Match
Jeremy and Adelia - Made Match
Juraj and Alana - A Dream in Time
Quinn and Rouge - Rookie Compliance
Jack and Kennedy - One of a Kind
Gracie and Elias - Little Teammate
Matthew and Lilah - Give a Dog
retired aus
Mitch and Amelia - His Rookie
Nico and Harper - Don't Tell
Elias and Payton - Coaches Daughter
Sidney and Rory - On Ice
Matthew and Billie - Opposing Teammates
Trevor and Daisy - Babies and Buddies
Luke and Blake - Girl Next Door
Quinn and Charlotte - Teammates Sister
Jack and Riley - New Roommate
The Zegras-Hughes Children - Next Gen
Adam and Sophie - Romantic Roomates (because we now have adam and sabrina)
Gavin and Bridget - Besotted Differences
136 notes · View notes
hoppinkiss · 2 years
Text
me: *has a disorder that prevents me from following up on tasks that can't be done all in one go*
my dad, with increasing frustration: but. let the measuring cup air dry. and put it away
3 notes · View notes
incorrectbatfam · 2 years
Note
Things that would happen at Bruce and Selina’s wedding (everything gone right, wrong, and just plain funny)
They took their pre-wedding photos on top of a skyscraper with Tim as their photographer, but when he backed up to get a wider shot he fell over the railing and Dick had to grapple down and catch him while wearing a tuxedo
Steph collaborated with the cake decorators to go all out, including Bruce and Selina's while journey drawn in frosting and sparklers on top... in Spoiler colors
Damian and Jon were playing hide-and-seek with Billy Batson and Lucy Quinn during the reception and no one could find the boys, so a mass search with vigilantes and police officers alike ensued. It took an hour, but finally they were found when the theater called Bruce to let him know they tried to sneak into an R-rated movie
Bruce showed up to the wrong venue
While trying to get some one-on-one time at the bachelorette party, Harley and Ivy locked themselves in a hotel supply closet and the only person with the tools to get them out was the stripper firefighter with a pink crowbar
Dinah caught the bouquet and immediately threw it to Kate saying, "I'm already married!"
When repeating his vows, Bruce accidentally said, "I, Clark Kent"
Also during the vows, Clark's phone went off playing Cotton-Eye Joe and Bruce just slowly clapped and said, "My best man, everyone"
One more vow mishap: Roy tried to start the wave
Dick ripped his pants doing a somersault from the chandelier
Bud chewed up Holly Robinson's shoes and she had to wear flip-flops
Damian adopted a coyote puppy he found digging through the trash
The Flash family drove to the wrong Gotham
Duke sneezed before the "I do," accidentally elbowing the fire alarm
Jason slowly switched seats throughout the wedding so he could sit next to Diana
At the rehearsal, Cass was holding one of the clip-on mics that the officiant used and brought it with her to the bathroom, where everyone could hear her do her business
Bruce invited some of his coworkers, forgot he invited them, and then asked "What are you guys doing here?" when they showed up
Lian was the flower girl but instead of flower petals, she mistakenly threw the rice that was supposed to be for the end
Babs requested a song before the reception started and the DJ put it at the top of the list, accidentally replacing the song Bruce and Selina were supposed to dance to
Without telling anyone, Jason decided to start a new tradition of firing blanks while the bride and groom kissed
Young Justice got a whole tier of the cake to themselves
Harper's wedding speech started with "Bruce might've been in his emo phase since he was eight, he might've dropped out of med school, and he might not know how to crack an egg..."
The party bus Clark rented for the bachelor party caught on fire on the side of the highway
Alfred downed 7 glasses of champagne and loudly confessed that he never thought Bruce would get married
Hal's still bitter that he couldn't convince Bruce to wear the Batman cowl
They waited until an hour before the wedding to teach Duke how to tie a tie
Lucius and Luke got balcony seats so they could see everything. They were the only ones up there and Bruce kept looking at them during the ceremony
Carrie put a bath bomb in the decorative fountain
Nobody knows what happened to the cheese plate. Nobody except Cullen
Steph did the electric slide right into the speakers
Comm. Gordon had to leave in the middle to arrest the Joker
Babs accidentally wore Alfred's socks
Selina thought it'd be funny to wear a pair of granny panties around her thigh instead of a garter
To kick off the reception, Bruce held up a piece of bread and said, "I'd like to make a toast"
549 notes · View notes
bullet-prooflove · 1 year
Note
Feeling my way through the darkness
Tumblr media
It's been a long time since Crockett has let anyone get close to him. He knows the signs, when a relationship begins to move beyond casual, he's quick to nip it in the bud. He's kind with it, at least he thinks he is. He doesn't want any attachments because having feelings for someone means getting hurt and he thinks he has suffered enough to last a life time.
Then he met you, captivating, tenacious and completely not up for any of his bullshit. When a girl turns him down, and it doesnt happen often, he shrugs his shoulders and walks away. But there's something about you that keep him interested.
"Don't you get bored of never waking in the same bed?" You ask him when he runs into you at Molly's.
You won't let him buy you a drink and it feels oddly refreshing. He sits across from you at one of the tables and shrugs his shoulders.
"If I want to sleep I stay in my own." He tells you.
"You know what I mean." You tell him, sipping your cocktail through a straw. "You don't wanna talk about it you don't have to. I just want you to know that that isn't going to happen with me. I like to get to know a person before they take me to bed."
"Fine." He says with that devil may care grin. "Why don't you get to know me?"
"Because you're shallow." You tell him. "At least you pretend to be. You come across as a drunk little party boy, but... I think it masks something, something you're not ready to deal with yet."
Your words cut like a knife, searing straight through his chest. His brows furrow into a frown and his jaw tenses before he pushes away from the table, leaving his beer untouched.
He doesn't see you again after that, not for a couple of months. He keeps an eye out for you but you don't appear until the fall.
You're alone again when he approaches your table, your eyes studying a case file in front of you while you pluck a cherry off the end of your cocktail stick with your teeth. You look up as he sits down, closing the file before you look at him expectantly.
"I had a daughter." He begins. "And her name was Harper."
85 notes · View notes
karahalloway · 11 months
Text
Uncharted: Tales from the Gypsea - Surf's Up!
Tumblr media
Fandom: TRR
Series: Uncharted: Tales from the Gypsea
Pairing: Drake Walker x Harper Gale (F!OC)
Synopsis: While on their honeymoon, Harper takes Drake out of his comfort zone with an unexpected birthday surprise...
Word Count: 5,000 (which is about 3,000 words longer than anticipated, but H&D always run away from me, so here we are 😅)
Rating/Warnings: E (swearing in multiple languages, a few lemon-scented moments, extreme sports)
A/N1: So… this was not what I was supposed to be working on… 😅 But when @petiteboheme sent me a video of Bruno Santos (my FC for Drake) trying hydroboarding (also known as jetblading) for the first time, and demanding that I write a version featuring Drake and Harper, I couldn’t say ‘no’. And since (a) it's the summer, and (b) I haven't written a birthday fic for Drake this year yet, I instantly got a brainwave and dove right in! Hope you enjoy!
A/N2: As mentioned in the Author’s Notes for this series, this fic takes place during Harper and Drake's honeymoon. I HC that Drake’s birthday falls on June 6th, so this mini-adventure would take place approx. midway through the trip.
A/N3: This fic ended up featuring quite a lot of Italian, so as per usual, translations below. I also have a few other general notes at then end.
A/N4: This is also my submission for @choicesjunechallenge, prompts Summer, Vacation, Surf, Beach, Love.
Tumblr media
"Rise and shine, sleepy-head," I murmur softly, feathering kisses along the side of Drake's neck.
He groans under his breath, pulling himself out of the depths of slumber with some difficulty. "That's my line, Gale."
"Well, I'm stealing it," I reply impishly, leaning over him to catch his lips with mine. "Especially since I'm up before you for once."
"Obviously, I didn't do a good enough job last night," he grumbles against my mouth, even as he snakes his hand onto my backside to pull my naked body on top of his.
"Oh, don't worry — you did," I assure him, dropping tiny kisses down his chest. "Just like the night before..." My teeth graze his abs. "And the night before that..."
A low sound rattles his throat as I move lower. "The circumstantial evidence indicates otherwise..."
"I needed a way to grab your attention," I tell him sweetly, pausing just above the much more pronounced tan line that circled his hips.
"Oh, you most certainly got it," he confirms, all vestiges of sleep now banished from his countenance as he looks down at me hungrily.
"Good," I declare, drawing myself back up to his eye-level. "Because I have something for you."
"Oh, yeah?" he smirks with a cocked brow, running his palms up my bare thighs in anticipation.
"Yup," I affirm, leaning over him to reach into the recess on the wall behind the bed.
His eyes widen as I pull out the rectangular-shaped item wrapped in Marvel superhero logo emblazoned wrapping paper. "Wait. You didn't—"
"Happy birthday!" I pronounce, holding the present out to him triumphantly.
He greets my offering with a seriously unimpressed glare. "Gale, I told you that—"
"—you don't want any presents, I shouldn't make a big deal out of it, we're on our honeymoon, blah-blah-blah." I fix him with a deadpan look. "Well, guess what, bud? You don't have a choice. Because I want to celebrate the day you were born."
He scoffs. "Oh, so my birthday's all about you, huh?"
"No," I counter. "It's all about you. And I think I did a pretty good job last year. So, how 'bout you trust me for a change?"
He heaves a beleaguered breath. "Can't we just—?"
"Nope!" I interject, thrusting the parcel into his face.
He rolls his eyes as he finally takes the present. "The things I do for you, girl..."
"Don't you mean the things I do for you?" I counter meaningfully.
He hits me with level look as he scoots himself into a sitting position. "We could both be doing each other right now if—"
"Oh, my God, you're impossible!" I cry exasperatedly, even as I fail to suppress a snort of amusement. "Just open it already!"
"Maybe I like the anticipation..."
I smack him on the chest.
"Christ, I married a bullbat!" he huffs.
"Who you love unconditionally," I remind him. "So, I know you'll love this."
He quirks a sceptical brow as he finds the edge of the folded paper and starts to peel it open. "You sound damn sure of yourself..."
"I have reason to be confident," I say, folding my arms with a wink.
He shakes his head at me as he finishes opening his present. But I can see the smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.
The last of the wrapping paper falls away, and he frowns. "You got me... a photo frame?"
"Turn it over," I prompt, trying to contain the butterflies flapping around in my stomach.
He’s gonna like it — I’m sure of it. But... there's always a tiny part of you that insists on throwing all the worst-case scenarios at you, making you doubt yourself.
He flips the frame over...
...and silence falls on the cabin as his expression goes blank.
I bite my bottom lip, waiting for him to say something, to react in some kind of way, but he is as immobile as a statue, giving no indication of his state of mind.
Finally, I can't take it any more. "Do you—?"
"When did you do this?" he demands hoarsely.
"When we were last in port," I tell him. "I went to that pharmacy t—"
"But we don't have the pictures from the wedding yet," he cuts in, voice still tight.
"You mean, you don't have the pictures from the wedding yet," I grin. "I asked Max to put a rush on that one so it would be ready for your birthday."
"Christ, Harper," he breathes, eyes brimming with sudden emotion as he pulls me into him. "Remind me never to play poker with you..."
"I'll take that as a compliment," I say, wrapping my arms around him. "So, does that mean I managed to surprise you?"
"Every goddamn day," he says into my hair, squeezing me tight. "'Cause the fact that you're here with me at all is still pretty un-fuckin'-believeable..."
"Well, you did put a ring on it, so..." I waggle the fingers of my left hand at him.
He smacks me on the ass. "You know what I mean..."
I snort into his neck.
"But seriously," he says, pushing me back up so we were face-to-face again. "I love it. I honestly didn't even realise we had any pictures of us... let alone so many."
"Sometimes you gotta capture that moment in between," I tell him with a coy shrug.
His expression cracks. "God, I love you..."
Yanking me to down, his lips claim mine in a passionate, searing kiss that is dizzying in its intensity.
I sigh happily, melting against him.
And even though I would've loved nothing more than to lose myself in him, out here, in the middle of the ocean, for the umpteenth time since the start of this trip, our love-making’s going to have to wait.
Because today calls for a very different kind of celebration.
So, before Drake has a chance to pull us both into what’s — very clearly! — his preferred form of revelment, I break off the kiss.
His eyes snap open to meet mine. "Gale, what are you—?"
"No rest for the wicked, cowboy," I declare, jumping off him. "It's your 28th birthday and we have things to do, and places to be!"
His face drains of colour. "Sweet fuckin' Jesus, girl... You didn't organise a party, did you?"
I choke back a laugh at the sight of the sheer horror in his eyes. "You really think I'd do that to you, Walker?"
"Well, you clearly have no compunction 'bout leaving a man high and dry on his birthday," he objects sourly, gesturing at his arousal that’s now flying very much at full mast. "So, apparently anything goes."
"Don't worry," I assure him, pausing in the doorway to the bathroom. "There's no party. But we are running behind schedule, so you need to get your butt out of bed and move the boat, Cap'n."
"She's a 37-foot sailing yacht..." he grumbles, running his hand down his face, "not a—"
"Chop-chop, Walker!" I prompt, disappearing into the bathroom with a clap of my hands. "Nobody's gettin' any younger here!"
He flops back onto the pillows with a pained groan. "Christ alive..."
Tumblr media
"So?" I ask an hour or so later around a mouthful of Eggs Benedict, sitting on the patio of an unassuming little bistro in St. Julian's, on the island of Malta. "Did I pick well?"
Drake spears the last of his own breakfast. "See or hear any complaints?"
"Worth getting out of bed for?"
He quirks a brow at me as he settles back into his chair. "Now that might be a stretch..."
I punt him under the table.
"Hey," he objects, dodging out of the way. "I said it was good. But would I trade the chicken and waffles for an extra hour in bed with you? Every time."
"Hmm..." I say, stirring the remainder of my freshly squeezed orange juice with my straw. "Sounds like I need to try harder next time."
He meets my eye over the rim of his coffee cup. "You can try... But you've set a damn high bar for yourself, girl."
I click my tongue as I set the glass back onto the table. "Well, the day isn't over yet, cowboy. I may still be able to surpass myself."
"Tough odds, Gale," he assures me with a smirk. "Tough odds."
"How was everything?" asks the sever, appearing to clear our plates away.
"Really good!" I say. "I'm stuffed!"
"And you, sir?"
"It hit the spot," Drake acknowledges, flicking a contented look my way.
"Glad to hear!" the server replies as she stacks the empty crockery together. "Can I get you another refill, or—?"
"Just the bill, please," I interject, reaching for my purse. "We're running a bit late."
"No problem," she replies. "I'll print it off right away. Cash or card?"
"Car—"
"Cash," interjects Drake, holding some Euros out. "And you can keep the change."
I whirl on him in bewilderment. "But—"
"Th-thanks," stammers the server, clearly surprised by the size of the tip Drake has just given her. "Did you still want the receipt?"
"Nah, we're good," advises Drake, pushing his chair back. "The wife says we're running late, so that means we're running late."
"Okay, I won't keep you then! Have a good rest of your day!"
"But—" I try again, but the server has already stuffed the cash into her apron and turned away.
"Up-and-at-'em, Gale," prompts Drake, holding his hand out. "You said we gotta get moving so—"
"But, I was going to pay for breakfast!" I object, grabbing my bag and taking his proffered assistance to help me stand.
"Well, I beat you to it," he shrugs, looping his fingers through mine as he navigates us through the labyrinth of tables that dotted the bistro's patio. "Plus, you'd've been shafted on the bank charges and the exchange rate, so—"
"But it's your birthday!" I press. "I wanted to treat you for a change!"
"Trust me, you did," he assures me with a smile, giving my hand a squeeze. "You found a place in the Med that does chicken and waffles for breakfast. If that's not a treat, I dunno what is."
I feel myself blush under the sincerity of his gaze. "So, you did like it."
"'Course I did," he affirms, twirling me to a stop in front of him. "Even if I had to eat dirt for breakfast, I'd enjoy it if I got to do it with you. You're the silver lining around everything, mon coeur."
I feel my throat tighten as I gaze up at him. "Drake..."
"And the money?" He reaches up to stroke my face with a nonchalant shrug. "That's all relative. We're married now, so what's mine is yours and vice-versa. There's no need to keep tabs on who pays for what and when."
I'm suddenly powerless in the face of his caress. "If you say so, Mr. Walker."
"It's my birthday," he confirms, cupping my face in his hands. "So, I do say so... Mrs. Gale-Walker."
Leaning in, he tilts my chin up. My eyes shudder closed as his lips meet mine softly, tenderly, like a lapping wave kissing the shoreline. But with each surge, that wave crests in size and strength until it becomes a riptide of passion that threatens to swallow us completely.
"Christ, I'll never get tired of saying that," he breathes between one inrush and the next.
"It was... definitely a hard... fought accomplishment," I agree haltingly, gripping his hair in an effort to keep myself from being swept away by his sudden fervour.
He swallows a groan as my body arcs into his. "All the more reason...to celebrate the crap out of it."
My eyes snap open. "Celebrate...! Shit! We're late for your—"
"Screw that," he growls, tightening his hold on me. "I'm takin' you back to the boat."
"Thought it was... a sailing yacht," I gasp as he underscores his intent by pulling me flush against the hardness of his body.
"Not the point," he replies dismissively, scrunching the material of my romper between his fingers as his stubble brushes the shell of my ear. "'Cause I'm still gonna fuck you over every inch of the deck."
"After!" I tell him, distracting him with a kiss on his cheek as I spin out of his grasp.
His head drops back to stare up at the sky. "Putain de bordel de—"
"Come on!" I shout over my shoulder at him, already pegging it down towards the marina.
He grumbles something testily under his breath before reluctantly obliging.
Dodging around locals and tourists, we manage to make it down to the bottom of the hill where the island gave way to Spinola Bay just as the various clock-towers around the city begin to toll the hour.
"Crap!" I exclaim, throwing my head around as I try to speed-read the various signs suspended over the promenade. "Which one is it?"
Drake comes to a stop next to me. "Gale, what are y—?"
"There it is!" I cry, grabbing his hand to haul him after me.
"Sweet Jesus, girl!" he huffs. "Will you just—?"
He cusses again as he very nearly avoids running me over as I suddenly pull us up in front of a squat building.
"Ta-da!" I exclaim, throwing my arm dramatically out at the black-and-red façade of the water sports rental place that we just arrived at.
"Okay...?" he says hesitantly, eyeing the store front dubiously. "And we're here because...?"
"You'll see!" I proclaim, pulling him into the minuscule space inside the door.
"Oh, for fuck's s—!"
The two guys manning the counter look up at the sound of our whirlwind arrival.
Laying eyes on me, both of their faces break into that trademark Mediterranean smile I've found myself on the receiving end of more times than I could count since the start of this trip.
"Ciao, bella!" cries one by way of greeting, stepping out from behind the counter. "Can we help you?"
"Ciao, yes. I'm Harper," I say, holding my hand out. "I spoke to one of you on the phone yesterday?"
The guy's eyes light up as he grabs my hand eagerly. "Ah, sì! Harper! I remember!" Bending down, he lays an enthusiastic kiss on my knuckles. "You spoke to me! I'm Mario."
I nod in affirmation. "Yes, I—"
"And this is my brother, Luca!" continues Mario with typical Italian excitement, throwing a hand on the other guy's shoulder to yank him into my eye-line.
"Come stai?" he asks, grabbing my hand out of his brothers grasp to drop a loud smooch on it as well.
"Sto bene, grazie," I reply graciously.
Mario and Luca stare at me in bewilderment before simultaneously lighting up in wonder. "Ah! Sorprendente! Parla italiano? Hai un così bell'accento! Tu che sembri—"
"And, this is Drake," I add in English, somewhat apologetically, having exhausted my limited Italian. "My husband."
The brothers' faces fall. "Ah. Piacere."
Drake nods passively in reply.
"So... you, ah, wanted to have Full Flight experience?" asks Mario, clearing his throat as he resumes his place behind the counter.
"Yes," I respond, digging into my bag for my phone. "The 30 minute package. I have the confirmation email, if—"
"No, no!" interjects Mario with a wave of his hand as he clicks the Apple desktop screen to life. "I have you in system already. And you paid full amount yesterday, so you only need to sign waiver before start of your lesson."
"Great!" I say, dropping my phone back into the bag's pocket as Luca hands me a double sided piece of paper. "You have a pen?"
Two sets of biros are thrust instant in my direction.
"Thanks," I say bemusedly.
Turning back to Drake, I see him looking at me with a raised brow.
"Full flight experience, Gale?" he asks dryly. "We signing our life away to go parasailing or something?"
"Nope," I reply, passing him the waiver and the pen with a grin. "Just you. Because you're about to go hydroboarding."
His eyes snap up to mine. "Hydro-what-now?"
"Hydroboarding," I repeat. "Also known as jet-blading. Think Iron Man thrusters on your feet, but powered by water instead of... whatever it is that powers Iron Man's thrusters."
"Repulsors," he supplies dryly as he scans the waiver. "And you thought this was a good idea because...?"
"Because it's your birthday and I wanted to surprise you with something that you haven't tried before and therefore wouldn't be expecting!"
"Well, you certainly managed to score on both of those fronts," he mutters, scribbling his details on the form.
I lean into him seductively. "I told you I'd be able to surpass myself."
He glances up from the page. "Don't jump the gun, baby. I'm not out on the water yet."
"Like I said this morning," I purr against his ear. "I have reason to feel confident."
A low growl rumbles in his throat as he dashes his signature on the form.
"Bene!" cries Mario, snatching the waiver away. "If you follow Luca to the back, he will give you helmet and wetsuit in your size."
"Wetsuit?" queries Drake, dropping the pen on the counter. "Seriously?"
"All part of the package, darling," I tell him with a pat on his back as we file after Luca.
Drake groans audibly. "You're walking a fine line, girl..."
"You know me, Walker..." I smirk. "I'm all about the high-octane thrills!"
"Good," he says, throwing me a heated look over his shoulder. "Because when we get back to the yacht, I'm still plannin' on taking you all the way to cloud nine."
I meet his eye. "That a promise?"
His mouth pulls into a cocky grin. "It's a gold-plated guarantee."
"So, this is equipment room," declares Luca, coming to a stop in the middle of a tightly packed space that was filled to the brim with various pieces of water-sporting gear. "We have helmets, wetsuits, life jackets in all sizes. You look like you're a pretty fit guy so—"
"La mia taglia la so," interjects Drake, striding over to a rack of wetsuits.
Luca's eyes widen.
"He's been diving before," I say by way of explanation.
"Noto," comes the po-faced acknowledgment as Drake rifles critically through the options. "And I see now where you learn to speak Italian."
"Learning," I correct. "It's a bit of a slow process."
"Salvagente?" asks Drake, turning back to the room with his selection.
Luca indicates towards the far wall.
Crossing the floor, Drake quickly picks out a life jacket, and a helmet as well.
"Lo spogliatoio è laggiù," advises Luca, pointing to a haphazardly hung curtain in the corner.
"Grazie," nods Drake, carrying his armload of stuff over.
"Do you... need me to hold onto anything?" I ask.
"Nah, I'm good," he replies, stepping behind the curtain. "Be out in a minute."
"Okay."
"So, you come to Malta for holiday?" asks Luca inquisitively, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of having to wait in silence.
"Honeymoon," I reply, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"Ahh!" he exclaims, throwing his hands up into the air. "Congratulazioni! Your husband is very lucky guy!"
"Thanks," I say with a simile. "I feel the same way about him."
"How you two meet?"
"Erm... it's a bit of a long story, but we met in New York."
"Ah, sì! New York!" he nods enthusiastically. "The Big Melon!"
I frown. "Normally it's called the Big Apple, but—"
The sound of metal rings jingling on the curtain pole draw my attention.
Turning my head, I see Drake step out from the changing area and I can't help but snort.
He quirks a brow as he adjusts the chin strap on his helmet. "Somethin' funny, Gale?"
"No," I say, trying to recollect my composure. "I... I've just never seen you with so much gear on."
"Well, it's a bit overkill, if you ask me," he declares, grabbing his clothes and shoes from the floor.
"You do look ready for some serious spelunking..."
"Let me guess?" he drawls, handing me his stuff. "That's my birthday present for next year?"
I swallow down another snort as I drop his things in my tote. "Do you want it to be?"
His mocha eyes meet mine. "Only if you're coming with me."
"You got yourself a deal, cowboy," I say with a grin, pushing myself up on my toes to give him a kiss. "Now go live it up as Iron Man."
"Whatever you say, Miss Potts," he smirks with a wink, giving my backside a clandestine squeeze before turning to Luca. "Quindi cosa dopo?"
"Suegitemi," he prompts, heading back to the front of the store.
"Y'know," whispers Drake into my ear as we follow after Luca, "it's not too late for you to ditch that romper and get gussied up too."
"Nice try, Walker," I laugh. "But like I said — this day is all about you, so I'm more than happy to sit this one out so I can capture your escapades on film."
"Fine," he grumbles. "But I'm gettin' my own back for your birthday."
"I expect nothing less," I grin as Luca leads us out onto the jetty, where Mario is already waiting for us.
"Ah! Bellissimo!" he enthuses upon our approach. But his face suddenly falls as his eyes land on me. "Harper! You change your mind? You don't want to go flying?"
"Oh, no," I say with a chuckle. "This was a surprise for Drake."
"Ahh!" nods Mario in understanding. "You want to use husband as hamster first. Smart lady!"
"Actually—"
But Mario has already turned his attention onto his student. "So. Mr Drake. Like English pirate, yes?"
"Era un corsaro, non un pirata," replies Drake.
"Ah-ha!" exclaims Mario, clapping Drake on the shoulder. "So, it is you who are the secret Italian! But why English name?"
"Perché sono mezzo americano," explains Drake. "Ma mia madre è di Cordonia e anche io sono cresciuto lì."
"Ah, sì... Cordonia," muses Mario. "Bel paese. Belle donne."
As Drake continues conversing with the brothers in their native language, I take the opportunity to slip my phone out of my bag and take some pictures of the three of them, as well as the sparkling bay behind us.
Malta had not been on the list of destinations for this trip, but it had been the only place that offered hydroboarding. So, when it had popped up as an option during my online hunt for birthday surprises for Drake, I’d know I I had to convince him to make the detour south.
And honestly? It hasbeen worth it. The little island was a true jewel of the Mediterranean with craggy limestone cliffs plunging into azure-blue bays so clear you could see to the bottom, while the small towns that dotted the coast literally made you feel like you stepped back in time as you wandered the meandering cobblestone streets lined with imposing baroque buildings.
Stowing my phone away, I turn back to the men and see that they are now in the process of showing Drake how to use the hydroboard, which really does look like the wayward parts of Tony Stark's suit. And while I can’t understand any of the fast-paced Italian, I’m able to pick up the general gist from the non-verbal parts of the demo: dip your toes down to go forwards, straighten back up to stop or rise higher, and lean to the side to turn.
Drake is nodding along intently, dropping a few questions here and there, but before long, Luca is strapping the device to his feet, and latching on the tube that would supply the water to the thrusters via the jet ski's propulsion system.
"All set?" I ask as he prepares to drop into the water.
"We're about to find out," he replies while Luca helps lower him off the pier.
"Have fun!" I call down to him.
"Harper!"
I snap my head up at the sound of my name.
Mario beckoning to me from atop his jet ski. "Jump on! Capitano Drake said you wanted to take pictures — best spot is from the water."
"But I'm not dressed for swimming," I say, gesturing at my romper.
"Don't worry!" he laughs. "I promised your husband I will take good care of you. You won't fall in."
"Okay, sure!" I nod with a grin, slipping out of my sandals. Opening up my tote, I drop my shoes in and extract my phone before stowing the bag behind a large metal mooring post. Since it was just us out here, I figured our stuff would be safe for the 30 or so minutes while we were out on the water, especially since it looked like Luca would be staying on the jetty.
Quickly throwing my hair into a ponytail, I make my way over to Mario. Sitting down on the edge of the pier, Luca provides some assistance with manoeuvring me onto the back of the jet ski, given that I only really had one free hand.
Once I'm seated securely, Mario relays some instructions into the headset he’s wearing before slowly guiding the little vessel away from the jetty.
Glancing behind me, I see Drake's head bobbing above the water, but he quickly starts to ascend skywards.
"Get ready," advises Mario, revving the throttle higher as he spins the jet ski around so we’re facing back towards the shore.
Pulling up the camera app, I switch it to video mode and hit record just as Drake rises somewhat haphazardly out of the water.
"Oh, my God! That's so cool!" I exclaim, watching as the powerful jets under his feet propel him upwards until he's hovering about a foot above the water, arms thrown out as he tries to maintain his balance.
"Like magic, no?" grins Mario, watching Drake's efforts and making adjustments to the throttle speed accordingly.
"Definitely!" I enthuse, zooming in on Drake as he begins to move forwards.
"Balance is most important thing," calls Mario above the roar of the jets. "If you have strong balance you can—"
"Oh, no!" I cry as Drake suddenly loses the tentative hold in his equilibrium and tips in slow-motion back into the water.
"Everybody falls," Mario assures me as he helps Drake level out again before powering upwards once more with some further instructions into his headset. "But for first time, he is doing great job!"
"He's an amazing snowboarder," I say. "And he used to ski before that. I'm guessing both of those help."
"Sì, sì," nods Mario, keeping his gaze on his charge. "Skating, rollerblading, surfing — all these sports are good practice. Should we make him go higher?"
"Obviously!" I laugh, giving Drake a wave as he looks in our direction.
He gives a quick wave in response before focusing his attention back on the mechanics of his flight. Mario relays a few more instructions down the line and Drake throws us a thumbs up in response. A few false starts and a couple of jagged movements later, he's managed to draw a figure of eight out in front of us.
"Wow!" I gasp as he repeats the exercise again, this time with increased speed. "He's gotten the hang of that that quick!"
"He is natural," agrees Mario. "Before you know it, he will be competing in X-Games."
"Don't tell him that, because he definitely—!" I gasp as I catch sight of Drake again. "Holy crap!"
"Like I said — he is natural," replies Mario, watching Drake execute a tight 360 bent low over his board.
"Oh, God, I've created a monster..." I mutter sardonically under my breath as Drake flies out of the spin into a wide circle around us.
The rest of the session zooms by in a blur, and before I know it my phone’s battery is about to die and it's time to head back to shore.
"That was so amazing!" I exclaim as Luca helps me dismount the jet ski. "And I wasn't even the one flying!"
"You are welcome back anytime, Harper," says Mario with a grin as Luca takes my place on the back of the craft. "It was our pleasure!"
Grabbing my bag, I watch as the brothers head back to Drake and help him detach the hydroboard from his feet before shuttling it back to the jetty.
Drake makes the short swim back to the pier, and I'm there waiting for him as he climbs back onto dry land.
"So, what did you think?" I ask as he pulls himself up next to me, dripping water.
"Fuckin' awesome!" he declares, unclipping his helmet with a beaming smile. "The time went by so fast that I swear I was only out there for 5 minutes, tops."
"Well, my phone can attest to the fact that it was the full half hour," I assure him. "I got some good pics though!"
"Great! Can't wait to see! And you're definitely coming with me next time. You'd love it! It really is like flying!"
"Glad you had a good time, cowboy," I say, dropping a kiss in his salt-infused lips.
He wraps his arm around me, drenching me in the process. "I did. And I appreciate you pulling this together for me behind my back. You really didn't have to."
I smack him on the chest. "Of course I did! What kind of person would I be if I didn't surprise you with some kind of surprise on your birthday?"
"Well, you got me the other present already, so—"
"Nope!" I declare with a cheeky grin. "One present isn't enough. I gotta keep you in your toes, bud, remember?"
"You do, baby," he says with a warm look, pulling me to him. "Every single day. And I wouldn't trade it for the world."
"Me neither," I assure him, fusing my lips with his. "Now, let's get back to the boat."
Tumblr media
So, as promised, a few notes and translations below:
1. Food — I appreciate that chicken and waffles is very much an American dish, with strong ties to the Southern states. However, in the course of my research, I did actually find a bistro in St. Julian’s, in Malta, where they serve this for brunch, so I did not — in any way! — take any creative licenses with that part of the story 😇
2. Language — Malta is an interesting place from a language point of view. While the official language is Maltese (which is a Semitic language that developed from a dialect of Arabic in combination with Sicilian — no, I didn’t know this either!), Malta was a British colony for about 150 years, which means that most people are conversant in both languages. In addition, due to Malta’s proximity to Italy, along with the influence of the Sicilian dialect on the local language, many Maltese people can speak/understand Italian as well. That said, Mario and Luca are actually Italian transplants (rather than Maltese), which is why they speak Italian.
3. Translations — As mentioned in my other fics, I HC that Drake is fluent in both French and Italian. Here are the translations:
- Mon coeur: lit. ‘my heart’ but connotatively means ‘my love’
- Putain de bordel de— : For fuck's—
- Ciao, bella!: Hello, beautiful!
- Sì: Yes
- Come stai?: How are you (doing)?
- Sto bene, grazie: I’m doing well, thanks.
- Sorprendente! Parla italiano? Hai un così bell'accento! Tu che sembri— : Amazing! You speak Italian! You have such a beautiful accent! You sound like—
- Piacere: Pleasure (as in ‘pleasure to meet you’)
- Bene: Good/great
- La mia taglia la so: I know what size I am
- Noto: Noted / I see
- Salvagente: Life jacket
- Lo spogliatoio è laggiù: The changing room is over there
- Grazie: Thanks
- Congratulazioni: Congratulations
- Quindi cosa dopo?: What now?
- Suegitemi: Follow me
- Bellissimo: Beautiful
- Era un corsaro, non un pirata: He was a privateer, not a pirate
- Perché sono mezzo americano. Ma mia madre è di Cordonia e anche io sono cresciuto lì: Because I am half-American. My mother is from Cordonia and I also grew up there.
- Ah, sì... Cordonia. Bel paese. Belle donne: Ah, yes… Cordonia. Beautiful country. Beautiful women.
*Big Melon: So, while looking for a translation of Big Apple, I learnt that in Italian, apple = mela, which I thought looked and sounded surprisingly similar to melon (melone), hence the small linguistic in-joke. Similar case of lost in translation with Guinea pig vs hamster. I know, I’m sad… ignore me 😆
Permatags
@twinkleallnight @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019 @petiteboheme @angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tessa-liam @alyshak92 @secretaryunpaid @princessleac1 @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @twinkle-320 @knaussal @nikkis1983 @lunaseasblog @ficloverevie @indiana-jr @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kristinamae093 @eversoaringqueen12 @peonierose @3pawandme @alexabeta @veebug8 @fangirling12566 @queenmiarys @lancelotsimp @coco-lina-s @lolablackwrites @ivyflowers13 @persephone13 @hollygirl1269 @adri-ja-96 @harleybeaumont @katedrakeohd @uneravine @alj4890 @choicesficwriterscreations @drake-walker-appreciation
Picture credits:
Hydroboarding - Harper - Drake - Malta
54 notes · View notes
memphisflash · 2 months
Text
𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕
Tumblr media
Pairing: Evelyn Harper (OC) x Elvis Presley
Word count: 4,3K
Chapter summary: In the heat of the moment and with flashbacks playing before Evelyn's eyes the closer she is to Elvis, the two have sex again after years.
Chapter warnings: Elvis' pov (smut written in his pov hits different ;)), smut smut smut, biting/consumimg blood during sex.
A/N: I just love them, bye.
Main m.list | Series m.list
Tumblr media
(gif not mine, but definitely the vibes for this chapter.)
Tumblr media
ELVIS' POV
The moment our lips met I threw all caution to the wind.
I’d wanted to take things step by step because I didn’t wanted to overwhelm Evelyn or scare her off, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t fantasized about kissing her and touching her for the entirety of the past week.
She was my wife, and the only female who could get my body to respond this quickly by just a kiss.
As soon as she started grinding herself onto me, I knew I was done for.
“More,” she mumbled breathlessly against my lips as I held onto her hips, my fingertips softly pressing into her delicate skin. “I need more,”
I wanted to tell her again that we didn’t have to do this, that we could take things slow, but my body worked before my brain. I dragged my lips over her jawline and down to her neck, her high ponytail giving me perfect access to one of her weak spots.
Maybe she was only taking it this far because she was getting flashbacks, maybe she would regret it afterwards due to the compulsion, but right now I couldn’t get myself to care.
I wanted her.
I craved her.
Her hands were running through my hair, making a mess out of it as she tugged on it while arching her back and pressing her chest against mine as I kissed her neck. A low groan escape from my throat as I could feel her hardened nipples through the fabric of my shirt she was wearing against my chest.
All of my senses were on high alert and it felt as if I’d been set ablaze, in the most delicious possible way.
Her scent made my eyes roll in the back of my head as my tongue darted out to flick against her earlobe. I grunted lowly in her ear as she let out a soft gasp that turned into a small moan, pushing her hips down a little more as she moved herself along my cock that was still in the uncomfortable confinements of my pants.
Moving one hand up her back and in between her shoulder blades, I pulled my face out of her neck and pulled her hair out of its ponytail. Watching her brown locks cascade around her face and over her shoulders had me mesmerized, as it always did.
She was the most gorgeous human being I’d ever laid my eyes on and I couldn’t get enough of the sight of her.
My eyes wandered down to her exposed clavicle, the swell of her breasts visible as a few buttons of her shirt had been popped open, nipples taunting me behind the fabric.
On instinct, my hands moved up her sides and I grinned as I could see she was getting ready for me to touch her but let out a surprised little squeal instead when I raised her off of my lap and threw her back on the bed.
Hovering above her in a split second, I wiggled myself in between her legs and she welcomed me without any hesitation. I made sure not to put my whole weight on her as I placed my arm next to her head, fingers caressing her hair, as I was quick to move my other hand up her stomach and flick open the buttons of her shirt. Looking down at her exposed breasts as the fabric fell open, I hummed lowly and rolled my hips against her, softly but firmly.
The way she gasped and looked up at me with her cheeks flushed had my balls tightening up in my pants.
“Still as damn gorgeous as I remember,” I whispered with a grin tugging at my lips, cupping one of her breasts and squeezing it softly. I caressed my thumb across her nipple, licking my lips as I leaned down and took the sensitive bud in my mouth.
Evelyn arched her back a little, both of her hands flying in my hair. I was surprised when she pressed me closer against her instead of pushing me away, pleasantly so.
I didn’t know if she was getting any flashbacks or not, but it sure as hell brought back a lot of memories for me and I hadn’t even lost them.
Her scent, the feeling of her soft skin, the sound of her heartbeat picking up and the little whimpers and moans she was letting out…
Even the scent of her arousal that was slowly but surely building up.
I could recognize all of it even if she’d be lined up with a thousand other girls.
I was losing myself in her already, like I had so many times before, as I gave both her breasts equal attention. God, I was like a damned school boy whenever she was naked around me, and I didn’t give a single damn.
We were grinding against each other heavily, dry-humping as if we’d never done this before, as I licked all over her chest. She looked down at me as I sucked on one of her nipples and I looked up at her, taking a mental picture of the way she moaned and bit her lip, her brown eyes darkening with lust.
She moved her hands to my shoulders, pushing me down a little more and I took the hint immediately, kissing down her stomach. I could feel her move around a little as she took her shirt completely off but I never took my lips from her skin, moving down further on the bed until her legs were spreading wide for me.
That’s when I realised she hadn’t even been wearing panties in the first place.
Placing my hands on the back of her thighs, I quirked my eyebrow in a playful manner and grinned as our eyes met. “You been layin’ in my bed without panties all this time?”
She nodded slowly, biting her lip as she grinned playfully. “Your sheets are soft.”
“Goddamnit, baby,” I mumbled, letting out a low breathless chuckle as my eyes traveled back down to her exposed pussy right in front of me. “I sure as hell ain’t complainin’.”
I didn’t even give her the chance to respond even if she wanted to – leaning in, I licked a long and slow stripe through her folds and flicked my tongue against her clit.
The taste of her arousal exploded on my taste buds like a million little stars and my eyes darkened, looking up at her as I wrapped my arms around her thighs, bringing her even closer to me.
Evelyn propped her elbows in the mattress, her hands gripping onto the sheets as she watched me devour her pussy like a starved man.
And in a way, I was. I hadn’t tasted her in years.
If Heaven existed, I knew this was it.
Her moans were growing louder and I didn’t give a damn if any of the guys heard her, and she didn’t seem to either. The sounds rolling off her tongue sounded like music to my ears and they only encouraged me to keep going. I moaned deeply as I watched her throw her head back, one of her hands disappearing into my hair once more.
I wrapped my lips around her clit and sucked on it softly, bringing a hand down to caress my fingertips through her wet folds. No warning or whatsoever, I pushed my middle finger inside of her and she looked down at me with wide eyes, gasping as her grip on my hair tightened.
I welcomed it with a grunt right on her clit.
“Oh, f-fuck!” she moaned breathlessly as her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and I took the opportunity to add another finger.
My fingers and tongue moved in sync and while it took her by surprise, the sight of her coming undone wasn’t foreign to me.
I’d seen it happen so many times over the years, I knew just what she liked and how to get her to taste that little piece of euphoria, but it was still a sight for sore eyes and I couldn’t get enough of it.
“Oh my God, E-El!” the nickname only spurred me on further, flicking my tongue against her clit rapidly as I had to fight the urge to not use vampiric speed when fingering her. “I’m gonna.. I’m.. fuck, yes!”
I could feel her walls clenching around my digits, her toes curling as she closed her thighs around my head. I let her happily suffocate me, slowly bringing my fingers to a halt and pulling them out of her as she came, slipping my tongue to her entrance to taste all of her.
I moaned lowly into her pussy as I looked up at her, not wanting to miss a single second of her in this moment.
As her legs fell open again and she was laying back on the bed, I slowly raised my head and moved back up to face her again, grinning like a fool. Half of my face was glistening with her essence and I licked it off of my lips, still tasting her vividly on my tongue.
“I can see why I married you now,” she joked as she was catching her breath, chuckling lightly. I laughed, and kissed the corner of her mouth.
She always knew just the right way to stroke my ego.
“Did you remember anything?”
For the first time in a long time, she looked at me with a playful twinkle in her eye. Mischievous, even.
“Ask me again after,” with that, she pushed me back on the bed and was straddling me once me, her fingertips working quick as she undid the last few buttons of my shirt. I ran my hands up the side of her thighs and looked at her, squeezing her hips softly as my hands moved further up.
“We don’t have to.. y’know.. go all the way tonight if you don’t want it, honey..”
“I want this, Elvis,” she quickly told me, looking down at me with a sweet smile on her face. Once she’d been so easy for me to read, but now I found it hard to. I had no idea what was going on in her mind – damned compulsion. “I want to remember,” she whispered as she leaned in to my ear, her hands running up my chest. “And I want you,”
I sunk my teeth in my lower lip as she whispered in my ear like that, her hot breath tickling my skin. I responded by grabbing her ass and she took it as a sign to continue, kissing my neck and making her way down to my chest. I moved some of her hair to the side as I watched her place sweet, soft kisses all over my lower abdomen as her hands were already tugging my pants down.
“No underwear?” she smirked up at me as my cock sprung free when she’d pulled my pants all the way off, throwing the fabric behind her on the floor.
I placed my arms under head after I took off my shirt, grinning down at her.
“Baby, I barely own any,”
She pursed her lips as she raised an eyebrow, and laughed sweetly. As if to say she wasn’t surprised.
I knew what Evelyn was like in bed.
She’d never been the shy type and even when we had sex for the first time, she was nothing like the well behaved girl she always was in public.
It was safe to say we broke the bed on our wedding night.
But tonight there was a hint of insecurity in her actions. She was careful as she wrapped her hand around my length and slowly moved her hand up and down, pre-cum dripping from my tip and over her fingertips.
Right now, I didn’t care if she’d do things slowly and carefully or would ruin me right here in this bed, as long as I had her.
I realised the way she was handling me as if I was fragile was because in her compelled mind, she didn’t know what I liked, but I was more than happy to guide her through it.
“Faster, baby..” I whispered as I looked down at her through half lidded eyes, moving one of my hands down to caress my fingers through her hair, twirling a dark lock around my index finger. She did what I told her and I groaned lowly, watching her hand slide up and down my cock a little quicker, the sight of her manicured nails glistening with my pre-cum making my length twitch in the palm of her hand.
She build up speed every few seconds but she surprised me by leaning in closer and swirling her tongue around my tip as her hand came to a slow halt. A near animalistic grunt tore through my throat but it didn’t scare her off – instead, she wrapped her lips around it and slowly but surely took me in all the way.
“Oooh, baby,” I wasn’t strong enough to keep my eyes open, my fingers tangling in her hair. My entire body, mind and soul were consumed by her and her alone, and the way she was sucking me off. I didn’t even know if this was making her remember anything, but I couldn’t get myself to complain. “Jus’ like that, Eva..”
Her hand was starting to move along to the rhythm of her mouth and it made the muscles in my lower abdomen tighten up, slowly blinking my eyes open to look at her. She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear and was looking right up at me, her soft lips puckering as she caressed my tip with them.
“Does it feel nice?”
“Nice?” I let out a breathless laugh, running a hand through my hair. “It feels better than nice. You’re real good at that, y’know that?”
“I’m sure you do.” She smiled at me, an excited twinkle in her eyes as I could see her confidence had grown back because of my responses to her actions.
I laughed and nodded, a grin that spread from ear to ear settling on my face.
I certainly did know.
After letting her explore and do her thing for a little while, I gently grabbed her arm and pulled her up, pushing her back down onto the bed once more.
My heart skipped a beat when her legs wrapped around my waist so quickly as I situated myself on top of her and I grinned, kissing the tip of her nose.
“You’re drivin’ me crazy,” I admitted in a whisper against her lips, kissing her softly. She cupped my face and bit down onto my lower lip, tugging on it for a second which made me groan.
“You should show me how crazy,” she challenged seductively as her fingertips played with my hair. I grinned and hummed lowly in agreement, leaning into her touch as she placed a hand on my cheek.
Moving one of my hands between our bodies, I guided the tip of my cock through her folds, rubbing circles against her clit softly. “You sure, baby?”
She grabbed onto my shoulders and gasped, a mixture of a moan and whimper rolling off her tongue. “Y-Yes, Elvis, please..” she moved her left hand to the back of my neck, pressing our foreheads together. “Please make me remember, make love to me,”
I could feel her body tremble in excitement underneath me and I didn’t need more convincing. Aligning myself at her entrance, I pushed myself inside of her inch by inch.
Gasping in each others’ mouths, I could feel her nails digging into my skin and I welcomed the small sting wholeheartedly. Her dark, warm eyes bored into my lustful blue ones as she molded around my length so perfectly, like she was made only for me.
“Fuckin’ hell, baby,” I whispered, making sure to keep my voice steady. “Forgot how d-damn.. t-tight.. you are.”
Her cheeks deepened a shade of red, but I doubted it was because she felt shy, but more so at the intrusion. “S-so.. f-full,” she moaned softly as I bottomed out.
I gave her a little bit to get used to the feeling of being filled, caressing her cheek and jawline with soft, butterfly kisses. She ran her hands down my arms and leaned up a little to kiss my shoulder and arm, squeezing her legs around my waist firmly.
I pulled back my hips slightly, thrusting into her at a slow and careful pace. She put her head back on the mess of pillows, her hair spread out like a halo and once more, I was mesmerized as if I was looking at the world’s finest painting.
To me, there wasn’t much difference between an art piece and the woman underneath me.
The moment, the whole ordeal, was intense. It always had been with us, but right now it felt as if I wasn’t even on Earth anymore. Even the tiniest noises I always heard in the back of my head due to my heightened senses, like the wood of my bed moving or the couple five floors down arguing, were gone.
I heard nothing but the sound of Evelyn’s heartbeat, our skin meeting with every thrust and the beautiful melody of her moans.
It was complete and utter bliss.
Her walls were lowering more and more – I could see it by the way she looked at me, searching my eyes for every stolen memory. At one point she was nearly begging for more – faster, harder.
And who was I to turn her down?
Placing my hands flat next to her head to give myself the leverage I needed, I smirked down at her as I intensified the pace of my thrusts. If the guys hadn’t heard us before, I was certain they did now with the way the headboard of the bed was banging repeatedly against the wall as Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut and high pitched cries and moans tore through her throat.
She reached out to a pillow beside her and squeezed it closer to her, biting down on it as she turned her head to the side. Giving me the most enticing view of her neck and the thick vein that was pulsating underneath her warm skin.
Taunting me.
My self control was starting to slip, saliva starting to pool in my cheeks as my vampiric face was coming out to play.
Before I could stop myself, I leaned down and placed an open mouthed kiss right over that delicious tensed up vein that seemed to be screaming my name.
I rolled my tongue against it and moaned, squeezing the sheets in my hands so tight my knuckles were turning white.
“Please, baby,” I grunted against her skin, my fangs that had come out grazing against her flesh. “Jus’ one.. one.. little taste. I’ll be gentle,”
I could feel her tense up at my actions and words, her breathing erratic as she whimpered into the pillow she was still biting down on. My thrusts had slowed down a little, twirling my hips around before pressing them forward firmly, letting the tip of my cock caress her g-spot.
She clenched around me viciously and wrapped one arm around my shoulders, holding me tightly against her.
“D-Do it..”
I didn’t expect her to give me the permission I so desperately craved for her, but I was too far gone to stop now.
Before she could change her mind, I parted my lips against her skin a little more and softly sunk my teeth in, penetrating her delicate flesh.
She whimpered at the uncomfortable sting, but I took her mind off of it by fucking her at a slow but steady rhythm, making sure to meet that special spot every time.
My eyes rolled in the back of my head as soon as her blood flowed onto my tongue, goosebumps licking at my skin from head to toe.
Evelyn let go of the pillow and grabbed onto my arms, gasping and moaning with a tremble in her voice as she allowed me to feed my cravings.
I’d fed from her before, naturally. She was my wife and she knew sharing her blood with me was part of our marriage agreement.
We’d always done it in an intimate setting like this – the maids back at Graceland weren’t exactly happy with the amount of bloody sheets – and Evelyn loved it.
I could understand that it was different for her now and even possibly scary, so I did it as carefully and gentle as I could. I even took less than I usually did but when I pulled back, she looked at me in shock and grabbed my face.
“Do it again,” she nearly begged, my cock twitching at the trinkle of blood that traveled down her neck and in between her breasts. She didn’t seem to care about the mess or the blood on my lips, at all. “The flashbacks… they’re.. they’re coming b-back more vividly..”
“Eva, I can’t-“
“Bite me, Elvis.”
I clenched my jaw at the way she tangled her fingers firmly in my hair and looked at me with determination in her eyes. She wasn’t asking me, she was telling me.
And I didn’t need to be told twice.
The delicious mix of blood and sex never failed to bring me to climax and when she’d given me permission to bite her again, it didn’t take me long to reach that fine slice of Heaven.
I came undone inside of her when she squeezed me empty for all my worth as she came at the same time, which I realised had only intensified the memories playing before her eyes.
Pulling out of her, I looked at my creations – bite marks tainted her neck, breasts and wrists.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t been in the position to reach her supple thighs and ass like I wanted to.
I bit into my own wrist to draw blood and held it in front of her face. She breathed heavily, scrunching up her nose a little and laughed. “You never liked walkin’ around with bite marks on ya,”
She sighed softly and sat up a little, grabbing my hand and putting her mouth on my wrist, consuming some of my blood. It healed the punctured wounds I had created instantly, the only evidence that I bit her being the blood that was slowly drying up on her skin.
As she pulled back, I thumbed away the drip of blood from her lower lip but she grabbed my hand before I could pull back, sucking it off my digit.
I groaned softly, biting my lip as the feeling went right to my very core.
“Not as bad as I expected..”
I chuckled and let myself fall back on the bed, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her onto my chest. She rolled onto her stomach and grinned, putting her chin on my chest. “The blood, or the sex?”
“Both,” she teased and I scoffed, slapping her ass softly. She giggled and leaned up to kiss me as my hand ran up her spine, eventually finding home on the back of her head.
The fact that she was kissing me, and that she seemed to feel more comfortable around me than before warmed my heart.
She told me about the things she’d seen during the sex we just had and when I bit her. Memories of our life together had played like a movie she said, and it was mostly of our wedding day.
Which seemed to make sense in my mind, because it had been during our wedding night that I fed from her for the first time.
My thoughts were slowly drifting elsewhere as she was talking – I was staring into her eyes, taking in every detail of her face as if it was the last time I’d see her. I knew it wasn’t, I wouldn’t allow it to be, but there was still that fear in me.
If she decided to get up and walk out to never come back, I don’t think I’d be able to handle it.
“I love you,” I blurted out, interrupting her. She fell silent immediately, looking at me before her eyes wandered down to my chest where her finger was drawing small, mindless circles.
“Elvis, I…”
“I know, baby, I know,” I told her, smiling at her as she looked back up at me. My eyes followed the movement of my fingertips as I caressed them through her hair, tugging it behind her ear. “You can’t say it back right now and that’s okay. You will say it again one day and I’ll wait for that day to come, whether that’s tomorrow, in the next month or the next ten years. Because I love you, Evelyn, and there’s nothin’ in this whole wide world that can change that. Not a damn thing, you hear?”
I looked back in her eyes and cupped her face with both hands, wiping away her tears that were spilling now. I kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her lips.
And then wrapped my arms around her when she wrapped hers around me and hugged me, squeezing me with all her strength.
“Thank you, Elvis,” she whispered.
“What for, baby?” I mumbled in her hair as I rubbed my hand up and down her back, my other hand on the back of her head once more to keep her close to me.
“For.. doing this, for helping me.. and for loving me the way you do.”
I smiled and swallowed the lump in my throat, pulling my head back in my neck to look at her.
“I’d burn down the world for you, Eva. No doubt about it, no questions asked.”
I would do unspeakable things for the woman I was holding in my arms right now.
I would become the monster people thought I was for her, not caring what the consequences might be.
Christian Harper would be wise if he prepared himself for my wrath, that’s for sure.
16 notes · View notes