saw @chez-cinnamon's absolutely BANGER butterfly!Howdy design and couldn't resist! two fluffy flutterbyes <3 solidarity

Enhance Your Beauty Journey at SLS Beauty Clinic, Chesham

Welcome to SLS Beauty Clinic, your haven for unparalleled beauty experiences in Chesham. At our esteemed clinic, we pride ourselves on offering tailored services designed to enhance your natural beauty and boost your confidence. With a team of skilled professionals and a commitment to excellence, we invite you to embark on a transformative journey with us.

Eyebrow Lamination:

Revitalize your brows with our Eyebrow Lamination service. Our expert technicians in Chesham will sculpt and set your brows to perfection, creating a sleek and defined look that complements your facial features. Say goodbye to unruly brows and hello to effortlessly chic arches that frame your face beautifully. Eyebrow Lamination Chesham

Eyebrow Tinting:

Define your brows with our Eyebrow Tinting service. Using precise techniques, our skilled team in Chesham will customize the tint to match your desired shade, resulting in brows that are perfectly suited to your unique style. Say hello to brows that make a statement and accentuate your natural beauty with finesse. Eyebrow tinting Chesham

Eyelash Extensions:

Elevate your look with our Eyelash Extensions service. Our talented technicians in Chesham will enhance your natural lashes with extensions that add volume and length, creating a stunning, fluttery effect. Say goodbye to mascara and hello to effortlessly glamorous lashes that enhance your eyes' allure. EYELASH Extension Chesham

Dyeing Eyebrows:

Accentuate your brows with our Dyeing Eyebrows service. Our experienced team in Chesham will expertly match the dye to your desired shade, resulting in brows that are impeccably shaped and beautifully colored. Say goodbye to sparse brows and hello to defined, expressive arches that frame your face with elegance. Dyeing eyebrows Chesham

Pedicure:

Indulge in relaxation with our luxurious Pedicure service. Our skilled therapists in Chesham will pamper your feet with a soothing soak, exfoliating scrub, and nourishing massage, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth, and rejuvenated. Say goodbye to tired, achy feet and hello to blissful tranquility. PEDICURE Chesham

Nail Art:

Express your personality with our creative Nail Art service. Our talented nail technicians in Chesham will adorn your nails with intricate designs or vibrant patterns that reflect your unique style. Say goodbye to dull nails and hello to eye-catching manicures that make a statement. nail art Chesham

Manicure:

Treat your hands to luxury with our indulgent Manicure service. Our expert technicians in Chesham will shape, buff, and polish your nails to perfection, leaving your hands looking and feeling immaculate. Say goodbye to chipped polish and hello to beautifully manicured nails that exude sophistication. MANICURE Chesham

Professional Teeth Whitening:

Brighten your smile with our Professional Teeth Whitening service. Our advanced treatments in Chesham are designed to effectively remove stains and discoloration, leaving you with a radiant smile that boosts your confidence. Say goodbye to dull teeth and hello to a dazzling, luminous smile. professional teeth whitening Chesham

Teeth Whitening Treatment:

Restore your smile with our Teeth Whitening Treatment. Our personalized approach in Chesham ensures optimal results, giving you teeth that are several shades brighter and more youthful. Say goodbye to stained teeth and hello to a rejuvenated, confident smile. teeth whitening treatment Chesham

Best Teeth Whitening Treatment:

Experience exceptional whitening with our Best Teeth Whitening Treatment. Our dedicated team in Chesham is committed to delivering outstanding results, giving you a smile that is not only brilliantly white but also healthy-looking. Say goodbye to discolored teeth and hello to the radiant, confident smile you deserve. best teeth whitening treatment Chesham

At SLS Beauty Clinic in Chesham, we believe that beauty is an art form, and we are here to help you create your masterpiece. With our range of luxurious treatments and personalized service, we are dedicated to helping you look and feel your absolute best. Come and experience the difference with us today.

What is Microblading Brows? Who Should Consider It, and Why?

Microblading brows is a progressive method that has surprised the magnificence world as of late. Whether you're worn out on managing rowdy eyebrows, have scanty or over-culled temples, or essentially want a more characterized and cleaned look, microblading is a semi-long-lasting arrangement that could change your magnificence schedule. In this blog, we will dig into what microblading foreheads are, who ought to think about it, and why it's turned into a unique advantage in the realm of restorative upgrades.

Figuring out Microblading Brows

Microblading is a semi-long-lasting restorative system that includes the utilization of a handheld device with super fine needles to store shades in the skin's upper layers. Dissimilar to customary eyebrow inking, microblading makes hair-like strokes that mirror the regular appearance of eyebrows. This method considers a more practical and redone look.

The Microblading Process

The most common way of microblading brows normally includes a few stages:

Consultation: The excursion starts with a meeting with a prepared and guaranteed microblading expert. During this meeting, you'll examine your ideal eyebrow shape, variety, and any worries or questions you might have.

Planning and Design: The specialist will cautiously allot and plan the state of your eyebrows, considering your facial highlights and bone construction. This step guarantees that the end product is impeccably custom-made to your extraordinary face.

Numbing: A skin desensitizing cream is applied to limit inconvenience during the technique. Most clients report just gentle inconvenience or a slight scratching sensation.

Microblading: Utilizing the handheld apparatus, the specialist fastidiously makes hair-like strokes in the ideal regions. Color is stored in the minuscule entry points, bringing about regular-looking eyebrows.

Last Touches: When the microblading is finished, any vital changes or last contacts are made to guarantee balance and flawlessness.

Recuperating and Contact Up: After the technique, your temples will go through a mending interaction. A final detail meeting is generally planned within half a month to address any blurring or lopsidedness and to guarantee the end product is immaculate.

 Who Ought to Think about Microblading Brows?

Microblading is a flexible arrangement that can help many people. Here's who ought to think about it:

Those with Scanty Brows: Assuming you have normally meager eyebrows or have encountered balding because old enough, ailment, or over-culling, microblading can fill in the holes and make the deception of more full foreheads.

Over-Pluckers: Assuming you've succumbed to the over-culling pattern of the past or have harmed your temples, microblading can assist with reestablishing their normal shape and completion.

Occupied Individuals: Microblading is a life hack for the people who need to awaken with impeccably prepared temples without the everyday problem of attracting them.

Alopecia Sufferers: For people with alopecia or different circumstances causing balding, microblading can give a certainty helping arrangement.

Chemotherapy Patients: Patients going through chemotherapy frequently experience eyebrow balding. Microblading offers a method for recapturing a feeling of predictability and confidence.

Individuals with Sensitivities or Sensitivities: If you have aversions to cosmetics or skin-responsive qualities that keep you from utilizing conventional forehead items, microblading is a hypoallergenic elective.

The Benefits of Microblading Brows

Now that we've covered who ought to consider microblading, we should investigate why this system has acquired such ubiquity:

a. Normal Appearance

Microblading makes surprisingly regular-looking eyebrows. The fine, hair-like strokes mix consistently with your current forehead hairs, making it almost difficult to distinguish the microbladed regions from normal ones.

b. Time-Saving

One of the essential advantages of microblading is the time it saves. You can express farewell to the day to day everyday practice of penciling, powdering, or pomading your foreheads. Your eyebrows will be all set when you awaken.

c. Certainty Boost

Full and obvious eyebrows can help your certainty and improve your general appearance. Microblading can assist you with accomplishing the foreheads you've needed for a long time, giving a huge certainty of support.

d. Low Maintenance

Microbladed eyebrows require insignificant upkeep. While a final detail meeting is prescribed every 12 to a year and a half to keep up with the dynamic quality of the shade, you won't have to invest energy in day-to-day upkeep.

e. Customization

Each individual has extraordinary facial highlights, and microblading considers this. Your specialist will work with you to make eyebrows that supplement your face impeccably, guaranteeing a tweaked outcome.

f. Semi-Permanent

Microblading isn't long-lasting like customary inking. The shade blurs progressively over the long run, giving you the adaptability to change the shape or shade of your eyebrows as patterns change or your inclinations develop.

g. Negligible Discomfort

Most people report negligible uneasiness during the methodology, on account of the skin desensitizing cream applied in advance. The slight distress experienced is certainly worth the delightful outcomes.

h. Reliable Technique

Microblading has been refined throughout the long term, and present-day procedures are protected and viable when performed by ensured experts. This strategy has a demonstrated history of progress.

I. Prompt Results

Not at all like a few corrective techniques that require a long time of recuperating, you'll see the consequences of microblading very quickly. Your foreheads will look normally full and obvious just after the method.

 Focusing on Microbladed Brows

Appropriate aftercare is fundamental to guarantee the life span and liveliness of your microbladed temples. Here are a few ways to focus on your recently upgraded eyebrows:

Keep away from Water and Sweating: For the initial not many days after the technique, stay away from water, perspiring, and difficult exercises that could cause unnecessary dampness on your temples.

Keep Them Dry: Tenderly smear your eyebrows with a perfect tissue if they become sodden. Abstain from scouring or cleaning.

No Cosmetics or Skin Care Products: Avoid cosmetics and skincare items on the treated region for basically seven days.

Safeguard from the Sun: Sun openness can blur the shade. Apply sunscreen to your foreheads or wear a cap when outside.

Abstain from Scratching or Picking: Irritation is typical during the mending system, yet fight the temptation to scratch or pick at your foreheads.

Follow the Aftercare Instructions: Your professional will furnish you with explicit aftercare directions. Follow them cautiously to guarantee the best outcomes.

All in all, microblading brows is a groundbreaking and certainty-supporting system that has turned into a famous decision for people looking for normal-looking, low-upkeep eyebrows. Whether you have scanty temples, have succumbed to over-culling, or just need to smooth out your excellence schedule, microblading offers a variety of benefits. By picking a guaranteed and experienced specialist, you can partake in the advantages of this imaginative semi-long-lasting restorative procedure and wake up each day with impeccably prepared foreheads that improve your normal excellence.

Getting the Most Out of Your Business Headshot Session: Tips and Techniques

A business headshots wields considerable influence in the corporate realm. It holds the power to shape initial perceptions, exhibit your character, and mirror your personal brand. In this era of digitization, possessing an impressive headshot has become imperative for your LinkedIn profile, company website, or promotional materials. Within this comprehensive manual, we shall delve into insights and strategies to optimize your business headshot session, ensuring acquisition of a premium image that authentically portrays your essence.

Opting for the Right Photographer

Your headshot constitutes an investment in your professional identity, underscoring the significance of selecting an adept and seasoned photographer. To facilitate a prudent choice, adhere to the following steps:

Step 1: Researching Photographers in Your Vicinity

Commence by meticulously exploring photographers specializing in business headshots within your locality. Utilize search engines, social media platforms, and local business directories to curate a roster of potential contenders.

Step 2: Evaluating Portfolios

Scrutinize each photographer's portfolio to evaluate their style and workmanship. Consistency in lighting, posing, and overall aesthetics serves as a hallmark. A robust portfolio underscores the photographer's ability to capture subjects' essence while retaining a professional demeanor.

Step 3: Reviewing Reviews and Testimonials

Invest time in perusing reviews and testimonials from prior clients to gauge their contentment with the photographer's services. These insights furnish a glimpse into their professionalism, communication finesse, and delivery of exceptional outcomes.

Step 4: Comparing Styles and Quality

Apprehend your photographer's distinctive styles and the finished imagery's demeanor. Ensuring alignment with your expectations is pivotal. Consider the appearance of retouched images, potential outfit modifications, and turnaround time to identify the photographer aligning best with your requisites.

Step 5: Arranging a Consultation

Before finalizing your photographer, schedule a consultation to elucidate your vision, anticipations, and any specific prerequisites. This interaction offers a prime opportunity to gauge their demeanor, communication approach, and photographic methodology. Assure a sense of comfort and confidence, recognizing their influence on the resultant headshot quality.

Curating Your Attire

Appropriate attire selection holds paramount importance in crafting the desired impression for your business headshot. Contemplate the ensuing facets when curating your ensemble:

Industry Norms: Familiarize yourself with your industry's dress code, aligning your outfit choice accordingly.

Colors: Opt for muted, solid hues that harmonize with your complexion. Eschew overly vivid tones, intricate patterns, or distracting logos.

Layering: Amass a range of clothing alternatives, encompassing jackets, blazers, and accessories, to infuse dimension and diversity into your images.

Nurturing Impeccable Grooming

Ensuring immaculate grooming on the photoshoot day is of the essence. This entails:

Hair: Schedule a haircut or trim a few days ahead. Style your hair conventionally, refraining from excessive product application.

Makeup: Opt for a subtly enhancing makeup style that accentuates your features without appearing overly conspicuous. Ponder engaging a professional makeup artist for optimal results.

Facial Hair: Tidy and symmetrize facial hair.

Perfecting Poses and Expressions

In the lead-up to your session, rehearse posing in front of a mirror to identify your most flattering angles. Bear in mind:

Maintaining impeccable posture

Slightly angling your body toward the camera

Dipping your chin gently and forwards

Relaxing your shoulders

Experimenting with diverse expressions to discover a naturally congenial smile that exudes comfort.

Apprehend that if posing remains unfamiliar, a seasoned photographer will adeptly steer you through the process, imparting lucid directives and valuable counsel for a poised and charismatic presence on camera. Their intent centers on fostering an easeful and gratifying ambiance, facilitating the organic manifestation of your confidence and persona in your professional headshot. Their guidance sets the stage for a captivating, top-tier portrayal congruent with your business world identity.

Effective Photographer Communication

Effective discourse with your photographer forms the bedrock of a productive headshot session. Convey your objectives, explore your field's nuances, and offer examples of admired headshots. Welcome their suggestions while trusting in their expertise.

Light and Background Awareness

Assure the photographer's utilization of professional illumination to accentuate your strengths and mitigate shadows. Opt for an unembellished, uncluttered backdrop that complements both your outfit and your industry.

Embrace Relaxation and Enjoyment

Nervousness or discomfort during the session can detract from your image's allure. Indulge in deep breaths, relax your facial musculature, and remind yourself of the seasoned professional at the helm.

Selecting Optimal Image Formats

Request high-resolution digital files of your headshots in a gamut of formats (JPEG, PNG, TIFF) to warrant compatibility across diverse platforms and applications.

Regular Headshot Updates

In tandem with your evolving appearance and personal brand, periodic headshot updates remain pivotal. Refresh your image every 2-3 years or upon experiencing substantive shifts in appearance or career trajectory.

Strategic Headshot Utilization

Subsequent to acquiring your novel headshot, promptly update your LinkedIn profile, corporate website, and any other pertinent professional platforms. Unify your image across these channels to foster a cohesive personal brand.

A meticulously executed business headshot wields the potential to exert profound influence on your professional trajectory, ushering in opportunities and forging enduring impressions upon potential clients, employers, and peers. By dedicating time and diligence to photographer selection, outfit curation, grooming, pose refinement, and heeding the guidance enumerated in this compendium, you assure a headshot session yielding a premium, captivating portrayal that genuinely encapsulates your identity and personal brand. Keep in mind, your business headshot embodies your professional gravitas; hence, approach this endeavor with gravity and invest in an image destined to serve you favorably across years to come.

Eager to encapsulate your optimal professional persona? Delay not! Reach out to Pooja Photography today, and allow us to craft the consummate business headshot accurately mirroring your distinctive persona and personal brand. Secure your slot now, and leave an indelible imprint in the realm of professionalism. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Business Headshot Session: Tips and Techniques

A business headshots wields considerable influence in the corporate realm. It holds the power to shape initial perceptions, exhibit your character, and mirror your personal brand. In this era of digitization, possessing an impressive headshot has become imperative for your LinkedIn profile, company website, or promotional materials. Within this comprehensive manual, we shall delve into insights and strategies to optimize your business headshot session, ensuring acquisition of a premium image that authentically portrays your essence.

Opting for the Right Photographer

Your headshot constitutes an investment in your professional identity, underscoring the significance of selecting an adept and seasoned photographer. To facilitate a prudent choice, adhere to the following steps:

Step 1: Researching Photographers in Your Vicinity

Commence by meticulously exploring photographers specializing in business headshots within your locality. Utilize search engines, social media platforms, and local business directories to curate a roster of potential contenders.

Step 2: Evaluating Portfolios

Scrutinize each photographer's portfolio to evaluate their style and workmanship. Consistency in lighting, posing, and overall aesthetics serves as a hallmark. A robust portfolio underscores the photographer's ability to capture subjects' essence while retaining a professional demeanor.

Step 3: Reviewing Reviews and Testimonials

Invest time in perusing reviews and testimonials from prior clients to gauge their contentment with the photographer's services. These insights furnish a glimpse into their professionalism, communication finesse, and delivery of exceptional outcomes.

Step 4: Comparing Styles and Quality

Apprehend your photographer's distinctive styles and the finished imagery's demeanor. Ensuring alignment with your expectations is pivotal. Consider the appearance of retouched images, potential outfit modifications, and turnaround time to identify the photographer aligning best with your requisites.

Step 5: Arranging a Consultation

Before finalizing your photographer, schedule a consultation to elucidate your vision, anticipations, and any specific prerequisites. This interaction offers a prime opportunity to gauge their demeanor, communication approach, and photographic methodology. Assure a sense of comfort and confidence, recognizing their influence on the resultant headshot quality.

Curating Your Attire

Appropriate attire selection holds paramount importance in crafting the desired impression for your business headshot. Contemplate the ensuing facets when curating your ensemble:

Industry Norms: Familiarize yourself with your industry's dress code, aligning your outfit choice accordingly.

Colors: Opt for muted, solid hues that harmonize with your complexion. Eschew overly vivid tones, intricate patterns, or distracting logos.

Layering: Amass a range of clothing alternatives, encompassing jackets, blazers, and accessories, to infuse dimension and diversity into your images.

Nurturing Impeccable Grooming

Ensuring immaculate grooming on the photoshoot day is of the essence. This entails:

Hair: Schedule a haircut or trim a few days ahead. Style your hair conventionally, refraining from excessive product application.

Makeup: Opt for a subtly enhancing makeup style that accentuates your features without appearing overly conspicuous. Ponder engaging a professional makeup artist for optimal results.

Facial Hair: Tidy and symmetrize facial hair.

Perfecting Poses and Expressions

In the lead-up to your session, rehearse posing in front of a mirror to identify your most flattering angles. Bear in mind:

Maintaining impeccable posture

Slightly angling your body toward the camera

Dipping your chin gently and forwards

Relaxing your shoulders

Experimenting with diverse expressions to discover a naturally congenial smile that exudes comfort.

Apprehend that if posing remains unfamiliar, a seasoned photographer will adeptly steer you through the process, imparting lucid directives and valuable counsel for a poised and charismatic presence on camera. Their intent centers on fostering an easeful and gratifying ambiance, facilitating the organic manifestation of your confidence and persona in your professional headshot. Their guidance sets the stage for a captivating, top-tier portrayal congruent with your business world identity.

Effective Photographer Communication

Effective discourse with your photographer forms the bedrock of a productive headshot session. Convey your objectives, explore your field's nuances, and offer examples of admired headshots. Welcome their suggestions while trusting in their expertise.

Light and Background Awareness

Assure the photographer's utilization of professional illumination to accentuate your strengths and mitigate shadows. Opt for an unembellished, uncluttered backdrop that complements both your outfit and your industry.

Embrace Relaxation and Enjoyment

Nervousness or discomfort during the session can detract from your image's allure. Indulge in deep breaths, relax your facial musculature, and remind yourself of the seasoned professional at the helm.

Selecting Optimal Image Formats

Request high-resolution digital files of your headshots in a gamut of formats (JPEG, PNG, TIFF) to warrant compatibility across diverse platforms and applications.

Regular Headshot Updates

In tandem with your evolving appearance and personal brand, periodic headshot updates remain pivotal. Refresh your image every 2-3 years or upon experiencing substantive shifts in appearance or career trajectory.

Strategic Headshot Utilization

Subsequent to acquiring your novel headshot, promptly update your LinkedIn profile, corporate website, and any other pertinent professional platforms. Unify your image across these channels to foster a cohesive personal brand.

A meticulously executed business headshot wields the potential to exert profound influence on your professional trajectory, ushering in opportunities and forging enduring impressions upon potential clients, employers, and peers. By dedicating time and diligence to photographer selection, outfit curation, grooming, pose refinement, and heeding the guidance enumerated in this compendium, you assure a headshot session yielding a premium, captivating portrayal that genuinely encapsulates your identity and personal brand. Keep in mind, your business headshot embodies your professional gravitas; hence, approach this endeavor with gravity and invest in an image destined to serve you favorably across years to come.

Eager to encapsulate your optimal professional persona? Delay not! Reach out to Pooja Photography today, and allow us to craft the consummate business headshot accurately mirroring your distinctive persona and personal brand. Secure your slot now, and leave an indelible imprint in the realm of professionalism. 

Should you try out permanent makeup or not?

Applying eyeliner, lipstick, or other cosmetics may be challenging for you because of shaky hands or poor vision. Maybe you need to add pigment to certain body parts for medical reasons. Or perhaps you have trouble finding cosmetics that last long enough on your skin or lead a hectic life and have little time to put on makeup.

If any of these apply to you, you might have thought about considering permanent makeup as a remedy. However, you may be curious about how it functions or whether permanent makeup is secure. Many people also wonder if permanent eyeliner, for instance, can be taken off after application.

The word “permanent” is typically what makes people hesitate when deciding whether or not this kind of operation is worthwhile. Intriguingly, depending on several variables, this may or may not be the best component of the technique.

What exactly is permanent makeup?

Permanent makeup is best described as tattooing intended to accentuate your facial characteristics. But remember that only experts in micropigmentation, not just tattoo artists, are qualified to carry out this process. Similar to tattoo patterns, having your lips and eyebrows drawn by a professional ensures that you will look immaculate and young for a longer period.

Benefits of permanent makeup

Permanent makeup is like a one-time investment. You have to get it done once but then you are free from the struggle of putting on makeup on a regular basis. Here are some benefits of permanent makeup if you are planning for it.

You’ll gain time this way. Every second matters, especially in the morning hurry to get to work!

It’s practical and convenient. You won’t need to meticulously apply your makeup every day, which is the main advantage of permanent makeup. This makes it a fantastic option for elderly ladies, people who lead busy lives, athletes (particularly swimmers), and anyone who is sick of wasting time in front of the mirror.

It won’t rub off or smear. Have you ever noticed raccoon eyes when you look in the mirror? Or perhaps you unintentionally removed half an eyebrow while wiping something else? You won’t ever have to be concerned about smudging, smearing, or wiping with permanent makeup!

You can adjust it to fit your preferences. You can carefully select the perfect look for your needs by choosing from among the many colors, thicknesses, and styles offered in permanent makeup.

It might boost your self-assurance. Permanent makeup can completely alter your outlook if you’re self-conscious about breast scars or areola repigmentation.

Is permanent makeup safe?

Yes, it is completely safe to get permanent makeup treatment. As long as your salon and artist follow all of their Health Department and Centre for Disease Control requirements, getting permanent makeup done is entirely safe. Infection, and allergic responses to the ink used, might be seen in some people however, they can be avoided with good hygiene and a few safeguards. Dermatologists should be consulted before permanent makeup is applied to people with sensitive skin.

All in all permanent makeup is an amazing option if you are tired of spending hours making your makeup look perfect. While deciding to go for permanent makeup, it is very important to choose the centre wisely. A good makeup clinic plays a major role in how your makeup is going to look at the end and its after effects.

The Final Word

There are many factors to consider while planning to try out permanent makeup, and since this procedure is permanent, thorough thought is essential. Before you decide, take your time, consider your options, and consult an expert permanent makeup artist.

Never Worn White (Part Three)

Cloud City, Bespin. Boba Fett is on the hunt for a casual fuck before he cashes in on Han Solo’s bounty. You’re a naïve virgin, saving yourself for an adolescent fantasy… and it just so happens that he’s in town. Upon encountering the object of your infatuation though, you didn’t expect he’d be so willing to help you out.

Pairing: Boba Fett x Reader Words: 11.7k Rating: Explicit Warnings: Unprotected sex and loss of virginity

Can be found on Archive of Our Own here.

Mando’a terminology

  vaar’ika - little runt

  nehutyc’ika - feisty one

  sarad’ika - little flower

mesh’la - beautiful

    -

  You’d never had so many sets of eyes on you at one time until you had left the Paradise Atrium in the company of Boba Fett. The crowd had swept apart for you as if by the powers of a Jedi Knight of old, with Fett’s hand in yours, leading you out of the lounge and into the cool night air. You had been alarmed about leaving so abruptly at first - a part of you had expected to sit and chat for a while longer, get to know each other, but you supposed that prolonged discussion wasn’t really Boba Fett’s style. Once it was agreed upon that you were to spend the night together, he had simply enveloped your hand in his gloved one, and begun pulling you along towards the doors, much like a parent guiding an unruly child rather than a suitor escorting his barroom hookup.

  You had balked as you approached the exit; you hadn’t settled your tab. Fett had turned and regarded you with a mute stare for a brief moment, then had wordlessly tugged you towards the bar, the Bothan bartender gazing towards you with a look of mingled pity and amusement. You didn’t think he’d really expected your irrational scheme to work out. You’d begun digging through the small bag swinging from your arm with a shaking hand, desperately searching for the credit chip that had disappeared into the recesses of it, all too aware of Boba Fett’s presence at your shoulder, breathing down your neck. He watched you struggle for a moment longer before he jostled you to the side and reached into one of the many pockets lining the flak suit underneath his armor, pulling out a haphazard pile of gold and silver Imperial credits, easily several hundred worth, the largest amount you’d ever seen in one setting. By the way Fett slammed the chips down on the counter, he knew he was vastly overpaying your dues, but you knew he wasn’t just covering your tab - he was also buying the bartender’s silence pertaining to this tryst. The Bothan wordlessly swept the money off the bar and into a cupped paw, being careful to not make too much eye contact. It was more than obvious that this kind of transaction had played out here many times before; it was better to just take the money and continue on with business as usual, no questions asked. You’d attempted to thank Fett as he’d silently led you through the shipyards towards his cruiser, but he didn’t even turn to acknowledge your words, so you dropped it. He hadn’t done it out of a display of romantic chivalry, after all - he’d only been covering his own ass, trying to make a quick getaway with you in tow. You were his prize for the night, his bounty .

  So you found yourself within the confines of the Slave I , a ship the sight or sound of which would send most creatures fleeing in terror for their lives. You sat frozen on a narrow bunk in the pilot’s quarters, unsure whether you were trembling from nerves or from the cold. You hadn’t been on very many space vessels in your lifetime, let alone ones owned by galactic mercenaries, but the sterile spotlessness of the Slave had shocked you upon first entry. Based on the chipped and battle-worn exterior of the transport, you’d expected it to be dingy, the walls bearing the mark of blaster smoke residue, maybe even some old bloodstains, but instead your surroundings gave off the impression of having been scrubbed down meticulously, carefully - and fairly recently. You could tell this wasn’t the work of maintenance droids - this kind of immaculate cleanliness could only be the mark of human hands. You tried to imagine Boba Fett sitting back on his haunches on the hard durasteel floor, a sponge and bucket beside him, diligently scouring the insides of the cages that held the captives he was entrusted with transporting to their dooms. You envisioned the armor of his breastplate glistening in the artificial light, rivulets of soapy water dripping down the front of it, soaking through the thick material of the leather gloves he never took off. You’d been so kriffing wet ever since you’d arrived aboard the Slave I, anticipating what was to come. Boba Fett’s hand had felt so warm in yours as he’d led you up here to his personal quarters, and you shivered at the memory of his large palm on your ass, steadying you as he’d instructed you to climb the ladder behind the cockpit. You’d never been touched in that way before, and you’d momentarily frozen, before a rough push from below had boosted you up through the hatch in the floor. 

  And now here you were, sitting on Boba Fett’s bed, listening to the rhythmic release of the hot water in the adjacent shower. You hadn’t expected a bounty hunter to have such an extravagant luxury as a chemical-based bathing system onboard his craft - although you supposed that he could afford any type of vehicular modifications he wished, with the kind of exorbitant payouts he received for his work. Fett had told you - practically ordered you, in hindsight - to stay put and wait for him to get out of the ‘fresher. Despite the arousal coating your thighs beneath your dress, you couldn’t stop your knees from knocking together. You hadn’t known it was possible to be horny and petrified at the same time, but you were. You truly hadn’t expected to get this far in your fantasy - it had seemed like such a pipedream, a childish adventure you’d anticipated to end in rejection and embarrassment and heartbreak. You hadn’t expected such a man to be a willing participant in your flight of fancy. But instead you were now aboard Fett’s personal transport, waiting for him to finish washing up. Unless something were to go unspeakably wrong in a very short amount of time, you were going to lose your virginity to Boba Fett tonight. The shiver that curled up your spine as you said it to yourself in your head was both one of expectancy and timorousness. 

  “You’re still dressed.”

  The voice was gruff, the unexpectedness of it causing you to gasp and leap to your feet. You whirled towards the source, and felt as if the breath had been forcefully knocked from your lungs as if by a sharp blow.

  In all the time you’d spent researching Fett, siphoning up every piece of information on him that you could find, not many creatures had ever thought to describe what his voice sounded like. You supposed that Fett didn’t talk much, being such a singular man - in all the holovids you had seen of him, never once had he spoken, even when speech had been directed towards him. Just that stony silence answered, maybe a tilt of that mysterious worn-out visor or a quick gesture with a gloved hand, but that was it. The modulated voice that came through the Mandalorian helmet’s vocoder back in the cantina had been harsh, unforgiving, devoid of most emotion save annoyance and the venom that you expected from the galaxy’s most ruthless bounty hunter. There had still been that odd kindness to his tone when he’d seen you were upset, however, a shift that had seemed so out of character based on what you’d seen and read about the man that it had stunned your senses into complete sobriety, stilling your tears. This voice that confronted you now was very much human, but gravelly, made harsh by years of hard living and long periods of solitude. There was an inquisitiveness to it, though, and a youthfulness you hadn’t expected. You couldn’t place the accent, although you’d heard rumors that Fett’s family was from the Mandalore sector of the Outer Rim, some backwater moon called Concord Dawn, but none of the bounty hunter aficionados you’d spoken with seemed to be sure. He did wear Mandalorian armor, after all, but most assumed it had been plundered, not inherited or earned. Of course, nobody had ever asked Boba Fett himself - and lived to tell anyone, anyway.

  The man standing before you was bare-chested, a thin towel wrapped around his waist. He stood in the doorway of the refresher, residual steam still collecting behind him, water beading on the muscular expanse of his pectorals. His shoulders and upper arms and abdomen were covered in tattoos, unfamiliar spiraling patterns as well as glyphs in a language you’d never seen before, and every inch of his body that you could see was riddled with scars - some obvious blaster wounds, others looking like the marks of vibroblades or crude spears, some overlapping others and completely unrecognizable as being from any particular weapon. His skin was like a canvas, a story detailing decades of fierce battles, of wins and losses. You longed to run your hands over each and every scar, hear those stories yourself. Even more so, you yearned to tangle your fingers through the thick black curls atop his head - for some reason you had always expected him to have a shaved scalp, like so many other humanoid mercenaries, and the surprising full head of hair gave Fett a strangely boyish appearance. You pegged his age at anywhere from late twenties to mid-thirties, although it was hard to tell; the scars peppering his body also extended across his facial features, a prominent one in particular slashing a ragged arc through his furrowed brow, making him look older and harder than his years. His hooded eyes were a deep brown, more black in the light, almost the color of the darkness between the stars, and his nose was broad and slightly flattened, then upturned at its tip, which would have given him a haughty air, if it weren’t for the deep scar directly across the bridge. You wondered how he came across these distinctive wounds if he really never did take off his helmet. But it was his mouth you couldn’t tear your eyes away from - the sharp line of his strong jaw left him perpetually unsmiling, but the soft pout of his lips was intoxicating to look upon. You were dying to have those lips on yours, feel them leave a trail of kisses down your neck, across the stretch of your belly towards the wet heat between your legs. Soon .

  This was the infamous Boba Fett, unmasked. A mortal man, after all.

  You stared dumbly at him, your heart hammering in your chest, your limbs trembling where you stood. Your face was impossibly warm, and you could feel the sweat beading on your forehead. This was too much. You were starting to think that maybe you did understand why Fett was never seen without his helmet - creatures the galaxy over would fall before his feet at every turn, more so than they already did. Whole dynasties would crumble for him.

  He was easily the most gorgeous man you’d ever seen in your lifetime. 

  And he was to be yours tonight.

  “What’s the matter with you, girl? Loth-cat got your tongue?” Fett asked as you continued to ogle him like something out of a menagerie, one eyebrow arched questionably, a hint of amusement in his voice as he stalked towards you. You backed up as he did so, your calves hitting the edge of the cot and causing you to fall onto the thin blankets. Your face burned from the display of clumsiness, but Fett acted like he hadn’t noticed. He just continued to stare with those deep dark eyes, the thoughts behind them all but unreadable. 

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to stare, it’s just… you’re beautiful. ” You stumbled over the words, and felt slightly ashamed. To describe such a hard man with that word seemed almost wrong, sacrilege. You’d heard of the Diathim, mysterious beings that supposedly dwelled on Iego’s moons; known for their uncanny beauty, creatures called them angels. You didn’t care how odd it might sound to others - you felt that if angels truly were real, one was standing before you right now.

  Your declaration was met with a derisive snort and a roll of the eyes on Fett’s end.

  “I’ve been called many things over the course of the years. Most of them aren’t worth repeating in the company of others. But ‘beautiful’ isn’t one I hear very often, nehutyc’ika .” His voice was even and highly controlled, for someone who was nearly naked in the presence of a stranger, although you knew from your talks with Rystáll Sant among others that this was nowhere near Fett’s first casual fling.

  “What does that word mean? Nehut…? You’ve called me that twice now.” You cocked your head in confusion, trying and failing to think of anything to talk about that would distract your feverish mind from the sight in front of you. Fett’s unwavering eye contact and the way he seemed to be drinking you up was starting to make you nervous. Everything was happening so fast .

  “ Nehutyc’ika. It’s Mando’a, the language of my father’s people. It means you’re a feisty one.” He answered matter-of-factly, taking several steps towards you. You sat frozen, looking up at him mutely. You were vaguely aware of how badly your hands were shaking and quickly placed them underneath your thighs to hide them from Fett’s watchful gaze, although you feared it was too late. You were dumbfounded. You still couldn’t believe you were actually here , that the man of your dreams was standing shirtless in front of you - clad in nothing but a towel - and had brought up his family , and was now calling you ‘feisty.’ Was Boba Fett actually flirting with you?

  He took another step forward and dropped the towel.

  Oh.  

  You supposed he was doing more than just flirting now.

  Blinding heat instantly pooled in your cunt, and you gasped from deep in your chest. You couldn’t help it. You hadn’t been expecting this level of boldness - ‘more like sluttiness,’ the whimsical voice in the back of your head chided before you shoved it back down into the recesses of your mind - from Boba Fett. Trembling, you unconsciously scooted away from him on the bunk, your eyes glued to his waist.

  He was huge .

  Not that you had any personal experience to work with, but you’d watched enough holoporn on the ‘Net to know that Boba Fett was packing . He was eight inches at least, thick and veiny, already half-hard. Kark , even his balls were perfect - tight and plump, sitting there nestled in a patch of dark, wiry hair. He gauged your clearly shocked reaction smugly, looking you up and down with a barely perceptible smirk ghosting his features. He was amused by your wide eyes, the hang of your jaw, your tensed limbs.

  “ Hmm . You really are a virgin, aren’t you?” There was laughter in his voice, and - oh, stars - blatant arousal. His cock had twitched as he’d said ‘virgin,’ and your pussy throbbed in reply. Part of you wanted to grab him by the wrists and pull him down on top of you, beg him to satisfy the growing ache between your legs as soon as possible, but instead you could only let out a torrent of stutters.

  “W-...w-why would I lie to you about that? That’s the reason I’m here, i-isn’t it? I w-wanted you to be my first…” You answered faintly. Your tongue felt heavy, your throat tight. It felt as if every molecule of heat in your body was collecting in your cunt, and you hoped the growing damp patch in your panties wouldn’t soak through your dress, let alone into the cot.

  “It wouldn't be the first time a beautiful woman has tried to lie her way into my bed.” His lascivious grin grew broader, and it struck you then just how white and straight his teeth were. You felt dizzy, and your eyelids fluttered. Taking a shuddering breath, you closed your eyes in an attempt to ground yourself. ‘This is what you wanted. You’ve come so far. Don’t let your nerves turn you back now.’ 

  “Not going to get shy on me now, are you, girly?” You opened your eyes when you felt a warm, calloused hand come down on your shoulder, and you had to stifle a surprised yelp. Boba Fett was standing directly over you, looking down on you as if he were a god watching his flock from above. His stiffening cock was level with your nose, and your mouth watered. It was so close that you felt as if you would go cross-eyed if you continued to look at it. You wondered if he expected you to take him in your hand, stroke him, pleasure him with your tongue, but Fett shoved you back by your shoulders, and you landed unceremoniously back on the pillow, shifting your eyes downwards to the foot of the bed. Fett now balanced there, one knee resting on the edge of the cot, exposing himself unabashedly to you. He observed you broodily, his lips slightly pursed, and you wondered if he was expecting you to try and make a run for it, and what he would do if you did. You had the mental image of a completely nude Boba Fett chasing you down the boarding ramp of the Slave I, blaster in hand, penis flopping as he ran, and a hysterical giggle rose to your lips, which Fett silenced with a stern shush.

  “Go on, girl, lay down. Let me help you feel good...” The bounty hunter purred, climbing on the bed to fully kneel before you, reaching out and placing his large hands on either side of your hips, rucking the shimmersilk dress up to rest above your belly button. You breathed heavily through your nose, in and out, hyper-aware of the feeling of Fett’s rough palms on your skin, the warmth radiating through him coming across more like fire licking up your pelvis to your ribcage. You wondered if he could tell just how badly you were shaking under his hands, if he could feel how hot you were for him already; if he did notice, he kept it to himself - he seemed solely focused on that spot between your legs, the junction of your sex that felt almost numb with how turned on you were. It didn’t even register to you at first that you were almost naked in front of a man for the very first time, that maybe you should be embarrassed - stars, he didn’t even know your name, hadn’t even expressed a passing interest in learning it - until you heard the low, animal growl emanating from Fett’s throat, and saw just how greedily he was admiring your soaked panties.

  “Already wet, are you? Good. That’ll make it easier on you.”

  You groaned at his words and covered your face with sweating, trembling hands, your core tensing as you felt your underwear being pulled down around your knees, then your ankles, and finally being harshly yanked off entirely. An arm nudged your knees even further apart, and you gasped, the ship’s cool air bathing your spread pussy lips, the wetness gathered there making it feel even colder. There was a brief pause, and a hand encircled your wrist, pulling your hands away from your eyes. You blinked to see Fett looming over you, the ghost of a smile upon his lips, and he settled to lie between your legs as he made sure you were making direct eye contact with him. You could feel his hot breath on your core, and your head swam. You had Boba Fett between your legs, about to pleasure you with his mouth. It was like something out of your most secret fantasies, but this was real .

  “Keep your hands away from your face, vaar’ika . I want you to watch me taste you. I don’t get to eat unspoiled fruit very often, you know.”

  He buried his face between your legs without another word.

  Oh, stars above.

  You’d never felt anything like this before, and struggled to keep from fainting back against the pillow. His tongue was hot against your cunt, licking warm stripes up and down, lapping up the juices that had collected between your folds as if it were the most delicious nectar he’d ever tasted. Fett hummed against you and the vibrations traveled up your spine like a shock, and you twisted your fists in the blankets, biting your lip to keep from crying out already. His lips latched onto your swollen clit at last and he suckled on the engorged bud hungrily, and you finally allowed yourself to moan. Fett gave a deep rumble in return that you didn’t immediately recognize as laughter due to the fact that his face was nestled against your sex. He was laughing at your reactions to his ministrations, and your face and chest only flushed hotter. Fett’s arms came up for a moment to loop around your thighs, dragging you downwards and causing you to emit a strangled whine, before he settled your legs over his broad shoulders. The change of position - you were practically sitting on his face now - prompted another rush of arousal to flood your needy cunt. Boba Fett groaned appreciatively as his tongue probed inside of you, its tip curled, licking at the opening of your sex. You gasped deeply and arched your back, and Fett grumbled, holding you down as you began to squirm underneath him, digging your heels into his shoulder blades. He turned his mouth back to your clitoris, flickering his tongue methodically back and forth, up and down, swirling circles around the sensitive bud until you began to pant and whimper in earnest. You were so wet that you could hear him eating you out, obscene slurping sounds interspaced with pleased grunts, his nose pressed into your vulva, his hips grinding into the corner of the cot beneath him in an effort to bring himself some pleasure.

  All it took to send you over the edge was an unexpected nip of his teeth to the hood of your clit, and your vision went white. You let out a choked sob, your hips bucking off the cot and your fingers threading through Fett’s tight curls, holding him in place as you rode out your orgasm on his face.

  You weren’t sure how long it lasted, but the waves of your climax finally began to ebb, and you released your hold on Fett’s hair, quivering helplessly in the aftershocks of your first-ever assisted orgasm. Fett released his iron grip on your thighs and raised his head to look at you, and you couldn’t help but let out an overwhelmed squeak at what you saw.

  His chin and mouth were glistening with your arousal, shiny in the light, and your breath stuttered as you watched him slowly lick his lips, his tongue circling to gather every last bit of your cum that had coated his features. It was one of the hottest things you had ever seen in your life - the Boba Fett now sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of you, wiping the rest of your cum from his mouth with the back of one hand and absent-mindedly stroking his cock with the other, observing you with an almost bored expression. His cheeks were ruddy with arousal, the rosy head of his length weeping pre-cum, his dark pupils blown. But despite everything he had just put you through with his mouth alone, he wasn’t even breathing heavily, hadn’t broken a sweat. He looked zen, if anything.

  “...Can I kiss you? Please?” You asked breathlessly, your chest still heaving, leaning back on your elbows on the cot in front of him. The question took him by surprise at first, his eyebrows raising, the scars sprinkled across his features distorting with the movement. And then he laughed , a genuine laugh, oddly musical and light coming from such an imposing figure, so much so that you could help but grin in response, your cheeks hurting from just how hard you were smiling at this show of vulnerability on his part. Fett leaned forward and grabbed you by your biceps and hoisted you into his arms, bringing you to sit straddling one muscular thigh, his skin hot and firm under your pussy, and you felt yourself becoming aroused all over again at the press of his bare flesh against your center. Fett tapped your shoulder and gestured with a curt jerk of his head for you to lift your arms, and he yanked your dress above your head in one smooth movement, tossing it out of sight. You didn’t care if it got ruined, that it had cost you nearly a third of your weekly pay - all you cared about anymore was Boba Fett.

  “I just made you cum and you’re asking if you can kiss me? You’re a strange one, girl. Don’t tell me you’ve never kissed a man before either.” Fett teased, cupping your chin in one hand, his face so close to yours that your foreheads were nearly touching.

  He didn’t give you a chance to answer before he captured your mouth with his.

  You could taste yourself on him, a musky, earthy tone, and you moaned as he slipped his tongue into your mouth, playfully darting at your own and biting at your lower lip. You had never understood when your friends had claimed to have seen fireworks when being kissed, but you could wholeheartedly say that you did now. It felt like the celebrations on Empire Day in the pit of your belly, full of bright sparks and incredible explosions of color.

  Fett hefted one breast in his hand, absently flicking the nipple back and forth with his thumb and kneading the tender flesh as he lazily kissed you, mostly letting you take the reins in your experimentation. You kissed him deeply, your nose digging into his cheek as you turned your head for a different angle against his mouth. You could have kissed Boba Fett forever, your arms around his neck, your chest flush with his, your nude body pliant in his lap, his cock pressed against your thigh. You eventually came up for air, breathing hard, dropping your hands to rest your palms on his brawny chest, searching his face for any sign of what the bounty hunter might be thinking. He simply stared back at you, any and all contemplations he may have had hidden behind a deathly still visage. You thought Fett must be an incredibly adept sabacc player, with that kind of self-control over his expressions.

  “So, this is where you fuck me now, right?” You breathed, and Fett narrowed his eyes, scoffing as if you’d just asked him if Ewoks could speak Basic. He placed his hands on your hips, gripping the flesh there so roughly that you involuntarily let out a hiss of discomfort.

  “Oh no… you’re not nearly ready to take me, not yet. You’re still too tight. Do you want to enjoy this or not?” You’d thought you were getting somewhere; you’d thought that maybe you were actually beginning to see a softer side of Boba Fett, but the annoyance in his voice was palpable. Your face burned with shame. You knew he thought you were an idiot, blinded by lust, eager to use him as your personal fucktoy so you could tell your friends that you had lost your virginity to Boba Fett, and now he was angry with you. You were brought out of your thoughts by a slap to the meat of your ass, just sharp enough to make you yelp and refocus on Fett with widened eyes.

  “ Answer me .”

  You gulped and nodded your head rapidly in response, stammering despite your attempt to remain calm. “Y-yes… I want to enjoy this…”

  Fett reached further around and patted your ass as if praising a beloved pet. “ Very good. Don’t question me again, and don’t go thinking you’re the one in control here. You’re only here because I took pity on you. I could just as quickly throw you off my ship, naked as the day you were born. Don’t think I haven’t done it before. Would you like that, princess , or do you want to continue with our little game?”

  Fett reached between your bodies and pinched at your clit with his thumb and index finger, and you let out a little shriek of surprise, gripping his muscular shoulders. Despite his threats, the broody edge to his voice, his almost violent touches, you didn’t think you’d ever been so turned on in your life. The dangers that seemed to be around every corner concerning this encounter were exciting rather than frightening - even the image of having to make your way home in the nude, a walk of shame after having been cast out from Boba Fett’s company, felt like more of a thrill than anything else. You didn’t even care that he called you ‘princess’ in a clearly derogatory way; as he’d said himself, this was a game, and judging from the pre-cum dribbled down the side of his cock, he was just as willing to play as you were. 

  You raised your eyes to his, drawing your gaze away from his hand, where it was resting on your pubic mound, his thumb just barely grazing your clit. There was an almost mischievous glitter in Fett’s eyes as he waited for your reply, and the slightest pressure he was applying was killing you. In lieu of words, you simply grasped his wrist with a shaky hand and pressed his palm harder into your pussy. Fett let out a deep chuckle in response, and began rubbing your clit tortuously. Humming contentedly, you bucked your hips sloppily, attempting to work up a rhythm in time with Fett’s hand. Your pussy dragged back and forth along the hard expanse of his thigh, your arousal smearing over his skin, making for slicker traction with every push of your waist. Fett looped one strong arm around your middle, holding you steady as you rocked yourself on his leg. He continued to jerk your clit at a frantic pace, his entire hand settled over your dripping cunt, occasionally running his thumb up and down your slit to gather the juices there and spread them along your swollen bud before resuming his direct assault.

  “You love riding my thigh like this, don’t you? Is this what you think about when you’re alone in bed at night, girly, with your pillow between your legs? Rutting your hot little cunt against me like a felinx in heat?” Fett goaded, and you let out a quiet moan in response, tipping your head back and squeezing your eyes closed, focusing on the sensations building in your quim. He knew. You didn’t know how, but it was like he was aware of every single dirty fantasy you’d ever had about him. All you had told him is that you wanted to give yourself to him - nothing more, nothing less. Had he been contemplating what sparked your nocturnal emissions while he was showering earlier in the night? It was true, you thought of bringing yourself to climax this way often - daydreaming scenarios in which you were some faraway planet’s heroine, kidnapped for ransom by a ruthless Mandalorian bounty hunter, forced to grind against him like an animal for his pleasure, a blaster to your temple - but no reverie could ever compare to this.

  The sweet, cresting wave of another orgasm had been building within you for quite some time, both at the urging of Fett’s deft fingers as well as the movements of your own undulating hips against his thigh, when he suddenly took his hand away and stilled your movements with a painful squeeze of your hip, and you cried out pathetically. You’d been so close . Fett clucked his tongue at your begging, and his hand slowly went back to its place between your legs, his fingers crawling further down than before, and you automatically tensed. 

  “I’m going to fuck you with my fingers now, vaar’ika . If you really want to take my cock, I need to open you up more.” Fett warned, circling his thumb over your clit and poking at your entrance with his index and middle fingers. Your breath hitched at the probing, the muscles of your groin bracing for yet another sensation you had never experienced, but you nodded desperately. You were ready for this.

  Fett dragged the digits up and down your slit, back and forth, collecting your wetness, and then dipped them into you slowly, gently. You emitted a whooping gasp at the intrusion, bucking your hips against his fingers as they slipped deeper into your cunt. Fett’s fingers were blunt and thick, and you already felt stretched out deep inside - you wouldn’t call the feeling painful, but your inner muscles fluttered wildly, pushing back against this unknown invasion, and you had to concentrate on keeping your breathing even in an effort to get yourself to relax. Fett stilled his movements as he sensed your muscles contracting uncomfortably around him, and waited for your breathless nod of consent for him to resume. He began gingerly pumping in and out of you, listening for little moans and whimpers on your part to know it was alright to move faster. As his pace increased, he continued rubbing your clit with his thumb, and the unfamiliar pressure of his fingers inside you quickly gave over to a pleasurable massaging sensation that had you groaning aloud. You began to experimentally wriggle your hips against his motions, seeing what felt good, and dug your nails into Fett’s arms as the shifting of your weight back and forth helped guide his probing fingers to a spot deep inside you, one you’d never been able to reach by your own hands. Fett sensed the change in your movements against him, the stutter of your hips against his digits, the sudden gush of wetness dripping onto his palm, and knew he’d found what he was looking for. He curled his fingers up towards himself inside you, pushing in hard against the soft, spongy patch and pulled your cunt back and forth rapidly, reveling in the way you cried out and clutched at him. The sweet pressure within your groin was building rapidly, becoming more intense than anything you’d felt in the past. 

  “I… I think I’m going to…” You stammered weakly, your words punctuated with little whines and squeals of pleasure. You attempted to continue your warning with the words ‘to cum ,’ but you could only let out a loud moan instead, letting the bounty hunter jerk your pussy whichever way he wished. Your face burned, your ears zoning in on the loud squelching noises coming from your cunt as his fingers worked faster and faster, his arm pumping rapidly with the exertion. 

  Fett answered you with a teasing snarl, completely unbothered by your pleading. “ Oh? What’s that? You’re going to cum on my fingers, hmm? If this is enough to make you fall to pieces, just wait until I’ve got my cock in you, girl…”

  That did it. His words, and the insistent, constant press of his fingers against that unbearably sensitive spot deep inside of you, sent you crashing over the edge. You let out a strangled scream, burying your face in the crook of Fett’s neck, scrabbling at his back with your nails as your orgasm devastatingly washed over you. Fett swore loudly as you let yourself go on his fingers, although he showed no signs of slowing, and your face burned with the realization of what was happening. You could feel the buildup of pressure gradually releasing from your cunt, could feel yourself gushing onto his hand and thigh and onto the cot beneath, but in that moment you were beyond caring - every nerve-ending in your body was in ecstasy. 

  It felt like hours had gone by before you finally felt him remove his fingers from within you with a soft wet noise, followed by another dribble of fluid from your core, and let out a choked sob at the sudden emptiness. Boba shifted to rise from the cot and you clumsily slipped off his lap and back onto the blankets, cringing uncomfortably at the wetness beneath you. It was once you were seated and had regained control of your breathing and heart rate that you were aware of just how drenched everything was. The cot was soaked, your ass settled in the center of a large damp patch, the inside of your thighs coated with your own juices. You turned to look at Fett, and your jaw dropped when you saw just how much of your slick was glazing his stomach, his thighs, the arm he had coaxed your orgasm from you with. And he was grinning .

  “You squirted all over me, girl.” To your disbelief, Fett sounded impressed, and the self-congratulatory smirk on his face reflected it. He was curiously inspecting his dripping fingers, rubbing them together, then stuck them in his mouth like a child with a sucker, his eyes boring into you darkly. He pulled the digits free with a noisy pop after a long moment and looked down at his hand, a whispered “ So sweet …” emanating from his lips. You didn’t know whether he’d intended for you to hear him, but the object of your affection speaking in that way, about you - about your arousal - had you feeling weak. You’d never squirted before in your life, and Boba Fett had drawn it out of you within mere minutes. You wanted to repay him for the pleasure he’d given you - twice over, now.

  “I… I want you in my mouth, Boba.”

  He gave a start at your use of his name - it was the first time during this encounter that you had said it aloud, and you didn’t think he’d been expecting you to at all. His cock twitched openly and a bead of pre-cum leaked from the slit at his head, dribbling onto the blanket to join your own mess, and when he spoke, his voice was even rougher, lower, full of flagrant excitement. You expected him to forcefully grab you by your hair and shove your mouth onto him, fuck your skull with wanton abandon, but instead Fett regarded you silently, stroking himself with languid pumps, swirling his thumb across the tip of his cock to spread his arousal down his shaft.

  “I’ll have to teach you. How to suck a man’s cock. Do you want that? Do you really want to suck my cock ?” He rose from the edge of the cot, standing before you as you crawled on your hands and knees towards him. You nodded fervently, not in the least ashamed that you were literally begging for this man’s cock; you no longer cared, you just wanted your lips around him. You’d never given a blowjob before, but you wanted to taste him like he had tasted you. Fett watched you and held himself out straight, one fist gripping the base of his thick member, as you sat yourself before him.

  “Open,” Fett ordered brusquely, and you obediently followed his command, even sticking your tongue out for good measure. This seemed to amuse the bounty hunter, and he smirked, a low rumble of laughter emanating from deep within his broad chest. He jerked himself a few more times as he stood over you, then took another step and laid his heavy cock directly on your tongue. You were surprised at the taste of him - you weren’t sure what exactly you had been expecting, but he tasted of soap, and clean skin, and some sort of minty cologne you’d assumed he’d applied in the ‘fresher, with a hint of salt that intrigued you. It was a distinctly Boba taste, although you didn’t think you’d ever be able to explain what you meant to another living being. As you experimentally wrapped your lips around his girth, careful not to scrape the sensitive skin with your teeth, Fett let out a soft groan, and you felt him reach out to pat your hair. “Yes, that it’s… good girl. ”

  You paused like that for a long moment, focusing on the heat of him in your mouth to distract from the fact that your jaw was already tiring a bit, then dipped your head to take more of him into your mouth, hesitantly suckling on his glans and attempting take him further down your throat before reflexively retching and pulling back. Your face burned with embarrassment as you wiped spittle from the corner of your mouth, and you looked back up at Fett hesitantly, expecting to be reprimanded for this novice’s folly. Instead, he was smirking, and you got the strong sense that he was impressed that he’d made you gag so soon.

  “Go slow, girl. No need to choke yourself. ...Or is my cock too much for that pretty mouth of yours to handle? Here, I’ll show you...” Fett cooed smugly, and he reached out to take your wrist in his large hand, helping you wrap your fingers around his cock. He was throbbing under your touch, and you felt your cunt heating up all over again at the sensation, fresh wetness gathering between your thighs. Fett tapped the underside of your chin once your hand was secured around him, and you opened your mouth, taking him on your tongue of your own accord. He was so heavy, you couldn’t help but let out a groan at the weight of him, and Fett let out a hiss at the feeling your vibrations made against his length. He put one hand on the back of your head, pushing you forward at an excruciatingly slow pace, allowing you to gradually become accustomed to his presence in your mouth without further triggering your gag reflex.

  “No teeth , girly… careful, careful… now suck . Gentle . Use your tongue to massage my cock… there you go, that’s it…” Fett coached as you gingerly swirled your tongue around his head, making sure to pay extra attention to the prominent vein running along the underside of him - maybe you’d never actually done this before, but you liked to think you had an idea of what to do based on all the dirty holovids  you watched. You just couldn’t believe you were actually trying all of this out on Boba Fett himself. He was too girthy for you to swallow him to the hilt, so you shyly brought one hand up to rest shakily on his thick thigh, the skin still damp from your juices, and knead the flesh there, and a jolt went through your pussy as Fett emitted a purr at your ministrations. You reached your other hand out to cup his balls, heavy and hard in your hand, and the bounty hunter’s cock twitched violently in your mouth as you massaged them, almost making you gag again. He groaned under his breath every time you squeezed and rolled his sac, and you relished the feeling of his length spasming against your tongue, the salty sweet taste of his pre-cum filling your mouth. Stars, he was delicious. You wished you could see yourself, on your knees, sucking Boba Fett’s cock, and reprimanded yourself for not having the foresight to bring your holocam, strategically place it somewhere in the room to record tonight’s tryst so you could watch it over and over again. 

  You were just building up a rhythm - digging your nails into Fett’s thigh, occasionally tugging at his balls, and slurping greedily on his cock, when he ended it. With a growled moan, Fett grabbed you by your hair and pulled you off of him, his short nails scratching at your scalp in a way that sent shivers up your spine. He left with your mouth with an audible pop , a string of drool leading from your lips to his glistening glans, which only broke when you placed a chaste kiss to it, grinning up at him. You felt drunk on his cock, if it were possible to be so - he hadn’t even been inside you yet, but you already found yourself yearning for his presence in your life, for this to be more than just a one night stand, a fantasy come to life. You didn’t think you’d ever not be able to envision the gorgeous creature standing in front of you the next time you saw the faceless entity who prowled after bounties featured on the nighttime HoloNews.

  “But I wanted to make you cum …” You pouted as Fett wordlessly pushed you onto your back on the bed, walking forward on his knees until he was nestled between your spread legs. He pressed his arms into the cot on either side of your head, holding himself up above you, his face hovering above yours. You could feel his hot breath on your skin and wanted to place your hand on the back of his neck, draw his mouth to yours, but you found yourself frozen in place, staring up at him wide-eyed, your hands clasped to your breasts.

  “No, vaar’ika. Not yet. I want to cum with that tight little virgin pussy of yours squeezing me.” Fett crooned sweetly, and you whined loudly at his words, bucking your hips up, trying in vain for your sopping core to make contact with his dangling cock, but he pulled away, rising to sit back between your knees, his member rosy and standing at attention, a clear drop of pre-cum beading at its tip. You laid beneath him, spread out and open, and Fett pushed your thighs apart even further, positioning himself at your entrance. He began rubbing your clit with the pad of his thumb, pressing in slow circles, and you mewled appreciatively.

  “I’m not going to lie to you. This will hurt.” Fett warned, leaning forward slightly and skimming the head of his cock up and down your slit. With every swipe, his heavy glans would catch on your swollen clit, and you had to stop yourself from grabbing him in your hand, keeping him positioned there so you could get off from the friction alone. You were so wet that you could hear the slick sound of his hardness passing through your folds, and that alone eradicated any doubt in your mind that this was what you wanted. You needed him inside of you more than anything else. It was time. There was no turning back. You didn’t care if it would be painful. Not anymore.

  “Boba, please . I’m ready for this. I’ve always been ready. I want this… I want you .” You urged him, and he nodded curtly in acknowledgement. It was then that the realization hit you - in your rush to leave your flat earlier in the night, you’d forgotten perhaps one of the most important things. Your roommate always stored contraception in your shared ‘fresher, which you’d completely bypassed in your mad rush to get to the Paradise Atrium and find Boba Fett. Now you were here, about to do the deed with the man himself, without any sort of protection, and you’d only remembered at the last possible moment. 

  “ Wait . I’m… I’m not on anything. Do you… ?” You began, and cringed to yourself, fully expecting Fett to rise and demand you to get out of his sight for your stupidity, cast you out into the night like he threatened to do earlier. Instead, you were met with a huff and a shake of his curly head, and he patted your inner thigh. Again, he looked smug, almost proud of himself.

  “I have an implant, girl. If I didn’t, I’d have bastards the galaxy over. You came all this way with nothing of your own? Hmm. Interesting . Now just relax… ” Boba replied, and you nodded, feeling faint. Of course he had an implant, why hadn’t you considered that? You supposed you ought to look into getting one too, but your thought was interrupted by something hard and hot and blunt poking at your folds, and you cast your eyes downward to watch as Fett spread your lips with the fingers of one hand, using his other to line up his cock with your hole.

  He entered you slowly, with a gentle nudge, just the tip breaching your entrance, and you involuntarily cried out despite yourself. He was so big already. The stretch was unlike anything you’d felt, it was as if your opening was going to tear, and you silently reprimanded yourself for thinking his karking fingers alone had been too thick for you. Your hips canted upwards to try and escape the discomfort, and Fett laid a massive, warm hand flat against your belly, ceasing his movements as well as your own squirming, shushing you.

  “Easy, little one, easy . I’ve only just started to enter you. This is nothing . Are you absolutely sure you can handle the rest of me? You’re allowed to change your mind if you don’t want this after all. I can still turn you loose…” Fett offered, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the skin of your tummy in a way that was shockingly comforting, coming from such a harsh character. The weight of his hand on your stomach was oddly grounding, and you closed your eyes, taking several deep breaths through your nose, and nodded for him to continue. 

  He slid into you further and it was like a rod of flame had been inserted up your cunt. You yelped, biting back a proper scream as you involuntarily hunched away from the invading presence. Fett held your hips down, preventing you from squirming away further, and immediately stopped his movements once more. He wasn’t even fully sheathed within you yet, but the pain was unbelievable. You didn’t imagine that it could hurt this much, especially with how wet you were. He was just so huge , you couldn’t fathom how the rest of him would fit inside of you. There were already tears of frustration filling your eyes at having to stop him again so soon, and you gazed upwards at the bounty hunter, who was looking down at you with a completely unreadable expression. Your hands were gripping his forearms and you could feel just how taut the muscles there were, how much self-control it was taking him to keep from pounding into you like a wild beast despite your discomfort, and you admired him for that. You wanted him deep inside you, you wanted him to finish the job, fully claim you at last - you wished he would just push forward with one savage thrust and break you open already.

  “If you keep crying out like this and trying to move away from me, vaar’ika , we’ll be stuck here all night.” Fett said simply, looking down between your bodies at where you were partially joined. You followed his gaze as well, your eyes growing wider as you took notice of his hard length sitting between your legs, halfway vanished into your quivering pussy. You felt sweat gathering on your brow, underneath your breasts, and the sight brought a fresh wave of arousal flooding through your cunt. Fett obviously felt it, as he let out a soft groan and you felt the tip of his member twitch within you, and a delicious shiver of pleasure went up your spine. That sensation alone made you want to wiggle forward yourself, despite the pain, and impale yourself on him fully. You squeezed Fett’s arms and he raised his head to look into your eyes, his gaze boring into yours. The arousal in his eyes was intoxicating.

  “Boba, I… I want you to move. Just do it, even if I scream or cry or try to get away. I give you my full permission. If… if I need you to stop, really stop, I’ll tap your shoulder three times. Is… is that okay?” You asked nervously, already feeling yourself begin to shake from the anticipation of what was coming. You wanted this more than anything , and now it was actually happening. You couldn’t have imagined you would actually be here even a few mere hours ago, underneath Boba Fett in the pilot’s quarters of the Slave I , about to lose your virginity to him. You expected to wake up in your own bed any moment, the night’s events having been just an incredibly vivid dream. Boba Fett didn’t answer your request with words. His eyes shifted to the side, almost imperceptibly, as he considered your proposition, and then, silently, he brought one hand up to rest on your flushed cheek. You took a shaky inhale as he gently craned his neck to place a kiss on your sweaty forehead, then dipped lower to capture your mouth in his.

  In one smooth, hard motion, Boba Fett snapped his hips upward, forward, and claimed you for his own.

  Your eyes flew open and you let out a muffled scream against his mouth, your feet kicking out briefly, your hips jerking, your fingers digging into his shoulder blades. It felt as if you’d been torn open from the inside, like a blade had been thrust up into you, and the stretch was immense. You couldn’t fathom how the whole of him had fit. Your vaginal canal burned terribly, and you couldn’t help but let out several loud sobs at the overwhelming sensation of being filled so deeply. Fett broke his kiss and stared down at you, still buried to the hilt inside of you, unmoving.

  “ Easy there, little one . Look at me. I’m inside of you, see? You’re no longer a virgin, at last. How do you feel? Do you want me to stop?” Fett hummed softly, brushing away the tears that streamed down your face with the pad of his thumb, his hips flush with yours. You could feel the dark patch of pubic hair at his groin against your vulva, and the sensation was somehow soothing. Your cunt involuntarily clenched around his member, gradually becoming used to the feeling of him as time dragged on, and you were surprised that you could feel his hardness, the ridges of his glans pressed into your inner walls, the veins on his cock against you. The pain was receding, little by little, as Fett remained motionless and let you get used to his presence. It occurred to you that he was waiting for you to give him permission to move, and your walls fluttered.

  “No, no, please don’t pull out. Oh, kriff … it hurts , but it’s getting better. You’re so big . I feel so full. But… I just can’t believe…” You gasped, struggling for words. You swore you could feel Boba Fett in your guts, were shocked that you couldn’t see a bulge in your lower belly where his cock was nestled inside of you, that’s how big he felt. Fett let out an amused chuckle, cutting off your words by pressing a blunt finger to your lips.

  “Well, you’d better start believing it… you’ve got a bounty hunter inside of you. Tell me when I can move, mesh’la . I’m getting restless.” Fett replied, and it was then that you noticed the sweat beading his forehead as well, the way his speech was coming in harsh pants, how his arms were shaking with need above you. He needed to move . You could feel your swollen cunt becoming hotter and hotter, your natural lubrication helping to ease the pinching burn that had settled deep within you, and you found you wanted him to move too. Your tears had dried for the most part, although you had a feeling he’d have you weeping again soon enough. You shakily moved your hands up to cup Fett’s sharp cheekbones, his eyes locking onto yours with the movement. The words that next left your lips, barely above a whisper, were ones that you never imagined you would find yourself saying to this man, but they resulted in an amorous growl that sent a thrill through your bloodstream and straight to your pussy.

  “Fuck me, Boba.”

  His first few thrusts shook your entire body, and you let out a grunting squeal for each one, your breasts jiggling from the force of them, although Fett still moved slowly. It wasn’t until you wrapped your legs around his calves, pulling him in closer, and settled your palms on the tense cheeks of his ass, urging him to pump into you harder, faster, that he began to really fuck you. With every thrust, your pain turned more and more into pleasure, a white-hot ball tightening within your belly until it felt as if liquid fire was seeping through every inch of your body. If this was what being fucked was like, you never wanted it to end.

  “ Stars , princess… you’re so kriffing tight . The tightest little pussy I’ve ever fucked… you’re going to make me cum soon…” Fett groaned, and you let out a keening wail in response, focused only on the feeling of his cock massaging your walls, his glans bumping that same spongy spot inside you that his fingers had seemed to find immediately, the obscene slap of his thighs colliding with yours again and again and again. You could hear your own juices sloshing against his cock’s pounding, a squelching that only became louder and wetter as your movements continued. 

  Neither one of you lasted very long. Combined with Boba’s slow, deep strokes into your pussy, and his fingers dancing over your clit, helping you along towards yet another climax, you found yourself hoarsely shouting his name over and over again, your nails raking red slashes down his back in pure ecstasy. Fett lifted up your hips into his hands, arching your bottom off the cot, his angle becoming impossibly deeper, and you shrieked aloud. You wondered if the durasteel walls of the Slave I were soundproof, but found that you didn’t care. You didn’t care whether the entirety of Cloud City heard Boba Fett fucking you - you wanted them to. This was happening , you had manifested this for yourself through nothing but determination, and if the whole colony heard you being claimed by the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter, so be it.

  “Cum for me, girl. That’s it, let go… cum all over my cock, like you’ve always wanted to…” Fett urged you, his own voice shaking as he frantically worked your clit with his fingers, his thrusts becoming manic and sloppy. You could tell he was getting close - you could feel his cock twitching violently inside of you, preparing to shoot his load up into you. Your own orgasm hit you unexpectedly, just one expertly angled stroke from Fett’s length, a circular grind of his hips, and your vision instantly blacked out. You felt as if a thermal detonator had gone off in your pussy, and all sound seemed to go out of the room. Your mouth was gaping open, you knew you were screaming at the top of your lungs, but all you could hear was a high-pitched static noise, you were so far gone. You didn’t even hear Fett’s answering groan as he spilled his seed inside of you moments later, the clamping of your walls around his cock proving to be too much for him to withstand. The feeling of him emptying his balls within you was unlike anything you had ever felt before, and only served to bring your peak to a new height. You could feel him pulsating, your cunt milking him for all that it was worth, his hot spunk filling you up, marking you where no one else ever had before.

  The next thing you remembered was lying in Boba Fett’s arms, weeping openly into the crook of his neck. You weren’t sure if you had momentarily passed out from the pleasure, but you had no memory of him flipping you over so that you were lying atop him, draped across his broad chest, his cock still sheathed within you, a strong but pleasant ache settled deep between your thighs - a lingering effect of your lost virginity. Fett, despite all of his cultivated roughness, let you cry it out, one arm thrown lazily across your waist, his free hand cupping the back of your head. His fingers scratched at your scalp, and you could have sworn you heard him murmuring softly in a guttural tongue, possibly that Mando’a he occasionally spoke in - the idea that he may’ve been trying to comfort you in his own awkward way only made you cry harder. Your sobs finally ebbed away into sniffles and quiet hiccups after a short while, and Fett slowly rolled you off of him, his cock leaving you with a wet squelch that gave your oversensitive clit a jolt and left you feeling sore and empty. You laid on the bed and watched Boba Fett’s cum ooze out from between your legs and onto the blankets, stained pink from your breaking in, and you flushed as he rose and stood at the foot of the cot, cleaning both your arousals from his softening cock with a cloth he’d retrieved from a compartment hidden in the wall. You wished you could have kept his cum inside of you forever, in a way, although you supposed the bruises his mouth and fingers had left on your skin would serve as reminders as well. You still couldn’t believe the night events had really happened, after so long.

  “Are you alright, girl? You came quite hard. I thought you were going to break my cock right off, the way you were clenching me. How do you feel, now that you’ve been properly fucked?” His tone was one of gentle teasing, and he glanced back over his shoulder at you, a smirk upon his pouty lips. 

  “That… that was incredible. I’m sorry, it’s just… I can’t believe I just got fucked by Boba Fett .” You replied, and hid your face in your hands, embarrassed as soon as the words had tumbled from your mouth. Fett, good-natured and relaxed after a satisfying fuck, snorted and shook his head. He sauntered past the cot on his way to the ‘fresher and patted your thigh as if to assure you that ‘ Yes, you sweet little fool, all of your wildest dreams have come true.’ He didn’t think he’d ever understand these beings who sought him out as part of their bizarre fantasies, but he didn’t care - it got him laid, and sometimes the temporary company was even enjoyable. This hopeless romantic of a virgin - well, former virgin - had been one of the better ones. As he took one last glance at you before the door slid shut, as you nodded off in his bed, Fett found himself feeling glad he hadn’t rejected your advances, as he’d originally been planning to do. It was a shame he couldn’t keep you around a while longer - you were easy to please, and so eager to learn - but there was business to be done tomorrow, and it was nothing that an innocent girl like you should be caught up in. 

  Not this time, anyway.

  -

  The first light of dawn was just beginning to emerge over the swirling mists of tibanna gas that enclosed Cloud City, and you were in a panic. You’d been awakened from your blissed out slumber by the incessant bleating of your comlink, buried within the confines of your purse, which lay in a heap along with your clothing on the durasteel floor of Boba Fett’s transport, the Slave I . Jumping up from the cot and wincing at the sharp sting radiating from between your legs, you’d rifled through your belongings until you’d uncovered the damn contraption. Pressing the button on the side, a scrawl of Aurebesh sprang into being, and your heart sank into the pit of your stomach. Dank farrik. Your roommate.

  ‘Where are you?’ The urgency of the message was clear, having been sent thrice over the past half hour. You’d be surprised if they hadn’t already raised the alarm, that the Wing Guard wasn’t already out combing the city for you. They’d begged you to be home by dawn, and by the sound of the traffic outside, it was more around the time of the typical morning commute, a full hour or so later.

  You had to leave. Now .

  There was no sign of Boba Fett.

  You didn’t remember falling asleep after your tryst the previous night, but you had a vague memory of Fett waking you in the night and ordering you into the ‘fresher to urinate, and you’d been alone in the pilot’s quarters when the comm had begun chirping later on, fully waking you up. It didn’t look like anyone else had joined you on the cot overnight, and as you’d scrambled to scoop up your bag and don last night’s outfit - you were pretty sure your dress was inside out, but you found yourself beyond caring - and descend the ladder leading back into the cockpit area, you’d discovered where Fett had gone. He sat motionless in the pilot’s chair, fully armored and helmeted, studying a holo of what appeared to be the inner passageways of the Administrator’s Palace that was being projected from the ship’s dash, emanating a flickering, ghostly blue light in the early morning rays visible through the viewport. You stopped short across from the chair, and although Fett’s head didn’t turn even a hair, you knew he was watching you, wondering what you were doing.

  “I have to go. I was supposed to be home by now and my roommate’s going to kill me.” You explained briefly, then dashed towards the ramp leading to the docking bay outside. You felt as if you had become part of a child's bedtime story, a maiden whose jewel-encrusted gown would disintegrate to rags, whose enchanted ship would transform back into a jogan fruit if she didn’t return home by the stroke of midnight. This was all over too soon. As you rushed down the platform, you wondered whether Fett would say anything or if that would be it, if he would just watch you run off into the sunrise and consider his work done. You’d made it just beyond the confines of the ship’s overhang when you heard the telltale sound of spurs from behind you, slow and methodical steps. You stumbled to a halt and turned back to face the Slave I. Boba Fett stood there motionlessly, observing you.

  “Tell me, sarad’ika. Was it everything you've dreamed of?” The helmeted figure asked slyly, standing on the boarding ramp of his imposing, mottled ship, one hand resting casually on the overstuffed utility belt at his waist, the other dangling free at his side. You felt yourself flush at his question, knowing he was most likely grinning lecherously underneath his Mandalorian armor, but you still nodded, shifting your weight anxiously from one foot to the other. His gaze still penetrated your very soul from behind that black, T-shaped visor, made you feel so vulnerable.

  “Yes. And more. I… I don’t know what to say, other than… thank you.” You softly replied. You wondered, foolishly, if he was expecting payment for his services. Did he consider his conquest of you to be a job of sorts? Your answer came with a sharp gesture of his hand, cutting a quick line across the morning air between the two of you.

  “Then don’t say anything.” With a barely perceptible nod, Fett turned on his heel and began to make his way back into the confines of his ship. Something about watching him walk away from you made your heart hurt, although you doubted you would ever be able to explain why. You wondered whether you could make something more of this, something long-term and lasting, perhaps beyond your better judgement. You wanted to feel his mouth on yours again, and still felt his presence inside of you, the throb left behind by his considerable length filling you, and you already knew that you’d never want anyone else. You were addicted. You stepped forward, back towards the Slave I and its retreating owner, hopeful. If Rystáll Sant could do it, why couldn’t you?

  “Boba, wait. ” 

  Fett’s form stilled, halfway up the ramp, and he turned to face you once more, the dented helmet cocked to one side, obviously intrigued as to what you had to say. You had a feeling he knew what was coming and your stomach somersaulted at the thought, but you heard the words leave your mouth anyway, heard the pining in your voice despite your best efforts to sound neutral, unattached.

  “When can I see you again?” 

  ‘ Fierfek, you stupid girl. Now he’ll think you’ve gone and fallen in love with him, just because he was your first fuck …’ Your mind swam, and you wished you could rewind time, seal your mouth shut, take back the words as soon as you had spoken them, until you saw that Fett was sauntering down the ramp towards you. You froze, every muscle in your body turning to ice, as he strode towards you, coming to a stop directly in front of you. He was close enough that you could have reached out and placed your hands on his chest, thrown your arms around his neck, but you found you didn’t have the courage.

  “You can’t.” Fett answered you brusquely, emotionlessly, and you felt like he had slapped you across the face. You weren’t sure what exactly you’d been expecting when he’d approached you. The bounty hunter deftly reached out and cupped your chin between his index finger and thumb, pinching the skin in his grip and holding your gaze level with his. That visor was so dark, but you were so close you still could've sworn that you could see his face through the darkened T-shape, and that he was smiling . He released his grip and tapped the underside of your chin with his fingers, in an oddly playful manner. “Run along, little one. Go home. You don’t want to get into any more trouble now, do you?”

  With that, he whirled back around, cape flapping on his shoulder, marching solemnly back into the blackness concealing the innards of the Slave I. The ramp closed behind him with an anticlimactic hiss , and Boba Fett was gone from your life, just as quickly as he had entered it.

  Your ‘walk of shame’ back to your apartment felt more like a victory march, and when you walked into your living quarters, your roommate rushed towards you and demanded to know what had happened, where you had been, if you were okay. You only gave them a knowing smile. Maybe someday you’d share the story of your night with Boba Fett, but for now, you thought you’d let them try to put the pieces together on their own.

  Later that evening, when Baron Calrissian announced the Imperial takeover of Cloud City and the evacuation orders were given, as you packed a bag full of necessities and boarded a transport out of the city and listened to the whispered rumors that Han Solo had been frozen in carbonite and abducted from the Administrator’s Palace by a mercenary wearing Mandalorian armor, you couldn’t help but smile. 

  ‘Well, kriff. He’s actually done it.’ You thought smugly, grinning to yourself amidst a sea of panic. You hoped Boba Fett had been able to escape off-world with his bounty before the Wing Guard had sealed the docking bays, but you didn’t think you truly had anything to worry about. There was a reason why he was considered the best in the business. 

  Boba Fett had done it. 

  Right after he’d done you.

Shen Wei Serving Lewks, Part 7

(Masterpost)

Look 30

Swamp coat...no wait, hang on.

Upon close inspection, this is not Swamp Coat, but a different loose trench coat in Swamp color. What the fuck, Shen Wei! Borrow one of your boyfriend’s coats again, pretty please?

Both times this tunic/coat outfit has appeared on Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan was wearing this gorgeous tailored denim number, with perfectly fitted shoulders and a nipped in waist. Sigh.

Anyway, Swamp Coat 2.0 is nicer than 1.0, and Shen Wei is wearing it with a with an immaculate super-casual loose white tunic with a band collar, so he looks beautiful even though this ensemble is decidedly meh. 

As Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get closer, Shen Wei’s wardrobe becomes looser and more casual, which is probably good for his psyche so...okay. 

In addition to layers of loose fabric, this look features a checkered nosebleed hanky and the angriest face he has ever turned on Zhao Yunlan. 

Along with definitely not kissing

(More behind the cut!)

And definitely not having a massive grope session like the last time Shen Wei got between Zhao Yunlan’s knees on this lab table.

Once the anger passes, however, this is a very good look for making out in a taxi with a boy who has excellent taste in coats. 

Bonus Look 2: ZY’s Turn to Be Angry

This look belongs to Zhao Yunlan, who is wearing a single soft layer with a wide exposed neck so he can have an intense argument and hand touching with Shen Wei. This is Zhao Yunlan’s at home look, without the extra layer (vest or jacket, in a tough fabric) he always wears except when he’s alone with Shen Wei.

Shen Wei is like, no it’s fine honey, slicing my arm open is just a thing I do so I can eventually die spectacularly.  Also I drained my life force for you, don’t make a big deal of it you know I hate when you make a big deal of things. 

For once Zhao Yunlan gets to be the overprotective, upset partner in the relationship and also maybe the big spoon for a change. In keeping with his personality, he expresses himself explosively... 

...while Shen Wei quietly leaks out emotions like the black smoke leaking from his wrist.

This is Zhao Yunlan without his armor, his swagger, his smile; this might be the only time he is as vulnerable with Shen Wei as Shen Wei (always) is with him. 

Look 31

Shen Wei wears his blue double-breasted wedding crasher suit to begin his long, long relationship with this pillar.

This look features chains, more chains, and long conversations with ridiculous smoke effects. 

Bonus Look 3 - ZY Rescue Trench

Now THAT is a trench coat. Do you hear me, Shen Wei's Swamp Coats?

Hilariously, we are meant to believe this superbly fitted coat with its itty bitty waist and this perfectly sized gun belt are what Zhao Yunlan took off of this schlubby guard. Zhao Yunlan DOES have magic powers! 

This is a good outfit for convincing your lover to give up his relationship with a malevolent pillar and come home with you. 

Did I hastily photoshop Smoke Dude out of that rescue picture? I did.

Is this just a gratuitous picture of freshly-unchained Shen Wei looking upset and Zhao Yunlan comforting him? It is. Shout out to all the H/C fans!

Look 32

This look is a grey suit with a white grid pattern, and striped red and blue accent fabric on the pocket and under the collar.  This was briefly featured way back in the trauma cake arc. Here Shen Wei is also wearing a fresh cravat in grey tones. 

Shen Wei had been wearing a narrower range of outfits lately because he doesn't have enough drawers at Zhao Yunlan's place, so he must have made a brief stop at his apartment to get some more things. 

At home with Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei wears this look with a bare face and neck, chilling in his white shirt with the collar stiffeners. I'm going to call them that forever; you can't stop me.  Note how the shirt has darts (the vertical seams from his shoulder blades to his waist) so that it fits perfectly across the back.

This is a good look for lovingly preparing fresh fruit for your candy-addicted beloved and then watching him while he sleeps. 

Shen Wei’s ass is now chainless, alas, but these trousers are doing yeoman’s werk work.  

While Zhao Yunlan sleeps, Shen Wei takes the opportunity to check up on his special pendant necklace that he bought at a bong shop when he was in college.

Back in the full ensemble, Shen Wei is ready to have a haberdashery throwdown with his jerkass father-in-law, who normally has serious game in a plum coat and patterned vest.  

Today Pop Zhao has unexpectedly said “fuck it” and worn a brown sweater and beige trench. 

Don’t encourage Shen Wei’s boring taste in coats, Pop Zhao!

After easily winning the best-dressed award at tea, Shen Wei accessorizes his look with cheekbones that could cut glass, and his best “oops, busted” face when Zhao Yunlan sees him hanging out with the parent ZY hates so much that he has the same job and facial hair as him.

That leads to a wonderfully layered interaction, in which Shen Wei just kind of stands in front of Zhao Yunlan refusing to engage with his need for control, while Zhao Yunlan roasts Shen Wei for being untrustworthy...and then offers him a ride back to the office.

Guardian is so good at capturing the constantly-fluctuating state of a deep relationship, in which you can be fighting on one level and totally fine on another level; where you’re going to have a donnybrook with your lover but first you’re going to get a decent meal into them. 

Skipping!

We’re skipping over the increasingly bloody tee-shirt ensemble that appears in the final episodes. That look says, “anti-gay narrative tropes suck.” 

Instead, check out this beauty that Shen Wei wore for one poorly-lit scene early in the show. This is the only time he wears a fully-matched 3-piece suit and he SLAYS in it. And then puts it in mothballs forever. 

I guess when you’re wearing an outfit the first time your sweetheart breaks into your apartment and disorganizes your panty drawer, you only want to wear it for the most special occasions after that. 

Look 33

After a bunch of unnecessary yet compellingly-acted death, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan meet up outside of time and space in a Windows 95 screensaver.  

[That is a Gen X joke. OP is old.] 

Shen Wei’s look for this meeting is the same one he wore the day they met in the modern world - the double-breasted 10-button vest, with arm garters and now also (SIGH) tears in his eyes. Instead of that, here is an infinite loop of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan talking over dinner in their kitchen, because screw Episode 40. 

Look 34

Exiting the screensaver, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan fall out into the AU of your choice, because they realize that they left the wormhole together last time so it shouldn’t be too difficult to leave it together this time. They can just hold hands while they leave, for fuck’s sake. 

In the AU of your choice they get married in these beautiful suits, as seen in Bazaar magazine. 

Shen Wei’s look here features tousled hair and the glasses-free look he prefers when he’s with his true love. This is the first black suit we’ve seen him in, and he’s doing fine work in it, particularly with the gold bola thingy he’s wearing at the collar.  Zhao Yunlan is so hot here that only Shen Wei dares to touch him.

Look 35

For the beach party they throw for their AU friends and neighbors a month after the wedding, (also courtesy of Bazaar’s photoshoot) Shen Wei chooses this short-legged suit with white canvas shoes, a lovely display of calf and a sprinkling of leg hair. 

This look says, I love you forever and I'm pretty sure I can give you a spinal adjustment using only my leg muscles. 

Shen Wei has replaced his bong-shop pendant with a tasteful diamond bar necklace, which was an apology gift from Zhao Yunlan after ZY intentionally accidentally set fire to Swamp Coats 1 through 4. 

Near his heart Shen Wei is wearing a tie pin (sans tie) that’s made out of a lollipop stick. 

Preview

The next post features Shen Wei’s cosplay looks including Black Robe Envoy and Ye Zun! 

Next Caller Pt 27

@c-s-stars​, helped me with these collages since i am not able to make them. Sorry for making you wait so long. :D

Saturday morning, post fist bump to shoulder awkward goodbye from you to your Cuddle Monster the night before, you were underwear clad prepping of your hair for the day ahead. Braiding up the upper half of your hair into a long woven pattern secured with hidden pins you moved onto pulling your strapless dress on over your corset, making sure to use pins to keep it in place even with the tight hidden zipper on the side. Tall heels were next so you wouldn’t have to fidget with them underneath your cape, the lovely pair stirring a smirk across your lips at seeing how nice they looked and how comfortable they were.

On top of your head you added the feather topped golden leaf band forming a mini crown you pinned in place before moving onto your cape. The golden layer of feathers laid over the white swan feather cape reaching your hips secured with a single strap around your neck. Exhaling sharply you moved onto your makeup next. A simple stripe of gold across your face in a mask coating from eyebrows to just under your eyes stretching from ear to ear once you added the facial primer. Primer for your lips came next for your black glittery lipstick to finish off the look and just in time for you to pace in your living room when you had assured you had all you needed in your hidden pockets of your dress.

Fidgeting with your golden leaf accented arm bands you answered the doorbell trying not to worry about what the hell your Cuddle Monster would be wearing. Opening your door you couldn’t help but smirk seeing Mal with her hair pulled back underneath a flower circlet with flower pins in her hair matching the flowers on the wrist bands covering most of her forearms on pale green vines and the green fishnet flower coated stockings under her gladiator sandals. Her silver corset topped tutu-like skirted dress accented with pink, yellow and red flowers matching the shades in her fake wings strapped to her dress. “I told you mine would look-,”

Open mouthed she took in your look and replied, “You look stunning. No one else could pull off the feathered fairy like you.” Shifting on her feet she asked, “Are those real wings?”

You shook your head, “Just a cape with real feathers, more fancy dress than festival outside of the makeup.”

“Speaking of which, where did you get that lipstick? It was all gone when I went, wanted this rouge-,” the honk of the horn had you giggle and step out behind her drawing her eye to your shoes, “Again with those shoes, kill me now, I love your friends, how do I get them to buy me shoes like that?”

“I’m certain if you mention to the boys your taste they would certainly start to fill your collection.” Locking your door to join her with skirt folded in your fingers lifting it just a bit higher on your path to the car with the burly bright red bearded silvery maroon haired Dwarf at the wheel while his dark haired Hobbit wife with silver streaks in her tight pulled back curls took pictures of you both together. Like Mal she was dressed but in a longer silvery green flower embroidered dress with a cape surely embroidered with folded wings chosen over the strap on pair like Mal’s. Her father wearing brown and golden layers from his trousers, folded over boots, tunic and pirate like jacket to go with the bear mask.

Climbing in you said, “Mr Ganir, Mrs Clover, you look incredible.”

Lowly he chuckled and said, “And you are beyond words our dear girl. Beyond words.”

Clover giggled and in sharing your nerves with Mal you reached over folding your hand around hers on the seat between you hers tightened around the fingers on as her mother said, “Come on, before we miss it all you old flatterer you.” Making him chuckle and shift gears to head to the festival. Joining the lines of cars you found your way to the very same place in the heart of the city. The squared off Grand Palace Theatre in white and blue surrounded by immaculate gardens with swirling patterns of hedges around copper pathways leading to each entrance. Through which you would be party to several shows to pay tribute to various figures and creatures of old and several food and stands of trade woven through the inner gardens laid out inside the Theatre’s courtyards within the square layout.

Parked in one of the many garages around it you joined the group in exiting the car and flashed grins to the parents who nestled you and their girl between them proudly as they always had since meeting you. Mal seemed to have ample friends from her other job at the shelter but it seemed you were the one she chose to enforce her friendship upon at the station, no matter how willing countless others had been to have earned her favor over exhausted frazzled little you. Far beyond distracted to think of making friends while keeping your head above water, only to realize you did have just a hint more time to make a bigger effort for a new friend.

“And just where are we meeting the Durins in all this?” You asked.

Mal replied, “Next to the Bird display, apparently they assumed it would be the least crowded spot.”

“Oh ya, Bird display, what Dwarf could ever want to be seen near that.” Making the trio chuckle around you while you turned your head to glance at a group staring and whispering about your costume. Looking back forward again you inhaled deeply taking hold of your skirt again in eyeing the cobbled copper path to keep from stumbling in the change from concrete to that. Bodies folded around your group and again Mal’s hand folded in yours for the woven path.

At least until you spotted the first lion mask in a trio of blondes including Vili and Fili with Kili and his wolf mask. Next to various lions and fairies from the Findis clan that was available to attend. All in pirate like outfits in their clan colors. Under Vili’s arm stood Dis in a strapless black and orange flowing dress with a dramatic butterfly wing painted cape and a headdress with butterflies floating around her braided bun coating in silver glitter matching her silver glittery painted on mask.

Dwalin in a boar’s mask stood beside Bilbo with a chipmunk outfit matching Frodo’s he seemed to love and had chosen. Balin and his wife were sheep along with their little girl as a goat propped on Balin’s hip. Frerin in his badger mask stood between his parents Dis and Thrain, with grey ram masks and horn headdresses in similar blue and gold accented gown and jacketed outfits, and his brother Thorin similarly dressed but with a black battle ram mask with horns secured by the braids in his hair.

A wide grin slid across Frerin’s lips in spotting you had him tapping the chest of his brother while readying his phone. The single moment of shock when eyes shifted to your group captured in a picture only deepening your adopted brother’s expression. Fili and Kili inhaled deeply shifting on their feet grinning to Mal between stolen glances a her parents while Dis, Vili and their families readied to greet their hopefully one day in laws.

The distance was closed and in an awkward moment of silence you stepped closer at Frodo’s reach for you, “Feathers!”

In a giggle you let him inspect your cloak you brought closer to his reach and you said looking at Dis in her glance your way, “Um, Dis and Vili, Findis, these are Ganir and Clover Mereng,”

A subtle shift of Ganir’s feet had you halfway rolling your eyes in his creeping grin at your accent having you pronounce his clan name like the dance over its true hard g at the end after the forget-ably silent n. The clan name Took Mal preferred using over Mereng for being teased by others saying it like meringue in school. Playfully he rumbled, “Always makes me want to dance that accent of yours.” His eyes shifted to Dis and Vili for the trading of pleasantries after you had so rightly broken the silence. Though when he stepped forward to greet the boys he said, “And you must be the lads attempting to court our Malachite.” His eyes looked them over and he said, “Call me Bubbles.”

You giggled as Mal said in the parting of the boys’ lips, “Adad!”

At which he chuckled and said, “Just giving them a good ribbing.” He flashed her a wink, “I am allowed you know.”

Frerin subtly snapped a picture of you and while Thorin kept staring at you his brother whispered to you softly until Ganir asked, “And who might you be staring at our honorary Stonefoot so long.”

Curiously you looked his way and said, “I’m a bit too light to be called stone anything.”

Clover giggled saying, “All the same, nearly kin.”

Mal said, “Thorin bought her that necklace Adad.” Making you give her a pointed gaze earning a shrug from her in return.

Thorin shifted on his feet finally looking to the Dwarf now posing as your protector as well, “Well it seems I have three suitors to inspect.” At that your voice cracked trying to argue while Thorin’s eyes in a glance your way flinched wider a moment.

Clover patted her husband’s arm saying, “Ganir is jesting, we know well enough her kin initiate courtship with granting nicknames and vying for a blush out of the males. And here she has been silent about the young fellow.” Dwalin and Balin both bit their lips to keep from beaming dumbly at their cousin who had missed that fact.

Again Thorin was staring at you in both confusion and a glimmer of hope while Mal burst into giggles at the boys’ hushed compliments on her outfit making Ganir turn his focus back to the boys as you turned hearing, “There you are.” Glorfindel and Ecthellion both in fox masks complete with ears and clipped on tails visible under their jackets and sideways capes covering one of their shoulders.

Both leaned in giving you hugs and pecks on your cheeks with Thranduil and Legolas behind them claiming their own turn before looking over Frerin and the boys. Though in Gloin’s trot over excusing himself for being late with the Dam you imagined to be Gorgo as a mountain lion between the pair of mountain goats. Her eyes scanned over you and Mal hopefully before being unable to help but ask, “Is Bunny enjoying her day off?”

Mal forced a grin and said, “Pretty sure, she’s around, somewhere.”

Gorgo looked at you asking, “I heard we have you to thank for putting the show on air.”

“Well, five hours of dead air or hop in the seat no one else wanted, not a hard decision.”

She smirked saying, “Still, with a story like that, should have taken so long to rehearse-,”

Ecthellion broke off her moment to say, “I thought I recognized that voice, Miss Gorgo, I am Ecthellion.”

Her lips split into a wide grin and she said, “Yes, it is nice to have a face with a voice. You’ve known Miss Pear long?”

He said, “Since we were children. Even longer than Glori has known her. Though not as long as Thran has known her.”

Thorin broke the conversation saying, “We should head in.” Stealing a glance your way finding you already looking at him for the first time since Ganir had made his courting comment.

Straight to the steps you followed the crowds and when Frodo asked him a question his head turned granting others a chance to split your group. The Durins and the Merengs along with the Findis continued on while Thranduil kept his hand on your back guiding you after them ensuring you at least got into the same show they were being ushered to. In the crowds however familiar copper and cocoa skinned Elves with snow like hair tied back with various paint sprays and glitters added under their bird costumes had Thorin looking around for you.

Inside the theater for the first show their group took up a large section and more scattered through the crowds of the familiarly featured Elves all taking notice of your entrance to claim the section across the row from theirs had him on edge. Subtle taps however of your fingers to your chest easily mistaken first as a nervous fidget of your necklace when he noticed you spotting one couple especially near the far wall only to have the motion mirrored by them and every other one you locked eyes with. It was a hello, a very distant hello from cousins to one another that the men around you granted nods of their heads in the distance in their own greeting to mask just who their focus might have been on. Clearly not to you the visually anonymous one on the group of very public figures stirring whispers since their arrivals.

With a quick grin you settled down and crossed your legs eyeing Thorin as he sat down stealing another glance your way with a quick grin of his own. Silently hating that there was a spot between you. The show however began and off the lap behind you a little girl on the lap of another assumed relative with deep cocoa skin and glowing swirling clan markers across her skin that dimmed in her child’s escape had him shifting to see where she was going. Teetering around the chair you were in she planted her hands on your knee and across your cheeks swirls matching the pairs’ faintly began to shimmer in the dip of your hands you lift, turn and plop her on your lap widening her grin. Around her middle your arms settled and the girl eased back comfortably while her mother leaned forward. Her fingertips settled on the back of your chair and in the backwards tilt of your forehead it met hers in a trading of whispered Vanyar greetings before turning your attention to the show again.

From children opening with a song and dance that branched into a tale of old you nuzzled and whispered to the child in your arms that stirred more than a few glances from the Durins your way along with Mal when Fili and Kili traded whispers about it. Moving to the next show in the theater over you then had two toddlers come over with that woman now mingled in your group. Thorin had the seat beside you but couldn’t help but chuckle at the pair of boys clambering over him to get to you as their parent grinned in the aisle watching you tap foreheads and noses with the pair between pecks on their foreheads between their eyes after their tight hugs before clambering back to head to the next show.

More and more of your braver relatives milled in and out claiming their own focus for brief snippets of time with the same woman at your side until the second show when her daughter got fussy and she was off to go browse the shops then head home. Bitter sweetly each Durin looking on got to see your scattered family and the lingering fear of remaining too close for too long all coming to greet them wish you a nice festival.

Three shows came then a round of food carts you all sampled and between the groups you were told what each was and chose accordingly slyly passing off your samples to others who volunteered for the seconds to keep from insulting anyone. Two more shows came and then you were freed to the inner courtyards for browsing stalls and various mini shows. Off in their own world it seemed the future in laws were settling to learning one another keeping you to your friends, Thorin and Frerin, the brothers who refused to abandon your side once your family had seemed to all have slipped out again as soon as they could have been noticed.

As the sun was setting Thorin’s hand folded in silent warning around yours breaking your focus from the cart to draw your eyes to him that only snapped up in the shot of a firework into the air that then exploded lighting the sky in silver. Leaving the crowds filing closer to the stage you had missed being assembled along the far wall. Another show began and from the massive group of all the children in all the shows who were there to present the subject of their wish for protection Thorin grinned along with you while they held up their pictures of bunnies they hooked to floating lanterns they let free. The action making Mal shift closer to you to rub your arm in a silent but proud moment shared with your friends and Thorin all in on the truth.

From there the wishes were open for everyone while the fireworks and final musical and dance filled acts blending into a parade started up. Freed to mill about again you lingered around until Mal’s yawn had her parents calling an end to the night taking them past the wishing booth. Lowly in a bend forward Ecthellion said they would take you home freeing you to keep browsing. Tightly Mal hugged you good night while making sure to keep hold of her ribbon she had been given from one of the silent judges grading each type of fairy and animal costume present.

While Mal’s ribbon had come in her reach for the bag holding her new charms for her charm necklace the boys picked for her to be draped over her arm in the fleeing of the judge. Yours came in the reach for your cup of blue raspberry shaved ice Glori had pointed you to for a cup of kiwi for himself that had your head turning feeling something touching your ear. In a chuckle Legolas pulled the ribbon off your head as Frerin called a Khuzdul comment at the giant squirrel costumed Dwarf that had you hugging eyeing the second ribbon gifted to you that way for this costume. “I get that I’m short but my head?”

You turned at deep chuckles finding Thorin scowling at his ribbon having been hung from the adorable ridge under his Battle Ram nose on his mask enabling better breathing and eating for him. Runoff his head when he removed it he said, “I saw your bracelet I know where you work!” To the now cackling raccoon costumed Dwarf rushing back to the crowds.

Rolling his eyes he muttered while Balin chuckled out, “Hey you won again for Battle Rams.”

Thorin grumbled back, “I’m the only Battle Ram.”

Dwalin pointed, “Not true, oh wait he’s a sheep. Never mind. Still a win though.”

“You know what you gotta do?”

Lowly he rumbled back playfully, “If you bleat at me I’m walking home.”

As if on cue Balin’s daughter gave off an adorable bleat making you giggle and him chuckle with his family as Balin said, “That was a very good bleat Billi.”

Under various colored flashes of light you felt the bag from your t shirt you had chosen getting heavier from gifts from your friends to the wall of wishes on your way out. Entire sections were dedicated to various people with an entire chunck of the wall coated in runes of the names of characters from your show mirroring the names they had written to add to the fire pits and small lanterns for each child. Inhaling steadily seeing that others had written down nicknames and that Thorin had tried to subtly write out ‘Mafioso’ on the wall after having written it down in his slip now burning you smirked and wrote down on the paper then wall what the boys them repeated, “Cuddle Monster?” That sent ripples of the nickname through the Durins wondering who it was while Frerin smirked taking his own guess by your faint blush.

That had their uncle turning around and a stolen stick of your tongue at him he shook his head and turned around to wait on you while your friends all copied down their remaining parents names, each having lost one. They were all their children had left of the once vast clans and while you ached to add your mother’s name right then you were wishing more that Thorin was doing well and had a good night after having ran into his ex the day before. His family was nice and again for the walk out you eyed all the dancing costumed people all the way through the street back to the garage the Elves parked in across from the one the Dwarves had used. Waves and brief hugs later you could hear Dwalin calling out, “Get some sleep and relax this weekend.”

Giggling to yourself you turned away keeping at Thranduil’s side looping your arm around his and leaning against his arm making him ask, “Tired?”

“Not really. I had fun, you?”

He nodded and said, “It was nice to finally see Marya and Ringwe in person.”

To yourself you giggled saying, “Yes, Ringwe’s gotten so big, and the twins too. For how long our childhoods last it goes by so fast.”

Making him chuckle and pat his hand on his son’s shoulder on his right guiding him through the first turn to the lift while he uploaded his photos from the night. Trying not to be too obvious I’m pulling the note up from his phone to search for the username he spotted on young Gimli’s phone screen at their having shared pictures from the last year from their pages including a picture surprisingly they were both in. He had partially gotten distracted when his cousin Tauriel had shown up late in one of the second round of shows showing off her latest bout of carvings on her next gallery show coming up.

“Big plans tonight?” He asked lowly.

“I kind of want to dig into that bag of fan mail.”

Glorfindel chuckled, “Good, I think I spotted some addressed in crayon, no doubt some classes have been rooting for Bunny all along.”

 *

The first of a long string of messages to come in the new friendship had Gimli distracted while Gloin glanced at his wife asking, “Something wrong My Love?”

Gorgo replied unpursing her lips, “She has a bunny tattooed on her foot.”

Gloin glanced at her again, “Who?”

“Miss Pear. She has a Bunny on the top of one of her feet. I was looking at her shoes and I noticed it.”

Gloin replied, “Ah,”

Gorgo, “She has that tattoo, she works on the show, it can’t be coincidence. You said she writes-.”

Gloin, “I can see where you are going, My Love. However, you stated Bunny wished to have anonymous publishings.”

“I’m not going to out her. Just, if it is her I could get the draft so much easier.”

“I understand that, but don’t you have to wait on the ad first? That was the deal to see how it faired and then an advance settled to schedule a hand off of the draft?”

“Before I left the office we had 3 million and counting responses and 5 million clicks on the sneak preview sketch of the Countess Ecthellion gave us.”

Gloin nodded, “Ah yes, and Dwalin mentioned something about a round of stickers available soon for the station for the show.”

Gorgo, “How much?”

Gloin chuckled replying, “I doubt they wouldn’t have a supply for us seeing as it’s our clan.”

She nodded, “Right. Plus I suppose they would always have a supply for the cast to have as well. We could at least get a sneak peak.” Gorgo paused then said, “Still don’t know why Thorin stopped me from asking questions about the show.”

Gloin chuckled, “Probably because it’s a day of relaxing. And in crowds like that no telling who’s listening in for secrets when they hear the girls work on that show.”

“True.” She said then sighed leaning her head back making him chuckle and reach over to take hold of her hand he lifted to kiss then kept hold of on the arm rest between them.

 *

Tucked safely in the back seat you listened to Glori and Echo chatting in the front seat while you sat between Thranduil and Legolas, both immersed in their phones for the dragging ride back to your place. By the end of which Thranduil had finished details for the next press event he had and he grinned at you saying, “Sorry, they keep trying to involve foxes in my press shows. Post one picture of my fox footie pajamas and now it’s a thing.”

You giggled and Echo asked, “So, do we get a tour at least?”

You nodded and said, “Sure, not much to show in most rooms still.”

Thranduil said, “There is nothing wrong with that.”

Glorfindel, “And we won’t linger too long, have to get these angels back to our place for their beauty sleep.” You giggled in Thranduil’s fake laugh, “Plus we get to hear about the ad in the morning and discuss the advance for securing a read of your book.”

“It doesn’t have to be huge.”

Echtellion, “The basic would be at least 15k, the very least, that was where they started in mentioning it the other day.”

“So that’s, how does that work for when the book comes out exactly?”

Ecthellion replied, “That means for the first 15k in book sales the Publishers get that. And from there you start to earn your 48 from each book.”

Thranduil said, “Only 300 books to pay back the advance, not bad, if we get everyone in our circle and just a few from the Durins with the rest of their kin surely granting you a huge bump on their own before others could even get their hands on it.”

Glorfindel, “Hopefully Gorgo will calm down once she gets to read the book.”

Legolas glanced up, “She did seem a bit intent on learning secrets.”

“Well, she has been waiting five years. I mean, I doubt she’d spread it around,”

Glorfindel, “Still, out in the open like that. It’s a good thing Thorin stopped her.”

Thranduil, “I doubt he would wait much longer to offer courtship.” Rolling your eyes in parking in the driveway you slid out of the car behind the smirking blonde offering his hand to keep you from getting caught on your skirt and help you up to your feet again. “Welcome home, I love it already.”

You giggled and led the group up to your door stirring up curious glances from your returning neighbors who all settled for their own comfort that they were all relatives due to your Elf ears noticed by others. Inside you went and excitedly they took in each detail they could including those you had on the sketches for each room with ample adoring comments for each including for the furniture waiting to be painted showing you had been using your time off well and keeping busy. The greenhouse especially halting them in their tracks, first by your plants and hard work on the incredible fountain then by your birds all excitedly taking you the details of your costumes. Tight hugs later and back to the car they went wishing you a nice weekend leaving you to head to your bedroom.

Headdress first you removed that and then washed off your makeup. Strolling into your closet you removed your bracelets you put back with your few pieces of costume jewelry. Reaching up you removed and hung up your cape then reached down to unzip your dress you hung up as well. Switching from your corset to a comfy bra you looked down at your heels and pouted a moment then decided to pull on some comfy shorts and a tank top keeping them on a bit longer. For a moment you paused remembering where you put the bag you went to fetch it and bring it to your bed along with an empty trunk of shelves from your pantry things you opened allowing the cubes to rise up to a couple inches away from the ceiling.

Opening the bag you dumped it out onto the bed a quarter of the way and started to eye the envelopes and gave off a soft sigh, “Ok, runes first.” By the return address you separated out the ones with Dwarf Runes laying them on one shelf filling each box, two shelves down you started to fill with Hobbit Rune letters and the few Elven ones you added three shelves down from there. More and more you sorted through the rest of the bag then looked up at the final results seeing the Dwarf shelves packed with a pile on your bed still.

Pulling those back out a cubby at a time you sorted by which Dwarven Kingdom they came from and from there got to dividing the majority from Erebor into different counties. In the mix you smirked seeing common names you eased together when dividing them up alphabetically in each county. Skipping those from the other countries you moved onto the Hobbit letters and sorted those by where they were from, sorting those from Erebor even more down to alphabetically as well.

The last portion for Elven letters didn’t take long at all with those you recognized to be from friends of your father’s clan you set in a cubby on their own on the very bottom shelf. Sitting on your bed you opened the first one and the first few you skimmed through noticing it was all criticisms on your show and how irritating it was to have another tale about the Durins while great Elf clans were being ignored entirely. Clearly from before your latest shows adding more in. Those you set aside with the downright hate mail being put back into their envelopes you put into another pile all its own. All of which you sorted onto the same shelf in different cubbies.

By the time you got up to pull out one of the Dwarf countries outside of Erebor you couldn’t help but giggle at the handful of History Professors and enthusiasts critiquing your story while also praising the plot that in no way followed true history that had you barefoot and cross legged on your bed reading their thick packs of letters. All around positive but ready to stick up for the great clan’s history that you put in their own pile. A few nearly had you in tears you would save to finish for later as it delved into issues the writer was dealing with that somehow the story had helped them with. Hate mail was separated and the rest seemed mostly positive with a few collections of kids in between who had sent pictures or had mini requests or questions that you set aside to answer later.

Jumping from Dwarf territories to Hobbit ones you steadily got to the Erebor letters and started to work your way through it. More and more assumptions were made with hopes for possible future books only added to your hopes that the book would go well. The closer you got to Durin clan members the thicker the letters got with more than half with family attachments to certain events you had mentioned. In the mingled clan lines you couldn’t help but giggle finding letters from Gorgo, three to be exact, with two from Dain mentioning their wish to speak with you that you set aside for its own box. Fully sorted you sat back eyeing the now sorted mail and let out a deep breath wondering if this week would bring more or less mail.

Out of bed you climbed and added it to your study then went back to bed switching on a film to hopefully distract you from blushing so madly remembering what Mal’s father had shared about nicknames and the goal of earning a blush that had Thorin staring at you so intently. You had flirted, you had tried and it would be a lie that even with clashing cultures making him ignorant to your tries he had still turned you down seeming to wish to be nothing but a friend and bad influence on your pocket book.

 *

“An offer of courtship! Mug Dealer! All this time!” Stripping down Thorin spoke through the walls to his brother while the boys stripped to their waists and had collapsed into deep sleep leaving Frerin smirking as his brother had just found out what was so obvious.

“Come on now, you knew!”

“Obviously I turned her down! Obviously or I would have had to have missed some clear markers that we’re courting? What if we are?! If I did?!” Thorin walked wide eyed and shirtless into the doorway after having dropped his boots and socks in his closet to stare at his brother, “What if I’ve missed steps?!”

Frerin smirked at him pulling off his boots he’d just unlaced, “You haven’t, because you aren’t courting. You have however spooned and she trusts you. It was obvious she liked you, that she was flirting and you did in return. She likes you and is wearing your token openly. Clearly she’s not quite the best with courting either, at least ours, don’t-,”

“Don’t tell me not to worry. She has half a house and tons of birds to take care of and hatchlings coming soon, including possibly Roac’s one day.”

Frerin stood crossing to his brother resting his hands on his shoulders, “Breathe, step one, take Roac over tomorrow, she’s got two weeks left on leave, find the time to tell her how you feel. She’s family, even if it takes longer than her leave, it’s a big step to court again. We all know the lows you got to before she strolled in for tea, you are happy with her, she’s happy with you, be happy.” Turning his brother around he said, “Now, let me help you with your horns so you can sleep and take Roac over tomorrow without being moody from staying up and brooding all night.”

“I-,”

“Are brooding and worrying about a woman who is already head over heels about you but just as timid in snagging you against your will as you’ve been convincing yourself you are with her.” He said undoing the braided lower half and working one side at a time to help remove the horns he left on his brother’s dresser. With a nudge he guided Thorin back to his own room saying, “Bed, Rin.” Thorin huffed and Frerin said, “If I don’t hear snoring in ten minutes I will come in here and snuggle with you until you go to sleep.”

To himself Thorin rumbled, “Oh ya, now I’m scared.”

“I heard that,” Frerin called back while Thorin undid and dropped his pants in the dark room at his younger brother cutting the lights off on him. Shutting his own off he went to plop on his own bed and hug his pillow listening for snoring with a smirk spreading at remembering you and Thorin writing out each other’s nicknames on the wall of wishes, a great sign for courting pairs to do that, especially before courting has officially begun.

Snores soon came through the wall and lasted for hours until an early morning shower led to lengthy primping for the Dwarf wondering if it would be too early to head over. Finding your number in his phone he gave you a call, biting his lip he waited through the rings and  heard your waking grumble, “Morning Cuddle Monster.”

Instantly he was smirking remembering the morning waking up with you in Helms Deep. “Morning, I didn’t wake you did I?”

“No.” Again you sighed clearly shifting from under your covers to sit up, “Been up.”

Near to a hum he asked, “So not too early for me to drop by with Roac?”

“No,” you sighed out, “You and Roac are welcome whenever. I’ll be here.”

Pt 28

Edgar Ramirez x OC- Fan Fiction

I wrote this for an assignment this past summer. It’s a WIP about actor Edgar Ramirez and Jasmine my OC. I'm posting it now hoping it will motivate me to work on chapter 2. So please enjoy my little bit of something.

Synopsis: Jasmine Lebron has to help her grandmother out while she recovers in the hospital. She doesn't know that her grandmother works for a real-life movie star. 

Driving through the winding streets of Beverly Hills Jasmine Lebron had the windows down on her sports car. The sweet smell of fresh cut grass and blossoming flowers wafted into the interior. The symbolic tall palm trees lined each side of the dark paved road as she made her way up the street. Jasmine was trying to focus on the road and not be a typical tourist, eye gawking at the elaborate homes but she found it difficult to keep her eyes forward. Many of the homes were as expansive and great as a football field. Unique and elegant architecture could be seen on many of the old Hollywood style homes.

“Yes. Yes ma’am. I will take care of it. I’m on my way-,” Jasmine sighed heavily into the phone as her grandmother continued to ask her a million and one questions. Her grandmother was rushed to the hospital earlier that day due to chest pains. Now she was sending Jasmine to the house of her employer to help out till she got out of the hospital.

Jasmine pressed the button that automatically rolled up her windows and turned on the air-conditioner. Her sepia skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat. The moisture threatened to transform her silky pressed hair back into its natural curly state. She ran her hand across her face trying to remove some of the collecting sweat from her nose.  She hadn't yet become acclimated to the comfortable California heat. She was still accustomed to the tepid climate of her first home of Connecticut. Many would say that her living in California for the past 2 years was plenty of time for her to get acclimatized. But not to Jasmine. She found herself relying on her saving grace to make it through the day. Her skin prickling as the cold air caressed her heated skin.  Glancing into her rearview mirror for a quick check of her appearance. The mixed heritage of her parentage staring back at her. The dark tone and wide nose of her father. The high cheekbones and slim facial features of her Spanish mother. Both blending together perfectly creating the uniqueness that made Jasmine.

Her grandmother Marlene Angeles. Known as Mimi to all her grandchildren was a spunky and still very active 60 something year old. No one ever spoke her real age or they risked a serious tongue lashing. Mimi who at the moment should be resting was instead worrying about her employer. She's worried that he was going to be upset that she wasn’t at the house. Her grandmother’s employer wasn’t due back till Thursday so the house would be empty for the next few days for sure. Jasmine half-heartedly agreed to help Mimi since she was on a break from her studies at school. Which meant she had a lot of free time on her hands.

“You need to rest and not worry about this. If your boss can’t understand that you are in the hospital and need a few days off then you need a new boss,” she said losing herself for a brief moment as she spoke outright.

Jasmine immediately pulled the phone away from her ear but still had no problem hearing Mimi yell at her to not to speak ill of her precious boss, “He is the reason you are able to go to school. Just get over there and make sure that my casserole is not burning. I told Herb to take it out but he may have for-,” she paused in her fussing. Jasmine could hear another voice softly speaking in the background.

“I am on the phone with my granddaughter,” she said, her voice still stern and raised. Marlene sighed heavily. Her irritation at the interruption noted in her voice.

“I will call you back. The nurse wants to check my blood pressure,” she said, “How about my check out papers I have things to do,” Mimi barked.

“Mimi let the nurses help you. Ma said she was on her way.”

Mimi sucked her teeth scoffing at the mention of Jasmine’s mother. “I will be dead by the time your mother makes it up here. Did you reach your uncle?”

“Yes he is also on his way but he is on the other side of town.”

Jasmine heard her grandmother’s exaggerated exhale as she spoke louder into the phone “Fine. No one cares till I’m dead-,”

“Don’t say that. You know I care.”

Jasmine noted that she was getting closer to her destination. She guided her car onto a short two-lane road. There were no other cars parked along the side as there were no median line marking the lanes. This was a private street and there appeared to be only three houses in total along the road. Jasmine passed the first two residences. Both divinely crafted in their own atypical way. The final house at the end of the road was Mimi’s employers home. 1302 Westing Dr was etched in an elaborate noir design into the side of a  stately red brick pillar. The home was a contemporary craftsman style home. The exterior was a mixture of light and dark ashlar pattern brick. The sharp angled rooftop was also trimmed in a dark finished wood. The home appeared to be smaller in size compared to the other homes on the road but Jasmine was sure the interior would show otherwise once someone entered. Guiding her vehicle up to the large estate gates, Jasmine marveled at the sheer height of the gate itself. She could see the well-manicured front lawn was green and lush. Jasmine was pulled from her admiration of the home by Mimi’s insistent voice,  “Have you made it yet?”

Jasmine rolled her eyes at her grandmother’s sixth sense for things. “Yes, I just got here.”

“Good. Do you see Herb? He should be there still. Do you see a black town car?”

“Yes to all your questions." Jasmine saw a well-built black man wave to her before leaning into an immaculate black Lincoln Town Car. He withdraws a small white box and pointed it at the front gate. The massive black wrought iron gate swung open silently and smoothly upon its hinges.

“He’s opening the gate for me now. I’ll call you back once I’m inside and have checked on the food,” Jasmine stated. She disconnected the call before her grandmother could protest any further. Jasmine pulled her mauve colored Infiniti Q60 up the short winding cobblestone driveway. She saw her grandmothers beige four-door Honda Accord parked off to the side. Even though it was over 15 years old the car still looked new. Mimi didn’t drive except to and from work. If she needed to go anywhere else she would call on family to take her out for her errands.  Jasmine skillfully pulled up next to the vehicle and parked.

After she placed the car in park, she reached over her center console for her bags that were on the floor of the passenger seat. The driver side door opened unexpectedly. She jumped, placing her hand over her mouth to stop the yelp that almost escaped.

A deep male voice called out, his timbre calm and friendly but his face was hidden due to his height. “I’m sorry didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s ok,” she called out. Jasmine chastised herself mentally for being so jumpy at the polite gesture.

She exited her car coming face to face with the soft deep voice “How are you doing? You must be Jasmine. I’m Herb.” He closed the door firmly then turning to Jasmine his hand extended in greeting. She gave him a polite smile as she grasped his hand in a friendly handshake.

His face shifted from friendly to worry as he inquired about her grandmother, “How is Marlene?” Jasmine could see the small lines of worry lining the corners of his deep-set brown eyes.  Herb looked young for his age. But Jasmine knew from Mimi's vivid description that he was in his early 60's. He could easily pass for a man in his early 50’s. His kind brown eyes and high cheekbones combined with his mocha brown skin that appeared velvety and robust. Herb didn’t show any of the usual signs of a man his age. Especially one who has lived a hard life. His low cut hairstyle and neatly trimmed facial hair were the only visible indications of age. The light dusting of grey giving Herb a distinguished look.

“She is ok. She is giving the nursing staff a hard time.”

His face softened before he chuckled nervously, “Yeah that’s Marlene for you, obstinate to the end. You know she told the EMT that she was fine and didn’t need to go to the hospital. She pulled the oxygen out of her nose and tried to unhook the I.V bag. I had to threaten to duct tape her to the stretcher if she didn’t stop.”

The thought of her grandmother being duct taped to a gurney tickled Jasmine. What she wouldn’t give to have seen the look on her face as Herb held the roll of grey duct tape threateningly in the face of her feisty but very stubborn grandmother.

“Come on, let me take you inside,” Herb walked around the back of the vehicle heading towards the large home. Jasmine swung her small decorative backpack purse over her shoulder as she followed.  “I have to head out in about an hour to go pick Mr. Ramirez up from the airport and take him to dinner. I don’t know if he is coming back tonight, but I will text you and let you know,” he said as they approached the 3 car garage.

One garage door was already open, but there was no vehicle inside. Herb continued to speak as they walked. He turned to make direct eye contact with Jasmine as he spoke, “Marlene usually leaves around 8 or 9 pm when he is in town and at 5 pm when he is away.”

Jasmine nodded her understanding as they entered the home through the interior garage door. She was lead into a large laundry area just inside from the garage. There was a fresh set of folded towels resting on top of the metallic silver front loading washer and dryer. There were two large bundles waiting to be put in their proper place.

“Don’t worry about those things. Victoria and her sister handle the household duties. They come every morning for about 4 hours or as needed and do a light dusting and cleaning. But really they just sit around and gossip with Marlene most of the day.” Herb steps faltered as he realized his slip of the tongue. He turned around lowering his voice “But, don’t tell her I said that.”

“Don’t worry I won’t,” Jasmine snickered at the fear that her grandmother put into the grown man even from a hospital bed miles away.

As they continued further into the home, they entered the expansive kitchen. The large center island took up most of the kitchen with its mahogany-colored base with light brown granite countertop. There was a copper-colored faucet on the far right side of the island and two adjacent leather bar chairs rested on the other end.

Jasmine gawked at the full expanse of the area. She was brought back to her senses by the familiar chirping sound of Mimi’s designated ringtone.

“I made it Mimi.”

“Did my casserole burn? If it burned tell Herb, I won’t cook another meal for him for a whole month.” Herb scoffed at overhearing Marlene’s empty threat.

“I told her I wouldn’t forget to take her casserole out,” he said annoyed at Marlene's lack of confidence in him.

Jasmine glanced around the kitchen her eyes landing on the wide stovetop with its ivory colored arched hooded cooktop. The glass dish was sitting on top of the stove covered and cooling.

“It’s out of the oven, and it is fine.”

“Ahh thank goodness,” Marlene breathed.

“By the way, Herb is offended that you didn’t think he would remember.”

“Pfft. Herb knows what good for him. Especially if he wants me to keep feeding him,” she voiced. A moment of pause came before Mimi spoke again. Her irritation seeming to have cooled a bit.

“Give him the phone for a moment,” she ordered softly.

Jasmine placed her hand over the phone as she mouthed, “She wants to speak to you.”

Herb turned his head away from the phone. Jasmine shook her head at Herb’s stubbornness. It was the same type of thing Mimi would do in this situation. They were two peas in a pod Jasmine thought while she pushed the phone up to his face forcing Herb to take the phone. He gave in taking the phone from her hands. His face set as he placed the phone his ear “Yeah,” he grunted out.

Jasmine couldn’t hear what was said, but she was sure that Herb told her grandmother how he couldn’t believe that she thought he would let dinner burn. He went quiet for a minute as he listened to her grandmother speak.

His face softened. “How are you doing? Are you ok? Do you need me to bring you anything,” he asked softly. Herb held the phone close to his ear as he listened intently. Jasmine was sure Mimi probably told him she didn’t need anything or was giving him a list a page long of comfort items she would need for her stay in the hospital.

“Ok… ok… I’ll come to see you once my shift is over…Ok…one sec.”

“She wants to speak to you.”

“Yes, Mimi.”

“You only have to stay late if Herb brings Edgar back to the house. If not you can leave about 8. Also, make sure the stove is turned of-,”

“Mimi I know how to run a kitchen remember.”

“I know sweetie, but you know how I am about making sure things are done right,”

“Don’t worry. I will make sure it is all spotless.”

“Well your mom is here,” she whispered, “I am surprised, to say the least.”

“Behave.”

“I will as long as she does because you know I don’t have time for none of her bullshit. I am the one in the hospital dying.”

“So now you’re dying,” she said sarcastically. Mimi was always one for the dramatics.

“Don’t get smart with me little girl. I can still get out of this bed and come kick your butt,” Mimi said a few more choice words before disconnecting without saying goodbye. Jasmine chuckled at Mimi’s tit for tat move from her hanging up in her face earlier.

Herb showed Jasmine around the rest of the house. The areas that her grandmother frequented and the areas that were off limits. The home had an indoor heated pool and sauna. Mahogany wood was the central theme throughout each of the spacious rooms. Crème colored walls and ceilings complimented the dark rich wood giving the home a comfortable lived in feel. But the lived in feel appeared to be just a facade. Although the furniture appeared comfortable to the eye and soft to the touch, Jasmine could not help but to note that it all appeared to be brand new. Not like the well-worn furniture in her own home. This home, although it was comfy looking, was still very cold and uninviting.

“All this space for one person,” she a loud.

“Yeah it’s a lot, but during the holidays Mr. Ramirez has a lot of family that flies in for a few days of celebrating. It’s usually quiet around here the rest of the year especially if he’s on location somewhere filming,”

Jasmine nodded as Herb gave her more information on the elusive owner of the home. She took notice that there were no photos of family or friends anywhere in the house. She inquired about this, but Herb shrugged not knowing what to say about it.

Jasmine followed Herb back into the kitchen where he began searching the cabinets. Finally finding what he was looking for he pulled out plates and silverware for the two of them. Serving up two big slices of Mimi’s casserole. The pair ate in silence enjoying the scrumptious dish too much to speak. Jasmine looked around the space, her mind wondering what type of man this elusive Mr. Ramirez was. For someone to have so much space but no real feel of home. The thought quickly vanished as she shoved another forkful of casserole into her mouth.

what advice would you give with improving & practicing dialogue? It’s something I really struggle with aaaahhh

You’re so valid anon!! Dialogue’s a massive pain in the ass ok. I feel u on that.

Short + Sweet

→ Write the crap version→ Edit the crap version→ Rinse & repeat

Slightly Longer + Less Flippant

→ Do writing exercises.→ Prep each scene by setting goals. What is your character after? How will the dialogue help get them there?→ In round one anything goes. Write the crap version was a real suggestion.→ Reassess your goals, ask yourself what it requires to reach them, then examine and edit what you’ve written → Phone a friend. Let them read through the struggle sections.→ Put aside your whole ass WIP and come back to it later→ Keep your goals in mind and keep revising until satisfied

Disasterpiece Edition™

“Practice makes perfect” sounds like some cookie-cutter oversimplification shit but it’s legit. Not even just as a general thing like write write write and you’ll get it right but specifically in applying lots of energy to a single WIP. 

The better I know a WIP and its characters, the better everything will flow as I’m writing/editing. Like I personally write around dialogue until I’m confident in a character’s core, and then I’ll worry about the how behind the why and develop sturdier dialogue. 

If you know you need dialogue but you haven’t found their voice just yet, shrug it off (easier said than done, I know babe) and toss out some clunky, funky, destined-to-die-in-draft-two dialogue that might be too on the nose or too understated or too wrong in whatever way. Save nuance for revisions. 

Just stare down the dialogue, say “I don’t like you,” and then hack it to hell until you find all the words you were looking for. That, to me, is practice.

Uh, improvement is tied into that obvs. Without a base, how can you build upward and all that jazz. Write the crap, edit the crap, turn the crap to gold.

Here’s some of what i do with dialogue:

→ Change dialogue text color (if your vision allows, this is a nice + quick visual cue for Edit Me Later Pls)

→ Avoid, avoid, avoid and pretend I don’t need it!!!!

→ Stop avoiding, me @ me: suck it up buttercup

→ Bracket what character(s) will talk about, and why if possible, then fill in actual dialogue later

→ Rip my own work to shreds

→ See what survived the shredding, and work off of that

Even writers who are unusually gifted or just experienced with dialogue have bumps along the way. I guess it’s just about sticking it out and trusting you’ll end up where you need to be.

Every draft is super bendy. My advice is bend with it and see what happens.

I mentioned setting goals. I consider character, plot, dialogue, etc. connected to the point that (short of imposing impossible standards on myself and my work) if one falls apart, the whole story does. That’s final draft expectations though. It takes a lot to get each element to its best condition. If dialogue is your weak link, think of ways to accommodate that. Use less of it maybe? Only make room for it where it’s absolutely necessary—which is what we should all be doing ideally lmao but no one’s writing is immaculate and necessity is a moving target.

Don’t stress it early on. When your characters interact, or even if they’re talking to themselves, you want there to be a reason behind their words. Dialogue is just communication. What are they saying? To whom? Why? How? 

Word choice, syntax, tone, subtext, gestures, facial expressions (esp. with sign language), demeanor, accent. I can’t think of what else, but everyone comes at things a little differently. Your character’s worldview and experiences will affect how they speak. Circumstance can alter the why and how too, like adopting a real fake customer service voice at work vs. how they sound around their best friend vs. how they react in a group setting. So consider what’s relevant, think of what patterns and habits would best represent your characters and how that feeds into their goals.

Saying lines out loud is known to help with a more natural flow.

Watch movies. Read the scripts. Read plays. Take notes, mental or hard copy it doesn’t matter. Pay attention to how dialogue tells stories and reveals character in mediums where it’s the driving force behind plot more often than not. 

I’ve rambled enough. I’ll leave you with this one last bit and the hope that any of this was coherent.

Do writing exercises. These are ones I like for myself, but find and tailor the ones that click for you.Literally anything that will give you insight into a character will further solidify the shape of their voice imo.

→ Search for dialogue prompts, fill one or ten.

→ “Escape the room.” Multiple characters, common goal, separate methods, talk it out. Problem could be anything, I just call it “escape the room” as a personal shorthand. 

→ Go persuasive. Take a couple characters (or more), give one a low stakes or no stakes though specific goal (like “convince X to ride the ferris wheel”), give them an obstacle (“X is afraid of heights”), and set their lips loose. 

→ Do an epistolary challenge.

→ Let your characters monologue!! About anything!!! Put them in a scene alone and let them speak thoughts to the air.

I posted 87 times in 2021

39 posts created (45%)

48 posts reblogged (55%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 1.2 posts.

I added 40 tags in 2021

#crochet - 12 posts

#amigurimi - 5 posts

#diy - 4 posts

#cute - 4 posts

#banger banger bangerr - 3 posts

#cat - 3 posts

#rant - 3 posts

#immaculate content tonight - 2 posts

#i love it - 2 posts

#hmm - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#also i’m vv self conscious abt my german and my german speaking abilities so i did black out while listening to her so some things did go

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Crochet BT21 Chimmy

I made my first pattern!! I couldn't find a good free pattern for a Chimmy doll so I decided to make one myself -- gave me one hell of a headache though lol. It's free bc man fuck capitalism n you can find a pdf version here! I also have the full pattern here on tumblr below, so have fun n don't forget to stream butter lol!

Materials needed (yarn colors listed in order of most used):

4.5mm crochet hook

Yarn needle

Yellow yarn

White yarn

Black yarn

Red yarn

Pink yarn

2x 15mm doll eyes / safety eyes (EYES)

1x 10mm doll eye / safety eye (NOSE)

Blush (optional)

Stitch abbreviations:

St - stitch

YO - yarn over

FO - fasten off

Ch - chain stitch

Sl st - slip stitch

Sc - single crochet

Sc inc - single crochet increase

Crochet 2 single crochets in the same stitch

Sc dec - single crochet decrease (invisible)

Place hook into the next st, YO and pull yarn though (2 loops on hook)

Working in the BACK LOOP ONLY place hook into the next stitch, YO and pull yarn though (3 loops on hook)

YO and pull through all 3 loops

Pattern:

2x LEGS (yellow yarn)

1. Ch 2. In the 1st st, sc 6 (6)

2. Inc 6x (12)

3. Sc around (12)

FO 1st leg. Repeat for 2nd leg but DO NOT FO, you will crochet the body off of that leg. Continue below

BODY (yellow yarn)

4. Ch 1, join to leg 1 with sl st (recommended at 6th st) Sc 11 (on 1st leg), sc in the chain space, sc 12 (on 2nd leg), sc in the chain space (26)

5-10.  Sc around (26)

11.  Sc 5, dec, sc 12, dec, sc 5 (24)

12.  Sc 5, dec, sc 10, dec, sc 5 (22)

13.  Sc 4, dec, sc 10, dec, sc 4 (20)

14.  Sc 4, dec, sc 8, dec, sc 4 (18)

15.  [sc, dec] 6x (12) Stuff the body

HEAD (white yarn)

16.  FRONT LOOPS ONLY, inc in ever st (24)

17.  [sc 3, inc] 6x (30)

18.  [sc 4, inc] 6x (36)

10-26.  Sc around (36)

Add on facial features at this point. Secure safety eyes 5 sts apart around row 25, and the nose between the 2 one row lower. Embroider the mouth with BLACK yarn 2 rows below the nose, making it 4 sts wide. Add tongue by making a chain of PINK yarn and sewing it into the last stitch of the mouth. The loop of the tongue should be as wide as your crochet hook -- use your crochet hook as a placeholder as you tie the ends of the tongue on the inside of the head.

27.  [sc 4, dec] 6x (30)

28.  [sc 3, dec] 6x (24)

27.  [sc 2, dec] 6x (18)

Begin stuffing the head

28.  [sc, dec] 6x (12)

29.  Dec 6x (6)

FO and weave the tail through the FRONT LOOPS of the last 6 sts, pull tight and hide the tail in the head

2x ARMS (white & yellow yarn)

1. Ch 2. In the 1st st, sc 6 (6)

2. Inc 6x (12)

3. Sc around (12)

SWITCH COLOR TO YELLOW

4. [sc 2, dec] 3x (9)

5-6.  Sc around (9)

7.  [sc, dec] 3x (6)

8-9.  Sc around (6)

FO and leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff if you want to, it is not necessarily required. I stuffed mine, though

2x EARS (black yarn)

1. Ch 2. In the 1st st, sc 6 (6)

2. Inc 6x (12)

3-8.  Sc around (12)

9.  [sc 2, dec] 3x (6)

10.  [sc, dec] 2x (4)

FO and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff, only fold in half to make it “flat”

HOOD (yellow yarn)

1. Ch 2. In the 1st st, sc 6 (6)

2. Inc 6x (12)

3. [sc, inc] 6x (18)

4. [2 sc, inc] 6x (24)

5. [3 sc, inc] 6x (30)

6. [4 sc, inc] 6x (36)

7-8.  Sc around (36)

9.  Sc 28, ch 1 (28)

10-16. Turn piece, sc 28, ch 1 (28)

17. Turn piece, sc 28, ch 8, join to the other side with sc, place marker there (36)

18. Sc around (36)

At this point, put the hood on the head and see how you want to place the opening around the features. Sew the ears on, between rows 6 and 7. Crochet the rest of the hood with it still on the head

19.  [sc 4, dec] (30)

20.  [sc 3, dec] (29)

FO and leave a long tail to sew the hood onto the body/head crevice, between rows 15 and 16. Attach some yarn to the hood face opening and crochet all around, doing decreases around each corner to soften them. FO when done and hide the tail under the hood.

2x HOOD TASSELS (red yarn)

Ch 7, sc 4 in the 2nd stitch from the hook. FO and leave a long tail, weave all the way back up to the start of the chain Attach the hood tassels between rows 15 and 16 of the body/head crevice in the middle. Hide the ends in the body.

OPTIONAL

Add blush underneath the eyes to give Chimmy a rosy look! Now you’re done! Don’t forget to stream butter~~📷

5 notes • Posted 2021-08-20 20:25:02 GMT

#4

hey babes it’s the 17th y’all know what that means

5 notes • Posted 2021-07-17 04:22:31 GMT

#3

i made a thing based on this pattern and i love it sm it’s so pretty

6 notes • Posted 2021-07-25 18:14:07 GMT

#2

cutie kraken spotted “terrorizing” the southern atlantic ocean!!

6 notes • Posted 2021-10-11 13:59:07 GMT

#1

FIXED HER UP I CAN TAKE HER OUT AGAIN CHICKEN PURSE MY BELOVED 🥰🥰

6 notes • Posted 2021-08-30 10:49:05 GMT

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Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts - 15+ - https://shorthaircutsmodels.com/jourdan-dunns-short-hairstyles-and-haircuts/ - Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, To have been in talks for two years and now to have meetings, to see examples and to gather models is madness. I had a meeting for my cookbook today. I'm very excited for this. I would love to have someone like ' Yeah that's my go. Of course if I could wear my pajamas and sunbeds all day. The styling time may vary depending on the thickness of the hair. Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, Jourdan is a fan of both long and short simple hairstyles, ideal for her oval-shaped face and thick hair type. The thin layers at the ends give her hair an infusion of body and volume, which is essential for a long facial framing style. The middle part and grown Fringe also work well with a high rounded hairline. Sweeping hair in front of shoulders is an easy way to add some extra style to make it look like a simple long †plus highlights from her gorgeous cheekbones collarbone and defined jawline. Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, Jourdan has a medium warm complexion and dark eyes which makes her best suited to dark brown and black hair. Here the ends are illuminated to a vibrant auburn hue while maintaining the monotone rich espresso chocolate shade along its length. This gives her hair a sleek healthy look plus brightens her skin and eye color. The simplicity of haircuts keeps the focus on hair color here, which makes your strands look bright and healthy. Jourdan Dunn's Short Haircuts Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, Blonde Jourdan further developed the Style section of her increasingly stylish hairdo for blonde highlights. The highlight colour was straightened in this thick mane and then brushed and worn showing layers dressed with medium-length tips in front of the shoulders. This look is easy to recreate with the right tools and needs product to tame fly hair. Black women in hair accessories in Hollywood are grabbing scissors with debris free abandon and we're constantly obsessed with results. Keke Palmer as Michaela Coel and Taraji P. Jourdan Dunn's Hairstyles Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, Henson went out with all the short cuts and has now joined the fold from Jourdan Dunn. On June Instagram Instagram the British beauty posted a picture of the chestnut pixie on Instagram leaving both her followers mesmorized and ready to experience the cut life themselves. None professional tip we love Jourdan Dunn's creative hairstyles - from her lavender locks and blue curls to her short bob and everything in between just take a look at her. Jourdan Dunn's Haircuts Jourdan Dunn's Short Hairstyles and Haircuts, Instagram account and you'll see what we're talking about. Relating. Jourdan Dunn has a part in the K spiral to throw her back at the met Gala last month when we fell in love with her gorgeous braided ponytail. I was inspired by the cut and crocheted lace in Jourdan's dress, says celebrity stylist Lacy Redway. 'He also inspired me to emulate the pattern by designing cornrows on the diagonal while embracing Jourdan's natural hairstyle with a great heat-free hairstyle. I finished the look by putting it in a Modern ponytail.'Mist texturing hairspray on damp locks. Jourdan Dunn's Short Hair Then separate your hair in small sections. Wrap part and squeeze the tulips into the side of the head from each finger. Blast these ringlets with a blow dryer for about 10 minutes. Shaping a bob is more versatile than you might think. sweep the parting sideways for a sophisticated feel, or take inspiration from 90s style with a trend center part. But there's a wonderfully relaxed spring summer vibe, so it's the perfect choice for this moment in time. Jourdan Dunn celebrates winning the prestigious Style Influencer of the Year award by slipping her supermodel figure in a bright purple dress at the ELLE Style Awards 2020-2021, held at Tate Britain in London in February 2020 - 2021. Jourdan Dunn's Hair She had a racy thigh-high slit to show off her sculpted legs for the party held at the same venue after the main event. I mean I didn't have hair around my hairline worn in front of the shoulders with ends that showed layers of this thick mane. The styling time may vary depending on the thickness of the hair. Jourdan Dunn Hairstyles, Haircuts and Colors The thin layers at the ends give her hair an infusion of body and volume, which is essential for a long facial framing style. The middle part and grown Fringe also work well with a #high round hairline. Sweeping hair in front of shoulders is an easy way to add some extra style to make it look like a simple long plus highlights from her gorgeous cheekbones collarbone and defined jawline. Jourdan has a medium warm complexion and dark eyes which makes her best suited to dark brown and black hair. Dunn met Monday with several stops in between top. Jourdan Dunn from The Best Celebrity Short Haircuts Braids for this blonde shaggy cut from long and purple to short and dark that has changed a lot in lengths and colors over the past few months. And that means a spokeswoman for Maybelline is unlikely to stick to that view for long. But there's a wonderfully relaxed spring summer vibe, so it's the perfect choice for this moment in time. The best celebrity bob haircut styles Jourdan Dunn looks elegant in a short sixties-inspired hairstyle. The side-swept fringe helps balance the length of her face and her asymmetrical style helps her focus on her best features her bright expressive eyes and beaming smile. This cut also works well with thick hair texture and needs very little styling thanks to sculptural layers. It's a feminine, modern and sophisticated look that ultimately makes the perfect frame for an oval face shape. This cut is ideal for ladies with a high forehead, as the textured fringe creates a stylish look while balancing the high hairline. Jourdan has naturally dark hair with dark brown eyes and warm medium dark skin. Here she goes for her basically natural-looking espresso brown color to set off her beautiful eyes. Caramel blonde highlights added to the top give her locks an extra dose of style and immaculately brighten her skin. Jourdan Dunn Mid-Length Haircuts It also produces a bright healthy-looking finish for her locks. You are alive and well in a long bob that ends somewhere between the jaw and collarbone in the lobe. The haircut that captured the yes beauty world/all your feeds/every red carpet in 2020 - 2021 is still having a moment of truth, and I dare say a resurrection. Look at model Jourdan Dunn, who had a serious bob long hair change a year ago and hasn't looked back since. Jourdan Dunn Bob Haircut And yes, being Jourdan Dunn is probably half the battle when it comes to looking this super, but his smart asymmetrical style is all we can copy in modern waves and curls and the carefully placed highlights that make him one of Bob's most versatile looks. And if you can't stand to get on top of shoulders, Jourdan's shoulder-skimming clavicut might be the halfway house you need. If you try a lob haircut as you shape it with the middle part and opposite ends. Jourdan Dunn natural hair The back and sides of this short direction are tapered to the head, which blends into the upper layers, which are swept sideways for shape and style. The beauty debuted a braided hairstyle typical of East African writing. # doitfortheculture. Yassss. Jourdan wears a blend of Albaso braids, rolled hair and big cornrows braided over small cornrows. This braided style comes from Ethiopian and Eritrean tribal groups. Jourdan Dunn hair color The braided style is native to groups of Eritrean and Ethiopian Tigrayans of East Africa. On Saturday June 4 at the 2020 - 2021 Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic at Liberty State Park in Jersey City New Jersey Jourdan Dunn opted to wear a white jumpsuit with a shoulder collar and a very short hemline as she brought her sizzling supermodel style to the red carpet. At the glitzy event she was joined by other well-known celebrities including Elizabeth Olsen and Shanina Shaik. Hair color model Jourdan Dunn doesn't like to change her look. Jourdan Dunn curly hair We've actually seen a number of different hairstyles over the years, from natural afro tissue to flowing blonde ombre hair. Here the ends are illuminated to a vibrant auburn hue while maintaining the monotone rich espresso chocolate shade along its length. This gives her hair a sleek healthy look plus brightens her skin and eye color. The simplicity of haircuts keeps the focus on hair color here, which makes your strands look bright and healthy. Jourdan Sherise Dunn is a British fashion model and actress. Jourdan Dunn haircut He was discovered at Primark in Hammersmith in 2020 - 2021 and soon signed with Storm Model Management in London. It began appearing on international tracks in early 2020-2021. it was like baby hair that was damaged. Cosmo fave continued. So I wore wigs and got lots of conditioning treatments every month and eventually my hair is growing back. Model Jourdan Dunn put on very dramatic hair in make-up yesterday and the shaggy blonde sported a chin length haircut. Jourdan Sherise Dunn Lacy Redway hairstylist gave this image writing on instagram where we went. From this beautiful textured weave 30 cm thick to less than 24 hour bob. The high-profile British beauty was seen in a subtle. Paisley pattern at a party with her brunette locks off the shoulder. Collar and form-fitting skirt with a velvet top section which found a. Polished style in her chic clothes that adds to a chic hairstyle.

Travels with my Mother

I stood next to a table of food at the wake of her funeral, mindlessly putting food in my mouth, chewing without tasting, and not really knowing what the hell I was stuffing into my mouth. I was thinking, but I honestly can’t remember what about.

Someone said something next to my ear.

“Come again,” I said.

“I said, how can you just stand there and eat?” the voice said. It was Hannah, my older sister. She stood next to me in our living room, hissing sharply in my ear, arms tangled tightly across her chest.

“I’m coping,” I said, a brief nervous smile flashing across my face. Just as quickly I forced it away. That had been a mistake.

She glared at me then suddenly grabbed my stomach. She pinched hard and enough for me to keel over in agony.

“I guess you’re always coping with something.”

She let go and stormed off. “Asshole.”

It was true that my stomach had grown considerably over the last few years, but there was no need to be rude.

Feeling dejected, I walked over to the window, one hand rubbing my bruised belly, the other carrying a plate of sausages. They had been seasoned and rolled with lime and garlic salt. They were good, but I was eating them more from habit than hunger.

Outside, Josef spotted me through the window and waved. He was the youngest of us three, the most charismatic, and of the most interest to extended family and friends. He stood up straight, his body lean and strong, with sharp facial features and curly hair that fell to the sides of his face almost too perfectly. He has the dignified quality of an actor that was a bit older than his true age.

——

He bid goodbye to one of our uncles and waved me outside.

We hugged when I reached him. His body was hard and without warmth, providing little comfort from the cold November air. But his words were always comforting.

“How are you?” he asked.

I shrugged. “The sausages are good, I guess.”

He laughed under his breath. “Please, let me try one.”

We ate together and stared at the house where we’d grown up, listening to the chatter of indistinct, unimportant conversations and the sounds of the bronze-colored forest behind us; cicadas chittering in the wind.

“I’ll miss her,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“Won’t you?”

“Yeah - yes, of course,” I said. “I guess.”

He smiled at me, making me feel, as he often did, as if I was the younger one between us.

“You know you were her favorite,” he said suddenly.

“What? No I wasn’t.”

“It’s true.” His face was humorless as he spoke.

“I don’t get it. What are you talking about?”

“You know. I was alone with her longer than you or Hannah ever were. Hannah returned to care for her when she became sick, when her mind had already grown addled and disorganized. But before that point, I had learned more about our mother’s true character than any of the previous years had ever shown us.”

I wanted to argue against the insignificant points he made, to say she loved us all the same, but I knew he was right about knowing her better than Hannah or myself.

He continued. “Hannah had moved to Spain and you were... doing your thing, as you’ve always done. For a while it was just mom and me. I was with her as she fought through the early stages of the disease. Hannah would often say mom just didn’t have the energy she used to have.”

“Well, of course,” I said. “She was sick.”

He paused, uncharacteristically, it seemed, searching for the right words.

“Let me show you something.”

I followed him inside the house and upstairs into mother’s room. It was small and messy. In the corner was an open closet with a variety of old, out of fashion dresses on hangers and an armoire which had most of its drawers open; clothes sticking out haphazardly. On top of the dresser was an assortment of tawdry jewelry, some real and some fake, arranged with no sense of organization or care for quality or style. The bed was unmade, with sheets that did not match the pillowcases, and there were books stacked at random throughout the room. The books ranged in topics, from history, philosophy, sciences, and travel, to religion, romance novels and even comic books. In short, it was an accurate representation of our mother’s personality.

We walked over to a television stand, sans-television, and instead lined with a number of photographs and souvenirs from her various travels around the world.

Josef pointed to a photo. “By chance, do you remember this one?”

Our mother sat on a camel, draped in a shawl with vaguely Egyptian patterns. She wore a broad grin that proudly displayed her immaculately white, if slightly crooked, teeth. Next to her was a man, dressed in khakis, a leather jacket and a stylish rimmed-hat; modeling himself after Indiana Jones, perhaps. He looked like a tour guide or an adventure story hero, but in fact he was nothing more than our deadbeat father.

““This was her trip to Egypt. She’d visited the pyramids, Thebes, Alexandria, Cairo, and even a few lesser known cities. It was before I was born, but she told us about it all the time.”

“I remember it that way as well.” He pointed at another. “And this one?

She stood at the top of a mountain, a hiking stick in hand and a backpack strapped onto her back. Once again, our dad was there dressed this time in hiking gear. They were both smiling ear to ear.

“The last trip she took before dad fucked off who knows where,” Josef said.

I nodded. “Kilimanjaro.”

Next was a photo of her dancing in a rundown looking bar. She had a mischievous smirk on her face, her dress flowing around her ankles. People in the background clearly enjoying it as they were frozen mid-cheer. One detail stood out - this time she was alone.

“Mexico,” I said, confirming.

“That was after Hannah had gotten married,” he said.

Finally, there was a photo of her, much older than she’d been in the previous photos, standing alone on a beach. She was still smiling, but it was a different sort of smile. She held an if melancholy, like she was thinking of something far off and unable to focus on the blue sea before her. Crows feet had developed beneath her eyes, and her skin had begun show its age.

“I don’t remember this one,” I said.

“That’s not surprising.”

“So what?”

“Did you notice we are not in any of these photos?” he asked, acting as if he had not heard me.

“I know we were never invited. She’d always go off on these trips without us. They were her and dad’s private time, away from the annoying kids. It was up to Hannah to take care of us, then eventually me, whenever they disappeared!” An edge had entered my voice.

“This trip,” he said pointing at the last photo, “was the last one she ever took. And it was right before you left.”

——

I was 18 at the time and I’d just received a letter to a local college. I was excited to show her - my grades were never great and I was excited to have just been accepted somewhere, anywhere. When I came home that day to show her the letter, she was gone. I waited for hours, hoping she’d just gone to the local supermarket to buy something. But when she didn’t come home that night, I knew, as I had truthfully suspected, that she’d gone on another trip again; and again, without saying a word to any of us.

So, that night, I decided to leave too.

——

In our mother’s room, we were silent. I couldn’t figure out Josef’s point, but I didn’t like what it implied.

“When she came back, you were gone. Dad was already gone, and so was Hannah, but she had always been fine with it because she had us. She held on strong as those around her started to leave, but it was different when you disappeared without a word.”

“How can you know?”

“I know this because it was happening to me at the same time, and when she got back home and saw only me...”

His voice trailed off. His face was expressionless, but the look in his eyes was not difficult to read if you knew him.

“Are you saying it’s my fault she stopped, what, traveling?” I asked.

“Not at all,” he said. “Traveling was the least of it. She stopped everything: meeting friends, cooking, cleaning, taking care of herself. I took over a majority of the housework.”

“Everyone gets old, Josef.”

“She didn’t just get old... she stopped trying.”

“If she cared about us, about me, that much, she wouldn’t have disappeared on us so often.”

He looked at me, but didn’t say anything else. After a moment, we left the room together.

When mother passed, I didn’t cry. It’s true that she could’ve done much better, but I still had love for her. I just didn’t feel the need to shed tears. I had already come to terms with it. We all had time to cope, and she was never much in our lives to begin with, which is why I was so surprised that we all didn’t feel the same when she left us this final time. Why did everyone take it so hard, but I felt next to nothing? As a caretaker she didn’t offer much, yet maybe as a mother she actually meant more to our family than I realized.

Downstairs, Hannah approached my with a sober look on her face.

“How’s your stomach?” She asked.

“Bruised, too big... and full of sausage,” I said, smiling.

She laughed. “I’m sorry about before.”

I shook my head and said nothing. The three of us stood silently for a time, not knowing exactly what to say that would comfort the other. Then, suddenly and without warning, Hannah wrapped her arms around Josef and me; something she hadn’t done in a long time.

There was a stinging in my eyes, and the sensation of water pooling up, but just as quickly it disappeared.

——

al things considered — when i post my masterpiece #652

first posted in facebook november 27, 2018

robert campin -- "portrait of a woman” (ca. 1435)

"she looks ... just like ... another woman ... but ..." al janik

"the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins" ... isaiah 3:2 [KJV]

"a portrait of a woman, from the waist up. the wimple covering her hair and the style of her dress date her to the late medieval or early renaissance period; the jewelled ring on her left hand and the fur at her cuffs place her in the upper middle class" ... dianne l. durante [from her analysis of campin’s portrait of a woman]

“i know. gag me with a wimple” ... therese oneill [from her "unmentionable: the victorian lady's guide to sex, marriage, and manners]

"eye goes first to: woman’s face, especially her eyes" ... dianne l. durante [ibid.]

"with your mercury mouth in the missionary times and your eyes like smoke and your prayers like rhymes" ... bob dylan

"the mouth of this woman is decidedly sensual, wide and beautifully shaped, and is painted in a relatively strong shade of red. note the intriguing shadows at the corners of the mouth on campin’s portrait: it’s not clear, at first glance or after many glances, whether the mouth is set in a straight line, or whether it’s set in a faintly ironic smile, with the side on our left curved slightly up, the other side slightly down" ... dianne l. durante [ibid.]

"into your eyes where the moonlight swims" ... bob dylan

"the wimple, wrapped tightly around her face and under her chin, covers her hair completely, but by its dull texture and unobtrusive color sets off her beautiful bone structure and skin tone. the immaculate, elaborately arranged folds (note the two pins securing them a few inches back from her forehead) also show us something of her character: she is tidy, clean, meticulous. much more important, however, is the way the wimple emphasizes certain facial features. the folds pulled out by her temples echo and thereby emphasize the shape of her eyes. the shape of her upper lip is echoed in the small dip at the bottom of the wimple, where it rests against her dress" ... dianne l. durante [ibid.]

"with your holy medallion which your fingertips fold and your saintlike face and your ghostlike soul" ... bob dylan

"on the wimple, the lighting creates complex patterns of dark lines and shadows in the folds above the brow, to either side of the eyes, and below the chin, another device that helps focus the attention on the face" ... dianne l. durante [ibid.]

"foreheads too steamy for the middle ages, as were ears" ... jean hadley

"who among them ... do you think ... could resist you?" ... bob dylan

"who among you ... thought a wimple could be ... so steamy?" ... al janik