#zA's Outside Viewing
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Qih'Za, The Demon Slayer
Class: Paladin fighter (Oath breaker)
Romance: Gale (no god Gale, only normal nerd Gale)
Besties: Lae'Zel / Karlach
Qih'Za was the last egg to hatch in her Creche which made some of the other older Githyanki think that she would be a weak child among the others, but they ended up very mistaken as ever since she was able to hold a sword for the first time, she has always shown a clear mastery of whatever battle or training she was in. The problem that always resulted in severe punishment for Qih' Za was her curiosity... Training outside her Creche, field missions, she always left the training of the youngest to find out what was more beyond what her eyes could see and this always caused irritation in the elders, her lack of obedience and discipline were irritating in their eyes.
During her teenage years, she was the proudest point of her Creche, the first Githyanki to kill a demon with her own hands. One of the Githyanki from their Creche was using his magic to try and summon little imps to use in combat and something went terribly wrong causing a flesh and blood demon to appear right in the middle of them killing and beheading everyone in sight no matter if they were children or teenagers. Qih'Za was quick, brutal, almost animalistic against that demon, cutting off its horns, wings, tail, she was hateful and dangerous, almost no longer controlling her body and it was from that day on that she became known as the Demon Slayer, but what was a source of pride and admiration for her Creche and other Githyanki outside of it, for Qih' Za it was a trigger for some kind of disorder in her mind, seeing all these children, seeing her friends and teachers get killed in such a brutal way caused her to have small tantrums throughout her life whenever she was in combat, useful against enemies, but she lost control and always ended up attacking allies and her superiors ignored this due to her usefulness in battle, which always left her with the blood of her brothers and sisters on her hands and even more trouble on her mind.
Against her will she became a dragon rider, it was a "gift" offered by the best and most honorable warrior in her Creche and she shouldn't dare refuse. Receiving her dragon seemed to bring her more comfort... It was strange at first, but she created a great bond with her dragon, her friend, her glorious Agynih. Her first battle with her dragon was something that would never leave her mind... Seeing her dragon, her friend being killed by an Ilith ship, having her body absorbed into that incubator against her will... She just wanted to get out of there, she needed to get out of there.
Even though she didn't have much attachment to magic and even a certain fear due to her trauma, the way Gale showed it seemed to be less scary and more "simple", even beautiful in her view, he was a good teacher, a very intelligent human, there were few big noses that Qih'Za met who actually managed to have her admiration and Gale aroused both admiration and attraction. Even though he wasn't very strong, he made up for it with his mind and spells, he was fast and lethal, his body was firm and concentrated that seemed to flex with each glow that came from his hands and staff. Qih'Za wanted to try him, not just that, she wanted to devour Gale completely, feel his skin against hers and submit him to her.
She stayed with Gale and traveled with him to Water Deep... Even though her mind told her to go with Lae' Zel to fight for the freedom of her people and fight to spread the words of her prince Orpheus, that was no longer life for Qih' Za and now her heart is with Gale... She had been through so much, felt so much... She knew well that Lae'Zel was more than capable of such a mission, that she would free her people and become a legend among all Githyanki. Her companion, her friand and her sister
Some extra information about Qih' Za
She's love chocolate ever since she stole one from a big nose she found sleeping near her Creche, so now that she's trying to find a way to get this parasite out of her mind, she always tries her best to find a few more chocolates.
She's afraid of Raphael and Mizora... Not just ordinary fear, but something that makes her vision blur to the point where she almost loses control of her body again.
She hasn't had a good night's sleep since she found out about Astarion... He wasn't trustworthy, he didn't seem trustworthy and he didn't even talk like someone trustworthy, if he hadn't been so helpful with locks she would have already ripped his head off.
She wanted to taste Wyll when she first saw him, a strong and brave human, strong body almost as if waiting to be touched, but finding out about Mizora made her hateful about him.
#githyanki#Qih'Za#gale of waterdeep#gale dekarios#bg3 gale#gale x tav#baldurs gate gale#baldurs gate#baldurs gate 3#baldur's gate 3#baldur's gate iii#baldurs gate fanart#baldurs gate tav#drawing#drawings#characterdesign#draw#sketch#digital drawing#character#drawn#sketchbook#Qui'Za
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Smokin’
Eddie Munson x Reader (18+)
Summary: (reader smokes weed with her crush Eddie, lowered inhibitions lead to shared secrets, smut ensues)
Word Count: 5.8k
Content: she/her pronouns, drugs (don’t do drugs, kids), some cursing, sexual content, p in v sex, unprotected sex, praise during sex, pet names (princess, baby, sweet thing), loss of virginity (reader’s)
Minors DNI pls !!!
Part 2
*~*~*
All she could focus on was the ticking of the clock, digging deeper into her psyche and driving her absolutely crazy that class was not over yet. She wasn’t a bad student, in fact, she did very well in her English class, but right now all she could think about was meeting Eddie out by the abandoned wooden table in the woods, just far enough from the school so nobody would bother them. She was downright jonesing for some of that za.
It didn’t hurt that she had had a crush on the school freak for a while. They shared the senior Calculus class, and if it wasn’t for her letting him brazenly cheat off of all of her work, he wouldn’t even be passing. In the period before her English—the Calculus class—she had slid a note to Eddie that read, Woods after last period? He answered with a subtle nod, and that was that. They had plans to make a sweet deal.
The bell rang, and she scooped up her bag and almost ran out of the classroom, jump-scaring a few peers as she zoomed past them still in their seats. She slipped through the halls towards the exit, darting past all of the high school trope groups and the group-less people who were getting excited for the weekend.
It was a sunny day outside with small fluffy clouds, but still a briskness to the air, making her realize she had left her sweater in her English class in her rush. Well, she thought, I guess it’ll be in the lost and found on Monday.
She snuck past the track field, managing to stay unnoticed by all of the students leaving the school at the same time. Trudging through the forest, she made a game of it to make as little sound as she could, staring at her feet and avoiding twigs and leaves that looked particularly crunchy. She almost won the game in her head, just about to make it to the wooden table...
She hit something sturdy, immediately bouncing backwards and landing hard on her ass. “Ow,” she reacted, then looking up to meet the eyes of the man, the myth, the legend. Eddie Munson.
“Sorry, was I in your way?” he joked, extending out an arm to help her up off of the ground. She accepted it, taking his hand and feeling him yank her up with such ease that it gave her a small headrush coming up so fast.
“Sorry, I was looking at the ground,” she mumbled, following him to join him at the table.
“Yeah, I noticed you do that,” he said. Even when he didn’t mean to, everything he said sounded like flirting, and it only made her more nervous around him. He sat across from her, opening his box and keeping its contents out of view of her. “So... same as usual?”
“Mmm, I think I want more this time. How much can I get for thirty-five?” she asked, pulling a crumpled wad of cash out of her jeans pocket.
“Woah, that’s a lot. You trying to stave off our little visits?” he jokingly asked, although the fastest little glint of sadness shone in his big brown eyes.
“Oh, no, you know these are the highlights of my week,” she mused back, flashing a cheeky grin that had him smiling back immediately. He pulled a bag of bud out of his box, and it was a lot; her eyes were glued to the hefty amount of weed in the plastic bag. She could feel his stare burning her skin as she struggled to meet eyes again. “How much would I have to pay you to roll for me? I’m just not as good at it as you are.”
“Princess, you know flattery is the way to my heart,” he openly flirted, “For you? I’d roll your whole bag for free. Only price is that you’d have to pick up your goods from me later at my place, it’s gonna take some time to roll all of this up.”
The pet name caused her cheeks to burn, and he must have noticed the effect that that had on her because his grin turned deviously large. She managed to stutter out, “Y-yeah, that’d be c-cool.”
“C-cool?” he mocked, eating up her nervousness and having it boost his confidence. “Don’t tell me you're clamming up on me, sweetheart.”
She rolled her eyes, releasing her tension with a breathy chuckle. “Don’t play dumb with me, Munson, you know you’re hot,” she joked, hoping he would drop the subject of her anxiety if she called out the reason for it.
“You think I’m hot?” he asked. His tone had changed from his usual flirtatiousness to actual intrigue. She dropped the cash on the table in front of him, hoping to escape the mess she had created.
“So, where do you live? And when do you want me to meet you there?”
He raised an eyebrow at her, giving her a look that said, So, we’re just gonna skip over what you just admitted? Her unmoving stare answered his question and he moved on, taking her money off of the table and answering her with, “The trailer park. I’m the big silver one. Van outside. You’ll know it when you see it. And... how about nine?”
“Nine’s good,” she uttered, swiftly turning away from the table and taking off in a blushing rush, tucking her hair behind her ears as she power-walked away from the table as fast as she could.
“Alright, see you at nine, princess!” she heard Eddie call from behind.
*~*~*
Nine p.m. had finally rolled around, and she managed to find his trailer in the trailer park. She recognized his van, sweeping her fingers along the side of it as she made her way to his front door. Or, the only door of his trailer.
Admittedly, she had gotten a little dolled up. She didn’t change her outfit, for that would have been way too obvious, but she did add a touch of makeup, just enough to make her eyes pop in the way she likes and make her lip look extra kissable.
Taking in a deep breath, she knocked softly on the door three times. The third knock was cut off by the door swinging open and Eddie’s tall figure stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe.
“Hey there, sweet thing, you come here often?” he flirted, tilting his head to the side and looking her up and down obnoxiously. The exaggeration of his attempt at flirting drew a giggle out of her, rewarding Eddie with a sense of satisfaction at making her laugh.
“Got the goods?” she asked, taking a step towards the door, and he moved out of her way to let her in. She scanned over the piles of cassettes and VHS tapes, noting his abundance of horror movies and metal music, which she had expected. The smell of cigarettes and dust lingered in the air, which she didn’t mind at all. She’d never admit it because of all the medical propaganda her family dumped on her, but she thought it was cool that he smoked cigarettes. She had seen him lighting up a few times before in his van while leaving school, and she just couldn’t deny what seeing that little stick hanging from his lips did to her.
“Yeah, uh, sorry about the mess,” he said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. She had never seen him be bashful before, and heart did a little leap as she had found it endearing.
“It’s fine, Eddie. I can promise my bedroom is much worse,” she joked, still looking around his trailer. She hadn’t realized it, but he noticed that that was the first time she had ever referred to him as Eddie. To everyone but his club, he was always Munson, always the freak. His heart did a leap too in that moment.
“Oh! I got your goods in here,” he said, dipping away to fetch the baggie of joints he had pre-rolled for her. Damn, he was right. That was a lot of joints. She stared at the bag in awe.
Being in his home must have given her a small sense of confidence, because she proceeded to nervously ask him, “Um... if it’s not too much to ask, would you like to smoke one with me...?”
He stared at her with an indecipherable expression. She couldn’t tell if he was deciding for or against smoking with her, and she broke eye contact and looked down as a nervous habit. She started to backtrack, “Y-you don’t have to, I just—”
“Fuck, yeah. I’d love to.” He dropped a big dimply grin, infecting her with the giggles.
He opened the bag and pulled one of the neatly rolled joints out before zipping it closed and passing it back to her. She put the baggie of joints in her bag quickly, pulling out her own small bright blue handheld lighter. She gave the lighter to Eddie before mentioning, “Don’t forget to give that back, it’s my only lighter.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, princess,” he answered smugly before extending an arm in a silent invitation to sit on the couch, and she obliged. She sank down on the old couch, and it felt more comfortable than her own couch at home. He plopped down next to her hard, rocking her and the couch, before holding the joint out for her to take. “You go first,” he said, tilting his head down to look at her with a devilish grin.
“Gladly,” she said, leaning forward and catching the end of the joint on her lips, taking it from him without using her hands. “Light me up?” she asked through the joint on her lips.
“Gladly,” he returned, using her wording against her. He held the little blue lighter to the end of the joint, flicking the gear and igniting it. She hovered over the flame for a moment before pulling back to breathe it in, puffing on the joint heavily before Eddie swiftly grabbed it from her lips.
The burn in her lungs felt like a warm tingle spreading through the inside of her chest, but it was the burn in her throat that made her cough. She coughed an embarrassing amount, her face and eyes turning red from it. “Hey, it’s supposed to be puff puff pass,” she whined in a manner that conveyed she wasn’t serious, but her mangled voice was what made Eddie laugh.
He gave a dark chuckle before saying, “Like you’d say no to me, sweetheart.” He held her gaze intensely as he hit the joint, taking in a deep puff before letting out a billowing cloud of smoke, blowing the smoke into her face teasingly. She laughed at his gesture, waving away the cloud.
After they had gone back and forth, taking turns of the joint until it was just a roach, she put the roach down on the ashtray on his coffee table. Eddie had some of his music playing as they were both leaning back against the couch, heads staring at the ceiling as they felt the weed kick in.
She began to feel fuzzy, her body feeling so heavy like it was sinking further into the couch. She let out a light stoner laugh as she felt the tingles spread down to her fingertips and toes, feeling her brain swirl around like the room was spinning. The voice of her consciousness sounded out loud, and her speaking voice sounded too quiet like it was in her head. But her absolute favorite part of getting high was the sense that she truly had no other care in the world, just bliss and fuzziness and oversaturated colors. It felt like peace.
“This shit fucks so hard, Eddie,” she said, her brain confused to if she even said those words aloud.
She lazily tilted her head towards him, watching with heavy eyes as he stared at the ceiling. She couldn’t help but stare. It was definitely the weed heightening this thought, but she couldn’t help but notice how pretty he was. His big brown eyes with the long eyelashes, his dimples that suited his cheeks so well, his sharp jaw and strong chin, and oh, those plump, kissable lips.
“Eddie...?” she whispered, pulling his gaze from the ceiling to her.
“Yeah, princess?”
His eyes were so red. She would have laughed if she wasn’t about to say, “Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?”
He laughed slower than usual, so she could tell he was deep in his high like she was. Their conversation felt like it was happening underwater, and his voice tickled her ears as he replied, “Damn it, babe, I was supposed to call you pretty first.”
She felt the laughter bubble in her chest first, slowly erupting from her mouth, her brain feeling disconnected from the process. “Beat you to it. Sucks to suck, Munson.”
His eyes drooped, and he glanced at her lips before looking back into her eyes. “You are, y’know. Pretty.”
She looked away out of habit before giving a huff. “Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious,” he said, turning his body so he was facing her. “I was surprised you even wanted to smoke with me. Hell, I’m surprised you even wanted to buy from me. The cute girl in my Calculus class wanted to buy from me? How did I get so lucky?”
She turned her body so she was facing him, leaning her swirling head against the couch. Her eyeballs felt fuzzy as she looked up at him with doe eyes. “You think I’m the cute girl in class? You dummy, I think you’re the cute boy in class. Why do you think I let you cheat off of my work?”
His eyes stared deeply into hers, and he glanced at her lips briefly again. This time, she returned the favor by glancing at his. She felt her heart racing in her chest, every thump echoed through her body until her extremities felt numb. He placed his large hand on the side of her face, and the coolness of the rings were like a shock to her as he swiped over her lips with his thumb. His touch felt electrifying, as if every nerve cell in her body was magnetized to his skin. “Can I kiss you?” he asked, in the softest tone she had ever heard from his lips.
“You fucking better,” she joked and was immediately pulled in. When their lips met, it felt like fireworks were going off inside of her. Tingles shot up the back of her neck and crept up the base of her skull, capturing her in pure bliss as Eddie’s lips melted into her own. She could taste the weed and hint of cigarettes in his mouth, and she could hear the heavy breathing from his nose against her face. It was all she ever dreamed of, plus some. She had never enjoyed kissing other boys, mushing mouths always felt so awkward and unnatural. But with Eddie, now, all she wanted was to feel the soft fleshy wet mess of tongue against tongue. Her heightened sensations from the weed mixed with her established crush on Eddie had her already giving out soft moans into his mouth, and she could just feel him smile against her mouth in return. She felt his big warm hands place themselves on her waist, and she leaned in further, pressing her chest against his.
She didn’t even feel when her hands had moved to grip his Hellfire Club shirt until he pulled back. “Damn, why have we never done this before?” he said in a deep husky voice.
“Because I get nervous,” she said, feeling the words spill out before she had time to think of a proper response. She looked down and fiddled with the neckline of his shirt before saying, “And because this weed’s got me feeling brave, Eddie.”
“Just how brave are we talking?” he asked, thinking she wouldn’t notice his quick glance down at her body. She did notice. In that moment, her body felt hot to the touch, and then the weed did something it had never done before. Maybe she had just never been horny and high at the same time, but the way the pot in her system sent her body into maximum overdrive at the way Eddie eyed her body had her throbbing hard in her jeans. Her nerves were ablaze everywhere, especially there, and she could just feel her underwear becoming increasingly more damp the longer she stared at him.
“Really brave,” she muttered, unable to speak above a whisper due to the intense craving her body was feeling. He flashed that dimply grin like he knew she couldn’t resist it and moved his hands to cup her face. She let her neck go lax, melting into his touch and letting him hold the weight of her head. His hands felt so hot against her face, and then he leaned in so close that his lips brushed against hers as he spoke.
“You ever fucked a future rockstar?” he inquired, his eyes looking darker and deeper than ever.
A chill ran down her spine at his words, and a let out a shaky exhale before admitting, “I’ve haven’t ever fucked.”
He immediately dropped his charismatic persona, pulling back with a look of concern in his eyes. “I’d offer, but I don’t think it would be right to... deflower you... in such a state...” He began to trail off, but she put a finger to his lips.
“Eddie, right now, I’ve never wanted anything else so god damn bad,” she said, unable to take her eyes off of his perfect plump lips. “Only reason I never have is because I’ve never liked anyone else this much.”
She watched as his lips morphed from a concerned flat line back into that devilish smile she liked to see so much. It infected her, making her smile wide as well, and the tip of her finger felt like it was buzzing as she traced along his smiling lips with her finger. The underwater feeling returned as she leaned up to bring his lips back into a kiss, laying back on the couch and pulling him down with her so that he was laying on top of her and kissing her.
“Damn, you really do get brave when you smoke,” he chuckled, and the deep chuckle rumbled in her ears as she caught his lips again, opening her mouth to invite him into hers. His tongue slid across hers, feeling hot and slimy, and she loved it, returning the gesture. She felt him slowly drop all of his body weight onto hers, and the pressure against her lower abdomen caused her to let out a small gasp into his mouth. He felt her gasp, taking a sense of pride in being the one to make her feel this way and pressed himself against her again, feeling his own excitement start to build.
She spread her knees apart, allowing him to lay between her legs, and he willingly obliged to taking the position, sliding his denim-clad crotch against hers. The friction of him pressing the seam of her jeans into her elicited the smallest moan from her, and Eddie repeated this against but harder, fulling grinding into her as their mouths danced and his clothed erection rubbed against her. Her fingers found their way into his long hair, her nails accidentally scratching against his scalp, making him groan into her mouth. The sounds and feelings that he was giving her welded together in a fuzzy entanglement, making her already spinning head feel like she was on air. She felt his warm hands snake down from her face down to the hem of her shirt, dipping his fingers underneath the fabric to brush against her hot skin. The sudden coldness of the rings made her slightly jump, and he pulled back, worry apparent on his face. His eyes nonverbally asked, Is this too much?
“Sorry, your rings are just cold,” she giggled, before taking the initiative to lift her own shirt over her head, revealing the black bra underneath. Truth be told, after school she had switched into her fancier undergarments in the hopes that something would happen between them. And she was appreciative to her past self for making that decision. He stared in awe at her chest, all pushed together by the tight black bra and looking extra plump in the dim trailer lighting. He took the chance to bury his face in her cleavage, sucking and smacking on the soft flesh, leaving little reddish purple spots in his wake, causing her to moan and lightly buck her hips up. She was already turned on, but now she just felt like an animal in heat, all wet and needy for him. He pulled a nipple out of its bra cup and took it into his mouth, swirling his tongue softly on the hardened bud, and she felt waves of tingles flow through her body, half from the high and half from the pleasure he was bringing her just from sucking on her naked skin. When she had gripped his hair so hard she was worried she’d accidentally yank it out, he grinned against her soft skin, just knowing how he was affecting her untouched body.
“That feel good, princess?” he whispered, releasing her nipple from his mouth, pulling back to look in her eyes. He had never seen her, or anyone, look so desperate and needy. Hell, she would have begged if he told her to. She looked up at him with pleading doe eyes, and he just melted at the sight. “C’mon, baby, use your words.” His deep voice dripped like honey into her ears, and she felt the shift in her core that made her need some friction down there.
She whispered back, “Please keep touching me.”
He chuckled and with a teasing voice said, “Oh, baby, you think that is me touching you? You don’t even know.”
He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, pulling them down her thighs until she lifted her legs above his head so that he could pull them off of her calves. He threw the jeans on the floor next to her shirt, keeping her legs up with his hands. She didn’t realize she was panting as he slid his hands down her legs, letting them drop on either side of him while he gazed tenderly at her damp panties.
“Already so wet for me, baby? That’s so sweet of you,” he teased, hooking his finger under the wet patch and pulling her underwear to the side. She gawked at him unabashedly as he swiped his fingers up her wet slit, his fingers feeling cold against her heat. She whimpered at the cold sensation, accidentally bucking her hips. The high had left her brain and traveled south, making her body feel abuzz as he rubbed up and down her slit a couple of times, barely grazing the sensitive nub at the top.
“God, you’re so hot,” she heard him say, but her eyes screwed shut at the sensation of her throbbing cunt being touched so gently. When she felt a finger prod her hole, she gasped, letting him know she was very ready to be entered. A thick finger entered her, and she moaned loudly as he pushed his finger all the way in, his thumb still rubbing up and down. He slowly pulled out and pushed back in his finger, choosing to add a second one. The second finger made her feel the slight stretch, and she moaned louder at the sensation. He started pumping his fingers in and out of her, starting a new building sensation in her core. The faster he pumped, the more he bumped that sensitive nub with his thumb, and that feeling inside of her felt like something deep was about to explode. She unashamedly rutted her hips against his hand, letting out more whimpers and moans than she ever had before in her life. And just as she teetered the edge of that sinfully delicious explosion, he stopped completely, pulling his fingers out of her and leaving her a panting, soaking mess.
Her throat hitched, releasing an audible whine, making Eddie laugh. He leaned over her, his painfully hard but fully covered erection hovering over her sopping heat, and said, “Now see, baby, that was me touching you.”
She was speechless and desperate, needing any sort of attention back on her tingling loins. “Will you please fuck me?” she timidly asked, relinquishing any morsel of control she had and completely throwing the ball in his court.
“Of course, princess,” he said with a wink. He paused to sit up and look around the small living room of the trailer before declaring, “But not here.”
“Not here?” she breathed out.
“C’mere, we’re going to my room,” he said, lifting himself quickly off of the couch before turning around to swoop down and suddenly lift her off of the cozy furniture, bridal-style. She reveled in the romance of it all, feeling most definitely like a princess with her handsome knight in shining armor, freely laughing as he carried her to his little room.
Eddie’s bedroom smelled a lot more like weed than his living room, and she could guess where he smoked most of the time. Metal and rock posters lined the walls, and towers of cassettes, books, and VHS tapes littered the floor.
He ducked down to lay her down gently on the bed before yanking his Hellfire club shirt over his head quickly and tossing it on a pile of discarded clothes on the floor. She stared at his bare torso, admiring his tattoos, and he just ate it up. He smiled before dropping himself down on the bed over her. “You ready for more, sweetheart?”
"Yes,” she blurted out with zero hesitation, eagerly nodding and eyeing the tent in his jeans hungrily. He followed her line of sight, smirking to himself when he realized she was staring straight at his boner. He leaned back, looking down to undo his jeans before he shimmied them off, letting the tent in his boxers swing free, before throwing his jeans onto the pile of clothes to join his shirt. He then resumed his place, crawling over her as she laid back on his bed, his clothed erection grazing her legs and then her abdomen as he climbed up her body. Using his forearms to hover over her, she dug her fingers into his hair and pulled him into a steamy kiss. As their mouths meshed together again, he steadily lowered himself so that their half-naked bodies were flush against each other, and she could feel his stiffness nestle right into the crotch of her panties, making her let out a shaky breath.
He slithered his large hands down her body before reaching her underwear, hooking his fingers into the sides before pulling from the kiss to ask, “Can I take these off?”
“Only if you say please,” she joked, mentally slapping herself for choosing this moment to toss in a joke. But, like the good sport he was, Eddie was quick to respond.
“Please, oh please, may I take thy panties off?” he mused back, but looked confounded when he saw her flinch. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re very hot, Eddie, but please don’t use the word panties. It just feels so weird when guys say it.”
“Panties.”
“Eddie, I’m serious. It feels icky.”
“Panties.”
“Dude!”
“Panties!” he yelled, waving his hands in her face and laughing hard at the cringing expression on her face. She couldn’t help but join in his laugh, being able to look at their conversation in a different light, and seeing how ridiculous they sounded.
She sighed, shaking her head in an endeared manner as she said, “Fine. Thou may remove mine panties,” returning the joke of Old English speak.
He gave an exaggerated groan and said, “God, you’d do so well in DnD. That’s so hot.”
“Ist thou removing mine panties, or what?” she asked flatly, hoping to get back on track to their sexual shenanigans.
“Oh! Right, yes,” he said before theatrically yanking down her underwear and tossing them over his shoulder. All of the laughing and giggling stopped when he laid eyes on her sopping cunt. She could just see his erection strain against the thin fabric of his boxers. He pulled them down, letting his boner spring free, and his length slapped against her thigh. She hadn’t expected it, but the boy was hung. She gawked at his long extremity, and he let her, taking pride in her jaw dropping. She looked back up into his eyes and smiled when he asked, “You ready?”
“Mhm,” she mumbled before wrapping her hand around his member, but he put his hand over hers to stop her, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Woah, wait, do we need a condom?” he asked, gingerly stroking his thumb over her hand.
She shook her head, “I’m on the pill, Eddie.”
He grinned in response, before taking the reins to line the tip up to her still-soaking entrance. When he started to push in, she felt the swirling feeling coming back to her head, and she couldn’t tell if she was still so high or if this was a new feeling, being already cock-drunk on Eddie. The stretch of him felt sharp for a moment, but she felt too blissful to react to it, pulling his head down to attach her lips to his once more. Their mouths hung open against each other’s as he fully sheathed himself in her, and this time she did let a small whimper of pain escape. Her pain immediately dissolved into pleasure as she adjusted to his size.
When he began to move inside of her, starting slow as he pulled out and pushed back in ever so gently, she was still a moaning mess, moaning against his open mouth.
“That feel good, baby?” he asked, and his words had never felt so sugary sweet. All she could do was moan in response, her moan raising in pitch as it caught in her throat. He broke their kiss to watch her face, her expression conveying euphoria as he slid in and out of her. Her tight walls felt so good on his cock; he would have finished then and there if he wasn’t so focused on her. He snuck a hand down between their bodies, searching for her sensitive little nub, and once he found it and began drawing small circles around it with his finger, she could feel that building sensation return. And he could tell from her moans getting progressively louder. He wanted her first time to be everything she could have wished for, so he started to pick up his pace and thrusted harder and faster into her, keeping his finger steady on her clit.
Sparks were shooting through her body, centered around her lower abdomen, and she wrapped her legs around Eddie to keep him closer, even though she knew he wasn’t going anywhere. The steady circling around her clit became sloppy as he let himself pound into her hard, and she felt his member reach impossible depths inside of her. The faster and harder pace of his cock sliding in and out of her, stretching her from the inside out, had her digging her nails hard into Eddie’s shoulder blades as she felt her hips begin to chase that tension building in her. She let herself get lost in the pleasure of it all, the tingles in her brain all the way down to her fingers and toes mixed with the waves of pleasure coming from her abdomen had her toes curling and her eyes squeezed shut. She felt her walls begin to squeeze tighter as the tension inside of her began to reach its peak, like a string about to snap.
She suddenly felt her face being grabbed by a strong hand, her jaw entirely encapsulated. “Look at me,” his voice demanded, and she opened her eyes pitifully, giving him the eye contact he wanted. Eddie had always been so silly, such a tease. It was shocking yet so deeply arousing to hear such sternness in his voice. “I wanna see it in your face when I make you come.”
“Eddie,” she whimpered, “I think I’m gonna—”
“I know, baby, I can feel it. Be a good girl and come for me.”
And with his words, that string inside of her snapped, and she let out a squealing moan as she experienced her orgasm in waves, feeling her walls pulsate and stretch over his cock while her body went completely lax. He continued to pound through it all, letting out aggressive grunts as he thrusted through the clenching of her walls, giving her continuous echoes of her orgasm until his pace stuttered. He released a gentle moan with his own release, prolonging it with extra pushes into her until he felt his own hot liquid seep out of her tight hole that was clenched around his member. He pulled out slowly, and she whined at the sudden emptiness inside of her.
“God damn,” he huffed with a tired smile before dropping his body onto hers, burying his face in her naked chest. She giggled at this, playing with his hair and scratching her nails over his scalp.
They stayed like that for a good long moment, basking in their post-coital bliss, until she noticed the clock next his bed. She read the time with a gasp. “Oh my god, it’s like three in the morning! Shit, I gotta get home.”
They climbed out of Eddie’s bed reluctantly, gathering their clothes from his bedroom floor and from the living room floor. They hadn’t spoken a word yet, both too nervous to wreck the good thing they had going, until Eddie couldn’t take the tension anymore. “Okay, so... I guess I’ll see you on Monday?” he asked, not sure of what to say but wanting to desperately to beg to spend more time with her.
“Yeah,” she shrugged, before pausing a long moment to suggest, “or we could hang out like tomorrow, or technically later today... Uh, if you’re not busy...”
He absolutely beamed at her words. She did want to spend more time with him. He felt excitement blossom in his chest as their little situation felt like the beginning of something special. “Tomorrow—er, later today—would be awesome.”
She let out a nervous, breathy chuckle. “Cool.”
“Cool,” he repeated back to her. They fell into silence again, but it was comfortable silence this time.
“I, uh,” she began, gesturing to the door.
“Oh! Yes, of course,” he said, stepping out of her way and opening the door for her. When he opened the door, the cold night air hit her like a ton of bricks and she shivered, regretting leaving her sweater in class earlier that day.
He witnessed her slight shiver, instantly saying, “Wait right here,” before dipping away to grab something from his bedroom. He came back with his iconic denim and leather jacket, offering it to her. “It’s really cold out tonight,” he shrugged, like giving her his jacket was no big deal.
“I can’t take your jacket,” she said, attempting to politely decline.
He hung it on her shoulders and said, “Well, you can give it back later,” both as a way to make her more comfortable but also as a way to express that he hopes she sticks to their plans.
“Okay,” she breathed, “and you’ll have to give back my lighter.”
And with that, she was on her way home with plans to see Eddie tomorrow.
*~*~*
A/N: my first Eddie fic !!! Part of me wants to do a part 2 so bad, but pls let me know how u feel about it omg <3 lov u guys
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FISA 702 HAS PASSED THE HOUSED. WE MUST STOP IT!
Fax your legislators! TELL THEM YOU WON'T VOTE FOR THEM IF THEY VOTE YES ON FISA (Fy-zah) 702!
You can also fax your legislators for FREE at:
From Edward Snowden's Twitter:
If you were mad about your House rep voting to let the government spy on you without a warrant ("FISA 702" - fy-za seven-oh-two), we may have one last shot. CALL YOUR REP @ (202) 224-3121 and say "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟳𝟬𝟮, 𝗜 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂."
From the article link:
House lawmakers voted on Friday to reauthorize section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or Fisa, including a key measure that allows for warrantless surveillance of Americans. The controversial law allows for far-reaching monitoring of foreign communications, but has also led to the collection of US citizens’ messages and phone calls.
Lawmakers voted 273–147 to approve the law, which the Biden administration has for years backed as an important counterterrorism tool. An amendment that would have required authorities seek a warrant failed, in a tied 212-212 vote across party lines.
Donald Trump opposed the reauthorization of the bill, posting to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday: “KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!”
The law, which gives the government expansive powers to view emails, calls and texts, has long been divisive and resulted in allegations from civil liberties groups that it violates privacy rights. House Republicans were split in the lead-up to vote over whether to reauthorize section 702, the most contentious aspect of the bill, with Mike Johnson, the House speaker, struggling to unify them around a revised version of the pre-existing law.
Republicans shot down a procedural vote on Wednesday that would have allowed Johnson to put the bill to a floor vote, in a further blow to the speaker’s ability to find compromise within his party. Following the defeat, the bill was changed from a five-year extension to a two-year extension of section 702 – an effort to appease far-right Republicans who believe Trump will be president by the time it expires.
Section 702 allows for government agencies such as the National Security Administration to collect data and monitor the communications of foreign citizens outside of US territory without the need for a warrant, with authorities touting it as a key tool in targeting cybercrime, international drug trafficking and terrorist plots. Since the collection of foreign data can also gather communications between people abroad and those in the US, however, the result of section 702 is that federal law enforcement can also monitor American citizens’ communications.
Section 702 has faced opposition before, but it became especially fraught in the past year after court documents revealed that the FBI had improperly used it almost 300,000 times – targeting racial justice protesters, January 6 suspects and others. That overreach emboldened resistance to the law, especially among far-right Republicans who view intelligence services like the FBI as their opponent.
Trump’s all-caps post further weakened Johnson’s position. Trump’s online remarks appeared to refer to an FBI investigation into a former campaign adviser of his, which was unrelated to section 702. Other far-right Republicans such as Matt Gaetz similarly vowed to derail the legislation, putting its passage in peril.
Meanwhile, the Ohio congressman Mike Turner, Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, told lawmakers on Friday that failing to reauthorize the bill would be a gift to China’s government spying programs, as well as Hamas and Hezbollah.
“We will be blind as they try to recruit people for terrorist attacks in the United States,” Turner said on Friday on the House floor.
The California Democratic representative and former speaker Nancy Pelosi also gave a statement in support of passing section 702 with its warrantless surveillance abilities intact, urging lawmakers to vote against an amendment that would weaken its reach.
“I don’t have the time right now, but if members want to know I’ll tell you how we could have been saved from 9/11 if we didn’t have to have the additional warrants,” Pelosi said.
Debate over Section 702 pitted Republicans who alleged that the law was a tool for spying on American citizens against others in the GOP who sided with intelligence officials and deemed it a necessary measure to stop foreign terrorist groups. One proposed amendment called for requiring authorities to secure a warrant before using section 702 to view US citizens’ communications, an idea that intelligence officials oppose as limiting their ability to act quickly. Another sticking point in the debate was whether law enforcement should be prohibited from buying information on American citizens from data broker firms, which amass and sell personal data on tens of millions of people, including phone numbers and email addresses.
Section 702 dates back to the George W Bush administration, which secretly ran warrantless wiretapping and surveillance programs in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. In 2008, Congress passed section 702 as part of the Fisa Amendments Act and put foreign surveillance under more formal government oversight. Lawmakers have renewed the law twice since, including in 2018 when they rejected an amendment that would have required authorities to get warrants for US citizens’ data.
Last year Merrick Garland, the attorney general, and Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, sent a letter to congressional leaders telling them to reauthorize section 702. They claimed that intelligence gained from it resulted in numerous plots against the US being foiled, and that it was partly responsible for facilitating the drone strike that killed the al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in 2022.
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An aromantic autistic reading of Joker Out's "Bluza"/"the Blouse"
I have a few words about Bluza. The Blouse.
When I first heard the title, I felt a connection to this song yet in a very tongue-in-cheek way. Because I read the working title was a nod to the white holed sweater blouse (the slut shirt) Bojan forgot at Jere’s place last autumn. But then thanks to JokerOutSubs I realized that this song really speaks to me in another way.
Disclaimer: I am speaking about this from an autistic aroace point of view and as a person who has masked most their lives and doesn’t drink. I hope to explain why this matters in the post below.
The lines that especially spoke to me are these:
Ja ko pijana budala
Ali čaše nisam popio
Jamislim da sam se zaljubio u tebe
I’m acting like a drunk idiot
But I haven’t had a single glass
I think I’ve fallen in love with you
As a person who has spend most my life being critical about what to say, do, and how I show of myself to people I see the drunkenness described here not as literal but as a form of unmasking. When you find that one person you feel so comfortable around that you know that they won’t leave you or care if you stop being presentable in the eyes of society.
The result is that you may seem drunk and out of character when you are close to them. Drunk as in unlike yourself but also much more yourself. You dare to be authentic and to be silly and vulnerable because this person next to you gets you. No alcohol you could consume would fill you with as much giddiness as being with this person does. There is something about this one person that just speaks to you and let you know that you are safe.
While not having been drunk myself this is what I expect is the feeling most drunk people are searching for: the experience of not caring about what other people might think about them anymore. They just exist outside time and space in a bubble of bliss.
The person in the song is that for Bojan. His bubble of bliss – his safe space.
I’ve been lucky enough to have people like that too for small periods of time. And just like the next line I have felt very strongly connected to the person in those moments thinking “is this was love feels like?”. And here I don’t necessarily mean romantic attraction/love. I mean love as in a deeper, more profound level. The love that is outside of bodily desire. It is two spirits – two beings finding a home in the other person. A home where you can be giddy and drunk without having touch a single drink.
It is no secret that I love the idea of queer platonic love. When I read this, I read it as queer platonic. I read it as beautifully strange, brotherly, romantic, and platonic all at once.
The chorus kind of develops this feeling and adds and aromantic layer to it:
Baš ja
Koji nisam verovao
Da za nekim biću lud
Yes, me who didn’t believe
I would be crazy about someone
I read this as a very much an aspec experience.
You may have gone most of your life feeling othered for not experiencing those feelings of romantic attraction the world around you constantly tell you that you should.
Then this person comes along. This person that is your haven, that you can fool around with and open up around. There’s something that seems different, seems honest and so it brings you that feeling of bliss I mentioned earlier. That feeling the world around you have tried to tell you exists for years, yet you never believed would happen to you.
You may have believed yourself to be broken or maybe the world around you too much for seemingly being crazy about love. But now in this moment of bliss, drunk without having drunk, you get it. You want to be with this person, do all the silly things the media tells you are romantic. Not because you are forced to but because it would mean spending more time with your person. And every little second you can spend with your person feels like a blessing.
That is my take on the song at least. Thank you for reading.
#my first try making an analysis that I can remember so please be kind#I just couldn't stop thinking about it#almost cried when I read the lyrics#and this may just be a sappy song idk but it spoke to me this way#so I offer you my aro and ausitic reading of it it here#thank you to jokeroutsubs for the quick translation that gave me the chance to babble about this song#I feel so honored having been in the crowd that heard it the first time live :'3#I really adore sta bih ja too but mostly for how catchy it is#it is pretty as well when you know the lyrics#but this prechorus chorus just spoke to my aching queer platonic aro heart#okay I am done venting now#joker out#bluza#the blouse#mine#micahs thoughts
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I think I should send her to 1850s Kalos. I think it'd be funny
(ignore the hands, I was totally going for a stained glass look. Totally. /j)
(A better look at my Pokemon IRL/ZA brainrot beneath the cut)
OKAY SO UH I have this idea for Gill (A Pokemon IRL oc) and I'm frothing at the mouth about it so I'm going to infodump here! Because I am both normal about this and Legends ZA
So I had the idea that at some point, Gill would just straight up disappear for a week. He'd get sucked into some kind of time-rift and end up in ye-olde Kalos. He'd freak out, obviously, but after a couple weeks he'd come to accept his life and start getting into things. He'd basically become an 'important side-character'. Living life, helping around the city, meeting new Pokemon (Like VULPIX. He'd get a VULPIX for REASONS.) He's been taking some Kalosian classes at Blueberry, so he's all set there. He just has to apply himself.
And the thing about this? She likes it there. She likes it a lot. She doesn't have to worry about school, about expectations, about living up to her sister or impressing her friends. She's living in Lumiose City! She's helping rebuild the place! She's considered a strong Trainer! She's meeting people and Pokemon and she knows without a shadow of a doubt they like her. Of course, she still bawls her eyes out every night- she misses Blueberry, she misses Paldea, she misses her friends and family- but...well, she wouldn't hate it if she had to stay here.
Then like four-five months pass. Maybe this is all before the actual plot of ZA happens, so I can do this way earlier lol. Gill's helping restore Lumiose, as usual, and she's having a great time. She's becoming a well-known face in certain areas, too- Monsieur or Mademoiselle Monet, the young Pokemon wielder. Most everyone likes her.
And then he wakes up.
He's transported back home, somehow. And here, only a week has passed.
He has a Stats test to take. His ranking in the League Club has fallen back down to rock bottom. One moment, he was helping rebuild this beautiful city. He was someone important, doing something meaningful with his life. And the next, he was back to square one. All of his work was finished for him, centuries ago now.
He has to live with the fact that all of the people he grew to know in those four months are dead. He never got to say goodbye.
People will question where he picked up saying 'morbleu'. People might point out the faintest hint of an accent. But he doesn't have the heart to tell them anything, so he'll just lie.
I just have this distinct image of Gill going to Lumiose for like a school trip and seeing a building that she lived in two hundred years ago, now turned into some laundry mat or cafe or whatever. Maybe there's a wild Ninetales running around there, presumably waiting for their owner. And maybe she's able to find a floorboard she remembers removing with a friend to store trinkets and cash in it, and finding all that stuff coated in dust. And then she'd start crying, and because people expect that kind of stuff from her- getting sentimental about things that aren't even hers and breaking into tears-, they don't really question it, outside of a pat on the shoulder.
UUUUh that's it!! That's what I was thinking of. I think it'd be a fun character study! A look into Gill and how he views expectations and what he wants to do.
Will I do this? I dunno. Maybe after we get more Kalos info. Or I can just say fuck it we ball and do whatever I want forever. Or until someone tells me it's a bad idea. I just think it's cool and I wanted to do some pixel art.
I have major Kalos brainrot can you tell
#skrelp speaks#apollo's “art”#pokemon oc#pokemon#<- “properly” tagging this one since I'm a little proud of it#blog mention - paper pyroar
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Late night smoke
- Oc x Canon [Warlock x Phillip Graves]
Word count: 1249 words [1.2k]
Summary: Warlock goes out for a late night smoke, eventually Graves finds him and they enjoy eachothers company for a while
Notes: kinda ill right now so I've barely slept but at least I've written some good food for once <3
♠️ Fic bellow cut + translation at end ♠️
It wasn't unusual for warlock to be out this late at night while on leave, his hair loosely tied up - a few stray strands laying free on his face. He would've let down his hair down by now with how late it was into the night but there just was a certain soft breeze in the air that had just felt too nice when it softly passed by his face, to which he decided to keep the bun in. This same breeze was blowing the smoke from his lit cigarette that lay in between his pointer and middle finger.
He wasn't much of a smoker, didn't consider himself one anyways but then again he didn't consider himself many things which in turn - from an outsiders point of view, made him look like a hypocrite to an extent.
Perhaps he did smoke from time to time, let his mind wander as he watched the smoke drift off and mix into the outside air. Each swirling pattern being different from the last.
He hadn't smoked in a while if anything, his ex-wife always nagging at him to quit whenever she caught him. She'd always tell him that either the smoking would kill him early or his work would. To keep her happy he did quit, emphasis on the /did/.
She'll never know now how that ends now, probably for the better anyways.
The silence during the night had been something Warlock had needed, something that he found Suprisingly odd to come to terms to. Then again, being in the military isn't a quiet job now is it.
Either way, that silence was broken when the door to the porch, that he stood barefoot on, was opened - he didn't bother turning around and instead brought the cigarette down from his lips, his hands over the railing.
"there you are ady,"
There was that southern tone he grew to love, the nickname - he's working on loving that too. Warlock heard graves walk over to the railing and had felt graves bring his arm around the others waist, running his thumb gently over his hip.
He cleared his throat before he spoke, a soft smile on his lips as he felt graves' small affections towards him. He always did cherish these much smaller things from him. "Did i wake you? Sorry, tried to be quiet about it"
This brought a small chuckle from Graves before he turned his head to look at warlock. Taking the cigarette off from him and taking a drag from it, earning a small playful scoff from the other.
"hm, to an extent hun. Felt ya leave the bed so i got curious"
A small nod followed with a hum came from warlock before he took his cigarette back from Graves. Playfully rolling his eyes at the other, "that curiosity also led you to steal my cigarette too?"
His right brow raised at this question towards the other, always finding it fun to mess with him. Graves had supressed a laugh at this before he retracted his arm from warlocks waist, linking his own hands together.
"perhaps, dont plan on staying out here too long so it would just be a waste if i lit one m'self" a small shrug had followed after this from the southern man before he had turned around to lean against the said metal railing, preferring to have the small gusts of wind off from hitting him straight face on.
"besides, ya love me too much to be mad at me for stealin' it" a quick yet still noticeable wink came from graves as he patted warlock's shoulder, silently signalling to the other that he was to leave.
"hmn- za bardzo," Warlock had muttered before he took a final drag of the cigarette, the ember glowing bright in the darkness of the late evening before putting it out on the railing. Graves watched him quietly as he did so, the moonlight casting a soft glow on his features. "Wait," Warlock murmurs towards him, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with an urgency that Graves just couldn't ignore right now. Both of their eyes had met, a silent exchange between them two. Graves had stopped in his tracks, cocking his head to the side slightly to show his interest.
Warlock on the other hand had inched his way over to the southern man and grabed a handful of the other's t-shirt, bringing him into a quick yet loving kiss onto his lips. Both of them bringing themselves closer towards the other to try feel each others warmth more while outside - the taste of the cigarette hung on warlock's lips as graves had kissed the Pole back, bringing his hands to cup his partners cheeks. He felt the rough texture of the facial scarring beneath his fingertips, his touch being a mix of being tender yet still careful incase they still hurt.
Warlock had leaned into Graves' touch, the warmth of his calloused hands being a soothing contrast to the lingering discomfort of the scars he had gotten not so long ago. Graves pulled back slightly from the kiss, his eyes searching Warlock's for any sign of hesitation or discomfort. But instead, he found nothing but warmth and longing reflected back at him.
"adrian.."
Graves muttered out, his voice quiet and soft-spoken compared to his more louder tone.
"come back inside, jest za zimno tutaj"
Warlock had quickly responded back, taking graves' hand into his and began leading them away from the porch and back inside the small building that warlock called 'his temporary home'. The small romantic moment didn't last long as he found himself back into their shared bed once more almost immediately, a small series of soft kisses being planted on his jaw down to his collar bone. Making warlock let out a small breath at this unexpected affection from the other.
"You're so needy you know that Phil, tak?"
This caused graves to pause in his tracks and look up at the brunette, a slightly unamused look in his eyes before placing a final kiss onto warlocks shoulder.
Graves had moved to be sat up now besides warlock, grabbing the bed's duvet that was thrown to the other side of the bed. "Wow, me - needy? 'm just making up for lost time Ady. Besides, you seemed to enjoy it."
"Flattery will get you nowhere but the couch Phillip. Although, not the worst thing in the world to get." a yawn had left warlock as he took the hair tie out from his hair, letting his hair fall down to just above his shoulders once more, running his hand through it to comb it out from his face. Warlock's more playful remark lingered in the air - eliciting a soft chuckle from Graves while he watched Warlock's movements with a soft smile, his own fatigue mirrored in the heavy droop of his eyelids. He soon reached out to Warlock, pulling him closer until they were nestled against each other - their bodies practically melting into eachothers' embrace, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he savored the warmth and comfort of being in Graves' arms again.
Graves was about to try get the last say in it all but had warlock beat him to it with a small muttered "Idź spać Fillip, za dużo gadasz" Which put a confused look onto graves' face for a moment before he had decided to let the comment slide for the night.
Translations:
Za bardzo - too much
Jest za zimno tutaj - it's too cold here
Tak - yes
Idż spać Fillip, za dużo gadasz - go to sleep Phillip, you talk too much
#aceswriting#Oc x Canon#Oc warlock#Oc - warlock#Warlock#Phillip Graves#Cod oc#call of duty fanfic#Set between mw2 & mw3#call of duty#cod
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"the thing is, its clowns, were all clowns, and how do clowns sing? its a hard queston. clown training has been pretty eye open amazing; ive got a lot of freinds who have done the physical theater school thing, and they all went on about how clown training is the most intense theater traning there is. its not about bending balloons. its not about polka dots. the true clown, the classic clown, is serious business: man at his most exposed, vulnerable, innocent. all the world against him and yet he perserveres in spite of/through his foolishness. an open heart, the holy fool. the holy fool again! the unnumbered card, outside the deck.
honestly a lot of the training seems real similar to buddhist meditation training to me. theres a lot of stop the mind, stop doing things, stop performing and just BE. mind wants to tick tick tick and when you let it youre not so beautiful up there!
you can really see it, you can. you can see when someone is not seeing. when they are thinking too much…
the mind running is not so beautiful as the heart beating is.
za told me once about some college basketball coach of hers who viewed coaching as a meditative art, because he was mindless while doing it. lost in the moment. i can dig that…i can dig that my best piano playing happens when i turn it all off too. i dont know where my clown is headed…i feel like ive got my mind off and i can be real honest and true, but whats going to happen when i have to start doing things? its one thing to look someone clean in the eye and see them and be seen, but its another to do that while palming an egg. and another to do it while singing…what a non self conscious thing singing so often is!
but: friday night went to see some lovely georgian singing groups. the trio of men, what an example in performance they were: two of them smiling, and moving their heads with the music, and indicating, and gesturing. subtle, but there. and a bit fake. not that they werent really feeling it, but that insistence on letting us know…this is actually an issue for me, this trust, you have to trust that the audience will get it, you dont have to show them. trust, they are smart and deep. they are…they are? they are. not smart, thats not even the point, its instinctual, theyll know, if youre honest theyll know and feel it with their gut. no mind, just nerves. you cant let someone know that youre seducing them until theyre already seduced. you have to trust thatll happen.
the first two didnt trust it. they were fine, and certainly wonderful singers, but they faked it a little. and maybe people liked them. but for me, it was the third, ah the third.
he stood,
he sang.
thats all.
and he was beautiful.
stand and sing, its the heart not the mind.
i want this first song to be all that, effortless and vulnerable and beautiful exposed joy and terror in the face of god, all of the human heart staring deep into the void and letting us see that fear and wonder.
and also with a good backbeat so we can have some cartwheeling.
ok i have an idea!!!!!!"
Dave Malloy, Pointless, 30 January 2007
#aaaah i love clown bible#dave malloy#malloysicals#pointless dave malloy#clown bible#clown bible dave malloy
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[SAŽETAK] Rebel Ideas - Matthew Syed
Black Box Thinking knjiga je koju sam pročitao prije godinu dana i koja me motivirala da ponovo počnem intenzivno čitati. Autor je Matthew Syed. Autor i ove knjige. Obzirom koliko me Black Box Thinking oduševila, velika očekivanja su bila za ovu knjigu. I nije razočarala.
I Range i Rebel Ideas za temelj kreativnosti i produktivnosti na prvo mjesto stavljaju - raznolikost. Diversity. Pojam Diversity poprilično je aktualna tema u medijima. Međutim, raznolikost radi raznolikosti ne pridonosi organizaciji. Stvaranje raznolikosti samo radi spola, boje kože ili vjerskih uvjerenja ne stvara ništa produktivnije i kreativnije okruženje. I to je činjenica. Raznolikost, primjerice u edukaciji ili prethodnom iskustvu je raznolikost koja čini razliku. Raznolikost koja kreira iznimne - i nadasve neočekivane - rezultate. Raznolikost koja je iza Rebel Ideas.
Knjiga je prepuna primjera iz svih aspekata života, povijesnih događaja, organizacija koje nisu postigle očekivane ciljeve zbog nedostatka raznolikosti. Fantastično štivo.
Collective Blindness
"This is a book about diversity, about the power of bringing people together who think differently from one another"
"Groups that contain diverse views have a huge, often decisive, advantage"
"We have to see things before we can make sense of them"
"Teams that are diverse in personal experiences tend to have a richer, more nuanced understanding of their fellow beings"
"When you're surrounded by similar people, you are not just likely to share each other's blind spots, but to reinforce them"
Rebels Versus Clones
"A group of wise individuals would almost certainly become an unwise board"
"When smart people from a singular background are placed into a decision-making group, they are liable to become collectively blind"
"Groups have an inbuild tendency to become clone-like"
"We need to address cognitive diversity before tackling our toughest challenges"
"Group wisdom emerges whenever information is dispensed among different minds"
Constructive Dissent
"For diversity to work it's magic, different perspectives and judgements must be expressed. It is no good having useful information that never gets aired"
"The knowledge guarded by the group when the senior manager is taken out of the project is more than compensated by the additional knowledge expressed by the team in his absence"
"No amount of commitment can drive effective decision-making in a situation of complexity when diverse perspectives are suppressed; when critical information isn't flowing through the social network"
"Crowds are not always nice. They can become dangerously clone-like"
"Groups typically need a leader, otherwise there is a risk of conflict and indecision"
"Remember that dominant individuals are mimicked out of fear. Prestigious individuals, on the other hand, are followed out of freely bestowed respect. They are role models"
Innovation
"Recombination is about cross-polination, reaching across the problem space, bringing together ideas that have never been connected before"
"Recombination is the leitmotiv of digital innovation"
"Stepping outside the walls, however, permits a new vantage point. We don't have new information, we have a new perspective"
"Ideas can easily spill over when people are connected with one other"
"The severance in the network structure put literal constraints on innovation"
"If you want to have cool technology, it is better to be social then smart"
"The more people retreated into their silos, the more they perceived new ideas not as opportunities but as threats"
Beyond Average
"To put it another way, averaging diverse predictions is a way of exploiting diversity. Standardising the way people work, or learn, or whatever else, risks squashing diversity"
"When instructions are too rigid, everyone suffers"
"To put it another way, best practice cannot be established by comparing standard solutions; it also requires the comparison of different kinds of flexibility"
"Lean spaces may work on an assembly line with regimented tasks, but not for cognitive or creative tasks"
"The uplift of productivity can be divided into two components. The first is the autonomy element. People were choosing rather being directed to. But the second element was shaped not by the act of choosing, but by the power of personalization. They could design spaces that they liked. They could mould the space to their own characteristics"
The Big Picture
"Diversity, in a real sense, is the hidden engine of humanity"
"Innovation is about interplay between individuals and the networks they inhabit"
"Diversity is not merely the ingredient that drives the collective intelligence of human groups, it is also the hidden ingredient that has driven the unique evolutionary pathway of our species"
"Dismantling unconscious bias, then, is not just a powerful first step in creating a fairer system; it is also a first step in creating a more collectively intelligent society"
"Another way that cutting edge companies are harnessing diversity is through the use of shadow boards"
"Successful collaboration requires a particular attitude. One has to be willing to offer one's insight to others; to share one's perspective; to impart one's wisdom"
"It also shows that the most successful givers are strategic, seeking meaningful diversity, and cutting off collaborations if they are being exploited"
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Goodreads: Rebel Ideas
Amazon: Rebel Ideas
Balckwell's: Rebel Ideas
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Walkersons Hotel and Spa | Dullstroom | za - Tranquil five star country side escape
Misty mornings, rainy days, hot chocolate, Pablo Neruda poems, and a crackling fire dancing in the background… that's what winter dreams are made of, well at least ours. This is exactly what Dullstroom has offered us on our visits.
The quaint town in Mpumalanga transports you to the Scottish Highlands or rolling hills of the Cotswolds and even County Kerry in Ireland. With wet misty winters and mild summers, it's a great option year-round. Trout farms scattered across the green hills and countryside, small town feel with cozy restaurants, and small shops with handmade, quality crafts, are only some of the things we love about Dullstroom. If sleepy and cozy is not your scene, helmet-up for more adrenaline activities like quad biking, horse riding, rafting, rock climbing, abseiling, and zip lining.
Dullstroom is one of those unique places you keep going back to. Every time you visit it feels like a new experience which is perfect for a weekend breakaway or a holiday retreat.
Just outside of Dullstroom, you'll find the sign to the impressive Walkersons Country Estate. Tucked away from the road, none of the houses on the Estate, hotel, or facilities are visible, which makes the anticipation so much greater. The estate has some of the most beautiful and high-end real estate in the area, as well as the 5-star Walkersons Hotel and Spa.
Driving down the winding road towards the Walkersons Hotel, you will constantly need to remind yourself you are not in the highlands of Scotland, but a mere 2 hours drive from Johannesburg. Cool, wet weather, mist rolling over the green moss hills and small trout lakes/dams scattered around the property, evokes a yearning for cozy snuggles in front of a large fire, cuddling with a loved one, or just watching the stars on clear nights.
The impressive stone-built hotel sits nestled between large trees as if it has always been there.
Tucked away between the green hills of the Dullstroom countryside, it beckons you to stop and switch off - to take in the serenity of the area and just be…
The stone façade of the hotel looks impressive and stately. Inside you are welcomed by warm and inviting fireplaces, stone walls, and cozy couches which remind you of the interior of an old Scottish castle.
The hotel houses the reception area with a bar, The Flying Scotsman Restaurant, ample seating areas with views of either stonewalled fireplaces or the lovely gardens.
The large sitting areas with views over the lush gardens and ponds are peaceful and you are enticed to enjoy a whiskey from the bar. The indoor seating area with a large fireplace is the perfect place to just sit and take it all in, read or gather with fellow travelers or fishermen and share stories. On chilly days the fireplaces are lit and add to the ambiance of coziness and warmth.
The 27 suites have the same stone façade as the Main Building complex and are all situated close to the reception area. The hotel also has self-catering cottages available. Rooms are also built in the same style and have everything you might need for a relaxing stay. Our room was tastefully decorated in a simple style that feels warm and inviting. The room is cozy and gently nodded to its country location and Scottish resemblance. The bed and day chairs both have lovely views of the tranquil outdoors, as well as the indoor fireplace.
The wood fireplace warms up the room in the chilly evenings, while the crisp morning air and views from your outside veranda make for the best coffee spot. The best part of the room must be the view. The views over the trout dam and surrounding area from your veranda create a feeling of serenity. Trout dams, hilly views, and cozy fireplace snuggles - you really do not want to leave your room. The fireplaces are lit up every evening during the turn-down service if needed.
The buildings and grounds remind you of an old Estate in the Highlands and come into its own during the wet and cold winter months when mist covers the lakes and dams and rain dances against your veranda door, while you listen to the crackling of the indoor fire.
The Estate has various other activities and services available. With a conference center, wedding venue, and reception rooms, it is the perfect place for a function or wedding. The swimming pool is the perfect escape during summer months with views over one of the trout dams. The estate also offers bike hire, fly fishing and horse riding. If you are looking for a more indoor experience, the Spa at Walkersons is the place to spend your day. A full spa with many treatment options, using quality products, combined with friendly well-trained staff makes for the perfect "pamper". If that is not enough you can take a hike to view some wildlife which includes: Impala, Zebra, Blue wildebeest, and Bles buck.
The Flying Scotsman restaurant on the premise has an amazing a la carte breakfast and set menus for dinner. We spoke to a few other guests and they were in accord that the food was of high quality. Food is sourced locally with sustainability in mind. We really do expect more from establishments with higher accolades and ratings, and Walkersons did not disappoint on any of our expectations. And the food was no exception.
The Flying Scotsman, where breakfast and dinner are served, is a warm and intimate space, perfect for a romantic date night. The food was excellent and we were delighted with the Vegan options. Being Vegan and Vegetarian the restaurant was accommodating and the food was well prepared and delicious. Although veganism is huge all over the world, it seems some South African places still lack a total understanding of veganism, but we catered to, it without a problem.
The whole experience calls for books, coffee and just to take a breather.
Elegance, exceptional service, and attention to detail are things rarely found these days. Although one would expect this from 5* hotels, we rarely encounter all of these together in one establishment, during our travels. This makes Walkersons a true gem if you are looking for these qualities in your next weekend away.
Family break, a romantic getaway, or just some me-time, Walkersons Hotel and Spa is an exceptional place to spend your time.
Our time here can only be described as smirr - Magical in Gaelic- seeing the Scottish theme through.
Walkersons Hotel and Spa imprints - Tranquility
Follow our journey on Instagram.
Short video reels of Walkersons Hotel:
Walkersons Reel 1
Walkersons Reel 2
Walkersons Reel - Food
Ig accounts:
@walkersonshotel
What real travel looks like
Is an influencer/social media marketing company, that specializes in travel/food/lifestyle/promotion. We travel all over the world to market and promote hotels, products and services.
We have built up a large following on Instagram (65K+) having travelled to over 60 countries, our followers have a passion for travelling and lifestyle products and the choices associated with it.
We do social media marketing, blogs and news articles for our brands and clients. We also specialize in Hotel consulting to elevate their brand.
Contact and follow us on:
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It is crucial that your body and mind have a chance to rest if you are clear of operate. Unless you currently apply certain of your own spare time for a activity, you will be losing out on many enjoyable and pleasure time. Here are several points to consider the next time you would like a brand new hobby wall plug.
A great activity to get is motion picture. There are plenty of distinct motion pictures out there with numerous views. You will probably find that you'll become keen on video by watching increasingly more movies. You'll start to notice the nuances, and you'll be capable of inform who directed what.
Utilize your beloved hobby to harmony the burden in your daily life. Whenever we do nothing but operate, possibly at your workplace, around the house, or with young children, we deprive ourself of required relaxing and creativity. Put aside time every week while in which you can participate of your respective favored hobby, and all of your commitments will truly feel much less burdensome.
In case you are starting up a pastime, you should also become as prepared a person that you can be. Hobbies normally imply a great deal of points. Practically, a lot of stuff will build up close to your property. No matter if that's coins, stamps, publications, yarn, or something that is in addition entirely. You might should keep your mess chaos under control to essentially benefit from the hobby after a while. This'll make your household thrilled.
Organic garden is actually a interest that is not only calming, but sensible too. Garden supplies the chance to be out in the fresh atmosphere and direct sunlight. When harvest time arrives, you will also be compensated with wholesome foods for you and your family. Vegetable growing plants is really a activity that gives twice benefits.
Do as well as you are able to together with the pastime you select. Don't be one of those particular people that 50 %-heartedly get involved with something. If you are intending to accomplish something, be sure to have the entire interest. Like that, you may do well at it, which will get you to happy.
singer šivalni stroj will enjoy the excellent outside the house with gardening. What might appear to be a job for some, is actually an individual else's idea of paradise. Start early in the year with a few seeds, then cultivate it on the summer, next you will see outstanding results in the drop. You'll save money on your food and appreciate making use of your environmentally friendly thumb in the sun.
In case you are a mother or father, you may be striving as a great case in point to your children. Like šivalni stroj za začetnice and dads, you are carrying out all that you can to assist your kids to increase up to be well-circular men and women. In case you have a hobby, you are showing your young ones that there's a lot more to our lives than consuming, slumbering and functioning. Picking a interest that can be done being a family members, like backpacking, is also a strategy to build household connections.
An incredible pastime to grab is yoga exercises. There are so many different styles of yoga that you'll be sure to find one that you adore. Whether you desire a stressful exercise routine, or else you simply want to relax, you have to have no trouble locating a yoga and fitness design that'll meet your needs.
One particular interest which is becoming more popular is knitting. Teenagers are realizing that producing their very own sweaters, scarves and afghans is an extremely fulfilling activity. This interest may be learned by collecting a how-to book or becoming a member of a knitting club in your neighborhood. Start out with a simple design and style after which division out into more difficult projects.
An enjoyable hobby to obtain is participating in baseball game titles. It's a thrilling time as a result of crowds and the meal. You may also show off your squads colours. A movie star or two might even maintain the audience. It's the ideal pastime to share with a member of family.
One important thing that many individuals do not consider when contemplating pastimes is workout. Weight lifting, biking and wandering are all amazing interests that allow you to benefit from the outdoors whilst getting fit and healthy. One more exercise choice that is certainly regarded as a pastime is going swimming. Swimming lets you stay amazing whilst experiencing and enjoying the in the open air.
In no way consume when you are experiencing your best activity. You won't be capable of make audio selections if you are intoxicated. As an alternative, hold out to take pleasure from alcoholic drinks right after engaging in your interest.
Prior to taking up a whole new interest, give careful consideration regarding exactly how much place it will require up. Do you need to arrange new storage space before you get started? Interests like knitting and scrapbooking use plenty of resources so you will want structured way of keeping these in order that they are maintained all together.
As stated in the intro over, developing a interest is as great for the brain as consuming properly is for you. Hobbies maintain your body and mind occupied and pleased. Use the suggestions earlier mentioned to assist you to look for a hobby or perhaps to just discover more about them.
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Movie Buzz
So I went to go see the new Bumblebee movie and I liked it.
I wouldn’t call myself a transformer fan. I was big into the series when I was but a wee snek, but I never followed the comics, or made a Thing out of owning the toys, or really got into any of the shows other than Beast Wars, and I’ve never really been into collecting in general(except for a short period where I was big into fantasy model building&painting), which seems to be a big part of the fandom.
And, of course, the Bay films --as the audio-visual manifestation of an inner ear infection-- make me physically ill(this is not metaphortalk), and --as the audio-visual manifestation of macho marketized misanthropy -- morally disgusted/exhausted(a reaction which certainly isn’t alleviated by the whole, aforementioned, “making me nauseous” thing).
So it isn’t something I would have typically thought of as my sort of thing or bothered to go see in theaters.
But, I follow Lindsay Ellis on Twitter, and sub both Her Youtube and Black Nerd’s(and I’m a long-running David Willis fan), and they’re big Transformers fans, so I kinda have my ear vaguely to the earth re: Transformers stuff and when Ellis and Meadows made a Reaction Video/Review for Bumblebee, I saw it and thought “ok I have to see this film”.
And it’s just great. I don’t want to spoil anything(and btw that reaction vid has spoilers so, watcher beware) so I’ll just say this about it: Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts. Which, kinda cribs from Ellis a bit, tbh, but it’s really the most accurate thing to say about the film’s emotional impact on me. It’s a fun, sincere, competent, visually coherent movie. And I want to emphasize the “Visually Coherent” bit: The Transformers LOOK like Transformers, they are individually distinct, they can be easily identified, they’re even-flipping-color-coded(as in canon). The two main villains even have an inverted Red Oni Blue Oni dynamic it’s Gr8. Bumblebee lifts some visuals and story elements from The Iron Giant, the first Men in Black, and (yes, I’m not kidding)The Shape of Water; it’s view of the late 80s-early 90s period is probably a bit too rose-tinted; and it’s antagonists are cartoonishly villainous, but none of that hurt the movie for me. In fact that stuff, in that they are all common elements of the anticynical, pre-Edge 80s-90s films like Flight of the Navigator which it is obviously a love-letter to, make the film stronger, in my opinion.
It’s certainly a very nostalgic film(verging on being too nostalgic; there were a few 80s references which were almost too on-the-nose, but in the moment I felt they fit the characters and I laughed), but I personally felt like that helped to establish and strengthen the Sincere Sentimentality which Travis Knight and the rest of the crew wanted to make its emotional heart. While they skirted up to the cliff separating time-distorted-fondness from commercialized memory, they thankfully didn’t tip over it. There’s also some, shall we say, oblique symbolism in a few scenes for the weirdos out there which, being a weirdo myself, I really enjoyed uwu
It’s also a very funny film, which brings me to my My Main Concern about it. I worry that the nostalgia may get in the way for people who didn’t live through(or in the cultural wake of) the 80s. I worry this because, while my theater was verging on full attendance(very good for a Thursday early morning show), me and maybe 3 other people seemed to be doing most of the laughing. Given, audiences in my particular end of Texas tend to be pretty subdued/polite, but the film had about the same joke-concentration as Deadpool and definitely NOT the same laugh-concentration. The thing is I don’t know if this is because of younger audiences not connecting with the older setting- and reference-jokes, or because of the humor being subtle and situational rather than the super-obvious reference and physical comedy that Deadpool deals in. Anyway, while all of the performances are great and funny John Cena, in particular, does an excellent job in a simultaneously comedic and antagonistic role as, what I’ve read, is supposed to be a GI Joe cameo, setting up a potential spin-off franchise.
The only complaint I have --and it’s not really a complaint so much as a taste difference or maybe just even a plot-bunny watching it left me with-- is, and this is potentially
<<<+++SPOILER+++>>>
territory here, so be advised, but:
I wish she’d gone with him. I feel like it’d have been a more interesting and honest-to-the-character(and franchise, given TF always has a human audience-standin character) ending, though I also see how it’d have gone against the feel, themes, and homage they were going for with the movie, and been a bit too confident about getting a sequel-chance.
Oh, and having Bumblebee turn into the Camaro at the end I didn’t like. But, then, I ALWAYS thought the Bay films having BB be a Camaro was a dumb and asinine decision, and it’s a big reason why I never watched any of them in theaters to begin with. BB’s supposed to be a friendly, reliable, and approachable character who makes it easy for audiences to sympathize with and care for the Autobots(and thus boo the Decepticons for putting him in danger), and there’s nothing more friendly, reliable, and approachable than a slugbug. Turning him into a Camaro was always an act of pathetic male insecurity; since their reissue in the late 90s, Volkswagen Bugs have been heavily marketed to women in the US(I’m convinced because they’re small and quiet), and so Bay --a man whose whole career is basically an audio-visual cathedral to his masculine insecurity-- couldn’t stand that, and made him a generic “muscle-car”(*requisite gigantic, space-visible wanking motion*) instead. I get that they had to include some nods to this being a “prequel” rather than a reboot, but I’d have preferred this not be one of them.
But Anyway: Hailee Stanfeld was Great, Pamela Adlon was Great, Lendeborg and Drucker were Great; I loved how they focused on friendship over romance and Memo was cool with it; it’s just a really Competent, Good, Fun movie you guys.
Aaaaaand I guess I had more to say about it than just “Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts” :p :p If any of this sounds appealing to you and you’ve got the free time&cash, plz go see it, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
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@electromelancholy
"I've also been thinking a lot about EDC and seeing it pack bond with a different type of group is 👀 interesting" I would LOVE to hear your thoughts about this if you ever feel like it
Thank you! It's more of a collection of :thonk: than a proper essay but let me try to put something in writing...
for one: it's all well and good to hope these two bastards quit, but what does "quitting" look like when being a cop is effectively 1/24 of their personality, when it's right there on the character sheet? Do they keep going with a hole where that skill used to be?
Relatedly: someone on reddit caught that Pryce counts Harry as part of his little spec op by saying "Of course" if you have EDC4+ at that point, but only says "Yes" if you have 2-3. If your skill is less than that, you don't perceive the scene so we don't know what he thinks of Harry's commitment in that case. This made me also frame EDC as the "how enthusiastically cop are you" value (it's also one of the skills that can't get in the negatives during the game).
As an aside: I like to think that Pryce got an accurate read on Harry as he was at that exact moment because he's got a high EDC of his own and got his own flash-sideways. Skills handshake!
Luiga's medium.com piece stated out loud a connection that's pretty obvious in hindsight: Harry's clinging to his identity as a cop is a tragedy and it also parallels his addiction and inability to get over his breakup. Also, cops are inherently assholes and "Bloody Murder Station" is closer to an apt descriptor than to a cutesy nickname. I really appreciated this... confirmation... of ZA/UM's views - the criticism isn't exactly covert in the game, but it seemingly clashed with the chilling Happily Ever After tone of the 'good' ending and with the positive tone of most EDC vignettes. Could that much dissonance be intentional? Apparently, yeah, very much so! This makes me look at EDC in a subjective way, rather than objective, and suddenly it's a lot more interesting.
(The same can be said for Shivers, I think, but that's another post for another day. Bottom line is: we know we can't trust the other 22 circus clowns, I really can't fathom why I ever thought these 2 had to be reliable only because they also exist outside of Harry to some degree...)
And what was EDC before Harry joined the force, anyway? Are we going with Assigned Cop At Birth or is this the cop specialization of a more generic pack skill, fitting for a very social person like Harry? Maybe he had something generic at his old job, or some teachers version. Anything pertaining to the social group(s) he felt part of. So I'm pleased to see that that bit where Harry empathizes with the people who were shot against that wall falls to EDC of all skills - I'd have thought Empathy.
I think the higher Harry's EDC, the more he yearns to belong, the more he remembers the positives of his job - the thick atmosphere of the old silk mill, the sense of community. It's a yearning skill, one that fits the mood of a man who feels back in the game (tentatively, against all odds) and hums "where the hood, where the hood at". Sometimes it hiccups and shows McCoy perving over Jules' daughter or Jean being an asshole but hey, it works with what it's given. And it's a frustrated skill too, because "where the hood at" indeed: the 41st rejects Harry over and over. Kim doesn't, though, so it makes for a convenient outlet for all this bonding and EDC clings to him fast and hard.
And sometimes it's in the awkwardly 'privileged' position of seeing that the job really sucks and rants a bit, but really, what can it do? That job is the very reason for its existence...
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rome (v)
wordcount: 8.2k oops
warnings: smut !! like a lot i'm a tiny bit embarrassed. also angst at the end !!
______
“You didn’t.”
Rafe gave her an apologetic smile as their train pulled out from the station in Florence, outside slowly blurring as the train picked up speed. “I think I might have.”
She let him be completely in charge of the transportation, hotels, everything - which turned out to be a terrible mistake, seeing as he’d never traveled on his own before (and had never planned anything in his life). She’d had to amend most of their plans already , as he just purchased without thinking of any logistics. Instead of buying a train ticket directly to Rome, he’d accidentally bought two tickets. One leg of the ride went an hour and a half to Pisa, then the other leg sent them on a four hour train ride along the western coast of Italy to Rome.
The two had nearly missed their fourth alarm, sleeping through the other three, and had to scramble out of bed with Sophie nearly in tears in order to throw their things into their suitcases and make it to the train on time. Rafe bought tickets in advance, like usual, but Sophie had forgotten to check over them once they printed from the kiosk and they hopped on their train just in time. After shoving their luggage onto the rack and returning to Sophie half-asleep in their seats, he realized his mistake when he re-read their tickets.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes blearily, frowning as she inspected the ticket and confirmed his confession. “How did you even manage that? There’s a direct transport to Rome.”
“I don’t know, the page was all in Italian! I don’t know Italian!” He defended, looking more and more worried by the second.
“Okay, baby, it’s okay. You’re fine.” She sighed. “Not the end of the world.”
“You’re stressed.”
“I’m not stressed.”
“You’re definitely stressed.”
“I’m a little stressed.” She admitted, handing the tickets back to him. “We also got back to the hostel at 3am and nearly missed the train and you got kissed by a random boy last night even though I didn’t listen to you when you said he was flirting and -”
“Hey.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his side, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “And I’m fine, and we’re both on the train, it’ll just take us a little longer to get there. We’re fine. Okay?”
“We’re fine.” She repeated like she was trying to convince herself, nodding. “We’re fine.”
“Exactly. Now I think you need to sleep, angel, at least until we get to Pisa. I can find us some breakfast.”
She lifted her head to squint at him. “Sorry, say that again?”
“You need to sleep?”
“No. The city we’re going to.”
“...Pisa?” He repeated, pronouncing it like “pie-za.”
Sophie shook her head. “Pisa, baby. Try again.”
He scoffed, pronouncing it his way again. “It’s definitely Pisa, Soph.”
“...Okay. You go around telling people you went to Pie-za, that’s fine with me.” She shook her head, settling back into his side. “Can you scratch my back?”
(It only took her a few minutes to fall asleep but she was pretty sure she heard him using Google Translate to see how Pisa was actually supposed to be pronounced when he thought she was sleeping.)
When they finally made it to Pisa, Rafe nudged Sophie awake and pretended not to notice when she swiped a tiny spot of drool away from her cheek. They were both starving and made the thirty minute walk to the Leaning Tower of Pisa just for kicks in their layover - she made him stop to buy her some overpriced crepes from a market stand along the way.
They were both extra tired when they returned to the train, tucking into each other’s side and using Sophie’s jean jacket as a makeshift blanket. He played with her hair idly, watching her as she was about to fall asleep again. “Soph?”
She shifted, trying to stay awake. “Yeah?”
“Are you tired of traveling?” He asked tentatively. “Like, are you ready to go home?”
“I think those are two different things.” She lifted her head a little to check over his expression. “Why?”
“I don’t know, just.” He started, shrugging, but only continued when she nodded to prompt him further. “You seem so much more confident here, you seem happier to me. If living here is something you’d want to do, I’d want you to consider that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, nervous for her reply. “Even if that means we would be apart for a little bit again.”
Sophie sat up completely so she could look him in the eye. “I love traveling, I really do. But I’ve also been homesick for three months - I miss my family, much more than I thought I would, I missed you like hell, and I miss having a routine.” She bit the inside of her cheek so she wouldn’t frown. “I haven’t been home to the Outer Banks since Christmas, and it’s August. That’s ages.”
He nodded and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “I can go home with you, if you’d like? For the week before we have to go back to start school?”
“You’d do that? Even if you have to see your dad?”
“Yeah, of course I would.” He smiled, stroking his thumb over her cheekbone. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“I’m glad you think I seem confident, because I have no idea what I’m doing half the time.” She smiled. “I feel much better with you around, I don’t think you realize how many days I cried when I first made it to Spain.”
He frowned, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “I don’t like hearing that. I hate it when you cry.”
“Sweet boy.” She grinned, lifting her head to nudge her lips against his chin. “I’m okay. You need sleep, you’re going soft on me.”
“Remind me how long my mistake is?”
“Four hours. We both need sleep and I can’t sleep if you’re moving around. We get to Rome around two.” She yawned, tucking her knees to her chest to keep herself warm. “Then you need a shower, you still smell a little bit like the club from last night.”
“Rude.” He leaned back anyways so she could be more comfortable. “G’night, angel.”
“Morning.” She corrected, seconds away from sleep.
He laughed, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Good morning.”
The train ride was fairly uneventful - every half hour or so, one of them would wake the other up for entertainment or to point out the window at a pretty view. At one point Rafe suggested they join the mile-high club - but for trains, aptly named by him as the “rail tail club” - she just glared at him and crossed her arms to go back to sleep.
They took advantage of the WiFi to cancel their hostel stay and actually move to a hotel instead - after what happened in Florence, Sophie decided they didn’t need the experience of making new friends. Rafe had to slyly hide the full bill from her when she asked how much it was. (He felt a little guilty seeing the relief on her face when he said it was cheaper than expected, but he swore he’d never put her through financial stress as long as he lived.)
When they finally arrived and walked the ten blocks to the hotel - with suitcases in tow, dodging other tourists and locals in the street - Rafe stripped off his clothes the second they walked into their hotel room. Sophie paused, watching him with amusement as the door clicked shut behind them. “What on earth are you doing?”
“I feel so gross.” He confessed, peeling off his socks and shoving off his shorts. “Why didn’t you make me shower last night?”
“You were drunk, baby, I had to haul you to the metro station.” She followed him into the bathroom and he turned in the shower, shutting the door so steam would fill the room. He raised his eyebrows. “You coming in or are you just gonna watch?”
“I’m too tired for sex.” She told him, hopping up to sit on the counter. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “Okay. So let’s just shower.”
“Just shower? You gonna stick to that?” She let him tease the hem of her shirt up, slowly.
“Just shower. Please? I’ll wash your hair.” He encouraged, pressing a kiss to her forehead before turning to get in the shower.
“Hm.”
“I’ll wash your tits.”
He grinned when she gasped and reached out to swat his butt, making him jump before he stepped into the shower. “Or not! Whatever you’d like!”
She rolled her eyes and stripped down, joining him a few moments later. “You have a dirty mouth. I can’t let you keep getting away with that.”
He smirked, stepping close. “What are you gonna do about it? Punish me?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She challenged, backing him against the shower wall. He tried his best to hold back a laugh at how cute she looked, trying to seem all intimidating. “Yeah. You know I would.”
She leaned up for a kiss and he leaned down, eyes closing - until she suddenly pinched his nipple, twisting it. “Ow! Sophie!”
She cracked up laughing, getting under the shower spray and handed him the shampoo. “Wash my hair. I’m hungry, let’s go find food.”
“So demanding.” He complained, accepting the shampoo. “Turn around.”
“I said we’re not having sex -”
“I said turn around, not bend over.” He swapped places with her in the shower and started shampooing her hair carefully, adding the perfect amount of pressure and making sure he didn’t tangle her hair. She moaned quietly and he paused abruptly. “Sophie. Do not.”
“Rafe, keep going.” She whined, pressing her head back into his hand.
He grumbled, continuing his shampooing. “Quit making noises.”
“I can’t help it, it feels so good - hey!” She squeaked, whipping around to glare at him when he tugged on her hair at her scalp. “What the fuck!”
“You’re saying everything you say during sex!”
“Are you just constantly horny?” She scowled at him and shoved at his chest.
“Yes, you aren’t?” He argued, stepping aside so she could rinse her hair. She got under the shower spray to rinse and kept glaring at him until she squeezed some shampoo into her palm. “No. Come here.”
He ducked down a little so she could reach, humming contentedly as she ran her fingers through his strands. “Baby.”
“What.” She kept up her faux-anger, but wasn’t really too annoyed with him - he knew it, too.
“I love you.”
She softened, pressing a kiss to his shoulder as she continued to massage his head. “Love you too. Even if you are horny as hell.”
He laughed and accepted her little nudge under the shower so he could rinse her hair. “The showerhead is detachable…”
She looked him over, debating, but her stomach rumbled in protest. “I’m starving. Can’t you get yourself off? You did that just fine without me for three months, I’m sure.”
He laughed, leaning down to kiss her shortly. “I did, but it is criminal that we never had FaceTime sex.”
She raised her eyebrows. “My apartment walls were way too thin, and you definitely would have been caught at Colin’s house.” She reached down to run the tip of her finger under the length of his cock, grinning when it twitched. “Enjoy. I’m gonna get ready.”
“Sophie, baby -” He protested, reaching for her, but she just blew him a kiss and got out of the shower. She’d learned that quickies didn’t exist with Rafe, and if she started something in the shower it would be taken out to the bed, then probably go back to the shower afterward.
(She did her makeup in the bathroom just so she could hear his little groans - ones that he definitely played up for her.)
After going to dinner, and getting lost on their way back, they were both thoroughly exhausted for all their walking and their travels. When they crawled into bed after their showers, Sophie snuggled into his side, resting her head on his chest. “Hey, Rafe.”
“Mm?” He hummed, half-asleep already.
“Do you have any special requests for your birthday tomorrow?”
He smirked, sleepy. “Yeah, you wanna wake me up with sex?”
“Like, actually?”
He raised his eyebrows. “You’d do that?”
She shrugged. “If you want.”
He laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I mean, yeah, I wouldn’t complain. But just spending the day with you is more than enough.”
“Alright. What time were you born?”
“Uh…” He furrowed his brow. “7:12 am, I think. My mom used to wake me up for my birthday at that time on the dot, every year.”
“Aw. That’s sweet.” She typed something into her phone, then nodded. “Oh, you’re a Virgo rising. That makes so much sense.”
He frowned, sitting up a little. “I’m not a virgin, we had sex two days ago.”
Sophie giggled, not bothering to explain - she’d attempted to before when she was first getting into astrology, and he had just told her he didn’t believe in witches. “Has it been that long?”
“If that’s long to you, baby, I can’t even imagine how difficult three months was.” He quipped, closing his eyes and lying back down.
She rolled her eyes. “Good night. Love you.”
“Love you too.” He murmured, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close.
The next morning, Sophie woke up and managed to slip out from Rafe’s side, ignoring his grumble and half-hearted, still-asleep attempt to keep her at his side. She went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth then changed into some new lingerie, feeling a little ridiculous, but hoped it’d be worth it. When she returned to the bed, she crawled on top of him, rocking her hips gently against his hard on. “Baby.” She whispered, trailing a finger down his chest.
He stirred only for a moment but pressed his hips up against hers. “Fuck, Sophie, more,” he said and she nearly laughed at his dream mumblings. She ducked down under the covers and kissed along his length, rubbing him gently over his boxers. He woke up just as she was pulling his boxers down, thoroughly confused. “Soph?”
“Good morning. Happy birthday.” She told him with a grin before taking him into her mouth, pushing on his thighs a little when he jerked in surprise.
“Am I still dreaming?” He muttered, pushing back the covers so he could see her head. She licked directly up the underside of his cock, tracing a vein with her tongue. “Nope. Not dreaming.”
“Holy shit.” He breathed out, watching her with wide eyes. “I don’t think I’m gonna last.”
“That’s okay, we can fuck again.” She grinned up at him before taking as much of him as she could into her mouth again, moaning around him. His eyes rolled back in his head and he gathered up her hair carefully. “Fuckin - fuck, angel, faster, please.”
She obeyed, moving her mouth and hand just a little faster. It wasn’t long until he was spilling into her and she swallowed, then kissed back up his body. “Hey.”
“Hey -” He breathed out, jaw hanging open, then stopped. “Wait, what are you wearing?” He took her in with a grin and grabbed his glasses off the nightstand table to get a better view of her, wanting to see her in her full glory. “Is that new?”
She laughed, tugging at her bra strap self-consciously. “Yeah. Thought I could save it as a special birthday surprise for you.”
“Holy fuck, Sophie.” He scrambled for his phone. “I need, like, a picture to remember this or something -”
She was turning red from all his compliments and covered her hand with her face as she whined. “Rafeeee.”
He tugged one hand away, grinning at her. “Please? Just one? Or more than one?”
“Um...okay. Fine. Where do you want me?”
His jaw dropped and he gaped at her, incredulous. “You’re serious? You’ll let me? For real, that’s actually okay with you?”
She bit her lip, smiling. “Yes. As long as you keep it in a locked folder on your phone.”
“Oh my god. I’m in heaven. Is this my birthday present, the lingerie? Or the pictures?” He leaned up to kiss her, needy, and groaned as she rocked against his hips to lean forward.
She pushed him back a little, rolling her eyes. “No, you have a real present.” She stuck her chest out, adjusting the bra so her breasts were nearly spilling out of it, and fluffed up her hair a little. “Snap away, Cameron.”
He paused, waiting for another nod from her, then started taking photos, his eyes blown wide. He reached up and ran his thumb over her lips - she bit down on it gently, smirking at his expression. Rafe groaned just as he looked at her adoringly. “You’re incredible. Beautiful. I need to tell you that more.”
“Shut up.” She blushed more, letting her hair fall in front of her face.
He drank the sight of her in, lingerie and all, then set his phone aside. Abruptly, he grabbed at her thighs to pull her up and she squeaked, caught off guard and fell forward onto him. “Rafe!”
“Come here. Sit on my face.” He commanded, dropping his head back to the pillow.
She pushed herself up to straddle his hips again, wearing an incredulous expression. “You’re insane. I’m not doing that.”
He laughed darkly and curled a possessive hand around her thigh, digging his fingers into her leg just enough. “Yes, you are. Come up here. I need you.”
She could feel her cheeks getting hot from his demanding tone, the way he was taking control. “Rafe, it’s your birthday. Let me just take care of you.”
“You did take care of me, now it’s my turn.” He moved his hand up her leg to rub across her clothed clit, grinning when she gasped and twitched at his touch. “Like you said, it’s my birthday, and what I want you to do is sit on my face. C’mon, baby. I know you’re just dripping for it, absolutely filthy -”
For a moment she nearly considered climbing up on his face right then and there just to get him to shut up, but got too shy and felt her face burning with embarrassment. “You can’t just say things like that.”
“No? You don’t like it?” He continued rubbing slow circles across her clit and grinned when she shifted onto his thigh and moaned. “Hm, that’s what I thought.”
“Rafe.” She protested weakly, her resolve thinning quickly as he flexed his thigh and pushed against her.
“You know what I want my present to be?” He asked.
She started grinding slow against his thigh, trying her best to keep her gaze locked on him. “Hm?”
“I want to make you come. Three times. I know I can, too.”
“I already got you a present.” She mumbled weakly, rocking against him a little faster as her brain began to cloud over. When he shifted a little and flexed his thigh again, she gasped, leaning forward a tiny bit.
He reached up and pushed one cup of her bra down, gripping her breast roughly and pinching her nipple. She bit her lip hard to keep quiet and he shook his head right away. “I want to hear you.”
“Someone’s going to hear.” She protested, whining quietly.
“Let them. I want everyone to know how good I can make you feel.” He shot back.
“We’re gonna get kicked out for a noise complaint.” She argued, rocking her hips a little faster.
“Good. I’ll know I’m doing my job right.”
“Trust me, that’s not an issue,” she muttered darkly, circling her hips on his leg. When she came, whining, she practically collapsed onto him, so sensitive she had to move so his leg wasn’t between hers anymore.
He didn’t care and flipped them over quickly, shoving the sheets down the bed and dragged her panties down and off her legs. “So fucking pretty. Look at you, all wet, you’re so desperate for me, aren’t you?”
“You are on something today, where’s all this coming from?” She shook her head, even though his dirty words had her turned on more than she ever thought they would.
He grinned and kissed up her inner thigh, spreading her legs apart. “You love it.”
“Hm. Do I?”
Rafe moved up to kiss her lips, then down her jaw, then to nip at her throat, although she certainly didn’t need the foreplay. He pulled teasingly on the ends of her hair, a little harder than usual, and stopped abruptly to look up at her when she moaned. “Oh, I forgot, you like it a little rougher, yeah?” He asked in a taunting tone.
She rolled her eyes as she blushed, thoroughly embarrassed by his teasing. “I mean. I wouldn’t mind.”
He paused, thinking. “Do you have anything specific you want to try?”
Sophie didn’t hesitate in responding, knowing she’d chicken out if she didn’t just say it. “Did you pack a tie?”
“...a tie? What for?” He shuffled out of bed, confused, but rifled through his suitcase until he found a nice silk tie, all wrinkled from being forgotten in a spare pocket. He tossed it at her but she held it out. “I can’t tie it myself.”
“Where’s it going?”
She bit her lip as she raised both hands above her head, her wrists pressed together. “Here? But not to the bed, I think that’d be too much.”
He gaped at her for the third time that morning. “You’re sure? You want that?”
“Yeah, is that okay?”
“Yes! Yes. Just unexpected, okay. Okay. We need, like, a safe word or something right, this is some fifty shades shit - is this gonna hurt you? Or fuck, do you want it to hurt?“
She held back a laugh, finding his rambling endearing. “It’s a silk J.Crew tie, baby, not rope. It’s okay. I’ll tell you to stop if I need it.”
“Right. Right. Have you done this before? You seem a little too chill about it.” He put the tie around her wrists hesitantly in a loose knot, making sure she was comfortable before he settled himself back between her legs.
Sophie gave him a little smile, blushing. “No, I just. Thought I might like it and I trust you.”
“Okay, so let me get this straight - you won’t sit on my face but you’ll let me tie you up?”
“It’s different.” She tried closing her legs but he pushed them back open and nipped at her thigh. “Hey. Behave.”
“Yeah? What if I don’t?” She challenged him with a grin, and he just shook his head and teased a finger across her entrance. “Trouble.”
“Rafe.”
“Yeah?” He moved impossibly slow, rubbing two gentle fingers over her clit - she squirmed under him, letting out a little whine. “No teasing.”
“Hm, I think I’m going to tease all I want, with you all tied up. Can’t take control like that.”
She groaned, blinking at him. “I’m already wet, I don’t need to be edged.”
He grinned up at her. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
“S’hardly dirty.” She countered, gasping when he caught her off guard with a wide lick up her entrance. “Fuck - I -” She started helplessly as she went to grab his hair, but just had to squirm instead with her hands above her head.
“Do we have plans today?” He questioned, breathing hot air on her clit as he slipped two fingers inside her and curled them toward herself.
“Not til later - oh, there, please -”
Rafe repeated his motions and flicked his tongue across her clit. “What are we doing?”
“Can we not discuss this now?” She argued breathlessly.
“Why, can’t concentrate?” He glanced up, amused. When she went to answer, he just sucked on her clit, making her gasp. “Answer the question, angel.”
“Rafe - fuckin’ - please -” She bit out, unable to think straight. “I’m so close, baby, more -”
He swore there was nothing he loved more than when she’d call him pet names, and the whine certainly added to it. Instead of teasing more, he curled his fingers again and flicked his tongue across her clit, working her through her second orgasm. She’d abandoned all pretense of keeping quiet and gasped out for him, arching her back as she came. When he withdrew his fingers and crawled back up the bed to press them against her lips, she took them easily.
“You are way too fucking good at that.” She breathed out, trying to grab for him again, but cursed when she remembered she was still tied up.
He reached up and untied her with a grin. “You okay? Did it feel alright?”
“Yeah, of course. Though I’m not sure I like not being able to touch you.” She smiled as he pressed gentle kisses to the inside of her wrists.
“Dunno, I think I like when you’re not ripping my hair out when you come.” He grinned, nudging his nose against hers.
She rolled her eyes. “You love that.” She took on a mocking tone, making her voice deeper to imitate him. “Pull my hair, baby - oh, fuck, yes -”
“Hey! I don’t sound like that.” He laughed. “Your sex noises are more embarrassing, anyways, all whiny.”
“They are not embarrassing -”
“You want to record them and see?” He raised his eyebrows, challenging her.
She blushed, shaking her head. “No. Absolutely not. You missed your chance for that the second you came here to see me.”
“Shame. Kind of unfair though, because you definitely got a voice memo or two.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure you sent one to me every time you jacked off, that was much more than just one or two. Took my invitation and ran with it.”
He laughed, then reached around and unclipped her bra, pulling it off and tossing it aside, then rested his head next to hers on the pillow. “I love you. So fucking much.”
“Happy birthday.” She smiled. “Love you too, sweet boy.”
He grinned, kissing her sweetly, then stroked his thumb over her cheekbone. “We’re not done yet. I promised you three times.”
She laughed. “Alright, just give me a second to catch my breath.”
Rafe raised his eyebrows with a smirk. “I’m that good, huh?”
She shoved at his shoulder, shaking her head. “You are too damn cocky for your own good. Oh! Here, let me get your present.” She hopped out of bed and pulled out a gift bag from her suitcase, all smushed down and wrinkled, and handed it to him. “Sorry it’s a mess, I had to pack it before you came.”
He sat up with an eager grin, pulling the covers over his lap. “S’okay, I’m sure it’s great.”
She pulled her underwear back on and pulled on a big shirt of his before crawling back into bed, watching him with a smile.
He unwrapped the gift and pulled out a leather jacket, whistling. “Wow! This is awesome, Sophie.”
She beamed, practically bouncing with excitement. “It’s custom fit to your measurements - I had Colin measure that jacket you always wear to be sure - and it’s ethically made. Well, as ethical as you can get with leather, but it’s handmade by this family in Barcelona, so there’s practically no carbon footprint. It’s neutral, at least. No sweatshops or anything.”
He wasn’t quite sure what all of that meant, but grinned at her enthusiasm. “It’s perfect, baby, thank you.”
“Happy birthday.”
Rafe held it up, looking at all the details, then he caught a glimpse of the tag and frowned. It was $300 - he wasn’t sure he wanted to know how many hours of work that was for her paycheck. “Sophie.”
“Just pretend you didn’t see!” She tucked it back in the jacket quickly, wincing.
“I swear this is a double standard...” He started, but decided not to finish his argument - the last thing he wanted to do with her on his birthday was fight about money.
“Don’t care. Let me treat you.” She beamed as he ran his fingers over the leather.
“You never let me treat you.”
Sophie raised her eyebrows and held up her hand with the ring as if to make her point, raising her eyebrows. “Never?”
“That was different, that’s a gift.” He pointed out.
“Yeah, so’s this. C’mon, put it on.”
“What? I’m all sweaty.”
“Just for a little bit.” She pleaded, pushing it toward him. “Please? I want a picture.”
“Oh, so you get nudes too? I thought that was a special birthday present.” He raised his eyebrows, challenging her, and she giggled. “The jacket is the present. Rafe, please?”
He made a show out of huffing and rolling his eyes but held out his hand, sitting up. She grinned and handed it to him, grabbing her phone when he shrugged it on. “Okay, lay back?”
“You’re directing me? Okay.” He laid back in bed, completely naked except for the jacket, his hand tucked behind his head. She beamed and climbed up on the bed to stand over him, just wearing his big t-shirt and her underwear, and arranged the sheets so they were just covering his dick, his chest on full display and his hip and thigh peeking out suggestively.
“Okay. Don’t smile.” She held her phone up high to get the right angle, laughing when he smirked up at her. “You’re so fucking hot.”
“Yeah? Do I get a picture of you in it too?”
“Nope.” She hopped off the bed and held her hand out expectantly for him to take the jacket off. He sat up and grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it. “Sophie. Shirt off.”
“No.”
He just raised his eyebrows and she gave in with a sigh, tugging it over her head. He nodded, satisfied, and helped her shrug the jacket on. “You’re easy when you’re cock drunk.”
She gasped, shoving at his shoulder. “I do not get cock drunk -”
“You absolutely do!” He laughed, swiping his phone from the bedside table. “C’mon. Pose for me.”
She pretended to blow him a kiss, striking a bunch of poses. He grinned, holding up his phone and taking way too many shots. “There we go, angel. I’m gonna send these in to Victoria’s Secret for you.”
She rolled her eyes and flipped him off for the camera, holding the jacket closed. “Shut up.”
“No. C’mere, pick out which ones I can keep.” He reached over and tugged on her arm and she shrugged off the jacket, carefully setting it on the chair before climbing back into bed, purposely dragging herself across him. He groaned. “Baby.”
“Yes.”
“Can’t do that. I’m almost hard again.”
“Okay. You can fuck me again.” She smirked up at him and he took a deep breath, then handed his phone over. “Choose your photos.”
She flicked through them and deleted a few, then grinned at the one of her flipping him off. Sophie cropped it in a little so it was much less suggestive, her chest mainly covered, and cut it off where the jacket ended, then set it as his lock screen. “There. Now you’ll always remember this whenever you look at your phone.”
“Trust me, sweetheart, there was no chance of me forgetting.” He smirked, glancing at the screen then gave her a sincere smile. “C’mon. We need to shower.”
“No.” She threw her leg over his hips, catching him with her ankle tucked around his thigh and leaned in to kiss him, hard. He groaned against her lips, pulling her closer on top of him. “Sophie.”
“Rafe.” She mumbled, nipping at his lower lip. He nudged his nose against her cheek. “Baby.”
“Just kissing, c’mon.” She argued, even though she rolled her hips against him, felt him stiffening against her, and knew exactly what she was doing.
“It’s never just kissing with you.”
“It was the very first time.” She grinned.
“When you kissed me drunk at the party and then rejected me?” He raised his eyebrows, clutching at his chest in mock pain. “Broke my heart, Flint.”
“And look, now you have me nearly naked in bed in Rome. I think you’re doing just fine, Cameron.” She quipped and he laughed. “Damn straight.” He gripped her hips when she moved to get off him, holding her in place. “Where are you going?”
“Want you on top.” She protested, grinding down against him. His breath caught in his throat and he flipped her over with ease, hooking his fingers in her underwear and dragged them off her legs, pushing one knee to her chest as he did. He reached to grab a condom off of the nightstand and rolled it down himself with a little groan, watching Sophie bite her lip. “Tell me how I got so lucky?”
“You’re such a romantic.” She teased, reaching out for him again. He leaned down and carefully slid into her, squeezing his eyes shut when she moaned at the feeling. “Can’t help it with you.”
“Cheesy.” She accused, gasping when he thrust a little harder.
“Mean.” He quipped, leaning down to kiss her, hard, and she responded eagerly. As much as he tried to hold back, they only lasted a few minutes before they were both coming again, Sophie biting down on his shoulder to keep quiet.
Rafe flicked her chest with a grin as he pulled out of her, shaking his head. “Did you just bite me?”
“We have two more days, we really can’t get kicked out for a noise complaint.” She giggled, smiling up at him with flushed cheeks.
___
The rest of the day was heaven for Rafe - Sophie was touchier than ever, even in public, and absolutely doted on him like it was her job. They wandered around a few tourist sites and by two pm, they’d already split three gelatos upon Rafe’s insistence they had to try ‘just one more flavor.’ He FaceTimed with Colin and James earlier in the day and was grinning ear to ear afterward, claiming multiple times that it was the best birthday he’d ever had.
Around six, after Sophie reluctantly agreed to their fourth gelato of the day, she waited outside in the sun as he went and got their cup to split. When Rafe returned from the shop with gelato for both of them, she covered her phone with her hand. “Thank you. I have someone on the phone for you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Julia and Allie already texted me earlier today.”
She just smiled and handed him her phone - her dad waved at him with a grin on FaceTime. “Rafe, buddy, happy birthday!”
Rafe’s grin was so instantaneous it nearly hurt. “Jeff! Hi, thank you! That’s so nice of you to call!”
“Of course, had to check in on you. How’s your day, been good so far?”
Rafe blushed and shot her a panicked look as Sophie shot him a glare off-camera. “Yes sir, it’s been great. Sophie and I have been exploring the city and stuff, getting to know the history.”
“That’s great, I’m glad. Have any big plans tonight?”
Sophie scooted over so she was on screen. “We do, but he doesn’t know about them yet.”
“Ahh, a surprise. What else have you done, the Colosseum? Vatican City? Your mom would enjoy that.” Jeff grinned as Sophie rolled her eyes. “Dad, I’m not taking him to the Catholic Church on his birthday -”
“I know, Sophie, I was kidding.” He shook his head and Rafe held back a smile. “You have two weeks before school starts, right Soph?”
“Yeah, just need to do a few TA things and get my studio set up. Why?”
“I was thinking, we’d love to have you home for a weekend if you have time before classes start. Rafe, you’re welcome to come over as well.”
Rafe brightened as Sophie nudged her knee against his, smiling. “I’d like that. If Sophie’s not too busy, I mean.”
“No, I think I can figure that out. I miss you guys.” She smiled. “So Rafe gets to stay in my room, right?”
Her dad froze up for a second. “I was thinking the guest room or his own room at his house, actually -”
Rafe’s eyes went wide and he pinched Sophie’s thigh, shaking his head quickly. “I can stay at my house! That’s perfectly fine. She’s kidding. We’re in separate dorms on this trip, so it shouldn’t be any different -”
“Oh my god, no, you’ll stay in the guest room.” Sophie rolled her eyes. “Okay, dad, we have to go.”
“Right.” Her dad eyed them skeptically, then smiled. “Well, happy birthday, Rafe, hope it’s a good one. I’m excited to see you both soon.”
“I appreciate it, sir, that means a lot. Thank you.” Rafe beamed, but he could feel his neck getting hot, hoping her dad wouldn’t pick up on his terrible lying.
“Alright. Be safe, you two.” Her dad hung up and Sophie’s cheeks burned a little, feeling he was implying a double meaning. She swatted his chest. “Can’t you control your blush for two seconds?”
“No ma’am.” He replied with a grin. “That was so nice of your dad. Did you ask him to do that?”
“No, he just texted me and asked when he could call. He likes you. Even if you’re a shitty liar.” She gave him a pointed look and he just laughed.
“He’s cool.” Rafe nodded, satisfied. “Man, that was so nice. I can’t believe he thought of me.”
She paused, eating a spoonful of her gelato. “Has your dad said anything today?”
“No, he won’t unless Rose reminded him. But that’s unlikely.” He shrugged. “Sarah and Wheezie texted me, that was nice.”
“Your dad’s not going to call on your birthday?” She frowned.
Rafe shook his head. “No. I’m usually up at school by now anyways, so he forgets. He remembered senior year of high school, but that was because I had a party at my house and asked him if we could string up lights by the pool.”
“Oh. I don’t remember that party.”
He gave her a sheepish smile. “Yeah, uh, I didn’t invite you and your friends on purpose. Was trying to keep it lowkey, y’know.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Wait, was that the one that Cassidy Anderson got so drunk at, she had to get her stomach pumped? And Kyle Green broke his ankle -”
“When he tripped into the pool, yeah, that was the one. Word got around that I was having a party, I’m kinda surprised you didn’t end up there anyways.”
She laughed. “Carter went and texted me not to come, he thought the cops were going to show.”
He wrinkled his nose at the memory. “They did. It was bad, Shoupe told my dad and everything, I was in trouble for a month after that.”
Sophie raised her eyebrows, skeptical. “I’m sure you being in trouble meant nothing.”
“No, he canceled my golf lessons. That was actually a big deal, he knew I liked them.” He frowned a little.
She bit her lip as she suddenly remembered - her dad came home and told her mom that the big tips from the Camerons were going away, that they’d have to cancel their flights to go visit her in Sophie's first semester of college because they needed the refund as a safety net. It was a big deal that they had even promised to come at all, usually her dad had to work weekends to fit in more lessons and he’d asked off just to come see her.
When Ward canceled the lessons, a few of Rafe’s buddies followed suit and canceled as well - she and Carter went around to every course in the area that week to put up flyers to get their dad more customers. She felt a momentary pang of guilt putting two and two together and shook her head, trying to redirect the conversation. “Right. Um, so you want to head back to the hotel, get ready for dinner? I made a reservation for us at 7.”
“Yeah. You alright?”
She gave him a slightly forced smile. “I’m alright. Let’s go, birthday boy.”
He narrowed his eyes a little, but didn’t push it.
Dinner that night was on the rooftop of a hotel overlooking Rome, and they both dressed nicer than they had the whole trip, with her in a cream colored silk slip dress to complement her tan and him in a pair of nice slacks and a sleek short-sleeved button down. When their waiter came out to greet them with a drink menu, he glanced at Sophie’s attire and her ring and raised his eyebrows. “You are the honeymooners, yes?”
She blushed, shaking her head. “No, sir, the birthday. Under Sophie Flint.”
“Oh! The white dress, I was confused.” Their waiter gave them an apologetic smile. “Here is your drink menu, I will be back.” He returned later with two glasses of complimentary champagne, as well as the bottle of wine they ordered, and apologized again.
When he left, Rafe lifted his glass with a cheeky grin. “To my blushing bride.”
She scowled and stopped just short of kicking him under the table. “Shut the fuck up. Happy birthday.” She clinked her glass against his, shaking her head as he cracked up, thinking it was hilarious. “You’re not allowed to buy me any more rings, this just causes trouble.”
“Good trouble.” He protested and took off his signet ring with his initials, sliding it onto her thumb. “C’mon, you hardly wear any other jewelry daily. I like buying you things.”
“I know you do.” She rolled her eyes and pushed the menu to him. “Here. It’s our last night so go crazy.”
He paused, scanning over the menu. “Are we splitting this?”
“No, it’s your birthday dinner. My treat.” She frowned when he flipped the menu to just the entrees without any meat or fish. “No worrying about money.”
“I’m not. The carbonara at the other table looked good.” He replied, wishing he’d looked at how much the wine was that she ordered and made a mental note to pay for all their meals in the airport.
“You don’t like carbonara.”
“Maybe I do here.”
“Rafe.” She reached over and flicked the menu back to the more expensive options. “Do not hold back. I’m serious. I got this reservation back in June and I have more money left in my budget for this trip than I thought I would by now. Let me do this for you.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. And if you really want the carbonara, I’m getting it, so you can have some.”
He laughed as she reached over and refilled his wine glass. “Trying to get me drunk so I’ll give in?”
“Yeah, will it work?” She grinned.
He just shook his head and took a sip with a smile. “You’re spoiling me today.”
“Yeah, you deserve it.”
They were both giggly and drunk by the time they made it back to their hotel, after missing their metro stop twice. When they finally showered and collapsed into bed - to actually sleep, that time - Rafe hugged her close and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “I love you, Sophie. Thank you. So much.”
“Love you too, baby.” She murmured. “My favorite.”
When Rafe’s watch buzzed at 1am the next morning, he stirred a little, going to turn it off, but paused when he saw he had a call from his dad. He carefully untangled himself from Sophie’s koala grip and slipped out of bed, tugging on some joggers and a shirt before heading out to the hotel lobby to answer the call. “Dad? Is something wrong?”
“Can’t I wish my son a happy birthday?” Ward asked.
Rafe relaxed a little bit, settling back against a couch. “Yeah, um, it’s just early. I figured something was wrong with Wheezie or Sarah.”
“Ohio’s got the same time as the Outer Banks, kid.”
“I’m on that trip with Sophie, remember, I told you about it in June? We’re in Rome. I’m going home soon.”
Ward’s tone turned slightly sour as he was reminded. “Right. Forgot. You went all the way across the world for this girl?”
Rafe dug his fingernails into his palm, keeping his tone even. “For my girlfriend, yes. I love her.”
Ward sighed. “I’m sure you think you do, Rafe.”
“I know I do.”
His dad paused before speaking again. “I just don’t understand. You had a perfectly good thing going with Brooklyn, she has a great family. She’s used to our lifestyle.”
Rafe was exasperated, as well as exhausted, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She cheated on me, Dad. Do we have to talk about this now?”
“Must have done something to fuck it up.” Ward shot back, taking on a defensive tone.
Sophie had realized she was alone in bed by then and crept out of their room, following the muffled sound of his voice to find him in the lobby. She crossed her arms, frowning, and mouthed ‘come back to sleep.’
Rafe motioned her away and gave her a fake smile, shaking his head. She frowned, not convinced, and came up behind him on the couch, slipping her arms around his shoulders and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.
“I didn’t do anything.” Rafe replied curtly, standing to follow her back to the room. He lowered the volume on his phone so Sophie couldn’t hear a single word.
“Right.” Ward was unconvinced. “I’m sure this girl is just with you to get money out of you, don’t let yourself be fooled. I didn’t work this hard for our family just to let you think you’re in love with someone that can’t provide.”
Rafe was too tired to argue and kept his face impassive, wanting to end the conversation sooner than later with Sophie there. “That’s not it.” She took his hand and led him back to their room, staying quiet but watching his expression carefully.
“I’m just looking out for you.” Ward insisted. “You didn’t - you didn’t knock her up. Did you?” He questioned and Rafe wrinkled his nose a tiny bit at his accusatory tone. “No, Dad, of course not.”
Sophie raised her eyebrows, surprised that Ward had called, and let them both back into the room. Rafe gave her a quick smile and shut himself in the bathroom, not wanting her to hear any more.
“Oh. Well. Just, be careful.”
“I am. Uh, thanks for calling, I guess.”
“Right. Happy birthday. 21, right?”
Rafe’s face twisted and he was surprised to feel a few tears running down his cheeks as he leaned back against the wall, head hung low. “Close. 22.”
Ward made a small ‘huh’ noise. “22, I knew that. Night, son.”
When Rafe hung up, he let out a choked laugh, pressing the heels of his hands hard against his eyes. Even if it was the first time in a while his dad had called on his birthday, he still couldn’t even remember his age.
Carefully, Sophie opened the door, peering in. “Baby? Are you alright?”
He turned to her with tears in his eyes, trying his best to force a smile, but she realized right away and pulled him into a hug, holding him tight. “Come back to bed, Rafe.”
He followed her out and crawled back into bed with her, burying his face against her chest as she combed through his hair. “I deserve better.” He mumbled brokenly.
She frowned. “Of course you do, baby. I’m sorry. What’d he say?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He muttered, and he was so tired that he let his guard down to cry, shoulders shaking a little as he did. Sophie practically clung to him, letting him bury his face in her neck as she stroked her back. “It’s okay, I’ve got you. You’re alright.” She whispered.
He nodded a little, nudging his leg over her waist to draw her closer. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Rafe, so goddamn much.”
“What time’s our flight tomorrow?” He mumbled against her skin.
“Not til six, we can sleep in if you want.” She pulled back just a little to kiss him, peppering kisses over his cheeks. “I love you. No matter what anyone says.”
He frowned and her heart broke just looking at how defeated he seemed. “You didn’t hear, did you?”
“No. It’s okay. You gotta sleep, baby.” Sophie pulled the blankets back over them, nudging him up so his head was properly set on the pillow, even though she knew he’d have his head on her chest by the time she woke up.
“Soph?” He whispered after a few seconds, sounding close to sleep again.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
She squeezed his hand gently. “Of course. I’m here for you, no matter what.”
taglist: @whoeveniskendall @kkmaybank @karsinner @outerbanksbro @outerbankspreferences @randomficsandshit @jailcalledlife @tovvaa @moniamaybank @illbesafeforyou @dontjinx-it @freddymaybank @jjmaybankzz @g4bster @oopsiedoopsie23 @babygal-babygal @thecuthoney @babeyglo
#rafe cameron#rafe cameron fanfic#rafe cameron fanfiction#obx fanfic#college rafe#rafe x sophie#mine#frat rafe#outer banks fanfic#obx#outer banks
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"clown training has been pretty eye open amazing; ive got a lot of freinds who have done the physical theater school thing, and they all went on about how clown training is the most intense theater traning there is. its not about bending balloons. its not about polka dots. the true clown, the classic clown, is serious business: man at his most exposed, vulnerable, innocent. all the world against him and yet he perserveres in spite of/through his foolishness. an open heart, the holy fool. the holy fool again! the unnumbered card, outside the deck.
honestly a lot of the training seems real similar to buddhist meditation training to me. theres a lot of stop the mind, stop doing things, stop performing and just BE. mind wants to tick tick tick and when you let it youre not so beautiful up there!
you can really see it, you can. you can see when someone is not seeing. when they are thinking too much...
the mind running is not so beautiful as the heart beating is.
za told me once about some college basketball coach of hers who viewed coaching as a meditative art, because he was mindless while doing it. lost in the moment. i can dig that...i can dig that my best piano playing happens when i turn it all off too. i dont know where my clown is headed...i feel like ive got my mind off and i can be real honest and true, but whats going to happen when i have to start doing things? its one thing to look someone clean in the eye and see them and be seen, but its another to do that while palming an egg. and another to do it while singing...what a non self conscious thing singing so often is!"
Dave Malloy, Pointless, 30 January 2007
#wonder how he'd feel about me digging through his old blog#not that anything could stop me#dave malloy#don't stop me musical#malloysicals#clown bible#clown bible dave malloy#pointless dave malloy
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Final Cut News!
All right, so, by now most people are probably aware that we got a glut of new information about Disco Elysium: The Final Cut yesterday. However, so much content from so many sources can be a bit overwhelming, so I’m making a roundup of links to all the new articles, art, music, and videos I can find, highlighting the details that I personally find interesting.
(under a read more because this will be quite a long post!)
To start with, new official art of Harry and Kim has been released! This art was created by Anton Vill, who did the art for the in-game Thought Cabinet.
ZA/UM's Head of Publishing, Mikk Metsniit, also posted art of Martinaise in the official Disco Elysium Discord. This art has been shared in lower quality before as part of a promotional image for the collector’s edition of Disco Elysium, which will include it as an “illustrated fabric map”. The file Metsniit posted is named “Martinaise Revitalization ‘48.″ In-universe, a design studio previously made an attempt to restore Martinaise to its pre-war state, but ultimately failed. This piece appears to show the planned development of Martinaise--except it’s being swallowed up by the Pale. Fun!
Along with the first piece of art come two new songs by British Sea Power, which will be featured in the final cut:
Advesperascit, named after the city in Vesper-Messina where Dolores Dei was crowned Innocence in-universe. Apparently the name is Latin and roughly translates to “evening comes”
Ignus Nilsen Waltz, named after a prominent communist figure in-universe.
I think these songs will likely be tied to the new political vision quests, which are four new questlines that are each associated with one of the game’s four political ideologies. More information about them, along with other details, can be found in the following articles and videos:
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut Is Like Going From A Black-And-White Movie To Color, article from GameSpot’s Phil Hornshaw. In this article, voice over director Jim Ashilevi talks about adding full voice acting to the game and says that The Final Cut will feature 59 voice actors from countries around the world, chosen to reflect the backgrounds of Revachol’s diverse inhabitants. Lead artist Kaspar Tamsalu speaks about the political vision quests, saying that they will allow the player to meet new characters, learn more about the existing ones, and dive deeper into the politics, secrets, and history of Elysium. Tamsalu also says that The Final Cut will add the ability to fast travel and include Twitch integration, allowing stream viewers to vote on streamers’ decisions and even influence the build of the protagonist.
Biggest Changes In Disco Elysium - The Final Cut, video from GameSpot’s Phil Hornshaw, accompanies the above article. This is a fairly short overview of The Final Cut’s new features as detailed in GameSpot’s article. It includes samples of new voice acting, clips of new animations from the end of the game involving the protagonist and his coworkers (1:47, 2:05), a scene showing a new area added by one of the political vision quests (1:57), and a particularly funny voiced line from Kim (3:22)
‘Disco Elysium: The Final Cut’ comes out March 30. Here’s what’s new. Article from The Washington Post’s Elise Favis. Includes more details about the political vision quests. According to developer Kaspar Tamsalu, these quests may be started after one in-game day, and are mutually exclusive so that only one may be completed in each playthrough. Jim Ashilevi talks more about the challenge of recording all of the game’s dialogue--more than one million words in total--without outsourcing the work to other studios. Ashilevi also says that he sees ZA/UM as an “art collective”, and “compares his team to the Wu-Tang Clan, in that each person has other creative endeavors, both personal and professional, outside of creating video games.”
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut even gives your horrific necktie a voice. Very brief article from PCGamer’s Fraser Brown. Not much new information in this article, but there is one interesting tidbit: apparently the Horrific Necktie’s voice will be provided by Mikee Goodman, who is one of the game’s voice over directors. Goodman also provides the voices of the Ancient Reptilian Brain, the Limbic System, and several other characters.
Disco Elysium is getting even more political, a long article from PC Gamer’s Fraser Brown. Lead writer Helen Hindpere talks more about the political vision quests, which she says ZA/UM was inspired to add based on fans’ enthusiastic reception of the game’s existing political themes. Hindpere says that the new quests can change the game’s map itself, allowing the protagonist to leave his own mark on the district of Martinaise. The quests will also allow for deeper and more serious exploration of the protagonist’s political views, which were often taken to humorous extremes in the original game. Each quest is different, with some being more wordy and some more visual. The Ultraliberal quest will allow the player to “build a personal brand”, while the communist quest “inspires you to begin a movement”. One quest also adds a new urban location to the game, which Hindpere says reminds her of Berlin. The quests don’t just revolve around a single topic, though; according to Hindpere, "You'll be talking about love, sexuality, hope, ambition, and even about certain geological features specific to our worldbuilding. There's an opportunity to get close and intimate with characters who have thus far seemed unapproachable. Let's say that once you share the same ideology many barriers disappear, allowing you see a different side of many important characters." There will also be a significant amount of new dialogue with Kim Kitsuragi related to these quests.
Disco Elysium PS5 Gameplay - 5 Things You Need To Know, fairly long video from PlayStation Access’ Ash Millman. This video provides some basic information about the game’s premise for new players and shows what the game will look like on PlayStation 5, with a user interface redesigned for the console.
The video also includes clips throughout that show some new content, presumably from the political vision quests. Three of these clips seems to be connected: in the first of them, wires are shown that run from the battery of the protagonist’s crashed car to radio equipment set up on and around the statue in the center of Martinaise; in the second, Soona, the radiocomputer programmer from the church questline, can been seen climbing the statue itself to set up some more equipment; and in the third, Soona, Harry, and Kim stand near the modified statue, talking about attempting to contact the flying warship Archer via radio. There are also two other clips: in one, the statue has been splashed with multicolored paints, while in the other the protagonist is seen talking to Idiot Doom Spiral, a local drunk, about hiring him for an unspecified job.
Millman also talks about the three different settings that will be available for the game’s voice over: “Classic Mode” will play the same as the original game, with only a few lines voiced, while “Psychological Mode” will provide voice acting for all characters except the protagonist’s internal monologue and skills. The last option, “Fully Voiced Mode” is, well, exactly what it sounds like. There’s also a brief clip that provides a sample of the Horrific Necktie’s new voice (1:26).
DISCO ELYSIUM - The Final Cut (Cuno Voice Example), YouTube video shared by developer Mikk Metsniit. Video is age-restricted. This video includes new voice samples for Cuno, a few of the skills, and Kim. Due to COVID-19, Cuno’s original voice actor, Dot Major, was unable to return, so Cuno is now voiced by Oli Dabiri. Lenval Brown, the narrator of the English language trailers, acts as the game’s general narrator and voice of all 24 skills. Jullian Champenois remains as Kim.
#disco elysium#harry du bois#harrier du bois#kim kitsuragi#news#oh my god this took me so long to put together#so tired of looking at it lmao
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