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#american dog tick
onenicebugperday · 1 year
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do ticks have eyes?? or, at least, visible eyes?
Not all ticks have eyes, but some do! And you can often see them. Here's a lone star tick's eyes:
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Photo by Thomas Shahan
And an American dog tick:
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Photo by robberfly
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melioraz · 2 years
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bunnies-at-midnight · 2 years
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i’ve hiked through woods without any tick protection and haven’t even seen a tick. but today i saw a female american dog tick in a pizza restaurant
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ain’t she purdy
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rexalogy · 5 months
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old blitzø redesigns. I wanted him to be more middle aged and more immediately interpreted as “trashy boss with some opulence”. I also took a few steps away from the “imp” design base because I think their species designs severely limits interesting ones.
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hollyshunter · 1 year
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golden hour ✨
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ovaryacted · 4 months
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FORGOTTEN DREAMS
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PAIRING: DI!Leon x fem!reader
SYNOPSIS: Coming back from his mission to Alcatraz, Leon wasn't expecting to have old desires from his past haunt him at his current age. Being his partner, you comfort him and try to fulfill his hidden wishes.
CONTENT/WARNINGS: 18+/MDNI. NSFW. Smut. Porn with some plot. Angsty at the beginning. Brief talks of trauma. Established relationship (Leon & Reader are engaged/married). Assumed ages (Leon is 38, Reader is an adult so 25+). Breeding Kink (reciprocated both ways). Mating Press. Creampie. Unprotected sex (p/v). Oral Sex (f receiving). Dirty Talk. Multiple Orgasms. Domesticity. Intimacy. Relationship conversations.
WC: 3.6k
NOTES: Hey, surprise surprise. I don't know where this came from, but I just started thinking about older Leon as a dad, and paired with me ovulating, I came up with this. Wanted to get something out before the end of the year, so I hope you like it. Happy New Year from wherever you are! Comments & reblogs are always appreciated!
✰ ── 《 Navigation ⟡ Main Masterlist ⟡ AO3 》
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Leon always believed he couldn’t have the things he’s always wanted, that he was destined for a life of misery.
Ever since that night in September all those years ago, he’d lost hope of the idea of the American Dream, a fantasy that was destroyed by the horrors of the same country he was forced to serve and protect. He once imagined his life would be different, living in the suburbs in a house with a white picket fence. Perhaps he’d have a pretty spouse, a few kids, maybe even a dog, he was always fond of bloodhounds and golden retrievers.
But of course, that wasn’t his reality.
So he accepted his fate the moment he miraculously made it out alive from Raccoon City, letting go of any control he had to change his life. He didn’t expect to live this long in the first place, foregoing any extensive plans for a future that remained uncertain with every mission he was sent on. No matter what he did, he remained stuck in a never-ending loop of dread, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop to be released from the torment of a life he did not choose to have.
That was, until he met you. He didn’t know how he managed to get so lucky to experience a sense of normalcy in his life, albeit it felt like he was always dreaming, waiting for the moment he’d wake up and see you slip away in his arms.
But you didn’t, you never left.
Leon wakes up every morning with the opportunity to take a glimpse at your sleeping face, taking every feature you had into memory. You granted him the chance to experience domesticity, something that was foreign to him at first, but he got adjusted to it and quickly began to crave it. You were what he wanted, a chance at peace in the hellscape that was his life. And over time, he didn’t have a doubt in his mind when he popped the question and happily slipped a ring on your finger when you told him yes.
Having someone waiting back at home was another added motivation for Leon to make it out alive, to return to you. All he ever wants is to be able to fall asleep in your arms after a long day, to have his head nuzzling into your neck and hear you giggling when his stubble tickled you too much. It was what he needed, and he silently thought that after all this time, as long as he had you he’d be happy.
That was why when he came back after his mission to Alcatraz, his new thoughts began to take him off guard. The same desires he had buried for so long slipped out of the crevices of his mind and began to plague him. The desire for more, for the things he never thought he could have. It was like his biological time clock was quickly turning into a ticking time bomb of anxiety ready to explode if it were suppressed any longer. He already had more than what he bargained for, he was alive, he had a home, and he had you. That should be enough, more than enough.
So why does he want more? Wanting anything else felt wrong and undeserving, so he never vocalized it. But you could tell something was on his mind and had been bothering him since he had returned.
It first started with the longing stares, where you’d often catch Leon looking your way a bit too fondly, as if he were taking you in for the last time before looking away. He was always an affectionate person, at least around you, but he was growing clingy. He was never that far away, usually holding your hand and caressing your fingers, cuddling up with you, and stroking your body whenever he could. Not to mention the sex, it was always passionate, always fun, and enjoyable, but recently it was as if Leon did it so frequently with so much vigor that you almost got worried.
No matter how calm he seemed, you knew him well enough to read him by now, and the small changes in his behavior showed you that something else was going on, that he was acting differently. 
“You’re thinking again”, you stated matter-of-factly, watching Leon stare off in the distance as he rubbed his bottom lip over and over again. Your voice snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the present as he glanced at you.
“I’m getting old”, he said with a sigh, rubbing your legs that were currently propped up on his thighs from where you lay on the bed with him.
“You’re not getting old, you’re getting older. Big difference”, you commented, hearing him chuckle under his breath. That wasn’t entirely what he meant, but he didn’t know how to say what he wanted without possibly scaring you away or jinxing himself.
“Are you happy? With me I mean?”, he asked you the question in a soft tone, not to signal that he was unhappy with your relationship, but rather he was thinking about something regarding you being together.
“Of course I am. You make me happy. I wouldn’t have said yes if that wasn’t the case”, you told him reassuringly, moving closer to him to hold him by the cheek.
“I guess what I’m asking is are you happy with just me, just us”, Leon said the question as if he were afraid, and you raised an eyebrow to gauge his reaction.
“Leon, if you want to get a pet or something we can. I think a cat would be kinda nice”, you said to him, and he looked at you with a wide grin before he laughed, actually laughed. For a second you’re assuming you said something wrong, but when he regains his bearings, he grabs a hold of your hand and runs his thumbs over your knuckles.
“Although a pet sounds good, that’s not exactly what I’m talking about”, he offered you a smile, giving you a second to think harder about his suggestion when he could see the lightbulb going off at the top of your head.
Kids?
“You’ve been thinking about kids?”
“Is it bad that I am?”
In a way, the revelation that Leon was thinking of having a family was surprising and took you off guard. When you met him, he initially struck you as a family man or someone who would want that down the line. So when he told you that wasn’t on his mind nor a goal of his, you took his word for it and stayed with him because that didn’t bother you, you loved him anyway. Now, it seems that he’s had a change of heart, and it sparked your interest.
“Well no…I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Thought you told me you never wanted them?”, you asked him, leaning into him closer and putting a warm hand on his chest.
“I said that because I didn’t think I could have them. But since coming back from Alcatraz…I don’t know, I keep thinking about it”, he shrugged under you, not meeting your gaze and looking down to the floor.
“I wanted a family when I was younger, but with all the shit I went through I just didn’t think it was possible, or that I could have it. So I simply forgot about it. But now..it popped back into my head and I’ve been thinking about it for a while”
Your eyes softened as you looked at him, seeing the gears turning in his mind. 
“It’s probably the old man hormones or something, I must be having a mid-life crisis”, he was joking, trying to use his humor to downplay how he felt, the way he usually did when he was dealing with something that made him uneasy.
“Babe, if you’re thinking about having kids you should’ve told me. I don’t mind you know, I think it’s endearing”, you whispered to him, now holding his face in your hands and offering him your warm gaze.
“So you don’t think I’m crazy for wanting them? Now of all times? I don’t think I should be wanting more than I already have”, you shook your head at that, knowing that Leon would feel guilty for having desires, that he had no room to be selfish.
“I think you deserve to have everything you want, regardless of what they may be. And if kids are on the list, then that’s okay, it’s what you want”, you were speaking to him in a confident voice, the one you used when you were trying to gently knock some sense into him.
“I don’t even know if you want them, with me anyway”, his eyebrows furrowed, hellbent on the assumption that you wouldn’t think twice about avoiding having children, much less have them with him.
“You aren’t the only one who’s been thinking about them you know”, his eyes widened at your confession, and your smile turned a bit sheepish.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously. Guess the hormones are also working overtime for me”
Leon blinked once, then twice. You fixated on the way the blues of his irises shifted, reminiscent of the clear sky after a storm had passed. But in reality, what you were looking at was hope interwoven in his eyes, a rare emotion that you’ve only seen a handful of times.
“Is that a yes then?”, you could see the way his lips began to curl up, an optimistic grin plastered on his face now, looking for an answer that would calm the excited beating of his heart. 
“If you want to try, then we can try. And whatever happens, happens”, you reassured him once more, feeling him sit up straighter on the bed to kiss you on the lips.
“I love you, you know that?”
“You’ve told me a few times, but I don’t mind reminders”, you grinned at him, finding yourself tackled to the bed the next moment with laughs filling the room.
-
The next few days felt like a blur, basking in the domestic bliss that otherwise would’ve been a rarity for Leon, he found ways to keep you occupied.
Just like he did now.
Currently with your back on the bed, Leon’s head was between your plush thighs, lapping away at your cunt sometime at noon. It was Sunday, a day of rest meant to hide away from all of your responsibilities and chores. But of course, Leon had different plans when it came to keeping you busy.
“Fuck Leon”, you said with a loud moan, a light layer of sweat covering your body as your fingers yanked at his head, bringing him closer to where you wanted him. Leon groaned against you, tongue curling around your pulsing clit and forcing an arch in your back.
He already pulled one release out of you earlier, right after he found you on the couch wearing nothing but a worn-out T-shirt of his you stole years ago. He couldn’t help but fall in between your legs, head against your chest so he could listen to your heart beating in his ear. The comforting rhythm put Leon at ease, his hands running down the length of your thighs and kneading at your skin while you watched whatever show was currently on the screen. You looked at him from the corner of your eye, already seeing the mischievousness he had written all over his face.
“What are you doing?”, your attention moved from the TV screen to the top of his head, focused on the movement of his hands on your body.
“Nothing”, he told you playfully, his hands were already slipping under the edge of where your shirt covered the top of your hips. He shifted higher up to place a kiss on your lips, moving to your neck and nipping at you gently.
“Just keep watching your show”
It was the last thing he told you before his fingers found refuge in the welcoming warmth of your pussy, rubbing at your clit as you quickly forgot about the plot twist happening in front of you. He was a distraction, as he always was, but you’d never turn him away, you couldn’t even if you tried. And now, you were willingly paying the price of his affection.
Heat started to build up in your lower spine the more you felt Leon’s mouth on you, his needy tongue flicking against every sensitive spot you had before burrowing inside you. It was muscle memory for him, knowing exactly what to do and how to make you fall apart with skill. With every moan you gave, every twitch and shake of your body, Leon drank it all, trying to drown himself in the intensity of your pleasure whenever he had you like this. In between your legs, sucking away at where you needed him most, it was where he belonged.
Your hips were against his face, grinding into him and having his nose press into your clit again, pulling another airy whimper out of you. His hair was wrapped around your fingers, trying to listen in to the shameless sounds Leon made when more of your slick entered his mouth. To him, you tasted like honey, sweet on his tongue like molasses. It was something that curbed his sweet tooth, completely addicted to a taste that only you created when he made you feel good.
“I’m gonna cum, fuck f-fuck”, you didn’t need to announce it, Leon already knew from the way your walls were pulsating around his tongue that you were getting close.
Slipping away from your clenching hole, his tongue went up to run circles against your nub, sucking at it in pulses and snapping the rope of tension in your gut. Your breathing remained stuck in your throat as your second release ran through you, your shaky thighs pinned to his broad shoulders and his mouth continued to prolong your climax. He didn’t stop until the waves of your orgasm calmed down and ebbed away, where only a light pleasurable numbness remained and a dumb smile was left on your face.
No longer feeling you convulsing around him, Leon gave your clit one last kiss before coming back up from between your legs, matching your smile with one of his own. Plush lips covered in your essence, his charm radiated off of him every time he achieved the feat of making you cum.
“Feel good?”, he said teasingly, meshing his lips with yours with a pleasant hum. His tongue curled around your own, giving you a taste of yourself that you graciously took and reveled in. 
“I feel good, but I can feel better”, you drew away from his face, giving him a smirk and tugging him closer to you by the waistband of his briefs. With a sneaky hand, you slipped your fingers underneath the soft cotton, gripping his hard length to touch him properly. You heard him grunt again, his breath hitching when you took his earlobe between your teeth and whispered at him.
“I want you inside me already”, you practically purred at him, a shiver running through him followed by another chuckle. Your vulgarity wasn’t new, but it was always something Leon found amusing.
“Yeah? You need me to fuck you sweetheart?”, he wasn’t asking you necessarily, more so reiterating facts that didn’t need your confirmation. Because you did want him to fuck you, you needed it and he knew it. Your hazy eyes watched as he stripped off his briefs, instinctively opening your legs for him, a silent invitation that you craved more.
“Want you to fuck a baby into me”
For a second Leon froze, his eyes widening at your words as they rang in his head. The phrase alone did something to him, brought out a new primal instinct he didn’t know existed until now. It festered carnal lust deep in his gut that shot in two directions, up towards his chest with his heart beating rapidly, and in the opposite way where all of his blood began rushing down south. He blinked at you, the blues of his eyes darkening to a sharp cobalt, and in the next second, he was on you so quickly it almost gave you whiplash.
The tip of his cock teased your entrance with two rubs before being sheathed deep inside in one easy thrust. Your body gave no resistance, welcoming the feeling of Leon stretching you out just the way you liked. Strong hands digging into the back of your thighs, he pushed your knees down against the mattress and closer to your chest, letting him slip that much deeper into you and leaving you gasping underneath him.
Dragging his hips back once before slamming back into you with intention, Leon fucked you without restraint, pinning you down against the mattress and ruining you for any other person, past, present, and future. He didn’t change his pace, filling in every possible gap, his dick hitting your deepest spots and kissing your cervix with every push and pull of his body. You swear you could feel him trying to breach your womb, the thought alone turning your head to mush. The urge of wanting him to leave his mark inside you grew like never before, your eyes rolling to the back of your head with another broken sob coming from your lips.
“Gonna fill you up. Is that what you want?”, he muttered, huffing out a breath and pounding his hips into you harshly to where the room filled with an audible skin-slapping sound.
“Yes, yes, I need it so bad!”, you felt him shift, forcing your knees down until they were parallel to your ears and effectively putting you into a mating press. His torso leaned more into you, caging you in and taking in your fucked out face with pride.
“Need me to breed you? Fuck a baby into you, huh?”, letting go of one of your legs to press his thumb against your clit, he rubbed against it and felt you clench around his cock. Your grip on the bedsheets tightened, bleary eyes looking up into him as he fucked you with determination.
“Yeah, I’ll make you a momma don’t you worry”
He said it like it was a promise, a sacred vow he didn’t plan on breaking. It was harsh fucking that was usually reserved for whenever you were both stressed and pent up. But now he was on a mission, making it his personal goal to not stop until he gave you what you both desired.
In the back of his mind, he was imagining what you would look like pregnant. The soft expanse of your stretched-out tummy that continues to grow as your child develops along with you. He pictured the way your body will start to fill in a bit more, becoming more soft and curvy in spots you didn’t consider previously. The heaviness of your breasts and the changes in sensitivity when they filled up with milk, something that he can’t wait to see and taste for himself. Every image that filled his head only made his cock throb and his thrusting intensify.
“Gonna look so pretty, all round for me”, he was lost in his thoughts, mumbling to himself and driving into you so good he hit that soft spot tucked inside. Your mind had turned to static, his words only bringing you that much closer to the edge and your legs shaking from how they were bent.
“Fuck, I’m gonna fill you up, make sure it catches, right here”, he placed a finger right underneath your belly button and pressed into your skin, the friction of his touch rapidly sending you into your next orgasm unexpectedly.
Throwing your head back against the pillow, you couldn’t warn Leon when you felt yourself coming again for him, your walls flexing around him and a wail filling the room. His thumb continued to stroke tight circles on your clit as he fucked you through your release, thrusting sloppily against you before cumming inside with a resounding grumble of your name. His hips were flushed with yours, grinding into you until he had nothing left to give, panting against your neck and kissing your nape.
You felt Leon slip out of you, gently putting your legs down back on the bed and his spend starting to drip down your thighs. With two of his fingers, he collected some of his release that spilled out of you and pushed it back inside your body, plugging you up with his digits to make sure none of it would dribble out.
“Can’t waste it, hold it there for me”, he said, making you keen and grip him tighter. Drawing out his fingers, he brought them to your lips, grinning when you wrapped your tongue around them to lick off the remnants of his taste.
“You think this one did it?”, you asked him tiredly, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to give him soft pecks, growing clingy and wanting more of his affection.
“Hopefully, but there’s nothing wrong with a little more practice”, Leon smirked at you, giving you a wet passionate kiss and rekindling the flame of desire once more.
You knew that he wasn’t going to stop until he gave you what you both wanted, a happy family in a happy home. Of course, you had zero complaints, you’d do anything to make him happy and give him what he deserves.
Maybe just maybe, Leon will get his dream after all.
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©️ ovaryacted 2023. Please don’t repost, copy, translate, or feed into any AI. Support your fellow creators by reblogging, commenting, and liking!
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whereireid · 1 year
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𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐍 | masterlist
pairing: senator!steve rogers x fem!reader
⍟ — nsfw content ahead. soft!dom steve. married life. housewife kink. oral [f receiving]. degradation of reader.
Summary: Your husband, Senator Steve Rogers, has been acting strange recently. He makes it up to you after he catches you snooping.
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You don’t want to snoop on your husband.
Honest, you don’t.
Sometimes, though, duty calls. It feels like a crime to be in Steve’s office, perched at his desk, attempting to hack into his computer.
You’ve tried three different passwords, now. The first, the name of your daughter, and her date of birth — BeauRogers2012. The second, your anniversary — 19October2007. And, finally, the name of the family dog — CooperRogers.
Nothing. There’s nothing. All to no avail, the screen lighting a shade of red with each incorrect guess, your lips tugging down into a frown as you try to pinpoint exactly what his password could be.
If it’s not Beau, and it’s not you, and it’s not the family dog… then what is it?
Your eyes scan his office, desperate for a moment of realisation. You want something to click, your eyes dragging from a photograph of him and Bucky, to the miniature American flag which sits on his desk.
That’s it.
107thInfantryRegiment.
The computer lets you in. Steve’s desktop background is a photograph of you, him and Beau — baby Beau, curled in her daddy’s arms, asleep, in a pumpkin patch.
You pause. You feel bad, snooping, hesitating as you stare at the pixelated desktop background.
You feel awful, but you have to know what he’s getting up to.
Your lips press together as you swallow away the tightness in your throat, dragging the mouse towards his emails. Before you press down, you hesitate — Steve has never given you a reason not to trust him.
Yet, you’re in, now. You might as well look whilst you’re there, and you’re glad that you do, because a particular name piques your interest as you snoop through his emails.
Sharon Carter.
Steve’s ex-assistant, although you’d always assumed she was more than that. She helped your husband climb to the position of Senator — she was his number one fan, more obsessed with him than you.
Your brows knit together. Steve had told you that him and Sharon no longer speak, as a result of her switching to the Republican to spite him. This — these emails, which go back for months — is unfathomable evidence that he’s been lying to you. Your throat feels cotton dry as you frantically scroll, unable to comprehend that they’ve been communicating for months without you knowing.
“What are you doing?”
Fear cracks through your body like a whip. You feel like a thin sheet of ice, cold flooding through your body as your eyes dart up from the computer screen, focused on your husband, who appears unamused by what he’s found.
“So, what are you doing?” Steve repeats when you don’t answer, his lips pursed as he stares at you. The suit he’s wearing is somewhat tight on his arms, and you can see his muscles flex beneath his clothes. “Be a big girl and use your words, honey.”
“You’re — you’re messaging Sharon Carter.”
His eyebrows quirk upwards in amusement. “You went through my emails,” he comments, “without my permission.”
“You’re messaging Sharon Carter,” you repeat, your voice coming out a whisper.
The look that he gives you is degrading. It’s a look of pity — his jaw ticks slightly as he cocks his head, his tongue darting over his plump, pink lips, leaving a glistening sheen in its wake. “And you’re going through my emails,” he reiterates, pushing himself off of the doorframe. “Without my permission.”
“Are you cheating on me?”
An amused expression flitters over Steve’s face as he approaches you. You feel timid in his chair, his large frame overbearing as he looms over you, the blue irises of his eyes impossibly sheathed by his black and blown pupils.
“Cheating?” He asks, beginning to lower himself to your height. You brows furrow in confusion as he kneels in front of you, his hands placing themselves on your knees. “No. Why? Did you think that I was?”
“Yes.”
“Liar,” Steve whispers from beneath you, your skin prickling with goosebumps as his fingers run over the pleated fabric of your skirt. “You just wanted to know what I’ve been doing.”
You push at Steve’s head, forcing him to look up at you. You frown, a twisted warmth pooling inside of your stomach as his hand caresses the plump flesh of your thighs. “Yeah. You’ve been doing her.”
He snorts. “If I wanted Barbie, I would’ve had Barbie.” His hand beckons your thighs apart, and you flush as his hums in content. “No underwear. Whore.”
Your face flushes with warmth. "That’s what you like, isn’t it?”
Steve grins, his fingers parting your folds softly, his knuckle pressing against your swollen clit. You try to kill the moan which climbs up your throat before it can slip past your lips, but it refuses to die. “Like music to my ears,” he comments, his stubble grazing your skin as he peppers deliberate kisses to your thighs, his tongue a cool stimulant to your hot skin, “you’re a naughty girl, you know? Going through my things and then getting all worked up over what you find.”
You can’t bare to look down at his smug face. His blue eyes twinkle as he gazes up at you, and you force your eyes shut, the delicious, dirty feeling of desire brooding inside of you. It pulls at your heart and burns wildly inside of you, only to be smothered by the feeling of his fingers gliding through your folds.
“Aren’t you going to tell me what you found?”
You shake your head, your eyes scrunching shut as his tongue finally makes contact with your heat. “Oh, God,” you whimper as he glides the muscle through your folds, his fingers pushing inside of your cunt.
“Not God. Just Steve.”
His lips twitch, tugging upwards with a smile. Pleasure rides through you in a gentle wave as his tongue makes contact with your clit, his motions gentle as he suckles on the sensitive bundle of nerves.
It feels so deliciously wrong. You’re in his office, sat in his chair, with him between your legs. He wasn’t even meant to find you here — you were supposed to be in the kitchen when he got home, but you’d lost track of time.
“Since you won’t tell me, I’ll make an assumption, and I want you to tell me if I’m right.” His voice is gravely, rumbling against your cunt, and you shiver as his fingers curl inside of you. “You went through my emails. You saw Sharon Carter’s name and you had to click, and you read them in detail and you found information.”
“Yes,” you say shakily, groaning as his nose nuzzles into your pelvic bone, his tongue rolling small circles into your sensitive bud. “Yes, I read them. She’s — she’s a bitch and I don’t want you talking to her.”
His brows quirk upwards, his fingers carefully scissoring your tight cunt open. You clench down around him, the pointed look he’s shouting you making you tense. “She’s my spy. Why else would she have switched to Republican last minute?”
“Because you married me and she wishes it was her.”
A wave of pleasure ripples through you as he suckles on your clit, his fingers heavenly as they roll inside of you. “Is she the one getting her cunt eaten in my office, honey?” When you don’t answer, he hums, his voice muffled as he continues to roll his tongue up and down your sticky, wet folds, “no, she’s not, so stop being a brat and let me finish speaking.”
As if to make a point, his fingers still inside of you, and your chest burns with disappointment. “Okay. I’ll stop being a brat,” you submit to him, your voice shaking slightly as you buck your pelvis towards his hand.
“Good girl." His praise makes you shiver, a delicious pleasure crackling through you as his fingers contain their steady motions, his lips peppering soft kisses against your heat intermittently
“The information that you found is very important people, only meant to be seen by people in government.” A delicious pleasure cracks through you like a whip as his fingers glide through your glistening folds, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he rolls his thumb over your sensitive clit. “And, honey, you're not in government. You've got too much of a dumb baby brain for that."
You whine, your legs trembling involuntary as Steve licks up a deliberate stripe up your cunt, his tongue flattening against your clit. "I'm not dumb," you protest weakly, your thighs tensing as his fingers curl inside of you, the lewd squelching of your cunt echoing around his office walls.
Your body becomes electric with sparks, exploding with ecstasy as his tongue licks stripes up and down your slick. It's so intimate, so gentle — his movements are precise, your legs jolting at every movement, every lick.
"Really? You're not?" Steve pulls away, tutting from below you. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that only dumb wives went through their husband's stuff without permission."
"I'm sorry," you say.
"You're not," he replies, his tongue flat as he swirls his muscle around your swollen bud, "but that's okay, honey. I don't expect my wife and her dumb, baby brain to feel sorry for me. I'm the man of this house. I don't need feeling sorry for."
His kisses grow sloppy, his nose pressing heavily into your pelvis. You let out a shaky breath, your stomach flipping as Steve's fingers glide in and out of your cunt. A moan catches in your throat, and you're unsure of whether or not it actually escapes your lips or dies before it gets to do so.
Steve's movements are skilled, deliberate. You melt into the office chair, the leather fabric growing slick beneath you as you softly behind to grind against his face. He's slow and teasing, his tongue swirling around you bud, nipping at it softly. The pinching pain makes you gasp, your breath hitching in your throat as he groans against your cunt.
"Come on, honey. I know you want to let go," he purrs against your cunt, the sensation sending shivers up your spine. "I know you're not holding that much of a grudge against me that you're denying yourself of an orgasm."
You pout. He's right — of course he's right, he's your husband and he knows what's best for you. You finally allow yourself to relax, fully, a soft whimper slipping past your lips as Steve's movements makes your stomach tighten.
And then, it happens. You grow tired of holding back, needy and desperate, and Steve's fingers curl inside of you again, and you let go. Your slick paints his face, your legs trembling as he laps at your heat, his groans sending sparks to your core.
By the time he pulls away, you feel weak. The sight of him only makes you grow weaker, his chin glistening with your slick, his eyes black and blown, a sultry grin tugging at the corner of his lips. His hand runs over his lips and he hums, satisfied with the orgasm that he drew from you.
"I'm sorry, honey. You should have never seen those emails, or the documents attached to them. They're not for you to be concerned about." His hand runs over your thighs, his motions gentle and soft as he caresses your skin. Steve's lips purse, his voice dropping dangerously low as he speaks. "But if you ever go through my emails again, you'll be in serious trouble. You got that, honey?"
Your body grows stiff as he reaches past you to turn the computer off, his lips nestling against your head in the process. The kiss he plants to your forehead is soft and gentle, and you smile up at him.
“Yes, Steve.”
You nod your head like an obedient little wife, and he smiles down at you as he does so.
Domesticated bliss keeps him sane.
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oonajaeadira · 1 year
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Nadie Espera un Milagro (No One Expects a Miracle)
Fandom: Narcos / Javier Peña
Pairing: Javier Peña x f!reader
Reader: Sassy, confident, American ex-pat female who finds her parents a little tedious and enjoys both her independence and her job as a high-level admin at the DEA. No physical descriptions, no use of y/n.
Rating: T
Warnings: era-”appropriate” behavior of men towards women in the workplace (but a lot better than it was, Steve and Javi are actually pretty respectful). Overbearing and slightly infantilizing parents. Author doesn’t know anything about politics or law enforcement.
Summary: When your parents come to visit you at your job in Bogotá, you figure it’s just easier to paint a picture that will put them at ease. The idea is simple. The plan is flawed. The execution is just fluff.
A/N: Written for my Year of Tropes (part of @yearofcreation2023​) Fake dating seemed like an easy trope for a busy month, which is why I chose it for February. (Whoops. Happy April!) With all of these tropes I like to challenge myself a little and I feel like the character choice alone for this one was challenge enough for me. Not only do I not know anything about politics and law enforcement, I haven’t written Javier much. And, of all the boys I do write, I feel like he’d be the least likely candidate to participate in and fall for fake dating, so I had to figure out how to make it believable for myself. Which is why there’s more plot than I intended and reader ended up with some backstory. This is season 2 Javi, obviously not canon, and maybe a bit too soft, so sue me for yearning. Yes, reader’s parents are cartoon versions of my own parents, why do you ask?
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“Well hey there, sunshine,” a wisp of smoke accompanies Steve’s greeting as he leans back in his chair and crosses his long legs at the ankle to the side of his desk, leaning over momentarily to stub the cigarette out into a shared ashtray. “We don’t often get the pleasure of a visit–looks like you remember we exist.”
“Ha ha. I could say the same about you. Did you boys finally get your morals whipped into shape, or are you just over the thrill of making me break the law for you every other week?”
There’s a halt in the clack clack clack of Javier’s typewriter as he turns at the sound of your voice. Standing to reach across the desk, he scrubs out his own cigarette, makes a futile attempt to wave away the smoke, and watches you descend the stairs into their working arena. “Hey, Sully,” he smiles like a man not accustomed to it and rests his hands on the waistband of his ridiculously out-of-fashion jeans. “That’s a new dress.”
You flash him a grin and shake your head. “Stop. Don’t waste your flirting on me, Peña. You know I don’t need greasing.”
He only shifts his weight to one hip. There’s no response but a compliant tick of his jaw.
It’s second nature with Javier. He knows he’s good looking. Knows all he has to do is flash those puppy dogs and throw some attention, and ladies will give him anything he wants. You love it and hate it. Hate it because it’s insulting to be targeted for manipulation just because you’re a woman. But you love it because the man is Javier Peña and you’d be lying if you said those big brown eyes weren’t beautiful and you’re happy to have an excuse to have them pointed your way with warmth rather than the chill he reserves for the more bureaucratic workers. It’s a safe kind of crush, the kind you can play with as long as you never expect too much.
Javier’s been stopping by your office since before there was a Steve Murphy, buttering you up and asking for favors–access to a file here, a release stamp there–hell. You’ve expedited more requests on his behalf than all of the upper cabinet combined. And how many times have you distracted the clerk in tapes archives just so Javi could walk by and flash a request form without having it scrutinized for certification?
Every request starts the same, with his awkward little smile and an actual compliment. And every mission accomplished gains you a “Thanks, you’re a miracle worker.”
“Like Anne Sullivan?” you’d asked after the tenth or twentieth time.
“Huh?”
“Anne Sullivan. Hellen Keller’s teacher. The Miracle Worker.”
That caught him off guard. “Uh, yeah. Anne–?”
“Sullivan.”
“Right. I guess you’re an Anne Sullivan. I’d be lost in the dark without you.”
You’d allowed yourself to be charmed. “Careful there, Agent Peña, or you’re gonna make me rather fond of you.”
Nothing makes a grown man blush faster than to out-flirt the flirter. Not that it was hard with Javier. He was adorably miserable at it.
But it was always fun to watch him try…and to periodically beat him at his own game.
Once Steve landed in Colombia, you got two for the price of one. But Murphy knew you could see through his games and didn’t even try. It endeared you to him that he approached you sincerely. And you knew you could always do the same with him.
“As a matter of fact, it IS a new dress,” you chirp, twisting your shoulders one way and then the other, fluttering your lashes and fanning yourself with a hand in a mock display of coy preening. “My parents are flying in tonight and I’m taking them out to dinner.”
“I thought the trade conferences weren’t for a few days,” Steve frowns and shoots a concerned glance at his desk calendar.
“They’re not. But they’re coming through to spend some time with me and tour the city. Mixing business with pleasure. That’s…um…actually why I’m here. I need to cash in a favor.”
Javi chuckles as he settles back into his chair, throwing one heel and then the other onto the desktop. “Time to pay the piper. Name it.”
“Actually,” you cringe, turning to Steve, “I thought I’d ask Murphy here.”
Throwing a surprised but self-satisfied grin over at his partner, Steve puffs out his chest. “Well I guess I can be the hero for the day. Anything you need, sunshine.”
Thankfully Javi seems to feel the need to show he’s not offended and returns to his typewriter to peck out his report. Good. This is an embarrassing enough ask. You don’t really need witnesses to this.
“So, this is going to sound like a big deal but it’s really not. My relationship with my folks is just…complicated,” you assure him, priming the agent for the stupidest thing you’re ever going to ask for in your life. “It would make my and everyone’s life easier if I was seeing someone? Because then my mother wouldn’t bring it up and pressure me and irritate my father, and he wouldn’t worry about me here so much thinking I’m a woman all alone…it’s just…it’s…,” you sigh, irritated. “This is so dumb.”
Clackety clack clack ding whirr. You look up to see Steve gaping at you.
“Are you asking me to pose as your boyfriend?”
Silence. You’re sure if you turned to look over your shoulder, you’d see a frozen Javier, two fingers of each hand hanging above his typewriter like a little T-Rex.
Oh for a trapdoor or hand of god…. Suck it up. They owe you.
“Yup.”
“Uh….”
You expected this. “I’m not asking you to make a show or….they’re coming in tomorrow and I thought if you were here you could just meet them for a second. And if you’re not, I could just point to your desk–”
“Doll,” Steve releases a confused laugh, “I’m married, you know.”
“Yeah, but Connie’s not here. Like I said, they won’t delve. If I just point at a man, they’ll accept it and leave it alone.”
“So you’re going to lie to your parents.”
A confident nod is your first response. “Absolutely. And if you’d met them–when you meet them–you’ll understand why that’s best. Or you won’t. You really won’t get to talk to them long enough to find out. Just give a couple of handshakes, be nice and I’ll move them along. It’s that easy.”
Gritting his teeth, Steve gives a disbelieving shake of the head. “I dunno. I mean, the ruse won’t stand if they mention my name to anyone. Why me? Why not that new guy in the mail room who’s been watching you walk away?”
“Jimmy?” you scoff. “Yeah, no, not my type.”
“Really. Dark hair and pretty blue eyes and a six-pack he doesn’t mind showing off isn’t your type?”
“Wellllll, when you put it that way…sure he’s not your type?” Now it’s Javi’s turn to huff a silent laugh and you give him a conspiratorial smile before rounding back on Steve. “He’s dull, Murphy. My parents know me well enough that I’m not going to go for dull. So take that as a compliment. And he’s a bedpost-notcher. I don’t want to encourage that kind of behavior. I may be lacking in male companionship but I’m not that lonely. Yet.”
Your no-nonsense, shut-em-down tone quiets both of them and for a moment you think you’ve won. But his response makes it obvious you’re going to have to cash in all your chips.
“Still. There are enough single guys around here–”
“Because,” with one hand on the corner of his desk you lean in to conspire even though his partner is three feet away and can obviously hear you, “most of them are a bunch of lazy sit-abouts and you’re always out and busy. It not only paints a good picture, it’s the perfect excuse not to join us for dinner because my mother will do her best to insist. And,” you wheedle, lowering your voice further, “because you owe me.”
“I would counter that I owe you a lot more than he does.” Javi keeps his voice at a stage whisper in mockery of your own and shrugs as you and Steve swivel your gaze to him. “What.”
“Lying to the Assistant Trade Rep of the Western Hemisphere about intimate relations with his daughter sounds like a good time to you? You can have it.” Steve taps your shoulder before pointing at his partner. “He’s not hitched. Why not Javi?”
Rolling your eyes, you stall for time as you try to find a better answer than the truth, but when one doesn’t come, a sigh paves the way. “Because you dress more respectable than he does–”
“Hey.”
“--and my mother is judgy!,” your heartfelt insisting pushes through, doing your best to placate Javi–handsome Javi–who really does know how to keep the last decade’s fashion in fashion. “Javi, you’re lovely and you look good and I don’t want you to change. But my mother is going to take you for a ladies man, which you are, you know you are, and she’s going to pick apart your choices with wanton disapproval which is almost more unbearable for me than not being attached to anyone at all because then I’ll spend hours defending you for nothing–”
Steve and Javi finally break and their sudden laughter shuts you down. It’s all you can do not to give both of them the finger and a good ol’ fuck off.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Steve says through his trailing amusement, taking his turn now to placate. “Fine. We’ll make ourselves scarce and you can use the imprint of my ass in this chair as proof of warm-blooded human male. But maybe a false name, yeah? Like…Peter or…Harvey or something.”
“Harvey?” Javi scoffs. “How about Dick. Dick Bob Jones.”
“That sounds like a hillbilly name.”
“Yep.” ________
According to your mother, your apartment is “charming,” the streets of Bogotá are “interesting,” and the department headquarters are “surprisingly up to date.” In the car on the way to the office, you managed to dodge most of her questions about your personal life, dropping one-word answers before pointing out the window and explaining certain buildings or neighborhoods.
As promised, Agents Murphy and Peña are out in the field when you walk your parents past their desks on your way through to your own department. “Well,” you wave with half commitment at it and move on, “looks like he’s out doing his job and catching those bad guys. Too bad. Maybe next time.”
The crisis is momentarily averted, but while your father ducks into a nearby restroom, your mother can’t seem to let the matter pass.
“So what does he do then? He’s a cop?”
“I told you. He’s a DEA agent. He’s on the team trying to stop the drug trade from reaching the States. Have you heard of Pablo Escobar?”
She scoffs and looks past you. “Everybody has heard of Pablo Escobar, dear. That naughty man. Oh. Oh! Is that him?”
“Hmm? Escobar?” Following her gaze and turning to look back into the atrium, you’re gifted the sight of tight jeans stretching over a familiar backside and tanned arms yanking open drawers on Steve’s desk, obviously looking for something. “No, Mom, that’s just–”
But before you can correct her, she’s striding over in her Prada heels, ruffled blouse bouncing and pearls clicking, reaching forward into an eager handshake as she interrupts the very visibly hurried agent. “It’s so nice to meet you!” she chirps. “You must be Harvey!”
“Mother–!”
Javi stops digging, having found the warrant he was looking for, looking up in surprise at this forward, fussy, American woman, his lower lip hanging in a soft V, before taking her hand courteously and introducing himself, “Javi.”
“Oh, I knew I was right! The minute I saw you I knew you had to be her Harvey, you’re certainly her type.” Her hospitable countenance flickers only for a second as she takes in his tight shirt. “She says you’re quite the cop.”
“Mom, Javi’s a government agent and–” As you catch up to her, the momentary confusion on Javi’s face melts into understanding spiced with just a hint of amusement. “--and, as you can see, he’s in a hurry so–”
“It’s okay,” he beams, continuing to shake your mother’s hand. “I can take a minute to meet the woman who raised mi milagra.”
What.
Something in your brain hits the panic button and your mother chatters on to him as your backup generators whir into gear. He gives her his full attention, smiling as she babbles about how proud she and your father are of you and how nice it is that you’ve found someone to spend time with and…did he just say–
“We’ve got a lead on a collaborator and I was just ducking in to grab some paperwork,” he explains, waving the warrant in one hand. But his other hand– “What a lucky coincidence” –dips behind you– “that you happened to stop by,” –slides across your back– “because my girl here has told me so much about you,” –settles on your hip– “ma’am,” –and pulls you flush to his side.
It’s a smirk. A smirk that he has the brazen balls to grace you with then, and it’s hard to tell if he’s fucking with you or if he’s just really enjoying being your hero and sharing a joke that only the two of you know about.
And it’s equally hard to tell if you’re about to laugh or swear or….melt… he’s holding you so tightly and he smells like cigarettes and his surprisingly light cologne… his shirt is damp, your blouse is damp, it’s a humid day and you’re sticking together a bit and he wears such fitted clothes and one of his few buttons is strained enough to give you a peek at his smooth chest beneath…
“Well, if you have to go, Harvey, I don’t want to distract you from your work, but my husband is using the facilities and he’ll be sorry to have missed you. Will you be working all evening? Why don’t you come join us for dinner! You know how well my daughter cooks and she’s making her carbonara for us–”
“Mom–”
“Your carbonara?” Javi questions you before turning back to your mother and squeezing you tighter against himself, causing you to stumble closer. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Her delight is evident. “Oh wonderful!”
“If you’ll excuse me though, my partner’s waiting. I’ll see you tonight, honeybunny.”
The world tingles a moment as a mustache and warm lips bush your temple and then you’re watching broad shoulders and slim hips swagger away from you and up the stairs.
Honey…bunny? Honeybun–
Fuck.
“Javi! Wait!” You hold up a hand as you pass your mother. “Stay here for a second, I have to…I forgot to tell him… uh…”
He stops at the top of the stairs, leaning in, anticipating your quiet brand of ire. “Your mom’s sweet.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
“What. Seems to be going well, I mean, apparently, I am your type, so it all works out. I think that performance down there earned me a dinner. I fucking love a good carbonarra.” The glare you serve him loses its bite under his soft smile lacking in any sarcasm or hazing. This is the Javi you know, the conspirator that finds you working late at night and is grateful for your help in the file room or in the microfiche lab, the one that noticed yesterday that your dress was new. Doing you a favor. What else would you expect? “If you want, I’ll wear baggier pants.”
“No, just…” you sigh. “I should give you my address–”
There’s a thing he does with his smile, something that gets you every time, a little jaw tick that comes with a quick downward bounce of the eyes and a single shake of the head. “Don’t need it. I know.”
“Okay, but…. Wait. What?” You call after him as he trots toward the door.
“I’ll come hungry!” _____
“Sir,” Javi bobs his head in reverence as he meets your father’s handshake. It’s above and beyond your requests, as is the cleanup of the five-o-clock shadow, the change to his black button up shirt, and his showing up on time. And in true commitment to the bit, he didn’t even knock, just came in and found his way to the dining area like he spends most of his time in your apartment.
“Good to meet you, Javi.”
“Dear,” your mother chirps from her watchful eye at your shoulder by the stove, “it’s Harvey.” She doubts herself. “It is Harvey, isn’t it?”
Completely disregarding your mother’s interjection, your dad gestures to a spot across from him at your modest dining table set for four and offers him a packet. “Sit down, sit down, agent. Smoke?”
“Ah,” Javi falters, and when you turn your head to your shoulder, you catch him checking in with you out of the corner of your eye. “She…doesn’t let me light up in here.”
“No? Heh. Well. I don’t know how she does it but it’s always been her way or no way. I see she’s worked her magic on you.”
“That’s for sure.”
You can’t help but smile as you give the noodles another good swirl in the pot and set the spoon on the counter. That little display just earned him a treat. Pulling out two glasses from the cabinet, you give a generous pour of the whiskey you picked up on the way home especially for him and bring them over to the table without a word for the two men.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” hums your father.
Javi glances at the glass, then up at you and your cocked eyebrow that queries him don’t I get a ‘thank you sweetheart’ from you too?
But oh, he came to play.
Ignoring the glass and taking your hand, his thumb skips across your knuckles. “You need any help, hon?”
There’s a microsecond between you where laughter is very very possible. The game is on. So you up the stakes by pushing a little curl of black hair behind his ear before trailing your fingers down to pinch his chin. “No, baby. You just relax and enjoy yourself.”
The smallest flush of pink and flash of panic that you catch on him as you turn away (only because you’re looking for it) tells you that you’ve won this round.
Back at the stove, your mother’s taken over, having drained the noodles and now attempting to pour the sauce into the noodle pot rather than your tried-and-true method of bringing the pasta to the sauce pan.
“Mom! Could you not–”
You see it coming a second too late, the sauce hasn’t thickened properly and a good portion of it misses the pot and splashes onto her blouse.
There’s commotion, a shriek and an overreaction, and you reach for a towel to catch the sauce before it stains, but the towel is dirty with spills and bacon grease and you’re both trying to keep the sauce pot from toppling off the stove. “Just…hold still, Mom, here…let me get a clean towel–”
“I’m on it,” Javi jumps up, heading down the hallway.
Great. Here’s another thing splitting your attention from timing the sauce. “Javi??” you call, “The towels are–”
“I know! The cabinet behind the door!”
How did he….doesn’t matter. The woman who raised you is in need of someone to mother her at the moment and you’re doing your best to calm her down before she causes even more of a mess. In a matter of moments, your stand-in man is back with a hand towel and you join her at the sink to help her dab it off.
“Oh, well this is just dandy,” she whines. “Now I have to sit here in a wet blouse in nice company…”
“It’s fine, Mom. You can wear one of mine.”
“The pink one or the blue? She can change in the bedroom,” Javi gestures, offering to show the way. “Ma’am?”
“Uh…the…blue….” This time you don’t have time to veil your shocked and confused expression. If Javi truly notices it as your mom swans by him, he doesn’t let on.
The rest of the evening is uneventful and pleasant, your father and Javi carrying most of the conversation as the older man drills the agent on the particulars of the cartels and Escobar’s influence with his communities, how it’s affecting customs and trade, and what that means for the conference your father is here to attend in his duty to the Trade Rep.
After a couple of hours, he makes it known that it’s time to get back to the hotel, that he has an early morning as his boss is flying in.
“Already? Dear! You boys spent all this time talking shop and I have all kinds of questions for Haaavi.”
“Well, my bride, you’re just going to have to wait to satisfy your curiosity. I’m sure it will keep.”
“Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?” Javi asks just as you take a sip of water and try your best not to choke on it. “If you’d like to try some of the local specialties, I know a place not far from here. Sancocho to die for, made fresh every day.”
The fire in your eyes is shielded, soft, but directed straight at the side of his face, hot enough that he can surely see it from his periphery if not feel the flames. The corner of his mustache rises the smallest fraction of an inch.
“That sounds a real treat, son,” your father says, rising and crushing Javi’s shoulder in a squeeze. “Tomorrow night then.”
Javi joins you at the front window when they leave so you can wave them off, having the balls to wrap his arm around your shoulder as you do. Once their car pulls away into the night though, he retracts it and ambles back to the table, gathering up a few stray plates and taking them to the sink. “Well, that went well.”
When you don’t answer, he turns to find you with a level expression and your arms folded across your chest. “What was that?”
He has the audacity to look surprised. “What?”
“We are going to address tomorrow night in a minute, but I’d love for you to explain to me why you know the location and the layout of my apartment, Agent Peña.”
Now he catches up, nodding slowly and returning to you at the window. With one hand on a hip and the other pointing to the nearest streetcorner, he explains, “Did you see that car that pulled out of there after your parents? Security. I sat in a car in that exact spot for three weeks after you were appointed to the agency. Couple days while you were at work,” he waves a hand, gesturing to the apartment as a whole, “I spent quite a few hours in here on a deep scan for taps.”
Now it’s your turn to carry the surprise. “Excuse me?”
“Standard procedure for government employees to be shadowed for a probationary period, eliminates the suspicion of inside involvement. You got a deluxe security detail treatment on top of it because…well. Your…family’s connection to Washington.”
He’s kind enough to wait for you to process this. “Wait. You mean,” peering outside at the location he indicated, noting the straight-line view into your living room, “you watched me? For three weeks???”
He turns back in search of his glass. “You dance when you’re happy. You could stand to be happy more often.” Giving you the time it takes for him to pour another finger of whiskey to stew over this, to grind through the gears of your mind and work out if you might have done anything embarrassing under the gaze of the DEA, he finally assures you, “Don’t sweat it. You’re usually a stickler for keeping your curtains closed. It was about as uneventful as a watch is possible to be.”
“So this is what they pay their agents to do? Babysit a government employee’s daughter? That seems below your pay grade.”
He downs the drink and shrugs. “I was lower on the pole back then.”
“Not that low.” But then…. The jaw tick presents itself again. His lack of eye contact confirms a sudden suspicion. “My…father paid for it.”
His nod hangs silent and sorry between you.
Independence. That’s why you took this job. Something you thought you could do on your own without your father’s help, run away from America, go live abroad and work somewhere new, somewhere exotic. How naive to think–for three years now–that you’ve done all this on your own.
The embarrassment burns.
Javi slowly runs a finger over a plate, raising a dollop of sauce to his tongue. “This is good. You’re a hell of a cook, Sully.”
It’s meant to lift your spirits, make you feel accomplished at something in your life. It’s appreciated.
“Thanks. It’s not that complicated.” Moving past him into the kitchen, you pick up your tongs from the counter and quietly start heaping half of the leftover meal into a bowl. “What’s this place you’re taking us to tomorrow? You’ve seen what a holy terror my mom is about food.”
He comes to lean against the refrigerator. “Dos Rosas Cocina.”
“I know it. Good choice. Atmosphere’s… rustic, but the food’s amazing.” Tying the bowl up in a clean towel and placing it in his hands, you sigh, all the stupid, terrible tension you didn’t know you were holding this evening seeping its way out. “I can’t believe you’re electing to spend more time on this little act.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I don’t remember thanking you, but thank you.”
“What’s this?”
“Leftovers. Lunch. Enjoy.”
“Thanks. I will.”
“You’d better.”
Later, after the dishes are done and the leftovers stowed, you curl up on the couch with the novel you’re battling your way through. But not a single page is turned. An hour goes by as you think through the interviews and steps you took to get this job, to land your working visa, to find this apartment in a nice part of town, how easy it had all seemed at the time, how accomplished you’d felt. And then there was that little look of realization and regret in Javi’s eye. That he knew. That he was the one that slipped and let you figure it out, that he never told you before. That nobody told you before. Had you come off as stupid in that moment? Innocent? Naive?
You need to confront your father about it. Probably not tomorrow, not in front of Javi. But soon.
Dammit.
You’re not getting any reading done so you turn off the light and head to bed.
Your pajamas are folded and the bed’s been meticulously remade.
Of course.
No wonder it took longer than it should have for your mother to change her blouse.
How is it you get to be a grown ass adult and your parents will never see you as anything but their little girl, even at this age?
________
“Soooooo, how’d you two meeeeet?”
Having arrived early at Dos Rosas Cocina, Javi already has a drink in him, so your mother’s question earns a contented smile. “Well–”
“At work, Mom. Obviously at work.”
It’s not a lie. It was at your desk. He needed something notarized and your new stamp hadn’t arrived yet so he wrote his direct extension on your desk pad, asked you to ring him when it did. You remember thinking that his eyes wandered too much but couldn’t be mad when you realized yours must have too if your first impression was that his pants were a good fit.
Later that night you’d come here, to the Cocina, charmed by its walls lined with picture frames full of the owner’s ancestors and descendants, how it seemed to be the center of time itself reaching backward in it’s colorful mountain-style decor and forward in its state of the art cashier’s computer and cd jukebox.
The owner had served your meal himself and sat down to chat with you, to practice his English, he said. It was a slow night and you had nowhere to be and he put you at ease right away.
“Dos Rosas,” he explained, “it means two roses. You see the sign? One red, one white. You know what it means?”
You shook your head and smiled, mouth full of some heavenly empanada.
“The red rose is for love. The white rose for friendship. Dos Rosas is a place my father made where he wanted guests to come with love and friendship.” And then he produced a single white rose, slipping it into the vase on the table. “For your luck. You are welcome here, friend. Someday you will bring someone who will share a red one with you, si?”
It had been a favorite place ever since.
Javier had been there that night too, now that you remember it. Sitting in the dim corner away from the basket lamps, nursing a beer and a plate of arepas, the curtain of his cigarette smoke nearly hiding him from view. Back then he was just the agent who needed some papers stamped and who just happened to be at the same restaurant that night.
Hindsight and new information reframes the nearly-forgotten memory now. Of course. He must have been tailing you then.
“I think,” Javi says as he drapes an arm across the back of your cane chair and leans in, “she understands where, milagra. But what she wants to know is that I couldn’t keep my eyes off you.”
Your response comes with a sweet smile that hides a challenge. “I know. You watched me for three weeks straight.”
“And then some.” He doesn’t let your jab throw him off the act. “And then there were the times I had to get into the file room for nothing in particular, just a reason to come down and talk to her.”  On the contrary, he hooks a foot around the leg of your chair and yanks it closer to his own, effectively throwing you against his chest. “She used to laugh at my flirting; made fun of me, thought I wasn’t serious.”
The clench of your stomach, the cold wave of your blood pressure dropping, every method your body has to signal and react to danger begins to take over as Javi keeps you locked from pulling away with one arm, hazy smile inches from your face, his  heavy-lidded gaze dropping to your mouth.
A warm hand folds gently over one of your own, floating it upward, his fingertips guiding your palm until he ducks his head half an inch to meet your knuckles to his lips. Big brown eyes beg at you and that cold wave rebounds now as a hot tsunami.
And all you can do is stare, stare at this display of tenderness that seems so very unlike the Javier Peña you know. Gone is the indifferent agent, the shielded ego, the preference for solitary. As his kiss lingers on your hand just a second longer than necessary, you get a glimpse behind the curtain to the man beyond. For one moment you witness a vulnerability and care, a fleeting tease of what it must be like to have his perfect attention, his devotion. It’s literally breathtaking.
And then something in him stalls, shifts, as if he notices the same in you.
Is he going to kiss you? Should you kiss him? Right here in front of your mother? Why is he so warm? What is that amazing cologne? Is his shirt unbuttoned further than usual? Is that a cymbal roll in the music coming from the jukebox or is that your blood rushing in your ears? Does he always breathe this forcibly? How have you never noticed that little crease in his bottom lip or realized just how dark his eyes were?
Just as his tongue flicks forth to wet his lips, your father returns from the phone booth in the back.
“Well, false alarm. Seems the ambassador just had some bad fish, but it’s passing. Conference is still on.”
Oblivious to your predicament and drawing your mother’s attention, he’s happy to answer her questions regarding the type of fish and how long it was prepared, and she offers her wisdom to nobody in particular as to preventing such a thing as food poisoning. Neither of them notice as you slowly twist yourself out of Javi’s loosening clutches and both of them obviously assume your hasty retreat has more to do with wanting to powder your nose than calm your racing heart.
The restroom is one small room, looking like a much older sibling to the restaurant itself as if it had been built first and the rest of the building added later. You count fifteen cracks in the wall over the solitary, rust-stained toilet before a knock falls on the door, momentarily spiking your softening anxiety. It’s an old man’s voice enquiring in Spanish if you’d fallen in.
You’re far from convinced that you’re ready to face or deny whatever’s going on in your heart. But you wash your hands–one of them still stubbornly holding the tingle of Javi’s lips and mustache against it–surrender the room, and find your way back to the table where the man who is not your boyfriend leans forward on his elbows, spinning stories for your parents.
“But we’re zeroing in on him now. He’s made more than a few mistakes and we’ve just barely caught them by turning around at the right second. It’s only a matter of time.”
A smile pulls wide over your father’s face as he leans back in his chair. “That’s what I like to hear. Damn, son. I admire your tenacity. We’re lucky we have talented young men like you down here catching the bad guys.”
“And we’re also lucky to have you here looking after our daughter,” your mother helps.
“Thanks, Mom, I can take care of myself. I mean, that is,” To one side, you feel Javi’s focus tilt your way, “as long as Dad’s willing to pay for it, I guess.”
Silence blankets the table as the waiter sets down four bowls of sancocho, a plate of flatbread, a candle, and a red rose in a vase in front of you all before hastily retreating.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Staring at the rose and trying to sort out your thoughts, you’re not sure why you chose this moment to bring up the subject. Maybe your body is just in fight or flight mode and perhaps you’re diverting your fluster to this deep-seated frustration. Something is shaking the cage of your heart and wants out, wants to cause some damage–
–but Javi’s hand comes to a gentle rest on your knee, soothing whatever savage beast had awakened, somehow turning frustration and fear into calm strength instead.
“I know about the money, Dad. I appreciate the help, I really do. But it’s okay. You don’t have to pay anyone to babysit me and pull strings just to make my life easier here. I came to Colombia to challenge myself. I can’t do that if you’re sneaking in and slapping training wheels on me all the time.”
For a split second it looks as if he’s going to deny it, play dumb. Instead, he softens.
“Well, sweetheart, you’ll have to forgive me. Your mother and I can’t help but look out for you. It’s what we’ve done all your life. It’s a hard habit to break.”
The confirmation stings, but you can’t deny that you set yourself up for it. “Did you do the same for Kennie?”
“Your sister has a husband and a family. She doesn’t need us to look after her anymore.”
A frustration wells up inside, burning, humiliating, full of futility. It doesn’t matter what you accomplish, how many times you have to prove yourself, they’re just not going to change. They’re never going to overcome what their generation has held as truth all their lives, even past the recent wave of feminism and push for equality. They’ll never ever see you as complete unless there’s a man involved. There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing anyone can do.
And perhaps that’s the conclusion that makes Javi’s actions feel like the only heroic course as he rubs a side hand over your back and explains, “Sir, you don’t have to worry about her. She’s capable. Thriving. She’s in no danger here. If there were any threat at all, she could hold her own. And even so, I’d do my best to make sure trouble never came near her.”
“Oh, Haaavi. You’re so good to her. She’s so lucky to have you.”
With a defensive flick of a hand, he continues. “It’s not luck, ma’am. And it’s not goodness. It’s simply part of my job. Even if she was nothing to me but another clerk that’s too smart and too bold for her position, I’m an agent first. As a U.S. citizen and employee of the DEA, I’m going to put her life before my own. With all due respect–and I’m sorry to be so blunt–but to doubt that she or any American isn’t safe here is an insult to Colombia, to me, and all government agents on a professional level.”
The hard drag of conviction in his tone. The realization on your parents’ faces. The understanding sinking in. The steadying warmth of his arm around you.
“But she doesn’t need me. She doesn’t need anyone. Most self-sufficient and confident woman I’ve ever known. I’m the lucky one; lucky she’s bored enough to keep me around. Must be for entertainment.”
Wow.
And all at once, you regret that you hadn’t taken the chance to kiss Agent Javier Peña. ________
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like a ride back to her apartment, son? It’ll be faster.”
“Thank you, sir, but I’d like to walk her home.”
Javi takes your hand in his, waving at your parents with the other, and quietly pulls you away from the car window down the dark street toward your place.
Half a minute later he’s still silent. And still holding your hand.
It feels awkward not to let go. And yet rude to do so. So you find a middle ground and squeeze instead, “Thank you. For that. Back there. I hate that I have no power to convince them of my autonomy on my own, but I think they just needed to hear it from…”
Who? A man? A government employee? A “cop”? A workaholic who is cranky most of the time because he disregards his own health and safety and refuses to sleep in his never-ending quest to quash every last cokeslinger within a thousand-mile area?
His nod and squeeze in return says he knows. “You know it’s love, right?”
Your heart trips over his words. “What?”
“Your parents love you. Doesn’t matter how old you get. Doesn’t matter how far you run. Doesn’t matter how long the flight is and how repulsive they find the local guaro, they’re gonna love you.”
In the shared laughter that follows, your hands naturally part and you double over, remembering the look on your mother’s face after tasting the aniseed liquor Javi ordered for her.
“It was so beautiful!” you crow. “She tried so hard to smile and be polite…and the tears! You could almost see the fumes pushing out of her tear ducts!!!”
“It broke my heart to do it to her, but she insisted I order for her–!”
It’s not often you see Javi laugh and smile–really smile–with unrestrained joy. Playful smirks, weary grins, the occasional shy blush perhaps, yes. But it’s not until this moment that you see him genuinely happy. It takes years off him, as if he’s shed responsibility like a coat and gone skinny-dipping into life for a minute. His eyes crinkle deeply when he truly smiles, they shine and sparkle. Like stars on this dim street.
The giggles and chuckles continue as you near your block and it’s in a resurgence of his that he casually just reaches out and takes your hand again, as if dropping it had been a little mistake that needed correcting.
And suddenly, it doesn’t feel so awkward. It should be, but it’s not. It’s like you both decided it doesn’t have to be and yet, it doesn’t have to mean anything either. If anything, a shared happiness. A familiarity.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you.”
“Hmm?” His attention is slowly returning to the street, constantly scanning, every second a chance to gather information, find the next piece of the druglord puzzle.
“This. Being the perfect boyfriend. Having someone’s parents just think the god’s ass of you for once. Playacting chivalry.”
That last bit sobers him. “Yeah, well, at least I can put on a good show.”
There’s something in the response that rings…tired. You’ve hit on some old hurt, some buried regret. Knowing Javi, addressing it would only cause him to close off and dig it in deeper.
“Well, I’m enjoying it. I feel like I’m getting good value for all of the favors I’ve done for you and prettyboy Murphy. You’re good at this. A girl could get used to it. That story you told my mother about how we met? Let nobody tell you that you don’t go above and beyond in every way, Agent Peña.”
You can’t see the little grin that pulls at the far corner of his mouth, but you know it’s there. An eyebrow cocks. “So you’re saying my tab’s clear? I can put in a new order to the miracle worker?”
“Order up,” you laugh. “After all, now that I know Dad’s pulling strings, who’s gonna fire me? Bring your worst shenanigans!”
It doesn’t have quite the reaction you expect from him and he stops just short of the steps to your apartment building, deep grooves forming between his brows. “You know, it’s not unusual; landing any job has a lot to do with who you know. Keeping it is the part that’s all you. Even if you didn’t get it on your own, you still made it your own.” When you can’t seem to meet his eyes, his tone softens. “You’ve got a lot to be proud of here. Why did you feel like you had to perfect some image of your life by toting me around?”
Flustered, you scoff and jump at the chance to dodge the question. “I’ll have you remember that I asked Steve, not you. You’re the one that jumped at a free meal.” It doesn’t work. His stance demands an honest answer, his face says it’s required more for your sake than his. “It’s… a long story. There are checkboxes in my family… my sister got married and had kids and I never did. I never really felt it was important… or that anyone would put up with my attitude. i’m not exactly the picture of perfect wife material. I mean, of course I’d like to find someone someday, but it’s never been the main goal… but my parents–”
“I couldn’t do it,” he says. Not an agreement; an admission. Simple. “I walked away from the altar. Left her standing. It just felt like there was a responsibility there to be ‘the husband’, and–like you said, same thing–check off the boxes. I didn’t know if I could check off the same ones everyone else thought were necessary.”
It takes a moment to say anything. To move past the fact that he’s just confided a piece of his past and his personal life to you. That he’s let you in. It explains a little about why he doesn’t get close to anyone, why he prefers feminine relations without hangups. Which makes this admission very weighted and precious. You see that he trusts you not to judge. And perhaps it’s his way of letting you know that you’re not alone in dodging the tried-and-true life path.
“Everyone had expectations. You thought you couldn’t be a good husband. So you ran away to join the DEA because you knew you could do that spectacularly.”
Now it’s him that can’t look at you. “I wouldn’t say that I’m doing that well–”
“Javi.” That catches his eye. “You’re a damn good agent. I know you’re going to get the job done. Why the hell do you think I’ll jump at the chance to break every rule in the goddamn department to help you do it? Like I said. Who’s gonna fire me now if I do?” Something shifts in him, like he’s been slapped or sharply woken. As if it’s something he’s been needing to hear and didn’t have the right person to tell him. You’re suddenly honored to be that for him. He needs it. And so you gift him a little more. “Obviously you don’t have to do everything by the book to be good at something. Look at the past couple of days. Thank you for being nice to my folks. And for the encouragement. That’s all it takes sometimes, you know? You’ve been a damn good stand-in boyfriend. Your little stunts included, you asshole. That’s what made it fun. I’m sure you would have been a great husband.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but thinks better of it with a tick of his jaw. Regrouping, he gives you a pained look to say, “I’m sorry that you feel you were lied to…with the surveillance and all. And that’s how you found out. I meant what I said back there, Sully.” He swallows. “All of it.”
It’s so serious and vulnerable, an obvious effort for him to say. He’s a good man, Javi. You’ve read the reports. You’ve heard the rumors. He may keep others from getting too close, may come off as flippant and impatient or pour his focus into his work. But his moral center is pointed in the right direction and he’s the first person to discard his own needs in favor of someone else.
It’s probably what overwhelms him–caring about others but not allowing anyone to care for him–bubbles up so far that he has to visit his girls to vent it. He says they’re his informants, everyone’s heard that, but nobody buys that’s all it is. He needs to be cared for, but the money keeps him safe, keeps the lines drawn. It’s an exchange he can allow himself to make.
Something about that suddenly twists your heart. You could ask him in. You could take care of him. It’s tempting. It’s what he needs.
But you’re not sure if the inevitable fallout and distancing is what you need right now. It would be too easy to want him to stay.
It’s fine to fall in love just a little with Javier Peña, as long as you don’t expect too much.
Instead, you squeeze his hand. Big and warm and gun-callused. “I know you did. Good night, hero. Thank you.”
He lets you go, this transaction settled. Doesn’t ask anything more. As you expected. The perfect gentleman. When he puts his mind to it.
________
You’ve lost count of your yawns.
Even though you brought leftover carbonara for lunch the following day, you need to escape. There’s twice as much work with the ambassador’s conferences, more calls coming through and the agents and policia all have their regular requests. And you didn’t sleep soundly the night before; something whining at the back of your mind, like something forgotten or missed… Every form and file feels like an effort and you’re just so out of it. If your mother were to stop by and take you out to lunch–a real possibility–that would just be too much.
Half an hour in the outdoor cafeteria should help, even if it’s another hot day. Air and sunshine are usually good revitalizers. And you can hide in the crowd.
Or so you thought. Just as you’re settling in with a bowl of rice and veggies, a long shadow falls across your bench and you look up to see broad shoulders and dark hair.
But the eyes you meet are blue.
“Hi, Jimmy.”
“Well hey there. Mind if I join you?”
Without waiting for an answer he perches on the bench next to you with his sandwich and starts talking. About nothing. About the heat. How it’s hot here, how it was hot back home in Arizona but nothing like the hot here. Humidity. Dry heat. Sweat. How he once baked a cookie on the dash of a car parked in the sun. How he never understood the calculations between fahrenheit and celsius, just that one is higher and one lower. Something about mercury in thermometers.
You stop listening after a minute and just chew and smile and nod. You’re not that lonely. Yet.
There’s a little old man who sells flowers from a bucket, sets up a little stall on the sidewalk across the other end of the courtyard. He’s out here most days. He’s out here today. Carnations, chrysanthemums, birds of paradise, roses…
You should get some flowers for your desk. Something nice. Might wake you up a little. You watch absently as the flower man speaks to someone in a tan shirt. A man with dark hair like so many others here. He looks like Javi from the back.
You’d rather not think about Javi’s back. Or front. Or deep brown eyes.
So you listen to Jimmy ramble for a while before he finally asks you a question.
“Don’t you think it’s hot?”
“Yeah, Jimmy. It’s hot.” _______
“I’ll take one red and one white, por favor.”
The little old flower man’s smile is even warmer up close.
On your way back into the office you muse that you’ll put the roses in a vase and let them decide for you, depending on which one lasts longer. Do you really feel the need to entertain the possibility of infatuation? Or can you be content with the easy friendship you have?
But upon arriving at your desk, you find that your little bouquet will be unbalanced and one of the two choices will have twice the advantage.
There’s already a red rose laying on the credenza.
Next to a bowl that held carbonara leftovers when last you saw it.
And a note. Fast scratches on a torn piece of yellow steno paper. Probably from the ripped piece on your desk. Next to your pen.
“I meant all of it, Sully.”
Suddenly the clack of keyboards and whine of printers and ring of phones fades away. You lift the little note to read it again. “All of it.” As if the words aren’t enough, as if you need more empirical evidence–or maybe because it was with the flower–for some odd reason you bring it close to your nose only to confirm what you knew you’d smell there.
Rose. And cigarettes.
All of it? That’s the last thing he said last night. I meant what I said back there, Sully. All of it.
It had been a heartening thing to hear, reinforcing how he would protect and serve, how he thought you were competent and confident, but why remind you now–
Oh.
Oh. Not just that part.
All of it.
“I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. And then there were the times I had to get into the file room for nothing in particular, just a reason to come down and talk to her. She used to laugh at my flirting; made fun of me, thought I wasn’t serious.”
Suddenly you understand what was keeping you awake last night.
The look on his face as he stood by your steps. The way he rethought the words before he spoke. It wasn’t easy for him. He tried to tell you and you just…
All of it.
You just thanked him and walked away.
He’s been…this whole time…he’s…
“Darling?”
Yanked from one confusion to another, you turn to find your mother rounding your desk–even though you told her not to, that only government officials are supposed to be around your files–coming to take your hand.
“Your father and I are going on a tour of the city with the Representative. I dropped by to see if you’d like to join us.”
“Hi Mom. No… no, thanks. I’m…swamped today. I’m sorry.”
She coos, worriedly. “Are you alright? You seem tired. Those are pretty…”
Blinking down at the roses in your hand and stepping slightly to the side to shield her view of the third on your credenza, you agree, “Yeah, just tired today. It’s the heat. Here,” handing her the flowers, you smile. “The red one is for you. Please give the white one to the Representative’s wife. I hope you have a nice tour.”
“Oh. Thank you, dear…but…how did you know I was coming?”
“I didn’t. There’s a nice old man who sells them. Sometimes I buy some to cheer up my desk.”
“You’re buying your own flowers? We should stop by Haavi’s desk and tell him he needs to do that for you.”
“Oh. No need. He does.”
Once she’s on her way, you swing out to the atrium, but find Steve and Javi’s desks unoccupied. There was talk of a situation on the east side of the old town, no doubt the whole department will be out most of the afternoon.
Good. Maybe you can get some work done.
Still carrying the note, you flip it over on Javi’s desk and scribble five words with the same pen–
You know where I live.
–tuck it under his typewriter with just the tiniest corner sticking out, and head for the coffee room. One cup and three more work hours should shrink that stack of paperwork on your desk.
If you can just shut it all out and concentrate.
And try not to expect too much. ________
The door to your apartment is unlocked when you get home. Well, he certainly jumped at your note.
It shouldn’t surprise you. There’s got to be department keys in some file somewhere. After all, how could he have done all that snooping around when you first got the job?
Dropping your bag and keys on the table in the hall, you head for the main room. “Javi? You here?”
Heart ramming against your ribcage, you emerge into the apartment…
…and find your parents seated at your dining table. Waiting.
“Mom. Dad. How…how did you get in?”
“Your father talked to the landlord. It wasn’t difficult, dear. We wanted a word.” Even though there’s an endearment, your mother’s tone is anything but.
“Okay. That’s kind of excessive. You could have just swung by my desk, you know where I–”
“This is a more delicate matter and we thought you might appreciate the privacy,” your father grumbles. “Sit down, sweetheart.”
There are two things on the table. Your mother’s purse, and a box of tissues. Not the brand you own. Provided for.
“I don’t think I will. What’s going on?”
They share a glance, a starting gesture as if to choose who will begin, even though it was always going to be your mom.
“We had a very nice tour of the city today. We saw the opera house and the capital. It’s a beautiful city. You must really like it here–”
“Representative wanted to go into some of the deeper parts of the city,” your father interrupts, already going off book it seems, “to see the neighborhoods that really reflect the majority economy, get a feel for the true people of Colombia.”
What’s this all about. There’s a silence. Of course there is. They’re waiting for you to prod them. “The old town. I know it. It can get rough, but mainly only if you’re already involved in something shady.”
“Well, there’s plenty that’s shady there, I’ll tell you.” Your mother’s nose lifts more than slightly. “Did you know that it’s crawling with brothels?”
“I do, actually. There are a lot of women who don’t have any other way–”
“Well, Haavi certainly knows about those brothels. We saw him coming out of one today.”
Oh. Shit.
Wait. What?
Fuck.
Your mother continues, something about being sorry to be the one to tell you, something about your heart and how it must be breaking, how it’s hard to be lied to….
The tissues sit on the table, a pretty pink box with daisies on it. They expect you to break down. Cry. How good of an actor are you?
“...and if you want to come home for a while, you know you are always welcome–”
Not good enough.
“Javi’s not my boyfriend, Mom.”
The silence that follows is thick, it mingles with the humidity, curdles it like cream in the air. You let it sit until it sours.
“He posed for me so you wouldn’t worry about me here. Like you always do. As if I could never make it on my own without someone.” Their shock sustains. The quieter they become, the easier it gets. “And Javi went along with it because he works with me. Day in and day out. If anyone ever thought I was in danger here, or couldn’t hack the agency, he’d be the first to say so. And I trust him.” Your mother opens her mouth to run her tongue, but you cut her off at the pass. “I trust that man. Yes, you saw him coming out of a brothel, but I’m not his girlfriend and he’s there for his job. Those women sleep with the people Javi’s trying to catch. It’s a brilliant tactic, actually. And they trust him too. Because he is good to them. He’s a good man; one of the best I know and deserves respect. He takes care of them and protects them as much as he would anyone else. You should have seen what he did for this girl Helena–”
It’s here that you notice something out of the corner of your eye and turn to find Javi standing silent in the hallway, still close enough to the door that your parents can’t see him around the corner into the room. But you can. Wide eyes. That tight fitting tan shirt. Slightly off balance as if he came to a stop immediately at the knowledge of walking in on something.
Why do you feel….caught?
“Anyway,” turning back to your parents with a sigh, “I appreciate your concern. But you don’t have to be. Not about him, not about me, not about anything. I’m sorry I lied. It just seemed…easier. Because you have never just believed I was fine. I’m fine. I’m more than fine. Like Javi said the other night, I’m thriving here. Even if he was posing, everything he said was true…”
But if everything he said was true…
A glance to the hallway finds it empty again. Even if the door is slightly ajar.
“Well. You can’t blame us for wanting the best for you, sweetheart. You’re never going to stop being our daughter.”
“I know, Dad. You keep saying that. It’s right there on my birth certificate.”
“There’s no shame in accepting help if it’s given freely and if it helps you achieve a goal.”
“I understand that, but I really wish you’d told me about it rather than let me think I did it all on my own. Do you understand how that feels? To be lied to?”
Your mother huffs. “I do now.”
Thank god for office coffee. Without the edge taken off of your exhaustion, you might have had more bite. But for now, you’ve said what was necessary and you’re not up for a fight or managing their feelings; you have enough of your own to sort out. If they care about you as much as they say they do, they’ll let what you’ve said sink in and not push the matter.
“Are you flying out tomorrow morning or afternoon?”
“Tomorrow morning, sweetheart.”
You nod and move into the kitchen. Seems they do care. You have to give them credit. “Okay. Do you want some dinner? I’ve got leftovers.”
“We have a dinner scheduled with the ambassador.”
“Well good. I’ve had a long day and I’m really tired. I probably wouldn’t be good company anyway. You’re coming back in for the trade agreements in January?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Good. I’ll get to see you for a whole week then.” The sad smiles you exchange with them signal that everything’s going to be okay. For now.
There are hugs and kisses, a wish for safe travels and a promise to call in the coming days. Your mother apologizes loudly for cleaning your bathroom mirror. Your father apologizes softly for your mother’s volume. This time, you walk them all the way out to the street.
Your mother’s halfway to the car when your father doubles back, digging in his pocket, just barely remembering to give you the key he got from the landlord.
Or maybe he didn’t really forget.
“Your mother and I are proud of you, sweetheart. I’m sorry if we gave the impression that we weren’t.”
“Thanks, Dad. It’s good to hear.”
“I should have said it sooner.” He hovers as your mother gets into the car. “You tell Javi that it was nice to meet him. And that we’re proud of the work he’s doing here too.”
There’s something in the way he tells you this. Another apology. Or a knowing. You’ve never been sure with Dad.
“I will.”
As they pull away, waving, your plan is to go collapse on your couch and just be alone for a minute.
As you come back into your apartment, you have to amend that plan to collapsing on your couch next to Javier Peña.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“You heard all of that?”
He doesn’t answer the question. You sink in, lean back, let your eyes close. He sighs.
“You mind if I smoke?”
“I do, actually. You know I do. And I don’t have an ashtray. There’s still some whiskey if you want though. Knock yourself out.”
The couch shifts a bit as he gets up. The pop of cabinet doors. The clink of ice against glass. After a few seconds, the couch shifts again and a cool tumbler slides gently against your hand.
You open your eyes to ice water.
“Thanks.” You take a long drink, not knowing what to say. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“I never do. Bed’s too big. Sleep better when I’m not alone.” When you look him in the eye, he knows enough not to turn away. “One of the girls was called into one of Escobar’s regular haunts. Didn’t see him, but got a good look at some clients he’s courting. It was info worth delivering a retainer. And a final thanks.”
You do your best to keep your hope from shining through your cracks. “Final thanks?”
“Yeah. For all the…help in the past couple of years. Told them there’s a woman I’d like to spend some time with. Get to know better.”
The sly smile spreading across your face will not be contained. “Really. You told your informants that you were shoving off to the boring world of dating.”
“No. But I did let them know that if there’s a next time I darken their door, I won’t be in a very good mood. I don’t have a Jimmy to turn to if this doesn’t work.”
“Oh. So that was you today in the courtyard. That’s what inspired this? You jealous of Jimmy?”
“Nothing to be jealous of. He’s not your type. But. It might have sped up the process.” When you don’t laugh at that, he sighs. “Listen. I’m not good at this.”
“Yes, you are, I told you that you arrrre,” you yawn and go after another sip. “But I’m the one who’s going to be cranky and crap at it unless I take a nap. I’m sorry. It’s been a day.”
“Can I join you?” His dark eyes search yours as you empty the tumbler.
There’s something like a hope there. And something else, not quite an apology, not quite yearning, a worry that he’s going to do this right or die trying and he waited far too long to start.
Like he’s fighting the urge to expect too much.
“I said a nap, Peña.”
“Good. We were called in early. I could use it.”
It comes naturally. A smile. A matching smile. A whispered okay. He leans forward and slowly, softly, presses his lips to yours. Lingers a moment. Traces your nose–one side then the other–with his own.
“And what happens when we wake up?” you ask quietly in the space between you, in the space before the next slow, lingering kiss.
Javi stands, wraps three fingers around your glass and lifts it gracefully out of your grasp. Setting it on the end table, he reaches for your hand to help you up. “This is technically the third date, isn’t it? We could just…check off the usual boxes.”
“I think we established that I don’t especially love to do everything by somebody else’s rulebook.” Using the inertia of you coming off the couch to pull you straight into his arms and into a deeper kiss--one full of holding breath and clutching fingers--he chases it with a nip to your lip, which coaxes a chuckle. “But I’m open to actually following some rules for once. Especially the good ones.”
“Good. I think it’s time I worked you a miracle or two.”
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you. Well, lead the way. You obviously know where the bedroom is…”
He smirks, guiding you by the hand. “I’ll give you the tour.”
________
MASTERLIST
CHARACTER MASTERLIST
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okieedokes · 10 days
Text
girl worth writing to | john egan x f!reader
summary : john pays you a visit while he’s on leave and things get melodramatic lol
warnings : brief mention of suicide, doesn't exactly follow the events of the show
word count : 888
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The vibration of gentle snores rouse you from your sleep, your eyes search for the clock ticking away on your nightstand.
5:04 am
The sun had barely risen yet and you cursed yourself for being such a light sleeper, knowing the day you had ahead of you. However, the sight of shirtless John Egan dozing peacefully beside you was certainly one for sore eyes. You lifted a hand to his disheveled curls and attempted to stroke them back into place, whilst your mind replayed the events of the night before…
5:34 pm
You had just returned to your flat from another agonising day at the infirmary, to the incessant ring of the telephone. You are hesitant to answer, as you are sure it’s your head nurse, calling to inform you there’s been another emergency and you would need to return.
With a deep breath you lower yourself onto the edge of the bed and retrieve the telephone.
“Hello?…” You had meant to use a more formal introduction but simply couldn’t find the strength.
“Y/N?! It’s me, Bucky! You remember?” He teased.
You had half the mind to pretend you had forgotten the pilot after not hearing a word from him in almost six months.
“Unfortunately, I do remember.” You mask your tone with sarcasm.
“Atta girl!” He remarked and you found yourself repressing a smile as you imagined the cheeky grin on his face.
“I just completed my twenty-fifth mission today and it was frankly very nearly my last, so they’re graciously giving me the weekends leave!” He boasts sarcastically and you suppress a giggle.
“Lucky Buck!” You retort and hear him scoff.
“Anyways, I was thinking I’d come pay you and London a visit…that’s if you’d have me, of course.”
You take a pause, pretending you have a choice. Unfortunately the truth of the matter was that you’d take the Major in, always and forever no-matter the heartache, come his departure.
“Do you still remember the address?” You asked, placing a hand to your stomach in an attempt to ease the brewing butterflies.
“I couldn’t forget if I tried sweetheart, I’ll see you soon enough.” He teased playfully and ended the call.
You sighed at the realisation that you would have to spend all evening making your tired self presentable for the pilot, knowing deep down that for John it would always be worth it.
5:36 am
You jump at the feeling of his large hand wrap around your wrist that was still embedded in his hair. You feel your cheeks grow bright red as you push your body towards the opposite side of the bed.
“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean you scare ya.” He croaks in his deep morning voice that never fails to make your knees weak.
“That’s okay! I need to get ready for my shift anyways.” You stutter wrapping yourself in the bedsheet as you crawl out of bed.
“Y/N please…” Bucky groans and grasps at the sheet that is now tightly wound around your shivering frame.
“You always do this…it’s too early and it’s bloody freezing.” He pleads and gently pulls you back into the bed and his embrace, gently guiding your into head to the crook of his neck.
“I’m sorry I scared you…twenty-five missions…it’s starting to get to me now, I think.” He admits whilst stroking a lock of hair behind your ear.
“I can only imagine the horrors you boys have endured…” You whisper.
“You would probably understand more than most Y/N…what with the hospital and all the bombings.” He adds, his tone soft and comforting as he continues to stroke your hair. This is not the witty and sarcastic John you were familiar with.
“I suppose you could say that.” You mumble as you fidget with the dog tag that hangs around his neck, a cruel reminder.
“I guess it doesn’t help that I have this American pilot of mine who when I’m sure has gone and died on me-”You attempt a teasing tone but it falls flat.
“What’s all this about me being a goner? Don’t you have any faith Y/N?” He interjects, his tone only half joking.
“Well you never write or call? What am I supposed to think?!” You feel anger boiling in your chest as you push yourself away from him.
“Or maybe I’m just not worth writing to!” You accuse before John had time to even consider a response to your sudden outburst.
“I promise it’s nothing like that Y/N… you know how I feel about you. Christ! I wouldn’t be using my weekend off like this if I didn’t have feelings for you!” He scrambles to defuse the situation, knowing your spirited ways.
“Oh really?!” You mock.
“Y/N these missions, they’re suicide! I couldn’t never let you get involved with me now! It would be cruel!” His statement cuts the conversation like a knife, silence falling over the entire flat.
A tear rolls down your cheek as you stifle a sob.
“I-I’m sorry John…but I think I’m already…involved.” You stutter.
The pilot sighs, using the bedsheet gathered around your waist to pull you back down into the mattress, so now you are pinned underneath him. There's nowhere to hide.
“If you only knew how many times I’ve heard your voice in my head or seen your face in a crowd…” He whispers whilst gently placing a kiss to each of your tear soaked cheeks.
“You’re my girl…I’m sorry I ever made your feel like you weren't worth writing to.” His tone is soft but sincere.
Without looking away, he reaches for a scrap of paper that was resting atop your bedside table.
“In fact I’ll start right now…My dearest Y/N…” He declares in a exaggerated british accent and you playful slap his shoulder, giving him permission to attack you with kisses again.
When he finally pulls away your eyes meet and you raise a hand to his cheek.
“Come back to me, Major Egan.” The words tumble out before you even able to acknowledge they are there.
“Always.” He whispers, before burying is head in your chest. It wasn't long before you feel his soft snores radiating against your body again.
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elodieunderglass · 2 years
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I have a genuine question about rewilding lawns. Is there a way to keep down/minimize the tick population in a rewilded “lawn?” I’d love to have a more natural yard some day, but I do worry about exposing myself and my dog to ticks.
Sure, there will be as many ways as there are outcomes you might want.
Before we talk about any plantcraft we ask where we are, what the land is like, and what we want to achieve here. So I’ll sort of fill that in a bit on your behalf and that might give you some ideas.
I’m just going to randomly presume that you’re in the New England region of the USA for no other reasons than 1. Lyme babyyyy and 2. It’s where I’m from, so lol. We’ll presume you have a quarter acre of unbroken turf with no landscaping or features, in American suburbia, but near enough to undeveloped woods that ticks have a fairly unbroken habitat and complete their lifestyle appropriately. We’ll presume that they are definitely present and frequently foray into the housing development. And we’ll presume that your outcome and intentions are basically: “I want to feel like this space DOES MORE for the environment, specifically by reducing the need for inputs and maintenance, and increasing the biodiversity on this property; but I’m not able to change my entire way of life, which is set up mostly how I want it already.”
If you live in the NE region, then the ticks you mostly live with are the American deer and dog tick. and the bad news about those buddies and my presumed vision of your situation is that you should be practicing rigorous tick checks in everyday life anyway! even if your yard is a sterile moonscape 😌🙃 because they are endemic, insidious and on the rise due to climate change; and in your situation it’s not unreasonable to expect them even if you keep a lawn suitable for competitive croquet, and hose it down with permethrin. So step one is to practice tick safety regularly anyway: for yourself in the shower when you shower, and for your dog when you’re sitting on the couch.
Secondly, it sounds kind of like you and your dog go out in the yard off-leash, or want to, so it could be a good idea to fence the property or just a defined play area on it. because a) dogs are dogs, and b) limiting deer access is a gentle way to limit the food cycle.
Okay so what next? Here are some ideas that will all give different outcomes.
1.) barrier off a small pleasant grassy area for you and your dog to play in; keep it quite close-cut. You have your area and the ticks have theirs.
2.) barrier off the least desirable corner of the property , ideally near an existing tree, and score a small piece of turf with a sharp tool; drop in some purchased native wildflower seeds. let the turf grow out, go to flower, and seed. When it goes golden let it stand there. Add a stack of logs and erect a “bug hotel”, of some description, which won’t do much for bugs but will tie the look together. Put up a wooden sign reading THIS SPACE RESERVED FOR NATURE. You have your area and the ricks have theirs (other way around.) this sounds insane and instagrammish but if you live in a suburb, HOA area, with others, etc then you’ll be surprised how much the Explanatory Sign changes the way people feel about it. Also, saves you having to radically redesign anything. You made a Nature Bit, and that can be a complete sentence or the beginning of a journey. Maybe over the years you can add a water source for wildlife, more plantings, and generally observe how it all evolves.
3. Practice No Mow May and Let it Bloom June. Just don’t mow the lawn in May and June. Do more by doing less. These initiatives started in the UK, but have had great results when trialled in America - learn more here: https://beecityusa.org/no-mow-may/ and if it’s just for two months, why not make it a personal science project? Journal the number of ticks you pick off your dog on your tick check - it’ll be kinda interesting to know anyway, wouldn’t it? Are you restricting your life for fear of a problem that ends up not being reflected in the data? - and count how many butterflies you see. Also: really easy branding on this one, easy to explain to the neighborhood, easy to put up a sign or post links on Nextdoor, quite easy to get buy-in from neighbors. Now there’s an idea. Having a continuous coordinated butterfly-friendly grass habitat across several properties in May and June is more impactful than having a shitty half-considered plan in one. Plus, you’d be dodging the dry hot part of the year that’s most attractive to ticks.
4. Keep pet Guinea hens. Haven’t you always wanted pet Guinea hens? They’re small, empty-brained dinosaurs that scream like they’re being skinned, act like you’re going to eat them whole, and have no redeeming properties except for eating deer ticks and dropping pretty feathers for crafts. They will invent 65 new ways to kill themselves just to make you feel guilty. What? You just said you didn’t want ticks, you didn’t tell me you HATED BIRDS -
5. Keep the lawn, dig a few large holes in it, and drop in a loose grid of baby fruit trees. Most of them are not native to the USA, they’re definitely not wild, but they’re part of creating a different kind of Space: shaded, cool, covered, offering blossom to insects and (soon) shelter to animals, encouraging mosses and lichens, not impacting ticks or your dog much one way or the other, not really wanting any work from you, and being generally considered Improvement to the Neighborhood. And you’ll see the benefit while you’re still living in the house, which you won’t normally with Big Proper Trees (which will probably be cut down by the next owner, where fruit trees are considered strangely lovable and have long lifespans). You can mow if you like (don’t strim the trunks!) or not, plant flowers in the grass beneath or not, prune them for fruit bearing… or not. If over time you find that you’re loving the trees and how they change the whole vibe, surprise - you’ve gotten a head start on a big journey towards a yard that feeds you and nature. And while they may not be native, there are few critters that say no to a plant raised for blossom and sugary fruit; the wasps alone will grasp you by the collar and murmur gratitude in your ear. Next year you might fill in some shrubs, or take your experience from raising apple trees (surprise, they’re usually the easiest trees to raise - plug and play trees, basically) to other, more difficult prospects. Maybe you’ll have levelled up so far that you’ll be ready to take on some big challenges. Black walnut…? Anyway 5b) trees live on a different time scale to us, so if you crave having more of them, I’d suggest starting with keeping one or two adorable entry-level ones, pay attention to them, and see how you get on.
6. Call up the local cooperative extension, find your local Facebook eco group, and get in touch with your local community for what they’re doing (and do they have any free plants.) it may well turn out that you have no taste or energy for doing much with your own lawn, but you end up spending every weekend in a local national park tending to the reintroduction of rare orchids. Who knows. Also, they might have free plants. Anyway, advice from people who know the land, not me.
7. Journal and pay attention to the land you have, and what your local nature preserves look like, through the seasons. YOU generate YOUR OWN ideas about what you want your home to look like. Slot the bits together and call it your own plan. Also, read “Reading the Forested Landscape,” because it changed my life as a child and im projecting on you.
8. Flip the turf over, replant with clover or something that meets your needs, and call it a day. Eh, bees like clover, it doesn’t grow high enough for ticks and it gets on surprisingly well with dogs. See also any other groundcover, but make sure it’s good for dogs - you have a duty to the dependent animal you already have, it doesn’t matter if you get internet points or not.
9. Hire a local nature-centred landscape designer for a consultation. This is literally exactly what my neighbor does for a living, and you’d be surprised — it isn’t just RICH PEOPLE who hire him. They will come over, squint at the angle of the sun, and reinterpret everything.
10. Don’t trust anyone who tries to answer the question with a list of plants that you should just go out and buy, unless they are a local person who knows your land, such as the landscaper from number 9 or the professor from 6, or someone similar.
11. Stay cute at all times. Ticks hate that.
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irradiatedsnakes · 2 months
Text
the Big TMA Furry List
this list with commentary/choice rationale below the cut :] i wrote a lot of thoughts down do please check it out.
jon: common raven
martin: tan jumping spider
sasha: southern flannel moth
not!sasha: red postman
tim: jackson's chameleon
melanie: eastern copperhead
georgie: triceratops horridus
basira: domestic cat (calico shorthair)
daisy: domestic dog (german shepherd)
elias: barn owl. jonah: eurasian eagle owl.
gerry: domestic dog (black doberman)
annabelle: white-booted racket-tail
jane: cabbage white
michael: spiny softshell turtle
helen: common hermit crab
oliver: black vulture
peter: risso's dolphin
mike: caelestiventus hanseni
jude: black kite
agnes: ???
nikola: stealing major's carousel horse
jared: american dog tick
breekon&hope: Hog and/or Bear. you get no more information
dekker: mouflon
gertrude: great tit
leitner: domestic cat (persian)
manuela: gray long-eared bat
rayner: olm
salesa: sea otter
simon: dodo
elaboration below !
jon: common raven
this was a choice i made before i even finished listening to the podcast back in 2020. jon's 1000% a bird to me, and the curious nature of corvids works well here. plus, i think a bird so universally ominous as a raven works perfectly as a horror protag :P i used to draw raven!jon with a couple troodon traits, mostly just cus it was fun, but i wanted to make my designs more grounded for this iteration. made them plantigrade, didn't get silly with body styles like i have with mp100 designs.
martin: tan jumping spider
if you've been here for a while you'll know that my furry martin has gone through about two million iterations. he started off as a european pine marten, to bold jumping spider, to chinese pangolin, to nine-banded armadillo, finally to nurse shark.
out of all of these the spider and the shark are my favorites. i wanted to go back to the jumping spider though- the design is really fun and i wasn't able to get the expressions right, but i'm more confident in my skills now and i'm having fun with the design. i may revisit nurse shark at some point. i switched from bold to tan jumper- i originally chose bold just cus they're my favorite jumper, but their stark black/white and iridescent aqua coloration just doens't work for martin. so, the tan jumper!
sasha: southern flannel moth
another old choice. species chosen because of a friend's fic, pharos by right (another i'm planning to reread now that i'm dipping my toes back into tma..)! southern flannel moths are poofy and orange, and their caterpillars are those super painful teddybear ones. i really like the design.
not!sasha: red postman
wanted to have her be another lepidopteran, and with all the many examples of mimicry among the group i thought red postman was a fun choice. doesn't look anything like a southern flannel moth, but that's sort of the point.
tim: jackson's chameleon
yet another choice from the oldtimes- most of the main characters are, i've mostly switched around the more secondary chars. first suggested, i believe, by @/ofdreamsanddoodles. i think there's something very fun about chameleons being basically a living mood ring & tim's Descent s1-3 showing physcially not just through the worm scars but through like, constant stress coloration during s3.
melanie: eastern copperhead
one of my favorite choices. i have a young copperhead specimen named after her. this one is quite vibes-based, but i do really like the copperhead as a viper that is not deadly. and i'm always a sucker for the "animal perceived as scary and violent that in actuality only strikes when under extreme stress" thing in furry assignments.
georgie: triceratops horridus
another favorite choice. visually, i really like how this works out, and trikes as a social and protective animal works well. she's literally got a shield on her face. horridus was chosen because i like the shape of the head and horns better than prorsus.
basira: domestic cat (calico shorthair)
got a little cat/dog thing going on for dasira. i like the inversion of the usual cat/dog dynamic with their unhealthy devotion instead, and visually it just works very well for them both.
daisy: domestic dog (german shepherd)
yeah i know this one's an exceedingly obvious choice.
elias: barn owl. jonah: eurasian eagle owl.
it's the institute logo! it's him! barn owl for elias specifically because of its very sleek look, designing him went fantastically. also, i can make the eagle owl's face disk work as a mimicry of ben meredith's muttonchops, which i think is a fun design bit to give to magnus.
gerry: domestic dog (black doberman)
certified gerryguy @/gerrydelano's choice. to quote a discord message from 3 years ago (sorry ron): "i feel like.........my INSTINCT is some kind of canine because like. the whole symbolism thing about being either an obedient or rabid dog. something something muzzled all your life. being a dangerous figure if people only see the silhouette but you just want scritches and nobody'll get close enough to you." black dog symbolism + breed which has ears cropped and tail docked, unecessarily molded for a Purpose which the dog has no say in
annabelle: white-booted racket-tail
sort of my original choice- she used to be part white-booted racket-tail, part anna's hummingbird. kept with the racket-tail cus it's fun and very cute. i've had a couple people express surprise that she wasn't a spider, but i think that's way too obvious. hummingbirds, though- they steal the webs of spiders to use as material to make their nests, but can sometimes become trapped in the webs and eaten by the spiders themselves. which is probably the metaphor-via-fursona-assignment i'm most proud of in this whole list
jane: cabbage white
the cabbage white is a butterfly whose caterpillars are routinely parasitized by the parasitoid wasp the white butterfly parasite. in case you're not familiar, parasitoid wasps lay their eggs on (usually) caterpillars, which hatch on the still-living caterpillar, devouring it from the inside before eventually emerging from the consumed husk of the host. also, i really liked the image of parasitoid wasp larvae emerging from an adult butterfly, rather than a caterpillar.
michael: spiny softshell turtle
for michael and helen, i wanted to choose animals which were, in some way, their own home. turtle is an obvious choice- and spiny softshells are a favorite of mine, and sufficiently strange-looking.
helen: common hermit crab
see previous entry. also please google "hermit crab without shell"
oliver: black vulture
bit of an obvious choice, but i adore vultures so i had to. black vulture chosen because i think the monochrome color scheme + straighter face work better than a turkey vulture for him
peter: risso's dolphin
i really like the idea of a cetacean for peter and the lukases as a whole, a famously social animal for the seemingly contradictory nature of this lonely-but-huge family, plus with so many cetaceans being endangered getting that lonely angle (risso's specifically are not, though, as peter is lonely through his own choice, not by circumstance).
mike: caelestiventus hanseni
it's a dimorphodont. he feels like a pterosaur to me, and i like the idea of a vast avatar as a usually short-flying arboreal species, for the unnaturality/contrast of it.
jude: black kite
black kites are one of the species of kites known to intentionally spread fires by picking up burning sticks to flush out prey.
agnes: ???
the only one i'm still undecided on. will update.
nikola: stealing major's carousel horse
i can't top that
jared: american dog tick
great choice from @/magnusarchivememes. Takes Your Blood And Gets So Big
breekon&hope: Hog and/or Bear. you get no more information
vaguely russian animals that are large and imposing but remain somewhat generic. which is the hog and which is the bear is not consistent.
dekker: mouflon
dekker has very much mammal vibes to me. the mouflon is a neat species of wild sheep. i think the noble, imposing but kind image of the ram works well for dekker as that sort of true-good hero figure, and mouflons in particular are very nice looking with good shapes. the statement giver in distant cousin describes dekker as "though he was slightly shorter than I was, it seemed like he towered over me." which i think this sheep works well with.
gertrude: great tit
i wanted all the main eye avatars as birds, just like how i give them all glasses. just a fun little treat for me. great tit was chosen for gertrude as a kind of classic british bird, and as tits in general are VERY fiesty despite their round and adorable appearance. i really like this image of a great tit posing with a dead mouse like it's a hunter with a trophy deer. the cheek markings also work really well to bring to mind the image of old person jowls.
leitner: domestic cat (persian)
vibes. also i like the idea of him as a spoiled domestic animal. if i remember correctly, this was also @/ofdreamsanddoodles' suggestion
manuela: gray long-eared bat
she's a bat. what's to say. WELL actually okay there's the perception of bats as blind but actually having quite good vision which i think meshes in a fun way with the dark, and the way manuela does her sciency stuff.
rayner: olm
i mean, yeah
salesa: sea otter
largely design-oriented, suitably scruffy. ocean animal with strong social bonds, it was a slam dunk soon as i thought of it.
simon: dodo
how couldn't i, come on.
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xohachi · 9 months
Text
illuminate
| sherlock holmes x u |
word count: 966
u have a date tonight! ur actually on the date for the first half of the story and sherlock’s brooding about it so badly that he can’t sleep :( BUT u come back sad 😧 so he comforts u ☺️. {angst/comfort/cute ending} {this is for the girls w no dad.}
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(LOOK AT HIS PUPPY DOG EYES I WANNA CRYYYYYY) (i hate writing stories in my notes app but I watched American beauty last night and that “you could never be ordinary,” scene literally ate me so i just haddd to write something based off it. so enjoy this blurb i wrote first thing in the morning at a sleepover)
The mundane tick of the clock nearly lulled Sherlock to sleep. He persevered through the heavy bricks on his eyelids, pacing the room thinking of you. The time now was 12:34am. You’d left for a date at around 8, you never went on dates. Sherlock preferred it that way, maybe then he’d get some sleep. He thought of you, the image of you in your little black dress and red heels… the way you styled your hair and left a few dangling curls to frame your already perfect face. The stubborn detective would never say it but it enraged him to see you dressed up like this for another man.
“How do I look?” You asked sheepishly. He watched your eyes meet his, inhaling the presence of your soul snaking its way into the void where his was supposed to be. Somehow during the time that the two of you had roomed together at 221B Baker St, Sherlock had fallen in love with you and he hated the fact that he didn’t hate it.
“You’re leaving?” His tone was low, monotonous.
“Yeah silly, I happen to have a date tonight.” You gave him a spin. His eyes locked onto the slit in your already short dress and how it hiked up even higher when you moved. A scowl snuck onto his face as he thought about you dancing with lesser men at sub par bars, the way they’d probably slide a hand down your back, itching for an invitation to taint you with their touch.
‘A date,’ He muttered to himself. A cigarette sat between his lips. Sherlock leaned onto the fireplace and pulled his head back as he exhaled. Finally, your footsteps echoed up the stairs. He put out his cigarette and scrambled to find a place in his chair. Quickly picking up his violin, fumbling with the tuning to look busy. You’d left the house wearing heels yet your footsteps showed no indication of heels on your feet. You’d probably taken them off after too much dancing & the thought brought a red jealous haze back into his mind but he decided to let it go. Your dark silhouette emerged from the shadows. Something was wrong. He quickly scanned you with his eyes. Messy hair, your left dress strap sliding down your shoulder, your hand on your right shoulder seemingly massaging a bothering ache, perhaps from carrying your purse. Turning around, a yelp emerged from your throat.
“Sorry,” You choked out, trying to mask your sobs, “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” You glanced down at the violin in his hands, yet his attention was solely on you. Sherlock’s eyebrow was cocked as he continued to silently read your tells. Shaky voice, running mascara, you’d been crying. Your arms were hugging your body, you’d been hurt. He stood up cautiously.
“He hurt you…” Sherlock concluded aloud, inching closer. His hands were somewhat extended towards you as if he wanted to touch you but couldn’t.
“No, Sherlock he didn’t, I’m alright.” You closed the space between the two of you. The sudden feeling of your small hands on his chest electrified him yet also diminished a fraction of his anger. Physically sure, you seemed to be okay. Sherlock realized that you were hugging your body to console deep emotional pain. Physical or emotional didn’t matter to him though, all that mattered was that you were in pain.
“You’re crying. He made you cry, I’ll murder him.” His rough calloused hands cupped either side of your face, his words venomous with intent. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation but Sherlock had never allowed himself to touch you like this. The most touch you shared was when he’d let you rest your head on his shoulder during long train rides, even then he felt like he was playing with fire.
“He was good to me, I promise,” a small silence, “I did this to myself, with my own insecurities.”
“Am I… ordinary, Sherlock?”
The streetlights trickled through the curtains, illuminating the silhouette of you both holding back from indulging in your deepest desires. The image of you, gazing up at the cold detective with wide teary eyes, clinging to his word like he’s god reciting the bible directly to you. Him, his hands on either sides of your face, soothing you with his words, “You could never be ordinary, not even if you tried.”
Although your crying had ceased, his words broke the dam behind your y/e/c eyes. Your head fell into his chest and the sudden intimacy caused Sherlock tense up. He could feel you needing him, begging him to hold you just this once, to tell you that everything will be okay…and that he loves you so. He opened his mouth to protest the hug, only to be cut off by a small, “Please, just this once,” whispered into his chest.
Frozen in time, the gears in his brain began to short circuit. He was a sociopath, how could he feel like this? The two of you were never even meant to get this close. He could feel his defenses crumble. Every alarm inside his mind palace blaring. Emergency! Emergency! The void where his soul should lie was no longer empty. You’d fought your way past his defenses, seemingly effortlessly. He lived and breathed you. He burned for you, and only you. Your soul igniting him, Sherlock finally allowed himself to wrap his arms around your small figure tightly. His chin resting atop your head. He wouldn’t admit any of this aloud. As a matter of fact, he wouldn’t say anything at all. This was enough for now, he’d just be here, with you, for you, in the moment.
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mamadarama · 25 days
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Kuro and Madara both seem like maine coons but Madara(and also Leo ) also give me calico vibes. Kuro also fits the norwegian forest cat.
Himeru is one of those freaky ass lanky oriental cats or a russian blue
Adonis is an egyptian mau or a siamese, Kaoru is an orange, Rei is a regular black cat but with weirdly shiny fur and Kouga is a cat who was raised by pitbulls and will not accept the reality that he’s not a pitbull
Keito is a regular european/domestic shorthair but with a weirdly green tint to it
I would say Mika is a khao manee due to the eyes but he is big eyed dark brown colored LaPerm( the specific image I have in mind is one of the pictures in The Cat Encyclopedia and I’m not even sure if it’s for that breed)
Tori is a munchkin
OK OKOK SO i actually already have breed hcs for everyone bc im so autistic abt cats i was gonna wait to talk abt them as i made the cat designs but progress is going really slow on those and now that someone is talking to me about it i cant make myself shut up . i agree with a lot of these !!! im just gonna go ahead and list all of my hcs though bc im insane (these are my somewhat realistic color hcs for what they would be if i didnt choose to make them all candy colored when i draw them lol)
(disclaimer: this is on appearance alone, not all these breeds and mutations are ethical, not all these colors actually appear in the breed stated or are combinations that dont exist, and some of these colors/breeds are extinct)
gonna put this under a readmore cuz its ...... a lot (i woulda added pics too but theres definitely way more than 10 cats here)
fine
eichi - ragdoll, cream point, important to note he is a purebred show cat
wataru - oriental longhair, blue bicolor harlequin
tori - munchkin/british shorthair, dilute calico
yuzuru - domestic shorthair (feral TNR), tuxedo, otter like coat texture
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trickstar
subaru - abyssinian, cinnamon
hokuto - american bobtail, black with blue undertones and low white
makoto - scottish fold, golden, non breed standard (longer face)
mao - ragamuffin, red with high white
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akatsuki
kuro - siberian, black smoke striped tabby
keito - domestic shorthair, brown mackerel tabby with low white
souma - japanese bobtail, brown broken mackerel tabby with high white
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eden
nagisa - maine coon, light gray sokoke tabby
hiyori - laperm, silver sunshine agouti with low white
ibara - chausie (feral), blue cream
jun - thai pisaat, black ticked tabby, kinked tail (pisaat characteristic)
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undead
rei - oriental longhair, black (looks brown in sunlight), long teeth (this isnt a mutation, some cats just have longer teeth than others— my design is inspired by mingus the panther, a black oriental shorthair that was popular on the internet for his huge fangs)
kaoru - turkish van, medium longhair, red chinchilla tabby/white
adonis - arabian mau, but with toyger coloration
koga - lykoi, dark gray/black roan, thinks hes a wolf due to being raised with dogs and the lykoi being known as the "werewolf cat"
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knights
leo - domestic shorthair, dense coat, medium white calico, long teeth
izumi - domestic shorthair, lilac striped tabby with low white
arashi - singapura, breed standard
ritsu - bombay, non breed standard (longer face) long teeth like rei but slightly shorter
tsukasa - ragamuffin, chocolate tabby with medium white, higher rufousing
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crazy:b
rinne - chausie, red grizzled tabby, high rufousing
niki - nebelung, non breed standard (shorter fur)
himeru - domestic shorthair, blue solid, small rounded ear mutation
kohaku - longhair american bobtail, sunshine lilac lynx point
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alkaloid
hiiro - chausie, red grizzled tabby (darker tabby than rinne), high rufousing
aira - ragdoll, cream point, non breed standard (shorter fur)
tatsumi - australian mist, silver spotted
mayoi - oriental siamese, seal tortie point, non breed standard (shorter face)
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rab*its
nazuna - somali, fawn, notably smaller than average
tomoya - domestic shorthair, fawn based caramel classic tabby
hajime - russian blue, breed standard
mitsuru - kurilian bobtail, chocolate solid
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valkyrie
shu - donskoy (brush), warm gray with white
mika - appears to be a kurilian bobtail, actually domestic longhair (medium), black heavy tortie, odd eyes and bobtail mutation (khao manee cats do have odd eyes, but can only be white. also mikas backstory lends itself to him being a randombred)
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2wink
theyre twins, so both are red classic tabby domestic shorthairs. theyre somewhat smaller than most cats .
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switch
natsume - domestic shorthair, red solid with minimal white
tsumugi - american wirehair, solid chocolate and white, non breed standard (longer fur)
sora - highlander, golden classic tabby with white, ringtail mutation
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ryuseitai
chiaki - havana brown, chocolate
kanata - turkish van, blue classic tabby/white
tetora - bengal/abyssinian, zorro mask charcoal bengal with high roufusing
shinobu - domestic shorthair, black/medium white spotted, somewhat short tail
midori - domestic (medium) longhair, fawn based caramel solid with white
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MaM and others
madara - maine coon, calico (my design for him is based off dawntreader texas calboy, a male calico maine coon that was the subject of controversy among cat show judges for being a genetic anomaly)
(madaras name actually means calico cat!! madara (斑) means spots and mikejima (三毛縞) means tricolored stripes, with "mike" often referring to calico and tortoiseshell cats. as a kid he also had the nickname "mikekun" in reference to his tendency to startle people by sneaking up on them silently like a cat)
anzu - british shorthair, chocolate tortie with medium white
jin - domestic (short) longhair (stray), dark gray, rough fur texture
akiomi - oriental longhair, fawn
kaname - british shorthair, blue solid, non breed standard (longer face)
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arlana-likes-to-write · 5 months
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Broken by Jonah Kagen
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Summary: Grief is a funny thing especially when you ignore it and let it fester. It can scary and vulnerable like a ticking time bomb that is ready to explode and hurt anyone it it's way.
Word Count: 2.1k
Warning: angst with fluff, grief, death of a major character, drinking, self-harm?
December 3, 2025
Kate was surprised to wake up to an empty bed at 0200, no less. At the beginning of her relationship with the Black Widow, she was used to it, but now she depends on her girlfriend’s warmth to keep her asleep. There were some exceptions when they were both on missions. However, they weren’t on missions and sleeping in their shared New York City apartment for the first time in 2 weeks. Kate needed Yelena. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and noticed the dogs were missing, too. “Where did you run off to?” Kate asked the darkness. Throwing on a sweatshirt, she exited their bedroom. Yelena was easy to find. The Blonde was sitting on the kitchen bar with an open bottle of vodka and the dogs at her feet, fast asleep.
As Kate approached, she noticed the lack of shot glass or glass. Yelena was drinking straight from the bottle. The archer stood before her, leaning against the countertop that separated them. No one spoke. They sat in a heavy silence as they waited for the other to break it. Kate observed her girlfriend; her green eyes weren’t red, her cheeks weren’t blotchy, so she hadn’t been crying. Her jaw wasn’t clenched, so angry was out of the option. But her eyes had a far-off look as if she was staring directly through her. With a sigh, Yelena took a long sip from the bottle. “You should be sleeping, malen’kiy yastreb (little hawk),” she broke the silence. The nickname never failed to spread warmth through Kate. “You have a busy day.” That was true. She had a meeting with Sam, training with Peter, and a lunch date with Geer and Fanny. She quickly stopped at the Sanctum to meet with American and Steven.
But Yelena’s day was just as busy. A meeting with Sonya to go over the next round of Widows that needed to be saved, checking in on some Widows that lived in the city, and a phone call with Melina. “I couldn’t sleep without you,” her honestly made Yelena smile, but it was short-lived. It was a delicate dance when trying to figure out how to help the Black Widow. Sometimes, it felt like a balancing act, carefully walking on a type of rope over a sold-out crowd. But Kate was patient; she wasn’t the world’s best archer because she was impulsive. “Do you want to tell me why you’re sitting here with the dogs and a bottle of vodka?” But her question was met with Yelena taking another sip from the bottle. It was wishful thinking that she would get an answer, but she tried to rack her brain. Did Sonya say something about the last mission they were on? No. “If you don’t want to talk or come back to bed, can we sit on the couch?” She asked, offering her hand.
Yelena stared at the stretched hand in front of her so intently it was like she was trying to diffuse a bomb. With a sigh, she took it and allowed Kate to lead her to the couch, not forgetting the bottle. Once she sat down and was comfortable, Kate laid her head on Yelena’s lap and dragged a blanket over her. The Blonde was staring down at Kate, one arm thrown over the edge of the couch with a tight hold on the bottle. With her free hand, she ran it through Kate’s hair and traced a scar on her temple she received from the Battle of New York.
It was something they both did, tracing the scars that the other wore. It was a simple reminder to both of them of how fragile life was and how quickly they could have lost each other. Yelena’s touch was soothing, and Kate was fighting the pull of sleep. “If you could change the past,” Yelena said. “Would you?” The question forced Kate to stay awake. It was a difficult question that did not have a straightforward answer. To Kate, time travel seemed dangerous. It was a necessary evil for the Avengers to bring those like her girlfriend back from Thanos’ first snap, but it had too much power. It was why the Time Stone was guarded.
“I don’t know, Lena,” Kate finally answered. “What if I go back and change one little thing, and it changes my life now.” She would have never needed to pick up a bow and arrow if she saved her father. “Is the past what’s got you so upset?”
“Do you know what day it is?”
“December 3, 2025,” she answered. “What’s so special about today?” The Black Widow smirked.
“As an Avenger super fan, I’m disappointed,” Kate rolled her eyes. Kamala was the Avenger know-it-all. “It’s Natasha’s birthday,” the archer sat up so quickly she almost hit her head against Yelena’s. “You almost made me spill my vodka.” She deadpanned.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kate asked. Yelena sighed, moving her shoulders up and down. She went for another sip, but Kate grabbed the bottle to stop her. Green eyes sent daggers to her, but that didn’t deter Kate. “You do everything for a reason, Yelena,” she whispered. A pin could be heard if it was dropped in their apartment; not even the dogs stirred from their sports. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She repeated.
“Because I’m broken,” it happened rather suddenly; Yelena ripped the bottle out of Kate’s hand and threw it against the wall. The glass bottle shattered, spraying glass and vodka on the floor and wall. It woke the two dogs up, and they scattered to see the commotion. “Fuck,” Yelena hurried off the couch and began to pick up the glass pieces. The shock Kate had worn off.
“Fanny, Lucky, upstairs and stay,” the dogs obeyed the command, but Kate saw Fanny hesitate. Quickly, Kate approached Yelena and put her hand on her shoulder. The Blonde shrugged it off.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she repeated. Blood started to form on Yelena’s hands as she squeezed the glass shards in her hands.
“Baby, stop,” Kate said. “Stop!” The archer used enough force to push Yelena away from the glass. The Black Widow didn’t put up much of a fight as her back rested against the couch. “It’s okay,” Kate reassured, kneeling before her. “I’m going to clean this up and clean your hands.” There was no response from the Blonde as tears swelled in her green eyes.
It was quick work for Kate to clean up the glass, wipe up the vodka, and then grab a first aid for Yelena. The Blonde was still in the same spot; no tears left her eyes. “Can I see your hands, baby?”
“I’m fine,” but she allowed Kate to grab her closed palms and open them.
“I’ll try to be careful and quick, okay?” She began pulling the shards of glass from her hands and cleaning the cuts. “You’re hurting,” she whispered. “But you show no sign.”
“Cause I’m afraid to give in, break down, and waste your time,” she said, staring at her hands, wincing slightly when Kate had to dig out a challenging piece, but the archer blew on the cut to ease the pain. “You wouldn’t believe me if you knew the things that crossed my mind.” Kate finished cleaning her hands and wrapped them with a bandage. With the serum in Yelena’s veins, Kate knew the cuts would be healed by the time they went to bed. It was mostly for her own sanity that they were protected. Kate kissed each one of them and then traced the bandages. She kept her touch soft and gentle, causing Yelena to breathe shaky. “I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it.” She stuttered. The hitch in her voice caused Kate to look up at her girlfriend as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Tell me,” Kate kept her voice steady and calm when a deep turmoil raced through her. “What don’t you deserve it?”
“Your help or for you to tell me I’m worth it, but I don’t deserve it,” Yelena sobbed. “I need your hand but don’t want to burn it. Please,” she pleaded. “Pull me out of the fire.” Kate brought the Blonde into her arms and switched positions so she was sitting on the couch and Yelena was on her lap. Her face burrowed in the crock of her neck, and Kate felt every tear. Kate never witnessed Yelena break down. There were times when a nightmare shook her to her core, and the only way for her to go back to sleep was if Kate held her tight. She had to get a bullet dug out of her shoulder, and she squeezed Sonya’s hand so tight she almost broke it.
But this was the first time it was unfiltered, vulnerable, and letting down all her walls. Her hands twisted in the fabric of Kate’s search, and she cried. Kate hugged her tight. “I want my sister back. I want more time.”
“I know, I know,” Kate repeated, rocking her back and forth. “You’re doing so well, baby. It’s okay.”
“W-what?” Yelena questioned, pulling back slightly. Her hands rested on Kate’s shoulders, staring down at her girlfriend. “I don’t understand.” Kate smiled, whipping away her tears with the sleeves of her shirt.
“You need to cry, Yelena. You need to cry, grieve, and feel,” she whispered. “No need to hold it in anymore. I’m here. I’ll catch you,” Kate promised. “Just fall, sweetheart, just fall.” Yelena blinked down at her, eyes laced in confusion, and Kate saw a few tears fall onto her shirt.
“Okay,” she lowered her head to rest on Kate’s shoulder, and tears began to fall. There was a song Kate’s father used to sing when she struggled to sleep. She’s long since forgotten the words, but she remembered the tone. Kate hummed that song until Yelena fell asleep.
*
When Yelena woke up, her head was throbbing, and it was past the usual time she usually woke up. On her nightstand was a tall glass of water and a bottle of painkillers, with a note from Kate. She said she was meeting with Sam and would be home right now. Some of her felt guilty that Kate was canceling her plans, but she wanted to be with her after the night she had.
Yelena never allowed herself to break like that. There was never time. The Red Room was always watching, then she was freeing Widows, and finally, she lost five years of her life, which led her to work with Valentine. Kate was the only person besides her sister who felt safe to let these walls down.
Sighing, she got out of bed and walked downstairs. Lucky was the only dog that followed her. It was a long night; Fanny deserved a few extra hours of sleep. She walked down the stairs and over to the record player Kate got her for her birthday. Putting on a record, she began to stretch out her sore muscles.
The question she asked Kate haunted her. Would she go back in time to change the past? She could stop the Red Room from ever gaining power or give Melina and Alexei a chance to betray Dreykov or save Natasha. But Kate was right; how would going into the past affect her now?
She was lying on her back when Lucky walked over to her and stared down at her. The one-eyed Golden Retriever had his tongue out and was looking a little confused. He was probably thinking why she was on the floor. Yelena chuckled, reaching up to pet his head. “Were both upside down?” She whispered.
Lucky barked and began to lick her face, which caused Yelena to laugh. Her sadness and guilt began to fade away, especially when Fanny came running down the stairs to join her friend. Not even the door opening pulled the dogs away from their missions. “Having fun?” Yelena sat up, pushed the dogs away, and stared at her girlfriend. Lucky went to investigate the bags the archer set on the floor. “How are you?”
“I’m,” she took a moment to go over everything. “Sad, but I’m okay.” Kate nodded, picking up the bag from the floor.
“Well, I got something if you up for it. Your favorite mac and cheese, a gingerbread house to decorate, and a few of the Bond movies,” she stacked everything on the counter. Yelena smiled and whipped the dog drool off her face. She brought the archer into a hug.
“Thank you, malen’kiy yastreb (little hawk),” she mumbled. Kate kissed her forehead.
“Always, sweetheart,” she smiled. “If you’re broken, I’ll help you fix every crack until you feel worthy of all my love.” Yelena kissed her girlfriend’s cheek. Unfortunately, Yelena’s past wasn’t kind to her. It robbed her, stole from her, and beat her down to rebuild whatever they broke. However, it got her to meet Kate, and she was excited for the future, but she wished her sister was here to see it. Happy Birthday, Natalia.
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hollyshunter · 1 year
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scenes from the weekend 💅
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coi-arts · 3 months
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OKAAY which songs / artists do you most associate with Blobs?
I've always associated her with Mitski, which yes, is probably what 90% of people would say, but I've always found that her despairfulness of, as Clay once said, 'love that lasts for a startlingly short period of time'.
Plus she would totally listen to Once More to See You & Real Men
wait theres too many 🥲 ethel cain is probably another artist i associate with her cause they're both my fav lol
- American Teenager by ethel cain (yes. YEEEEESSS)
- Drinking by bôa
- werewolf by fiona apple
- Jobless Monday by mitski
-Dog days by ethel cain
- you, me, lonely by fizz (that line by clay. fuck. failmarriage blues)
- Back to you by flower face
- Atop a cake by alvvays (wedding bluuuesss)
- Morning train (nine to five) by sheena easton
- Cherry Wine by hozier
- i kissed someone it wasn't you by dodie (😭)
- Numb by men i trust
- like lovers do by hey violet
- i deserve to bleed by sushi soucy
- four tequilas down by dodie
- bang bang bang bang by sohodolls
- Savior complex by pheobe bridgers
- in the bed by dodie (this. this. 😭 failmarriage fr)
- bored like me by dodie (literally the help episode)
- I'd Like to walk around your mind by vashti bunyan
- mommy fwiend by penelope scott
- Bust your kneecaps by pomplamoose
Bonus Musical Songs that i really think fits bloberta:
- Our Word from 36 questions (RAAAHH. YES. thats all.)
For the Record from 36 questions (Clay and Bloberta the musical fr)
- happy to keep his dinner warm
- someday from the wedding singer
- therapy from tick tick boom
+ 20 more but its probs more clay/bloberta ones. and more mitski songs. yeah i also based most of my blobs/clay songs from that line by clay cause its painful to think about 😭and thanks for the bloberta coded songs ill listen to that she really is a mitski coded mom 🫡
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