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cosmicanakin · 3 months

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blast from the past | part two.

pairing. vinnie hacker x female reader.

outline. shopping for groceries late at night, coincidentally vinnie and his possessive bimbo girlfriend are there too.

contains. angst, violence, toxic relationships, strong language, unhealthy coping mechanisms, trust issues.

authors note. i love reader in this one she's such a badass. not proofread !!!

part one.

a week had passed since that disastrous night at the charity gala. you've been trying your best to keep busy and occupy your mind elsewhere, anything to avoid dwelling on memories better left buried. inevitably though, thoughts would drift back no matter how hard you tried shoving them down. the sting of betrayal lingered sharpest from vinnie, someone you never thought capable of such blind trust in strangers over you.

tonight found you wandering the aisles of the local supermarket down the street, needing essentials to fill your empty fridge now that work consumed all hours. late evening meant fewer crowds ideally, wanting solitude to wallow in the peaceful sounds of the freezer humming. headphones drowned out the world as you aimlessly surveyed options, pausing by the mozzarella to snap a pic for inspiration.

checking your phone brought a notification, some silly video your friend had sent to lift your gloomy mood lately. laughter died abruptly in your throat at what appeared next in your peripheral vision, however. vinnie stood not 10 feet away, equally frozen as startled eyes met yours across the dairy aisle. he looked as taken aback by the chance encounter as you, and hovering behind a cart steered by none other than the wicked blonde witch herself.

blood turned to ice in your veins at the smirk unfurling across her glossed lips, recognizing you with unabashed glee. meeting vinnie's gaze again you quickly turn on your heel, determined to escape before venomous words can fly.

"y/n wait!" his voice sounded behind you as feet shuffled in pursuit. refusing to give him or the bitch further satisfaction, you picked up your pace eyes fixed ahead unwaveringly. a hand grasped your shoulder to spin you around, meeting empty air as you sidestepped nimbly out of reach.

"what do you think you're doing chasing after her, vinnie? don't you remember what she did to me at the gala? that slut isn't worth your time."

you froze in your tracks at her sardonic tone carrying easily the short distance, blood slowly beginning to boil at the audacity. slowly turning around, you saw the blonde grab vinnie harshly by the wrist to drag him back, he struggled against her iron grip to no avail, equally taken aback by her words. neither noticed your approach until you stood only inches away, leveling a withering glare her way.

"i may be a fucking slut, but at least i'm not a crazy possessive cunt. and you should work on how to keep that mouth shut before you end up in a body bag, bitch." without awaiting a reply you shoved vinnie aside with enough force to send him stumbling into the shelves.

the blonde lunged at you with claws outstretched and you swiftly deflected, delivering a swift right hook to her pert nose that crunched satisfyingly. she howled clutching her face as blood poured between slender fingers, knees buckling to the slick floor tiles. not wasting the opening, you straddled her torso raining down blows with practiced form and efficiency, releasing weeks of pent-up rage and hurt.

distantly you registered vinnie's shouts to stop somewhere in your red haze of adrenaline and endorphins. it wasn't until strong arms circled your midsection forcibly yanking you off the whimpering mass of fake tits and extensions that your assault relented. still panting heavily as the world swam back into focus, you glanced down at the mess of smeared blood and makeup staining your knuckles with a rush of satisfaction.

shaking off vinnie's hold roughly, you scanned the aisle as people watched the spectacle unfolding. forgetting your discarded basket you marched past without a backward glance, leaving the store and its chaos behind in your wake as whispers steadily grew louder in the distance.

arriving home still a wired mess, you attempted to steady your whirring thoughts long into the night. raw feelings still simmered just below boiling point, exacerbated further by unwelcome memories refusing to leave you be. how could vinnie so quickly side against you even after everything, believing her manipulative lies over your history together?

it was well after midnight when your phone buzzed on the bathroom counter as you cleaned up your knuckles so they don't get infected, the screen illuminating vinnie's contact photo. against better judgment your thumb slid automatically to accept the call, holding the device weakly to your ear.

"y/n, i know you're angry but please we need to talk. meet me at the overlook from our first date..." without waiting for a reply he hung up, leaving you little choice but to drag your exhausted body back into restless motion once more.

the overlook held a dear place in your heart, somewhere vinnie had first taken you during happier times together. perched atop the hill it afforded gorgeous sweeping views of la's twinkling skyline as stars shone brightly above, serenading lost souls who found solace beneath its glow. you couldn't deny the poetic justice or closure meeting there again may provide, no matter the fresh pain it stirred.

parking alongside vinnie's car just as the time on your dashboard struck 12:30, you stepped out into the chill night air slowly making your way toward the rusted bench. he sat waiting silhouetted against the cityscape, head rising as footsteps crunched gravel announcing your arrival. you gazed out over the glittering city wordlessly, keeping distance and walls firmly in place.

"y/n...i know apologizing can't make up for the shit i pulled or how badly i hurt you. stephanie, she's...trouble, to say the least. but none of that should have given me excuse to turn on you like that when you've never given me reason not to trust you with my life." his tone held unmistakable remorse, struggling to find the right words under your stony silence.

"my actions were inexcusable and you didn't deserve the shit she caused. i was a coward for not standing up to her manipulations sooner. you have every right to still be angry with me and i won't blame you if you never forgive what happened..."

honestly you didn't know how to feel or process the jumble of warring emotions wreaking havoc inside. some small, neglected part craved wiping the slate clean and jumping right back into the familiar comfort of his arms. but trust once broken could take lifetimes to genuinely mend if ever, and your dignity wouldn't allow walking right back into the line of friendly fire so easily.

"i appreciate you owning up to being a fuck up vinnie, don't get me wrong. but actions speak louder than any amount of sorry's. you looked me dead in the eyes and CHOSE to believe her crazy accusations over a person who loved you unconditionally for years. that kind of betrayal cuts deeper than you seem to comprehend..." you sighed wearily dragging fingers through tangled locks.

"all i ever wanted was for you to have my back without reservation like i did for you. what's to stop the same thing from happening again down the road if some other new face comes along manipulating the situation, vinnie?"

he hung his head in shame, lips set in a grim line comprehending the enormity of damage wrought maybe for the first time. a painful beat of silence stretched between you like a great chasm, each wrestling their own tumultuous internal demons in solitude.

"you're right, y/n. as much as i want to make things right between us again someday, the trust and security you need from me after all this is more than i can give or deserve from you right now. all i can do is promise to do better learn from my mistakes, and be a man worthy of your forgiveness someday if you'll grant me the chance to slowly earn it back."

turning to face him fully you offered a small, sad smile cradling his downcast features tenderly between your palms. leaning up you pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, letting the multitude of emotions pouring from your touch convey what words couldn't.

"take care of yourself vinnie. maybe with time and distance to heal...we'll find our way to each other again. but for now i think space is what's healthiest, no matter how badly my stupid heart wants the comfort of nostalgia."

turning you walked away slowly back to your car without looking back, leaving vinnie and shattered remnants of your past silhouetted against the city that raised you both. it would take dedicated work on his part to regain even an ounce of your trust moving forward, if ever possible again. but closure and clarity wherever it may lead was the first step toward accepting messy realities and finding inner peace.

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seat-safety-switch · 9 months

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In Canada, where I am currently forced to reside because of the intersection of intolerant legislation and dynamic self-expression, people love a loyalty card. Because everything is overpriced here, every store offers you a points card of some kind. My wallet right now has 16 different loyalty cards, and my phone creaks under the load of same.

Why do we do it? For the promise of free shit. If you visit Dairy Queen approximately 60 times in a row or give them about $300 in business, they'll give you a free ice cream cone. Do you visit Dairy Queen enough to justify that? Absolutely not, but their hope is that the rewards card will help bring you in rather than "waste" your money on some other ice-cream purveyor.

All this has given rise to what the psychologists in Ottawa are calling "rewards point rage," where you get super mad at someone throwing away perfectly good points by not having a reward card. You ignorant motherfucker, you don't have an Air Miles card? Those two tangerines and a bag of potato chips would have gotten you one Air Mile. Here, let me just stick my card in here and get them for you. What, now you want them? Let's take this outside.

At the moment, only a few hundred people have been injured in point-rage incidents, with a mere two or three of them succumbing to their injuries. This is but a small price to pay for increased consumer satisfaction, aided by the fact that if you do a customer service survey right after shopping there, they might give you five or even ten rewards points into your account as a little "thank you." Better keep them on your good side.

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tagthetrekkie · 3 months

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Pairing: Ensign Vorik x reader

Warning: injuries, slight gore, death, bad space horror, some plot holes for the sake of the story

Synopsis: As the Voyager's crew explore an planet in search of Dilithium, they stumble upon an abnormal discovery that leaves them startled.

Damn this blogs making me falling in love with pointy ears aliens (@deepspacedukat)

@emotional-fandom-soup asked to be tagged

Beyond the Stars

I shifted my upper body forward, attempting to regain composure. My mind seemed hazy, impeding my concentration on the world around me.

What the hell were these things?

As I glanced around, my mind raced to come up with a solution, any solution, that could get me from this impasse. The eerie ambiance of the dark forest enveloped me, with only the colossal trees and the swirling mist as my companions. However, there was no trace of my crew members, leaving me feeling isolated and uncertain of what lay ahead.

In an attempt to regain command over my thoughts, I inhaled deeply, only to have my concentration shattered by approaching moans.

Oh shit

Without the luxury of planning, I hastily fled from the noise, scanning my surroundings in hopes of spotting a fellow crew member from the away team.

The mysterious beings, of unknown origin, bear a resemblance to a thin, famished entity with pale, blotchy skin tightly covering its bony structure. With its stretched limbs and razor-sharp claws, it effortlessly navigates the thick forests it calls home. Its eyes are rumored to emit an eerie glow or appear empty, mirroring its unquenchable and abnormal appetite.

As the creatures approached, I struggled to hold back a sob. I had left my phase behind and couldn't risk using my badge to call for help from the Voyager and draw attention to myself.

As soon as a crimson figure appeared, my fear of death vanished completely, diverting its focus away from me and giving me the chance to conceal myself beside a tree.

I glanced in the direction where the noise came from, making sure not to draw any unnecessary attention. Although not particularly smart, those creatures appeared to have sharp hearing abilities.

As my rescuer, a lieutenant from the Voyager’s security team, surveyed the situation, he seemed to be contemplating an escape plan, looking back and forth between me and those things.

It hit me like a ton of bricks - the sudden realization that I couldn't simply bail out and retreat to the safety of the shuttle craft. This wasn't just another routine mission; there were lives at stake and a responsibility that I couldn't ignore. As if sensing my unease, I caught a glimpse of the lieutenant making his way towards me, his actions indicating that he had noticed my inner anxiety.

Similar to myself, the two beings observed the motion coming from my fellow crew member and, driven by their animal instincts, they launched an assault on him. In an attempt to evade the creatures' razor-sharp claws, the man fought back, striving to reach his phaser. In moments that felt like an eternity, blood cascaded freely from deep lacerations as bones snapped audibly under the monster's relentless assault. Agonizing screams pierced the night sky but were swiftly silenced amidst guttural growls of satisfaction. The creature's feral hunger seemed insatiable as it devoured parts of its prey before flinging aside what remained like discarded playthings. A gruesome testament to the desolate horrors that dwell within nature's unforgiving embrace, this chilling encounter left no doubt about the true essence of terror embodied by these things. It was an ironic turn of events as my colleague's eyes were fixed on me, their gaze reflecting a desperate cry for help.

My eyes were widened in shock, unable to comprehend the cruel reality unfolding before me. As a chilling fear grips my core, I was being consumed by a torrential wave of grief and horror. The weight of impending doom descends upon me like an iron vice, squeezing out every ounce of hope left in my trembling heart. Sweat trickles down my face as I struggle to maintain composure, knowing that I too would soon meet the same grisly fate. My body trembles with adrenaline and anguish while silent screams echo within me, suffocated by the grim reality that engulfs me. Any semblance of safety now dissipates like mist in the wind, leaving behind only a haunting emptiness that embraces them mercilessly.

I need to get out of that place. Suppressing the urge to gulp, I swallowed my saliva and seized the remaining surge of adrenaline within me. Scanning my surroundings, I swiftly determined the path with the fewest obstacles and sprinted towards it.

I could hear the grunts from those things behind me. Their twisted forms stand out in the moonlit darkness as growls burst through the uncanny silence. With each step, their clawed feet strike the muggy soil, and their insatiable hunger drives them closer to me. My senses are heightened and my breath comes in ragged gasps, echoing my fear and determination. I couldn’t die this way, a colleague gave his life for me to survive. Their shadows danced around me, concealing tricky roots and twisted trunks that threaten to send me onto the ground. My heart pounds relentlessly against my chest, as if it knows I need to outpace the lumbering beasts behind me, I couldn’t or risk becoming their morbid banquet. Every piece of strength is summoned within my frame as I leaps over fallen logs and darts past gnawed carcasses dispersed across the path ahead.

But just as despair threatened to consume me entirely, a glimpse of hope emerged from the shadows. In an electrifying burst of audacity, Vorik boosted fearless into the dispute. A palpable tension filled the air as he faced off against the abominations, his fists clenched tightly with raw resolve.

I observed the scene, alternating my attention between my lover and the bizarre creatures. His concentrated gaze hinted at his contemplation of a rescue plan to extricate us from this troublesome situation. With each skillful movement and calculated strike, he danced with danger in a desperate bid to protect what mattered most to him. Beads of sweat dripped down their furrowed brows as time seemed to slow down; every breath held its own weight.

The abrupt understanding that those things would be the cause of his demise deeply affected me. Despite his superior Vulcan physiology compared to mine, he was unable to resist the ferocity of these monstrous beings. It is unnerving to know that he would sacrifice his life to protect me, much like the brave security officer who met a similar fate.

Perhaps it was the surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins or the overwhelming fear of losing Vorik that obligated me to act with such audacity. In a moment of bitter bravery, I swiftly removed my fleet jacket and threw it towards a tree situated across from our location. Without wasting any time, I tightly grasped Vorik's hand, urging him to run alongside me.

The duration of our run was a mystery to me, as I am unable to recall how long it lasted. However, our sprint came to an abrupt break when my legs finally succumbed to exhaustion, leaving me breathless and drained. Overwhelmed by the suffocating sensation that had plagued me throughout our escape, exhaustion consumed my entire being. Vorik, seemingly aware of my weakened state, swiftly embraced me from behind, providing support as he gently guided me to a seated position on the cold and muddy soil. He was holding me with a tenderness that was unusual for him. His hands gently caressed my temples, as if he was attempting to comfort me.

“How did… How did you find me?”“

“Ashayam, I will always find you”

The soothing sound of his voice provided a momentary recess, yet the constant awareness of the hidden danger on this unfamiliar planet kept my nerves on edge. My gaze darted anxiously in every direction, a sense of fear gripping me. It was only a matter of time before those relentless pursuers would track us down. We had to arrange a strategy to safely return to the ship, ensuring that we could take the dilithium to the Voyager.

“It is of utmost importance that we depart from the planet at the earliest opportunity. Are you able to rise from your current position so that we may locate the remaining members of the away team?”

As I had my realization, my eyes widened just a bit. It dawned on me that while I was busy fretting about escaping from these creatures, I had completely overlooked the fact that they were facing the same perils as I was.

“There is no need to be concerned. We are fully aware of the distress that exist on this planet. It is only natural that you have directed your efforts towards ensuring your own survival.”

Am I that transparent?

“How can we find them? I mean, it seems like this planet isn’t small enough for us to find Harry and Tom.”

“It appears that you failed to observe, Ashayam, that those beings lack the ability to see” He removed his badge and pointed it towards the sky, suggesting that we could use its reflection to indicate our location

I couldn't help but chuckle at his condescending tone, which he seemed to deliver in his own vulcan manner. I gestured with my hands, indicating for him to show us the way to our companions. Hopefully, we could find a way out of that place and make our way back to the ship.

Despite the unexpected tranquility, I made a conscious effort to avoid dwelling on the utter fortune of my survival at this moment. While I have embarked on numerous away missions before, this is the first instance where I genuinely felt my life was in danger, added by the horrifying sight of witnessing merciless creatures whose defeat seemed hopeless.

Attempting to dismiss this thought, I avoid grieving his demise or holding myself responsible; I could accomplish both tasks while remaining secure on the ship.

As I became aware of the unsettling sounds coming from a tree in close proximity, an instinctual response compelled me to prepare myself for a sudden escape. The thought of those alien beings sneaking in the area, ready to launch an assault, sent a chilling sensation down my spine.

Vorik seemed to have observed the shift in my demeanor, as he approached me with a genuine intention to offer solace. Recognizing my need for support, he moved closer, his presence gave off a sense of understanding.

“I believe that the commotion we are hearing is simply a result of our teammates' lack of attentiveness to their surroundings.”

“Although it is difficult for me to admit, your boyfriend is correct, ensign. It’s just us”

A sense of relief washed over me as I let out a deep sigh. In the middle of all the chaos and uncertainty, it was comforting to see that my dear friends were alive and well.

"Paris, it makes me really happy to hear your voice," I expressed, offering a warm smile to both him and Harry.

"I believe we have adequately prepared ourselves for departure, haven't we?” Vorik said, “I assume the dilithium has already been arranged in the shuttle."

"Hold on a moment. What about the lieutenant who came with us?” Harry interrupted, “Where is he?"

As I released a soft whimper, Harry immediately stepped back, displaying a compassionate gesture. He softly muttered words along the lines of 'I apologize' to express his remorse.

"Let's get out of this place, can we?" Tom said, "I really wish I could take a shower and get some sleep."

The possibility of returning to the ship filled me with a glimmer of hope, knowing that we would soon leave this planet behind.

Upon approaching the shuttle, the sound of a familiar grunt resonated in our surroundings. My heart quickened its pace and my senses heightened, leaving me with the task of determining the origin of these noises.

Even though the fear of suffering the same fate as the other officer was overwhelming, I couldn't let panic consume me and expose my friends to such a horrific fate.

"To ensure our escape," Harry murmured, "we need to find a way to get those aliens out of our way, even if only temporarily."

“I noticed that they tend to fight over food” Tom told us “so if there is just one of us to more of one of those things, maybe we could make them kill each other to buy us time to run”

The four of us didn't have enough time to split up and determine who the things would chase after. Vorik appeared to have come to the same understanding, judging by the way he gazed at me.

My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like I couldn't hear my thoughts. The growls were getting closer and we were running out of time.

Moving closer to Vorik, I tenderly touched his cheeks and planted a kiss on his forehead. It dawned on me that this might be our last meeting.

“I love you, darling”

Without wanting to give him much time to think, I swiftly departed, creating as much noise as I could possibly make.

Those things with their stretched limbs and twisted horns moved with an unnatural swiftness. Their eyes burn with a sickly yellow glow, reflecting their insatiable hunger for flesh.

My adrenaline fueled steps faltered for a moment as I glanced over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of those beings closing in. Their mouths drip with saliva, their jagged teeth scintillating in the fading light.

Their haunting cries reverberated through the trees, a chilling chorus that drove me forward. I can almost feel their icy breath on her neck, the sound of their crooked claws scraping against the trunks of trees.

With a burst of adrenaline, I spotted a small cavern up ahead. Hope blossoms as I push myself to reach my destination. It was small enough for those things don’t reach me

But those things, relentless in their pursuit, gather near that cave. Their cries fill the air, growing louder. They scratch at trunks, their claws carving deep grooves into the trees. My heart pounds in my chest as I brace for the inevitable confrontation.

The first one thrusted forward with a primal snarl. Its movements are a twisted combination of agility and brutality, fueled by its thirst for flesh. The second wendigo, equally ghastly, meets the attack head-on, its skeletal horns ready to strike.

They circle each other, snarling and growling, their yellowed teeth snapping in an unsettling symphony. The scent of decay and desperation hangs heavy in the air as they vie for dominance.

With an explosive burst of strength, the first thing manages to latch onto the second, sinking its pointed teeth into its opponent's arm. The injured one yelped in pain and fury, retaliating with a vicious swipe of its claws.

The battle rages on, the beings locked in a gruesome dance of violence and survival. They tear at each other's flesh, chunks of meat falling to the blood stained soil. Their movements are frenetic, a blur of twisted limbs as they relentlessly fight for dominance over.

As the struggle intensifies, the inhuman strength becomes evident. They crash against trees, sending splinters flying, and unleash bone-crushing blows upon one another. Blood mingles with the muddy ground, staining the expanse with shades of crimson, a macabre testament to its ferocious confrontation.

After what feels like an eternity of violence, less injured gain the upper hand. With a final, brutal advance, it delivers a crushing blow to its adversary, sending it to the ground. The victorious one stands tall and lets out a triumphant howl that pierces the silence.

Realizing that, apparently, that the thing would come for me, I did my best to not move. The extent of his pain was likely so severe that he had reached a point where my presence held no significance to him. However, given the terrifying spectacle I had just witnessed, the thought of becoming the next victim was the furthest thing from my desires.

The remaining one seems to settle with the body of the loser, tearing into its torn flesh with fury. The sound of bones cracking fills the air as it indulges in the spoils of its victory, satisfying its ravenous hunger, if only temporarily.

As the feast concludes, the victorious retreats into the darkness, leaving behind a haunting representation of carnage.

As I spotted one silhouette navigating in the treacherous terrain, I got out of the cave. My heart leaps with hope as he silently calls out my name, his voice carried away by the wind.

Vorik held me tightly, his voice filled with love and concern as he reassured her of their safety. He wrapped me in his fleet coat, shielding her from the biting cold

“By Surak. Can you fathom the immense danger that was present in this situation? It is truly alarming to think about the potential harm that could have befallen you.”

His expression was filled with an overwhelming surge of emotions, leaving me with no choice but to gently place his hands on my heart. It was my way of reassuring him that I was alive and in good health.

As they prepare to leave the desolate area, Vorik remains vigilant, knowing that the wendigos still lurk in the shadows. Hand in hand, they navigate the landscape, their steps careful and deliberate. He keeps a watchful eye, ready to shield me from any threat that may arise.

Finally, they emerge from the desolate area, leaving the haunting landscape behind. Seeing Tom and Harry with the shuttle ready to launch, all I could do was sob. Returning to Voyager was a long awaited moment for us, as it could give us the opportunity to confront the profound impact that this planet had on our emotions and inner selves.

#star trek #star trek voyager #ensign vorik #vorik #vorik x reader #ensign vorik x reader

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inhuman-obey-me · 1 year

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this may not be exactly your kinda thing, but i'll throw this in your askbox just in case, for the 2.7k+ follower event~

may i have,,, 🌚 but with mc as the focus, and satan in the background. i just want... mc getting. a littol angwy. a littol evil.

satan is so proud of you but you - you can't believe you did this, this is crazy, no, really - but he insists, it's fine, it's fine...

come on now, you didn't expect to make pacts with seven demons and come out unscathed, did you?

Apologies for how late this is!!! Thank you for your patience. :')

Now, this isn't quite your request, only in that we like to write MCs that are open to the darker side of things...but hopefully this still kinda works for what you were looking for!

"I want to release the darkest side of me." - Satan/MC

You hadn’t meant for it to go this far.

That’s what you keep telling yourself, fingers curled inward so tightly that nails dig into the skin of your palms. You can still feel it – the power that lies just beneath your skin, the power that has sunk deep into your bones. So easily can it rip through the sinews, so easily can you be consumed.

It was a skill you had to learn, this control. You were no mere human, after all, but a sorcerer powerful enough to rival and even surpass Solomon the Wise himself. A human who had quite remarkably made pacts with the seven rulers of Hell, seven of the most powerful creatures in existence. A human who, with one simple command, could bring all seven of them to their knees at once – all without breaking a sweat.

So why did these lesser demons think they could best you? Taunt you? Harm you?

Foolish bastards, you think. Pathetic.

And this wrath, fire at your fingertips, is a rage that brings out its Avatar’s sharp and menacing grin as he watches you from the shadows. Eyes of viridian glowing in delight, he slowly brings himself to your side, steps echoing against stone.

“Well, MC. That was quite a show. I didn’t even need to step in.” He whispers into your ear, hovering just over your shoulder. “...How are you feeling?”

“Fantastic.” The word slips through your lips without second thought. “I didn’t even realize you were here.”

“Oh, I only showed up a few moments ago. I felt a strong emotional pull through our pact and thought you might be in danger – but obviously, you handled yourself quite well.” He surveys the scene before you with a hum of approval. There, amid broken furniture and ash-covered walls, were the mangled bodies of three demons. Not quite dead, but a far cry from good health.

“I’m…not quite sure what happened.” It starts to dissipate, that flame and fury that had set your chest ablaze. “The rage just took over at one point and I couldn’t help but use my magic to get them to leave me alone.” You close your eyes, telling yourself to breathe. “All I could think about was wiping those smiles off of their faces and breaking their hands for trying to touch me.”

“And you’ve done just that. An excellent job, I have to say.” He cannot hide the glee in his voice, the satisfaction he gets from feeding off of your wrathful outburst. But then, his smile falters. “...Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, I think.” Slowly opening your eyes, you look down at your hands. Traces of blood and soot cover your skin. “You know, it’s been strange, ever since I’ve unlocked my magical ability and learned to tap into my power. Your power.” Flexing your fingers, you turn to fix your gaze on Satan. “It’s been overwhelming, having to learn so much in such a short amount of time. And there are times I want to release the darkest side of me, all of the parts of me I’ve forced deep down inside to be a good person, a good human. It’s tempting. To just … let go.”

“You’re in the Devildom, love.” Satan smirks, bringing himself to stand in front of you. A hand goes to cup your chin, his gaze intense as he looks deep into your eyes. “You’re allowed to let go sometimes. I encourage you to.”

“Well, of course you do.” A lighthearted scoff, you slightly shake your head with a smile. “But, how the hell am I going to explain this to Diavolo?”

“You won’t.” Satan places a light kiss on your cheek before releasing your jaw. Now with an arm around you, he leads you out of the room with a smug grin, throwing one last glance to your victims with delight.

“Leave it all to me.”

#we're all for MC showing others just how strong they are >:)#sobs sorry again for the many months it took to get to this #the all encompassing [mod] cosmos #obey me #obey me!#obey me swd #obey me shall we date #omswd #obey me satan #om! satan #obey me satan x mc #obey me satan x reader #obey me fic #obey me drabble #writings #2700 follower celebration #elsecrytt

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marketxcel · 2 months

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What Is Consumer Research: Methods, Types, Scope & Examples

Explore the world of consumer research with our comprehensive blog. Learn about various research methods, types, and the broad scope of consumer studies. Dive into real-world examples to understand how consumer research impacts businesses and shapes the market landscape. Elevate your knowledge and stay ahead in the dynamic field of consumer insights.

#Consumer research methods #Types of consumer research #Scope of consumer studies #Consumer research examples #Quantitative research in consumer studies #Qualitative approaches in consumer research #Ethical considerations in consumer studies #Consumer behavior analysis #Market research techniques #Demographic analysis in consumer research #Psychographic research methods #Consumer insight generation #Brand perception research #Product testing in consumer studies #Comparative consumer analysis #Cross-cultural consumer research #Technology in consumer studies #Future trends in consumer research #Data-driven consumer insights #Consumer decision-making models #Survey methods in consumer research #Focus group dynamics #Case studies in consumer research #Consumer satisfaction measurement #Trend analysis in consumer studies #Retail environment studies #Consumer feedback and reviews #Online consumer behavior #Social media impact on consumer research #Global consumer trends

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researchers-me · 7 months

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Unlock the secrets to business success with our guide on the Five Key Importance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Learn how surveys boost retention, product quality, personalization, and loyalty.

#Customer satisfaction surveys in Dubai #consumer insight customer satisfaction surveys #customer satisfaction insights #customer satisfaction survey company #customer satisfaction survey company uae

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cthulhuwritesstuff · 8 months

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Drabble (I was rewatching Castlevania)

Pairing: Zoro and Sanji

Fandom: One Piece

Theme: Zoro is a vampire hunter and Sanji is a vampire

The world has gone to shit.

After hours of hacking and slashing through rotting flesh, Zoro is covered in thick intestines, his swords heavy, and he struggles for breath. There are too many of them, these wretched mindless beasts, and he tightens his fist around the hilt before pulling it free from a wheezing Shadow Crawler's corpse. The sharp teeth scrape against Wado's steel, a sound resembling a wounded animal begging for mercy. Perhaps it was an animal once, a deer by the looks of it. Zoro kicks it off his blade, shedding any hint of sympathy with it. They are no longer alive, not truly.

He lowers his head briefly and mutters a blessing, a habit rather than an act of faith. He's long stopped believing in any forces that might offer an explanation or reason \ for all of this.

"Samurai," a voice calls from across the field, "Save your prayers for the morning, won't you?"

The swordsman turns with a glare that could intimidate even the bravest warriors. However, the long-nosed man gives him an unimpressed look, his trigger finger already poised without needing to aim. The sniper fires, a charging beast collapses, and he still maintains eye contact with Zoro. If not for the horrors of this night, he might even be impressed...

"Not a samurai," he mutters, glaring at the sniper. He swings his arm, cleanly decapitating a creature, and both body parts fall at his feet, staining his boots. Zoro averts his gaze from the sniper, hoping his point has been made. He looks down and grimaces; the once-pristine boots are now tainted by Crawlers, and finding a replacement in this economy would be a stroke of luck. And he’s been severely lacking on that front as of late.

Fortunately, the sniper wisely chooses not to respond this time.

A north wind blows, easing the stench of decay and dark magic from Zoro's sinuses. He surveys the area, noticing dawn approaching. It's almost over; the creatures will retreat soon. He angles Kitetsu's blade to catch the first morning light and listens to the screeches and groans around them, which rise only to fade away.

The sniper lets out a noise that Zoro can only describe as agony ready to consume him whole, a sentiment Zoro understands all too well. Adrenaline is the only thing keeping them both standing.

"Luffy and the rest are somewhere," the sniper points in the general direction of the mountain's face above Zoro's head, "up there. We should check if they..."

Zoro is already climbing the steep slope in heavy steps, knowing what the sniper meant to say but not wanting to hear it.

As dawn paints the hilltops and the remnants of the forest, agonizing screeches echo in the distance. Some Shadow Crawlers failed to find shelter in time and now perish in the first rays of light. Zoro takes grim satisfaction in their pained screams. He can’t help it.

It isn't much, far from justice, but it is satisfactory. They walk in silence for the rest of the way. Thank fuck.

Reaching the summit brings several surprises, and finding everyone alive is one of them.

"You both seem unharmed. Good," a tall, raven-haired woman says. Her voice is pleasant. Zoro doesn’t like it. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he thinks her name is Robin—a scholar of sorts, seemingly harmless at first glance. However, she is one of the most wanted by the Covenant. Zoro’s long learned that one should not judge by appearances.

"Hm," he grunts and walks past her, the sound of a nearby waterfall suddenly enticing. He needs a bath; it feels like ages since his last one. A night battling Crawlers will do that to a person.

A young man steps in front of him, dark curls greasy and sticking to his face. He seems to have gotten out of the battle by the skin of his teeth, and Mother have mercy, there’s a lot of teeth in his mouth.

Despite the clear exhaustion and toll the all night of fighting has clearly taken on the young man, he has strength to smile at Zoro, bright, toothy, and honest.

Zoro is not sure how to feel about that just yet.

"Alive and well! You truly live up to your reputation," he says, and Zoro raises an eyebrow. The young man enjoys idle chatter, which Zoro doesn't particularly appreciate or understand. He also doesn’t know how. Still, seeing the group unharmed is a relief and a surprise in itself. He tries to recall the name the young man gave him a few nights ago when they met. Out of respect, he attempts to remember.

Luffy—was it?

Zoro might have cared about remembering names in another life, but lately, he's learned that there are only so many names one can remember before having to carve them into makeshift gravestones.

Zoro doesn't bother with names anymore. He also has no interest in what kind of reputation the young man is talking about; there are plenty of rumors about Zoro, after all.

For once, the long-nosed sniper is helpful rather than spiteful, chiming in, "We got a good number of them. None seem to have reached the town."

The boy smiles, "Good. That's good." The town they speak of is the one Zoro agreed to protect to gain a favor from the leader of this peculiar group. He glances over his shoulder and down the valley where the town lies, bathed in sunlight and free from the Night.

Protecting the town was important to— Luffy— for some reason. Zoro followed, even though he considered the task a fool's errand. There would always be another night, another town, and never enough people to defend them all. That is just the way world works these days.

Instead of arguing the matter, Zoro lowers his head and heads toward the sound of the waterfall once more. The bath- think of the bath. This is all about to be over soon, either way. No use in bootless conversations with people he can’t care to remember names of. Not when he is set on traveling alone, getting what he needs and wants alone.

His robe is already off his shoulders when his eye catches the sight of iron shackles hanging off a tree branch, unlocked. In a flash, Kitetsu sings though the air, Zoro’s knees bend, arms tense, and he is indignant.

All alive, even smiling and sharing compliments and strategies on how to best kill a Crawler and slay monsters, but nobody seems to have noticed that the biggest monster of them all is loose?

“Zoro?” comes a voice but the swordsman only lifts a hand in an answer, concentrating. If they’re lucky, the the bastard escaped. If Zoro is lucky and foolishly hopeful, he burned when the day broke. If they are to be realistic, however- he is still here and is waiting to—…

The sniper tries to speak, but Zoro isn't listening. "Mate, is something wrong?"

There.

In the blink of an eye, Kitetsu finds its mark, steady and precise, the deadly edge at the nape of the creature's neck. Zoro almost growls.

"Zoro!" that voice again, quite annoying, sounding as if it's his fault the creature got free. They were supposed to keep watch.

Dawn broke hours ago, and the sun's rays offer no shadows. Zoro's throat is on fire. This is worse than he expected, far more than he signed up for. Maybe it was too soon to think about exceeding expectations with a crew this careless. Now they're all in danger from a bloodsucker who's immune to light. Fucking fantastic.

"I suppose this was to be expected from a brute like yourself," the beast says and causes anger to grease Zoro's throat. He talks. He has the audacity to sound smug, too. Zoro follows the path of his blade, from the grip to the edge against the inhumanly pale neck. The thing on the other side looks like a man but apparently talks like a powdered-up noble. Neither. The son of a devil is neither.

The tall, statuesque blond stands at Zoro's right side, entirely unbothered and seemingly bored to be at Kitetsu's silver mercy rather than in his shackles. He holds out a long, pale hand in front of Zoro's face. The creature locks those impossibly blue eyes—glaciers trapped in irises—on Zoro, and dares to give him sass.

"Careful, swordsman, it's hot goulash. Might bite your head off."

Zoro eyes the bowl full of food but otherwise ignores him.

"Why is he free?" he asks.

"Would you resist your Neanderthal urges for a moment?" A flash of red hair obstructs Zoro's vision, and he notices that his head hurts when she speaks. Definitely that, and she seems to have the wrong idea about the situation they're in. The redhead woman presses down on Zoro's arm as if she could move him, glaring at him.

"Let him be! He is free to take a piss and a walk, damn you!"

And make goulash or whatever poison while they're all out there risking their necks. But Zoro ignores her as well, focusing on how close she is to the pale fuck. She doesn't even have any silver on her, and she stands so close, not a flicker of fear, only anger toward Zoro- no less. Mad or brave, Zoro is undecided but willing to bet on the former.

The swordsman rounds on the woman with a glare that's often made most people and monsters reconsider their life choices. But there she stands, between a vampire and a vampire hunter, furious like a storm. She's strong and stubborn, like the rest of them.

What is she—a witch?

"Told you it was a bad idea, Nami," the sniper speaks, babbling uselessly. Of course, it was a bad idea. It was a terrible idea.

"No, it was not. If I hadn't unlocked those ungodly things, we would have..."

Zoro is about to split a mountain in two. "You set him free?" It isn’t a question. "Are you mad?" That one is purely rhetorical.

"Nobody," she waves a finger in his face, "apart from you insisted on him being shackled."

"He's a vampire," Zoro sneers, casting a glance at the blond. The regal git looks amused, and Zoro grits his teeth to resist pressing Kitetsu further against his windpipe. "And those ungodly shackles were the only things keeping you all safe."

Vulcan-cast iron, trice blessed, specially forged to subdue vampires and their kin, those shackles aren’t an easy find and they are terribly hard to put on in the first place considering that the targets are not human. Besides, Zoro is the only one with key, so how in the Four Blues did this woman manage to undo something made to restrain the biggest predators of them all?

A witch- his mind supplies. A witch to her core.

"He's lucky to be alive," Zoro threatens, but the creature doesn't even flinch under Kitetsu's pressure. He hasn't even got the decency to look uncomfortable with the silver pressing against his skin, which infuriates Zoro. He raises a twisted brow and clicks his tongue, sarcasm dripping with every syllable,

“Why truly lucky, indeed.”

The redhead's lips press into a tight line. "He means no harm." She sighs, and her grip on Zoro's forearm relaxes. She's tired, too, Zoro notices. A fighter, like the rest.

"He helped us, Zoro," a pair of big brown eyes locks him in place, and Zoro bites back the urge to curse. "We're alive thanks to him."

Zoro's lip twitches, and he's about to say something disagreeable, but he manages to stop himself. He isn’t sure how to fee about this one either, but one thing’s for sure.

He cannot stand the blond demon.

#writing #one piece #zosan #zoro x sanji #vampires #vampire hunters #fanfic #drabble

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poop-diddy-scoop · 12 days

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i’ve had a good fic idea but i don’t have the time to write it so i’m wondering if you could do it!

could u write a jareth fic where the reader got wished away when they were young and is having sexual needs. but since she grew up in the labyrinth, she didn’t learn how to like take care of them by themself?? so jareth steps in and offers.

my brain is rotting so i’m sorry for this request😭

jareth x reader - find yourself with me

a/n: let's say reader is 18 and very innocent and clueless

In the grand, labyrinthine throne room of the Goblin King, you sat surrounded by towering shelves of ancient tomes, their dusty spines promising untold secrets. The goblins had been kind enough to provide you with books to pass the time, though their selections were often eccentric and occasionally incomprehensible.

Your attention, however, was not entirely focused on the arcane texts before you. Instead, it was divided between the pages of the musty volumes and the enigmatic figure lounging upon the throne, none other than Jareth, the Goblin King himself.

Jareth reclined with the casual elegance of one who knew he held power over all who entered his domain. His mismatched eyes, one glittering with mischief, the other icy and calculating, swept over you with an inscrutable expression

"So, my dear," he purred, his voice like velvet laced with honey, "have you found anything of interest in your readings?"

You glanced up from the book in your hands, squinting at the archaic script before replying, "Well, I'm not entirely sure. Some of these texts are... rather cryptic."

A chorus of goblin voices erupted from the shelves, their high-pitched laughter echoing through the chamber. You couldn't help but smile at their antics, though you couldn't shake the strange sensation gnawing at your insides.

Jareth arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Cryptic, you say? Perhaps I could offer some elucidation."

Before you could respond, a sudden twinge in your gut seized your attention. It was a burning, tingling sensation, unfamiliar yet strangely compelling. You shifted uncomfortably in your seat, trying to discreetly alleviate the discomfort.

Jareth's gaze sharpened, his amusement giving way to genuine concern. "Are you quite all right, my dear? You seem... unsettled."

You forced a smile, though inwardly you were anything but composed. "Oh, it's nothing, just a passing twinge. Probably just indigestion."

The goblins chittered amongst themselves, their beady eyes flickering with mischief as they exchanged knowing glances. You shot them a pointed look, silently warning them against any further teasing.

Jareth's expression softened, though the glint of curiosity remained in his eyes. "If you say so. But do let me know if you require anything. I am, after all, at your service."

With a graceful gesture, he rose from his throne and strode across the chamber, his silver cloak billowing behind him like mist on a moonlit night. You watched him go, a myriad of conflicting emotions swirling within you.

As the door closed behind him, you returned your attention to the books before you, though your mind was elsewhere. What was that strange sensation? And why did it seem to intensify whenever Jareth was near?

Lost in thought, you absently flipped through the pages of the nearest tome, searching for distraction from the tumultuous storm brewing within you. Little did you know, the answers to your questions lay not in the dusty tomes of the Goblin King's library, but in the labyrinth of desires that lurked within your own heart.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the labyrinth, Jareth surveyed his domain with a sense of quiet satisfaction. His goblins scurried about, tending to their various tasks with a fervor born of fear and devotion.

But amidst the hustle and bustle of his kingdom, one thought consumed Jareth's mind: you. Ever since you had been wished away to his realm, you had captured his interest in a way no mortal ever had before.

Your innocence, your vulnerability, your stubborn determination—all of it intrigued him, drew him closer like a moth to a flame. And yet, there was something else, something he couldn't quite name, that tugged at his heartstrings whenever he was near you.

As he wandered the labyrinth's twisting corridors, lost in thought, he stumbled upon a group of goblins laboring over a new puzzle. Their eyes gleamed with excitement as they eagerly worked to assemble the intricate contraption, their tiny hands darting to and fro with surprising dexterity.

Intrigued, Jareth approached, his gaze sweeping over the maze of gears and levers taking shape before him. "What do we have here, my dear goblins?"

The creatures squeaked with delight at his attention, gesturing excitedly to their handiwork. "New puzzle for the maze, Your Majesty! Make humans think, make humans squirm!"

Jareth chuckled, a wicked gleam dancing in his eyes. "Ah, excellent work, my friends. I'm sure this will provide ample entertainment for our wayward guests."

As the goblins continued their work, Jareth's thoughts drifted back to you. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something you were keeping from him, something hidden beneath the surface of your innocent facade.

With a determined set to his jaw, he resolved to uncover the truth, whatever it may be. For in the labyrinth of desires, there were no secrets that could remain hidden forever.

Back in the throne room, you continued to sift through the ancient texts, your mind a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty. What was happening to you? And why did it seem to revolve around Jareth, the enigmatic ruler of this fantastical realm?

Lost in your thoughts, you failed to notice the subtle shift in the air, the faint whisper of magic tingling along your skin. It was only when a soft voice broke through the silence that you snapped back to reality, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"Are you still troubled, my dear?"

You looked up to find Jareth standing before you, his gaze piercing yet gentle. There was a warmth in his eyes that belied his stoic exterior, a tenderness that sent a shiver down your spine.

You swallowed hard, struggling to find the words to express the turmoil within you. "I... I don't know, Jareth. Something feels... off. I can't explain it."

He knelt before you, his hand reaching out to gently brush against your cheek. "Whatever it is, you needn't face it alone. I am here for you, now and always."

His touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, igniting a fire deep within your core. You gasped, the sensation overwhelming yet undeniably exhilarating. "Jareth," you whispered breathlessly, your heart pounding in your chest, "what... What is happening to me?"

Jareth pulled back slightly, his gaze intense as he studied your flushed face. "My dear, it seems you are experiencing arousal."

"Arousal?" you echoed, the word foreign on your tongue. "What does that mean?"

Jareth chuckled softly, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "It means, my dear, that your body is responding to... certain stimuli in a rather... delightful manner."

You furrowed your brow, trying to make sense of his cryptic explanation. "Stimuli? What stimuli?"

Jareth's eyes sparkled with amusement as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against your ear. "Oh, my dear, there are many things that can elicit such a response. It could be a touch, a kiss, a whispered word..."

Your cheeks flushed even deeper at his suggestive words, the heat spreading through your body like wildfire. "But why does it happen? And why now?"

Jareth's expression softened, his fingers tracing delicate patterns along your jawline. "It happens because you are human, my dear, and humans have... needs. As for why now, well, perhaps it is simply a sign that you are coming into your own."

You bit your lip nervously, feeling a surge of uncertainty mingled with excitement. "But what do I do about it? How do I make it stop?"

Jareth's lips curved into a wicked grin as he leaned back, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, my dear, I'm afraid there's only one way to make it stop."

Your heart raced as you leaned in closer, hanging on his every word. "Tell me, Jareth. What do I have to do?"

He leaned in close, his breath warm against your ear as he whispered, "You have to embrace it."

———————

"Where are we going?" you asked, your voice barely a whisper as you struggled to keep pace with his confident strides.

"To my private chambers," Jareth replied, his tone low and seductive. "There, we can... address your... predicament."

Predicament? The word echoed in your mind, but you pushed aside your doubts, trusting in Jareth to guide you through whatever lay ahead.

As you entered his opulent chambers, your eyes widened at the sight of the lavish furnishings and intricate tapestries that adorned the walls. It was a world unlike anything you had ever known, and yet, here you were, standing on the threshold of something new and exhilarating.

Jareth turned to face you, his eyes burning with intensity as he spoke. "To make the feeling go away, my dear, I must... touch you privately."

You swallowed hard, your heart racing with a mixture of fear and excitement. "Touch me? How?"

Jareth's lips curved into a knowing smile as he reached out to gently cup your cheek. "With your permission, of course."

Permission? The word hung in the air between you, a silent acknowledgment of the trust that existed between you and the Goblin King.

You nodded, your pulse quickening as you met his gaze. "Yes, Jareth. I trust you."

With a soft sigh of relief, Jareth stepped closer, his fingers trailing down your neck to brush against the sensitive skin of your collarbone. "Close your eyes, my dear," he whispered, his breath warm against your ear.

You obeyed, your senses tingling with anticipation as you felt his lips brush against yours in a tender kiss. It was your first kiss, and yet, it felt so right, so natural, as if you had been waiting for this moment your entire life.

Jareth pulled back slightly, his eyes searching yours for any sign of discomfort. "How does it feel, my dear? Do you... enjoy it?"

You nodded, a flush creeping across your cheeks as you struggled to find the words to express the overwhelming rush of emotions coursing through you. "Yes, Jareth. It feels... amazing."

As you lay there, heart pounding and cheeks flushed, Jareth's eyes burned with intensity as he regarded you. "Now, my dear, I need you to trust me completely. Can you do that?"

You nodded, a nervous tremor coursing through your body. "Yes, Jareth. I trust you."

With a soft smile, he reached out and gently brushed his fingers against the bare skin of your thigh, sending a jolt of electricity through you. "Good. Now, I need you to remove your clothes."Your breath caught in your throat as you hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at the edges of your mind. But with a deep breath, you summoned the courage to obey, slowly shedding your garments until you were clad only in your underwear.

Jareth's eyes roamed over your exposed form, his gaze lingering on every curve and contour as if committing them to memory. "Beautiful," he murmured, his voice husky with desire.

You scooted back on the bed, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable beneath his intense scrutiny. But before you could protest, Jareth crawled up beside you, his touch sending shivers of anticipation down your spine.

"Tell me, my dear," he said, his voice low and seductive, "do you know why you're feeling this way?"

You shook your head, a blush creeping across your cheeks as you struggled to find the words. "I... I don't know. It's... it's confusing."

Jareth's lips curved into a knowing smile as he reached out to gently caress your cheek. "It's because your... flower... needs some attention."

"Flower?" you echoed, confusion flickering in your eyes.

Jareth nodded, his gaze unwavering as he met your stare. "Yes, your flower. Your...vagina.”

Your cheeks flushed even deeper at his blunt explanation, but before you could protest, he continued, his voice gentle yet firm.

"It's perfectly natural, my dear. Your body is simply responding to its... needs. And I'm here to teach you how to fulfil them."

You swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of fear and excitement coursing through your veins. "Teach me?"

Jareth nodded, his fingers tracing delicate patterns along your inner thigh. "Yes, teach you. Masturbation, my dear. It's a way for you to... pleasure yourself."

"Pleasure myself?" you repeated, the words foreign on your tongue.

Jareth leaned in closer, his breath warm against your ear as he whispered, "Yes, pleasure yourself. Explore your body, discover what feels good. It's a journey of self-discovery, my dear, and I'll be here to guide you every step of the way."

With trembling hands, he gently parted your legs, his touch sending a rush of heat straight to your core. "Now, my dear, I want you to close your eyes and focus on the sensations. Can you do that for me?"

You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest as you surrendered yourself to the unknown. "Yes, Jareth. I'll try."

As Jareth's fingers cupped you through your underwear, a gasp escaped your lips at the initial contact, the sensation sending a wave of pleasure coursing through your body. You felt your toes curl and your hands grip the blanket beneath you as you tried to process the overwhelming rush of sensations.

Jareth's eyes never left yours as he continued to explore, his touch light and teasing at first. "Tell me, my dear, how does it feel? What sensations are coursing through you?"

You struggled to find the words, your breath coming in ragged gasps as his fingers danced across your skin. "It... it feels... incredible. Like... like a thousand stars exploding inside me."

A smirk played at the corners of Jareth's lips as he pressed a little firmer, his touch sending shivers of ecstasy racing down your spine. "And now? How does this feel?"

As his hand began to move in slow, deliberate strokes, you could hardly contain the moan that escaped your lips. "Oh, Jareth," you whimpered, your voice barely a whisper, "it's... it's like nothing I've ever felt before. It's... it's overwhelming."

Jareth's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he continued to guide you through the dizzying labyrinth of pleasure, his voice low and seductive in your ear. "That's it, my dear. Just relax and let go. Allow yourself to feel every sensation, every touch."

With each movement of his hand, the tension in your body melted away, replaced by a growing hunger that consumed you from within. You arched your back, pressing yourself against him, desperate for more of the intoxicating pleasure he offered.

Jareth's touch grew bolder, more confident, as he expertly navigated the landscape of your desire. "You see, my dear, it's all about finding what brings you pleasure. Experimenting, exploring, discovering what makes you feel alive."

You nodded, your mind swimming with a haze of ecstasy as you surrendered yourself to the intoxicating embrace of the Goblin King. "Yes, Jareth. I understand."

As Jareth instructed you to remove your bra, you felt a surge of nervous anticipation course through you. With trembling fingers, you unclasped the garment, letting it fall away to reveal your exposed chest.

Jareth's eyes gleamed with approval as he brought his other hand up to gently cup one of your breasts, his touch sending a shiver of pleasure racing through you. "Ah, my dear, your nipples are sensitive. They're an important part of your pleasure."

You gasped as his fingers brushed against the hardened peak, a jolt of ecstasy shooting through you. "Oh!" you exclaimed, unable to contain the moan that escaped your lips.

Jareth chuckled softly, his gaze locked with yours as he continued to explore your body with a practiced touch. "You see, my dear, your body is a marvel of sensation. Every touch, every caress, sends waves of pleasure rippling through you."

Your hips began to buck uncontrollably, a blush creeping across your cheeks as you squirmed beneath his touch. "I-I'm sorry," you stammered, embarrassed by your lack of control.

But Jareth only chuckled, finding your discomfort endearing. "There's no need to apologize, my dear. You're simply reacting to the pleasure I'm giving you. It's perfectly natural."

As he continued to tease and tantalise you, you felt yourself teetering on the edge of something primal and wild. Your breath came in ragged gasps, your body writhing with need as you surrendered yourself to the overwhelming sensations coursing through you.

And then, just when you thought you couldn't take any more, Jareth leaned in close, his breath hot against your ear as he whispered, "If you take off your underwear for me, my dear, I'll make you feel really good."

You hesitated, your mind swirling with conflicting emotions. But then, with a deep breath, you summoned the courage to obey, slipping off your last remaining garment and baring yourself completely to him.

Jareth's eyes burned with desire as he took in the sight before him, his fingers tracing a path of fire down your trembling body. "That's it, my dear," he murmured, his voice low and seductive. "Now, let me show you just how good I can make you feel."

As Jareth instructed you to lie back and spread your legs, a surge of nervous excitement coursed through you. With trembling limbs, you obeyed, feeling exposed and vulnerable beneath his intense gaze.

"Such a beautiful flower," he murmured, his voice low and seductive as he admired the glistening folds of your sex. "So delicious, so inviting."

You blushed furiously at his words, feeling a rush of arousal flood your senses. "Jareth," you whispered, your voice barely a whisper, "what are you going to do?"

Jareth's lips curved into a wicked grin as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against your skin. "I'm going to taste you, my dear. I'm going to make you feel things you've never felt before."

Before you could protest, his tongue darted out to trace a path along your slick folds, sending a jolt of pleasure shooting through you. You gasped, your legs instinctively closing around his head, but he forced them back open with his strong hands.

"Relax, my dear," he murmured against your skin, his voice a soothing melody in the midst of the storm. "Let me take care of you."

With that, he dove in eagerly, his tongue swirling and licking at your clit with expert precision. You cried out, the sensation overwhelming as waves of pleasure crashed over you in relentless waves.

"Oh, Jareth," you moaned, your fingers tangling in his hair as he devoured you with a hunger that bordered on desperation. "It feels... it feels so good."

Jareth's lips curved into a smirk as he intensified his assault, his mouth moving lower to suckle at your wet folds. You writhed beneath him, your body thrumming with need as he teased and tantalized you with every flick of his tongue.

And then, just when you thought you couldn't take any more, you felt something coiling deep within you, a primal force threatening to consume you whole.

"I-I'm gonna pee," you cried out, your voice tinged with panic.

But Jareth only chuckled, his fingers digging into your hips as he urged you to let go. "No, my dear. It's not pee. It's something much, much better."

With a guttural cry, you surrendered to the overwhelming pleasure, your body convulsing as you released into his waiting mouth. You felt yourself squirting, your essence coating his face in a messy, dripping cascade of fluid.

As you collapsed back against the bed, spent and trembling, you felt Jareth's hand gently caressing your thigh, his touch a soothing balm against your fevered skin.

"Shh, my dear," he murmured, his voice a soft whisper in the darkness. "You were magnificent. Simply magnificent."

Now that you knew what arousal was, you felt as if it would bother you to your wit’s end from now on; always craving whatever touches and techniques Jareth had just performed on you.

Well. You could always ask him for more…

#jareth x reader #jareth fanfic #jareth smut #labyrinth fanfic #poopdiddyscoopwrites

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just-here-with-my-thoughts · 21 days

Text

Welcome To The Outpost: Part 2.3 - Swept Away

Fandom: The Bad Batch Characters: CT-9904 Crosshair, Clone Commander Mayday Word Count: ~1375 Read Here on AO3

Synopsis: With Crosshair at his side, the two of them easily storm the raider’s mountain base. Mayday wonders about the legacy the clone troopers leave behind. Crosshair makes an unexpected admission.

Read Part 1.1 - Frozen Read Part 1.2 - Rise From The Ashes Read Part 1.3 - Lost Battle Read Part 1.4 - No Way Out Read Part 1.5 - Rock And A Hard Place Read Part 2.1 - Last Chance Read Part 2.2 - Broken

Once the rocks stopped tumbling to fill the cave mouth, the mountain rang with silence.

Crosshair turned to survey his work, lowering his rifle with little satisfaction. It had been a quick way to end things; targeting the crate of explosives to collapse the mountain cavern network, instead of tackling another wave of raiders rallying from inside their base.

Not that they had struggled with the combat. He had been reluctantly impressed at how the reg commander, a blaster in each hand, had stormed the encampment with ruthless efficiency. Crosshair had worked with command-class clones in the past, and they were the only ones who were even close to operating on the same level as him and his brothers.

Don’t think of them.

Eliminating the raider’s base with the reg commander had almost – almost – reminded him of the mission on Desix with Commander Cody.

He had known he would work well with Cody; there was no doubt about that. They had a long history together.

What he hadn’t expected was for Mayday to shadow his movements so effectively, bringing the brutal skirmish to such a quick conclusion.

There was something to be said about the ferocity of men with nothing left to lose. The hollowness that radiated out from the commander threatened to consume Crosshair too.

Mayday faced down death and the elements on the word of an officer he didn’t respect, because he was loyal.

Loyal to the Empire.

And Crosshair was at his side because the commander also carried the intense loyalty to his clone brothers that the sniper had never understood, but had found himself on the receiving end of in the tunnels.

Mayday had no business saving him from the pressure mine. It had been his own idiotic mistake to trigger it. If it had been him, he would have scoffed at the reg commander and left him; not worth the risk of accidentally detonating the mine whilst trying to disarm it, just to save one man.

But Mayday had thought it worthwhile. When he had brushed off Crosshair’s ingratitude with little more than a resigned chuckle, it made something inside Cross burn all the brighter.

The faint, creeping sensation of eyes on his back shivered up his spine – the reassuring version, the one where those eyes were his brothers’, watching out for him just as he watched out for them.

He’d had that, briefly, when Cody had requested him for Desix. Then the Marshal Commander had absconded.

Rampart’s insidious voice sounded in his mind again. Clone loyalty doesn’t seem to be as advertised any more.

Crosshair thought Cody had had his back, but the Marshal Commander abandoned him. Just like his brothers had.

He couldn’t bear to confront the nauseating fear that Mayday might do the same.

“Crosshair.”

“What?” Crosshair’s tone was short, but without his earlier aggression.

Mayday gestured down the mountainside, towards the snowmobile which had crashed and spilled its pallet of crates after Crosshair shot the driver.

“Let’s load the cargo and get out of here.”

Although it was night, the whiteness of the snow bounced the little light from the sky around, giving them enough to see by without drawing their torches. Sliding to a stop in the powdery snow, Mayday pulled off his helmet, loosing his unkempt hair to the wind and feeling the bite of the icy chill against his cheeks. Behind him Crosshair mimicked the action, tucking his helmet under his arm, silent and observant.

Mayday faltered as he approached the downed skiff. His eyes skipped over the tumult in the snow, the once-smooth surface marred by scattered debris where one of the cargo crates had burst a seam at the impact and spilled its contents into the night.

White on white. Gleaming plastoid against powdery mountain snow.

“Gear?”

The edge of Mayday’s voice shook. The fingers of his free hand dug into the seams of his own armour, curling against the coarse fabric wraps keeping the cold out.

“We’ve been risking out lives to recover equipment we could have been wearing this whole time?”

He sensed more than saw the sniper come to stand at his shoulder.

“It’s not clone trooper gear,” said Crosshair. The way he softened his voice at the acknowledgement spoke volumes.

“Right.” Mayday dragged the word out into a derisive snort. “New toys for their shiny new military, and we get the scraps.”

Holstering his blaster, he knelt and scooped up a cuirass from the snow, turning it to inspect the item. A coldness that had nothing to do with the mountain night curled around his chest, constricting, forcing bile to his throat.

“We were good soldiers.” The words choked past a knot of fury and sorrow. “We followed orders. And for what?”

His companion remained silent. That was fine by Mayday. He didn’t want to hear the sniper’s brand of biting commentary right now.

He dropped the cuirass in disgust, kicking it towards the other items spilled from the fractured crate.

“For three years we fought in the war,” he continued, his voice low, words spoken mostly for himself. “Earned their freedom with our blood, and never asked thanks. It’s what we were made for.”

Now he turned to Crosshair.

“Do you think they’ll even remember us?” he asked, fixing the lean sniper with a piercing stare.

Crosshair held his gaze despite its intensity, brow furrowed in a frown. He’d drawn a toothpick from somewhere, and his teeth clenched around it as he shrugged a response to Mayday’s question.

Mayday continued. “I heard the rumours about phasing out clone troopers. I didn’t really believe them until now.” His face twisted in a glare, one hand scrubbing over his face and beard as he sought to control himself. “What does that even mean? They just let us die, and not replace us?” His voice shook with anger. “I heard Kamino was destroyed. Does that mean… the end of us clones?”

Something flickered behind Crosshair’s eyes, an expression quickly shuttered. He turned his face away from Mayday, letting his gaze go long over the mountainside.

“It was.”

Mayday stared at him blankly. “What?”

“Kamino was destroyed,” said the sniper through clenched teeth. “I was there.”

Taking a careful couple of steps, Mayday positioned himself in Crosshair’s eyeline. The sniper still tried hard to avoid looking at him.

“You were on the Empire’s ships.”

“No,” said Crosshair, and his voice was barely more than a breath shuddering up from his chest. “I was in the city.”

For a moment the wind dropped away to nothing, and now Crosshair met Mayday’s eyes. Behind that hard exterior there was a fracture of fear, wide-eyed and frightened, and Mayday’s breath seized to realise how young the other clone must be.

Not much older than Veetch.

A rumbling, rushing started up. Blood in his ears.

Except Crosshair was reacting to it too. Whipped his head round to gaze up at the mountain peak, far above the destroyed cavern.

To where icy death tumbled down the mountainside towards them.

Reacting on instinct, Mayday pulled his bucket back on and clapped Crosshair on the shoulder. “GO!” he roared, and he was already running, adrenaline driving fatigue and fear from his body as his long legs ate up the ground and he raced, heedless, down the mountainside.

In moments Crosshair had drawn level with him, helmet in place also. The two clones, light armoured and dark, slid and sprinted wordlessly through the night, racing from the devastation which descended from high to sweep them away.

The avalanche would catch them. Thousands of tons of snow and ice gathered speed, must faster than their exhausted bodies could hope to outrun it.

Mayday scanned their path for something, anything, that might offer safety. Somewhere to shelter. To hope the wave of snow would crest over them and spare them.

Looming from the darkness, a jagged boulder jutted up from the mountain surface, black and forbidding.

“Look out!”

Shoving Crosshair to one side, Mayday watched as the tall clone tumbled head over heels, the unexpected push breaking his momentum.

Then the snow was on them and Crosshair was lost to his view, and the crushing wall of ice swept him against the boulder and everything went black.

I'm baack! Did you miss me?

I missed the proper posting date for this prompt which was due on the 23rd, but I hope you enjoy this chapter now it's here. Thank you to my wonderful writing buddies @kybercrystals94 and @the-little-moment for your patience and support!

Hopefully Day 26's chapter 'Grief' will be finished over the weekend.

Need more angsty Bad Batch stores in the meantime? We're using the #littlekyberthoughts tag for our joint Angstpril challenge - you can find all our fics there!

#angstpril2024 #thebadbatch #fanfiction #day23 #swept away #the bad batch #the bad batch fanfic #tbb fanfic #clone commander mayday #commander mayday #barton iv #the outpost #crosshair #tbb crosshair #ct 9904 #crosshair and mayday #crosshair & mayday #littlekyberthoughts

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aldbooks · 1 year

Text

Gwynriel Week 1 Day 3 - Solstice Night

My original inspiration for this scene was:

---

Gwyn danced along the empty corridor of the House, still glowing with joy and humming along to the songs she and the other priestesses had sung that lingered in her head. She'd been invited by the High Lord and Lady to join them and their friends for Solstice dinner but had declined in favor of attending service in the Library's chapel. She began to regret that decision as she found herself alone in the vast, quiet house.

She felt a tickle at her cheek and grinned when she looked down. "Not so alone then." She could have sworn the shadow grinned back at her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your master?"

The little swirling mass shook as though to say "no", putting Gwyn in mind of a naughty child. She chuckled.

"Well then, I suppose you may keep me company, if you promise to behave."

The shadow bobbed up and down so violently it was practically vibrating before settling obediently on her shoulder. She lifted a finger to pet it, getting the impression that, if it were a cat, it would be purring.

She continued to sing softly, the shadow nuzzling into the crook of her neck as she wandered around, looking for something to occupy her. It was then she noticed the decided lack of decoration. "Oh, now," she tutted, coming to a halt in the living room. "This won't do. It's the Winter Solstice! The house should be far more festive than this."

As if in agreement with her, the House suddenly dropped a heaping pile of pine and holly branches before her, along with a basket full of tinsel and bundles of stringed fae lights.

Smiling, Gwyn placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the space. "Hmm. I think I may need some help with this." The shadow zipped off her shoulder, swirling in front of her face. "Are you volunteering?" It bobbed enthusiastically

She glanced up at the ceiling. "I think we may need some additional light to work by," she requested of the House. Candles appeared on every surface, gently flickering and filling the room with warm, soft, light. "Thank you."

Gwyn turned to the shadow. "Shall we begin?"

A little over an hour later, Gwyn stood back to evaluate their work. The pine and holly had been strung together into garlands draped over the mantle, around the doors, and across the tables, tinsel strewn over them. Twinkling fae lights had been woven in among the branches, making the whole room glow. The shadow had been very helpful fetching things she needed and holding up sections of garland while she tacked them down. The House, too, got into the spirit, providing various items for her to add to the decor including red and silver ribbons which she fastened into bows and glittering stars she tucked into the garlands.

It was, in her humble opinion, the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.

When Gwyn had declared their job complete, the House cleared away the remaining scraps of ribbon and branches they had not used and left a small repast, a bottle of wine and slice of cake on the coffee table for Gwyn which she gratefully consumed.

Leaning back in her chair with a sigh, she idly turned the wine glass between her fingers as she looked about the room in satisfaction. The new decorations, combined with the view of the night sky through the windows leading to the balcony made Gwyn feel strangely nostalgic for something she could not name.

Her smoky, black companion had been flitting around the room for the last few minutes, proudly examining the decorations it had helped to create. It now came to rest before her, observing her curiously. She smiled and saluted it with her glass.

"Thank you, friend. Your assistance was greatly appreciated."

The little shadow seemed to swell and darken, as though puffing out it's chest before gently knocking against the lip of her glass.

---

Azriel sighed for perhaps the millionth time that evening as he flew, unseeingly, towards the cliffs that bracketed the city below. Family gatherings were always difficult these days, but tonight had felt particularly burdensome.

He'd found himself alone, the odd man out in a room full of couples. Rhys and Cassian were deliriously happy with their mates, Elain and Lucien's relationship seemed to be moving forward, and they had spent most of the evening in quiet conversation. Mor's feelings for Emerie were now painfully obvious, and even Amren had managed to settle down- as much as someone as ancient as her could- with Varian. By the time he'd quietly slipped out of the house, he was quite sure no one had even noticed his departure, so wrapped up in each other as they were.

The loneliness threatened to crush as he fought against the darker thoughts his brutal mind tried to conjure. As he drew closer to the House of Wind, however, he became aware of a sort of excited buzzing among his shadows.

Curious what had them so worked up, he glanced around but found nothing to warrant such behavior until he was close enough to the House to see an unusual amount of light burning through the living room windows.

Immediately, his senses were on high alert as he put on a burst of speed, racing forward. There certainly had not been so much light when they'd left, and the fireplace, even at it's peak, could not put out so much light. His first instinct was a fire, followed closely by the threat of some sort of break-in.

He was brought up short a few feet from the balcony as he finally got a clear look inside.

The light he'd seen, emanated from candles and fae lights that seemed to cover every surface. The tables and mantle were covered in greenery, interspersed with glittery figurines and silk bows. And amidst it all, sat Gwyn. The candlelight played off the coppery strands of her hair, giving the illusion she was glowing as she smiled brilliantly at something. He watched as she raised a wine glass before her as though toasting something and saw, to his amazement, one of his shadows tap against her glass, winding in front of her flirtatiously.

A quick examination confirmed that he was, in fact, missing a shadow, and he noticed the others edging away from him, as though eager to join the picture before them.

Landing softly on the balcony, Azriel tucked his wings behind him and silently entered the house, observing Gwyn as she whispered and giggled with the errant shadow. The others began to creep along the floor, curling at her feet like kittens. She noticed almost immediately, hopping up from her seat and spinning around to face him with wide eyes.

"Azriel," she said, clearly surprised.

For a moment, Azriel could not breathe enough to respond. She never called him by his name, preferring to use his various titles, usually without the sort of reverence they typically garnered. He lived to hear those names from her lips, he realized. Whether she said them in teasing or anger.

But this, hearing his actual name in her beautiful voice... His chest felt tight and heavy, and all at once it seemed to hit him- the magnitude of his feelings for the female before him. How the hell had he not noticed it before? It seemed to have snuck up on him as stealthily as his shadows, but now that the veil had been drawn back, the culprit revealing itself, he knew it was one secret he'd never be able to keep truly hidden.

"I thought you were at dinner," Gwyn continued, eyeing him as he stepped closer. He moved without conscious thought, as though drawn by a string around his middle.

"I was," he said softly. He allowed his eyes to graze over her, feeling as though he were seeing her for the first time. He knew every line of her. Every dip and curve, every gentle slope of her face and each freckle that covered the skin of her nose and cheeks. He knew the color of her eyes, that shade of azure that always made him think of the sea. He knew the way her lips curved when she smiled, the sway of her hair as she moved, the smell of her, like moonlight to his shadows.

Love. His shadows whispered the word like a chant, repeating over and over.

He came to stand before her, their feet mere inches apart as he stared down at her. He understood in that moment, what had eluded him for so long. The times before when he thought himself in love, the pain and longing he'd felt, were little more than the pangs of loneliness because this- what he felt in this moment- was not painful. It was light and vibrant, and full of hope.

Gwyn's tongue darted out to lick her lips and she swallowed as she peered up at him, her eyes alight with an emotion he knew was mirrored in his own. "I decorated..." she said, gesturing behind her.

"It's beautiful," he said, his eyes not leaving hers. You're beautiful.

"Thank you." Her voice was barely above a whisper and he dared to inch closer. Her head tilted back with the movement, keeping him in her sights.

"Happy Solstice, Gwyneth," he whispered, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind the delicate arch of her ear. He allowed his fingertips to linger on her jaw as he slowly leaned in.

"Happy Solstice, Azriel," she breathed.

And then their lips met.

#gwynrielweeks2023 #gwynriel #gwyn x azriel #gwyn and azriel #gwyn x shadows

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