Joel's Jives

Disability Visibility

Thank you to @auteurdelabre for our beautiful coloring book and @romanarose for the Disability Visibility Prompt, if anyone would like to participate. At least for me, the anchor point I connect with on this front revolves around chronic illness. My father has a mental illness, and I'm going through another round of doctor visits and procedures that I don't want. But somehow I feel like Ezra gets it. I haven't written for this character yet because his syntax is so Shakespearean, so I thought I'd pair it with one of my favorite, perhaps applicable, sonnets for anyone who needs it...

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, (Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate; For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Let us continue to look on Love, which is boundless.

Moody Movie Poster

Our main event is on the horizon! Stay tuned for our first full length feature film at Pedge's Cinema! Thanks to Naqmeh Art for the likeness! We are excited to deconstruct some of Pedge's Favorite Movies;

All About Eve Alien Thelma and Louise East of Eden Blade Runner

hello, dear ❤️

with this ask I challenge you to write a ficlet (or anything bigger if you want) inspired by this screenshot:

may the writing muses be with you 🧚🏼‍♀️

xoxo

ps. you’ve asked for something unconventional hope this is good enough to challenge you

This was so fun to incorporate in an ongoing series, and to do so in an unexpected way. Check out Pedge's Bookshop if you want the final result...

Friendly Frankie

Ooooh, @auteurdelabre told me they are working on a SECOND coloring book for us!? I'm not even done with the first! An embarrassment of riches! I don't write for Frankie very often, but when I do...I seem to be gushing about it. If you're looking for something saucy, don't forget to check out my "Moody Frankie Fic". Coulda used him last night....Pair it with Frankie's Favorites for the full experience and enjoy :)

Pedge's Bookshop Before...

Grab a Latte! You deserve a sweet treat! Why don't you check out "The Book of Love" from @jolalibrary before heading into The Bookshop!

Triggers: profanity, Last of Us canon, MAJOR spoilers for "Crime and Punishment", references to prostitution/murder/suicide/pregnancy/alcohol, bar-room proposition, spiritual ponderings...

Series Masterlist

Words: 3k

Ellie’s laughter devolved into an impish snort as you scoffed from the sidelines. “What do you call an alligator with a vest?” You rolled your eyes placatingly, though secretly wondering what the answer was. “Huh, Teach? Give up?” You playfully tossed a copy of “Another Country” into her lap for the Literature Section. “An inVESTigator! Get it? VESTigator?” she doubled over in obnoxious laughter as you smirked by the adjacent bookshelf.

“Soon I’m going to suggest you add more of these puns to your project and papers” you teased, determined to bring order to the History and Geography section, such as it was. “How’s it coming with ‘Crime and Punishment’?” you mused, shaking your head slightly at the sorry condition of George Orwell’s copy of “1984” as it crossed your vision. Ellie poked her head out from the nearby aisle, suddenly intense. 

“I love it” she bantered. “I’m way ahead of Joel, he got stuck at the funeral dinner. Snake Eyes finally did himself in, and Rascal is thinking about confessing to Sophia” Ellie’s eyes sparkled victoriously. Your face registered a somewhat feigned look of shock and awe, as you inhaled quickly.

“Joel is falling behind on his homework assignments! I’ll have to dock points for that mis-step” you jested, heading over to the wood burning stove for your second cup of coffee.

“I guess we can cut him some slack after all these patrols” Ellie mumbled, obviously concerned, as the afternoon hours laboriously passed. You nodded your head solemnly. It had been your recommendation to put Levi and his posse to the test via controlled observation and limited patrol participation. You wanted to give Maria some viable options, you just hadn’t realized it was going to absorb so much of Joel’s time away. The thought of Levi somehow manipulating Joel, or negatively influencing his viewpoint was more of a worry than you had realized.

“I miss him too” you muttered quietly, as the front bell rang amicably. Rascal the Cat answered with a happy meow, as Maria tentatively entered The Bookshop.

“Anybody home?” she questioned, as Ellie’s face optimistically brightened.

“Hey Maria! When are you going to pop?” Ellie toyed, skipping towards her playfully, joined by Rascal underfoot.

“I AM starting to feel like a balloon” Maria shook her head exhaustedly. “I’m loathe to admit it, but the new visitors have taken on a lot of the commune patrol responsibilities, which is helpful. I just wish I knew more about them…” she paused distractedly. “I take it Joel isn’t back yet?”.

“Still on the latest patrol” you mourned, looking around The Bookshop dejectedly. You longed for the days of relative peace, before the visitors had joined your otherwise safe environment. “Oh! I set aside some reading material, if you wanted it!” you chimed in, grabbing a small stack of maternity related material. Some of it was obsolete at best, but you hoped it might provide a sense of comfort.

“Ah! Thanks Teach, we like homework too!” Maria smiled, patting her own tummy affectionately. “Reminds me of my law-school days…” she took the stack of books, setting them maternally on her hip. “Can you let Joel know I dropped by?”.

Ellie winced sensitively. “I’ll tell him, but you know how Joel is”. Maria rolled her eyes sympathetically.

“He thinks I don’t like him” Maria stated straightforwardly, looking around the cozy interior of The Bookshop appraisingly.

“You said it, not me” Ellie retorted, shrugging her shoulders.

“I’d love to blame my hormones, but he’s not entirely wrong” Maria offered, huffing with exasperation. “He’s family, after all. I know he shares a deep bond with his brother. It’s just a time in Tommy’s life I was never connected to. I guess I’m just a cynic…” she grumbled.

“Sounds like a Mama Bear to me” you smiled encouragingly. “A leader”.

Maria chuckled skeptically. “Well, soon I won’t be able to do as much. I’ve got to acknowledge that” she begrudgingly admitted. “Tommy just mentioned Joel’s observations from the redemptive strike at Elk Creek, that caught my attention…”.

“Like what?” Ellie demanded, already suspicious. You swallowed dryly, curious as to his perceptions, but simultaneously anxious. What had happened once Levi joined the expedition?

“Ellie, this isn’t a council meeting, and you’re still a kid” Maria chided, shifting the books to her other hip deftly.

“Right, cause I don’t already live with the guy who never says anything?” Ellie countered, already gently willing to spar, even with a pregnant, adult woman.  Maria pursed her lips thoughtfully.

“He just said…” Maria stopped abruptly, cautiously considering once again. “Joel said they barely made it out alive. If Levi and his posse hadn’t shown up, he wasn’t sure if the patrol party would have survived. They were really hunkered down, and the renegades had the upper hand…until Levi…Well, something about help showing up at exactly the right time. But even Joel said there was something about Levi that seemed…unhinged.”

The Bookshop fell silent as you considered Joel’s observations. That sounded accurate, based on your previous interactions, over 20 years ago. You hadn’t immediately experienced anything overt under Levi’s employ, but there was always something about him that was morally deficit. A kind of existential boredom that seemed to permeate everything he did, or didn’t do. You wondered at his beliefs, or his passions, when he didn’t seem to have any. Even his rage and passion seemed to have a dull, almost inhuman quality to it and there always seemed to be a certain bankruptcy of spirit, in all of his choices. In your time together, he often seemed to falsely declare a liberalism of mind, or a freedom of philosophy, but when all things are permissible, there was a certain moral abdication that must be present. If nothing is really evil, than how can you actually tell what is good?

“I don’t trust that guy” Ellie growled, distractedly looking out the window, as though hoping Joel were already back from the afternoon patrol. You set your jaw resolutely, attempting to withhold judgement. The Miller Family had offered you a tremendous amount of compassion and mercy. You couldn’t, in all honesty, ignore their charity, you just weren’t sure if Levi was a worthy recipient.

“I wonder if Joel and Levi aren’t more alike than dissimilar…” Maria almost whispered to herself before Ellie responded with incredulity.

“You’re shitting me!”. You and Maria both cocked your eyebrows sky high, anticipating the emotional barrage. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…language, language, language. You cannot compare that douchebag to your own brother-in-law!” Ellie placed her hands on her hips in a decidedly Joel-like posture as Rascal smugly stared back. “You know Joel is the reason I’m even alive, you should be thanking him for everything he does!” she took an accusatory step towards Maria who placed a hand up placatingly.

“You’re right, you’re right…” Maria surrendered, lowering her gaze to the ground. “Just something I can’t figure. Call it hormones, call it intuition. I don’t doubt Joel’s intentionality for one second, but that’s not something I can say about Levi”.

Ellie nodded curtly, temporarily sated. There was no world where you would consider Joel in the same breath as a man like Levi…and yet….Maria was right. There was something about Joel that continued to be mysterious and enigmatic. Dark and seductive. It was easy to see, having delved into the deeper spaces of your own past, and equally pointless to ignore it. Perhaps at some point, it would finally be time to reveal those true secrets that remained in the haunting shadows.

You and Ellie worked for several more hours before she headed home to complete the day’s tasks. Joel should be arriving in the evening hours and you had tentatively opted to meet at the Tipsy Bison to celebrate his return. You were excited to update him on The Bookshop’s progress, but inwardly perseverating on the earlier conversation. Would Joel’s mysteries ever reveal themselves? Every human was capable of tremendous atrocity, and the only thing separating a saint from a sinner, seemed to be an intentionality of spirit. Or, as Maria had previously said, so many of us are one and the same. Your mind was already swirling with questions by the time you entered the potent bar atmosphere.

You didn’t often frequent the Tipsy Bison, instead preferring a quiet night at home, reading a book, or recently, avoiding the likes of Levi and his gang. But if you were going to take on a more administrative role in the commune, you needed to objectively consider Levi’s petition for commune inclusion. Joel had already brought more confidence and acceptance into your life, it was time to step into that security and stop deflecting. Time to stop being so afraid. If Levi’s presence allowed Maria a respite, and added protection to Joel’s already dangerous patrols, you wanted to believe you could overcome your own sense of insecurity.

You tentatively stepped up to the counter and ordered a whiskey, neat, anticipating Joel’s arrival sooner rather than later. One of the commune residents was quietly playing a guitar in the corner, and individuals were grouped in conversation and activity around the cozy room. You had just begun to settle in, when the noisy group from the patrol abruptly barged inside.

Your breath immediately hitched in your throat, looking for any sign of Joel, but unintentionally catching the lascivious grins of Levi’s gang. You weren’t sure what Levi had told them exactly, but it can’t have been good. Where was Joel? Maybe being here alone wasn’t such a good idea. As if on cue, one of the visitors sallied up to the bar, decidedly close to you, as you watched his hands twitch menacingly at his sides.

“Well hey there pretty lady, Levi tells me y’all are old friends…” he drawled, revealing a yellowing set of teeth. His rancid breath fanned across your face as you attempted to hide your immediate repulsion. 

“I wouldn’t call us friends, per se” your steely glare didn’t give the unwelcome visitor any cause for misunderstanding, but that didn’t stop him from grabbing your upper thigh possessively.

“Maybe MORE than friends?” he spat, digging his fingers into the flesh of your thigh, as raucous laughter echo’d around you. It had been a long time since you found yourself in a situation like this, but you felt your entire body tighten like a wound coil, poised to pounce.

“Best to leave her alone…” a familiar voice interrupted, as the hair on the back of your neck bristled uncomfortably. Rotating slowly in acknowledgement, a grimy hand gripped the visitor’s shoulder threateningly. You were unsurprised, but dismayed to see the foreboding profile of Levi enter your periphery, as the visitor stalled in their proposition.

“Just some harmless fun, s’all” he attempted to back pedal, before Levi shoved him to the ground stolidly. 

“Get your drink and move along” Levi threatened before watching him shakily stand to his feet and slink away into the corner. Levi’s lip curled upward, smug in the opportunity to act as your unbidden savior in this moment.

“Thanks” you muttered, your lips a thin line of vehemence, attempting to bite back a sarcastic diatribe. Damned if Levi didn’t always show up when you least wanted to take advantage of any opportunity under false pretenses. 

“My pleasure” Levi whispered into your ear, a tingling band of revulsion abrasively shooting down your spine. “Always like to act the hero…” he muttered, breathing in your fragrance deeply, before the bar doors opened once again to reveal Joel’s broad frame.

His hair was wetly slicked back, having apparently stopped at the house for a quick shower before joining you. You shivered slightly under the spell of his powerful and well-timed appearance, as Levi slowly withdrew to the shadowed corners with his cohorts. That was close.

Joel strode purposefully towards you, wrapping a protective arm around your waist. “You okay?” he pointedly asked, waving the bartender away. You nodded succinctly, not entirely sure if the answer was yes, warily watching Levi from where he lecherously looked on.

“Let’s get out of here…” you grumbled, downing the whiskey in one shot and shrugging Joel’s concerned touch from your back. The ensuing laughter echo’d behind you as you burst through the bar doors and began trudging through the dirtied snow.

“Will ya wait up a second?” Joel called after you, his knees already aching from the long, daily patrols. You were gripping your sides tightly, attempting to ignore Joel’s penetrative gaze, burrowing forward into the wintry wind. “What’d he say? Did he hurt ya?” Joel stopped you, looking into your face for any indication.

“He was my go-between Joel!” you shouted, shrugging with exasperation. “I thought I’d never have to see him again, and here comes every vestige of my past, threatening my very real future!” your voice cracked with defeat. Joel ran his hands warmly up and down your arms, offering solace and a listening ear. For some reason, it only added fuel to your irrational ire. “The only thing you can count on Levi for is ruining a good thing!” you tried to explain, twisting out of Joel’s strong grasp, nearly slipping in the snow. Joel widened his stance to brace yours, grasping at your waist in solidarity. “What has he told you? Are you all trading tales about the slut? Don’t tell me he hasn’t tried!” you shouted into Joel’s face over the din of the seasonal bluster and nearby bar sounds.

“I don’t give a fuck what Levi says or thinks!” Joel returned, your eyes widening softly at his immediate transparency. “Only thing I care about is you, Teach!” he held you solidly in his grasp, anchoring you to the iron core of his protective nature. You sniffled timidly, taking in his meaning. “Now can we go home? It’s freezing out here and my back is killing me!” his eyes crinkled good-naturedly at the corners, as you smiled tenderly. You nodded emphatically, as Joel wrapped his arm around your shoulders, tucking you in to the steel-like nook of his side. Stumbling together, you headed back to the Miller household, casting an occasional glance behind you at the receding town bar. You almost expected Levi to haunt every opportunity from here on out. How would you be able to find a moment’s peace with the ever-present and nebulous foreboding of Levi’s enigmatic personhood? Finally reaching Joel’s house, you both paused in the living room to see Ellie’s bedroom light casting shadows down the stairwell.

“Already talked to the kid” Joel gestured, shaking flakes of snow out of his hair and off his shoulders. “Said that Maria dropped by today with some questions…”.

Your mouth parted with surprise. Here you were, worried about Levi’s influence and you hadn’t even mentioned Maria’s. “She’s just as naturally suspicious of Levi as I am. As we ALL should be” you warned, keeping your voice secretive. “You didn’t tell me he saved your life” your voice gained a newfound warmth as your eyes brimmed with tears. Levi might be a lot of things, but if he really had saved Joel’s life, that was a debt you wouldn’t be able to easily repay.

“Hate to admit it, but it’s true” Joel confessed bitterly. “If he and his posse hadn’t shown up when they did, we wouldn’t be talkin’ right now. Don’t mean I trust the guy. But I’m not above using him to protect what I love” he finished confidently, taking you by the hand. You swallowed the lump of emotion that had unexpectedly risen in your throat, leading him to the couch and sitting together quietly. You gazed pensively at the fire, now dwindling by the hearth, Joel’s copy of “Crime and Punishment” sitting on the coffee table before you.

“You know, I was thinking about that quote from Svidrigaylov this afternoon when Ellie and I were tidying up” you began, laying your head lightly on Joel’s shoulder. He hummed with approval, kicking off his boots and resting his feet atop the hand made coffee table.

“Good 'ole Snake Eyes. Ellie says I won’t have to listen to him for much longer…” he mused, yawning tiredly.

“She’s right” you agreed. “Before he dies, he talks about his beliefs. His ideas about eternity…”.

“Wouldn’t think a guy like Snake-Eyes would have any beliefs to speak of” Joel’s voice rumbled lowly in his chest, buzzing against your skin.

“He doesn’t. He manages to fool even himself, up until the end. He wonders at man’s desire for a vast forever, an eternity that is redemptive and never ending” you pondered, leaning forward for a moment and thumbing through the pages of the book.

“Here…he says, ‘We always imagine eternity as something beyond our conception, something vast, vast. But why must it be vast?” Joel shifted with discomfort, unsure how to answer Dostoyevsky's literary question. “But what if eternity is one little room, black and grimy with spiders in every corner?” your voice trailed off suddenly unsure, watching the embers of the fire die down into flickering remnants of their earlier glory. “What if he’s right?” you finally asked, turning your head upwards to meet Joel’s gaze.

“Who? Snake-Eyes?” Joel scoffed, his jaw ticking curiously from side to side. “Hell, I don’t know, Teach. I’m no philosopher” he paused to listen to the crackling fire as it breathed its last. “A man would do…almost anything if he believed it was right. But a man with NO beliefs? What kind of eternity is that?” Joel whispered, almost as though to himself.

You didn’t know the answer to that question. There were so many unknowns in a world of constantly shifting ideals and dangers. You snuggled closer into Joel’s side as your eyelids drooped heavily with exhaustion. No more questions for tonight. Just the fire. And Joel. And the hope that tomorrow would have more light than the current darkness of night. A belief that somehow, Love might prevail, whether you understood the future, or not.

Bloodsucking Witch

It's Spooky Season and Moody Max has been rarin' to go! I just watched "Blood Sucking Bastards" and have been enjoying so much Halloween material like Dracula, The Discovery of Witches and Interview With a Vampire, it seemed only preternatural to try my hand at horror!

Triggers: HORROR! All the things you'd expect; blood, witchcraft, vampirism, smut, allusions to death, mind control, dubcon all around, profanity, alcohol, questionable power dynamics (all set in the workplace), fingering, masturbation...gosh we really covered a lot. Pedge was feeling naughty...

In a lot of ways, this year had never been better. Sales had skyrocketed with your leadership expertise, company morale was higher than ever, and you had become nearly accustomed to being a vampire. Truth be told, the latter part of that arrangement had proven more challenging, but Max had provided a tremendous amount of professional support and personal direction. Granted, much of that mentorship had transpired through mind control, but you had no immediate complaints.

Living a life as a successful businesswoman and CEO had been taxing to say the least. It wasn’t until procuring Max as an exciting Chief of Operations, that you stepped into the full height of your professional prowess. It did come at a cost. No more lounging around at the beach. Difficult to do your make up in a mirror that no longer reflected your countenance. And the sex. The sex was mind-blowing, but you really wished you had more to contribute. Bossing people around for the majority of your adult life had always come naturally, but with tremendous isolation. It wasn’t until Max circumnavigated your willpower that your sexuality REALLY came into fruition. Put mildly, you had no idea that type of liberation was possible, until  Max completely overrided your ability to say no. It was hawt. No more manipulations or wondering about their intentionality. Max’s desires were perfectly clear, as he rummaged around the recesses of your own, and you found yourself in a strange intimacy that finally scratched the hidden itch you had never articulated.

But what could you give back? Max had provided company betterment, empowering sex and vampiric immortality. What was your contribution to this relationship? Was Max a better vampire, being with you, when he could have any other vampire at his fingertips? Your cold dead heart beat a little less, with the knowledge that Max had infused your life with the passion and vitality of murderous lust, and you longed for some way to repay him. Yours was a strange tale of enigma and voracity, but compelling nonetheless.

Sitting at your high rise office, you chewed nervously at a Bic #2 Ticonderoga Pencil. What to give to the man who has everything? You mindlessly stood, unbidden, at your desk, feeling the throbbing urge of control, beckoning you to Max’s nearby office. You sighed with contentment, no longer fretting away the office hours in doldrum. What new adventure would Max have on the horizon? Afternoon delight? Company firings? The new delicatessen on Third and Main? The options were endless, as you mindlessly breezed through the hallway, catching your non-reflection in the glass covered entryway.

Enter.

This was the most seductive of intercoms, and you didn’t even need an office memo. You straightened your gray business skirt, hoisting your breasts up voluptuously, hoping that Max once again ripped through your new red negligee, specifically worn for this occasion. Jerking the door open you found him forebodingly poised behind the massive mahogany office desk, with his feet propped lazily upon it.

Shut the door.

You smiled mischievously, unable to contain your excitement. If HR knew about your particular situation…it wouldn’t matter whatsoever. They were vampires too. You hypnotically floated towards his desk, sinking into the thick leather chair and crossing your legs temptingly. 

“Drink?” he finally intoned, motioning to the small bar available to his right. 

“It’s 11am Max” you drawled, dangling your red stiletto heel loosely off the tip of your toe.

“Who the fuck cares?” he jested. “Never stopped us before” he motioned for you to grab him a snifter, as you felt your body drawn upwards, gravitating towards the golden liquid.

“Am I just operating as your waitress today, or did you NEED me for something else?” you questioned, adding ice to the small glass and pouring a shot.

“We have a new exciting opportunity in the Oregon offices and I didn’t want to send any lackey for such an auspicious occasion. I’d go myself, but let’s be honest; the office would completely run amok without my hand’s on attention…” he arrogantly boasted, patting his lap for your curvaceous body to sit atop.

You rolled your eyes dramatically, stuttering slightly in his direction and plopping down atop his eternally hard length. “Are you ever satiated?” you growled, tipping the golden liquid into his mouth as his eyes hungrily devoured the contours of your neck.

“Not around you, Buttercup” he snarled, his eyes flashing a mysterious red tint for one millisecond before downing the shot in one languid gulp.

“Any special instructions?” you whispered into his ear, rolling your hips slowly over his slacks and licking at his icy cold neck into the angular point of his knife-like jaw.

“Try not to have too much fun without me?” his eyebrows shot up as he pursed his lips in a feigned innocence, reaching into his desk for the first class ticket to Salem. You noticed your black negligee from last week’s business meeting, clandestinely housed in his office drawer.

“My drawers in your drawer?” you teased, batting your eyelashes sensuously. He growled into your neck, grazing his fangs over the feather light sensitivity of your skin. 

“I can smell you from here” he moaned, aggressively pushing two fingers past the waistline of your skirt and digging into your hip.

“Max we don’t have time…” you pouted, already feeling the warm tentacles of his mind wrapping around your volition. 

“As the Chief of Operations I encourage all of our employees to make time for important preparation and business acumen. Plus, I really wanna fuck you on this mahogany desk again…” Max smiled into your sternum, lifting you up and depriving you of your skirt in one fell motion.

You leaned back on the desk, spread eagle before him, as he reached for the intercom. “Janet, hold all my calls for the next 15 minutes…” he smirked, dragging his icy digits across the lips of your heat causing you to buck sporadically atop the pile of manilla folders and notebooks.

“The delegates from Microsoft are waiting for you in the foyer…” Janet’s tinny voice garbled from the desktop intercom.

“I SAID HOLD ALL MY FUCKING RESPONSIBILITIES, JANET!” Max yelled, loud enough for Janet to hear through the walls, let alone the crackling intercom.

“Got it, boss” Janet timidly replied as Max ripped the buttons of your suit jacket, exposing your new red lace negligee for his lustful eyes.

“Fuuuuuuck meeeee” he sighed, grabbing your knees and aggressively shoving them to either side.

“That’s my line” you gasped salaciously, feeling every thought ebb and flow out of your littered mind. This was the part you liked best. Sex before Max had always been a mental obstacle course of confusion and conflict. Now the only internal conflict was that you felt guilty about not feeling guilty. Surrendering your body and mind to Max’s control, was the most liberating sexual experience you ever had. You wished he could experience the same delights.

Sound.

A sinfully loud moan escaped your lips as Max thrust two powerful fingers inside you. You barely registered the embarrassment, as your mind absolved itself of all choice.

Enjoy yourself.

An electric shock of desire throbbed through your entire being as your body responded to his galvanizing hypnotic urges.

You’re going to cum. And you’re going to cum hard and fast.

You felt your body careening out of your control, heaving and pulsing around you in ripples as he circled your heat and your clit with expert motions. It was no secret that vampires were fast, but this was unexpected, even for you. You screamed euphorically as your orgasm hit you like a freight train, jettisoning your body into his powerful grasp in a full spasm of delight. He pumped his fingers through you slower and slower as tears ran down your face sloppily.

I’m thinking sushi for lunch, right? his voice echoed in your mind, which you barely acknowledged, smiling lazily and collapsing into his embrace, nodding in the affirmative.

Ah, the perks of being a CEO.

You trotted down the fairway, bright red suitcase in tow for the red eye. How appropriate. Clad in head to toe apparel to avoid even the smallest hint of sunlight you arrived in Salem, Oregon for the business conference Max had arranged for personnel development. You teetered off the evening flight at 3am in the morning, spotting a gaggle of giggling youth, dressed in witches costumes and goth-like makeup. 

You grinned brusquely, remembering the time of year, and Salem’s claim to fame. Witches indeed, you reasoned, wondering what evening activities you might pursue, once your professional responsibilities were done. You spent the day alternating between Zoom sessions and indoor business meetings in the posh hotel located in downtown Salem. Prior to your metamorphoses you never would have thought vampirism to be maintainable, but Max had taught you the inner workings of the coven lifestyle, and you had taken to it remarkably fast. Never a morning person, and already partial to black, the only sacrifice had been your veganism which made a sad departure. As the day’s activities came to an end, you changed into jeans and a maroon top, eager to explore the mysteries of Salem night life and take in the cities charms.

You drifted into a lazy pub crawl, followed by a night tour of historical Salem locations. Looking around at the eclectic group, you saw more witches, ghouls and Halloween vampires, toting plastic jack o’lanterns and cheap broomsticks. The tour guide theatrically droned, “A majority of people accused and convicted of witchcraft were nearly 80% women. The belief was that women were inherently sinful and more susceptible to damnation than men were. Women's souls were seen as unprotected in their so-called "weak and vulnerable bodies". Some likely believed they had truly given in to the Devil, however some women might have confessed in order to spare their own lives. Women who did not conform to the norms of society were more likely to be the target of an accusation, especially those who were unmarried or did not have children….”.

You pursed your lips cynically. Check and check. A slinky black cat materialized in your path, weaving its slinky body between your ankles and trotting down the nearby alley. A flash of light caught your eye as you thought you observed a young, lanky teenage girl with flaxen hair beckoning to you conspiratorially.

You already had dinner, but you were intrigued. Watching the tour guide lead your small group in the opposite direction, you headed towards the darkened alley as the lithe, fairy like creature summoned you to a small apothecary like entryway. The cat’s feathery black tale disappeared inside the stoney residence, as a small bell cheerily chimed in welcome. Max had told you to enjoy yourself, and you were very good at taking direction. You hesitantly poised at the doorway, curious for where the evening’s events were taking you. Opening the door lightly you were immediately greeted by billowy plumes of lavender, soil, eucalyptus, and a myriad of fragrances you couldn’t immediately place.

The darkened apothecary was cheery in demeanor, as a bristling fire hummed at the hearth, and an old tape recorder from the 20th century was playing a frothing beat of Alanis Morisette. You took in the twinkling wind chimes and bowl of crystals, looking around the room in wonder. There was something vibrational about the atmosphere, and you wondered if vampires had found themselves in the previous trials and tribulations of Salem. The cat mysteriously re-appeared at the front desk, as the waif like teenager popped up from behind the cash register.

“How might I assist, young one?” she melodically questioned, drawing her fingers across the purring feline and gesturing around the incense filled room. You quirked your head confusedly, wondering at her demographic. Young one? You were easily 20 years her senior, but there was a maturity about her that distorted the atmosphere around her. You stepped up to the counter, gazing at the cornucopia of enigmatic items sprawled out before you.

“You are special” she ventured, gazing appraisingly into your eyes and biting her lower lip. “Many lives reside inside of you…” she enigmatically prophecied, breathing deeply and looking over a small library at her fingertips. You swallowed dryly, feeling somewhat naked and observed as her fingers danced lightly over the various books and scrolls in the glass case. “Might I offer you some light reading material?” she asked, selecting a small black book that seemed to be archaic and from a bygone era. 

“Please” you rasped, becoming slightly intoxicated with the heady shop fumes and humming thrum of the black cat, butting its head up against your chest.

“It’s on the house” she inexplicably offered, her eyes flashing a millisecond of green before disappearing up the stairwell, the cat scampering after her playfully. You fingered the edges of the antiquated text with curiosity as Alanis Morisette sang,

“You're essentially my employee and I like you having to depend on me. You’re kind of my protege and one day, you’ll say you learned all you know from me. I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it…”.

Tucking yourself into the nook of the first class recliner, you fingered the glowing incantations beneath your hand. You were delighted to discover their pulsing energy as you ran your fingertips over the delicate embossing. What did this mean? You tried to pronounce the Latin and French dialects under your breath, and felt a strange warmth emanating from your chest like a tether.

Almost immediately, the person opposite you in the aisle sat bolt upright, eyes ablaze and then sank back in their own recliner, asleep again. 

That was odd, you mused. What did that young waif mean by “many lives lived”? Was she referring to reincarnation? Did she somehow sense your vampiric energy? You had to admit, even during your collegiate years, you had always possessed a preternatural ability to sway individuals to your willpower. You had always interpreted it as leadership ability, and meeting Max had upended any previous assumptions about life in general. But was there more to your diverse and unique existence than anyone had surmised? Is there a world where you were both a vampire AND a burgeoning witch? You clasped the book tenderly to your chest. There was only one way to find out.

Relishing in the clickety clack of your stilleto’d heels you paraded into the offices for the evening shift. You were excited to regale Max with your Salem adventures, and curious if he would notice a difference in your general demeanor. You’d taken it as a good sign that several neighborhood cats had crossed your path upon arrival, but it seemed too good to be expected. Could one woman be so benefitted in their life, as to experience TWO supernatural events in one existence? Only time would tell, as you jerked the large door open and confidently strutted into your CEO persona.

The office was a flurry of activity as vampiric energy raged brightest in the evening hours. You had no sooner deposited yourself in your office, then a magnetic pull alerted you to Max’s desires.

Come to me.

Your heart fluttered in nervous anticipation, smoothing the gray pant suit that was covering a newly purchased pink negligee. At this rate, you would need to liquidate Victoria’s Secret if Max insisted on his unsatiated passions. No matter. Perhaps you could quell the tide, or at least give Max a taste of his own prowess. You languidly drifted down the hallway and paused at his office door.

Enter.

Smiling broadly, you found Max curiously unaltered, seemingly sitting in exactly the same position and in exactly the same suit, knowing that he wore the same apparel everyday to work. You poured yourself into the leather chair opposite him, noting a quirky expression dotting his eyebrows.

“You seem different” he bluntly stated, licking his lips dryly and flashing the smallest portion of his porcelain veneered fangs.

“I enjoyed my trip tremendously, and I’m excited to share some of the new professional skills I’ve acquired…” you began.

“Would you…?” cutting Max off at the onset you made a beeline for the bar, interrupting him.

“Would you like a drink?” you questioned, pouring one for yourself first.

Max bit his lip voraciously, eyeing the curvature of your fit, bloodthirsty body. “Thought you’d never ask” he quipped, enthusiastically leaping to his feet, and sidling up behind you seductively. He drew a line of tickling fancy with his nose along your shoulder blade, as you drolly poured two glasses of whiskey.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you for the professional acumen and killer instinct you’ve instilled in me during our time together” you teased, offering him the liquid courage, and mentally refreshing your incantations.

“It was nothing” Max bantered, downing the drink in one rapacious gulp and digging his fingers into the meat of your ass. “I know a good opportunity when I see one” he boasted, lining his hips up with yours and bumping his length against your pubic bone.

Get on the couch.

You gasped slightly, his voice echoing particularly loudly in your ears at this close proximity. His eyes flashed bright red before dulling to a sexual glaze. This was it. If you had the ability to give Max some of the fortitude he had so richly provided you, your life was about to become even more varied than you could have believed. Sauntering over to the leather chaise you flung your high heels into the corner and began unzipping the back of your pantsuit. Max removed his suit jacket quickly, standing above you poised to pounce. Something about his demeanor looked particularly stressed, and you wondered if your absence had contributed to the force of his desperation.

Get on your knees.

Feeling the seductive threads of his hypnotic stare, you closed your eyes to focus your full mental willpower on your response.

You first.

You thought you heard the slightest trace of Max gasping, wondering if you had been remotely successful in your first attempt. Fluttering your eyelids slightly and gazing up at him with curiosity, you noticed his eyes dilate to full crimson lust.

“What did you say?” he whispered, pausing his sexual armada just long enough to undo his leather belt with a swift motion, holding it in one hand.

Get on YOUR knees, you countered, suddenly flush with the thrill of possible empowerment. You caught the slightest stutter in his gait as he braced himself against the couch indeterminately.

Max’s mouth dropped open ever so slightly, dragging a finger across your bottom lip imploringly. You felt the tendrils of Max’s mind control begin to thread through your personhood, almost as though holding hands with your newfound mental abilities. It was a curious wrestling match of intimacy as you mentally grasped one another tenaciously.

I said, GET ON YOUR KNEES, you thrust the full force of your mental acuity across the chasm-like mindscape, hearing the smallest of whimpers escape from Max’s throat.

A moan hovered at the entrance of his mouth as you closed your eyes and muttered the first incantation you had attempted earlier that day.

Hearing a soft thud, you opened your eyes to see Max’s shining countenance, hovering just below your face, from the floor below. His Adam’s Apple dipped noiselessly in his throat as he began panting doggedly.

“What are you doing?” he whispered, unzipping his pants slowly and furrowing his brow determinedly. “Is that you?” he begged, a small smirk teasing at the corners of his fanged mouth.

Pleasure yourself, you commanded, drunk with the power lust of newfound passion, and excited to finally give Max the equality he so readily deserved.

With lightning speed, he removed his length from his boxer briefs and began pumping with abandon, lolling his head back in pleasure and allowing you to hold his torso in place with his tie.

More sound, you growled internally hearing a desperate cry of euphoria escape his liberated lips as he pumped more furiously. “Thank youuuuuu” he droned, giving in to the orgasmic energy pulsing over his exhausted frame.

Cum for me, you commanded, uttering a quick incantation under your breath for added effect watching his delighted reaction coupled with moans and cries of exuberance. You pulled his body into your embrace, waiting for him to catch his breath and steady himself. Feeling his body finally relax against you, you sighed with relief as he nipped the smallest of bites at your neck, drawing a trickle of blood down your sternum.

“Did you like that?” you batted your eyelashes, gazing into the red of his pupils blown wide with desire. Lapping up the honeyed sweetness of your blood he moaned emphatically into your neck, as you bit at his shoulder blade.

Hissing with pleasure he shuddered in your embrace, pulling back with newly discovered respect and admiration. “Professional development is so fucking essential for workplace morale” he observed, flashing his fangs attractively and smashing his lips into yours with a passionate kiss.

*thanks @thecutestgrotto for the cool dividers

Javi's Afterglow

A huge thank you to @auteurdelabre for our beautiful coloring book :) The last week has been so great for me personally. After six months of health challenges I'm finally starting to make some progress because of my own advocacy. But that also led to voicing uncomfortable conversations with friends and professionals, and that's tough. Lost a best friend. Paused a job. Pedge and I feel some stories ending, but I don't know which roads I'm excited to take alone. Maybe that can be the exciting part. With the end of every journey comes the start of a new one, and I've sat at home for long enough. Javi knows how to take the big swings, and so do I...

I've found elements of the POC Tumblr discussion very interesting, and as a queer Jewish woman there are some specific ways I want to celebrate and recalibrate. The first time I posted this artwork the color scheme was....off. It wasn't intentional, but somehow I didn't quite capture our Chilean sun-god and it kept annoying me. So I re-did it, and included one of my favorite Javi fics I've written for the Afterglow Series (#irony).

Let us all continue to fully experience Love to the best of our ability. And as Javi would say, "Whether you like it or not, you have a gift; and that gift brings light and joy to an increasingly… dark and broken world! And to turn your back on that gift is to turn your back on the… entire human race!".

And Pedge definitely feels that.

WIP Wednesday Pedge's Bookshop

We are going to begin "Pedge's Book Shop" which features Bookstore AU and a discussion of all things....literary. Looks like Joel is our grumpy shopkeeper!

Moody Thespian

As a theater professional, some of my favorite interviews with Pedro Pascal are when he talks about early performance opportunities, theatrical inspiration and the craft. I'm sure you've heard them, but be sure to revisit:

Talk Art Screen Actors Guild Talk Easy Podcast

We could obviously listen to his voice all day, but it reminds me why I'm passionate about the arts in the first place, and how much inspiration is readily available...if you're looking for it.

Dostoyevsky + the Slutty Knee

A big thank you to @auteurdelabre for our beautiful coloring book! I really feel like I'm making progress with my health journey, but it's super slow going. The main thing that is keeping me creatively motivated is my art projects! I'm working on the final fiction for our "Crime and Punishment" series at Pedge's Bookshop, just in time for "The Last of Us Season 2". Don't forget to check out Joel's Jives if you would like the full participatory experience.

I think our next foray is going to be a one shot with Pena and J revolving around Pedro's recommendation, "What Happened to Belen?". And don't forget to check out our first fic for Pedge's Cinema "The Trailer" when Javi and J first meet. Grab your popcorn first however, the opening scene of "All About Eve" is soon to be started.

“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” “–and suddenly, in the midst of my laughing, I’d give way to sadness, fall into ludicrous despondency and once again start the whole process all over again

“You never reach any truth without making mistakes. Talk nonsense, but talk your own nonsense, and I'll kiss you for it. And what are we doing now? In science, development, thought, invention, ideals, aims, liberalism, judgment, experience and everything, everything, everything, we are still in the preparatory class at school. We prefer to live on other people's ideas, it's what we are used to! Am I right?” “Break what must be broken, once for all, that's all, and take the suffering on oneself.” “Fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don’t be afraid - the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again.” “What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds?”

@littlemisspascal @wannabe-urs

@beefrobeefcal @sawymredfox @anelva

@wordywarriorwrites @burntheedges @inept-the-magnificent @timelordfreya 

@schnarfer @devineconjuring @mermaidgirl30 @mandolover37 @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog 

@joelmillerisapunk @jennaispunk @sheepdogchick3 @marcus-is-my-muse @guiltyasdave 

@copperhalfcent @bluesweaters15 @drewharrisonwriter @darkheartgatita

@harriedandharassed @brittmb115 @confusedpuffin @zaniasky @quicax3