sleepy <3
Claire Keane
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#extradirty
Fai_Ryy
cherry valley forever
Today's Document
Peter Solarz
todays bird
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đ©” avery cochrane đ©”
ojovivo

ellievsbear
we're not kids anymore.
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Xuebing Du
wallacepolsom

⣠Chile in a Photography âŁ

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@blackqueensforeva
sleepy <3
Keeping Up with the Joneses is a rotational let's play series that follows the lives of four Sims in their mid-twenties. Although named after the Jones twins, the title is coined from the popular idiom in which one compares themself to others, from their financial status & careers to their material goods. Coming soon to my YouTube channel this September.
More information about the series below.
Love them
Nighttime Routine Lookbookđ
01. Eye Mask | Pajama Set | Slippers & Socks
02. Hair Rollers | Cardigan & Tank Top | Shorts
03. Hair Towel | Face Mask | Robe | Slippers
04. Top | Underwear | Slippers
Thank you to the CC Creators! @serenity-cc @mmsims @madlensims @vixonspixels @caio-cc & others!
gojo is sitting with his daughter, playing with her and asking various questions; you are in the next room drinking coffee and sometimes listening to their conversations.
âyou know your mom has a beautiful name, right?â gojo is lying on the floor and she is sitting on him, holding onto his big palms. she giggles and nods. you suddenly become interested and you look out, imperceptibly watching them.
âso what's your mom's name, sweetheart?â satoru smiles, it is difficult for him to remain serious in order to hear an accurate answer from his child. you're hiding and looking forward to what your daughter will say.
she exclaims without hesitation, raising her hands high, âher name is my love!â satoru laughs and feeling your gaze, he turns his head in your direction, âlook what i taught her, my loveâ
you don't understand what kind of feeling it is that seems to flutter in your chest, but you chuckle, heading towards them and sitting down next to gojo, âi see, my preciousâ
Ê MILLION DOLLA BABY. É ( n. kento )
᥎êȘ«â sum. nanami gets dragged to a nearby strip club by his colleague gojo. he insists itâll help him stop being so pent up and tense from work. there, he meets youâand for some reason, he just canât keep his hands off your body. perhaps nanami wanted a bit more than just a dance though.
ââ â âŠâ wc. 6.0k
ââ â âŠâ cw. fem! reader, reader is a stripper, modern au, unprotected, semi-public, Ćral (f! receiving), brief gojo cameo, vÄ«rgin nanami, dry humping, lap dance, lots of praise, premature ejaculatıon, size kink, overstim, impact play, breedıng, whiny nanami, teaching him how to touch you, pet names.
you were the star girl,
and the moment nanami had his eyes laid on you it was all over. with his hands buried into his work slacks, his eyes scan around the erotic club. the music blared an unfamiliar tune with salaciously explicit lyrics. he has a look of deadpan as he stands beside his eager colleague, satoru gojo. âcâmonn. why so serious, loosen up, nanamin,â he jibes, slinging an arm around the blond. the entire club had pretty luminescence lights flashing in each area. his eyes dart toward the bar before back at gojo who had a scheming grin. âyou work too hard, âs time you had a little fun, huh.â
proclaiming we're in a lesbian music renaissance NOW thanks to artists like Billie Eilish, Chapell Roan, Fletcher, Phoebe Bridgers, Dove Cameron and Renee Rapp is qWHITE interesting to me (dgmw I like those artists but)........... people are acting like Janelle Monae, Victoria Monet, Hayley Kiyoko, Arlo Parks, Halsey, Kehlani, Syd, Dua Saleh, Raveena, Kelela, and even Megan Thee Stallion haven't been CONSISTENTLY making music about loving women and eating pussy for well over a decade. is it only a "sapphic music renaissance" when white lesbians and queer women do it?
đđŠ âžș áł cherry vanilla dr. pepper !!!
cw: afab reader, voyeurism, tashi and you make out while you get pounded, weird amalgamation of dehumanization/objectification/pet play, subby!art coded, spit roasting at the end, slight overstimulation, bizarre orgy vibes, mean dom!tashi to everyone but you <3, implied breeding/creampie kink, canon typical mind games, tashi sits in the cuck chair /j, implied romantic feelings but no mention of established romantic relationships, slight mxm, clit stimulation, one use of âmommyâ
happy challengers day đŸđ
consider commissioning me or leaving me a tip !
some fucking resources for all ur writing fuckin needs
* body language masterlist
* a translator that doesnât eat ass like google translate does
* a reverse dictionary for when ur brain freezes
* 550 words to say instead of fuckin said
* 638 character traits for when ur brain freezes again
* some more body language help
(hope this helps some ppl)
happy pride pretty ppl in my phone <3 xxtra love n kisses to my lesbians, thank u 4 helping me discover myself àšà§
happy pride lgbtq+ palestinians, know that we stand w you and for your liberation today & everyday from now
ÊÉâ brunette!lizzie makes you sit on her lap while she feeds you, ignoring the way youâd squirm and say you didnât like it.
âwhy donât you like it, angel? Because it gets you all worked up doesnât it?â
ÊÉâ she also picks out your outfits in the morning, watching you prance around in whatever she chooses. sheâd pick things so revealing and it made you excited, knowing her eyes would be fixated on you all day.
ÊÉâ whenever she catches you eyeballing something she gets it for you. an expensive necklace to a simple meal that you felt like. she loves to spoil her precious girl
ÊÉâ she would always make you dinner even after a long day of work because she didnât like the thought of you around fire, knowing how clumsy you are. but when you would attempt to make her little baked treats that wouldnât turn out well, she still lights up and helps you make another batch
ÊÉâ sheâs obsessed with neck kisses. falling asleep on the couch with her watching movies, youâd wake up to her lips pressing gently against your neck, slightly nipping at the sensitive skin
âItâs time to go to bed, bunny. Youâll wake up sore if you sleep here.â
sheâs so ahhhhh >///<
running errands at target. target shopping center is made by @simkoos. đŻ
I'm IronHeart
college student! Riri x college student!fem!black! reader
âYou gon stop fucking up my pretty face-âÂ
âYou only like it when its pretty?â
A smile broke across both your faces, her shiny rows of perfectly white teeth winking at you from between the prettiest brown lips youâd ever seen. âItâs always pretty,â you ran your fingers down her cheeks once more.
Warnings: Angst!!! suggestive tones, no actual smut though (sorry, y'all this one is just a tease), fluff, N-word usage, explicit language, implied cheating, some of y'all might not like how reader and Riri talk to each other, but it's just their dynamic, and I think it's cute (I also like em toxic, though sooo), probably some that I missed.
Word Count: 6.6k
Tags: @inmyheadimobsessed @shurislover @6-noir @ihearttish @vampzxi @verachii @phantomof-themcu @taiiunknown @sapphicvqmpires @pocketsizedpanther @oceean @venusdraco-deactivated20230701
âNah, baby, you ainâ listening to me-â
âIâm listeninâ, you just wrong-â Ririâs chuckle was deep, her vocal cords vibrating through the smoke clouding her lungs.Â
A once-fat blunt sat snug between her index finger and thumb, passing from her parted brown lips to yours, sitting so prettily and plump.
âWell, if you listening, you ainâ hearing me.â
Ririâs free hand was tangled in your curls, tugging at your scalp every so often. The scent of sativa would be embedded in your tresses, coating the bedding beneath you. The two of you were stuck, your highs weighing heavy on your limbs and freezing you in a statuesque space.
 You laid between Ririâs legs, your head against her torso, eyes closed and finger waving at nothing in particular, illustrating your point for your stubborn girl to follow.Â
âIâm not tryna hear you, ma-â
It wasnât a real argument. The two of you were stifling giggles through your disagreement, both trying hard to get your points across.Â
âIâm just saying, Ri-â
âUh huh,â she lulled lazily.
âIf she was a good superhero, she wouldnât have to hide her identity!â
âWhat if sheâs a good superhero because she hides her identity?â Riri countered.
Her rebuttal had you stuck for a moment, your usually quick mind slowed greatly due to your intoxication.Â
âNo? No, thatâs not how that works, Ri-â
âIt is-â
âIt isnât! Tony Stark was Iron Man, right?â You were upright at this point, right hand squeezed tight into a fist, punching your open hand to accentuate your statements. âIron Man was a good superhero, and we knew his identity.â
Ririâs mouth was open, but your words were trampling hers.
âTâChalla didnât hide that he was The Black Panther-â
âBut-â
âAnd neither did Shuri! She goes to our school for fuckâs sake-â
You were giving her no chance to argue back, your voice climbing octaves each time she tried to speak.
Your chin fit in Ririâs hand like a perfect puzzle and she used it to draw you near her, taking what was left of the barely-there joint and embedding it between your lips. âShh, baby. You gotta let me talk.â
The prolongtivity of your high redirected your attention and Riri took her chance to make her counter-point, albeit, a pathetic one.
âSpidermanâs a great superhero, and we donât know his identity.â
Silence was your only response and your eyes darting to the ground brought a slick smirk to your girlâs face.
âYou saying Spiderman not a great hero?â
âI ainâ say a thing-â
âExactly-â
Your snicker came out much louder than you intended, but Riri wasnât jarred by it. âYou gave me one hero to prove your âsecrecy is betterâ bullshit and heâs another one of Tonyâs lackeys. I gave you three, one of whom, IronHeart took her identity from to begin with!â
âShe ainâ take her identity from nobody-â
âFine, her âmentorâ then,â the air-quotes emphasizing your words were full of sarcasm.
âHer mentor, who inspired her-â
âShe was so inspired that she copied the suit, but wanna keep her name a secret? I just wanna see the little white girl who got a chance with Tony Stark because of daddyâs money.â
Ririâs mouth hung open, shock furrowing her brows and stunting her words. The corners of her mouth twitched, unsure if she should laugh or scowl. Little sounds crept from the back of her throat and they couldnât come together to form a full sentence.Â
Laughter poured from your lips, the expression on her face tickling you greatly. Slight giggles grew to guffaw chuckles, producing an annoyed eye roll from the girl sitting across from you.Â
The weight of the bed shifted as she stood, head shaking at your goofy ass. âNot a damn thing funny, y/n.â Ririâs words were stoic, though one look at her face revealed the smile she failed to hide.Â
âN-no, no, donât go, baby. Iâm sorry-â the half-assed apology came out in gasps, trying and struggling to catch your breath as your laughter died down.
âNo, you not. Gon laugh at me right in my face-â Ri grumbled, walking across the room to retrieve her bag.
You rose to your knees, arms reaching for Riri, feigning her hurt in the corner of your room. âI am, I am, Ri. Come on, you donât gotta leave-â
She takes a step back toward you, letting your hand enclose around hers while she brought her free one up to her face. LED numbers blared from the watch clapsed on her wrist. âActually, I do, baby. I was supposed to be gone ten minutes ago.â Riri only had five minutes before her chem class was set to start without her and the quick thought to skip it crossed her mind.Â
You were many things, though a mind-reader wasnât one of them. You could have had Riri fooled, however, with the way your next words mirrored her thoughts.
âSkip it-â
She could- Bast knows how badly she just wanted to get back into bed with you, riding out this high you were experiencing together-
But she wouldnât.
âI canât, baby-â
âYou can!â Your shoulders jumped slightly with the wince produced from hearing how whiny you sounded.
âI canât.â Her no was final. âI gotta get a good education-â Ri stepped closer, planting a sweet kiss on your forehead. âSo I can get a good ass job-â A duplicate kiss landed on your cheek. âAnd make a lot of money-â And the other cheek. âSo I can afford to keep your bougie ass happy.â This time her lips touched yours, softly.Â
You wanted so badly to deepen the kiss, to graze your tongue against hers and taste the smokiness off of it. Before you could snake your hands around her neck and pull her down into you, Riri pulled away, causing an annoyed sigh to escape your parted lips.Â
âWhen you coming back?â
Ririâs hand ran across her face, her slender fingers pressing against her temples just slightly. âUm, probably late tonight. I got statistics after chemistry and we got an exam tomorrow so I need to study without any distractions.â She looks pointedly at you when âdistractionsâ falls from her mouth.Â
Your eyes are suddenly drawn to the carpet beneath her planted feet, not trying to hear her go on again about her failed physics test a few weeks ago. âHaines let you make it up though and you passed the second time-â
Mhm, she hums quietly. âJust lemme get your spare, in case you sleep when I get here.â
Still avoiding eye contact, you point to your messy desk on the other side of the room and Riri strides over to it to retrieve the key before heading to your door. Her five minutes have long gone and sheâs going to have to sprint across campus to make it to class, a task sheâs not looking forward to.Â
âNo goodbye kiss?â You question in a final attempt to change her mind.
It doesnât work. âMwah,â Riâs lips pucker in your direction and just as quickly as it opened, the heavy door shuts behind her.Â
Too many hours have passed. Your eyelids grew heavy not too long after Riri had left and what youâd promised yourself would be âjust a quick nap,â turned into you peering back into the world nearly five hours later.
âShit,â you mumbled under your breath, sitting up slowly with the ache of sore muscles almost pulling you down once more.Â
The sky beyond your open window was dark, a deep pitch-black coating everything in its cloak. Classes had ended long ago and Riri was probably holed up in her room, her nose buried in a book as thick as she.Â
When her tiny frame took place in the seat across from you in the cafe the next morning, it did so with a thud full of exhaustion.
Her head stayed down, her eyes cast on the croissant untouched before her.Â
âFuck wrong with you?â You questioned, elbows pressing into the table, through a mouthful of fruit. âWoke up on the wrong side of the bed?â
âWhat happened to starting a sentence with âgood morningââ? Her face rose slowly and it didnât take you long to notice the imperfection running across her otherwise perfect skin.Â
It was long, stretching from her left cheek, across the bridge of her nose and stopping just short of her right eye. The thin mark had already begun to scab over but itâs undertones were a deep red and the damn thing looked painful.Â
Panic was your first reaction, your hand darting out to imbed your index finger and thumb into her cheeks and draw her face closer. âWhat the fuck happened to you?â You turned her head every which way, inspecting the mark with careful eyes.Â
Riri was silent.Â
âHello? Riana Williams-â
âYou donât gotta use my government-â
âWhat the hell happened to you? You said you was gonna hit the books, you ainât say they was gonna hit you back.â
The tiny smile that played across her lips softened your heart just a bit. âYou think you funny?â
âNo, but you do.â Your hand dropped from her face, finally releasing her from your hold. âWhat did you do?â
Ririâs mouth opened, but the words didnât want to come out. She fumbled about them, pausing for a moment before a sigh was the only thing she could respond with.Â
âNothing, baby. Just a little accident in the garage-â
âGarage? When was you in the garage, Ri? I thought you was gonna go to class and study-â
âAnd I did,â her hands reach across the table to grab both of yours, bringing them to her lips for a brief kiss. âWent to make some alterations to a project for my metallurgy class. Fell asleep there last night.â
âOkay, but even so, you know to be careful, Riana-â
âYou gon stop calling me-â
âYou gon stop fucking up my pretty face-âÂ
âYou only like it when its pretty?â
A smile broke across both your faces, her shiny rows of perfectly white teeth winking at you from between the prettiest brown lips youâd ever seen. âItâs always pretty,â you ran your fingers down her cheeks once more.
She catches the palm of your hand with her lips in a quick kiss before rising to her feet. âWe hanging after class?â
Youâre peering up at her with pretty brown eyes, so round, so full of life they sparkle. âYou got time for me with all the studying you got to do?â
Her gaze scans the watch that never leaves her wrist, pretending to analyze it for a moment before responding. âI can pencil you in. 6?â
âOh you can pencil me in?â Laughter rings through your words, flowing straight to Ririâs ears, mimicking your actions. âGet your goofy ass gone.â
âLove you,â Her lips touch your forehead much too quickly for your liking before her steps retreat and the sway of her hips hypnotize you as she leaves.
The day goes by too fucking slowly, the little hands on the clock barely moving, as though to tease you. Each class drags on and on and on, until the sun finally sets on the horizon, threatening to bring the day to an end.Â
The time had rounded out well past 6.Â
âIf you gon cancel on me, at least have the decency to say so-â The phone sat balanced between your cheek and shoulder, keeping the receiver close to your ear as you moved about your room, trashing the rose petals that littered your sheets and stashing the already wrapped blunts on your bedside table.Â
âWe gon work on your greetings, baby.â Riri spoke, voice deep and stuffy.
âRiri, cut the shit. Where you at and why it ainât my bed?â
âBecause Iâm in my bed, baby.â She sniffled, throat thick.
âWhy? And why you sound like that?â
âLike what?â
âYou sound gross.âÂ
âDamn, thanks. I ainâ feeling good-â
âProbably cuz you slept in that cold ass garage last night instead of next to me where you was supposed to be-.â
Riri paused, allowing your sarcasm to cut her sentence straight down the middle. âIâm gonna just kick it here tonight, baby.â
Youâd be lying had you said you werenât upset. Riri had been around you sick more times than you could count; this time didnât have to be any different. âAâight, well, want me to bring you something? Soup or some shit? We can just chill in bed with a movie? I can hold you-â
This time it was Ri who cut you off. âIâm good, baby. Iâll just rest tonight and we can make it up tomorrow.â
The swiftness with which she rejected you stung, along with the tears forming behind your lids. âOkay,â you answered bluntly.
Riri could hear the hurt in your voice, wanting to alleviate it just as sheâd caused it, but she pressed onward.Â
âOkay, baby. Love you.â
She hadnât even given you time to repeat the words of affection before sheâd hung up.
The more minutes that passed, the more time angry thoughts had to stir in your mind. Moving from your couch to your bed to your desk chair wasnât enough to calm your maddened nerves. Your feet continued to shuffle, though they brought you nowhere.Â
Riri was pulling away, acting all funny and shit. Maybe it was the stress of school, the end of the academic year nearing, finals looming over your heads. You could imagine her, sickly and snotty, buried beneath a stack of textbooks.Â
Your hands worked quicker than your mind had the time to process. The only remedy food you had was the canned crap, but it would have to do. Keys in one hand and can in the other, you trekked into the night.Â
Sheâd feel some type away about you interrupting her studying; maybe be slightly annoyed by your risk to her germs, but there wasnât a single fiber in you that cared.Â
The night air was warm and damp, the walk to her dorm a rather short one.Â
One quick knock, followed with silence. Ririâs door remained shut, without a sound on the other end. Another knock, then one more before you grew impatient. âUgh, I got that damn key somewhere-â The keys on your ring jingled too loudly in the quiet hall. There were too many keys, all similar shapes and most not having a lock to open.
You tried one and failed. Your girl was a hard sleeper; it was no surprise that she didnât stir to let you in if she wasnât awake. Another key was inserted into the lock carefully, and that too failed.
âShit-â
The wooden door rattled beneath your knocks, attempting once more to pry it open with a different key. Your sigh of relief echoed off the still walls when the key turned and the lock clicked.Â
You entered the room slowly, not wanting the light from the hall to wake your sleeping girl in her dark space. On the tips of your toes and with the gentlest fingers, you shut the door behind you until its hinges locked in place and the darkness in the room swallowed you once more.Â
Shoes at the door and keys beside them, you turned to look about the room, expecting to see Ri hunched over her desk with drool falling from her lips or in her bed, covers drawn over her head.Â
To say you were surprised to see neither was an understatement. Her desk sat clean and bare, her bed unmade but untouched.Â
Bathroom; sheâs gotta be in the bathroom.
You walked toward the door, gathering your weight on the knob until it gave way. It was dark, empty.Â
Riri was nowhere to be found in the small space. Several thoughts ran through your mind and none of them made sense.Â
Maybe she went to get food? Your phone illuminated the dim dorm and the line trilled, over and over and over again before it was the voicemail that greeted you and not Ririâs voice.Â
Maybe she went for a walk? Again, the line rang and rang and rang, and again, there was no answer.Â
Maybe she went to get meds? The line didnât even ring anymore; each call was answered by an automated voice messaging system.
60 minutes passed with you seated on Ririâs bed, full of worry.Â
90 minutes passed and you shifted from the bed to the loveseat with worry turned to anger.
Two and a half hours later and sleep began to weigh heavy on your lids as you sat behind her desk.
Three hours later, you got up and walked out of her room, leaving behind the unopened can of Campbellâs Chicken Noodle Soup and the spare key to her dorm.Â
Your sleep was restless, interrupted by frequent glances at your phone screen, expecting, hoping for a missed call from Riri. Hell, even a text would have sufficed.Â
There was nothing.Â
Worry swept through you once more, seated at the same table the two of you met at each and every day, alone.Â
Should you go to the police? Or campus security? Maybe the dean-
The chair across from you slid away from the table with an awful scraping noise as metal kissed metal and in plopped Riri.
Her hands held a heavy plate, balanced with toast and eggs, bacon and fruit. There was more food than there was Riri to consume it, but she dug in as though she hadnât tasted food in weeks.Â
You couldnât help the look of bewilderment that you were sure posed itself upon your face. There was no way that was really Riri; it had to be a mirage or a hallucination. You mustâve been losing your mind. You had to be.
She finally looked up, eyes wide and mouth full. âYou want some?â Riri gestured to the plate sitting in front of her, half its contents already in her stomach.
An ugly scoff crept from the back of your throat and she reeled back, just slightly. âWhatâs wrong with you?â
âWhatâs wrong with me?â Your neck jumped forward, your curls falling from the top of your head as it cocked to the side. âNigga, are you forreal right now?â your voice was low, words hissing out between your clenched jaw.
Her sculpted brows furrowed at the center, a deep frown taking place on her cheeks. âWhatâs your problem, ma?â
The anger that boiled within you almost escaped in a growl, teeth barren at the oblivious girl before you. âRiri, where the hell were you last night?â
âWhat?â she asked through a bacon-stuffed mouth. âI was in my room, baby. I already told you I would be there-â
You almost jumped across the table at her. She gon sit there and lie to your face? Thatâs what we were doing now?
âRiana Goddamn Williams-â
âIon like hearing my name come out your mouth like that-â
âI donât give much of a fuck what you like right now, Riri. Itâs taking everything in me to not fuck you up- Where were you?â
âI was in my room-â
âWas you in your room when I came by? Hm? Cuz I couldnât find you. You invented invisibility or some shit?â
The hand holding toast stopped just short of her lips as your words sank in. âYou came by?â
If it were even possible, your face contorted further, anger, no, fucking rage had you vibrating like the phone she didnât answer. âYou didnât even notice? The can of soup I brought to nurse your lying ass back to health? The key I fucking left? I was there for three fucking hours, Ri-â
Ririâs eyes flashed. âYou left your key?â
You ignored her. âThe dozens of calls I left you? You ainâ notice none of that shit?â
âCalls?â She dropped the food back onto her plate, hands patting at the pockets on her jeans. âPhone, whereâs my phone?â
âWow,â her actions pulled forth a deep hurt. She hadnât even noticed.
âBaby, I-â
The deep sound of a throat clearing stole your attention away from each other and to the curly-haired girl standing just short of where you were seated.Â
Shuri Udaku.
She looked uncomfortable, lips tucked between her teeth, hand held out toward Riri awkwardly. âUm, my bad. I donât mean to interrupt-â She stumbled over her words, her soft voice barely loud enough to be heard over the buzz of the crowded cafeteria. âRiri, you, uh, left this last night-â
If looks could kill, Riri would be six feet under and then some. The slow turn of your head back in her direction was scorching, your glare burning a hole so deep into her skull, she winced. You watched her carefully retrieve whatever was in the girlâs hand, moving slowly, as if moving too quickly would cause the thing to ignite.Â
It was her phone, screen cracked. The wallpaper displayed a broken image of you and your lover, one where your lips were locked together, now fractured straight down the center, separating the two of you and confining your still images on separate sides of the screen.Â
The sound that came from you was drawn from deep, and pooled with pain. Your mouth hung open, stuck in the position as words struggled to come together and form a sentence.Â
Ririâs hands flew in front of her, as if they could be a shield from your fury. âI-in the garage, right Shuri?â She turned to the Panther, still standing there with a look of pure confusion written across her face.Â
âW-we was just in the garage, baby-â
No more. You didnât want to hear anymore. Standing to your feet was an uneasy task, your legs wobbling beneath you, threatening to give out. In a swift motion, your bag was swung over your shoulder and through blurred vision, you let your feet guide you to the exit.
âY/n-â Riri called out, moving as though she were about to follow you. A large hand rested on her shoulder, holding her back and pulling her away. âRi, we gotta go-â
A day full of missed classes and tears with ugly cries and snot and sobs that wrecked your body from the inside out.Â
Two days full of missed calls and so many unread texts that youâd lost count. Your blankets smelled like her, so you slept on the floor in a jacket. Her hoodie, her favorite hoodie laid across your desk chair, untouched. Her shoes sat beside your door, her toothbrush in your bathroom. The very dorm room you couldnât pull yourself from reminded you so much of the one you didnât want to remember.
Three days before sadness turned to anger, unadulterated fucking fury. Her favorite hoodie was nothing more than shreds of thick fabric, scissors thrown on the floor beside them. Her shoes drawn all over with your mascara brush, filled with vegetable oil, with awkward holes from the scissors made into their design as well. Her toothbrush had taken a swim in the toilet, then outside across the carpeted hallway before being thrown back into the toilet.
Youâd reached that point of grief where sleep was a thing that no longer existed. The clock above your door read just past 3am and you had yet to close your eyes and rest. The shoes beside the door caught your eye again, along with the pieces scattered across the room that youâd cut out of them.
There was always a chance that Riri was awake right now⊠Sheâd want her shit back eventually-
You didnât sit long enough to talk yourself out of the idea, instead gathering all of her now-destroyed belongings into a grocery bag and heading for the door.
The walk from your dorm to hers was instinctual, your footsteps falling into the same pattern theyâd taken every night for the past two years. You stood in front of her door, arms by your side, thoughts racing. Youâd returned your key, and hadnât made a copy, and if you knocked, your âsurpriseâ would be ruined.
You started to turn away, doubt beginning to pool your mind. Maybe you should just go-Â
Something in you told you to just try, to push on the door handle and see if it opened beforeheading home and admitting defeat.
Riri was smarter than that, so you thought. She wasnât gonna be sitting in her room, this time of night, with the damn door unlocked-
The poor girl had truly been slacking, because the heavy door gave way, creaking quietly as you stepped into the dark space.Â
Her room was pitch black and undisturbed, so quiet that the sound of you closing it seemed to have echoed.
You looked about the room, eyes searching for Riri. A deep, disgusting feeling settled in the pit of your stomach when you thought that maybe she wasnât there. Maybe she was with the Princess, laid up in her bed the same way she used to lay in yours-
A low, breathy sigh floated through the air from the bed in the corner of the room and you stared for a moment, allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness. There, in her bed, was a large figure. Itâs chest rose and fell with each silent breath, inhaling and exhaling to its own rhythm.
You were truly tired of being angry, though it truly angered you, seeing her be able to rest so easily, so peacefully, while sleep, or peace, or fucking stillness refused to visit you, leaving you up, sick and anxious over feelings sheâd caused-
You hadnât realized your feet drawing you closer to Ririâs bed until you were nearly beside it. A foot hung over the side of the mattress, but it was large. Too large to be Ririâs, the petite girl only wore a size 7-
The same could be said for the arm that had escaped the blanket. It was thick and- red? The material held a reflection, though there was no light present in the room.
What the hell-?
The thought couldnât even be completed in your mind. You stepped beside the bed, fully taking in the monster taking your Ririâs place. This was some red riding hood and the wolf disguised as granny shit-
Your eyes traveled slowly, up and around, soaking up every bit of unfamiliarity before you, from the blackened hand with a crucified pit in the palm to the black emblem in the center of the chest, outlining a glowing blue âVâ. You squinted, mind racing. Youâd seen that crest before, but where?
The further north your vision moved, the harder your heart thumped behind your chest. The scarlet metal continued upward, protecting itâs wearerâs throat, and scalp, leaving an opening across the face where a mask would be-
But there is no mask.
Your hand flies to your mouth to conceal the scream that almost climbs from your bosom. Those eyes, you know those eyes, shaped like almonds, so dark and wise, shut behind the smoothest lids and prettiest lashes.Â
You knew that nose, the one you glued your lips to so often, just to watch it scrunch up, an accessory to that smile, behind those lips you knew so well. The feel of them, their shape. You could map out every indent, every wrinkle on those precious lips.Â
It was a hard sight to take in in silence, peering down on Ririâs face as though she lay in a coffin. She was so still, so silent, that had it not been for the rise and fall of her chest, you wouldnât have been sure she was alive.
Your eyes fell to the symbol on her chest once more, mind trying so hard to place it. You knew that symbol, you knew you knew that symbol, but where-
Images of IronHeart flashed through your mind without permission.
IronHeart, who had a whole YouTube channel dedicated to sightings of her.
IronHeart, who almost always fought alongside The Black Panther- Shuri.
IronHeart, the little white girl whoâd gotten a chance with Tony Stark because of daddyâs money.
IronHeart, who was your Riri.
You could feel your breath catch in your throat as the pieces fell into place.
You needed to go. You stumbled backwards, steps failing you, hand still drawn over your mouth as bile threatened to make its way up. The room was suddenly too small, the hallway was too small, the damn building was too small.Â
The air outside was warm, and the gasp you inhaled was quickly followed by a sob that emptied your lungs of the air youâd just blessed them with.Â
You didnât know how, but your feet were moving, bringing you back to the solitude of your own room and finally failing you when you reached your door. It would have been a pathetic sight to see, you on all fours, sobbing loudly, face drenched as you crawled through your front door and shut it again behind you.Â
Your back slammed against the heavy oak, your knees bending until your thighs met your chest. The sounds that were coming from your mouth were ugly, the tears bulbous.Â
My God, My God. She had been lying to you. For months, for years, maybe longer? You werenât worthy enough to share her secret, not trusted enough to know her identity, to take part in her double life.Â
There were too many fucking thoughts and it was too fucking late at night, and the tears in your eyes and exhaustion in your muscles did nothing to keep you awake long enough to battle those feelings. Sleep took you under, quickly and stealthily, not even giving you a chance to make it to the bed first.
And yet, somehow, you awoke in your bed, the blanket drawn to your chin and the smell of Riri embedded in it bringing you a slight comfort.
Then memories of the night came flooding back and though your body begged you to do nothing more than remain horizontal, your mind shot you straight up. The room was bright, the sun already raised high in the sky and you couldnât fathom what time of day it mustâve been.
What was left of the heart beating in your chest was already aching. It nearly beat right out of your body when a voice sounded off from across the room.
âGood morning.â
Her voice was low, deeper than usual, and coated in anything but pleasantries. Riri sat at your desk, dressed in all black, her signature gold chain adorning her neck, and her straight-back cornrows collected into a bun at her nape.Â
So many emotions ran through you at once. Fear and desire, but the one that stood out, the one that had been most prominent these days, was rage.Â
And it showed. Riri saw it immediately in your face, with the way your brows drew together and the corner of your mouth curled into a snarl. Your nose scrunched and your glare burned.Â
She could hear it in your words, your vocal cords tight, your voice sounding unlike yourself. âGet out-â
Ririâs sigh drew another emotion forth from you: annoyance. âWhen somebody says âgood morningâ, youâd typically say it back-â
Your feet hit the floor with a thud, and your restraint was a God-given thing. âGet out my room, Riri-â
The small girl stood as well, hands deep in her pockets. âNah.â
An insincere chuckle escaped your lips, masking the disbelief that jumped out of you. âNah? Fuck you mean ânahâ, nigga-â
The space separating the two of you was barely a few feet and Riri closed it in no time. âSit down, y/n-â
âI donât take orders from you no more, Riri-â
âSit down!â Her voice never changed octaves, but the firmness in her tone left no room for argument. You didnât want to turn your back to her to climb back upon your lofted bed, instead trying (and failing) to hop on backwards.
Riri couldnât sit and watch you struggle; her hands fell into place at your hips like they had so many times before and you pushed them off quickly, trying to remove them as if they burned. âGet your hands off-â
You couldnât even finish your sentence before Riri had you in the air and seated on your mattress. âJust accept the help, damn.â
An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two of you, you upon the bed, arms crossed, and Riri, pacing the room, hands rubbing the back of her neck.
âYou know; I know you know.â
âKnow what?â
Riri pauses her stride long enough to look at you with a sad smile. âCâmon, baby, you ainât never been stupid.â
The tears that collect behind your eyes are traitors and you tilt your head back, staring at the ceiling and willing them back from which they came. âYeah, Ri. I know.â
âYou came by last night?â
âI came by last night.â
âDestroyed my shit?â
âYou deserved it.â
When you brought your vision back on the girl standing across from you, the tears finally betrayed you. They ran over your lids silently, no sobs this time, no snot.Â
Riri could only stare back, tears of her own threatening to swell and run over.Â
âSo you the little white girl with daddyâs money?â
Your words caught Ri off guard, an gross-sounding snort came from the back of her throat before the tears finally spilled and her hands flew to her face to catch them. âYou know ainâ nothing in that statement true-â
âBut you let me say it. You let me sit here looking stupid while you knew what was true and I didnât-â
âHow was I supposed to tell you, baby?â
âHow bout, âY/n, Iâm IronHeart?ââ
Silence took place between the two of you for a moment before Riri cleared her throat.
âY/n, Iâm Ironheart.â Ririâs voice trailed off and her hands flew to her face, catching the assortment of pillows youâd just chucked at her in retaliation.
âNigga, you not fucking funny!â
âYou right, you right, ma. My bad.â Riri tossed the pillows to the floor, taking baby steps forward, until the space between you was closed and your body was trapped by her forearms sinking into the mattress on either side of you and her head falling into your lap.Â
You couldnât help the hand that rose in response or the gentleness with which your fingers traced the parts between her braids. âHow long?âÂ
âHow long-?â Riri trailed off, not understanding the half-asked question you were presenting her with.
âHow long you been a fucking superhero, Ri?âÂ
Her head sunk further into your thighs, as if she were trying to hide and you knew you wouldnât like the answer.
âOnly âbout six months-â
âSix months,â you repeated.
Mhm, she hummed back. âSix months. Had the suit built for a while, just to see if I could build it, but it was nothing like the one I got now-â
âWhere that one come from? Your Princess get it for you?â
Her head rose quickly, furrowed gaze falling in line with yours. âMy what? Shuri?â
Had your eyes rolled any harder, they would have rolled right out your head.
Ririâs shook back and forth, her chain swaying in response. âNah, ma. I ainâ never step out on you; you know it ainâ even like that. Shuriâs my nigga.â She stood just a bit straighter, bringing your faces together and resting her forehead on yours. âYou my Princess.â
The anger that still resided within you told you to just push her away.
But you didnât. You let your eyes close and a sweet sigh escape your lips. âBut you been lying to me.â
âI have-â
âFor six months-â
âA secret identity a secret for a reason, baby-â
âBut Shuri knew-â
Riri was standing at her full height, though it was still just a tab bit shorter than you. âStop, baby, that ainâ the same thing! Shuri got this shit running through her veins; she can protect herself and her own if somebody pose a threat. She got a whole goddamn army behind her, y/n!â
âSo-â
The way her eyebrow jumped to the top of her face, the way her eyes darkened and her scowl deepened, told you to shut the fuck up.
âNah, y/n, lemme finishâ her words were accentuated with a growl. âIâm new to this, baby, like hella new. All I got is a suit and a big brain. I couldnât save myself when my vibranium detector got my ass into trouble; how the hell am I supposed to save you?â
For the first time in your life, you sat silent.
âIron Man could afford to make his identity known; so can Shuri, and so could her brother. I canât, baby, not yet. I got something to lose-â
âYou donât got to announce it to the world, Riri, but you couldâve told me!â
âI couldnât at the time, baby.â Her words are softer, her voice much softer. You feel her hands grab at your waist, pulling you close and holding tight, as if youâd disappear if she were to let go. âYou donât know how to not be in control-â
âBitch-â
The small chuckle Riri releases makes your toes curl, just slightly. âLemme finish, ma. You donât know how to not be in control, and if your little ass saw I was in any sort of trouble, youâd rush in to play âCaptain Save-the-Dayâ.â
You couldnât help the pout that played at your lips. She was right, but she ainâ had to say all that. âSo?â
âSo?â Riri gripped at your skin harder, her fingers sinking into the suppleness of your curves. âY/n, baby, you got the big brain, but you donât got the suit. Donât got the army, donât got this shit running in your blood.â Her voice gets tight again, her eyes locked in on yours. âI need you to hear me, y/n, forreal, when I say this shit, okay?â
She doesnât get a response from you and frustration is fueling her movements. Her hand flies to your chin, gripping it hard and pulling your gaze firmly onto hers. âI need you to listen, y/n. You listening, baby?â
âIâm listening-â
âI donât need you to save me. Ion need you running in after me, or nothing-â
âRi-â
Her fingers are pressing into your side hard enough to leave indents now, and her hand has shifted from your chin to your cheeks as she sinks her thumb and index finger into either side. âListen.â Ririâs voice is full of venom, emphasizing the seriousness of which you know sheâs speaking. Your lips press together and all you can do in response is nod.
âI do not need you trying to save me,â each syllable is emphasized through her clenched teeth. âI got this-let me save the world, and you, okay?â
âWhat am I supposed to do, Ri? Watch you get beat around, wait for you to come back to me all bruised and battered?â your eyes travel to the remnants of the scar that snakes along her face.Â
âBe my number one fan?â Ririâs voice rises with a slight tease. âCheer me on, baby.â
âGo, Ri, go!â sarcasm is dripping through your cheer, but the smile on your face is genuine and it pulls forth an equally sincere one on Ririâs face.
Ririâs lips roll back, getting trapped between her pretty teeth, her smile threatening to break through wider.Â
Hmm, she hums, eyes scanning your face. âI think I like how that sounds.â
Lashana Lynch out and about | Cannes Festival 2022
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