#[ 🩷 ] fic rec

[wolfstarlibrarian]

Thank you followers! 🥳

I am so proud to celebrate a follower milestone! Thank you all SO MUCH for supporting this page through the years and for supporting the authors and fandom in this space. 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

To celebrate, let’s have a slumber party!

Please send in your jokes, pics of your pets, any Librarian or fandom asks, and I will try and answer as many as possible today.

I can’t take the day off but I’ll keep answering through the evening. And I’ll allow anon asks as long as you’re all nice.

[midnightwinterhawk]

interlude (412 words) by ladybundle

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Dune - All Media Types, Dune: Prophecy (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Desmond Hart/Javicco Corrino

Characters: Desmond Hart, Javicco Corrino, Natalya Corrino

Additional Tags: Mild Sexual Content, Infidelity, but she lowkey doesn’t give a fuck

Summary:

Desmond Hart will follow Javicco.

And Javicco will follow her.

Look at this wonderful present I got! I 🩷 you so much my friend. 💜 Thank you for this!

[madrabit]

May I request C, U and M for the fanfic ask game? 😎

C: What member do you identify with most?

Ohhh, this is simultaneously hard to say and the easiest thing in the world, but I do identify the most with Jan. We both have that black cat chaos energy and we both are cat parents 🐈‍⬛🐈, so I'm obviously more inclined to feel similar to him from the get go.

I've also been described as mysterious and confused (less mysterious, more confused), so I feel like that might fit. And we're both kinda sleepy and have a resting 😐🤨 face. I call it lovingly "resting blank face".

Also, I, too, cannot help but want to film Bojan whenever I can or stare at Nace...

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Ngl, this is a hard pick, so I'll just mention a few ppl I like the writing style and fic of! 🩷

This will be more than three ppl cause I couldn't decide and in no particular order!!

@sizzlingsheepcheesecake // ao3

Does someone want to read some Bo(Jan)²? Well, you're at the right address! Her fics are so good and capture you with their emotional roller coaster they're taking you on! Her writing style is also really nice and pleasant to read 😊✨️

I particularly like her fic Come play with your food, bejbi which is an absolute fluffy vampire Bo(Jan)² fic that has me kicking my feet with how adorable it is. There also are some Bonus bites to this one!

And her poly BoJanKris fic Distortion can leave you happy in one moment and make you cry in another!

She also has a vampire BoKris fic The thrill and the dark, of the hunt and your eyes in which both Bojan and Kris are vampires, it is also really good and definitely worth a read if you haven't yet! And she has so many more fics as well!

@seokoilua // 1236 on ao3

I absolutely adore her writing style. The way she's able to take suffering and resolve it in all the good smut? Yes, definitely one of my favs. I especially like her fic been deprived and the sequel quietly, so if you like angst in your smut, her fics are definitely your thing then!

She also has a vampire BoKris fic ravenous in which vampire Kris picks up Bojan in a club and ngl, I need the second chapter like yesterday 😂

@vampmilf // @fruitybashir on ao3

Sophie has a really, really nice writing style, and I enjoy his Ne Bi Smel verse starting with The Holidate so much! It's so sweet and the smut is so hot and good and spicey and hahsjjskdjdkfkf for a long time having something nice to read every Sunday was just perfect to end the week with! He mainly writes BoKris (also, give Dopamin a read, the way he writes overstimulated Bojan is just so sjjdndndndnndnfmfm so good), but there is also a nice focus on Jance, that I really enjoy :3

I also absolutely love following him and seeing him on my dash, cause every time he reblogs something unhinged about Bojan I just have to giggle and laugh (calling Bojan three blueberries tall is literally everything to me and I love it so much, also letting him be his slutty little self in fics? Yessssss). He's also such an incredible nice person and was very sweet when I met him! 💖

@da-proti-toku-grem // ao3

Maca writes these absolutely adorable Kiss prompts here on tumblr and on ao3. From Jance to BoJure and JureJan, she's got so many ships and all of them are so good and fluffy and adorable or spicy! I really enjoy all of them! And she's made me have an incredibly big soft spot for BoJure :3 💛🩷

An honourable mention goes to @185northgower // ao3

Not only will I read literally everything she writes no matter what pairing or what fandom, but we share one exact braincell, which works perfectly cause we do love collabing on fics together and I couldn't imagine a better co author! 🥹🩷✨️

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I actually have a few ideas I've been cooking, a few of them are gonna be joined collabs with North! Next to continuing our DJwD verse (yes, there will be more, these men won't stop and have infected our heads with Daddy Nace and I just cannot, I cannot anymore), we also planned a Romeo & Juliet 🌹 fic, which we won't go into detail yet, since we can't start it yet 🤭

Then I also have a Bo(Jan)² fic started, its the same one I mentioned last time, the one with the skirt, but I cannot shut up about it. I keep calling it the ✨️girlfriend thing✨️ if that helps anyone...

And next to those and continuing with my other fics, I also can't get a vampire Bo(Jan)² fic out of my mind...

[therentyoupay]

Have you ever imagined Jack and Elsa dancing together? For some reason, I always picture them dancing Kingdom Dance from Tangled,I imagined it being the rare times Elsa let herself lose up a little and drags Jack along with her to dance together.

oh interesting—yes, but only in certain contexts!

for example, i wrote a bit about this in at the center, but i thiiiiiiiiink that is the only story i have that currently (👀) contains any dancing scenes/moments. interestingly enough, it’s just not something i think about very much for jelsa?

flying-together-dancing, YES (👀👀👀👀👀 spoilers?).

dancing-dancing on the ground? hmmmm. i am not as compelled, i think.

personally, if i do imagine on-the-ground-dancing scenarios, i would love them in an AU (like my cinderella!au, or my 1700s!au, or my apples fic, something like that), but not as much in a canon-esque crossover. i am not sure why. 😂

i have loved writing dance scenes for other ships (e.g., tahnorra, break the ice) but… now that i’m thinking about it, i realize i really don’t actually have any jelsa!dancing headcanons!

but also, it sounds like you should totally write this fic!!! or draw this art!! 🥹🩷🩷🩷 i bet it would be lovely! thank you for the ask, nonny non 🥹🩷🩷

[sunrisesinthesuburbs]

borrowed words just hit 10k hits, which is not a lot in the grand scheme of things but it’s a lot for me. my first long fic, my first au, in a language that’s not my own.

thank you to everyone who read it 🩷

(ps: if you’d like to go back to this universe with some one shots, send me prompts! missing scenes you’d like to read, more flashbacks, something from the four years we skipped over in the epilogue. just tell me and I’ll do my best to do it!

[sp00kymulderr]

15th Oct.

This week has been difficult for me. Recovering from a medical procedure took longer than I had hoped and with my not so great mental health I’ve been feeling pretty down.

But there have been things to bring me back up, and I’m forever grateful for that. I haven’t been involving myself in fandom much recently for personal reasons but I’ve been in the background enjoying peoples posts and creations. And of course, the man himself always brings joy - I wasn’t able to join the bloodsucking bastards watch on the space sisters server but I had a Prospect rewatch which always lifts my spirits. Thank goodness for Ezra & Pedro 💚

I’ve read less than I’d hoped to this week, but I’ve loved the things I have! Some recs from me:

A forgotten scene by @fromthedeskoftheraven

Cockwarming w Marcus M by @flightlessangelwings

Kiss me quick by @secretelephanttattoo

I’ve also made a start to some longer fics & series which I’m loving and so excited to keep reading! (I’m so so slow, I’m sorry)

The Pit by @morallyinept

Muddy Waters by @bonezone44

Recovery Road by @chronically-ghosted

A ghost of you by @wannab-urs

Compulsion by @iamskyereads

Of my own work, this week I’ve posted a few little things - to be honest I’ve been filled with dread about posting fic recently but I’m pushing through and trying to appreciate my own creativity more:

-Dulia (Ezra x gn!reader)

-Ascending Stars (Ezra x f!reader)

-take the long way home pt 2 (marcus pike x afab!reader)

-A selection of Dieter & one Ezra phone wallpapers here and here

For the week ahead, I’m kind of nervous about some work things but I do have plans (a date!!) and I’m super excited to hopefully have Our House of Flames pt 3 (Joel x reader) out. I also have a good old list of fic to read (95 and counting on my tbr - god bless the talented and prolific writers in this fandom).

Thank you all for brightening my dash & my days - always sending my appreciation. And love to anyone who reads this random Sunday ramble!

🩷✨🩷✨🩷

[moonlinos]

Hey Mila! Hope you're doing terrific! If not, things will get better eventually, I promise.

I wanted to know which is your fav trope or scenario to read, I'm really curious, and if you don't mind, I'd like to read one of your favorite ones.

Remember to drink lots of water, eat and sleep well! 🩷🩷🩷

🩷 anon

Hello!!! I’m happy to see you back 🤗🩷 your messages are always so so sweet, they mean a lot to me. Thank you ily 🫶

And honestly I really don’t focus on tropes a lot when I read fanfic lol but I only read soft soft fics. Even if there’s angst, and even smut I read is soft 🤠

Here’s a small list of some of my favorite stories on Tumblr!! They’re all Minho fanfic sorry 🙃 I only really read about him, I hope that’s okay. I also recommend the authors of these stories as well, all their work is amazing 🩷💖💞💗

Bunny by @tasteleeknow (one of my favorite Minho fics. I also love her current series Hello Stranger)

Everything and no one also by @/tasteleeknow

Wishful thinking by @withleeknow

When the rain stops + the sequel by @moonjxsung

Sweet taster by @jilixthinker

Nightmares by @linospuddin

This one (no title I think?) by @rachalixie

[chai-berries]

a chai-berries’ navigation

other blogs: worldwidegirlhood - lagraisselesbienne - futurejocksgf

26 - lesbienne - cisfemwhitefat pov - x reader writer

ao3: chai_berry

ko-fi: ko-fi.com/dirtychailatte

dj mads’ radio booth: playlists & music polls

fic recommendation [all x reader]

-> masterlist ft abby [fic], ellie [fic]

[spicysix]

For the Steddie ask game :)

3, 12 and 15?

thank you for asking!! ♡

3. Favorite three Steddie fanfics?

technically i've already answered this one but i'm going to use this as a loophole and talk about three more fics hehehe >:) using different tropes! (previous three ones here) • my soul looks forward to loving you by @strawberryspence - soulmate!AU (you should read the previous one in the series to make this feel more delicious but if i'm recalling it right, it can be read as a standalone) love love LOVE everything about this and it's a mix of so many delicious tropes. it also has one of my favorite subgenres of soulmate!AUs which is platonic soulmates and not only romantic ones and the entire party being soulmates is something that can be so personal • your cosmic call sign by @nancywheeeler - aliens!AU this is such an amazing take ok. i love love love the exploring of the story that inspired ST in the first place, and listen. ALIENS???? i'm NOT an alien guy but this fic does this so amazingly it turned me into an alien guy. i was so obsessed i rambled on and on for hours about it to my brother who literally couldn't give a flying fuck (he likes ST so that was our only common ground). it is amazing and even if you're not an alien guy give it a chance!!! • Wild Geese by watchcatewrite - roadtrip!AU so so so soft. so beautiful. like that first breath of warm, salty, humid air when you arive at a beach. like feeling the water peeling off all your rancid from outside to the inside. like a cold refreshing pressurized shower. poetic, even. our boys deserve this so much.

12. What is your headcanon of their sexuality? (Gay? Bi? Pan? Etc)

i am a bi4bi truther!! to me everyone ever is always bi (unless they aren't lol). i of course read gay!Eddie bc it's what we have the most and i can honestly see the vision as well. but to me (and in all of my own fics) they're both bi

15. If you created a cross-over/AU, what other show, movie, or book would it be and why did you pick that universe?

crossovers are not my cup of tea tbh and so if i were to use any other media i would probably put them in a reality tv show LMAO release those bitches inside Ex On The Beach or Love Island and see chaos being installed.

send me some Steddie asks!

[mariahcarreyyy]

okay so i just yk... dabbled in the ao3 world again and stumbled upon an oscar/carlos fic. and yk, ofc, rarepair so im intrigued.

now why the hellllll was it actually convincing me that they would be 'enemies' in public but fucking behind closed doors??? with BOTTOM!carlos as well. im bamboozled and genuinely impressed.

- @planete777 💓

u dont know the amount of weird ass ships that ao3 got me to support bae💀💀

like im sorry in what world is max verstappen topping oscar HELLOOOO???? I still eat it up every time😘

the rarest pairs always make the best smut because u can take such a small interaction between the drivers & make it wayyyy deeper than it acsh is. Almost to the point where the reader believes whats being written

kinda like being gaslighted ngl

but like why does enemies to lovers w/ carlos n oscar makes senseeee likeeee😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[blitheringmcgonagall]

That Old Gang of Mine

Chapter 7: The Heir & The Spare (part 2)

By Knockturnalleyboy

Meet me at lunch. The usual place

Regulus

Sirius read and re-read the small piece of parchment. He hadn’t spoken to Regulus since that day over the Summer in Orion’s office, as was usual. They had both been disciplined over the years, and they never spoke for a few weeks afterwards. The shame of seeing each other broken and quivering was too much. They were blokes after all, and blokes didn’t talk about that sort of stuff. Well at least he and Regulus didn’t talk about that sort of thing.

Sirius could always talk to James, although he still couldn’t tell him everything, he couldn’t bring himself to talk about his father’s office. James would fly off the handle and try to rescue him, or some such other stupid heroic shit, which would inevitably fail, and Sirius’ punishments would get much worse if he told. If he dared to air the Black’s dirty laundry to what they saw as a blood traitor. No, all he had to do was make it until he was of age, and then he could take the money his Uncle left him, and run away from the family forever. It was just two and a bit more years, he had survived so far, so how hard could it be?

Continue reading…

[sanjuwrites]

this is a PSA that @theghostofashton is an evil evil person who is determined to make me cry before 7am <3

[alluringwaves]

WILD AND FLUORESCENT . . .

˚ ༘🫧 ⋆｡˚ LANA! she/her. minor. august leo. enfp. cabin ten. sza, gracie abrams && lorde stan. hufflepuff. satc stan. mamma mia enthusiast. pogue 4 life. percy jackson’s & luke castellan’s girlfriend. bookworm. annabeth chase & clarisse la rue lover.

‘to be young and in love’

‘let the only flashing lights be the tower at midnight’

MASTERLIST. ABOUT ME. RULES. LANA’S BOOKS.

‘feel the party to my bones’

RECENTS!

❥ don’t marry him / percy jackson

requests are open.

© alluringwaves 2024 please don’t copy, translate, or repost my work on tumblr or any other platform without my consent.

[pedroslittlelady]

Absolutely adored this, felt so perfect and natural 🩷🥹

Weakness (Joel Miller x Female Reader)

Summary: An afternoon at Bill and Frank’s place takes one hell of an unexpected turn for you and Joel when hidden feelings start coming to the surface.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings/Tags: Bill and Frank! Not really a warning, I’m just so obsessed with them. Set a few years before the series timeline so salt and pepper Joel, but not quite all out yet. AGE GAP, no specific age mentioned but Joel is early 50’s and reader is in her mid to late 20’s. Frank is sweet, Bill is cranky, Joel is soft. Dashes of angst, but of fluff and plenty of sweetheart Frank.

Word Count: 5.3k

“Can you stop fidgeting for just one damn second, please?” Frank scolded lightly, bringing down the palm of his hand onto your shoulder in a small, quick slap in an attempt to get you to stop squirming. He then moved his hands back up to your hair, which was out of its usual braid and towel dried after a very much needed wash. The sweet scent of the vanilla shampoo you’d used in the shower earlier that afternoon lingered deliciously in the air around you, a refreshing change from what your hair normally smelled like: grime and smoke from hours of work detail in the QZ. After combing out all of the stubborn tangles that he could find, Frank then picked up a boar hairbrush and he carefully began to run it through your locks. He started from the roots of your hair and brought the natural bristles down, all the way through to your ends. “You know, I would be done a hell of a lot quicker if you would just sit still.”

You sighed softly, but impatiently, allowing yourself one final, uncomfortable little shuffle in the white wicker chair he had you perched on before giving into his request. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry,” You mumbled. You brought your knees up against your chest and let out another small sigh. You could picture the small, satisfied smile on Frank’s face as he continued brushing your hair. “So, tell me again why we’re even doing this?” You questioned him just a minute later, as if he hadn’t already explained it to you a dozen times—he wanted to do something special for you. “It kind of seems like a complete waste of time, don’t you think?”

“We’re doing this because you deserve get dolled up for once in your adult life,” Frank stated as a matter of factly. The world had ended when you’d been a child, and he imagined that since then, you’d never done a single damn thing for your appearance—besides the occasional at home haircut you would give yourself every few months with an old pair of rusted shears. He’d have been absolutely right about that. “And besides, it's something of a special occasion today. It’s the first day of spring. The weather outside is stunning, our flowers are finally in full bloom, and we have a nice outdoor lunch planned to celebrate the new season.”

You couldn’t help the way the corners of your mouth turned upwards into a small smile. One might think that was kind of silly, given it was the end of the world and all, but you had to admit it, you admired the way Frank managed to find genuine happiness in the little things, like warm sunshine on the first day of spring. Or showing a friend what a proper hairbrush looked like. He had such a beautiful soul, something very, very people in this new world possessed.

“Your hair is so healthy,” Frank observed a few minutes later, setting the hairbrush aside. He took two handfuls of your hair from the front, twisting them gently and bringing them around to the back of your head. Frank secured them with a clear elastic band and then ran his fingers through your locks, maneuvering your hair until it cascaded perfectly around your shoulders in long, natural waves. He walked around your chair to face you, fussing until he made sure that every stand was neatly in place. “You should wear your hair down more often. It suits you.”

“Long, loose hair and work detail are a recipe for disaster,” You laughed, shaking your head at him. “Most of the work sites in the QZ require anyone who has long hair to keep it tied back, anyway.” You pushed your legs out away from your chest and planted your feet firmly on the floor. “Listen, Frank. I really do appreciate what you’re trying to do for me. It’s incredibly sweet, but there’s really no point. In just a few hours, Joel and I are going to have to head back into Boston where my hair goes back into its braid and I have to change back into my usual, greasy old clothes.”

“Exactly. So why not just zip it and enjoy all of this while it lasts?” He suggested with a tiny grin.

“But Frank—”

“Honey, this is a fight you simply aren’t going to win, so hush. Now, come with me.” He took your hand, pulling you out of the chair and up to your feet. “Close your eyes,” he instructed, and you reluctantly did as you were told. Frank led you over towards the full length mirror in the far corner of his and Bill’s bedroom. “Okay. One, two, three—open them.”

Your eyes fluttered open and your mouth parted slightly in surprise.

“What the fuck,” You murmured under your breath, taken aback by the reflection in the mirror. The young woman staring back at you, she looked absolutely nothing like you. The hair, the hint of rosy blush on your cheekbones and the thin coat of decades old mascara (that could not be healthy to put near your eyes, could it?) that he’d applied to your eyelashes—the tube had been bone fucking dry, but Frank used a bit of water to bring it back to life.

And then there was the dress, oh god, the fucking dress he’d forced you into. His favorite part and your least favorite.

Frank had gone to the boutique and found you a dress to wear, and while it was just a tad loose on your frame, he insisted that it would look just fine on you with the help of a safety pin hidden at the back of it. It was simple enough, white with a subtle sweetheart neckline and thin straps that tied together at your shoulders. The delicate lace fell down in a flowing skirt to just a few inches above your knees and it itched like hell, especially at your sides. Wanting to add a finishing touch to the outfit, Frank had brought you a pair of brown, strappy sandals and he’d let you know that he had a couple of different color options for a cardigan in the event it got too chilly later.

“You look perfect,” he gushed.

You looked different. But that wasn’t exactly what shocked you. More than anything, you were taken aback by how normal you looked.

Sure, coming over to Bill and Frank’s always gave you a temporary sense of normalcy. They always allowed you to take a hot shower, to wash your hair and change out of your dirty shirt into new clean one. They always provided you with a warm meal presented on porcelain dishware that wasn’t chipped like the shit you had back home in your crumbling apartment in the QZ. You’d had several tastes of normal thanks to those two, but this drastic change to your appearance was overwhelming. Too overwhelming.

You didn’t think that you could ever look like this, not in this fucking lifetime.

Frank must have sensed how you were feeling. Still standing behind you, he placed his two hands on your shoulders and leaned his head forward, pressing his cheek against yours as his kind eyes met your tearful gaze in the mirror. “You look beautiful,” he whispered, giving your shoulders a gentle squeeze. “I really hope you feel beautiful. You deserve that much.”

Your lips parted slightly again and you tried to speak, but words fell short. Afraid that you might burst into tears on the spot, you clamped your mouth shut and gave him the tiniest little nod.

Frank smiled. “Good. Come on, let’s go out front and have lunch.” His hands dropped from your shoulders and he ushered you out into the hallway and towards the staircase. Looking over his shoulder, he gave you a wink. “I’m eager to see what your man thinks of your new look.”

“What?” You sputtered out, almost tripping over your own two feet. “Who—you mean, Joel?”

Shit.

You’d almost forgotten about Joel.

What was he going to say when he saw you like this?

What would he think?

Knowing your smuggling partner, he’d probably think that you looked utterly fucking ridiculous.

“Who else would I be talking about? Bill?” Frank snorted. “Yes, Joel.”

You glared at his back. This wasn’t the first time Frank had teased you about Joel, and despite the countless times that you assured him that there was nothing going on between the two of you, he insisted on believing otherwise. “Don’t start with this shit again. He is not my man, and you damn well know that.”

“He might as well be,” Frank shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he led you down the staircase.

“Frank, I’m being serious,” You said. Normally, you weren’t so uptight about it all, but today, you weren’t finding his antics amusing in the slightest; not while you were wearing goop on your face and sporting a fucking dress. “I’ve told you a million times that there is nothing between me and Joel. He’s my partner.” You paused briefly, realizing how that must have sounded, and added in emphasis, “He’s my work partner. We work together, Frank. That’s it.”

Frank stopped at the bottom of the staircase and turned to you, letting out a curious hum. “Hmm. And if I remember correctly, you two also live together, sleep in the same bed together, spend every waking moment from sunrise to sunset together—I have never heard of two work partners being that close, sweetheart.”

Stubborn, you tried again. “He’s like fifty!”

“The world ended and that’s your concern? An age gap? Please.”

“Frank,” You nearly pleaded his name. “I swear it. We’re nothing to each other. Joel is—well, he’s Joel. He’s not exactly the type of man who does that. You know, feelings and shit.”

He threw his head back slightly, letting out a loud laugh that echoed in the foyer of his home. “Oh, trust me. I know that much. Between you and me, I have to say that he reminds me a lot of Bill,” he mused. He noticed the horrified expression that crossed your face and laughed again, holding up his hands in defense. “Wait a minute, just hear me out. They’re polar opposites in some ways, but in most ways, they’re almost the same person. Joel is just like Bill. Cranky. Grumpy. He hates everyone and everything. Kind of man who’ll stab someone if they so much as look at him the wrong way.”

“Yeah, sounds like Joel Miller,” You had to admit. As much as you did not want to think of Joel being the same person as Bill, Frank had a pretty good point.

“But Joel also reminds me of Bill because he’s the kind of man who means well when it comes to the people that he cares about. The kind of man who will do whatever it takes to protect what’s his,” he further explained. He took a brief pause before questioning, “You trust him, right?”

You didn’t even miss a beat, answering, “With my life.”

He ticked an index finger at you. “Aha! Exactly! You know that Joel would never let anyone lay so much as a finger on you. He’d never let anything bad happen to you. And why is that?”

You stared at him blankly, unsure of how to respond. “Is this a trick question?”

Frank rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, as if you’d missed the obvious. “It’s because you mean something to him, hon. Whether you choose to let yourself believe it or not, you mean something to Joel.”

For a moment, it felt like all the wind had been knocked out of your lungs.

Could Frank actually be right?

Did you actually mean something to Joel?

No, that was impossible. Joel didn’t really give a shit about anything, except for surviving long enough to find Tommy again one day. And even then, he didn’t speak of his younger brother too kindly.

“Under that tough, rugged exterior, there’s a soft spot. It’s there, for you and only for you.” Frank’s eyes glimmered, speaking a truth he’d been wanting to tell you for the better part of the last several months. “You might need to do some digging to find it, but it’s there.”

“I just don’t understand why you would think that,” You confessed, shaking your head. “Joel has never said anything to me to indicate that I mean something to him. More often than not, I find myself wondering if even considering us to be friends is too generous.” You crossed your arms over your chest and let out a long sigh. “Yes, Joel looks out for me, but that’s only because we work together so well. I know my way around. He needs me, especially if he plans on getting to Tommy.”

Frank bit his bottom lip, stifling another laugh.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Oh, darling. You don’t even realize it, do you?”

Your eyebrows came together, confused. “What? Realize what?”

“You are his weakness.”

He said it so simply, and yet there went the rest of your air leaving your lungs.

“Of course Joel isn’t going to tell you how he feels about you. He’s afraid,” Frank remarked, sounding so sure as if he had been told that by Joel Miller himself.

“You’re wrong. Joel isn’t afraid of anything,” You countered, hoping your voice didn’t sound as shaky to him as it did to you.

“He’s afraid because he knows how dangerous having a weakness in the form of a person he cares about more than anything can be in a world like this.” Any trace of teasing or playfulness had disappeared from Frank’s expression. He spoke gently, but with such seriousness that made your heart sink further and further down into the pits of your stomach.

When you spoke again, your voice was strained, thick with emotion you were trying desperately to shove down. “Frank, you really need to put down the romance novels.” Before he could say another word to you about it, you placed a hand lightly on your stomach. “I’m really hungry. Can we go eat now? Please?”

Thankfully, he took the hint to drop the subject.

“Of course.” Frank took your hand. He opened the front door and led you outside and onto the freshly landscaped front lawn. He had been right, the flowers were in full bloom—the small, round table he’d set was positioned in a perfect spot so that no matter where anyone sat, they would have a view of the colorful roses and azaleas he and Bill had planted around the perimeter of the yard.

As soon as he saw you two approaching, Bill threw his hands up. “It’s about damn time!” He grouched loudly. “Jesus, Frank. I’m starving!”

“Sorry, got caught up inside.” Frank tossed his partner a sweet smile as he released your hand. “Look, I found myself something pretty!”

You blushed. You should have known better than to think he wasn’t going to make a fuss about you. “Frank, please.”

“Oh come now, you know I have to show you off!”

Joel, whose back had been turned towards you, furrowed his eyebrows and he glanced over his shoulder, looking to see what Frank was referring to. His dark brown eyes widened just ever so slightly, the grip around his glass of red wine tightening in complete surprise at the sight of you. Frank had failed, quite miserably, to convince him to dress up for the occasion, but at the very least, he’d talked him into wearing one of the nicer shirts he'd found at the boutique, a neatly pressed, sage green button up with long sleeves that, much to Frank’s chagrin, Joel had rolled up to his elbows. His graying, dark brown hair might have even had a comb run through it, but it was difficult to tell if the way his thick locks were effortlessly disheveled was natural or the result of his efforts to tame them.

“What do you think, Joel?” Frank beamed proudly, as if presenting the man with one of his painted art pieces.

Joel didn’t respond. His eyes remained glued on you, following as you walked around the table and took your usual spot beside him.

“Way to put me on the spot, Frank,” You muttered, your face growing warmer and warmer with every second that ticked by. You silently urged yourself to get a grip as you reached for the crisp, white cloth napkin next to your plate and draped it over your lap. The smoked, wild rabbit Bill had cooked up smelled heavenly—Frank knew it was your absolute favorite dish, and so he had made sure Bill put it on today’s menu.

Joel still hadn’t uttered a single word. Part of you hoped he wouldn’t.

“Joel?” Frank prompted as he picked up his own cloth napkin. “Doesn’t she look pretty?”

You glared daggers at him from across the table and hissed, “Frank!”

Finally, Joel set down his glass of wine and turned slowly, angling his body towards yours.

When he spoke, his voice was low, but clear as day as he looked at you, “She looks very pretty.”

His eyes flickered up to meet yours, causing your heart to skip a beat inside of your chest.

Had he actually meant that?

“You look real nice,” he added, giving a subtle nod of his head. He let his sights linger on you for another moment before tearing his gaze away. He turned back to the table, picking up his glass of wine once again. He chugged what was left of it and then reached for the bottle, pouring himself another.

Bill cleared his throat roughly. “Well, if everyone’s done playing dress up, I’d really like to fucking eat now.”

Meals with Bill and Frank were always pleasant.

Well, meals with Frank were always pleasant.

Although Bill had gotten used to having you and Joel over as guests and didn’t see either of you as a threat anymore, he still preferred to keep you both at arm’s length, a choice you two respected. He hardly ever said much and often chose to let his beloved partner do all the talking unless the conversation had anything to do with trading supplies.

As you tucked into your meal of rabbit and garden vegetables, you could feel Joel throwing subtle glances your way every so often. It was half expected that he would, seeing as he’d never seen you like this before. He was used to seeing you in tattered, dirty old clothes with dirt and grim caked onto your skin and in your hair. Surely he must have felt like he was sitting next to a complete stranger, not his smuggling partner.

About an hour later, once everyone had finished eating, you offered to help Frank clean up the table and wash the dishes. He settled for letting you help him bring everything inside, but shooed you away before you could even think about lifting another finger. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” he said, waving you away from the kitchen sink with his hand. “You and Joel are taking off in just a couple hours, so go on and get some rest,” he suggested. “Oh, by the way, we found some new books to add to the collection. Might find something you like, go check them out.”

“But I forgot my library card at home,” You joked lamely, although it earned you a sincere laugh from your friend. You padded out of the kitchen and into the living room, straight over towards a grand oak bookshelf that was packed tightly with dozens and dozens of books of various genres. You hadn’t been much of a reader before, but thanks to Frank, who always sent you home with at least two or three books in your pack, reading had become one of your favorite hobbies over the last few months.

You started searching among the titles for the new finds he’d mentioned. Spotting one of them, you picked it up, a paperback that was titled, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Opening it up, you started thumbing through the pages, quickly realizing it was a play—you’d never read a play before. Still not convinced if it was one you would like to take home with you, you flipped back to the first page and started reading with a curious little, “Hmm.”

You had been so preoccupied with it that you hadn’t noticed Joel standing behind you, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest until he cleared his throat, and asked, “Find somethin’ good?”

Startled, you whirled around, nearly dropping the book in your hands. “Jesus fucking Christ, Joel,” You breathed out, clutching it tightly against your chest as your heart rate gradually slowed down and returned to normal. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Not my fault you were too busy with your nose buried in a book,” he stated, trying his hardest to fight the small smirk threatening to cross his lips. He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself away from the doorframe.

A chuckle escaped you, almost nervously, as he slowly started walking over towards you, his brown boots heavy on the hardwood floors. He took the book from your hands, giving a low hum as he read the cover. “Shakespeare, huh?”

“You know Shakespeare?” You tossed him a teeny, lopsided smile as you teased, “What? Is he from your time?”

Joel lightly smacked your arm with the worn paperback. “Yes, I know Shakespeare and he was about four hundred fuckin’ years before my time, thank you very much.” He flipped it over, eyes skimming the text on the back. “Had the world not gone to fuckin’ shit, you would’ve grown up and spent your entire high school career bein’ forced by English teachers to read his shit and write essays tryin’ to interpret it all.” He handed it back over to you. “Here.”

“Sounds like a real dream,” You deadpanned. You glanced down, running your index finger down the cover. You were trying, almost painfully, to ignore how Joel’s eyes were glazing over you from head to toe.

“It’s kinda nice,” he said quietly, breaking the brief moment of silence that had fallen over the two of you. “Seein’ you like this.”

You kept your eyes fixed on the book. “What? In a dress?” You snorted, shaking your head lightly.

“When we’re here, you let your guard down. Ain’t always lookin’ over your shoulder. You smile a hell of a lot more.” He paused, then added, “You look real happy here. Sure, this dress looks nice on you. Your smile looks a hell of a lot better, though.”

Your breath hitched in your throat. More than his words, it was the genuine tone in which he said them—you’d never even realized Joel noticed things like that. Whether you were happy or not, how often you smiled.

Or didn’t smile.

You forced a small chuckle. “It’s the only sense of normalcy that we get, Joel. Of course I look happy when we’re here. Because I am happy when we’re here.” Still refusing to meet his eyes, you turned around and walked over to the couch towards your pack. Opening the top pouch, you quickly shoved the book inside. When you heard Joel’s footsteps coming up behind you, you stiffened slightly.

“Y’know, Frank adores the hell outta you,” Joel remarked. He seemed to hesitate, but then continued, “You ever think of askin’ him to stay?”

“Are you kidding?” You scoffed in response. “Bill wouldn’t allow that.”

Joel’s hands went to his hips, knowing you had a point. “But y’know Frank can convince him of almost anythin’, don’t you? And besides, believe it or not, Bill actually likes you. He loves Frank more than anythin’ and you make Frank happy.”

You finally turned around and were caught a little off guard by how close he was standing to you. “Joel, what exactly are you getting at?” You raised an eyebrow before playfully asking, “Are you trying to get rid of me or something?”

Joel quickly shook his head. “Of course not. All I’m sayin’ is that…” He stopped and lowered his voice just in case Bill or Frank happened to be nearby. “I like seein’ this side of you. The happy side. The normal side.” He shrugged his shoulders, the lean muscles of his upper body flexing with the movement against the smooth fabric of his shirt. “Seein’ you all cleaned up, well fed and content…” He trailed off once again. “Shouldn’t be a rare occurrence. You’d clearly be better off here with them and with Frank’s help, we could talk Bill into it lettin’ you stay. Permanently.”

The second you realized Joel was being serious, your smile faded a little. “What? But what about you?”

“Frank’s good, darlin’ but he’s not a damn miracle worker. Even if he tried, that’s not somethin’ Bill would ever go for,” Joel admitted, lifting a hand and raking his fingers through his hair. “And even if he did, we’d fuckin’ kill each other by the end of the first fuckin’ week.”

Bill and Joel being neighbors?

Talk about a different kind of apocalypse, You thought silently to yourself.

“I know that much,” You replied with a tiny eye roll. “What I mean is, do you honestly think that I would leave my life in Boston?”

“That’s no fuckin’ life—”

You held up a hand, stopping him. “I know it’s not. But it’s my life with you, Joel.”

The rough creases on his forehead suddenly softened. That was the first time you’d ever seen that happen. The scowl on his face wasn’t permanent after all.

“Yes, this is nice. This patch of town, this house, the running water, the food, the clothes—this is a decent life. More than decent. In this world that we’re living in, this place is heaven. But without you, all of it would mean absolutely nothing to me. I wouldn’t be happy, not without you.”

Joel tilted his head back, shaking it lightly. “Think about what you’re sayin’ here.”

“I know what I’m saying.” Before your brain and your body could even make the connection, you found yourself taking a step towards him, shrinking the gap between your bodies even further. You looked up at him, somehow finally finding the courage to have your eyes meet his. “I refuse to leave your side, Joel. That’s never going to happen. Not if I can fucking help it. Do you understand that?”

Joel’s exhaled a breath he’d been holding, his warm breath tickling your face.

“I mean it, Joel. We’re in this shitty ass world, but we’re in it together. No little slice of heaven could ever get me to leave you behind, no matter how good it is,” You declared, silently wondering to yourself where the hell you were finding the balls to confess all of this to him.

“You’d be safer here than in the QZ. With all that shit’s that been goin’ down—”

“I’m the safest when I’m with you, Joel. I know I am.”

You lifted your hand to his face. At first, there was hesitation on your part, but you willed yourself to place it on his cheek. Although your touch was gentle, Joel couldn’t help but wince. Not because he didn’t want it, but because it had been so damn long since anyone had ever touched him like that. Since he’d let anyone touch him like that. He closed his eyes and after a second or two of resisting, he finally allowed himself to relax and he melted right into your touch.

Joel let himself savor the feeling of your hand on his face. His bottom lip gave a subtle tremble when you softly started to graze your thumb down along his jawline. His beard, which you often playfully teased him about now that it was beginning to gray just like his hair, felt rough and scratchy, and yet somehow still soft underneath your fingertips.

“Hey,” You murmured, and he forced his eyes to snap open. “We’re in this together. That’s how it’s been and that’s how it’s going to fucking stay,” You assured him. “My place is with you, Joel.”

Joel managed to speak through tight lips, his voice strained. “You really fuckin’ gotta stop talkin’ to me like that.”

You carefully moved your hand away from his face, letting it drop back down to your side. “Why?”

“Because.” His voice was hoarse. “Shit like that is dangerous.”

“Dangerous,” You repeated, almost laughing. “Of all the things…”

Then, Frank’s words from earlier came to mind.

You’re his weakness. He knows how dangerous having a weakness in the form of a person he cares about more than anything can be in a world like this.

Joel’s dark eyes flickered to the strap of your dress, noticing it had started sliding off your shoulder. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and pulled it up back into place, his rough fingers brushing against your smooth skin. “You’re so soft,” he murmured under his breath. All those fucking years of working with you, even sharing a bed, and he had no idea of what it was like to touch you.

“Joel.” Your heart had all but climbed up into your throat.

“Everythin’ you just said a minute ago, ‘bout not wanting to stay here without me,” he started to say, “I know that it’s fuckin’ selfish, but I’m glad you said it. Because no way in hell do I want a life without you. I know it’s wrong but—”

Placing your hands delicately on his shoulders, you lifted yourself up on your toes and cut him off mid-sentence by pressing your lips softly against his. The clean scent of the soap Frank had given him to shower with filled your senses and you yearned to have more of him, you nearly ached to get a real taste of him—but your courage only went so far. Thankfully, Joel knew to take over from here. One of his arms found its way around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest while the other reached up, the warm palm of his hand pressing against your cheek. His tongue swiped lightly across your bottom lip, silently asking for permission to explore your mouth just a little bit further.

You eagerly granted him access, half expecting his mouth to ravage yours.

Much to your surprise, Joel remained gentle.

The way that he kissed you, the way he held your body against his, the way his calloused hand delicately cradled the side of your face.

“Joel,” You nearly whimpered his name when he broke away. His face remained just inches from yours.

“Fuck,” he muttered, leaning his forehead against yours, fighting to catch his breath. “We’ll need to get goin’ soon...”

“I know.” You nodded. You could sense that Joel, much like yourself, was at war with himself over what had just happened. Not that either of you regretted it, at least you certainly didn’t, but the realization that you two had just crossed a line you could never come back from was daunting.

Joel lifted his head, lightly pressing his lips against your forehead. He then forced himself to release you from his arms and stepped back, dropping them back down at his sides. “I need to, uh, I need to go get some things from Bill, get my pack ready before we take off.”

You nodded again. “I’ll start changing and get another pack of supplies ready as well.” You paused, clearing your throat awkwardly. “Joel, about what just happened...”

He silently shook his head before leaning down, capturing your mouth with his.

This kiss was short and quick, and when he pulled away, he said nothing. He turned on the heel of his boot and disappeared, heading out to meet Bill in the basement.

Your hand flew to your mouth, your fingers lightly touching your lips.

“Well, well, well.”

Looking over your shoulder, your face flushed a deep shade of red when you saw Frank standing there, hands on his hips and a satisfied, smug expression on his face.

“How long have you been standing back there?”

“Long enough.” Even from a distance, you could detect the amused twinkle in his eye. “What did I tell you?”

You turned away from him, biting your lower lip.

So maybe he’d been right after all.

Maybe you were Joel’s weakness.

But he was yours too.

[whore4batfam]

👀 new rec

also i love the research done on this

[starkeysprincess]

SHANIA'S BIRTHDAY FIC RECS CELLY༉ೀ

hi angels ! although today is my birthday, y'all make it feel like it’s every day due to your love + support & that is the best gift i could ever receive !! thank you for supporting my writing & me as a person. i appreciate all of you more than you’ll ever know 🩷 this is composed of works from some moots that i’ve read recently (more recs found here !) because for my birthday, i want nothing more than to celebrate my moots; they deserve all the love & recognition !!

RAFE CAMERON ✴︎ dilf!rafe being quiet while having sex ꒰ smut ꒱ @oceandriveab ✴︎ unwind ꒰ smut ꒱ @rafeyscurtainbangs ✴︎ sweet like candy ꒰ smut ꒱ @cameronsprincess ✴︎ double penetration: weird!girl reader ꒰ smut ꒱ @bloodibambiidoll ✴︎ daddy issues ꒰ smut ꒱ @cameronwillow ✴︎ movie night w your best friend ꒰ smut ꒱ @rafesangelita ✴︎ didn’t expect you to be as clingy ꒰ smut ꒱ @bunnyrafe ✴︎ thanksgiving w stepbro!rafe ꒰ smut ꒱ @whinyangel ✴︎ on the run (pt 1) ꒰ smut ꒱ @cxrrodedcoffin ✴︎ casual ꒰ smut + angst ꒱ @fallbhind ✴︎ somnophilia + daddy kink ꒰ smut ꒱ @jjslaybank ✴︎ boyfriend!rafe decided to grow a mullet ꒰ smut ꒱ @ch4rrykisses ✴︎ brother's bsf!rafe popping your cherry ꒰ smut ꒱ @rafeysbunny ✴︎ rafe & sweet kook girl ꒰ smut ꒱ @starkeyisthelastname ✴︎ staying in my play pretend ꒰ smut + angst ꒱ @cybersunnie ✴︎ how bambi!reader met rafe ꒰ suggestive ꒱ @rafeysangelbaby ✴︎ warm me up ꒰ smut + fluff ꒱ @moonlightrafe ✴︎ my girl ꒰ fluff ꒱ @rafeyscurtainbangs ✴︎ now we're free ꒰ angst ꒱ @nemesyaaa ✴︎ doll!reader was never a fan of bullying... @lacydollette ✴︎ boat scene w rafe ꒰ fluff ꒱ @littlelamy ✴︎ sneak ꒰ fluff ꒱ @starkeyvhs

series + smau ✴︎ home for the holidays ꒰ mini series ꒱ @whytheylosttheirminds ✴︎ heartbreak live ꒰ smau ꒱ @zyafics ✴︎ baseballplayer!rafe x trophywife!reader ꒰ smau ꒱ @rafesbabygirlx

OTHER CHARACTERS ✴︎ blood moon ; theo nott + mattheo riddle ꒰ smut ꒱ @nottsangel ✴︎ prized possession ; dean winchester ꒰ smut ꒱ @cosmicanakin

love note — also want to give all the love to @sturnioloshacker @starkeysbabygirl @rafesthroatbaby @ilovefiction4lmen @callumsluvr @heartsforvin @fae-of-prey @echobx @memoirofasparklemuff1n & so many more of you for always supporting me. i love & appreciate all of you for supporting my silly little fics + for taking the time out of your day to yap with me, i love you all endlessly !!!