#I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED with it being so short and abrupt

[akaashiikeiijis]

I read tête-à-tête by caciopepebowl and omg it’s perfection absolute perfection I cannot stop smiling.

[sturnioz]

⌗︙— giving chris a strip tease ! authors note. ok so this was supposed to be a short drabble but it ended up being 1.1k words.. :/ the fuck (also no part two for this for the time being !!)

"what the hell are you doin'?" chris laughs lightly as you push at his shoulders, forcing him to sit down at the edge of your bed, instead of greeting him with a kiss when he walks through the door after spending a few hours with his brothers.

although he had fun, he wanted nothing more than to come to your place and spend the rest of his day with you in your arms, so he's surprised by your abrupt actions — rather than your usual welcoming kiss.

the smile still lingers on his lips as he curiously watches you walk to your desk, pick up your phone, and scroll for a few seconds before tapping the screen. suddenly, a familiar song starts playing from the portable speaker he had left at your place a few days prior.

chris finds himself humming along, and he drums his fingers against his thighs and nods his head to the beat. but all of his movements come to a slow halt when he sees you pull at the silk robe you're wearing, revealing his favourite set of lingerie beneath. he swallows thickly, his mouth going dry at the sight.

"holy shit..." chris exhales deeply, blinking at you in shock as he struggles to tear his eyes away from your body. "what are you��what are you doin'?"

"nothing," you quip with a teasing smile, allowing your body to move to the rhythm of the music. you watch as he opens and closes his mouth a few times, struggling to use his words.

chris goes to stand up from the bed, but you shake your head, telling him to remain seated. he huffs in response but does as he's told, his hands curling into tight fists on his thighs as he watches you intently.

he eyes you like a hawk, taking in your languid movements with deep breaths. his cock hardens in his jeans and he shifts uncomfortably on the bed, wanting nothing more than to free himself as his fingers graze over his belt buckle, but he stops once again when you give him a look of warning.

chris laughs in annoyance, "are you, like, fuckin' around with me right now?"

you don't answer. instead your fingers reach behind you to unclasp your bra, letting the straps slide down your shoulders before it pools to the floor, your breasts on display.

chris groans, his tongue prodding at his cheek as he tilts his head back with an exasperated sigh and rolls his eyes. he then looks back at you, biting down hard on his bottom lip while shaking his head.

you feel a sense of proudness and excitement seeing him so worked up over your mini performance.

you turn your back to him, swaying your hips side to side as your hook your fingers beneath the waistband of your panties, and you slide them down your legs, revealing yourself bare to your boyfriend.

your lips stretch into a smile when you hear him curse behind you, and you peer your head over your shoulder to see his eyes staring at your ass, his fists twitching to touch you.

you turn back around to face him, and you slowly walk over to him. he leans back, his lips curling into a grin and his eyes shining as you crawl onto his lap and sit yourself down on his thighs.

he looks up at you, his hands coming around to slide over your hips before caressing your ass, pulling you against him but you tut with a shake of your head.

"stop trying to touch me." you tell him, tone light and teasing despite meaning it.

"i want to fuckin' touch you," chris shoots back, craning his neck to ghost his lips over yours to kiss you, but he huffs in disappointment when you pull away from him again. "i have my girl sittin' naked on top of me and i'm supposed to not to touch her? that's fuckin' crazy."

"just be patient."

"i don't have patience."

you roll your eyes, but you take a hold of his hand, bringing it up to your mouth. you litter a few, gentle kisses across his knuckles before pressing his fingers to your lips.

his eyes widen slightly when you push his index and middle finger past your lips and into the warmth of your mouth, swirling your tongue around his fingers while keeping your gaze locked on his.

"hah—fuck," chris pants, laying his fingers flat against your tongue, shuddering when he feels you start to suck. "why are you doin' this to me, ma?"

pulling his spit covered fingers from your lips, you smile at him sweetly, "i'm putting on a show for you."

chris goes to tell you that this is definitely some sort of torture, that all he wants to do is flip you around and have you beneath him to fuck you instead. but his mouth drops open in shock when you slowly take his hand down your body and press his wet fingers to your cunt, hearing you moan so prettily as you ease them inside of you.

chris watches in silence as you fuck yourself on his fingers as if it were his cock, and he resists the urge to move — to rip himself out of your grip and hold you down as he fingers you until your legs give out.

but he's in a trance, watching you do everything yourself, hearing the moans and whines spilling from your lips that he wishes he could kiss.

"oh my god," chris murmurs when he feels your spongy walls clench around him as his fingers brush against the spot that has your body tensing above him. "a'ight. you gotta let me do somethin', ma."

you shake your head, breathless as you answer. "no."

"will you just—" chris cuts himself off with an exhale. he closes his eyes. "please? just let me fuckin' do somethin'. let me kiss you or—"

chris grunts when one harsh movement of your hips grinding on his fingers causes you to rub again his cock, making his eyes shoot open at the pleasure that trickles down his spine.

"you're gonna make me cum in my—shit, ma—"

"you sound so pretty when you beg," you hum softly, breath hitching at the back of your throat as you thrust his fingers deeper inside you, unable to control yourself as your head dips forward, resting your forehead to his.

"i'll beg all you want if you let me do somethin'," chris whispers quietly to you, panting due to the friction against his cock. "i'll beg for you all night, okay? just... just let me make you feel good too. let me touch you."

© sturnioz

[wanders-in-wonderland]

As Planned

“You want me to fuck you while you pretend you don’t want it?” His voice is low and measured, his eyes holding mine. I nod and feel a thrill run up my spine when I see his eyes darken in response and he flashes me a smirk.

“I’d hate to disappoint my lovely girlfriend,” he purrs before pulling me in for a kiss.

—

His hands are rough as he pushes me down onto the bed, face first. “Struggle all you want, slut, we both know I’m stronger.” I let out a muffled cry into the pillows and writhe as much as I can.

“Wait, please, no, babe! Stop!” I almost smile from the excitement but stay in character as I feel him roughly pull my shorts and panties down my hips.

“Shut the fuck up,” he says before landing a harsh slap against my ass. I gasp as the pain goes straight to between my legs, making my pussy clench.

His rough fingers press in between my legs and I let out an obscene moan when he makes contact with my wetness. He chuckles darkly from behind me and sharply thrusts two fingers into me.

“Fucking slut, you really are a whore huh? Who else would be this fucking wet over the idea of being forced?” His words taunt me but I’m too distracted to think of a response as his fingers spear into me again and again.

I whine and arch my back, too lost in the pleasure to pretend that I don’t want it. I feel his fingers pull out of me and I whimper in disappointment but I don’t have to wait long before I feel the head of his cock line up against my soaking cunt.

I make a half-hearted attempt at playing into the scene, “No, please, I don’t want this.” He laughs in response before slamming his cock home into my cunt.

The sound of his harsh pants fill my ears as he holds me down and fucks me into the mattress. I moan at how good he feels inside of me, every thrust hitting so deep, the pleasure overwhelming my every sense.

I feel his fingers thread through my hair and he gives a harsh yank that forces the breathe out of me. “You know, I’m not sure this really counts as fulfilling your fantasy of being forced. You’re a little too willing right now,” he says.

I can’t help but moan in response as his cock sinks into my pussy over and over again. Until suddenly, it stops and he pulls out.

I pant brokenly and try to turn my head to look at him, trying to wrap my head around the abrupt change. And then, I feel the head of his cock brush against my asshole and my whole body stiffens.

“Wait, babe, that’s not what we talked about,” my voice is shaking.

“Shut up and take it, slut,” he snarls before starting to push into me.

“Wait, no, I’m serious, babe, stop!” I gasp out as I feel the head of his cock start to work its way into my ass. My pussy’s made it so wet that he doesn’t even need lube but this isn’t what I want.

I try to push myself off the bed but he tightens his hand in my hair and pushes me head down. “Shut up, and stay down, like a good slut. You’re going to take my cock in your ass, this is what you wanted right?”

“No, no, no! Please!” My voice is pitchy and breathless as he continues to push his cock into me. I whine, feeling the pressure and pain cloud my mind.

“Fuck, your ass is so fucking tight.” He doesn’t give me any time to adjust before he gives one final hard push and sheaths himself balls-deep into my ass.

I let out a choked cry, “Babe, stop, it hurts, I’m serious!” I try to move but it only makes his cock push in deeper and I whimper in response.

“This is what you wanted, you wanted to be forced, isn’t that right?” He laughs and suddenly, he moves his hips. His cock slides out of my ass a little, but not enough to give me any reprieve and he immediately slams his hips back down, drawing out a scream from me.

I struggle uselessly underneath him but he ignores my protests as he starts thrusting, setting a harsh pace that makes me gasp in pain.

“No no no, babe, please stop. I’m serious! Pineapple!” I choke out our safe word, begging him to stop and expecting him to immediately pull out. He doesn’t. He laughs.

“Your little safe word doesn’t mean anything to me right now,” he growls, yanking my head back and drilling even harder into me. Tears are streaming down my face now as I sob.

He doesn’t let up, thrusting his cock over and over again into my ass, each movement making me tremble and cry.

“Fuck, I’ve been wanting to fuck this tight ass for so fucking long,” he groans into my ear. I shudder and let out soft gasping cries as he continues to brutalize my ass. I feel his free hand move down my body and his fingers brush against my clit.

The sound of his laugh wraps around me, “Fuck, you fucking slut. I’m raping your ass and your pussy is fucking dripping more than before.”

I whine and his fingers rub against my clit in a way that makes my body spasm and I hear him groan in pleasure. His fingers set a cruel pace on my clit as he continues to fuck my ass but the sharp pain from before has faded into a dark, confusing blend of pleasure.

“I’m going to make you cum while I’m raping your ass,” he promises, his voice low and threatening. I let out a choked sob in response and I know he’s going to deliver on his promise.

I can feel the pressure of my orgasm building and I know that in a few moments, I’ll cum, just the way he wants, while he’s forcefully fucking my ass and making me like it. His fingers pinch my clit hard and I let out a wail as I shatter around him.

My cunt clenches around nothing and my ass tightens even more around his cock as I ride the waves of my orgasm. My ears are ringing and I’m shaking as the strongest orgasm I’ve ever had rocks my body. I distantly hear him curse and groan as he cums in my ass.

He collapses onto the bed, holding my body down with his own, cock still buried inside of me. I tremble from the aftershocks of my orgasm as my body lays limp and unmoving and my mind goes blank.

Eventually, I vaguely start to register the feeling of his fingers gently massaging my scalp and stroking my hair. I let out a soft whine and I hear him laugh lightly in response. His lips press against my temple softly.

“You okay, honey?”

I make a noncommittal sound and turn my head to look at him.

“Hey, honey, give me a verbal answer, you okay?”

“Mhm, I’m okay, baby,” my voice is soft and a little hoarse from the screaming.

“I’m going to pull out, is that okay?” He asks as he pushes himself up a little to take the weight off of me. I let out a soft moan and I nod in response.

The feeling of him pulling out makes me shiver and I whimper. I feel him step away and he comes back a little later with a warm washcloth and he cleans me up before coming back into bed with me and wrapping his arms around me.

“Did you have fun?” He asks as he shuffles me around a little so I’m laying flat and comfy. I smile at him, “I had so much fun.”

He smiles back, “I’m glad. Although, I almost forgot we agreed to a fake safe word.” He huffs out a laugh. I giggle back at him, “Well, I think it added to the fun.”

He gives me a soft smile again, “Anything for you.”

[nadvs]

　　🐚　⊹　❀　︵　∘　 breaking point ⟢

pairing rafe cameron x kook! female reader

summary withdrawal is worse than rafe ever could have imagined. thankfully, he has you.

content warning substance abuse

this is a blurb in the home before dark universe, inspired by this ask!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

It’s been four nights without coke. Rafe keeps hoping it’ll get even just a shred easier, but it’s not.

You told him it’d be best to skip parties for the next while so he’s not tempted while he tries to quit. What he didn’t expect was that you’d be skipping them with him. He should have known, though, considering how much you care about him.

Moments like these, he’s not sure why you chose him.

He’s been curt all day, responding to you with short, sharp sentences. Still, you’ve stayed by his side, making sure he’s resting, pretending not to notice how much he’s shaking.

The moon is in the sky, signalling the end of a long day. It’s obvious your boyfriend doesn’t want to talk, so you step out onto the balcony that leads out of his bedroom as he sits in bed, scrolling on his phone.

You look out at the massive property under the night sky, hoping it’ll get easier for him soon.

According to the research you’ve done, it’s different for every addict. There’s no timeline to follow, no day you can look forward to things turning around for him. Some symptoms last months.

After a few minutes of silence, you hear sluggish footsteps padding behind you.

Rafe rubs his mouth, his ring gleaming in the moonlight, as he stands beside you at the railing.

“I’m an asshole,” he mutters. “Sorry.”

“A real asshole wouldn’t worry about being an asshole,” you reply. You look over at him, his face downturned in shame. “It’s hard. Feeling angry or irritable is expected.”

Rafe nods, gazing down.

“How do you know?” he asks.

“I read up on it,” you say. “You can’t control how your body is reacting. It’s okay.”

“It didn’t even feel good to do it anymore by the end,” he admits. “It just made me feel like… I don’t know, nervous. But I still want...”

Rafe can’t finish his sentence, disappointed in himself.

“You’re doing great,” you say, resting a hand on his trembling back. “It’s not easy.”

“I shoulda never fucking started,” he says with a scoff. You try to steer the conversation away from the past, so not to remind him why he so desperately chases an escape.

“Are you hungrier than usual?” you ask. Increased appetite was a symptom you read about.

“Yeah,” he says.

“Wanna go for a late night food run?” you ask. “Or you can stay here and I go make something or pick something up?”

Rafe stares at you through heavy lidded eyes, lips parted.

“What?” you ask.

“This might sound…” he says, unable to find the word. He takes a deep breath. “I think I’d die without you.”

Your eyes deepen with sorrow, compassion, and gratitude all at once.

“Remember everything you did for me?” you ask softly.

When Rafe’s eyes sweep over your face, he does. He wouldn’t leave your side when you were trying to escape your ex. He beat him within an inch of his life. He stared down the end of a gun, risking everything, ready to kill someone who was tormenting you.

He’d do it all again.

“You saved my life,” you say, tears pricking at your eyes. Even when it was so painful being around you, Rafe wouldn’t leave you. You still carry the trauma from what happened, but being with the man who protected you, even when he’s being abrupt, reminds you of how safe you are.

“This won’t beat you, okay?” you tell him. “I won’t let it.”

You curl into him, wrapping your arms around his torso, inhaling the smell of his cologne and his natural musk.

Rafe kisses the top of your head, hugging you tightly. You stand like this for a few minutes, and when you pull back, he kisses your lips, asking where you want to go to eat.

You gaze up at him with all the love in your heart, a hopeful smile growing on your face.

You don’t think anything you could do for him could even the score and make up for what he’s done for you.

He’s thinking the same thing about you.

After you eat together, you hold his trembling body in bed, kissing his forehead, hearing his breaths fall deeper once he falls asleep.

You tell yourself every bad night is one step closer to the first good night. You’ll weather this with him. All of it.

[hopefulceladon]

silent night | sunday x reader

summary: one is supposed to treat everyone with hospitality in case of chance encounters, aren't they? so why was it so hard for you to do the same for him? pairing: sunday x reader word count: 1.8k notes: this was made well before sunday's first official in-game appearance!

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

It was quiet. 

Except, no, that would’ve been a rather inadequate, exceedingly drab way to describe the scenery in which you’ve surrounded yourself in. 

Throughout your stay at The Reverie Hotel, you never knew it to behold racket in the middle of the night, so the silence in the air was nearly expected and not at all noteworthy. 

Rather, it had not been merely quiet, but everything was so still, so maddeningly stagnant, that all that you felt in that very moment was the sensation of tiny bumps that prickled upon the chilly surface of your arms, as well as the thrumming of your anxious heart that resided in your chest as trepidation clung like a suffocating blanket to your lungs. 

In short, you swore you felt like you were being watched; watched long enough for your worries to occupy the vacancies between your rational thoughts, watched long enough for the trees that surrounded you in the courtyard to still, as if they, too, were afraid that whatever was seemingly nearby would undoubtedly perceive them first, as unlikely as that was. 

Sick of the sheer absurd nature of your intrusive thoughts, you hastily gathered the small amount of belongings you brought outside to get up from the spot of grass you sat upon. With your mind purely occupied upon going back to your hotel room, where you hoped had been far safer, a sudden voice broke all your will and intent. 

“Dearest guest?” 

Startled, you fell backwards onto the plush grass with a distinct gasp of discomfort. As you sharply turned your head upright to face the one who shattered your solitude, all that you could see were blurry lines of glowing light, heavily disrupting the clarity of your vision. 

“My heavens, that was quite the startle. I apologize.” 

The mellifluous voice surely sounded familiar, but with your visage currently impaired by an irritatingly obnoxious amount of illuminance, you couldn't see who it belonged to. 

Over the span of a few deep breaths taken to still the anxious tremor in your chest, the luminous aura had slowly dissipated and only lingered near his right hand, moving downwards to form a glowing radius around what seemed to be a lantern the stranger had carried. 

As you blinked the aftereffects of the blinding light away from your sight, you felt something sink—though you weren't sure if it was your heart or your stomach—at the sight of the gray-haired man in front of you. 

Standing before you was the head of ‘The Family’, the organization you've heard far too many conspiratorial whispers about in passing, and yet knew next to nothing of the truth in full. It wasn’t that you’ve never seen Sunday before, but it was always when you were far off into the background, never once having the chance to hold a full-fledged conversation with him. 

And yet, here he was now, and all you could feel was an awkward sense of distrust, instilled in you by the overheard whispers that enabled your inhibitions to take over the reins. Perhaps the eerie atmosphere from earlier didn’t help either. 

“Ah... Mr. Sunday.” you tentatively acknowledged his presence. 

The winged man noticed the hesitance in your tone, yet graciously offered you his free hand so you could stand upright before you two conversed further. 

You quickly declined with a shake of your head. 

Sunday's tongue clicked, his eyebrows furrowing together, but the sudden expression of disappointment was as brief as it was abrupt. 

“Please, I insist.” 

Despite your display of obstinance, he still held out his hand for you to take, patiently awaiting your next move. 

The urge to resist and stand firm on your belief that you didn't require assistance was enticing, but, caught up in a sudden moment of weakness after glancing upwards at his softened golden eyes, you finally decided to accept. 

It was surely the right thing to do, after all, wasn't it? 

You weren't entirely surprised by the gentle way his hand had delicately grasped onto yours as he lifted you upright, nor were you startled by the soft, chilly sensation of his gloved thumb brushing briefly against your knuckles, as you knew from prior observations that he was a courteous man, and this was surely typical behavior. 

What you were surprised by, however, was the smile upon his lips as he helped you back onto your feet. It had been a reassuring image at first, until you realized soon after that his expression never met his eyes, let alone crinkled their corners. 

Come to think of it, whenever you happened to capture the rare sight of Sunday off in the distance before back at the hotel, did he ever give anyone he spoke to a genuine smile? 

The sound of Sunday clearing his throat interrupted both your brain's musings and the night's silence. 

“As I stated earlier, I apologize for startling you.” 

“It's fine! Absolutely fine, seriously.” you insisted, waving a hand in dismissal as you took a step backwards. With the anxieties from earlier growing ever more intrusive, you wondered if maybe you should've stayed inside your hotel room after all. 

Sunday tilted his head, completely ignoring your words and focusing on your footwork instead. “If everything is ‘absolutely fine’ as you say, may I please ask why you're currently backing away like a frightened little kitten?” 

Though his tone was merely curious, you couldn't help but worry you inadvertently peeved him, feeling as if the weight of his gaze had fallen upon your every move, silently observing you to assume your next move before you even made it. 

“Ah, I just... I'm...” you desperately fumbled for words. “A... a little chilly, yes! And I was simply going to go back inside—” 

“You're chilly, you say?” Sunday interrupted your nervous sputtering before taking a step closer, setting the lantern he held with his right hand down onto the stony ground, and then gently lowering his pristine, white jacket from off his shoulders. “I wish you would've spoken sooner, I'd simply hate for a guest of mine to freeze to death...” 

Before you could ask whatever it was that he was doing, the sudden heaviness of something completely foreign weighed down upon your tensed shoulders, and you turned to face him, bewildered. 

“Think of it as an apology gift, won't you?” Sunday replied, noting your confusion, yet speaking nothing of it as his eyes focused upon one of your shoulders. “And... ah, might I remove this peculiar speck of dirt? Forgive me, it's just bothering me immensely.” 

“Huh? Oh, uh... of course?” 

Sunday hummed thoughtfully before carefully laying his hand atop your shoulder, gently flicking off the piece of dirt that had offended his sight. A tiny, lopsided, yet ultimately still forced, smile formed upon his lips for a few brief seconds afterwards, though you weren't sure what for. 

“There we are. Not only do you look your best, but I'm also sure you feel your best as well now, no?” 

“Right, uh... are you always this courteous to guests?” you murmured. 

“Ah, of course! The Family prides itself on showing hospitality to all of those who stay in the hotel,” he paused, raising a brow. “...so, shouldn’t you, yourself, provide more hospitality in kind? You can never quite tell if you've entertained an angel unawares, after all.” 

Though his words most definitely belonged in any sort of stern lecture, his tone was far from befitting any admonishments. 

He had used a tone that was far too soft, far too sugary sweet, and as you stood there, desperately seeking any potential agendas hidden within the depths of his words, you failed to pan out any nuggets of information that could reaffirm your suspicions, despite your best efforts. 

Noting your silence, Sunday simply tutted in disappointment. 

“You seem awfully anxious still.” the man mused out loud, his gaze lingering on your tensed posture before falling to peer over all what the beautiful courtyard had generously offered. “You see, I've heard the world of dreams has this brilliant ability to still one's mind and heart...” 

“Why do you sound so insistent upon me going there?” you asked quickly before you realized your mistake, wishing your tongue would, for once, wait for your brain to catch up. 

Sunday's seraphic wings vaguely twitched, and he took a second before answering. 

“Is it really so wrong for me to hope that my guests, and I do mean all of my guests, get to experience the full extent of joys that Penacony has to offer? All I wish for is just for you to relax, dear.” 

After taking a moment to transfer the lantern on the floor onto a nearby table, providing a far more suitable range of light, Sunday glanced back up at you, his cheek resting against his palm, fully intent on waiting as long as it took to hear your answer. 

Nervously, you took a deep breath, trying your best to consider his words. 

It's not that you wanted to distrust all that falls from his lips, but surely you were being fooled, weren't you? How could a man at the head of such a famous family be so exceedingly courteous and kind, without some sort of hidden objective? Surely, you were merely an insignificant actor—hopefully not an infuriating obstacle—in his grand plans, whatever they were, and Penacony was merely his performance's stage? 

You wished not to be led like a blind lamb to its’ slaughter, but you could nearly compare yourself to a mindless moth bumbling its way towards Sunday's flickering flame, as the possibility of attempting to trust him without reservations was so dearly tempting. 

With a sigh, you allowed your tensed shoulder blades to relax, and slowly, you unclenched a fair portion of the strain out of your jaw. 

“I'll... try to consider it?” 

“Ah, you will?” Sunday's head tilted, and he let out a soft chuckle. Had it just been you, or did he seem rather pleased with himself that he managed to sway you towards his idea? 

“Well, I do hope it proves to be a wonderful experience for you, then.” 

Forcing your nerves down, you were about to smile at him before you noticed the motion of his wings, twitching with happiness as they hovered so delicately against his ears. 

It was odd. Odd in the sense that it was the first positive response beyond an eloquently worded reply or tight-lipped, false smile that he ever gave you. And, unfortunately, not only was it odd, but it really was quite a charming sight. 

Blinking yourself out of your distracted daze, you lowered your head with gratitude. “Thank you, sir...” 

“Make no mention of it. May your dreams in Penacony always be pleasant, dearest guest.” 

Though your nerves still bubbled away in your chest and in your thoughts, you tried to convince yourself that everything was going to be fine. 

Because surely, you could trust him, right?

[xxchumanixx]

Lilies and Conspiracies pt. 3

Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

Lilies and Conspiracies pt. 3 - personal guard dog

Warnings/Tags: fluff, nothing more yet really

Word count: tba

Authors note: Get ready for some brother-time! I like Max, and I personally like the idea that they are not like everyone else in the ton.

Series Masterlist -> pt. 4

Enjoy!

You nodded, acting like you agreed, when the door opened again, and you haven't ever been more glad to see your brother enter the room.

You looked up at him, silently pleading to save you, but acting like you were surprised to see him. "Max, what is it?" you asked, furrowing your brows in faked confusion. "We have an appointment at the modiste in half an hour." he said. "I'm sorry, but I fear the gentleman have to excuse themselves. Of course you can return later, we'll be in the park afterwards."

You sighed dramatically. "Oh, I forgot." you said, feigning dismay. "I am so sorry, my Lords. But I need to get new dresses for the upcoming balls." You were disappointed you would have to bid Anthony goodbye already, but you silently hoped to see him at the park later.

Anthony hid his relief as your brother entered the room, providing the perfect excuse to end your interaction with Lord Pendale.

As Max spoke, he watched you and Pendale attentively, observing what he assumed as being feigned surprise, and he knew you were just as relieved as him.

Thank God. he thought to himself. He couldn't take one moment longer of seeing you having to pretend to be polite to that arrogant lord without a few not so polite words slipping past his lips.

He glanced at Max as he announced the appointment at the modiste, then back at you. Though he was disappointed that your time together was cut short, he knew it was a blessing in disguise.

Pendale, however, seemed annoyed at the interruption, his smirk faltering slightly. "Oh, yes, I see." he said, clearly not satisfied with the abrupt end to his visit. Anthony, on the other hand, couldn't help a small smirk of satisfaction at seeing Pendale's annoyance. The pompous lord didn't take well to being interrupted.

As you feigned dismay and apologized, Pendale stood up, clearly miffed. "Well, I suppose we have no choice but to leave." he said, his tone sulking.

"I am really so sorry, Lord Pendale." you apologized, standing up, too. "But I hope to see you soon. I can't wait to learn about finances of you. You make it sound so irresistibly interesting."

Pendale's expression softened slightly at your words, his ego clearly boosted by your flattery. He couldn't resist the opportunity to appear knowledgeable and interesting.

"Oh, well, you're in luck, Miss Barton." he said, his smirk returning. "I'd be more than happy to teach you anything you want to know about finances."

He then turned to Anthony with a quick nod. "Lord Bridgerton." he said in farewell before walking out of the room.

You bit your lip, scratching your brow. "Well, that was rather interesting." you muttered, before turning to your brother. "You have no clue how grateful I am for your interruption, brother."

You didn't care that Anthony heard your words of relief, something a woman was taught to hide and not show so openly.

You had the feeling he felt the same.

Max chuckled, clearly sensing your relief at the end of Pendale's visit. "No need to thank me. I know you were probably bored out of your mind." he said, a smirk on his face. "And honestly, it was a pleasure to interrupt that pompous lord. His presence was quite insufferable."

Anthony stifled a laugh as he stood, finding Max's assessment of Lord Pendale amusingly accurate. He silently agreed that Pendale's presence was, in fact, quite insufferable.

He watched as you and your brother exchanged banter, a hint of warmth blossoming in his chest at the closeness between you two.

It reminded him of his own siblings.

Meanwhile, Max playfully nudged you, teasing you. "Well, we have to run now to make our appointment." he said, clasping his hands behind his back.

"I hope to see you at the park, Lord Bridgerton?" you asked, looking at Anthony. "Maybe we can continue our talk there, without Lord Pendale and his finances. Or Lord Berbrooke." You shuddered at the sudden thought of him.

Anthony felt a smile pull at the corners of his lips at your question. He certainly hoped to see you again at the park, too. The thought of spending more time with you, without the likes of Pendale or Berbrooke, was very appealing.

"Indeed, Miss Barton." he replied, his tone soft and warm. "I look forward to continuing our conversation in a more pleasant setting." Anthony's expression darkened at the mention of Berbrooke. "With the absence of certain annoying individuals."

You snorted, but quickly put your hand in front of your mouth, biting your lip. "Then I suppose I'll see you soon." you said, after removing your hand again.

With that you left the room with Max, making your way to the modiste.

Anthony chuckled softly, amused by your snorted laughter and the quick attempt to hide it.

He watched as you left the room with Max, the sight of you walking away stirring a pang of disappointment within him. He would've preferred to continue talking to you, but he understood the necessity of your appointment at the modiste.

As you and Max headed out of the room, Anthony stayed behind, a subtle sense of eagerness growing within him. He couldn't wait to see you again at the park later.

When seated in the carriage, Max sent you a pointed look. "What?" you asked. His look deepened, before he shook his head. "I thought I told you about Lord Bridgerton's reputation." he said. You huffed, shaking your head as well. "He's a respectable suitor." you gave back. "I want to see for myself who he is. Whistledown certainly has a habit to exaggerate."

Max raised an eyebrow at your response. "Respectable suitor?" he echoed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "Y/N, you've heard the whispers. Lord Bridgerton has quite the reputation. He's known for being the most notorious rake in London."

He leaned back against the seat of the carriage, fixing you with a stern look. "And you think Whistledown is exaggerating? You know her words hold quite a bit of truth."

You bit your cheek. "I know they do." you said. "Her words certainly have the power to destroy once reputation. But since when do I listen to what others say?"

Max chuckled dryly, "You've always had a tendency to not listen to others, I'll give you that."

He sighed, then continued more seriously. "But you can't ignore the rumors surrounding Lord Bridgerton. He might hold a respectable title, but his reputation precedes him as an infamous rake. He's not known for being interested in a serious courtship."

Max looked at you meaningfully, his gaze concerned. "Just be careful, Y/N. I don't want to see you getting hurt."

You nodded, feeling a pang in your heart. "What makes you so sure he's not interested in a serious courtship?" you wanted to know, not fully able to hide the hope in your voice. "Why else would he have been at our house this early in the morning to visit me?"

Max paused, considering your question. He knew you had a point, but he was still wary of Anthony's intentions - especially when it was his mother that announced he’d be looking for a wife, not himself.

"I suppose that's a fair point." he conceded. "But there still might be other reasons for his visit. He might be trying to improve his reputation, or he might be simply interested in a short-lived dalliance."

Max reached out, gently placing a hand on your arm. "Please, Y/N. Just be careful. Don't let yourself become enamored with him, only to be left heartbroken."

You nodded again, swallowing. "I won't." you assured him, looking up at him. "But I have to find a suitor nonetheless. Maybe not a love match, but I hope to find someone that at least respects me for who I am, not for who I'm ought to be."

Max regarded you with an understanding smile. He knew how important it was for you to find a suitable match, someone who would value you for more than just your title or status.

He squeezed your arm gently, his expression solemn. "I understand.” he spoke softly. “I want nothing more than for you to find someone who respects and adores you for all that you are. But please, don't rush into anything with Lord Bridgerton."

He gave you a meaningful look. "Promise me you'll be cautious."

You nodded. "I promise." you said. "He seemed honest and he shared my opinions this far." you added. "And his mother made clear he is looking for a wife this season."

Max's expression softened slightly, reassured by your promise. Yet he remained vigilant. "His mother is eager to see him married, yes. But you must know that doesn't guarantee his own desire for a wife." he explained, before sighing.

"I know you think he shares your opinions and seems sincere. But always remember that people can be quite deceiving. Especially gentlemen of his reputation."

He squeezed your arm again. "Just keep your guard up, my dear. I wouldn't want to see you taken advantage of by a notorious rake."

You snorted, sending him a pointed look. "Oh, please, Max." you said. "Aren't you quite the rake yourself?"

Max chuckled at your response, his smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, I suppose I do have a certain reputation." he conceded, a hint of pride in his tone.

He leaned back against the carriage seat, crossing one leg over the other. "But I assure you my dear, I don't mess with innocent little debutantes like yourself."

He smirked again. "My tastes are a bit more...experienced."

You hit him playfully, acting shocked at his boldness. "Max!"

Max burst out laughing, enjoying your playful shock. "What?" he teased, feigning innocence. "Don't act so scandalized. I'm just being honest."

he chuckled, as he straightened himself, his smirk deepening. "You know me Y/N, I always go after women who know exactly what they're getting themselves into."

You shook your head, not able to hide a grin, though. "I'd like to see the day you marry." you joked.

Max chuckled again, a smug expression on his face. "Oh, don't hold your breath, dear sister." he teased. "I plan on remaining a bachelor for as long as possible."

He paused for theatrical effect. "Besides, I find the idea of chasing after married women quite exhilarating."

He winked at you, clearly playing the part of the mischievous rake.

You clicked your tongue, shaking your head. "I am surprised Whistledown hasn't written about you, yet." you said. "You're quite the walking scandal."

Max raised an eyebrow, a smirk still plastered on his face. "Oh, darling sister, I must say I'm hurt." he said, mock offense in his voice. "How could you suggest such a thing? I'm a perfect gentleman."

He chuckled, leaning back against the carriage seat. "But I suppose it doesn't surprise me that Whistledown hasn't targeted me yet. She probably can't keep up with all my escapades."

You rolled your eyes, as the carriage slowed. "You're insufferable."

Max feigned a surprised gasp, pretending to be deeply wounded by your remark. "Oh, such harsh words from my own flesh and blood." he said in a dramatic tone, placing his hand over his chest.

The carriage came to a stop, and he chuckled, a proud smirk returning to his face. "But you know you love me anyway, Y/N."

You shook your head. "What other choice do I have?" you asked, smirking at him, as the door of the carriage was opened. You were helped out of the carriage, standing in front of Madame Delacroix's dressmaker.

Max stepped out of the carriage after you, a smirk on his face as he followed you into the dressmaker's. "None at all, I'm afraid." he said playfully.

As you entered, the shop appeared vibrant and elegant, filled with an array of beautiful gowns, fabrics, and accessories. The shopkeeper, Madame Delacroix, immediately noticed your arrival.

"Miss Barton." she greeted you with her france accent, curtsying. "Lord Barton."

Max smiled at Madame Delacroix. "Madame." he greeted back, bowing his head respectfully.

She then turned her attention directly to you. "Ah, Miss Barton, it is so lovely to see you."

She gestured around the shop. "We have many new arrivals today. I am sure we will find the perfect gown for you."

You nodded, smiling. "I can't wait."

Madame Delacroix returned your smile, clearly excited to help. "Excellent. Come, come. Let us look through the newest fabrics we have."

She led you and Max into the shop, guiding you past racks upon racks of colorful fabrics, the silks and satins shimmering in the light.

The shop felt like a little treasure trove of fashion.

Your fingers brushed over the various fabrics, trying to decide what you wanted. "I want at least one dress in lavender and one in baby blue." You stopped in front of a fabric that reflected the light in rainbow colors. “And this one on a dress."

Madame Delacroix nodded, clearly aware that you had a good eye. "Ah, excellent choices, Miss Barton.” she compliemented. “Lavender and Baby Blue are always lovely hues for a young Miss."

She then noticed the fabric you pointed out, the one with glimmering rainbow colors. "And that one is quite special indeed.” she spoke, nodding. “That's a beautiful iridescent silk. It will look absolutely stunning when made into a gown."

You nodded. "I want a gown of it and some with it as accents."

Madame Delacroix smiled, clearly pleased by your choices. "Of course, my Lady. That fabric will be perfect for making a stunning gown."

She gently took some of the fabric and held it up against you. "With your complexion, and the way it reflects the light, you will look absolutely radiant."

You smiled. "I'd like that."

Madame Delacroix nodded, smiling back at you. "Excellent. I will arrange for a gown made from this iridescent silk and incorporate some accents into other gowns too."

She then gestured toward the racks. "Now, shall we look for the other fabric options for the Lavender and Baby Blue dresses?"

You nodded. "Yes, please."

Madame Delacroix led you over to the appropriate section of fabric for the Lavender and baby blue dresses. She carefully picked out some swatches, holding them up against your face to see how they reflected against your complexion.

"Here, these would look lovely with the Lavender hue." she said, holding up a soft, delicate cotton fabric with a slight sheen to it. "And for the baby blue, maybe something a bit brighter, like this silk jacquard."

You felt the fabrics between your gloved fingers. "I like these." you said, nodding. "I'll take them."

Madame Delacroix smiled, pleased to hear your approval. "Excellent choice, my Lady.” she said. “The lavender will feel soft and lightweight against your skin, and the baby blue will have a lovely shimmer."

She made note of your choices, then looked up at you. "Now, any particular style or design you have in mind for these gowns?"

You thought for a moment. "Surprise me." you then said. "I don't have a particular style in mind, but maybe you can add some styles as accents or something, maybe something from France. You're the schooled one, I believe you'll make these gowns something special."

Madame Delacroix chuckled, clearly flattered by your trust in her. "Of course, Miss Barton. I will use my experience and creativity to design something special."

She nodded, then began to jot down some more notes. "I'll add some unique elements, perhaps a surprise detail on the lavender gown, and a special accent on the baby blue. Nothing too drastic, just enough to make them stand out."

You nodded. "I'd love that." you said, the thought of Anthony suddenly in the back of your mind. Maybe he would notice the details, maybe you’d stand out from the other girls.

Madame Delacroix smiled, clearly excited to get started on your gowns. "Wonderful."

She wrote down the last few notes, then looked up at you. "I'll begin working on these immediately. I assure you, Miss Barton, these gowns will be spectacular." she promised.

You nodded. "I'm sure they will." you spoke. "Very well, then I suppose we will pick gloves and such later? When the gowns are done, or now?"

Madame Delacroix considered the question for a moment, then replied. "I suggest we wait to pick out the gloves and accessories until your gowns are complete." she suggested. "That way, we can coordinate the colors and styles perfectly. What do you think, Miss Barton?"

You nodded. "Perfect."

"Excellent." Madame Delacroix smiled. "Then I will begin your gowns. Please come back to my shop when they're ready, and we'll select the perfect gloves and accessories to match."

You nodded again. "Thank you, Madame Delacroix."

She bowed her head in response. "It's my pleasure, Miss Barton." she returned. "I look forward to seeing you again soon when the gowns are done."

With that you bid her goodbye, leaving the Modiste together with Max.

Max, having been silently observing you and Madame Delacroix, smiled and offered you his arm as you left the dressmaker's shop.

"Well, I must say, Y/N, you certainly have an eye for fashion." he said, his trademark smirk in place.

You rolled your eyes. "Of course I have." you gave back. "One of us has to."

Max chuckled, fully aware of his own lack of interest in fashion. "Oh, come now, Y/N. You know I have other priorities than the latest trends and frills."

He squeezed your arm playfully, a hint of mischievousness in his voice. "I focus on more... enjoyable things."

You huffed. "Such as certain nightgowns, I guess?"

Max let out a hearty laugh at your comment, clearly amused by your tease. "Oh, darling sister, you know me too well." he spoke. "Let's just say I appreciate a beautiful woman in even more beautiful garments."

He gave you a wink, the playful banter between you both almost like a sibling ritual.

"That's what I thought." you mused. "So, the park it is now? We shall get the staff working to gather the pavilion and stuff."

Max nodded, the topic of conversation shifting as you mentioned the park. "Yes, the park."

He looked around, taking in the surroundings. "I'll arrange for everything necessary - pavilion, refreshments, any decorations. It will be a lovely setting for our atay at the park."

You nodded. "Perfect. Then I'll change into a more fitting gown, and we can go." you said, stopping in front of the carriage.

Max helped you into the carriage, a smirk on his face. "Oh, you want to change into a more fitting gown, do you?" he teased. "Does that mean you're trying to impress someone in particular with your attire?"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the playful banter between you two.

You chuckled. "I have to, after all I'm supposed to find someone to marry, am I not?"

Max nodded, clearly amused by your comment. "Ah, yes. The hunt for a suitable suitor, how thrilling."

He chuckled again. "But tell me, darling sister, who exactly are you hoping to impress?" he wanted to know. "Or should I say, make a certain viscount jealous?"

You choked on your own saliva, coughing for a short moment. "I don't know what you mean." you then said. "After all you were the one telling me not to get too close to him, because he doesn't want to marry and, most importantly, is a notorious rake."

Max chuckled at your reaction, clearly finding your coughing episode quite humorous. "Oh, darling sister, you can deny it all you want, but you can't fool me."

He leaned closer, his smirk growing wider. "I saw the way you looked at him, the subtle glances, the way your cheeks flushed. You can't deny there's some interest there."

You glared at him. "How ironic of you to say after telling me to basically get away from him."

Max shrugged, his smirk unfaltering. "Oh, come now, Y/N. I was just looking out for you." he defended himself half-heartedly. "You know how rakes can be, especially someone with a reputation like Viscount Bridgerton."

He chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "But you must admit, he is quite handsome." he added. "And his charm can be rather intoxicating. It's understandable to be attracted to him."

You rolled your eyes. "He is indeed handsome, but I think I can assure you he's not interested in men." you said. "Unlike you, with your interest in both."

It was forbidden, yet it didn't stop some of the men that were interested in their same gender. "As for being attracted to him," you continued. "I wish to marry out of love. I hardly know him."

Max chuckled, not denying your accusation about his own preferences. "You know me all too well, darling sister." he said, before shrugging casually. "But as for marriage, love is not a requirement, especially in our circles. Marriages of convenience abound, and that's exactly what you need: a practical and advantageous union."

You bit your cheek. "Yeah, I know." you said. "But one can wish, can I not?"

Max nodded, his teasing smile softening slightly. "Of course, darling sister. Wishing and hope are not forbidden." he spoke, chuckling softly. "Just make sure you keep your expectations in check. You know how the world of high society works. Love is not always on the table in these arranged matches."

"It hardly ever is." you agreed. "Still I want something like our parents had. I want love, unconditional and never ending love. There's still some time left till the end of the season, maybe I'll still find it. That is, if no one asks for my hand before that and you sell me off."

Max tilted his head, his eyes studying you intently. He knew you well and could sense your hopefulness for love not fading. "Spoken like a true dreamy romantic, Y/N."

He chuckled softly, his words not without sympathy. "I understand your desire for love, I truly do. But remember that practicality must come first. If a suitor of good standing asks for your hand, we must consider the benefits of such a union."

You scoffed. "You're saying that like you were in my position." you said. "Yet you can choose who you marry, whilst I am chosen."

Max ran a hand through his hair, a small sigh escaping his lips. "I may have more freedom in choosing a partner, but you must remember that our social standing depends on you making a good match." he returned, but softening his tone. "I'm simply saying that in our world, love must take a backseat when strategic connections are at stake. Your marriage, no matter how much you hate it, could make or break our family's future."

You nodded, feeling that burden on your shoulders every time you talked to a potential suitor. "And what about a Viscount?" you asked, a bit hopeful. "Would a Viscount be a good match?"

You intentionally didn't say a name, though.

Max raised an eyebrow, clearly catching on to your meaning. "A Viscount hmm?" he made. "Someone in particular on your mind, darling sister? A Viscount would be a most advantageous match, no doubt about it. A respected title, a high social standing, and the potential for a well-connected union."

You sighed, nodding. "Well, then we'll have to see what comes out of this season, will we not?" you spoke, as the carriage arrived back at your home. "But I don't want lord Pendale or Berbrooke."

Max chuckled, rolling his eyes at the mention of Lord Pendale and Berbrooke. "Lord Pendale is a buffoon and has the wit of a brick, he wouldn't be a suitable match for you."

he told you, before he sighed disdainfully at the mention of Lord Berbrooke. "And Berbrooke...I would rather see you marry a horse than that greasy worm."

You snorted at his choice of words, when the carriage door was opened. "Wise words, brother." you said, taking the hand of the horseman that helped you out of the carriage. "Like a true gentleman."

Max chuckled, stepping out behind you. "Oh, you flatter me, darling sister. I'm always the picture of gentlemanly decorum."

He followed you into the house, smirking. "But worry not. I shall guard your reputation fiercely. No greasy worms or fools will be allowed near you."

You nodded. "Then I'm glad to have you by my side, dear brother." you said playfully. "My personal guard dog."

Max rolled his eyes, playing along with your teasing. "Oh, please. I am much more refined than a mere guard dog." he said. "Perhaps a lion, or a mighty dragon, ready to protect its treasure at all costs."

You scoffed. "A dragon, huh?" you chuckled, shaking your head, walking towards the stairs. "I'll let you know when I'm ready to go to the park."

Max chuckled, watching as you ascended the stairs. "Very well, darling sister. I'll have the carriage prepared for your convenience."

He gave you a mock salute. "And I shall wait here like a proper dragon guard, ready to burn down any unworthy suitors who dare approach you."

You snorted, shaking your head, before you went into your room.

Max chuckled, watching you disappear into your room. He leaned against a wall, his thoughts wandering. He knew he had his duties to ensure you would find a suitable match, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for having to act as your matchmaker rather than your brother.

With a sigh, he made his way outside to instruct the staff to prepare the carriage for your trip to the park.

Tag List

@misscaller06 @freyathehuntress

@queenslandlover-93 @chauchirem

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[h0ney-gl0ws]

Hades boys! When you’re in an argument!

This is my take on how the hades boys would react if you were to get into an argument

Very minor spoilers for Hypnos’ locked heart event.

Word Count: 1,247 (Approx)

Zagreus

-Zagreus is friendly with all people of the house of hades, so with that comes questions. Lots and lots of questions.

-How could he not? He’s interested in you and wants to show he cares by learning all about you.

-Until the inevitable happens and he asks a question too personal for your taste. Naturally, you get snippy with him.

-He’ll immediately apologize, but it’ll be in vain. You lecture him about diving into other people’s personal business, and send him away.

-Zagreus would feel pretty bad about it after. He meant no harm or malice. He was simply curious, and his own lack of common sense caused him to upset you. He decides to take matters into his own hands once again, and try to make it up to you.

-Over the course of his next few runs, he gathers nectar and hopes to run into you. When he finally does catch up to you again, you have had time to cool off, and before he could apologize to you, you beat him to it.

-“I’m sorry Zagreus,” You start, “I didn’t mean to blow up at you I was just angry in the moment. You didn’t know that would offend me, and instead of yelling at you I should have instead explained that I didn’t want to answer the question, forgive me?”

-“What? No, its really me who should be apologizing to you. You were right about me getting involved in things that aren’t my business. I’m really sorry for offending you, I didn’t mean to. Please accept this apology gift of nectar. I hope I can make it up to you someday.” He says presenting the pristine bottle to you.

-You smile, accepting the gift. You give him a hug and suggest sharing the bottle in the lounge. Zagreus says he’d like that, and (at Zagreus’ insistence) you would discuss your boundaries regarding questions. As well as telling him a bit about yourself you don’t mind sharing.

-Next time Zagreus sees you it’s on much better terms, and you’re happy to answer any questions he might have as long as he sticks to your agreement.

Thanatos

-Thanatos is naturally dark and brooding, but don’t mistake that for anger. As he is actually very sweet when it comes down to it, if not a bit abrupt.

-However, that does not mean he doesn’t get cross with people. Especially when it comes down to his work.

-When you first arrived at the house of hades, you automatically took a liking to him. His visits to the house were far and few in between, but when he did show up, you bet you were taking advantage of the opportunity.

-You even got a job at the administrative chambers to try and get more chances to talk to him.

-Whenever he delivered reports to you, you would try to engage in conversation.

-His answers were always short and direct, but you’d take what you could get. He’d often disappeared right after as well. Leaving you a little disappointed.

-One day, the rare occurrence of him being in the house came around. The prince walking away after chatting with him and giving you a small wave. You just finished collecting a few reports from Hypnos and you have a few moments to spare.

-“Hey Thanatos!” You shout out.

-“Why must you insist on bothering me so when we both have jobs to do?” He replied.

-“What?”

-“I’m very busy every day, yet every time i must interact with you, you postpone my duties with idle chatter. Why?”

-You scoff, “I’m just being friendly, I didn’t realize your such a workaholic you can’t spare a few seconds to answer how you’ve been.”

-“I suggest you worry more about yourself and your work ethic before criticizing mine.”

-With the toll of a gong he was gone, and you were upset.

-As the weeks past by every time, Thanatos would deliver a report to you, you’d give him the cold shoulder. He often look at you expectantly, but you wouldn’t mutter a peep to him. You didn’t want to disturb his oh so important work after all.

-Eventually, Zagreus was the one to get fed up with your silent feud. Bringing the topic up to Than the next time he got the chance. Than relented that maybe he was too harsh in his treatment of you. After all you were just trying to be friendly. Even though it’d hurt his pride, he promised Zagreus he’d talk to you.

-Sure enough, he took the next chance he could to talk to you. He told you he didn’t realize how much he missed your pointless questions. That he simply didn’t want to be held up with his work, as it very important for death to be punctual and he got annoyed with you because of it. You said you understood, but really you just wanted to get to know him better. How you didn’t realize it was holding him up at all. He admitted he overreacted, and made a promise to you the next time you both had a break, to spend time with you.

-You told him you’d hold him to that promise

Hypnos

-It’s no secret Hypnos has his flaws. Yes, he can be lazy, gets easily sidetracked, and often sleeps on the job, but being one of the few people who smile around here, he actually drew you in.

-On the rare occurrences he’d actually be awake, he’d often try to engage in conversation with the shades. Most would ignore his antics, all but you.

-You’d entertain his silly chats, coming to quite enjoy the time you’d spend together. It was a breath of fresh air to have someone cheerful to hang around.

-Then, the time came when you asked him to join you for a break. A time to hangout together and do things important to you.

-He agreed but when the time came for you to meet…he didn’t show up.

-You sought him out feeling a bit hurt he’d abandon your plans like that. After shaking him awake, he spoke excuse after excuse, promising you it wouldn’t happen again and he’d meet you the next time.

-You conceded, it was only one time, it really could have been an honest mistake.

-Until it happened again, and again, and again…

-By this point you were hurt, frustrated, and disappointed. So, you got angry with Hypnos. Saying that the things people said about him were true. How he’s a self absorbed lowlife who never takes anything seriously and only cares about himself.

-After that a few weeks pass by with you not running into Hypnos. Rumors spurred that he was…actually working? Apparently you weren’t the only person to blow up at him that day.

-Hypnos appeared in front of you later, and apologized for missing out on the times you tried to get to know him. He said that his twin Thanatos really made him have a realization into getting his work in check, and the importance of proper priorities. He ended his schpeal by saying he’d start prioritizing you when he got the chance, and invited you to spend some time with him the next time he got a break.

-This time he was true to his word.

[trohpi]

@regulily-microfic • september 6: fire • 933 words

cross-posted on ao3

It was stupid, really. Just an offhand, innocent offer of help with the laundry, and yet that was all Lily needed to explode.

There was no build up, no steadily rising anger. There never is. No, it’s always zero to one hundred, a spark to an inferno, and she has no idea why. Maybe she’s broken. It certainly feels like it.

A pit of guilt churns in his stomach at the memory of Regulus’ face, the frustration and hurt there. He must hate me now, he thinks. I’d hate me, too.

A knock on their bedroom door startles Lily from his spiral and he sniffles, quickly wiping at the tears on his face.

“Lily?” a gentle voice says on the other side. Regulus. Her heart aches.

There’s a shuffle, then a throat clearing. “I’ve put the kettle on.”

Lily’s breath hitches at the care in his voice, and that’s all it takes before she’s ripping open the door. Regulus blinks at the abruptness for just a second before his eyes settle on the form of his upset partner. His face falls slightly at the swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks, concern brimming in silvery grey eyes. Lily feels more tears welling in her own, and she bites the inside of her cheek to hold back a nasty flood of emotion.

“Are you alright, love?” he asks softly, and it was useless. All at once, the feebly-built dam breaks open with a sob.

“I’m sorry,” Lily chokes out, hands trembling.

“Darling.” Regulus reaches out to steady his hands, slender fingers cradling his own gently, delicately. Tenderly. He shutters, his chest aching.

“I don’t know why I got so angry,” Lily stutters through tears. “I don’t— I’m sorry. I love you. I’m so sorry.”

“Love.” A hand comes up to cup her cheek. She nearly flinches at the contact. It’s too soft, too loving, too much. More than she deserves.

“I ruin everything.” His voice is a near-whisper, thick with tears and tension. “I’m sorry I do that, I don’t know why I do that.”

“Lily,” he cuts her off with a firm voice, and this time she really does flinch. She’d been expecting this, of course. The anger, the disgust, the disappointment. Any negative emotion, really. After all, Lily is a fire. It was only a matter of time before Regulus got sick of being burned. She just… didn’t expect it to hurt this much. Not now, not yet.

“Lily,” he says again, voice softer now. “Look at me.”

Lily sniffles as he meets his boyfriend’s eyes, which are gentle and full of love.

“I don’t care that you got angry,” Regulus says, running his thumb along his partner’s cheekbone. “And I don’t care that you needed space. The only thing I care about is the fact that you yelled at me, but I also know you didn’t mean to. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Lily leans into his touch, sighing shakily. “I don’t know why I got so mad, and I’m so sorry I took it out on you.”

“I know, darling. It’s okay.”

“It’s not, though. Sometimes, it’s like a switch flips, and all of this rage that’s just…” He gestures vaguely in the air. “Simmering inside of me, all of the time, suddenly comes to a boil. I hate it.”

Regulus knows all of this already, to some extent. He’s been dating Lily for over a year, after all, and they’ve been friends for even longer. He’s seen her struggle with this more times than either of them can count, and yet he still wants to be with her. Lily has a hard time understanding why.

The hand on her cheek migrates to her hair, fingers running through the short locks of auburn. Lily sighs again. “I wish I wasn’t like this.”

“But you are.” It’s not said unkindly, but it still hurts just a bit. Regulus’ honesty can be brutal sometimes, but that is part of why Lily appreciates it so much. He is willing to cut the bullshit when no one else is.

“I know, I just—” Wish I was better for you. Wish I was better than this. “—Wish I was better at being in control of my own emotions.”

“You’re not gonna like this, but you could always try seeing a Mind Healer.”

He almost groans. They’ve had this conversation before, but Lily’s always shut it down. He doesn’t need a Mind Healer, his childhood was perfectly normal— the standard suburban Muggle family. Sure, his mother was a bit overbearing sometimes and his father a bit too lax, and there’s all the baggage with his sister, but nothing even close to what Regulus went through. No, Mind Healing is for people with real problems, not people like Lily.

But, Lily considers, perhaps it could be.

“I don’t know,” she mutters. “Maybe.”

Regulus’ fingers pause in their movements. “Maybe?”

“Maybe,” she confirms as she pulls back, wiping at the drying tears on her cheeks. “I’m just so tired of this. I’ll still feel stupid, like I don’t belong in a Mind Healer’s office, but I’ve tried everything else I can think of.”

“You’re not stupid for wanting help.”

“No, but I’ll feel stupid for needing it.”

“Just because you haven’t been through a major trauma doesn’t mean you have to be this perfect, undamaged person. You are allowed to not be okay, you know.”

“I know.” He smiles tiredly, reaching out to tangle their fingers together once more. “It’ll just take me a minute to believe it.”

Regulus squeezes her hand. “Well, I’ll be with you when you do.”

[mostlymarvelsstuff]

To Call You Mine, Drabble #1: Needy

Authors note: Takes place after NYE, before Ch 10

Summary: In the middle of the night your Omega is forced to deal with all of her surging hormones and everything they bring with them

Warnings: smut(grinding, groping, begging, praise, lactation kink, slight degradation, slight roughness, vaginal sex), a/b/o content(knotting)

Word count: 1455

Nat Masterlist Marvel Masterlist TCYM Masterlist

Natasha huffs as she tosses the blanket off of her sweaty body, and quickly reaches for the glass of water beside the nest. She knew to expect hot flashes with the influx of hormones, but she hadn’t expected them so soon. She also hadn’t expected them to interrupt her sleep as often as they have been.

   She sets the now half empty glass back on the nightstand, and tries her best to get comfortable again. She cuddles back against you in her usual little spoon position, but when her ass makes contact with your softened bulge she feels her body get even hotter. Only this time it isn’t from a hot flash.

   She knows she shouldn’t because you're asleep, but she just can’t seem to stop herself from softly grinding back against you. It only takes a few movements from her for your cock to begin hardening, causing a groan to leave you while you still slumber. Thoughts of you waking up and pounding her until she can’t think anymore fill her head, making her already abundant slick drip down her thighs. Her walls clench around nothing and she finds herself unable to pull away from you.

   After a few moments you shift in your sleep, moving to lay flat on your back. At first your Omega is disappointed, but when she sees how your cock strains against your boxers she realizes you've actually moved into a better position for her. She carefully straddles your waist and lowers herself against you. Your cock twitches as her still clothed core comes in contact with you, no doubt because her warmth and wetness can be felt through both layers of fabric. She slowly begins to move her hips and has to bite down on her lower lip to suppress a needy moan as you brush perfectly against her throbbing clit. 

   She doesn’t care about being subtle anymore, she needs you, “Y/n baby, wake up”

   At first you aren’t sure what's awoken you, but when you hear your mate panting accompanied by the dampness and pressure against your boner you know what's happening

   “Mmm, Omega? What are you doing?”

   She smirks down at you, still grinding her hips, “What does it feel like I’m doing?”

   “Feels like you're being impatient.” you tease, grabbing ahold of her hips to still her movements

   She whines at the abrupt stop and reaches to pry your hands away, “Please Alpha”

   As much as you want to give into her request, part of you hesitates, “Natty, I can’t. I don’t wanna risk hurting you, or the pup”

   Though normally your caring nature and attentiveness to her would have her swooning, right now it only frustrates her. And she finds herself acting on those frustrations.

   “Fuck me, or I’ll have to do it myself” she growls out, hands clutching the collar of your sleep shirt

   You're taken slightly aback by her out of character demand, but you’d be lying if you said it hadn’t turned you on. You sit up slightly and plant a too soft and too short kiss against her lips, causing a frown to form on her face. You breathily laugh at her before giving in and sloppily begin to make out with her. She eagerly opens her mouth for you to deepen the kiss. Your grip moves to her hips and you begin to guide her back into the same movements she was doing earlier as the two of you continue to devour each other's lips. Eventually she pulls away, sucking in some much needed air as her hands move to grasp at your shoulders as her core slides against your bulge, and she does her best to muffle another moan by biting down on her lip again.

   “If you're going to be needy for my cock then you better let me hear you” you tell her, going along with the gruff mood she's set while pulling her lip free with your thumb

   She complies, immediately moaning as your hips begin to move in tandem with her own, your cock now harder than she's ever felt it, “Fuck….baby, please”

   “Use you words Omega, tell me what you're begging for”

   “You” she whimpers, “I need you, please”

   You smirk at he, “You have me, I’m right here”

    “I need your cock, and I need it inside me. Please, Alpha” she begs, looking at you with pleading eyes

   You quickly flip your positions, pinning her beneath you against the nest, “Such a desperate little thing. I’m going to give you just what you want”

   Without warning your strong hands rip her panties and shirt off, exposing her tits and soaked puffy cunt to your hungry eyes. You quickly pull down your boxers, letting your cock spring free. Your Omega squirms in anticipation as you line yourself up and slowly push yourself inside.

   “Oh god!” she moans, grabbing ahold of your forearms for support as you stretch her open

    “Fuck” you grunt, bottoming out inside her, “I love how you feel around me baby”

    Unable to form words currently her mouth hangs open, and her head leans back. You lean forward and begin peppering her exposed neck in kisses as your hips begin to trust. Her nails dig into your skin as you hit that perfect spot inside her, but she still needs more.

   “Harder” she whimpers

    She feels you smirk against her skin before slamming your hips forward, causing her breasts to bounce. She can feel a bit of milk beginning to leak from them and she can only hope you notice this too. She loves the feeling of your mouth on her, drinking from her as you please her

   Your mouth makes its way up her neck to her lips once more and easily slip your tongue inside her awaiting mouth. She softly sucks on the muscle, letting her own tongue caress yours. Eventually you become aware of your sleep shirt becoming damp in two places and you reach to squeeze one of her breasts

    She presses herself further into your hold and whimpers, “

    Your hips never falter as you toy with her, watching as milk dribbles from her pebbled buds and down to your fingers. After what feels like forever to the Omega you lean down and take her nipple into your mouth and start to suck.

   “Fuck baby, your mouth feels so good” she moans, burrying her fingers in your hair as she holds your head against her

   You moan around her as her sweet milk coats your tongue, you honestly are glad it’ll take a few more months for your pup to arrive because you aren’t quite ready to share with more than Dima. When you feel her hold let up you take that as your queue to switch to her other breast

   “Yes! Fuck!” she moans as you thrust into her, causing her walls to flutter around you, “I'm so close Alpha, please knot me…need you to fill me up again, please”

  You chuckle at her, “You're already full of my pups, but look at you. My personal little cum slut who just never wants to be empty of my seed”

   You can tell she likes your degrading words based on how tightly her walls grip you, and your knot prods at her entrance. She wraps her legs around your waist to help pull you in and you lock into place with ease, sending her over the edge with you tumbling after.

   After a few moments of catching your breath you look down at her and gently cup her face, “You alright? I wasn’t too rough?”

   She looks up at you lovingly, “That was perfect baby, thank you. I’m sorry I woke you”

   You shake your head, “You don’t have to apologize, or thank me. I’m always happy to take care of you. I love you”

   She smiles as your hand caresses her small bump and begins to purr, “I love you too”

   The two of you cuddle in silence for a few minutes before she looks up at you again, “Alpha, after I give birth and our pup is a certain age, do you think we could maybe try some more things in the bedroom?”

   “What kind of things?” you ask, curiosity peaked

   “Rougher things” You contemplate for a moment. While you’d love to explore some fantasies with her, you don’t want to hurt her. You don’t want her to think you're like Bruce.She seems to sense this, “You aren’t like him, and I’m not asking to be hit”

   You nod, “Okay, then yeah we can talk about it, do some experimenting”

   “Thank you Alpha” she excitedly says, kissing your cheek with a smile

   “You're welcome Omega, now let's go get cleaned up”

Taglist: @wandaromamoff69 @mmmmokdok @nataliasknife @natashasilverfox @when-wolves-howl @danveration @naomi-m3ndez @sheneonromanoff @sayah13 @likefirenrain @nighttime-dreaming @readings-stuff @chaoticevilbakugo @crystalstark02 @wackymcstupid @xchaiix @iaminluvwithnat @lovelyy-moonlight @blackwidow-3 @mistressofinsomnia @that-one-gay-mosquito @yomamagf @yourfavdummy @justarandomreaderxoxo @scoutlp23-blog @whoischanelle15 @lissaaaa145 @eline03 @wizardofstories @imthenatynat @marvelonmymind @fluffyblanketgecko @bitch-616 @dakotastormm  @zoomdeathknight @rayeofmoonlight @aeroae @sashawalker2 @naslt @lattayhottay16 @yelenabelov-ed @thatonebrazilian @that-one-gay-mosquito @marvelwomen-simp @wannabe-fic-reader @tashakink @whitewidowsbite @smromanoff

[genevawrenn]

I haven't said too much on the QSMP situation so I am going to try to at least share my thoughts, as of right now.

First of all : thank you to everyone in this project who did their best through adversity and a corrupt management, you all deserve the world.

To the eggs & capys & penguins & every other admin I will remember the characters you gave us for the rest of my life. Thank you, this past year has been one of my best creativity-wise and I have written nearly as much for this fandom as I did DSMP. You taught me a lot about character writing and found families in times of chaos, I will always think of you fondly.

Now, I want to discuss a few of the things I am disappointed with.

Starting off with how the egg arc ended.

Stories, to have full meaning and impact to me, leave the endings at a point where you want what's best for the characters. You want a chance to see the character development bloom [Hideduo mainly] and having it be so abrupt left us all reeling. It was so awfully familiar as someone who came from DSMP, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I do not blame the admins or ccs one bit here.

It's more...I wish there had been at least one last hurrah. Something Avengers level where we watched them all team up, clear out the Federation and maybe the Watcher too, and leave peacefully. Something that gave them all that one last interaction, a reminder of how through trials and trouble anyone on that island would have given their life for any child, their own or otherwise.

Every single person who woke up on that island went through development and due to miscommunication and watching the server slowly perish for months, it feels horrific to watch them all die one by one without being able to see the fruits of their labour. I am begging for fan made content to fill the hole in my heart left by that ending.

It hurts so much because I loved them all so deeply.

I mained Death Family content because I came into this fandom as a crow and adored how their little unit came to be. A son and a daughter with their damaged father who always did their best for one another. Sure, only one *maybe* was good at communication but they all tried. The effort was there. And the old crow hermit on the wall slowly became one of the most trusted members of the island due to the dedication for his family and friends.

Then I slowly became interested in FitMC's content after watching him hang out with Phil for months, and became a huevito instantly. The relationship he created in /rp with Pac was the first time in a long time I allowed myself to indulge in romance-based content [coming from a former SBI main, that should make sense]. I still remember the panic seeing the shipping art covering my timelines and checking boundaries before I realised this was something they both encouraged.

Fit and Pac came to represent a lot in my heart ; two damaged people moving at the pace both decided in order to form the family neither of them ever had. An ex prisoner and a veteran of toxic wastelands found home in one another's lives, enough they allowed their precious children to become bonded with their significant other.

They never said I love you, instead showed it through acts of service and protecting each other without question. They may not have kissed but they were always beside each other within the same space, only a short step away in case either needed support.

I will miss you forever, your characters were fantastic. I hope there are many more collabs in the future, your dynamic means a ton to a lot of people now.

Same goes to many more characters on that island I don't have the energy to do full write ups on but please know, you occasionally show up in my thoughts and another wave of mourning what I love passes over me. Death and Rosa Family were the ones I fixated on, nearly instantly, and I will create using them for a long time. I want to write their characters in a way that satisfies me, I still have to match my level of DSMP writing and beyond after all.

I want to also send appreciation to the streamers I found because of QSMP, it did what was intended and broke language barriers in ways I will forever be grateful to the translations mods that are becoming more common so I can still watch their content.

Cellbit, Baghera, Etoiles, PacTW, Mike, Roier, Luzu, you all are so cool! I enjoy your content and can't wait to watch more in the future.

Philza, Tubbo, Foolish, Charlie Slimecicle, Jaiden, Badboyhalo, FitMC, some of you I knew before and some I got to know better now, I adore you all.

All I hope for at this point is any future project takes what needs to be learned from watching this server slowly implode and please treat your employees right. Especially in creative ventures, we need the hope there can be confidence people are being treated right behind the scenes.

And to any of the QSMP CC's, I beg there are gaming collaborations and meetups in the future. You all have fantastic chemistry and I hope the families that were formed can continue to support each other.

To the admins. Thank you. I could say it a thousand times over and it would never be enough. You endured literal purgatory because you loved the plots and people so much, you deserve only the best in your future.

I intend to indulge in the egg content for the forseeable future, even if at this point I will just be VOD watching but there are still a few POV's I have wanted to watch in full and now seems like the best time. I do have several WIP I wish to finish and they make perfect inserts if I ever need characters for any new plots I imagine in the future.

Saudade QSMP Egg Arc 2023-2024. You taught me a lot within the short period of a year, you united many communities and heres to hoping we stick together long into the future.

I am sorry for the long post, I needed to spill my thoughts somewhere and tumblr's blogging format is ideal.

Let’s keep creating content surrounding the eggs and families we now miss. I understand if many move on but to me, this interest is one I will remember forever and happily talk about to anyone willing to hear me out. Just like Techno, they live on through me as long as I remember them.

[maxislvt]

All I Want For Christmas Is You

Summary: You're the greatest gift Wanda could ask for.

Warnings: Stalking, obsessive behavior, smut, sex toys, overstimulation, collars, and references to bondage

A/N: I get to have a treat for myself!!!

Event Masterlist

❆❆❆❆❆❆❆❆

Humans were creatures of habits. They had to be up by one time, showered by another, and off to work by the next. If not, they'd fall into stress and have a number of issues following them. You were a perfect example of that, unknowingly so.

Wanda couldn't blame you for not noticing. After all, she went out of her way to keep her control over you subtle. You did not need to know about the camera hiding in your apartment and how she watched you sleeped. All you had to do was appreciate it. Be thankful by living life with all the benefits being under Wanda's watch came with. Being as oblivious as you were, you did that happily.

When you tossed and turned restlessly during the night, you let Wanda talk you to sleep. You never questioned how she magically knew when your period cramps had gotten the best of you and would bring you snacks. You were just thankful for your girlfriend and everything about her. Wanda was easy to open up to and you appreciated that.

Which is why you were avoiding her like the plague for the Christmas season. As much as you loved her, her understanding of you made it near impossible to keep secrets from her. You didn't even make it out of the house to go shopping before you were met with your first obstacle. A simple phone call.

"Hey, sweet doll! Where are you going?"

The honey sweet voice filled your ears and you almost forgot about your entire mission for the day. "Oh, nowhere! I'm still at home actually!" You were thankful your voice didn't give way to your lying. Unfortunately, lying to a woman who had cameras in every nook and cranny of your house was actually impossible.

Wanda made a face of disappointment. You never lied to her before. Something had to be wrong. "I can hear you getting in the car. Wanna try that again?" She looked down at the monitor in front of her. It was funny watching you pout and squirm while trying to come up with another lie. "Come on, I just want to know where my baby is so they're safe. I promise not to laugh if you're going to Baskin Robbins again." She laughed at the frustrated huff coming from you on the other end of the line.

"I'm not going anywhere important and I can't go to Baskin Robbins again because I haven't been this week!" The outburst was short and your anger, if it could even be called that, fizzled out almost immediately. "Sorry…I love you, I'll be back home soon." Before Wanda could accept your apology, you hung up the phone. It shocked you to see Wanda hadn't texted you or called you back after your abrupt hang up.

The lack of another call was but a wolf in sheep's clothing. Wanda was already getting up and prepped to follow you the second you lied to her about where you were going. A simple tracking app was all it took. Wanda was rather confused about why you felt the need to lie about going to the mall, but she elected to watch and follow you before making a move. Your girlfriend took the opportunity to sneak as many pictures of you as she could. It wasn't until you entered her favourite store that she started to put things together.

You had always been obsessed with getting Wanda gifts. When you two first started dating, they were little handmade things. Maybe some cookies you baked or a collage you just finished. Wanda's gifts were always much more expensive. All you wanted to do was match the quality of gifts. That was near impossible considering Wanda had almost an endless flow of money from her parents and you weren't even allowed to have a job anymore. This added to Wanda's confusion because you weren't paying with the card she'd given you and there was no way you would've been able to afford what you bought.

❆❆❆❆❆❆❆❆

Christmas day had arrived shortly after your little outburst and you were so proud of yourself. As far as you knew, Wanda hadn't found out your master plan. When Christmas Eve rolled around, you were buzzing with excitement.

"Open mine first! You gotta!"

Wanda laughed at your excitement and kissed your cheek. "No, you know my rules. You open mine first and then I'll open yours." Wanda looked down at you only to be met with your greatest weapon, puppy dog eyes. A defeated sigh escaped her lips. "Fine, but you're opening all of mine immediately after." She sat down on the couch and opened the rather hefty box. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Inside the box was a number of toys Wanda had only dreamed of using on you. Rope, anal plugs, and even a leash. "Baby, why'd you buy a leash with no…" Her words died down in her throat as you handed her a second box.

"Somebody on campus owed me a favour so I had them make this in return." You mindlessly played with your hands. "I mean, you always say I'm the best gift you could ever ask for so I decided to buy something that would make me better." Your face grew hot as Wanda carefully examined the collar. No more words could come out of your mouth. Part of your brain had been overcome with lust and the part was completely terrified.

Wanda's dominant hand carefully guided you down on your knees. Her hands carefully wrapped the collar around your neck and attached the leash. At first, all she did was tug at it a few times. She shuddered hearing your pathetic whimpering and soft whines. "You really know how to ruin me."

A small yelp escaped your lips when Wanda roughly pulled on the leash and forced you to sit in her lap. You were helpless as she groped you through your pyjama shorts. "Ah, but what about the —"

"Shush, you can open yours in the morning before we go see your parents. Just let me play with my toys first." Wanda's fingers teased your slit before doing away with your bottoms entirely. She grabbed the first toy she could feel. "I know that little clit of yours is really sensitive, I promise I won't be too rough on you."

You moaned softly as Wanda pressed the vibrating wand flush against the bundle of nerves between your legs. No amount of squirming could protect you from the strength of the toy. Wanda made sure to pull you back in place if you got too far away from her. "That feels so good," you slurred out. The slight choking from the collar intensified all the stimulation.

Wanda swirled the toy around your clit and harshly bit your neck. "Cum whenever you need, but I'm not stopping until I've had my fix for the night." Your desperate cries and needy moans only furthered her addiction to your pleasure. "That's it, you know those pretty noises I like to hear." Wanda refused to take the toy off your clit no matter how much you begged.

Overstimulation quickly became too much for you and frantically tried to push Wanda's hand away. "No, no more! I need a break." Your hands defensively covered your cunt.

Wanda clicked her tongue in disappointment. "I guess we'll have to use those pretty little handcuffs you bought."

[gwen-pierce]

“You’ve been dodging me since the auction.”

Gregory Pierce said to his daughter as they sat opposite one another at the Greenwich Country Club. The father and daughter duo was joined by his girlfriend for brunch this time, so no round of golf has been played beforehand. Gwen was thankful for that, too, because despite being about to deny his accusation, it was entirely true. She couldn’t wait to finish the meal and get back to the city.

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’ve just been busy.” The words were smooth like butter as the lie rolled off Gwen’s tongue, offering both her father and Brooke apologetic smiles. “That’s why we have family brunch, right? To make time for each other.” She added, stabbing a chunk of potato off her plate and taking a bite to keep from having to continue to speak. Her father’s eyes lit up at the carefully chosen word. Family. Taking it as acceptance of Brooke’s new status as live-in girlfriend, Gregory returned his daughter’s smile.

“That’s so true and I just love getting to spend time with you, Gwennie, we have so much fun.” Brooke agreed after sipping from her third? Or was it her fourth? Mimosa and when the woman giggled, Gwen had to sip her own to hide her grimace and eye roll.

“Which is why I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. I talked to Coach Hall at the auction…after you left.” He paused to level a stare at his daughter, one that told her that her abrupt departure was both noticed and noted. That it would be leverage for whatever he was about to say next. “Brooke is in charge of event planning for the board this year.” Pausing again, he brushed a delicate kiss to her cheek and Gwen swallowed the acidic taste of bile rising in her throat at the gesture.

“I want you to play in the alumni game! For Spirit Week!” Brooke clapped excitedly, her eyes brimming with the same enthusiasm. Pride shone in her father’s eyes and one wrong word would fade it immediately into disappointment and anger. Instead, Gwen said nothing leaving the way open for Brooke to continue.

“I never played sports when I was in school but I never missed an alumni game. It’s so fun to see everyone back in their green and gold, don’t you think? And I’ve been dying to see you play. Your dad said you were the best on your team.” Mercifully, Gregory answered before Gwen had to find her voice to speak.

“Gwen and her friends would practice non-stop for Spirit Week. They would shit talk their old friends to hell and back leading up to it. She loved it.” Gregory laughed at the memory and Gwen even managed a small smile at the thought of her old friends. It was short lived, though, as the memories of what all those late practices had meant flooded her mind. All the while, Gregory and Brooke went back and forth about plans for the event, stories from the past, and how exciting it would be to watch her in the near future. Gwen spent the rest of the meal fighting off the mental images in her mind and the tears they tried to bring to her eyes and didn’t speak another word.

[read-chill-wine]

Welcome to reviews of...

✨️Books Liz Loves that you should buy if you are in the US before the orange one takes office✨️

Warnings - slight spoilers, mention of misogyny, mentions of smut, a little bit of SJM criticism.

A/N - To those who may be disappointed, I do not discuss SJM as a person, deep plotholes, full character assassinations, etc. In short, I am not going in on glaring issues from this series or her writing. I have a huge post I have been working on for several months where I am addressing these things, but I will not be posting it until I have all the quotes and exact page numbers I am referencing.

The Banned Booklist

See Liz's original Banned Book Post here

As voted by so many of you, we're talking about the ACOTAR series today

**not my picture, but I'd do some bad things for these first editions. Mainly ACOFAS**

The ACOTAR series is a growing series of romantic fantasy, commonly called Romantasy, novels. The series centers around the three Archeron Sisters as they navigate a new life as made high fae after their own series of traumatic events. It spanned into a whole multi-verse connecting ACOTAR into Maas' beloved Throne of Glass and Crescent City series with many fans accrediting Feyre to being what saved both of those worlds as well. The argument has been made that without Feyre, Rhys would not have been freed to save Aelin. Without Feyre, Nesta would not have been made High Fae to collect the dread trove and help Bryce. This is something I do agree with since it does appear that everything in these three worlds is being shaped up to center around Rhysand's family and, in turn, Feyre. I am open to discussion on this, though!

Books 1-2 (the ones mainly beginning to fall under the book bans and challenges) center around the youngest sister, Feyre. In book one, A Court of Thorns and Roses, we open with Feyre hunting to help her family survive a hard winter. Feyre on this trip kills a wolf that turns out to be a high fae male (and unrated self-sacrificing hero) beginning our story. After this happens, the Archeron family is visited by 1 of the 7 High Lords of the fae lands, Tamlin, and she is forced to leave with him under the guise of a treaty between the fae and mortals.

We get to witness a delicious slow burn, almost enemies to lovers situation between Tamlin and Feyre that is littered with hints of something much more dangerous at play. The first book is filled with a lot of whimsy and reads like a very magical world fantasy novel where we see things like a night based in sex magic and fertility, holidays celebrating the arrival of the seasons, and the stunning scenery of the Spring Court. Without spoiling too much, Feyre's time with Tamlin in Spring comes to a very abrupt holt when we get our second glance into Rhysand and his discovery and confirmation of Feyre's existence in Spring and her relationship with Tamlin. Tamlin, in a delicious act of "I'm going to let the world burn for you," sends Feyre back home to the mortal lands for her protection.

Once Feyre discovers her man, male, something (depending on what SJM felt like calling the fae on that page) had been taken by the blight, Feyre gives chase, following him down under the mountain leading to us getting to meet the "Blight" Amarantha and the 3 challenges Feyre is forced to endure to free all of Prythian from the Queen Under the Mountain. Book one ends with Feyre's death and revival at the hands of the High Lords. The now high fae female meets with Rhysand, who may actually not be a bad guy, one last time before heading home with Tamlin to Spring.

Book two essentially picks up where books 1 leaves off. Feyre is back in Spring with Tamlin and struggling deeply. She is scarred from her time under the mountain and it shows through her outward appearance and inwards anxieties that we are a reader experience with her. I will be honest, A Court Of Mist and Fury is my least favorite of the series. I feel it was riddled with plot holes, character assassinations (Lucien, Feyre, and Tamlin) and I do feel SJM killed the very fantasy world based vibes she created with the Spring court once we as readers arrive with Feyre in Velaris. So, to cliff notes this, Tamlin turns into an abuser out of left field, Rhysand is Feyre's mate, they get dirty in some paint after Feyre gives Rhys some canned soup, and her sisters Nesta and Elain are turned High Fae after being kidnapped by Hybern after, and I cannot stress this enough, IANTHE not Tamlin IANTHE sells them out, they get thrown into the Cauldron, Feyre plays dirty little actress, has the King of Hybern (what's his actual name Sarah Janet) break her bargain bond with Rhysand, and we end up back with Tamlin in Spring.

From here, this series is filled with a lot of plotholes and twists that genuinely do not make sense, some poor character development, some good character development, some what the actual hell moments from Rhysand, and a beautiful story in A Court of Silver Flames that centers around Nesta and her growth and journey with addiction and mental health. In short, there are many good things and bad things SJM does, and while the hype around the books may be a little much, it is definitely earned. I do recommend this series to all of my friends in a reading slump.

ACOTAR has created a cult like following with readers ranging from their teens all the way to my 75 year old grandmother borrowing it from me and becoming a huge fan (she's a Helion girlie - I got my love of thighs from somewhere.) That fandom has spanned around the world with many readers in many time zones connecting on levels some argue has not been seen since the start of the Supernatural fandom.

The fandom is filled with controversy, love, drama, and some absolutely talented artists and writers who have all worked their booty off to keep the magic alive while we wait for what is going to be a high anticipated 6th book that many hope will be centered around the middle sister, Elain Archeron. It has helped a lot of readers get back into reading and has landed SJM on the list of top fantasy authors of all time *something I don't agree with. Romantasy, yes. Fantasy, no.*

SJM quickly became one of the most common newly banned authors in 2022-2023 lists with over 13 districts and states banning ACOTAR and ACOMAF with the rest of the series slowly beginning to trickle in. The reason these books are becoming challenged may not shock you all. The first and most common reason is smut. While ACOSF is definitely the most smut heavy, all of these books feature sex scenes. Are they the spiciest books I have ever read? No. Absolutely not. However, it has caused some pearl clutching, causing groups to question if they are appropriate for children and in public spaces. The second reason is ✨️magic✨️. The magic in the book shows "unchristian values" because, evidently, Jesus of Nazareth is the only person allowed to perform magic in books.

There are several common themes in banned romantasy books out side of smut and magic that many against censorship have brought up, and they do appear in the ACOTAR. The most common link in a lot of these novels is strong female leads. From Blood and Ash, Throne of Glass, the Hunger Games, and so many more have potential misogynistic views causing them to end up on these lists.

I don't have a golden way to wrap this one up. I love this series, especially for the fandom. I truly do. I have formed an amazing platform of friends, readers, moots, and connections I treasure dearly. It would genuinely break my heart if this book were to be banned from public libraries. It brings forth so much discussion and beauty, especially when you over look the bad.

[lady-october]

Pairing : Oli Sykes x Female Assistant Genre : Romance, Smut (18+ Only) Previous Chapters : Available on Ao3

Story Content : Smut, Drama, Choking, Power dynamics, Romance, Rough sex, Sadism/Masochism, Dom/Sub, Mentions of addiction & self harm, Degradation, Praise kink, Exhibitionism, Orgasm denial, Breath play, Dirty talk.

Summary :

“Don’t you see what a dangerous game you’re playing? Why did you have to look so fucking delicious tonight, I couldn’t stop undressing you in my mind, thinking of all the twisted things I want to do to you.” She had only worked on the touring team for three weeks, but her mind had been hijacked by dirty thoughts of a man she barely even talked to. Sure, he was very attractive, but were there other reasons she was so uncontrollably drawn to him? This is a filthy story of pain, self discovery, and love.

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Chapter 22: I'm sorry, this directory is encrypted

Chapter title is lyrics from "DIg It"

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Drip.

While registering that something had just connected with my face, I only felt annoyance – the urge to continue sleeping overriding any coherent thoughts about it, or the ability to question why something wet was running down my cheek out of nowhere.

Drip, drip.

My features shifted into a frown as even more droplets began smacking against my skin, causing my consciousness to swim back to me. Suddenly, the warm and solid body next to me was in motion, a hissing noise surrounding us, growing louder, more intense.

“Fucking hell.” Oli uttered, as the very abrupt downpour pelted us mercilessly, rudely interrupting my deep sleep.

While snuggled up last night in silence, we must have drifted off under the stars on the rooftop of the hotel. And now the weather had decided it was time for us to wake up.

We shot up quickly with a yelp, legging it towards the exit, trying to avoid getting completely drenched in the process.

But it was too late; we were soaking.

Our mutual panting echoed in the stairwell after Oli slammed the door shut behind us.

Eyes wide as saucers met mine as he leaned against the door, clearly also pumped full of adrenaline from being awoken so unexpectedly by the icy shower.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I shivered, and he quickly joined in.

“That’s one way to wake up.” He said before taking my hand and pulling me up against him, his arms wrapping around my waist. All of which would have been heavenly if it wasn’t for our cold and soaked clothes, plastered uncomfortably to our bodies.

Smiling down at me, his eyes had softened, and his wet locks had taken on a darker shade as they clung to his temple in little circlets.

“I had a nice time last night.” I said without thinking, feeling rather stupid, knowing the date hadn’t gone according to plan whatsoever. Yet despite starting off rocky, the sex and the long talk afterwards had been nothing short of incredible, leaving me with an odd sense of hope for the future. Which was strange considering the gloomy and uncomfortable topics. 

Thankfully it seemed the man holding me agreed with my statement.

“Me too.” He whispered before leaning in for an unusually chaste and short-lived kiss. Pulling away he uttered what had been on my mind as well, “I don’t know about you but I’d really like to get changed, this feels fucking horrendous.”

I huffed out a laugh, fighting my shivers, “Yes please, let’s go.”

Taking Oli’s hand I started descending the steps.

But he didn’t follow.

“Shit, my phone’s still out there,” he looked towards the fire door then back to me, “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

Disappointment settled in me, having expected us to spend the morning together for some reason.

Which surprised me. Not just because of the expectation, but because I wasn’t overcome with panic at the mere thought of casually spending so many hours in a row with a man who had a romantic interest in me.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later.” I responded after a moment, trying not to let the disappointment be evident in my tone of voice. But when I attempted to let go of his hand, he held onto me. 

“One more thing,” he said, appearing slightly nervous, “can you start wearing underwear again?”

For some reason his question made me uneasy. 

I couldn’t tell if it was because of Mat – because of everything we talked about last night – or because he was trying to abstain from sex with me. It also made me worried that I’d done something wrong, similarly to how I felt last night when he’d been reluctant to open up about his nightmares – something I’d asked about twice now.

“Sure.” I finally settled on, not wanting to pry, not wanting to push him.

He visibly relaxed. Whatever the reason for his request, it was clearly important to him.

“Thank you.”

Letting go of my hand he took a deep breath before disappearing back out into the loud rain. I sighed deeply, trying my best to let go of the uncertainty our short morning interaction had brought on. Hoping it was just my anxious thinking patterns playing tricks on me.

Descending the steps, I made my way back to mine and Liam's room where a robed Liam was snuggled up in bed with a large sandwich in hand.

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in–” He started teasingly, smiling from ear to ear, but confusion quickly claimed his features when he took in my appearance, “What the fuck happened to you, love?”

Laughing, I pointed towards the window, at the downpour outside, “We fell asleep on the roof.”

“With… Oli, I presume?” 

“Yes, with Oli.”

“Sorry it’s hard to keep track of all your lovers.”

The grin was back on his lips, but I just glared at him.

“I’ve only been on one date with Mat– and we only kissed,” I started but quickly remembered that’s not quite true, “Oh, wait, I guess I may have maybe also seen him cum...” I continued under my breath as I began digging around for my toiletries in a rush so I could disappear into the bathroom, feeling both embarrassment at my admission and surprised I had somehow momentarily forgotten all about that incident.

Liam, who had previously been lounging – relaxed as could be – shot up into a sitting position, looking stunned, “Listen, I was just joking around– you what!?”

“I’m gonna go shower.” I quickly mumbled before running off.

“Okay, but you better tell me everything afterwards!” I heard him yell as soon as I shut the door behind me.

When I came back out I was also wrapped up in one of the lush robes the hotel had to offer. Liam scooted over as soon as he saw me, patting the space next to him on the mattress, indicating for me to join him.

I paused, wanting to talk about everything that’s happened – maybe even get some advice. But I was nervous, still not used to talking about my feelings with others, and only really having opened up to Oli so far.

Only Oli, huh? Sounds like I’m getting pretty invested in him already.

Shaking the unpleasant and unnecessary thought out of my head, I instead walked over to the large tray of room service, filled with breakfast foods, attempting to avoid both my own mind, and Liam, all at the same time.

“Yay, you got bagels!” I said with a bit more enthusiasm than the ordinary food warranted, but Liam was having none of it. 

“For the love of god, Alice. You can’t leave me hanging like this.”

I took a deep breath.

Okay, I can do this.

Abandoning the plethora of foods for now, I made my way over to Liam and joined him on the bed, feeling like a pair of gossiping teens at a sleepover. 

While I left out most of the explicit details, Liam’s jaw was still on the floor for most of it. Once I came to the part about Fay I learned that Liam already knew of the love triangle, which made sense as he started working with them right after it all happened – right after Oli’s recovery.

When I got near the end of the story, in the middle of telling him that I’d developed feelings for Oli – that I craved the emotional connection with him despite my commitment issues – I realised how effortlessly everything had flowed out of me, how easy it had been to talk to Liam, and I wondered distantly if it was because Oli had inspired me, pushed me, opened up whatever part of me that I’d sealed shut so tightly for everyone else in my past.

“So, what are you gonna do?” Liam asked once I was done naming all the reasons I felt pressured into dating Oli and Mat at the same time; how all of this was happening too fast, at a time in my life when I felt so very lost.

“I think I have to see both of them until I can figure things out. It’s all just horrible timing though, isn’t it?”

“You don’t have to do anything, love – you don’t have to date either of them, but I’ll tell you this much; there’s no such thing as the right time.”

I frowned, knowing damn well this couldn’t be happening at a worse period in my life, “What do you mean?”

He paused, considering his words, “I think the universe has a way of pushing us when we need it most. So a lot of the time the right people will enter your life at the worst possible time, but if it’s meant to be then you will still manage to keep them around. Mostly because you will feel the urge to fight for it, to make it happen even when everything goes against you.” His sympathetic eyes grew questioning, “Do you feel any of that?”

I thought about it for a beat, recapping all the discomforts I had put myself through – and continued to put myself through – in order to cling onto the things I wasn’t ready to let go of, “I guess I do. I think I would’ve gone home by now if I didn’t.”

He smiled at me, “Well I’m very happy you’re still around, regardless of the reason.”

The talk had left me feeling lighter than expected, and with a lot less panic about the situation. Which thankfully made the prospect of running into Mat today a lot less daunting.

Or so I’d thought, until it actually happened.

A couple of hours passed and it was time to set off; to drive the two hours back to the venue and begin all the preparations for tonight's show. But once we were done packing the van up with the essentials for the gig, I realised I’d forgotten my bag in my room, so I ran along to quickly retrieve it.

I was locking the door behind me, holding my previously missing bag, when I saw the elevator doors starting to glide shut in the distance.

“Wait!” I yelled, sprinting down the corridor. I was incredibly grateful to see a hand appear on the door, holding it open for me. Once I got to the open elevator I was wearing a smile, ready to thank the kind stranger, but my smiling lips were quickly joined by wide eyes.

“Hi.” Mat said calmly, grinning at me as he held the elevator doors.

I knew I’d have to face him any moment now, but I’d been hoping it would’ve been in the van, surrounded by everyone else, effectively removing any pressure to hold a conversation. Instead it had to be in a claustrophobically small metal box, with just me and him.

“Hi.” I eventually responded before coming to stand next to him, facing the door, finding it nearly impossible to maintain eye contact after what happened last night; after he watched me melt from Oli’s fingers moving over my pussy, after spanking me.

I guess it’s only fair that we’ve both seen each other's expression when we’re deep in uncontrollable pleasure.

The tension between us was unbearable as the elevator moved from floor to floor, at a pace that convinced me the passing of time had been tampered with – now very clearly moving in slow motion. 

When there was only one floor left, Mat launched forward to press the Stop button, causing the elevator to halt with a jolt.

My heartbeat was already in my throat when he turned around to face me, giving me a stare that felt intimate despite the distance between us.

“I don’t want things to be awkward between us.” He sounded nervous.

“Me neither.” I quickly responded, even though I didn’t have a single clue how to make things any less awkward.

My response caused all of the evident nerves to promptly fade away from him. 

He took a step closer to me, some of the unreadable emotion from last night now on his features, “Spend tonight with me, at the club.”

Since we all had tomorrow off, the VIP section of a local club had been booked for all the bands that were performing tonight, as well as their entourage. Considering what happened at the last afterparty we went to, I had my reservations about even attending now when the Mat spanner had been thrown into the works. But since I was the designated driver I didn’t have much choice.

“I don’t know.” An involuntary smile tugged at the corners of my lips, feeling quite intrigued by this unexplored version of him.

He took another step towards me, slowly stepping into my personal space, “Cause of Oli?”

Something was different about him, he wasn’t usually this demanding, this intense – no, that was Oli’s domain. Mat was always the laid back one, the patient and polite one.

“Yeah.” I breathed, looking up at him as he pinned me with his unreadable eyes.

“You can spend time with him too.” His voice came lower, quieter, due to our close proximity.

The eye contact that had seemed hopelessly awkward just moments ago, was suddenly unbreakable, the tension between us growing more magnetic, surrounding us with a sense of desire.

“Your friendship is odd.” I said distantly, feeling equal parts nervous and excited.

“Can’t argue there– what do you say?”

A smile spread across his lips as my expression gave away my intentions before speaking. I already knew I wanted to agree to his proposal, wanting to spend more time with him in hopes that it would help sort out the tangled mess inside me.

“Alright.”

“Looking forward to it.”

His smile grew momentarily before his gaze fell to my lips, his demeanour shifting, growing dirty, determined.

I felt myself hold my breath as he leaned in, so convinced he was about to kiss me that my mouth fell open. But instead he stepped back and reached for the elevator controls, ready to end our intimate moment. I was about to exhale, to relax and fight the sense of disappointment I was experiencing, when I noticed his fingers hovering, never actually connecting with the button. 

I swallowed.

Suddenly fiery, filthy eyes shot back to mine before he grabbed me, crushing my lips to his, pulling me flush against him. 

I dropped the bag in the process, struggling to form any type of coherent thought as his hands raked over my body – until he got to my very sore behind, which pulled me back to myself enough to feel torn in half, both finding this morally wrong – like I somehow belonged to Oli, like I’m already his girl... Yet the other half of me wanted nothing more than for his rough hands to touch my bare skin, hating the layers between us. 

But my moral dilemma was short lived. Paying more attention to how he was handling me I noticed the sharp sense of urgency in his kiss, in the way he tensed beneath my fingers that were digging into his shoulders, how tightly he was pressing me against him, how his hands were studying my shape as if trying to almost memorise it for later. 

As if he might not get another chance to feel me in this way. 

Whatever the reason for his desperation, it felt like more than lust, more than being rushed due to having stopped the establishment's only elevator.

Oli had told me he falls too hard, too fast – was Mat the same? Was this an emotionally indulgent moment?

He let go of me as quickly as he had grabbed me, and there was suddenly several feets worth of space between us. I hadn’t realised, but he’d pushed me up against the back of the elevator during our brief yet passionate embrace. Which I was now thankfully leaning against, feeling disoriented and incredibly overheated.

Mat wiped his bottom lip with the back of his hand, appearing barely contained as he started the elevator again, his dark eyes eating me up, clearly wanting a lot more than these short, stolen moments between us.

I was speechless, merely a receiver of the energy he was aiming my direction like a laser beam before the doors opened. Wordlessly, he broke our eye contact and stepped out of the elevator, leaving me to gather myself.

But sadly I never got a chance to.

Only seconds after leaving me, an elderly couple joined me in the small metal box, forcing me to use my legs prematurely, which now felt more like spaghetti than flesh and bone. 

Another unfortunate consequence of not getting a chance to pull myself together, was the fact that the first person to lay eyes upon me as I stepped out of the hotel was Oli. 

I knew he could see it on me, how flustered I was. He’d seen it on me an endless amount of times.

The only difference being that this time he hadn't been the one to cause it. And since I had been right on Mat’s heels, it was pretty obvious something had just transpired between us.

I wanted to disappear, to simply run away. Maybe just dash into the woods behind them to never be heard from again. I could find a cabin somewhere and just enjoy life as a hermit, forage for berries and learn to catch fish in the lake. 

While it was just a wild fantasy, it felt infinitely more compelling than spending the next two hours stuck in a van with the two of them.

Kicking myself mentally I lowered my head and quickly made my way to the driver's seat, which Liam was already occupying.

“Get out, I’m driving.” I muttered before essentially pulling him out of the van.

He stepped out, slapping my hands away, “Alright, alright– I just thought I’d drive since you drove us here yesterday.”

“No worries, I’m fine to drive.” I shot him pleading eyes, hoping he’d catch the hint.

He squinted at me, “Okay, but if you think this will get you out of driving us back tonight after the club you’re mad – I was promised I could have a drink.”

I hesitated for a moment, looking over to the passenger seat which was already taken by Matty, knowing that if I didn’t drive I’d have to sit in the back with the others. At the same time I knew how much driving this route had exhausted me yesterday, and doing it twice in the same day would be pushing it, especially considering how much work we had ahead of us.

I felt myself deflate.

“Fine, you drive.”

Dread filled me as I walked back around the van, trying my best to not catch anyone's eye when I opened the van door, only to find that I was faced with yet another problem.

There were two rows worth of seats in front of me; in the front row Lee was sitting near the window furthest away, with Mat in the middle who was watching me with anticipation, clearly hoping I’d take the seat next to him. 

In the back row however, Oli sat all alone, staring distantly out the window. 

And while the energy from the front row was warm and welcoming, I knew I’d have to pick the back seat.

I told myself that it simply made more sense this way – there was so much more room in the back row after all. But somewhere in the back of my mind I knew my subconscious was calling out to Oli. I just couldn’t tell if it was due to guilt, or because I wanted to be closer to him, having missed him this morning.

As soon as I shut the van door behind me, Oli looked in my direction. His large eyes locked with mine and I could tell he was happy I was back here with him, despite the sadness in them, despite the defeat in his posture. And while there was an entire empty seat separating us, I felt the comfort from his presence, confirming I’d made the right choice.

It scared me, terrified me even, how attached I was growing, how much I seemed to crave his presence around me in more and more ways each passing day. How quickly it was happening, and mostly how powerless I felt against it.

It struck me that I’d never let myself get this attached to anyone before, having chronically kept everyone at arm's length my entire life. Even my mother. 

I was so uncomfortable with the idea that I started regretting coming back here, wishing I’d just taken the driver’s seat and dealt with the exhaustion afterwards. All of which was made infinitely worse as I realised the sheer amount of ‘firsts’ Oli had been for me; first to open up to about all my fears, all my struggles; first to explore my kinks with; first to pull me in like a magnet, occupying my mind and heart so many hours of the day.

First person I couldn’t seem to get enough of.

Suddenly I was feeling nauseous as we drove along the winding road, and I knew it wasn’t because of the road, or the amount of bagels I’d had this morning, but because of all the inner demons I couldn’t seem to fight off any longer.

Terror began to press in from every direction, and before I knew it a panic attack was building inside me. I could tell it was going to be an unusually bad one when my breathing sped up, rapidly turning into hyperventilation.

That’s when I saw Oli’s open hand resting in the middle seat, reaching for mine.

My wide eyes shot to his worried ones; they were so tender, filled with the softness I craved, my heart ached at the sight.

He shoved his hand closer to me, pleading for me to take it, to let him comfort me.

Somehow it felt like a trust-fall to take it, like jumping out of an aeroplane with Oli being my untested parachute. All I could do was hope his touch would settle me, when I knew it had the potential of making me infinitely worse.

I didn’t even consider if anyone could see us as my fingers intertwined with his, too preoccupied by my narrowing vision, my speeding pulse, how I felt like I couldn’t get a full lungs worth of air.

Once he had a good grip on my hand, he squeezed it, rubbing his thumb on my skin slowly, silently letting me know he was there for me.

I focused on his touch, his presence, as I began taking deeper and deeper breaths, my heart rate dropping slowly.

It was working, I felt the parachute open before my face hit the ground. Ironically the man that had caused the sudden and severe onset panic was now the one to ease it away from me.

We held eye contact as my body slowly returned to normal, a glowing, affectionate smile making an appearance on him as he noticed how I was calming down, coming back to myself.

I was bewildered, amazed at how well such a simple gesture had completely disarmed the bomb inside me. Looking down at the hand still tenderly holding mine, brushing my skin lovingly, I had to fight back tears for what felt like the hundredth time around the man next to me.

He must have noticed my struggle, uncertainty making an appearance on him. Squirming in his seat, his eyes darted to check what the others were doing, then began untangling our fingers. But I stopped him, holding his hand tighter, determined to not break whatever spell that had managed to stop my panic attack dead in its tracks. I had never been able to stop one myself once it had reached that stage, neither did I know it was possible.

The vulnerability on his face once he realised what I was doing should have startled me, should have sent me right back into my spiral of panic, but instead I just smiled at him, feeling rather calm as his gaze flickered between me and our hands.

I don’t know if anyone noticed what we were doing in the back of the van, but we continued to hold hands for the rest of the journey.

It was such a simple gesture, yet it somehow felt like the most intimate thing we’d done so far. 

So why am I not terrified all of a sudden?

My mind kept attempting to race with these thoughts, touching on the things that usually triggered me, but every time I felt the pressure build inside me, I would just squeeze his fingers, and they’d squeeze me right back, pumping my veins full of his comforting energy. Making me feel safe.

Once we got to the venue, parking up next to the tour bus we’d left here overnight, we let go of each other. My fingers had completely cramped up, hurting as I stretched them, but I hadn’t even noticed during the long drive.

We wordlessly parted ways for the day, right as Liam showered me in the usual tasks. And before I knew it, my feet were hurting almost as much as my butt did.

When all the opening bands had performed for the night, I was with Liam backstage, making sure all the props were in the correct places for the stagehands, when Mat tapped on my shoulder.

“Are you alright to stand a bit further out than usual? I’d like to see you during the show.”

He was bouncing on the spot, clearly pumped up for the impending performance. Yet the laid back demeanour still somehow remained.

How odd.

I considered his request, still a bit taken aback from what happened in the elevator earlier, but also unsure how to respond considering there was a reason I kept to the shadows when I could; I don’t particularly enjoy the public attention.

“Maybe.” I responded teasingly, trying to keep the mood light.

He just smiled at me, knowing there was no time to argue.

“I’ll take it.” He said before walking up on stage with the rest of the guys. 

Well, everyone except the lead singer, who entered the stage last, on a later cue.

I was looking around for the man in question in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him before his performance, knowing he’d be close, but I wasn’t expecting him to appear right in front of me as I turned around.

“You look lovely.” He purred, coming to stand only inches away from me.

I was about to thank him, compliment him back, but he spoke almost immediately, clearly rushed – which made sense considering we only had about 30 seconds before it was his turn to run up on stage.

“You sticking with me later tonight?”

My heart sank.

“Some of the time.” The face I wore was apologetic to say the least, not wanting to admit I’d already agreed to spend time with Mat at the club – not after the expression Oli wore when he saw me leaving the hotel this morning.

His hand reached for mine, holding it in his with a surprising tenderness considering the high energy that was radiating off of him, also clearly ready to expel a high amount of it for the crowd in a moment.

Distantly I wondered how much energy he had when not on tour, when he didn’t spend so much of it on performing.

“Am I bad company?” His eyebrow raised, turning his grin more questioning, yet flirty.

“No, you’re great company.” Even though I really didn’t want to tell him, I knew there was no point in trying to hide it, especially since he’d see us together tonight anyway, “Mat’s already asked me.”

The smile fell away from him completely, almost as if it had been a facade entirely, and whatever urgency there had been in Mat’s behaviour earlier completely paled in comparison to whatever had just taken hold of Oli.

Regret washed over me for not waiting till after the show to tell him, made worse by the music starting – meaning we only had around 15 seconds left together. 

Throwing a quick glance towards the stage, he pinned me with all-too serious eyes and let his hands rest on my arms, as if wanting to hold me in place, causing worry and confusion to rush over me at the immediate shift in behaviour. For a brief moment he appeared uncertain, questioning whether he should speak or not, but his decision was made clear by the rant that followed.

“The nightmares, they started when I was a teenager; my girlfriend at the time killed herself, slashed her wrists one night,” he spoke so very fast, saying things I didn’t have a chance to even begin unpacking. All I could focus on was the fact that he needed to be on stage in mere seconds, yet he was opening up to me out of nowhere, not leaving any room for me to react or respond, “I know it wasn’t my fault, but it messed me up, made me real scared of some things – made me real hard on myself in many ways.”

“Oli!” A stagehand yelled next to us, interrupting him.

“Wait!” He barked, then immediately threw him an apologetic look before returning his intense attention to me, “I’ve dreamt about you for a month now, most nights you torture me, try to kill me–” He shook his head in distress, seemingly out of frustration due to the time constraints, “I know I’m not making a lot of sense – I can explain much better later, but my point is–”

“You really gotta get on the stage man.” The poor stagehand continued, only trying to do his job, but Oli’s attention remained on me, talking over him entirely.

“I don’t open up to people a lot, and I know you don’t either,” he searched my face for a split second, his eyes darting all over it, sheer panic in his stare before he gently shook me in his hands, “You’re very special to me too.” 

He let go of me and shot up the steps leading to the stage so fast I barely had time to realise he was gone.

I was left standing alone in the dark, completely stunned, as the man that had just dumped a ton-of-bricks worth of intimate and bewildering information on me, started singing the words of the first song in the setlist.

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[baileypie-writes]

Hello! is it too late to submit a request? I keep forgetting to ask this one, but I was wondering if you could write about a platonic reader + Twilight from Princess Precure as the reader's wingman/wingwoman/wingbestie or something- ya know, just the reader being Twilight's bestie but also she's their wingbestie who sometimes calls her for silly stuff- I hope that makes sense and if it's too much to ask, I'm sorry! Also here's a Twilight photo so you don't gotta search for one!

I'm obsessed with her plz help lol /j

A/N ~ Sure! I unfortunately couldn’t save the image provided, but I was able to find another one, so it’s okay:) Also, I hope I used the “wingbestie” term correctly. I’m not too familiar with the term haha. Hope you enjoy!

~Wing-Bestie~

Twilight + GN!Villain!Reader

~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~

Fandom: Go! Princess Precure

Fanfic Type: Oneshot

Reader: Gender neutral, a villain

Relationship: Platonic

Genre: Fluff

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Twilight was ordered by her mother not to leave the castle. Though, being a good friend, you helped her sneak out.

Warnings: Mention of the possibility of Dyspear destroying Reader, kind of abrupt ending

~Masterlists~

~Go! Princess Precure Masterlist~

~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~

As you wondered through the dark palace, your annoyance only became more definite. The one person you were looking for was nowhere to be found. In fact, it seemed as if the only times you couldn’t find her was when you actually needed her. Her mysteriousness could be highly inconvenient sometimes.

Though to your relief, the start of a somber, lonely violin solo began echoing throughout the halls. You followed the sound, almost as if the music notes created a physical trail for you to follow. Soon enough, the song led you to a large, open room. There, standing in the center, under a large crystal chandelier, was Twilight.

She continued playing, her bow moving in a perfect, natural fashion, almost as if the song was playing her. You knew she knew you were there. She always did. Though you didn’t mind being ignored. It was always a pleasure to hear her breathtaking violin skills.

After the song concluded, you gave her a round of applause. She lowered her bow, while keeping the instrument tucked under her chin. She gently lifted her dress a bit, giving a tiny curtsy. “What is it you need me for, (name)?” She asked after coming back up.

“Aw, c’mon Twi. Don’t you think it’s kinda rude to assume I only come to you when I need something?” You laughed, acting hurt.

“I’ve told you before to not call me that. If you wish to refer to me, use my full name.” She said, lowering her violin to rest at her side.

“We’re friends, aren’t we? A lot of friends have nicknames for each other. You can make up one for me!”

“I refuse. And again, call me ‘Twilight’.”

“Aww, you’re no fun.” You slumped. But you knew she could’ve been meaner. Not too long ago, she completely denied the idea of being friends. So you at least had that.

“I still suspect that you need something from me. If you don’t tell me now, I’ll be going.” Twilight turned her back to you, preparing to leave the room.

“Okay, you got me.” You laughed. “I was wondering if you’d wanna come to summon a Zetsuborg with me?

She sighed. “I suppose. I will have to get my mother’s approval though.”

“Yay!” Your excitement was through the roof. Twilight usually didn’t agree to leave the castle with you. However, your victory was short lived.

“But Mother-“ Twilight said, but was cut off.

“No buts. I said I don’t want you going out today. Don’t make me say it again.” Dyspear said, her calm face contrasting with her chilling voice.

Twilight sighed. “Yes Mother. I’m sorry.” She then walked away, hiding her annoyance and disappointment. “Sorry (name). We can’t go.” She told you once she left the room.

“Aw darn. Why is she so controlling all the time?” You rolled your eyes.

“She’s just trying to protect me. Though I admit it can get overbearing at times.”

“Well…” You gave a mischievous look.

“What are you planning?” Twilight said, already sensing a bad idea.

“I could sneak you out.” You offered.

“No way. My mother would know.”

“Not if we’re careful! And we won’t be gone long!” You pleaded.

Twilight crossed her arms in thought. Her eyes closed her a few moments, and then she sighed. “Alright. But if we get in trouble-“

“-all the blame will go to me!” You finished the sentence for her.

She cracked a small smile, and you swore you heard a chuckle. “Well then, shall we go?”

You nodded, then snapped your fingers, summoning a keyhole shaped portal. You looked to your left, then your right, before taking her hand. “Okay, quickly!” You then both jumped into the portal.

When you reached the other side, you were on the rooftop of Noble Academy, the Pretty Cure’s school. You immediately began scanning the area below you, looking for a victim.

As if she read your mind, Twilight began looking as well. It didn’t take long before she pointed to a girl next to a flower bed. “How about her?”

“She looks interesting! Thanks Twi!” You said. Twilight simply rolled her eyes at hearing her disliked nickname.

With a snap of your fingers, you teleported a few feet above the girl. “Hey! Lemme see that dream of yours!” You demanded.

“Huh? Who are you?” The girl asked. But no answer was given. You took a glimpse inside the girl’s dream. She held up a unique looking flower, while everyone around her cheered. The words “I wanna breed a new type of flower!” echoed in the picture.

“Huh, what an interesting dream. Too bad it’s mine now.” You said in a teasing tone. “Go forth, Zetsuborg!” You commanded. A lock wrapped around the dream, and took the form of a giant, thorny flower. The girl was then put in a cage that suspended in the air. “Go on, Zetsuborg! Have some fun!” You told it. It did as it was told, firing giant thorns from its body. All the nearby students began screaming and running away. With a chuckle, you turned to Twilight. “And now, we wait.”

“Do you think you’ll defeat the Pretty Cure this time?” She asked.

“Eh, not sure. But I don’t really care about that right now. I’m more in it for the fun!”

She simply hummed, and continued watching the chaos unfold.

~~~~

Unfortunately, your fun didn’t last long. The Princess Pretty Cure defeated your Zetsuborg in no time, freeing the dream from your grasp. “Darn. Oh well.” You shrugged. “C’mon Twi, let’s-“ A sudden voice in your head interrupted your sentence.

“(name), Twilight, see me immediately.”

It was Dyspear. And from the town of her voice, she was not happy.

“Mother…” Twilight whispered to herself, implying that she heard it too.

“Hey, it’s okay! Remember, I’m taking all the blame!” You placed a hand on her shoulder as an attempt to comfort her. Though, she didn’t seem convinced.

A portal sent the two of you back to the castle in no time. As expected, you could tell Dyspear was furious, even though her face appeared neutral. “Twilight, I believe I told you that you were not to leave the castle today.” Her voice was eerily calm.

“I know mother, but-“ Twilight began, though you cut her off.

“Dyspear, if I may. I was the one who took her out. I wanted to summon a Zetsuborg, and thought it would be good for her if she watched. Y’know, to get some experience. It was truly my fault. I’m very sorry.” You got on your knees, bowing lowly.

Dyspear hummed, and tapped her fingernail on the armrest of her throne. “Whether your intentions were good or not, you convinced my daughter to disobey my orders. And on top of that, you failed to defeat the Pretty Cure. So I’m sure you’re prepared for a punishment.”

“Yes, your majesty.” You remained bowing.

~~~~

Your punishment was surprisingly not too harsh. You were simply temporarily banned from going out and creating Zetsuborgs. You were also not allowed to be around Twilight for a while.

You were simply amazed that your life was spared. Though, you knew that Twilight most likely had something to do with it. And for that, you were eternally grateful.

A knock came from your bedroom door, so you went to see who it was. A piece of paper was slipped under it, so you picked it up. It was a note.

“Dear (name),

I’d like to sincerely thank you for taking all the blame. It was very kind of you. In return, I had convinced my mother to spare you.

You’re surprisingly enjoyable to be around, so I figured keeping you around would be better than having you destroyed.

I await for more of your ideas after your punishment has ended.

~ Your friend, Twi”

You were ecstatic at her note. Not only did she admit to being your friend, but she used her nickname! You hastily looked around for a piece of paper, eager to write her back.

“Dear Twi,

Thanks for getting me out of trouble! I guess we’re even now!

But I’ll still always be there for you. I’m your wing person and best friend. Your ‘wing-bestie!’

~ (name)”

You slid the note under your door, and eagerly waited. The clicks of heels signaled that Twilight was there again, and just a few moments later, another paper was given to you.

“Dear (name),

I appreciate your loyalty.

But please don’t use the term ‘wing-bestie’ ever again.

~ Twi”

~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~🎻~~~

~~baileypie-writes

[plushchimera]

I am deleting veilguard spoilers tags from my blacklist, I am free!

can't believe I actually guessed the twist x) I was fully prepared for it to be another byproduct of the unfortunate development hell this game went through

and as great the satisfaction of being right is, I have a hard pill to swallow: Varric was *like that* on purpose. Like every time he said something vaguely inspirational and meaningless at the same time, and it was pissing me off. I hate to admit that it makes sense, in the context of him being magically amplified memory of a guy you knew for 6 month who elected himself to be your life coach mentor after you were kicked out from your previous job for being a loose cannon.

You know, I did have fun. I think it's all more disappointing to me because I booted the game with 0 expectations, but then while playing I started to expect certain things. Like you can see all those interesting hooks and questions in front of you only for them to be quietly dropped or resolved instantly. man I'd really love to see regional\factions storylines to be expanded and given more time and care, while axing all those meaningless go-kill-stuff-get-a-chest side quests.

okay it's not even worth mentioning really and I attribute it to the development hell as well, but the really bizarre moment when the characters were short of looking straight into the camera, at the player (and I swear Isabela did at some point), saying almost in gaming terms "hey it's time to do our personal quests now!" And then they repeated it 2 or 3 times like I'm a 4 year old. That felt surreal x)

Also the ending crawl. Like please hold the shot for 1,5 seconds longer! It was so quick and abrupt can't even look at the art properly.

Loved companions overall. The codex notes about lighthouse were very cute and I loved them too! wish I've gotten the 3rd book club meeting note but alas.

Lucanis' romance was mostly implied but I can live with that x) I left Emmrich in my og save, I'll watch it on youtube probably.

I need a "do it for her" wall with pictures of Bellara