#authors note: it will be a future ship cause i think it could be cute

[a-fable-lost-to-time]

Are Lizzie and Pearl dating? It seems like they're dating. It's cute.

Pearl: we are not

SL Lizzie: *mutters quietly* unfortunately

[starry-agere]

hihi <33 you have a rly nice account ^_^

Could you give some ideas for getting (and hiding!) gear? I really need ideas OwO

tyyyyyyy

hi! thank you :D

tips for getting gear:

look on etsy! there are lots of shops on etsy that sell pacis, sippies, teethers etc. i, personally, bought a custom sippy with my name on it that came with both a sippy cup lid and a regular tumbler lid, so it's easy to show someone the cup with tumbler lid if they ask what you bought! i will note that most plain pacis on etsy are way overpriced (usually $10-15 from my memory?). they're cheaper on rearz.ca and pacifieraddict.com, but they ship from canada so shipping can be a bit expensive.

follow agere shops on insta! there's tons of deco paci + general agere shops on there that do discreet shipping. some of my favorites include: @/chubbi_quorn, @/inkys.pacis, @/pups.paci.agere.shop, @/littlest._.creations, and @/baby.shark.binkies.

amazon! you can buy adult pacis on amazon, as well as teethers and baby toys.

check out your local target/walmart/etc! there's tons of cute teethers, toys, snacks, etc made for babies and kids there. plus, you can always order from these stores online and have stuff delivered!

note: i do not recommending buying or using pacis made for babies, as the teats are too small for an adult's mouth and extensive use can cause your teeth to move around. adult pacis were originally made by dentists (to prevent snoring) and are safe for adult mouths!

more under the cut!

tips for hiding gear:

when buying from a shop on etsy, check if they have an option to hide the paci in a stuffie! some shops will ship the paci inside of a stuffie, either with a zipper in its back or they will sew it inside.

keep gear in a bag or box inside of your clothes drawers, closet, or desk. for a long time, i had my pacis inside of a painted wooden box in a desk drawer.

you could also wrap your gear inside of a shirt and tuck it into the back of your dresser or closet

hide gear underneath your bed

get an opaque storage container and keep gear in there

you can buy fake/hallowed out books and store things in there on your shelf

tips for if someone finds your gear:

pacis:

if you're a snorer, say that it's used to prevent snoring at night

say that it helps you calm down from panic attacks

say that it helps with teeth and mouth pain

if it's a deco paci, say that you think it's pretty

teethers:

say that you use it for chewing stims

say that it helps with teeth pain

say that it helps to have something to bite when you're mad

workbooks/kids books:

say that you're collecting for when you have kids in the future

say that you like the pictures

say that they make you nostalgic

say that you like the author so you want to support them

i do want to note that if someone finding your gear would compromise your safety, it probably isn't worth it to buy any. your safety comes above all else, and you're a valid regressor whether you have gear or not!

that ended up being a lot more than i expected! i hope that helps, and you're welcome to send in an ask if you have any questions <3

[trekkie-lkm-archive]

Info: I don't know if anyone has suggested this yet but what about a Doctor Who/Star Trek Crossover.

Scotty discovers his mirror-self "The Editor" but then soon finds that it actually is his future. An accident is suppose to occur in the future turning him into this cold evil creature and he does everything he can to prevent it but unfortunately it's his fate. Years later the crew stumble upon Scotty as the Editor, luring and killing people. They then take him back to the ship unconscious and McCoy does everything he can to bring Scotty back. Love sparks between the two (I dunno. I think it would be cute in my opinion) and when all seems well for Scotty, he keeps having recurring dreams of the horrible creature he was until finally he develops and split personality and goes from affection with McCoy to down right cruel and abusive. I couldn't figure out how to end it….I bet ya'll could think of somethin' creative! And sorry for the long explanation. XD. Random Chekov appearances would be super to! Cause he's just so damn adorable! <3

(thread)

Fill: 1/1

Author: White-Tigers-of-Darkness

Note: They are also found here on AO3

[FFN disallows archiving]

[iwannawritelots]

A Safe Being

Originally written June 2022

Masterlist

Genre: fluff

Ship(s): Lucifer X MC

(genderless MC)

Trigger/content warnings: brief allusion to Lucifer and MC’s past aggressive physical altercations

Headcanons/notes from the author: this has been sitting in my list of ideas for ages. It ended up different than initially planned but I think it’s one of my best, especially for my Lucifer fics.

Brief Blurb: Lucifer and MC are finally able to be alone together.

You and Lucifer had made your way into his room, completely alone at last. Everyone else was out doing something else, meaning you and the avatar of pride were in a quiet mansion. “Perhaps I could choose a record from the human world, this time.”

“You have human world records?” you asked, a bit bewildered. “Aren’t those boring for you, since they don’t pose any threat?”

Lucifer chuckled and left your side to inspect his collection. “Not all of my records have to be cursed, songbird. I just happen to have mostly cursed records.” He ran his fingertips over the rows of records, humming to himself. “Perhaps you would like to choose?”

A tiny shake of your head, and Lucifer frowned. “I don’t think it’ll change anything if I choose. I doubt you have a song I know.” He perked an eyebrow, then hummed as he turned around to properly look at you.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have a song you know,” Lucifer told you softly. “I won’t insist, but… surely you don’t think I would ignore the classics of your part of the human world?”

Crossing your arms, you asked, “Are you admitting to have taken interest in my culture?”

“Perhaps,” he fought back a stupidly large grin, then turned away. “I will choose, but don’t be afraid to ask to change it.” You watched Lucifer pick out a record, then place it on its player and adjust the needle so the music would sound. For a moment, you were sure he was swaying his hips to it as he approached you. “Now, _____… will you dance with me?”

A soft smile spread across your lips and you carefully took his outstretched hand. “I have no reason not to.” He made a pout, but quickly attempted to neutralize it, though it was in vain. “You’re cute when you pout, Luci.”

He bit his cheek to hide an amused smile. “You’re really something else, aren’t you?”

Humming, you took the lead. One hand on Lucifer’s waist and the other holding his own, which caused him to blush. “Well, I am your human master, after all,” you reminded him softly. “I think I’m allowed to tease you within reason.” His face became even hotter, pink stinging his cheeks as he barely maintained eye contact. The fact that he wasn’t lashing out with wounded pride made you glimmer with joy. “Feeling safe?”

There was a moment of only the soft music between you two. “I am. You are safe,” he told you quietly. “Is… that okay?”

“Of course, silly.” You chuckled and moved your hand from his waist to cup his cheek. He leaned into it slightly, allowing his eyes to flutter shut. “I would be a bit concerned if you felt unsafe with me.”

He grimaced. “Do you… feel safe with me?”

You hummed and used the hand on his cheek to run through his hair. “Much more than I used to. You’re very safe for me now.” His sigh of relief told you more than any words could. “That doesn’t mean you can mistreat me in the future.”

“Yes, songbird.” He opened his eyes slowly, then carefully leaned to kiss you. “If I ever think to hurt you again, then don’t give me the time of day,” he muttered against your lips.

“I can promise that.”

reblog divider

[1kook]

baecation

Jeon Jeongguk x (F) Reader

summary⥗“Lose the top, or lose the right to present yourself in any low back gown for the next three months.” He truly knew the way to your heart. tags⥗richboy!jk, -3 knowledge of how vacations work, domestic love!!!, outdoor sex, unprotected sex, fingering, jk’s white ass cheeks mention wc⥗5.9k u ever randomly get inspired for the first time in 2 months and write a whole fic in one night anyway enjoy

There were many perks to dating the heir of your city’s top conglomerate, the endless showering of gifts being one of them, but your favorite thing about your boyfriend wasn’t his overflowing pockets or his secure future, but the lovesick look in his eyes when you told him how much you loved him.

Jeongguk was an enigma.

He was born to be the stereotypical rich boy that authors of teen fiction could only dream of, his looks suitable for magazine covers and his brains destined for top-notch universities. His bloodline was carefully crafted by generations before him, every marriage carefully planned and executed with the ultimate goal to preserve their place in society as apex predators. In fact, Jeongguk’s entire life had been one big script his family had carefully pushed him along, from the fencing classes he took to the hiring of the nation’s best nannies to care for him, all subtle enough for him to not complain but demanding enough that he knew what was going on.

The only thing they hadn’t planned in Jeongguk’s life was him meeting you.

They had never planned for him to meet some middle-class girl, who was definitely not an heiress to any particular company or celebrity of any level, just some random girl he had accidentally bumped into leaving a charity event at the local community park. They hadn’t planned for his long, gangly arms to knock your phone out of your hand, or send it tumbling into the lake as you both watched on in horror. It was only after the quiet plop of water registered in both your ears that you had whirled on him, half of you in shock and the other in fury.

Jeongguk was, as previously stated, handed everything on a silver platter. His parents hardly bothered with teaching him how to do things. He barely understood how to work a washing machine, because all of that was done for him by other people. At the moment, he didn’t have to bother with taking an entrance exam to the best university this side of the country because he knew his parents would pay for the entire thing out of pocket. He especially didn’t ever have to worry about what to do when random girls scolded him in public sight, because frankly, it would never happen.

Yet here he was, completely startled as you told him to watch where he was going, and to learn how to apologize to people when you’ve done something wrong. He’d never had someone of a lower status than him treat him so aggressively before, and when you pause to catch your breath all he can stumble out is that he’ll replace your phone, he’ll even buy you the best model, what was your number so his people could reach out to you again?

The last sentence has you groaning in frustration, as you pointed furiously towards the lake, because how on earth was he supposed to contact you when your phone was 20 feet below surface level?!

After another fifteen minutes of you continuing your verbal rampage against him, the entirety of it which he’d spent fending off his security guard and his assistant (both who’d been appalled that he’d willingly let this peasant swear and curse at him) as he stared at you in awe.

When you finally calmed down and he’d offered to take you to the Starbucks across the street to figure out the details of your phone replacement, he’s surprised to find out your normal disposition is nothing like the one you’d first shown him. In fact, you’re rather sheepish and embarrassed at the coffee shop, albeit still a little upset with him for trashing your phone.

After you’ve finished nailing out the little details of your phone replacement, which included you hesitantly giving him your address, he leaves right away. He’s sad to leave so soon, having become completely enthralled with your entire being in the thirty minutes he’s come to know you, that he finds himself hopelessly staring out of the backseat of the Benz as he travels back to his upscale apartment in the heart of the city. He hopes you don’t forget him so soon.

To say you’re surprised to see a package on your doorstep the next morning is an understatement. You remember every online purchase you make, and if memory serves you right, you hadn’t made one in the past month to warrant its arrival today. After glancing down both ends of your hall, you tug the mystery package inside.

In hindsight you probably should have been more cautious of the entire situation, but part of you was extremely curious to see what brought this surprise on. After tugging the tape off and shuffling through the packing peanuts you’re met with a sleek box for the hottest and most expensive phone right now, a pink bow carefully tied around to secure a note.

One of our guard’s fished around the lake for the phone I misplaced and managed to retrieve the memory card. I hope you won’t mind the new contact I added.

Best,

Jeon Jeongguk

And thus was the start of your love story.

-

You’re wondering if Jeongguk’s sudden idea was truly a spur of the moment epiphany or another ploy for him to get out of going to the ball his father had planned at the end of this month. You’ve come to learn in the last two years that despite his perfect boy aura, he was quite the impulsive shithead. Eitherway, you know he would have invited you to wherever he was going, and if he hadn’t, his mother would have shipped you a gown from her favorite designer and asked you to drag him there.

As it stands, it’s not a fancy ball you’re preparing for this time around, but a luxurious spring break in the Bahamas, away from school and family and anything to ruin your mood for the next week. You’d just finished your midterms when he bursts into your dorm room, demanding you pack your bags, baby, we’re going to the beach! Evidently, it was not the local beach you were going to. No, the ‘beach’ Jeongguk had referred to was one he conveniently forgot to mention was an entire plane ride away. It wasn’t until he returned later that same day to usher you off to the airport that he realizes how sorely under packed you are.

So now here you were, frantically cramming a week’s worth of cute, summer-y clothes into the only suitcase you own, running back and forth from your closet to the suitcase to the desk where you kept all your beauty products and shower essentials, while your boyfriend ate one of your granola bars on your bed.

“You better not get any crumbs on the bed, you know I hate finding them later,” you scold, not even bothering to look at him as you stuff all your makeup into a small bag.

Jeongguk snorts. “You won’t even be sleeping here for a week, babe,” he says, voice calm and relaxed in the way only someone who’s already done packing can be. The only consolation to your current state was that Jeongguk had booked his family’s private jet, so you really couldn’t be late to a flight only the two of you would be on.

You turn around with a hand on your hip, giving him the same unimpressed look you always do when he’s being unreasonable. “I’m sure the mice you’re attracting will keep it warm for me.” He rolls his eyes, finishing off his snack and then making a big show of patting down your creaky mattress to rid it of any granola crumbs.

He’s settled back into the bed when he speaks again. “Take the orange crop top you bought from Forever 21 last month, it makes your boobs looks amazing.”

You tuck your socks and undergarments against the suitcase’s inner pocket. “Oh right, ‘cause that’s a priority right now.” You don’t wanna tell him it’s already folded against your other clothes because you, too, think it makes your boobs look amazing.

You hear the rustling of the bed sheets once more, before you see his long legs come to a rest around you, arms wrapping around your waist to watch you ruffle through the clothing you already have. “Not my fault my girl’s got a nice set on her.”

“Oh my god, shut up,” you beg, reaching over to your pile of haphazardly thrown shorts and skirts to fold some more into your luggage. You’re careful of not moving far enough away that his arms would dislodge from their embrace. “We could have been halfway to the Bahamas right now if someone bothered to plan things ahead of time and not last minute as a means to get out of a charity ball.”

Jeongguk groans, letting his head fall forward to rest against your back, his soft breath leaving your back warm through your t-shirt. “Can’t a guy just steal his girlfriend away to the Bahamas for a week to avoid the overwhelming stress of life, and maybe choke on some exotic shrimp while she chokes on his di—”

“Get off of me, you pervert!”

The second you step foot on the archipelago that is the gem of the resort world, it’s about seven thousand degrees hotter than it was back home, and the sweat on the back of your neck can attest to that. The jet ride here had been pretty fun, it being your first experience flying private, but also flying in general. Jeongguk had kept you entertained both on the take off and landing, lips kissing down every inch of your neck with a promise for more later.

Well, it was later now, and the need to be sated was still present, something you’re not quite sure your boyfriend was aware of. Jeongguk was like that. Forgetful as fuck. The only reason he ever got anything done was because he had that assistant of his practically glued to his hip at every moment of the day, breathing down his neck every task he needed to complete. If it was up to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk alone, things would get done at a very slow pace.

But you were nothing like your boyfriend, and you suppose it’s why you two go together so well. While he put things to the side, you needed everything to be done right away and fast. Which is why you find yourself pulling him away from the scuba diving kiosk in an effort to check into your high-end cottage away from all the tourist hub.

“Babeee,” he whines, almost forgetting his luggage for the nth time, not used to actually having to haul his things by himself. “We could have seen the reef! You know, where all the fish are at? Where Nemo lives.”

“Uh huh, that’s nice,” you say, finding the driver Jeongguk’s assistant (bless his uptight, perfectionist ass) had booked for your arrival. “But we need to check in first and make sure our rental is all good.”

He seems miffed about the fact people actually have to do that, and had it not been his status as a trust-fund baby funding this entire trip, you would have liked to sock him right in the nose. But he’s your boyfriend and you’re used to his somewhat clueless ways by now, so you let it go.

You don’t know what you expected his assistant to rent out for you guys, but it certainly wasn’t the swanky beach house your driver pulls up to. It’s carefully secluded from the other houses around it, a high hedge-turned-fence surrounding the private yard. It hides a decent sized pool, a few lawn-chairs, and a hot tub from the public beach down below. The house itself is marvelous, complete with multiple bedrooms, two baths, and the most luxurious kitchen you’ve ever seen in a beach house.

“Oh,” you say upon stepping out of the car, mouth agape as you take in the sight of your accommodation for the next few days.

A pair of hands snake around your waist before carefully coming to rest above your navel. Jeongguk presses a gentle kiss to your temple, murmuring, “all for you, princess.” The waves crashing against the beach below are miniscule compared to the sudden blossoming of warmth in your chest.

“Shut up,” you shyly whine, turning around to envelope him in your arms. Your need for him and his body fades at the breathtaking sight behind you, and you find yourself forgetting about it completely as you venture around the house.

It’s the same day when you decide to go out into the yard and tan for a bit. Jeongguk had went in for a nap, a little tired from keeping you entertained on the long flight, because he’d stayed awake even when you fell asleep just in case you woke up scared. You don’t try to discourage him, watching him snuggle into the king mattress as you shuffle around for your bikini.

You’re absentmindedly applying another layer of sunscreen to your face, sunglasses pushed onto the top of your head. You’re completely enveloped by thoughts of your boyfriend, of how he could have easily ran off to the Bahamas alone (he went to Moscow last November on a trip to ‘find himself’), but he’d elected to whisk you off with him.

You tuck your AirPods—another gift from him—into your ears before finally settling into the comfort of a lounge chair, the sun’s rays beating down on you full force. It feels wonderful being away from everything you know with the comfort of returning. You’d always dreamt of visiting such places as a teenager, the presence of a lover or not, but now you truly got to live out those fantasies with Jeongguk.

He was a dream.

It’s about thirty minutes into your session when you register the sound of the sliding door, and you crack one eye open to see your refreshed boyfriend wandering into the backyard in a pair of swimming trunks and a goofy look on his face. “Oh, pardon me, I didn’t know such women came to the public pool,” he smirks.

You roll your eyes, not that he sees through the shades protecting you. “Don’t you dare try to roleplay with me, weirdo.”

He cackles, before somersaulting into the pool, and you find yourself squealing at the splash he makes. He disappears for a second under the water, but then pops back up at the ledge closest to you. “Come on, don’t be a pussy. Play along and maybe we’ll go to the spa tomorrow morning,” he offers.

“Fine.” You decide to join him, but not because the spa.

Jeongguk laughs at your petulant tone of voice, before sprawling out to float across the surface of the pool. “Great, so here’s what I was thinking. Me, the rich middle-aged husband coming here strictly for business. And you, the shy darling relaxing by the pool with her girlfriends who are all pushing her to go talk to me.”

“Sounds perfect, except for the part where I’m actually the sly minx coming here to scam a rich college boy out of his money, luring him into the most pleasurable sex he’s ever had, before ghosting him for all eternity and leaving him forever waiting for someone like me to come into his life again,” you propose.

Jeongguk blinks. “Wow, that sounded so realistic. You’re either really good at this, or… I should be worried,” he playfully accuses, before throwing over a gesture that says im watching you. You laugh.

“Just keep swimming, rich boy.”

He does as you tell him, playing in the water as you tune back into the music drifting into your ears. You’re about done tanning the front side of your body, and flip over to make sure your backside catches the rays as well. You set your sunglasses off to the side, and when you look back for them they’re adorning Jeongguk’s silly face as he doggy paddles around the donut floaty he found.

“Untie your top, dumby. Unless you want those ugly tan lines,” Jeongguk calls out in that brash tone of his. You flip him the bird, before sitting up in a very Ariel-esque pose to glance around your private yard.

As if sensing your hesitation, Jeongguk paddles over to your side, leveling you with an unimpressed look. “These bushes are as tall as a door, and there’s no one around for the next half mile, babe. Lose the top, or lose the right to present yourself in any low back gown for the next three months.”

He truly knew the way to your heart.

You untie the knots at your back and your neck, carefully laying back down to get that perfect tan Jeongguk was talking about. Admittedly, you do feel a bit better knowing you won’t return home with noticeable tan lines, and that much is enough to have your topless self blissfully relaxing.

Your soundtrack is the playlist you had collected on the plane ride, occasionally joined by the splashing Jeongguk makes as he moves around the pool, and before you know it, your timer is ringing to let you know it’s time to flip over again. This time, you’re less hesitant about shedding your top, breasts bare to the sky as you throw the top over your eyes (guess where your sunglasses still where).

You hear a wolf whistle from the other side of the yard, and catch sight of Jeongguk sitting at the edge of the pool. His skin is glistening from the water, the sun enveloping him in its warmth. He’d been outside for a shorter time than you but somehow he’d accumulated a darker color faster. The sun loved him like no other. He’s pushing himself to his feet when he catches your gaze, mischievous smirk twisting his features as he rounds the pool.

“Didn’t know this was a nude beach,” he says, and you curse your body for the way it reacts to the sight of his messy hair and tone abdomen. Your nipples harden embarrassingly and you can’t even hide them.

“Tired already?” You muse instead, hoping he doesn’t comment on the state of your breasts. “Tired after a plane ride, tired after swimming. Didn’t know I was dating an old man.”

“Har har,” he says in a monotone voice, and you can’t help the curl of a smile at beating him at his own playful ways. He stops in front of you, and your expression is knocked clean off when the water droplets clinging to his body fall onto your warm skin.

“Jeongguk!” You whine, pushing him away with your foot in a valiant effort to save yourself from the cold water. If anything, your actions end up bringing your demise as he catches your ankle in his hand.

“Ah ah, princess,” he tuts, bending your leg upward only to place his knee where it once was. He ducks down to tower over you, your continuous squealing only bringing an evil smile to his face. “What did we say about tan lines?”

You push him away, groaning in defeat as his hair drips even more water onto your skin. “I took the top off, what now?”

He glances down, and for a moment, you’re confused as to what he sees that you don’t. You're only met with the sight of your yellow bikini bottom preserving the last of your dignity.

You scoff. “You’re kidding.”

Much to your chagrin, he’s not.

“You’re on one of the nicest islands in the world, staying in a private home with fences tall enough to stop Bigfoot from looking in, and you’re gonna tan with your bikini bottoms on? You’re ridiculous.”

You shove his shoulder, before resigning yourself to getting soaked by him as he shuffles around to squish you under his weight. “You’re ridiculous for thinking I’d be outside without any clothes on!”

He snorts against your shoulder, long arms moving around until he has one somewhat curled beneath you. “Nah. You are.”

“Don’t start with me, Jeon.”

He shifts again to look you in the eye. “Come on, ___. You’re really gonna get tan lines when you could avoid them?”

You roll yours eyes. “You couldn’t get me to go outside completely naked for a million bucks, baby.” The beginning of a grin curls around his lips. “Don’t even think about it.”

This brings a laugh out of him, before he’s laying back down to kiss your neck. “You’re silly.” All you can really hope for now is that him laying on top of you won’t give you an even worse tan line.

Just when you think he’s given up on his quest to have you completely naked outside, you feel the slightest tug on the tie holding your bikini in place, slapping your hand down on his as if he were a pesky fly. “Fine!” He huffs, rolling off you to jump back into the water. “I hope everyone sees your uneven tan.”

“No one would see a tan line on my coochie, Jeon,” you remind him, flinching when he decides to cannonball into the water right beside you, sprinkling you in another round of water pellets.

He emerges from the clear water a moment later, paddling to the ledge beside you to flick more water your way. “I will,” he retorts. “When I got you bent over tomorrow morning.”

You don’t hesitate to fling your bikini top his way, the yellow fabric smacking him across the face. “In that case, you should take those shorts off, because I certainly don’t wanna have to look at your pasty thighs.”

“You love my milky thighs,” he hums, traversing the length of the pool for his donut floaty again.

“Milky?”

Your tiny quarrel ends there, Jeongguk soon becoming too immersed in competing against himself in a breath-holding contest to bother you any longer. He’s adorable like this, cheeks puffed out like Mrs. Puff every time his head pops out of the water, that you almost forget to flip over when your timer rings again.

It’s in the midst of your repositioning that you dare take a peak beneath your bottoms. Much to your disdain, there is a growing disparity between the skin beneath your swimsuit and the skin around it. Nothing too bad, but if you were to lay out as long as you planned, it’d become embarrassingly noticeable. Your breasts had been saved from any differences thanks to Jeongguk’s early warning, and you begin wondering if shedding your bottoms would inflate his already huge ego.

No matter, you discreetly unknot the ties securing your bottoms, hoping he won’t notice from across the yard as you carefully slip them off.

You make quick work of laying on your stomach again, your ass finally catching some rays after being covered for so long. You won’t lie, there’s an unexpected wave of comfort that comes with being bare outside, your entire body wonderfully enveloped by the sun’s beaming rays. You snuggle into the lounge chair’s cushions as you nearly reach nirvana.

Your blissful state is ruined not even ten minutes later when the sound of Jeongguk’s heavy splashing comes closer and closer. It’s not until you hear the splat of his wet feet against the pavement that you realize you’re in trouble.

There’s a playful smack against your ass, and you yelp in surprise. “Jeon!” You whine, instantly sitting up on your forearms to narrow your eyes at him. He’s flashing you that playful grin of his as he plops down beside you, not even having to ask you to move over because you do so subconsciously

“Knew you’d give in eventually,” he sighs, leaning back on his palms as he tries to catch his breath. You decide to give up on your dreams of having a peaceful tanning session, turning around to face your glistening boyfriend.

“What do you want for lunch?” You ask instead, running a hand through the hair at the nape of your neck, rolling your shoulders around to get some movement back into them. He shrugs, slithering his way up the cushions to squish himself beside you. It’s a tight fit, but he makes it easier by throwing your leg over his middle.

“Probably some good food in the little village a mile from here. Could probably walk there too.” You hum in agreement, snuggling into his side. You’ve long since gotten over the coldness of his skin, cheek pressed against his chest. He’s got a hand on your lower back, partially to hold you close but also to stop you from rolling off the chair.

Right as your snoozing off, so wonderfully warm beneath the sun and comfortable in your birthday suit, you feel a pair of fingers brush against the backside of your thigh, and then ghost over your exposed pussy.

“You’re despicable,” you murmur, tweaking his nipple between your fingers. Jeongguk snickers, shifting you around so you’re mostly on top of him now, your awakened core pressed against his thigh.

“C’mon, princess,” he goads, running a pair of moist fingers along your thigh again, trying to carefully coax you into doing what he wants. Most things, you now realize, tend to go Jeongguk’s way regardless of other factors. “No one’ll hear us out here.”

“But what if someone does,” you point out, always the voice of reason when it comes to Jeongguk’s ideas. “We could get in trouble, Guk. I don’t know…”

“In trouble for what?” Is his smart rebuttal, shuffling beneath you so you can finally feel the swollen cock hiding beneath his swimming trunks. “Enjoying ourselves in our own home? Oh, the terror.” Upon seeing the uncertainty that still clings to your features, he drops the somewhat cocky attitude to press a kiss to your nose. “It’s all good, princess,” he soothes, ducking down to caress the side of your face with his cherried lips. “If anything, I’ll just bribe our way out of any trouble.”

“Ugh,” you groan, melting into him as you finally give in. “I hate when you say that.”

Jeongguk snuffles a laugh against your jaw, maneuvering the two of you around until you’re laid flat against the cushion with him hovering over you. “When I say what?” He teases. “That my wallet is as fat as my cock?”

You roll your eyes, untying the knot he’d done at the front of his shorts. “Get that fat cock of yours out before I change my mind.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he complies, setting one foot on the floor to push his shorts down, until you’re met with the sight of his stark thighs. You cackle, and his arrogant smirk is wiped off as he glances down at his two-toned legs.

“What happened to getting the perfect tan?” You sneer, tapping a finger against his muscled thighs. “Don’t tell me your ass is this white, too.”

He huffs in annoyance, before reclaiming his spot between your legs again, tugging you down until your cores are pressed together. “Shut up.” You do as he says, words catching in your throat at the feeling of his engorged cock brushing against your wet folds.

His slips a hand down to languidly toy with your folds, his fingers slightly pruny from all the time he spent in the water. It feels a little weird, but any complaints you may have had are wiped away when he nudges your bud with the tip of his pointer finger. You gasp, fingers digging into his shoulders at the sudden stimulation against your core. “Ohh,” you sigh, eyes rolling backwards.

“Feel good?” He checks, eyes trained on your expressions, lips unconsciously puckering to kiss you, even with your writhing beneath him. You let out a high-pitched mewl, much to your embarrassment, cheeks flushed warm from the sun and his ministrations. You nod belatedly.

He lets his wandering hands carry on, carefully travelling across the entirety of your folds. He knows your body like no other, so familiar with the dips and curves, that it’s impossible for him to not immediately locate your g-spot upon plunging his fingers inside you. “G-Guk!” you cry out, hands falling to grip at his biceps.

He presses a kiss to your throat. “That’s it, baby, lemme hear you,” he murmurs, and subtly presses his cock to the inside of your thigh. “Looked so delicious out here,” he sighs, and it’s as if he’s talking to himself. “Wanted to fuck your pretty little pussy from the second I stepped outside.”

Your back arches beneath him at a particular scissor of his fingers, another whine caught in your throat. “Want you so bad,” you whimper, reaching a hand up to tangle in his dark locks. You use the leverage to pull his lips towards yours, meeting in a frantic crash that has you whining against him even more.

His tongue slips past your lips, subduing yours when you try the same on him, and you almost choke on the excess saliva pooling in your mouth. Right before you can, he pulls back in favor of trapping your lower lip between his teeth. Your eyes flutter open, and you meet his own dark gaze.

“Ready?” He huffs, pulling his fingers out from within you. They’re shiny with your slick, almost as wet as they’d been when he was swimming earlier. You nod, dazed from all the pleasure he was giving you, that you can’t do more but spread your legs for him. He leans back on his knees, lining himself up with your hole.

You’d long since eliminated condoms from your relationship with Jeongguk, your trust in each other overwhelmingly so. Besides, you were still on the pill, and Plan B existed, so you never really worried about slipping up and accidentally getting yourself pregnant. Although there were times when he’d go overboard, stuffing you with his cum until you feel bloated, you’d never gotten pregnant before, so you wouldn’t begin to worry now.

Just the idea of feeling him in his entirety has you salivating, needy hands reaching out to grasp any part of him you can reach. Jeongguk snickers at your desperate ways, knotting his fingers with yours before pressing them to the cushion beneath you, the other gripping onto your thigh to keep your legs spread.

The second his tip pushes through the initial tightness, your mouth drops open, indecipherable noises escaping you. “J-Jeon,” you cry, chest heaving at the sudden intrusion.

“Relax for me, princess,” he huffs, just as out of it as you. Your body feels like it’s ascended, Jeongguk’s cock slowly pushing in further with each breath you take. It doesn’t take much longer for him to completely bottom out, the warm skin of his thighs pressing against you.

You’re like a fish out of water, mouth opening and closing as your body slowly assimilates to the feeling of being so absolutely full. It’s not until Jeongguk subtly shifts his weight onto his other leg that you give him the green light to start fucking you.

You moan, the first few thrusts hitting against every sweet spot inside you. “God, you’re so fucking big,” you heave, clenching around him just to feel the drag of his cock against your walls.

Jeongguk chuckles through his own pants, the fingers entwined with yours becoming impossibly tighter. “You’re too good for me,” he sighs, hauling your thigh further up his forearm until its resting in the crease of his elbow. The positioning allows his strokes to go deeper. You cry out, squirming beneath him with each thrust he gives.

“Oh fuck,” you cry wantonly when he plunges deeper into you, the water that decorated his skin long having been replaced by the sweat clinging to him. Your eyes flutter shut and you’re left only listening to the sounds of you, Jeongguk, and the ocean waves beneath you. “I love you,” you whimper.

Jeongguk grunts, ducking down to kiss you again, his hips not once slowing down. “Love you too, princess,” he murmurs. “Fuck, I don’t deserve you,” he groans, puncuating his statement with a brutal thrust of his cock into you. “Gonna buy you that pretty Valentino bag when we get back, I promise,” he adds, picking up his pace.

You whine, “You don’t have to, Jeon, I—”

He cuts you off, “and that silver Audi you liked at the car show last winter,” he rambles on, seemingly clueless to your protest. “A-And maybe that Louis Vuttion coat that brings out the color in your eyes—”

“I saw the same one at H&M,” you interrupt, swiveling your hips upwards to meet his thrusts. He chokes out a laugh.

“Shut up and just let me spoil you,” he groans, and then seemingly forgets what else he was planning on buying you as he focuses his complete attention on helping you reach your orgasm.

With his focus solely on that, you find the burning feeling in your lower abdomen grow tenfold, voice becoming more annoying with each moan and whine you give. “That’s it, baby,” he encourages, his thrusts sending tingles up and down your spine. He peppers kisses down your chest, each touch leaving your skin scorching.

Time seems to slow when the coil in your stomach finally snaps, an embarrassingly loud moan leaving your lips as your body spasms beneath him. “Oh, Jeongguk,” you sigh, falling limp on the lounge chair as he continues chasing his high.

He pulls out soon enough, giving his cock a few tugs before he’s spurting his come across your lower abdomen, leaning back to admire his masterpiece. He’s panting afterwards, and the backyard feels eerily quiet as you both just gaze at each other with goofy smiles on your faces.

The romantic aura is ruined when he feels the need to say, “hey, maybe now my ass won’t be so white.”

“Fuck, you look sexy,” he murmurs when the instructor finally turns around, leaving Jeongguk to gawk at your body in the tight wetsuit provided. “Gonna fuck you so good tonight.”

“Shut up,” you blush, trying to stop your eyes from violating your boyfriend’s disgustingly gorgeous body in the matching wetsuit he wears. “We’ll get kicked out of the group, Guk.”

He rolls his eyes. “I could have rented the whole place out for us, but someone thought scuba diving with the other corny tourists would be fun.”

You flick his forehead. “You don’t have to buy out every building we go to,” you remind him, memories of this morning’s completely empty breakfast bar flickering to attention. “Besides, I wouldn’t have let you fuck me tonight anyway.”

He scoffs at your claim. “Please, you would have begged me, ___.”

You hit him with the wide end of your swimming fin, then have to apologize to the instructor for your horseplay, much to Jeongguk’s amusement. You narrow your eyes at him, following the rest of the group out onto the boardwalk leading to the boat. “Find me a Nemo, and we’ll do it in the beach cabana.”

Jeongguk’s lips twists into the most devious smirk you’ve ever seen, and he smacks your ass as he runs ahead of you. You yelp, just as he turns to face you just as he nears the group. “Has anyone seen my son?”

[cowboyshit]

starlight will be the only light when I can tell my heart to you... PART ONE OF ? future parts: two, three

Ship: Hangman Adam Page x Female OC (Hazel Baker) x Matt Jackson  Summary: Hazel’s engagement ended awhile ago, and she’s finally decided she’s ready to jump headfirst back into the dating game by having a fun, carefree, no-strings-attached night with a handsome cowboy at the local rodeo. Instead, she finds something much, much more complicated and catches herself between two men and a whirlwind of feelings.  Rating: explicit (part one only has a brief, heavy-handed make-out scene but it’s written explicit enough to elicit this rating, and the piece itself will become more explicit in the future) Length: 14,079 words Warnings: alcohol mention, brief descriptive make-out/verging on smut situation

author’s note: wow, this thing turned into a monster I didn’t expect. Initially, I just wanted to have a little fun and write the elite as rodeo cowboys in a rodeo au, but this fic sort of took on a life of it’s own. I will warn that not much happens in this part, despite how long it is. It’s just a bunch of FEELINGS. Look forward to part two, where things get even messier than they are here! And yes, I promise in the next one they’ll actually get together.

“Oh wow, look at that one.”

“Hazel, I told you I wasn’t going to bring you here if you weren’t going to behave yourself.” Her friend, Andrea’s playfully exasperated tone made Hazel grin wide.

“I know, but can you blame me?” She said and nudged Andrea with her elbow, jerking her chin toward the blond-haired cowboy dead ahead. 

He was handsome in a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping kind of way, she thought. The late afternoon sun hit the edges of the blond curls that stuck out of his cowboy hat, making them look as if they glittered. His eyes crinkled at the corners as his cheeks pushed into them, a big smile on his face as he laughed. She could just hear the faint hint of it - that laugh - through the people passing between them and it sounded warm, and rich, and honest. She wanted to hear it closer.

He was wearing a bright pink, long-sleeve button-up with some sort of white pattern she was too far away to figure out. It was fine print, but looked like swirls. Maybe paisleys. The sleeves, upper back and chest supported bold, silver-white thread and patches sewn into it of varying sponsors and brands. Considering the multitude she could count, it was easy to guess he was one of the hot shots on the rodeo circuit. The money went where the winners were, after all. Plus the addition of that big silver, gold-trim belt buckle that was biting gently into the fat of his stomach had likely been won as a prize at another rodeo. It looked pretty fancy, even from this distance.

“Who is that?” She asked, and when Andrea didn’t answer she finally pulled her eyes off him and looked at her friend. 

Andrea blushed and shook her head. “You don’t need to go near those guys.”

“What?!” Hazel exclaimed, frowning at Andrea and looking back at that beautiful pink-shirt wearing blond-haired cowboy. He was talking with two other cowboys, both with long, dark-brown hair. She looked from them, back to her friend and found Andrea frowning at her. Hazel rolled her eyes. “Oh come on! You know how long it’s been since Ethan and I called off the engagement and ended things. I’m finally feeling like me again, like I’m getting over that heartache. I could use some fun! The best way to get over someone is to get under someone, right?” She wiggled her brows and grinned playfully. “So, spill it, who is he? What’s his deal?”

Andrea worked the grounds when the rodeo pulled into town and had been doing it enough years that she was known and knew the folk who came to compete. It was a side-gig she had on top of working the cafe at the stockyards. This meant she often knew the rodeo competitors and other cowfolk who found themselves in Brimwood Creek. Therefore, she knew exactly who Mr. Blond Haired Angel Cowboy was and for some reason she was withholding that information. Andrea knew Hazel had a penchant for falling for those handsome cowboys and was enough of a confident little flirt to strike up some fun with one, but she’d never minded before. A thought occurred to Hazel as she remembered her friend blushing, and she looked both surprised at the realization and apologetic.

“Oh! Are you two a thing?” Understandably Andrea wouldn’t want Hazel making eyes at him if she was after him.

“What?” Andrea laughed and shook her head. “No.”

“Okay, so what’s wrong with him then?” She was getting suspicious. She narrowed her eyes on him, trying to find the flaw, but just found herself more distracted by how handsome he was. She glanced at his hand, or tried to, but couldn’t see his ring finger from where they were standing. “Is he married?”

“No! Hazel, look. He’s not the kind of guy you’re after. He’s sort of a recluse. He comes out to compete and then disappears after hours instead of spending time hanging out with everyone. I’ve never once seen him with a girl. He’s not like the rest of them, at least from what I’ve seen.”

Now that was surprising. A lot of these cowboys were known to be roaming heart-breakers with a little lady in every town the rodeo made a stop in. That’s what Hazel had been thinking when she’d gotten Andrea to agree to not only bring her to the rodeo, but get her a little bright green paper wristband that’d let her stay once the rodeo wrapped up for the night and the citizens took off, happy and entertained. After her serious, four-year long relationship had ended over half a year ago she was finally ready to get out, but she’d only meant to find herself a good one-night stand. Her heart wasn’t ready to open up to anything more than that.

“What a shame,” she murmured, eyes still on him, “cause he is quite the looker.”

“Adam! Harper’s out, you’re takin’ his spot!” A sudden barking shout from an older, bow-legged cowboy to her right drew his eyes, and when he nodded and lifted a hand to signal he heard and understood, he caught her watching him. His gaze moved from the cowboy to her, lingering a little, and she wished she could tell what he was thinking. Probably: Why the hell is this woman gawking at me?

His frown deepened and then he looked away as one of his friends - a handsome man with a dark beard and his long, equally dark brown hair secured in a ponytail, tucked beneath a black wide-brim cowboy hat - asked him a question. Hazel’s eyes jumped between them for a moment, admiring the view, before Andrea tugged her sleeve.

“Come on, quick gawking. You promised you’d help me work and not spend the entire day ogling cowboys, remember?”

“Oh, right,” Hazel said, dramatically overacting with a heavy sigh, “I did say that. What a bummer.”

“Shut up,” Andrea laughed and pushed Hazel’s arm playfully, to which Hazel gasped in mock offense, which quickly spilled into laughter before she pushed her back, the two turning to walk toward the chutes and figure out where they’d be best helpful. Neither girl saw the blond-haired cowboy, Adam, turn and watch them retreat with a curious, lingering, thoughtful frown across his naturally down-turned brows.

The rest of the afternoon and evening went by rather quickly. In between lending a hand wherever Andrea needed her, the girls propped themselves up on the metal fences and watched the rodeo events take place. It’d been a couple years since Hazel had gone to a proper rodeo, and her heart felt full to experience it all again. Even the way the crowd hollered encouragement for a particularly good ride, or how everyone lingered in groups and their familiar conversations drifted by her ears as she walked past them brought her back home. She’d missed it, every sense of it, and for a good moment during one of the last rides she let herself close her eyes and soak everything in as deep into her skin as she could get. For the most part she’d wanted to find some cute cowboy to hook up with after the show, but in reality she’d needed the entire day spent here more than she realized she would. She’d been away from this world for too long.

Eventually the citizens were gone, the gates were closed and security made their rounds past little encampments where friends had gathered around portable barbecues and bonfires to check and make sure everyone had the wristband saying they could stay. Hazel and Andrea were hanging out with a small group of workers like Andrea who saw to the set-up and tear-down of the chutes and paddocks, the feeding of the animals and the cleaning of their pens, the organizations of the rides and kept the level ground of the arena smooth for each competitor. One of the older men, a veteran of the rodeo, was telling a hilarious story about a mishap with an angry bull when Andrea gently nudged her elbow in Hazel’s side.

“I heard there’s a cowboy who was asking about you,” she whispered suggestively with a little wiggle of her dark, bold brows.

Immediately Hazel thought of him - blond curls, pretty eyes - and her heartbeat increased. She looked hopeful at Andrea. “Was there?”

“Mhm,” she nodded and tipped her beer bottle back, taking a slug and drawing out the anticipation. “One of the Jackson brothers. Matt.”

“Oh,” Hazel’s shoulders dropped as she felt a stab of disappointment that it wasn’t Adam. But then again, what had she been expecting? She’d only ogled him like a weird-o, then made sure to watch his ride and holler for him until she couldn’t breathe, wrapped up in watching him sit through each buck, knees bending in perfect rhythm with every jolting land and upward hop and twist the bronco put him through. He hadn’t even looked twice at her, but she’d hoped…

“Oh?” Andrea blew a breath from her lips and shook her head. “I thought you’d be all over that. He’s exactly your type and,” she tipped her beer bottle with her brows raised, “exactly what you’ve been looking for.”

No strings attached. Just adult fun with no expectations.

“Yeah, no, I am, believe me.” That was the dark-haired bearded cowboy Adam had been talking to. Hazel remembered thinking he was handsome, but she was so distracted by Adam that even in her mind she could barely remember him. “He’s hot. I was just… you know… hoping maybe Adam had said something?” She felt like she sounded pathetic, fishing desperately for some sign he’d thought something of her too.

“Adam? Adam who?” Andrea asked, perplexed.

“The blond haired cowboy we saw first thing today!”

A few curious eyes pulled their way as Hazel talked louder than a whisper, interrupting the old cowboy’s story. He set her with a heavy glare and she sheepishly shrugged her shoulders.

“Sorry!”

“Adam Page?” Andrea asked with a whisper once everyone had gone back to talking, then shook her head. “Honey, no. I told you, he’s not like the other guys around here. You could prowl the entire rodeo grounds tonight and you wouldn’t find him. He never sticks around here. Goes right back to his trailer, keeps his nose clean of trouble.”

“I wouldn’t be trouble,” Hazel retorted with a pout.

“Oh yeah, right.” Andrea snorted and slugged another swallow of beer. “Speaking as a friend that knows you, I’d say go find Matt. He and his brother have a little bonfire on the other side of the grounds, past the corrals. A few of their friends will be there too, so it won’t be too weird for you to drop by.”

“Won’t you come with me?” Hazel asked, frowning.

“Oh, no,” Andrea shook her head quickly, but even by firelight Hazel could swear she saw a little bit of color in her cheeks again.

Andrea was always so busy with work and her four younger siblings that she never found time to date, and normally because she didn’t have the time, she didn’t get boy-crazy the way Hazel always had. It was… interesting to see Andrea a little flustered.

“Alright, spill the beans. Why won’t you come with me to the Jackson brother’s little fire pit?”

Andrea glanced at the people they were sitting with, who were still engrossed in their own stories, and then back at Hazel.

“Hazel, it’s nothing.”

“Unless you tell me the exact reason I’m going to grab you by your wrist and drag you over there with me.”

“Hazel!”

“Don’t test me.”

Andrea groaned and set her beer bottle in the cup-holder of the camping chair so she could bury her face in her hands. “I kind of sort of have a crush on Nick Jackson.”

Nick Jackson, obviously the other half of the Jackson brothers. 

“Really?!” Hazel was so enthralled by the idea of Andrea having a thing for one of the cowboys she immediately wanted to hook them up. “Well, come on! Come with me, come talk to Nick!”

“Hazel, no. I can’t. You know I can’t. I don’t want to do the whole one-night-stand thing with a rodeo cowboy I’ll have to see next time they come into town, and I have too much going on to add an attempt at a long-distance relationship to everything. He’s cute and he makes me feel tongue-tied and stupid when he smiles at me, but that’s just all it’s going to be. You, on the other hand,” she fixed her with a pointed stare, “should go get what you came here for before it’s too late.”

Hazel wanted to drag Andrea with her anyways, just to shove her in front of Nick and let the sparks fly, but she knew her friend and she knew what she said was right. Andrea’s life was already packed and bursting at the seams, the last thing she needed was a romance with one of these rodeo cowboys.

“Okay, I’ll go talk with Matt.” She said as she popped up, “and I’ll make sure to tell Nick you said hi.”

“Hazel!”

She smiled at Andrea’s frustrated, warning tone and gave her a wink before turning and heading off to make the walk across the grounds, past the corrals just outside the touch of the bright stadium lighting. Hazel was used to those kinds of slide-in conversations at these after-hours events. Everyone was everyone’s friend, and if a cowboy had been asking after you, all his attention would be yours the minute you were in that firelight. Honestly, was she really the kind of girl who was going to pine after some guy who wouldn’t give her the time of day or was she going to let loose, be free and have a little bit of fun with a totally handsome, dark-eyed cowboy who definitely wanted her? The decision was too easy to make.

She started to walk across the grounds and could just make out the horses in the pop-up pipe-fence pens, lined in a halo of white from the distant stadium lights. She could hear their soft breathing as she drew closer and the gentle swish of their tails as they flicked away late summer night flies. Her pace decreased until she stopped, turning toward the corral and watching the shape of a large golden palomino mare who dozed on the other side of the little one-horse pen. Noticing eyes on her, the mare's ear twitched and she shifted her weight, opening her dark eyes on Hazel. Her pale lashes looked gilded as they caught the light.

“Hey girl,” Hazel beckoned with a soft clicking under of her tongue, slipping her hand into the pen and holding the back of it out as a greeting. “Aren’t you a pretty thing,” she talked gently, her voice just above a whisper. All the people were far from the pens, set up in little circles around their parked trailers, and their laughter and conversation was a happy, distant noise. It left Hazel feeling as though she were in some hushed, isolated place, somewhere special.

She’d always lived for these moments as a kid, these points in time where it was just her and a horse, and she could talk about everything. The things that she was going through, the dreams she had, or even all the places she’d love to go riding if she ever could.

The mare drew close at the sight of Hazel’s hand and brushed her velvet, whiskered lips over the back of it, huffing a warm breath gently that smelled like sweet hay. Hazel smiled. “Hello, beautiful,” she said, gently turning her hand and letting the mare sniff and lip curiously at it, testing her smell. 

“You have a little snip on your nose!” she exclaimed softly with delight, seeing the oddly shaped little white mark between the mare’s nostrils. 

“When I was a little girl I had an imaginary horse I used to pretend was with me when I ran around, and I always imagined she was a pretty golden palomino with a little white snip on her nose just like you, and one, two,” Hazel scratched beneath the mares chin and leaned to try and count the markings on her legs, “Oh, darn. Almost.” She looked back at the mare’s face and smiled. “My imaginary mare had three socks, but you’ve only got two. Well, you’re still beautiful anyways. Dreams can’t always come true, hm?”

She laughed gently under her breath as the mare stepped closer to the fence, stretching out her neck and as if to offer more areas to scratch. 

“Her name is Dolly.” A warm, low, soft voice nearly startled her, but she kept herself calm so as not to spook the mare. The mare clearly knew this intruder, though, as she swung her head forward and pointed her ears, letting out a loud rumbling whicker in immediate greeting. She forgot all about Hazel’s scratches, clearly too happy to see whoever had joined them. Hazel glanced over her shoulder and saw him - Adam - with his blond curls tucked neatly beneath his wide-brim cowboy hat and a sheepish expression across his face. He almost looked embarrassed to have interjected. “Well, it’s Lil Dun Dolly, officially. But I just call her Dolly.”

“Oh! This is your mare?” She felt her face go hot. He was going to think she’d stopped here on purpose. Probably saw her lingering outside his mare’s pen and wanted to know why the weird-o who’d been staring at him earlier was now bothering his horse. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to disturb her.”

“Ah, no, ma’am. It’s no trouble,” he laughed a little weakly and cleared his throat, waving his hand between them, “Dolly doesn’t mind the company.” He glanced at her and almost looked like he wanted to say something else, but lost the courage.

“So uh, how much of our conversation did you hear?” She asked, already cringing a little inside, but when she braved a peek at him, saw he was smiling a sort of lop-sided smile.

“Are you going to be mad at me if I say all of it?” That smile of his seemed to want to stretch a little wider.

“No,” she said, laughing, “but I am going to be embarrassed you heard me telling your horse about the fact that I had an imaginary horse when I was little.”

Adam had walked up to the fence and leaned on it while they talked, cheating his body toward her and glancing down beneath the brim of his cowboy hat. She could just barely make out the sinful blue-green of his eyes with the way the shadows and light played on either side of his bearded face. Dolly abandoned her interest in Hazel and was now affectionately lipping at the folds in his shirt with the arm he had leaning on the fence, clearly happy to have him in reach. He reached over and affectionately rubbed his palm over the bridge of her nose and up her forehead before he started talking again.

“Mine was a little bay paint.” He said, and she frowned at him, confused by what he meant. “My imaginary horse I had when I was little? It was a bay paint with a big white spot across it’s chest and one over its haunches. I called him Bandit. What’d you name yours?”

She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face, pushing high into her round cheeks. She wanted to worry over the way her heart started beating a little faster, but she couldn’t be bothered, trapped in those pretty, bright eyes of his. “Her name was Honey.”

“Honey, that’s a good name for an imaginary horse.”

“So is Bandit.”

They smiled at each other for a minute too long before they seemed to realize it, both clearing their throats and trying to jump into a different conversation, cheeks hot. They laughed awkwardly and Hazel shook her head. A change of conversation was probably for the best, so she grabbed at the first topic she could think of.

“I saw your run earlier, by the way. You were impressive! The way you sat that bronc despite his best effort to throw you was honestly amazing.”

He looked flattered and it endeared her how humble he was. Most cowboys at his level soaked in whatever adoration they could get. Damnit! Couldn’t he do something to make her not like him? This was becoming unfair. 

“Ah, I owe most of it to that little firecracker I was riding,” he said, patting his hand against his mare’s muscled neck and gently ruffling her cream-white mane. “I’ve ridden him a couple times at past rodeos, but he was on something else tonight. He helped me get that good score.” 

“Oh stop being so humble,” she laughed and rolled her eyes, “any cowboy or cowgirl who competes in the rodeo knows it’s the animal, the rider, and the rider’s understanding of that animal and their communication that makes the ride. No matter which sport it is. It’s about how you work as a team, you know?”

He was looking at her with an expression she’d describe as surprised understanding, like she’d just said something he thought of as important, too. Like they shared the same understanding of something a lot of people took at face value. 

“Yeah… it’s... exactly that,” he stumbled over. “I haven’t seen you around before, how do you know so much about the rodeo?”

She felt her cheeks get hot and shrugged, choosing to look at Dolly just as an excuse to not see him looking at her like that. “I did some barrel racing a few times in my late teens and very early twenties.”

“You did?” He said with delighted surprise.

“Yeah! It wasn’t anything huge, just locals, qualifiers, and a few state shows. But I always enjoyed it.”

“Why’d you stop?”

She hesitated. “It’s… complicated.” Her eyes lifted slowly and apologetic to his. “Sorry,” she started, trying to explain it wasn’t something she talked about with practical strangers, but he held out a hand as if to stop her and gave his head a little shake.

“You don’t have to say any more.” He assured her, “I’m sorry if I touched a sore spot.”

“It’s okay,” she noticed the way his brows tilted downward a little harder than they were naturally set and it tugged at her heartstrings in a way she wasn’t ready for. “I don’t tell many people about that, actually. Although it figures that my rodeo past would come up at a rodeo though, so that’s kind of on me.” She laughed, and he grinned a little deeper.

“Man,” he said and sucked air through his teeth. When she looked at him he shook his head in disappointment. “I can’t believe you missed the opportunity to tell me this ain’t your first rodeo.”

For a drawn out second she just stared at him - the way a half-smile hung on his lips, just showing those slightly imperfect teeth; the way his eyes hung on her face, hoping she thought the silly joke was as funny as he did; the way one blond brow quirked higher than the other; the way that smile inevitably deepened as a couple more seconds crawled past. 

And then, she laughed and shook her head. “I can’t believe you just made that silly of a joke.”

“Believe it,” he laughed and shrugged, warm southern accent merrily heavy as he talked. “I didn’t become a rodeo competitor to shy away from making rodeo-specific jokes whenever and wherever I can.”

“So that’s why you decided to compete in rodeos for a living, huh? Not the thrill of the sport, not because you’re good at it, not for the money…”

“Nope! Just the jokes.”

They laughed together in gentle breaths, their smiles still on their mouths by the time it stopped. She knew then exactly how dangerous this was for her. She needed to excuse herself and step away, because there was something between them that made her nervous and excited and painfully hopeful. Hopeless, more like. Everyone knew rodeo cowboys didn’t settle down; they traveled the road over half the year during the season and went from town to town, never too far from a pretty doe-eyed cowgirl in denim she’d cut into too-short Daisy Duke’s. After what Hazel had just gone through, the last thing she could afford was catching feelings for a rodeo cowboy.

“I should probably um-”

“Hey, would you like to-” 

They had started talking at the same time and talked over each other, sharing an awkward laugh before he cleared his throat and tipped his head toward her with a smile. “Please, ladies first.”

“No.” She said it a little too breathlessly and cleared her throat when he looked at her with a curious expression. “Please, I want to hear what you were going to say.” 

Carelessly, she mentally shut off the alarm bells blaring in her head and refocused on him. 

“I was going to ask if you wanted to walk with me? I kinda like walking the corrals away from everyone at night. I normally do it alone but, if,” he glanced at her as if asking permission even as the next words tumbled out of his mouth, “if you wanted to, I’d like your company.”

“Yes!” She said, almost too quick, and then blushed and shook her head, heating up clear to her crown with embarrassment for how eager she’d just obviously been. “Sorry - erm - I mean yeah. That’d be cool, I guess.” 

When her eyes darted to him, she saw he was fighting a grin. He jerked his head to the side and turned, starting to walk down the fence line. She fell in step beside him and for a moment they shared the quiet together. The crickets chirped in the tall grass outside the dirt grounds; the horses snorted and swished their tails, some of them lifting their heads and watching them curiously; the cattle flicked their ears and huddled close together, moving as a group wherever they went.

“What was your run when you were competing in barrels?”

Of course he’d ask a rodeo related question to break the ice and figure out what they should talk about. Typical cowboy.

“My mare ran between 18.3 and 19 seconds. My gelding was a little slower, he normally clocked solid 20.”

Adam sucked in a breath and released it slow, brows raised, he tilted his head toward her and appeared impressed. “Those are some good times.”

“Not World Championship times, a few seconds off, but yeah, I did pretty good in my local and state classes.” Wanting to shift the attention off herself and back onto him before he asked a question she wasn’t comfortable answering, she decided she’d throw a rodeo question his way. “So why bronc riding?”

He glanced at her a little sheepishly.

“Come on! Why bronc riding?”

“It’s just you have to really know a horse well when you’re riding them as they buck. It becomes a kind of dance; you need to anticipate every move, where that horse is going to shift its weight, making sure you’re as fluid with it as you can be so you don’t get dislodged. It’s about precision and timing, nothing can be off. It’s a constant attempt to achieve perfection in a narrow time window and it’s just you and that horse. You have to trust yourself to understand those animals so you can do it exactly right and not get yourself hurt, either.”

“Wow.” She was stunned, genuinely, and she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t unheard of for a cowboy to talk so highly and credit the animals he competed with, but there was something about the way passion bled into Adam’s voice the more he tried to break it down that really got her. “You really love doing this, don’t you?”

“Is it that obvious?” He laughed, and she decided she definitely liked the way a smile looked on his face. 

“I love it,” she said, and tried not to pay attention to the way that made him grin a little more, scuffing the toe of his boot against the hard packed dirt ground they walked. “So why trailer in Dolly if you don’t compete in a sport you need your horse at?”

“Sometimes I help pick up, if something happens and they need someone to step in and help. Dolly’s been doing it for years and she’s a great little pick up mare, never lets the excitement from the broncs or the bulls rile her up.”

The cowboys who did picking up were the ones who rode in at the end of the eight second ride to offer a horse for the cowboy to safely jump off and onto. They’d take the rider away from the bucking roughstock and somewhere they could safely dismount and await their score. That required a sound horse who’d listen to its rider and not get carried away with the spirit and herd mentality of another horse kicking its heels up or a bull twisting and threatening to charge with angry snorts. Telling a horse to run toward another horse that was bucking like that was a whole other ordeal. Those cowboys needed people they could trust, and it said a lot that Adam paid the extra gas to haul a trailer and dealt with loading and unloading his mare here just in case he was needed.

“Plus,” he concluded, and looked almost a little sheepish, “I like having her company.”

“You really have to stop being so cute.” The words were out of her mouth before she could think about the consequences, and he laughed. If not for the shadow beneath his wide-brim hat and the gentle haze of darkness they walked through, she thought she might have seen him blushing.

“Ah,” he rubbed at the back of his neck and stopped in his tracks, making her stop a second later and turn to face him, her head tilting curiously as she looked up at him. He knocked the brim of his hat back so it sat more slanted on his curls and let her see that handsome, blond bearded face more clearly, lit in gentle white-blue from the distant haze of the stadium lights. It caught one side of his face more than the other, and his eyes were such a dark, pretty grey-green that she bet they’d have her heart doing somersaults over how pretty they were in the daylight. 

“Look, I don’t normally do this, but,” he started, pausing a little between his words, struggling to get out what he wanted to say. Her heart increased its beat, racing with anticipation, her full lips fell apart in a gentle break to let her suck in a sharp breath of air. His eyes fell dark down to them and he trailed off, looking intently. She was dizzy. Was he going to kiss her? Oh God, he was going to kiss her. 

Please, she thought, kiss me. 

No, she groaned inwardly, don’t kiss me! 

If he kissed her, she wasn’t sure she could keep fighting off the chemistry that was obviously between them, and something was telling her it would hurt a little bit to see this one leave her bed in the morning and never call again.

He started to lean in. She caught her breath.

“Hey, Page! Finally coming to hang out with us or what?”

They both jumped apart and looked with wild eyes on the cowboy standing a few paces behind Adam, who must’ve just walked up from the glowing orange fire pit set up near the trailer at his back. She didn’t recognize him immediately, but Adam clearly did. 

“Hey Nick, actually, I-” Adam had turned his body a little to answer Nick, and when he did it revealed her standing near him.

“Oh jeez,” said Nick, blinking, the wide happy smile he’d been wearing slipping away almost immediately, “I hope I didn’t just interrupt something.”

“No!”

“Nope!”

They were both too quick and too eager to jump in and defend themselves, as if they hadn’t just been seconds away from giving in to temptation.

“You didn’t interrupt anything,” she said, rushed, and tried to ignore the way Adam’s eyes shot back over her, and how he took a small step away, as if her words had repelled him back. She wished she could explain it, that it wasn’t that she didn’t want to kiss him, but that she knew better than to. That she was guarded against any kind of hurt right now, even something as little as regretting the cold space that’d be on his side of the bed by the time she woke up the next morning.

“Right,” something in his tone told her Nick wasn’t buying it from either of them, and when she pulled her eyes away from Adam and looked at him, noticed he seemed to be struggling to keep from grinning again. Her cheeks felt hot. 

“Well, things have wound down a little bit, but Kenny’s still hanging out and we’ve got food and drinks leftover if you guys want. Well,” he shrugged and held up his palms, stepping back as if to physically excuse himself from their space, “I mean, you guys probably want to get back to whatever you were doing out here all alone, so…” Did she sense a sort of mischievousness in his tone? Was he teasing them? Maybe she should have brought Andrea and sent her ahead to keep him occupied so he wouldn’t have interrupted them.

“No,” Adam was the one who spoke up this time, but he wasn’t looking at her. “I’d love to come hang out.”

“Really?” Nick said, “huh. That’ll be a first.”

He was definitely poking fun at Adam in the same way you’d tease a good friend. It occurred to her that if Andrea, someone who worked the rodeo grounds when they came into town, knew that Adam was the type to be a loner, the friends he had would know it even more. What had Nick thought when he’d seen that Adam was with her? Was he surprised? Glad that Adam wasn’t alone for once? Did he even care?

Adam shot him a glare she just caught as they started towards him, to which Nick bit into his wide grin and turned away, leading them both back toward the nearby fire with camping chairs strewn in a haphazard half-circle around it. She bit into the inside of her lip to keep from smiling, not wanting to give away that she’d seen the interaction between them and fought the urge to playfully bump her hip into Adam’s. The warm glow of the crackling fire and the light laughs and conversation grew louder as they came close.

“Found a couple wanderers near the corrals,” Nick announced as he made his way back to an empty chair, flopping unceremoniously down into it and grabbing a can of diet coke from a nearby ice chest. It made a soft pop as he cracked it, and Adam and Hazel were left staring at the little group.

“Adam!” Said a man with surprised delight. He was sitting in the chair beside the one Nick had sat down in, and made it look tiny by his mass alone. Even beneath his purple checkered pearl snap, she could see how big his arms and chest were. He wasn’t wearing a hat, though he must’ve been all day, as his tight wound dirty-blond curls had a slight crimp from where the band had sat. He had eyes a more vivid, concise blue than Adam’s could be. They were so blue that she could tell even in the orange glow of the fire. “Who’s your friend?” He asked, turning a politely curious eye and friendly smile on her.

“Oh,” Adam started and glanced at her, slight smile on the edge of his mouth before he looked back, “this is-”

“There you are Hazel. I was beginning to worry you weren’t going to come after all.” Matt Jackson had walked from around the trailer, chewing gum, returning and eyes all hers, not having noticed he interrupted Adam talking. His attention absorbed Hazel, like a dog trained on a scent, he wasn’t going to give up until his paws were on her. She’d seen that look before on a man, and normally it excited her, especially a man as handsome as Matt was. Alright, maybe it still excited her a little (she was only human), but Adam shifted ever so slightly beside her and she felt the change in the air around them and watched as Matt’s eyes jerked from her to him, and he looked genuinely shocked.

“Page?! Finally decided to be social, huh?” His smile showed teeth. “That’s great! Sit down and hang with us.” He waved toward an empty chair near Kenny, who was watching the three of them with a curious eye.

Matt’s attention was hers again, those brown eyes dark as sin, smile just the right level of smug that made her palm itch to slap it and grab desperate around his shoulders to pull him down into a passionate, heated, dizzying kiss. To spell it out in one word, Matt Jackson was one-hundred percent certifiable, damningly handsome trouble. It was the kind she’d been initially looking for, the perfect distraction from her broken heart… So why was her smile a little pained? Why did she want to turn toward Adam and ask where he was planning to sit so she could sit with him, put her hand on his arm, do something to let him know the only place she wanted to be was back to where they were? Why the fuck did it matter? He was just a guy; a guy who was trouble in a different way. That kind of trouble that meant broken hearts and burning aches in your chest for days; that kind of trouble was exactly what she was running away from.

Matt had moved closer to her while she was thinking, and she snapped out of it when his hand waved in front of her. He laughed softly, as though finding her momentary lapse in concentration adorable. Assuming she was so taken away with seeing him again and knowing he’d wanted her, she’d had her feet knocked right out from under her.

“Earth to Hazel!” He said, smiling. “Come on,” his head jerked toward a pair of chairs on the opposite side of the fire. Still a part of the group, but paired off a little separately. “I saved you the best seat in the house, right next to me.” He said, a grin growing before he winked.

Pretentious, egotistical prick. She nearly snorted. Fuck, he’s hot. 

But she managed to pull her eyes away, intending to make eye contact with Adam and get help on what she was supposed to say here. Only… she didn’t meet Adam’s eyes. He had turned away from her and was already edging around the fireside to join Kenny and Nick opposite of where Matt was. He’d walked off without even waiting for her, or waiting to see what she’d say to Matt. 

Hazel sucked back a sharp stab of disappointment and mentally chided herself immediately thereafter. What a fool. Just because he was cute and she was sure they’d been about to kiss didn’t mean anything. A momentary lapse in judgement where he’d been about to kiss her didn’t mean anything if there wasn’t going to be any follow-up. If he was willing to fold at the first sign of another man’s interest, it wasn’t worth her getting hung up on either.

But maybe she was being a little childish and spiteful when she turned a charming smile back toward Matt and made sure to speak loud enough that Adam would hear her, saying, “I’d be happy to sit with you!” She put a bright smile on her face she didn’t necessarily feel, and looked up beneath her mascara-curled lashes as she bit into the corner of her grin to match his smirk.

They sat in the two camping chairs, pointed inward toward one another, though hers damnably kept Adam in her sights too, just beyond Matt. She could avoid looking his way, she thought, focusing on Matt’s smile and his appreciative dark eyes, wondering what the hell was wrong with her that she’d waste her chance for some fun with a guy this handsome over one she barely knew.

“You seem to know your way around a rodeo, huh?” Matt asked her, chewing thoughtfully on his gum after pushing his hat back on his head so the firelight would catch his face and reflect the warmth and hunger that was in his eyes. His long dark hair was tied back, a few wispy strands caught the soft night breeze and stirred. She wondered what it looked like down, around his shoulders, curtaining his face.

“Do I?” She asked him, and remembered how she’d told Adam about her former barrel racing days. She didn’t volunteer that information here.

“You do,” he said, and reached lazily between them to tap a long finger playfully on her knee. An excuse to touch her. “You don’t seem that green to me, little filly.”

Alright, maybe she swooned a little bit at that, and maybe the smile on her mouth was a little more honest than before, and maybe her focus sharpened on Matt and Adam became a soft, firelit blur of pinks and blues and golden blond in the background. She laughed and didn’t notice the way Adam stiffened at the sound, and how his eyes shot fast over to see her grinning at Matt, and Matt’s finger on her knee. She didn’t see Nick frown and glance between herself, his brother, and Adam. She didn’t notice any of it but Matt. There was something… commanding about his charm.

“Well, you haven’t even tried to ride yet, cowboy. You don’t know how hard I can buck.”

The smile he wore stretched wide enough it showed his teeth. Endearingly she noticed his bottom teeth were crooked; it softened her to see something human peek through what had so far only been arrogance wrapped in a damningly handsome package. A little imperfection. Cute. He laughed loud at that, too, and his brows shot up with surprise.

“Alright!” He laughed again and his hand smoothed over her knee. It’s weight was heavy with intent, and warm.

Adam came a little more into focus past him. She could see how he tilted his head toward them. Was he listening?

“Do you have any experience riding a wild filly? Can you manage to stay on?” She barely managed to get the words out, and she wished she was looking into those soft grey-green-blue eyes, and that she’d get to see the wrinkles push up his hat when his eyebrows shot up after she got the words out. She wondered what sweet-seeming Adam was like when faced with bold, flirtatious advantages. Instead, she refocused on Matt, and she saw the self-assured expression cross his face at her tease. He slid his fingers off her knee and leaned back in the chair, gesturing down at himself.

“You’re talking to the top number one PRCA Team Roping Header champion, sweetheart.” He scoffed playfully, jokingly offended she’d question his skills. She wished she didn’t feel the need to press her thighs together and adjust her seat, or the way she wanted to take in a sudden, sharp breath when his eyes pinned hers. What was it about a cocky man that made something inside her come alive? That’s why he was fun to play with, but she’d never make the mistake of dating someone like him. That ego was fun in small bursts, but too much was liable to get you burned.

Somehow she managed to cover the jolt of attraction with a soft laugh and a jerk upward of one of her brows. She knew she was smiling too much into her words and couldn’t stop herself. “A roper? That doesn’t tell me you can ride a bucking horse, cowboy. Maybe I should go find myself a champion bronc rider, then I’ll be sure he’ll stick the ride.” 

And she hoped Adam was eavesdropping and heard her say it, but she couldn’t look away from Matt to check.

Something in that dangerous look that flashed dark in his eyes told her he caught on to exactly what she was trying to do and say. It was a challenge, and she was quickly learning Matt was the type of man to grab on to a challenge with everything he had. He had a boldness that matched hers, and it invited her to play along. They continued to flirt and talk, weaving around and through topics, using little chances here and there to lay a hand on an arm, or a knee. She danced a dance she knew well, avoiding giving pieces of herself away she assumed a man like him wouldn’t actually care about. He was just trying to get into her pants, not her heart. 

That was a good thing, she reminded herself, once again trying to resist the urge to let her eyes find Adam. They’d made eye contact by accident a few times that night as she talked with Matt, both catching the other trying to sneak a glance and looking away just as quickly. Matt had noticed a time or two as well, but he never made a comment or said a thing. Instead, they kept talking, kept flirting, and eventually got on the topic of his recent, most impressive roping championship run.

“That’s where I won this buckle,” he said, tapping the shiny, gold-filigree decorated silver buckle with it’s bold writing proclaiming him as champion of that specific rodeo.

“Is there a replay of the run?” Hazel asked curiously, wanting to see the way he and his brother worked in-tandem to rope a calf in less than six seconds.

“Yeah,” he said, and pulled his phone from his pocket. He tapped away, and she used the chance to look at Adam. He wasn’t paying attention to her this time, but was nodding and talking to Nick, moving his hands. Expressive. Nick had his hat in his lap and was stretched out, boots propped on the ice chest the sodas had been. He was nodding in agreement. She blinked, watching Adam’s hands… and then Matt leaned over to show her the clip and drew her sharply back to him. Suddenly, with his free hand he reached up, fingers skimming her cheek as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

“Sorry,” he’d breathed softly near her when her eyes darted to him and she noticed how close they were. She’d barely have to move to put her lips on his darkly bearded cheek.

“No you’re not,” she said.

“No, I’m not.” He agreed, and she noticed his eyes had fallen to her lips, which ached and wanted all at once after having been denied earlier.

“Alright, I’m going to call it quits.” It was Kenny speaking up and moving out of the chair that made her jump and glance toward the rest of the group. He somehow came across as even larger when he got out of it, and she briefly wondered what the hell his workout routine was like. It was then she noticed the light had died down, the fire was burned to coals glowing a soft orange-red among the black. It’d be safe to put out, clean up, and leave. Nick had popped up as Kenny edged around the fire, and was starting to grab up empty soda cans and whatever other trash they had to throw out. They made quick work of taking care of things before she could even offer.

“I’m heading out too,” Adam volunteered quickly and without a glance in her direction. “Night guys, see y’all in the morning.” He didn’t linger, lifting his hand in a slight, dismissive wave before he took off and didn’t let his eyes touch her again. He was avoiding acknowledging her existence entirely. Where did that nice, genuine sweetheart go that he’d been earlier? The one that’d made her heart skip in a way it never had, not even with her recent ex. 

The way Adam was treating her stung, and she was, yet again, angry that it did. He’d chickened out of making the move on her and let Matt step in. That was on him. It wasn’t her fault and she didn’t deserve to be treated like shit for getting attention from someone who wanted her and was willing to do something about it. She didn’t deserve to feel guilty for flirting with Matt.

That’s what she told herself as she watched Adam disappear into the night.

“I’m going to get a ride back with Kenny,” Nick said as she and Matt stood up from their chairs and started folding them, helping each other shove them into the canvas bags and handing them toward Kenny’s outstretched hand.

“Alright,” Matt nodded, “see you guys in the morning.” 

Today had been the qualifying runs, tomorrow they’d have to compete with the best in their sport to try and win both the purse and the added points to keep them at the top of the yearly rankings.

“Nice meeting you, Hazel.” Nick smiled kindly, and Kenny bobbed his head of curls in her direction with a smaller, shyer smile before slinging three of the canvas bags with camping chairs on his back and grabbing up the ice chest in the other. Nick grabbed the other ice chest and the remaining two chairs, leaving nothing for her and Matt to take back but themselves.

“You too!” She said politely in return, and then they left and it was just she and Matt, completely alone.

“You want to come back to my hotel room?” The blatant invitation was asked without hesitation, wasting little time, and the look on Matt’s face was unmistakable. He’d reached out between them and grabbed one of her hands to pull her body in a little closer to his, and she realized the calloused pad of his thumb was gently skimming her skin and making goosebumps rise up along her arm. Her heart even started beating a little faster in her chest, making her pulse jump.

So why wasn’t the obvious answer so… obvious? Why did she look in the face of that handsome man she’d been flirting and talking to for hours and not find the word yes leaping off her tongue? 

“I-” she struggled with the hesitation, and a slight frown disrupted the predatory expression he wore. She saw confusion, and knew he had every right to be. Up until this point she’d been giving him every sign that he would have her in his hotel bed with her feet pointed up to heaven by the end of the night. “I want to say yes…”

“But…?” he volunteered softly, watching her. There was something suddenly gentle there in those brown eyes and across his face. It made something stir in her. Something she’d been reminding herself all day and all night to be wary of.

“I’m in a weird place right now,” she felt guilty, like she’d led him on, and hated that she did, immediately jumping to explain herself in a rush. “I was in a relationship for a long time and our break-up has me kind of messed up, I thought it’d been enough time and I could just have some fun but, I’m just… struggling. I’m so sorry Matt.” 

“You don’t have to apologize to me.” He sounded even more confused that she had, and chuckled softly just once before giving her hand a little comforting squeeze. “I’m not pissed at you just because you don’t want to fuck me.” He laughed a little dryly and shook his head. “Come on, let me walk you to your car sweetheart.”

He still hadn’t let go of her hand.

“Okay,” she said, and tried to shrug away the anxiety that told her somewhere, deep down, he probably was. He just didn’t want to be an asshole, so he’d said that to make her feel better. He’d probably noticed how many times she was paying attention to Adam instead of him.

After a lengthy period of silence filled only by their boots scraping the packed dirt ground, Matt tugged her gently by their joined hands, pulling her off balance to crash lightly into his body.

“Hey!” She said in surprise, jerked out of the anxiety spiral her thoughts were becoming, blinking rapidly at him.

He was grinning.

“Earth to Hazel,” he said, echoing that same phrase he’d had to use to pull her out of her thoughts earlier. They didn’t even know each other, how did he know to do that? 

“Sorry, I’m such a basketcase today, I swear I’m not normally like this.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes, exasperated with how much she was struggling.

“Aw, you’re fine.” He reassured and smiled at her. “Get out of your head, wild filly.”

Butterflies in her stomach at that little pet name he’d decided on after their earlier conversation and she blushed, looking away from him to gather her thoughts on a safer topic. She was thankful she saw her vehicle and could avoid answering altogether. “That one’s mine,” she said, pointing toward the little bright blue Ford Ranger waiting in the dimly stadium-lit field where they’d been parking cars throughout the day. They walked toward it, just a few paces away.

“I didn’t think you drove a truck.”

“I mean,” she laughed, “does a Ranger really count as a truck?”

He laughed and pulled her to a stop beside her truck, turning her to face him. He still held her hand and grinned down at her. “I was right. This definitely ain’t your first rodeo.”

And just like that, she remembered Adam’s joke, the same one he’d made earlier when she’d talked about her past. She hadn’t told Matt about that. She inhaled a sharp breath and blinked, but Matt was leaning in, pulling her close, and pressing his mouth hot against hers. And her lips were moving, forming to his, opening, her tongue prying at his mouth, his sliding into hers. And he was pushing her up against the side of her truck, jean-trapped cock rubbing against her thigh as she opened her legs to give him better access. And his breath was a hot hiss of air from his nose, and his beard scratched her skin as he moved his mouth hungrily over hers. His hands pinched her waist hard, trapping her at the angle he wanted to fit best between her legs. She spread them wider, and he dipped, fitting his hips up so he could rub the swollen, hard lump of his need and want more firmly against her. The pressure just barely teased her, enough to make a needy, whiny moan crawl up from her lungs and push desperate into his mouth.

He pulled his mouth off of her like he’d had to be forcibly removed, his arms shaking, fingers curled tight around her hips, hard enough she wouldn’t be surprised to see little finger-print shaped bruises on her skin later on. He tried to laugh, but was too breathless to do even that, and he hadn’t moved his body away from hers. He was struggling, trying to catch his composure.

“Sorry,” he said, and flashed his eyes toward her, “I just… meant to kiss you. I didn’t mean to get carried away.”

“No, it’s okay,” her voice barely had any volume to it and she was dizzy. Her lips were tingling and the breath she sucked in with need tasted like him. Like the faint mint from his gum.

“You are something else,” he murmured in a warm breath, grunting as he seemed to all but force himself to step off of her, peeling his weight away from her and letting her settle flat on her feet again. The night felt so much colder, all of the sudden. Her hips ached pleasurably where he’d been holding her. She flushed under the compliment, and the stare in his eyes that was still eating her up. It was killing him not to take her back to his hotel room, but he wasn’t going to cross that line again unless she gave him the invitation. 

“You too, cowboy.” She said, and her voice sounded dazed. Her blood was rushing in her ears.

“Drive home safe now, alright?” He said, and his hand moved at his side, like he’d wanted to reach out and grab her again but had to remind himself not to. It fell back down again.

“Okay,” she said, heart aching suddenly, confused on why she was still deciding not to say fuck it and throw caution to the wind. She pushed herself off her truck and turned to fish her keys out of her pocket. She’d turned it in the lock to pop the door open when Matt spoke up behind her.

“Actually, can I get your number? You can text me when you get home so I know you’re alright?”

It was a cute, classic excuse to hide the real reason he wanted her number, but she didn’t mind. She assumed he likely wanted to have her number on hand in case another rodeo brought him close enough to justify them meeting up and, maybe, he’d get lucky to actually sleep with her the next time they did. It wouldn’t surprise her and she wasn’t offended, in fact… she was more than interested. If he got her that crazy just kissing her up against her little truck… Wow.

“Yeah,” she said and smiled so he’d know she knew what it was about. She didn’t expect good morning texts and long conversations late into the night. She tugged her phone out of her pocket and pulled up her contact screen, passing the phone to him as she pulled her truck door open and hopped into the cab. He finished typing his information in by the time she turned to look at him. Matt extended her phone toward her with one hand, and leaned his forearm on the roof of her truck with the other.

When she grabbed the other end of her phone, he didn’t let it go. Instead he dipped down, and he pulled her toward him (though really she leaned up of her own volition) so their lips could meet for another kiss. He started to press in hard, to smear his lips against hers, the energy building back up inside him again, and pulled back with a sharp inhale. He released a slow breath through his nose, lips pressed together as he looked down at her.

“Are you planning on coming back tomorrow?” He asked, voice warm and smooth, his finger skimming her jawline after he let her take her phone back, thumb resting at her chin and keeping her face pointed up at him. Tingles spread from his touch. “I’d love to know there’s a pretty little thing like you in the audience cheering as me and my brother win the championship.”

There it was, that big ego that was all too natural and he couldn’t help flex with such confident casualness and a knowing grin shortly after. He might as well have winked when he took his fingers away from her chin. She playfully pushed her hand lightly into his chest as if to shove him off her truck, and he stumbled back.

“What makes you so sure you’re going to win?” She teased, pushing the key into the ignition and turning it over to start the engine. He flattened his hand on her still-open driver’s side door.

“Oh please,” he laughed and rolled his eyes. “Tomorrow night,” he tapped the belt buckle that currently clasped the belt slung through his Wrangler’s belt-loops. “I’ll have a shiny new buckle on my belt.” 

He was so matter-of-fact about it, she didn’t question that he was probably right. He slid his hand down her driver’s side door and slowly started to close it, but before he was shut out, he arched a brow beneath the shade of his hat.

“So, am I going to see you cheering me on tomorrow?” Something hung in his tone. Something that told her he actually cared if she’d be there or not. Funny… but she decided to not let herself wonder about it for too long.

Her smile pushed high into her cheeks. “Yeah,” she said with a nod, “I’ll be there to cheer you and your brother on tomorrow.”

“Good girl,” he murmured, and she suddenly felt dizzy all over again. 

He gave her that damnable wink, as though he knew the exact effect he’d had, with a smile pushing a little higher into one side of his bearded cheek than the other, and gently closed her truck door, stepping back to watch her drive away and giving her a wave in the rearview mirror.

**********

She chucked her keys on the side table, pushed the door shut behind her and half stumbled, half kicked off her boots as soon as she got home. The scrabbling of dog nails on hardwood from the kitchen alerted her that her two golden retrievers, Callahan and Carson, were about to rush around the corner to greet her. Hazel pulled her phone out of her pocket, typing across the touchscreen with one hand as the pups came panting and wagging their entire bodies, dancing and prancing around her, pressing their nose to her clothes and demanding attention for having left them alone all day.

“Alright, alright!” She laughed gently as they pushed at her, and abandoned finishing the text message to give them affection and apologize for not being able to take them to the rodeo. They followed her as she made her way down the hall and toward the master bedroom and adjoining bathroom. She finished typing the text message and hit send.

TEXT TO: MATT JACKSON Made it home in one piece!

She gently tossed the phone atop the fluffy comforter that lay over her bed, letting it land with a soft thud. It chimed with a returned text message as she rummaged through her drawers just as Callahan and Carson jumped up onto the mattress, flopping down with huffs. Carson perked his ears and glanced toward the phone as it buzzed again, then glanced over at her.

“I’ll look at it in a minute, Carson.” She chided, unbuttoning her long sleeve shirt and pulling it off, unclasping her bra and barely suppressing the relieved moan as she took it off. She slipped a soft, large shirt over her head, it’s hem just brushing her mid thigh. She unbuttoned and stepped out of her jeans, tugged off her socks and padded barefoot to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash the rodeo dust off her face.

And of course Callahan and Carson got a few more cuddles before she finally reached for her phone and swiped to see Matt’s reply.

TEXT FROM: MATT JACKSON Glad to hear it. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

She smiled and reached to flick off the lamp on the side table, typing away into the white-blue glow of the phone screen.

TEXT TO: MATT JACKSON In case I’m too busy working and don’t see you before your run, good luck!

TEXT FROM: MATT JACKSON Didn’t we already discuss that I don’t need luck, because I’m definitely winning? Anyways, hope I do get to catch you before the run, I’d hate to not get a little good luck kiss.

At that she rolled her eyes, but pressed the button to give a “heart” reaction on his text.

TEXT TO: MATT JACKSON Goodnight, cowboy. Rest up. 💗

TEXT FROM: MATT JACKSON You too, wild filly. ❤️

**********

The second day went by quicker than the first. Maybe it was because they were busier, with more people to watch the championship runs than had come for the qualifiers. Maybe it was because she threw herself wholeheartedly into her work to keep her distracted so her wandering eyes wouldn’t pull toward every blond haired cowboy she saw out of her peripherals.

Not that she had to worry. Either Adam was avoiding her, or there were just too many people to single him out, because even ducking along the chutes and helping sort and load the roughstock for the upcoming rides, she didn’t catch sight of him once. She thought it was peculiar, especially given that she crossed paths with Matt and his brother Nick at least four times that day, and had even run into Kenny once.

But never Adam.

“Ash! Give us a hand!” A shout from Andrea distracted her, and she shook her head as she glanced down the lane of pipe-fencing. “Stand by that gate,” Andrea pointed at a gate near her, “and swing it shut as soon as we push Bueno away from Brisket! Don’t let Brisket bully by you, cause he’ll try!”

They were trying to separate two of the bucking horses in the pen, Bueno, a big seal bay gelding, needed to be sent down the lane to the chutes where he’d get tacked up for the ride, but Brisket, the dun bay, needed to stay in the pens behind. Brisket was running as though stuck to Bueno’s side, as if he knew they were trying to separate them and he wasn’t interested in doing so.

Andrea and the young volunteer that’d stepped up to help her shouted and raised their hands, sending the big horses thundering in bouncing trots toward her. They were picking up their gait, coming faster. Hazel planted her boots firm and lifted her chin, getting ready to spook Brisket so he’d turn about, but keep Bueno running forward. However, as they got near, Brisket pinned his ears and lurched toward where she was standing, lips peeled and flat, yellow teeth showing.

“Hey!” She shouted, jumping back to keep from getting snapped by the grumpy horse, though, at the same time someone else shouted loud over her.

Whoever it was reached to wave a hat over her head, spooking Brisket into pulling his gait up and jerking his head upwards over his withers, ears flat and eyes rolling white. It had the needed effect, as Bueno jolted forward down the lane he was meant to go and Brisket back-stepped and turned about, releasing an angry, loud snort as the gate closed and he didn’t get his way. Whoever behind her had scared Brisket off swung the gate shut, and the automatic lock secured it.

“You alright?” He said.

She glanced toward the familiar voice and found herself trapped in pretty eyes that looked more blue than green today, framed by gold ring-curls that had a soft impression from the hat he’d taken off to shake in the horse’s direction. The mid-afternoon sun was beating down and made his hair look as though it were gilded, like he was some creature of heaven. She could have rolled her eyes at how stupidly romantic that thought was. He raised a hand to shake through his hair and set his hat back on his head, frowning with concern down at her.

“Adam,” She said his name on a breath, exhaling slowly, her entire body suddenly on fire, standing so close to him. She blinked, and her brain caught up through the surprise at seeing him to remember he’d asked her a question. Heat flushed her cheeks immediately. “Uhm, yeah! Yeah, I’m fine. He didn’t get me, just tried to intimidate me. I don’t even think he was going to bite.” She glanced toward Brisket, who was being guided back through the lanes toward the holding pen where he’d wait for Bueno’s return, his ears perked and posture far less aggressive than before.

“Glad you’re safe.” Adam’s tone was dismissive and she whipped her head around to see him turning away, planning to walk off.

“Adam, wait-” She said it before she knew what she was going to say next. Adam paused and looked at her, though she could easily tell he didn’t actually want to. “I didn’t sleep with Matt last night.” She blurted it out and immediately felt embarrassed. Heat crawled up her neck and flushed her cheeks as she fought to keep looking at him and not fall to the cowardice that wanted her eyes at his boots instead.

A look crossed over his face, but before she could wonder what it meant, it was gone and a polite expression was in its place. Despite his cordial look, his voice that’d been honey warm the night before was cold when he spoke, and it sliced right through her. “That’s not really any of my business.” And I don’t care, seemed implied. He reached up to pinch the brim of his hat and tip it to her. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Baker.” 

Miss Baker, now. No longer Hazel. 

Those eyes lingered on her a second more, and then he turned away and walked off to prepare his bronc rope and get ready for his ride, his shoulders tense and back a little hunched.

She was hurt by his dismissal, and she was angry that she was hurt. What was he supposed to have done? Walk over and kiss her? Admit that he’d been jealous and that he wanted her? 

Yes, her heart whined. 

Fool, the scars across it mocked.

Maybe she wasn’t even ready for casual fun like she’d thought she was. How could she have been so affected by him? They’d only talked for a little while. Maybe there were still some things she needed to work through from her break-up instead of trying to bury that pain in attention and sex. Maybe she was just shaken because she’d been open with him, vulnerable, only to have him treat her poorly after she’d trusted him so quickly. 

Maybe, maybe, maybe...

Hazel shook her head and closed her eyes, taking a breath and giving herself a moment to try and breathe and get out of her head.

“Up next, Adam Page’s ride on Brisby’s Bueno! This young man has had a stellar career this year, after running mid-rankings the last few years he’s risen to the top this year and is definitely this announcer’s must-watch kind of ride!” Kenny’s voice crackled over the announcer’s microphone, and she found herself mildly surprised to learn he was an announcer. He didn’t exactly have the look of an announcer…

Adam’s ride. His championship ride.

For some reason, despite what had just happened between them, she couldn’t help but wander toward the arena. She couldn’t deny herself wanting to watch his ride.

He rode beautifully, with his free arm raised, moving fluid as the rest of his body did with every twist and hard kick and upward hop the bronc gave underneath him. She watched the determination on his face, the way his chin bowed to his chest, and how hard his gloved hand wrapped around that bronc rope. Bueno kicked hard and jumped high for a horse as tall as he was, earning delighted and excited gasps from the audience at the show unfolding in the dirt ring in front of them. No matter what the horse threw his way, Adam stuck on, his legs moving in perfect synchrony over and down Bueno’s withers with each leap. The counter ran up, and Kenny’s voice excitedly crackled over the speakers, growing more and more heated as the ride progressed through snapping bucks and high-spirited kicks.

The buzzer hit eight-seconds. It’d felt like time stood still.

The pick-up riders charged their horses up, one took Adam as he took his hand off the rope and leapt over the pick-up horse’s haunches. The rider turned the horse away while the other pick-up rider unbuckled the snap on Bueno’s flank strap. He gave a few more excited, hyper bucks before slowing to a trot and allowing himself to be guided back toward the chutes. Meanwhile, Adam slid off the horse that’d taken him a slight distance away and landed with a thud onto the dirt, getting a supportive cheer from the crowd as he finished his ride safely. He didn’t even soak them in, but immediately turned his eyes toward the scoreboard, waiting for the judges final call.

89.6 point ride.

The crowd erupted into cheers, and she saw him glance down at his boots and smile, as though soaking it in himself, trying to believe it before he finally let himself look up at the crowd. They hollered even louder. She realized she was screaming for him too.

“89.6!” Kenny’s voice crackled excitedly over the speakers. “With that score, ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a champion! Raise a hand Adam, give them a wave!” He encouraged from the announcer’s booth, earning a glance and almost bashful smile from Adam before he shook his head and waved a hand at the audience, making his walk back to the chutes. Back toward her.

She was smiling when their eyes met, and he smiled too. It turned a little apologetic. A little sad.

She decided he was something of an enigma, and she would never understand him or these feelings she had for him. She shook her head and turned away, knowing she’d be needed in the holding pens as hands always were and deciding she’d rather throw herself back into work as a distraction to keep her mind from mulling. Unsurprisingly, it worked. Needing to stay alert while helping work around the animals and being a willing hand kept her busy and unable to pay attention to much else than what needed done and she could help with.

The only time she let herself stop again was to get herself a cold water bottle and perch up on the top of the fence to watch the Jackson brothers have their final run. She watched as they rode toward the box, the young white and grey-roan speckled roping steer loaded in the chute and ready to run the moment those gates flew open. Hazel caught sight of Matt glancing Nick’s way, Nick giving a reassuring nod before the pair separating to load up in their separate boxes. Matt hadn’t been putting on a front with his confidence; they gave the signal, the man pulled the chute latch open and the calf sprung forward, the brothers in quick pursuit. Matt, the header, threw his lasso over the steer’s horns and turned his direction. Nick, without hesitation, threw his lasso straight through the air and looped it perfectly around both back legs. He did it so quickly and so flawlessly, he made it look easy. Wrapping the rope around his saddle horn, he leaned back, holding tight as his horse dropped its haunches and pulled the steer taut. A cheer rocked the stands as the boys let the ropes go and the calf was able to kick free. The timer buzzed as they gathered and looped the slack of their ropes, still sitting on their horses.

She released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, and shook her head in disbelief. It’d been over so quickly, with such precision, she found herself gaping as she watched the little speckled calf trot with a bleating cry back toward the pen to be with the other calves.

“And with that impressive time rounding out their final roping session of the evening, the Jackson brothers have done it again! Matt and Nick Jackson everyone, your rodeo tag roping champions!”

She screamed with the rest of the folks in the stands, jumping up and down and hollering enough to make her voice go out. The brothers shared broad grins and Matt turned his horse to ride alongside Nick, giving his younger brother a quick pat on the back and another happy smile. Nick returned the gesture of affection and waved toward the crowd as Matt rode off back toward the gate they were swinging open for him.

He saw her, and his grin slipped a little higher up one side of his bearded cheek. She noticed when he’d ridden, the tie on his hair had come loose not quite enough to be completely undone, but enough to give her a hint of how handsome he looked with it loose around his face. He shrugged as he pulled back the reins and stalled his sleek, bay roan roping horse to a halt beside her.

“What did I tell ya?”

She rolled her eyes, but smiled still. 

“I didn’t doubt you for a second.”

He leaned in the saddle, the leather softly creaking. She smelled the faint cologne, a damp of sweat, a little rodeo dust, horse and leather as he reached and ran his calloused thumb gently along her jawline. Tingles again.

“Good girl.” His smile showed teeth before he winked, slipping his hand away, leaving her skin warm. He gave a gentle squeeze of his knees, getting his horse to walk back to where he could dismount and tend to it. Along the way she watched him pause to clap hands and receive congratulations from his fellow rodeo buddies, a fond smile resting gentle over her lips.

“You guys must have had a good night,” Andrea’s familiar voice broke her from staring after Matt and she shook her head, focusing on her friends grinning face.

Hazel laughed. “We didn’t hook-up.”

“Don’t lie to try and impress me or make me think you’re some innocent angel. I’ve known you too long for that.”

“I’m not lying!” Hazel protested, “Honestly! I… got myself confused.”

“What? Like lost your way across the rodeo grounds?” Andrea frowned at her.

“No, I… ran into Adam, and we talked and I opened up to him like…” Hazel glanced around, looking for anyone overhearing, then back at her friend's expectant, curious face. “Like no one I’ve opened up to in a long time. He was going to kiss me, but then Nick interrupted us and assumed we were coming to their little fire. Matt was there and he assumed I was there to see him and Adam got pissed off and now he’s acting like an asshole and Matt and I made out but I didn’t fuck him and now I’m more confused than I was coming into this mess.”

She’d talked fast, and her pleading eyes looked desperately at Andrea, who blinked rapidly.

“Wow, a hell of a lot more happened last night than I thought.”

“Yeah!”

“Don’t bother with Adam getting his panties in a bunch. Like I said, he’s a keep-to-himself kind of guy. If he was so upset with you and Matt flirting maybe he should have spoken up.”

“Thank you!” Hazel exclaimed with frustration. 

“Still, I can’t believe you didn’t sleep with Matt.” 

“You and me both.”

**********

Fire in his belly, it licked hot at the insides and spread over his skin like an itch he’d never scratch. In his mind, as he loaded the trailer and collected his winnings, preparing to leave the rodeo, he just kept seeing them.

Matt, leaning down on his horse to gently, affectionately hold her face. Her, looking up at him with a smile that he would like to have had reserved for him.

It was stupid, he told himself for the hundredth time as he climbed into the cab of his truck and started the engine, letting it gently rumble to life. It was stupid because she wasn’t anything to him.

Only that he’d felt like he’d been struck by lightning the moment he overheard her talking to Dolly. Only that he’d found a funny little smile on his face as he stayed quiet and listened, feeling bad for eavesdropping but finding a foreign, comforting warmth settling inside him the more he listened to her talk. Only that he’d thought the wind had been knocked out of him, like he got kicked in the gut by a bronc, when that soft light lit her profile and showed him the most gorgeous woman he could ever remember lying eyes on. Only that when her eyes had gotten sad, and she’d said she left competing for a reason she couldn’t share, he wanted her to trust him to take on that pain with her, and help her heal from it. Only that he’d shut himself off to the possibility of romance years ago, but when he talked to her he felt like every second of their time together was the most important moment of his life…

And then came Matt.

He flexed his fingers on the steering wheel and squeezed hard enough to turn the knuckles white. His jaw clenched as he glared at the open road, turning truck and trailer onto it, leaving the rodeo grounds behind. It wasn’t Matt he was angry with, or her for that matter, though he might as well have been with how he behaved.

It was himself.

The tension in his body slowly leaked out, color returned to his knuckles, and his shoulders sagged. It pierced right through him, remembering that look across her face this afternoon when he’d dismissed her. As he’d walked away he’d called himself every name in the book, begged himself to turn around and grab her and ask her what it was about her - a stranger - that made him feel so many things he hadn’t felt in years.

And how much that scared him.

And how much he let that fear control his life, removing the chance of losing her by driving her away before it could happen.

Driving her into Matt’s open, eager, waiting arms.

I didn’t sleep with Matt last night.

Why had she told him that?

He knew why. He only wished she hadn’t. He only wished she hadn’t looked up at him with those big, amber-brown eyes that made him ache to his core like he’d always known them. He only wished she hadn’t kept reaching for him with that longing he felt an understanding of, that made the defenses guarding his wounded heart snap and snarl and drive her away. It’d been bruised again and again and again, it no longer knew how to accept even the gentlest touch without fearing pain that might follow.

It was better this way.

He’d been telling himself that since the night prior, since watching her eyes light up as she talked with Matt by the fireside, and still finding himself aching for her company. He hadn’t been able to follow Nick and Kenny’s conversation, because any time her giggles swelled a little in volume his eyes shot to them, and jealousy was something bitter in the back of his throat. He had a feeling he hadn’t been subtle about it, because eventually they stopped trying to include him in their conversation and kept talking to one another, instead.

He had enough to deal with from helping his dad with the family tobacco farm, to trying to raise, train, and sell his own rodeo circuit horse stock, to trying to make a name for himself as the top, undeniable bronc bustin’ champion. There was no place, no room in his life for a woman that made him feel like loving her would change how he saw the world. Especially not one who lived a good six hours from where he did. Especially not one he’d hardly ever see as he traveled town to town to compete in the rodeos. It would never work, and the pain it’d cause when it didn’t wasn’t something he was brave enough to risk.

No matter how he tried to justify himself walking away from her, every piece of him screamed and rebelled against what he’d done. It was an exhausting spiral from want to anger to anguish to disappointment and he hoped it’d leave him soon. 

The more miles he put between her and those damningly beautiful eyes and that pretty little smile that made his heart skip a beat in his chest, the better.

Or so he tried to tell himself.

[musingsofsaturn]

The Most Amazing Dream | Kristanna Week

Fandom: Frozen, Frozen II

Ship: Anna/Kristoff

Words: 1,200+

Rating: K

Summary: Kristoff contemplates the future while on a sleigh ride. Beside him, Anna enjoys the most amazing dream.

Author’s Note: Hello! Today’s prompt is all about jealousy, nature, and naivety, and while I just couldn’t bring myself to write something as troubling as jealousy for these two, I do hope you enjoy a bit of naive nature fluff! At first I wasn’t very happy with this one, but after some proofreading and playing around with it, I think it’s pretty sweet. :)

~ Saturn

[Cover photo is an edit I made using a screencap by Humphry02 on the fandom Wiki.]

Sven kept the sleigh moving forward at a steady pace, cutting through familiar forests of ancient spruces as the reindeer stepped confidently and lithely through the snow. Kristoff had given up on steering long ago. He could trust his companion to find his way to the cabin that had long-been his home on his solo harvesting trips.

This time, though, he was solo no more.

Anna had been exhausted. She took to being queen like a duck took to water. After all, she had been trained for it. But weeks of state visits, poring over important documents, and answering to disputes from every corner of the kingdom had turned into months, and finally an entire year had passed. It had taken its toll.

She was still vibrant and lively outwardly, always the picture-perfect regent that he knew she would be, but when it was just the two of them, she had expressed her stress and tiredness to Kristoff in a weary voice that broke his heart.

Eager to ease some of that burden, Kristoff hadn’t allowed her to protest when he decided she needed a break. Her efforts to refuse him had been weak at best. Even she knew it was the best idea. everyone in the palace had been informed that the Queen was to take a week-long break from royal duties to visit the mountains with her fiancé. She was only to be disturbed in the most catastrophic of circumstances. In her absence, her most trusted advisor would see to matters of diplomacy and admin, and all her other duties would be waiting for her when she returned, well-rested and ready to resume.

Kristoff picked her up bridal-style and placed her gently atop the blankets in the sleigh. She giggled and tried to squirm away from him to seat herself as he goaded, “Until the end of this week, you won’t have to lift a finger. Or toe.” He flicked an affectionate finger over her nose. Afterwards, when she was properly settled and he clambered in beside her, he kissed her cheek tenderly and stated simply, “Let me take care of you.”

“Always,” she replied, gazing up at him with those blue eyes filled with so much love and warmth that he felt he could burst from it. She nestled herself into his side, and he wrapped one strong arm over her shoulder as he took the reins and directed Sven out of the kingdom.

Succumbing to her tiredness, Anna fell asleep soon after their departure. Part of him thought her almost-immediate snores were adorable. The other part wondered how someone as lithe and small as Anna could produce sounds as loud and inhuman as... that.

Kristoff hadn’t disturbed her. Rest was the whole point of this trip, after all. Instead, he listened to her heavy breaths and little murmurs, relaxed into the steady rhythm of the sleigh, and considered whether this was what life would be like for the two of them now.

In the beginning of their relationship, he’d felt like a fish out of water. He didn’t understand the table manners that came so easily to diplomats, struggled to hold his own in a ballroom against hundreds of dignitaries, and far preferred nights spent in a stable to being tucked up in the finery of a palace bed. His uncertainty and insecurity had weighed heavy on him for that first year after he’d met her.

But he’d learned. In the years that followed, he’d undergone tutoring, dance lessons, elocution classes, and more. Anna had said that it was completely unnecessary, that she’d love him even if he ate from a bowl on the floor, but the truth was that he was doing it for himself. He needed to feel sure of himself in this strange new world, because if he had his way, he’d be in it for a long time.

Kristoff had blanched when he first learned that Anna was going to be queen. No thought had filled him with as much terror as that one seemed to. In actuality, it suited both of them far more than their previous situation. Anna did thrive as queen, and, with his newfound understanding of the ways of royalty, he thrived at her side. Arendelle was in competant and caring hands with their new Queen and her devoted fiancé.

In truth, he was tired too. He had duties of his own, and did everything he could to support Anna as well. Now though, finally alone and with no to-do list the length of the ballroom waiting for them, Kristoff started to relax.

Their wedding was arranged for six months’ time, and preparations were well underway. After the wedding, they had plans for a diplomatic ‘honeymoon tour’ of the neighbouring kingdoms. He knew Anna was looking forward to travelling and seeing more of the world, and he was looking forward to standing proudly at her side as she did.

Following all that, he would be Prince Consort, with only one important role: provide an heir. He wondered what their children would like. Would they be blonde, or feisty little redheads? Would they inherit Kristoff’s broad frame, or Anna’s infinite collection of freckles? Would they be quiet and soft spoken, or boisterous and clumsy? There was so much uncertainty, and the thought of being a parent absolutely terrified him. In the same breath, it gave him a rush of delight as well. He knew one thing: those little children would be so, so loved.

He imagined their children growing up, blossoming into wonderful young princes and princesses. They’d be unruly toddlers, storming the palace and causing havoc. Then inqusitive children, desperate to explore and learn. Then - oh, gods - sullen teenagers, rebelling against the slightest rule. Then capable young adults, ready to face whatever the world threw at them with courage and love.

Perhaps he was being naive, and he was certainly getting ahead of himself. But the thought of this future that he never could have imagined before, of raising a small family into the capable heirs that the kingdom deserved with the love of his life with him all the time, was one that filled him with so much warmth and excitement that he didn’t care if he was being ridiculous.

Kristoff broke out of his reverie to see the snow-covered trees beginning to thin. Up ahead, he knew there would be a clearing with a hot spring and the cabin that would keep them sheltered for the week.

“Good job, Sven. That must be record time, buddy.” The reindeer only chuffed out a friendly sound in response. Kristoff knew what it meant. “Yeah, I’m happy to be here too.”

Beneath his arm and a bundle of thick blankets, he felt Anna stirring.

“Hi,” she mumbled, looking up at him as she blinked the sleep from her eyes.

“Hi.” He grazed her forehead with his lips, and she hummed softly in response.

“I’m feeling better already.” Anna smiled, leaning her head onto Kristoff’s chest. “I had the most amazing dream on the way,” she told him, “I dreamt that we were married, and had children - they were so cute, they looked just like you, but, like, little - and I dreamt how we were the most amazing parents and they grew up to be the most amazing children... except when they were teenagers. They were uncontrollable teenagers - I think they got that from me, but anyway- wait, I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

Kristoff chuckled softly, pulling her in closer as the cabin came into view. “Don’t worry about it, feistypants. It sounds like it was a pretty wonderful dream.”

[houseki-no-suffering]

Pssst.... gush about some thing you’ve wanted to for so long but haven’t found the ask to do so! I really like reading your metas or off-the-wall posts.

aw ty!

mmmh usually i just crank out a random meta when i feel like it, which i havent had the energy to do in a while. so have a lot of hcs about gem language, gem society and how it resembles a totalitarian system cause why not, this is already a dystopia. 

goes from cute to shady real quick, have fun

Gem Vocabulary

gems have no gender, they dont age, they dont reproduce. the whole vocabulary about relationships, aging and sex must be completely different in gem language. they probably lack a lot of words we commonly use, and have unique words for things we dont have (like winter duty, patrol duty... i wouldnt be surprised if gem language had unique grammatical features for those)

this is one of the reasons why its so unfair of aechmea to call cairn ‘wife’ and ‘princess.’ the gems have no concept of wife-ness, we dont know if a gem equivalent of marriage exists, but its definitely much, much different from what the lunarians (and us) perceive as one.

do gems have anything akin coming of age? this could be weird bc gems can potentially live forever, but they can also be abducted by the lunarians at any time, so who’s to say how long a lustrous will live? how do you calculate being ‘of age’? is it by calculating the average life-span of a gem? 

how do they measure time and seasons? we know they have winter and summer and phos mentions ‘spring’ in chapter 20, but what about months and lunar phases? do they have words for that or are months just too small a timeframe for the immortal lustrous to utilize? how do they measure time? in hours and seconds? weeks? different units altogether?

Gem Relationships

similarly, gem relationships are codified in a completely different way. we know they have a concept of romance bc dia ships phos and shinsha and makes comments here and there about other gems being in love. 

at the same time, the relationships btw alexandrite and chrysoberyl, padpa and rutile, ghost/cairn and lapis etc are little different from ‘pure’ sibling/sibling relationships or senpai/kohai relationships.

this is not to say that they’re all romantic in nature, but the way they’re codified in canon (especially in the way the characters grief for their partner) makes me think that even if the gems have no blood/physical kinship with one another they have a very articulated system of establishing family bonds.

dia and bort are clearly siblings, but the same can’t be said, for example, for rutile and padpa, even if they were partners and even if they display a similar junior/senior relationship. this means that relationships are predicated on something else in hnk, and kinship, family and romance are all codified in a different way.

think of vulcans in star trek: physical contact such as two fingers touching, holding hands and kissing is unknown of (save for very specific circumstances). and vulcan people have a completely different way of expressing intimacy and romance than humans. 

this makes me think: just how many canonically romantic relationships are there in hnk (if any) that we’re simply unaware of bc the way gems codify and express romance is so different from ours? is romance even common? rare? perceived as weird? useless? 

what about other relationships? the gems use ‘little brother/ older brother’ but what if this is just japanese approximations? what kind of relationships can lustrous language really express and how different are they from ours?

Imagination

as @ruddy-rutile​ pointed out some time ago, the gems lack a concept of fantasy. thats why i posted that panel about alex’s original lunarian designs. sure, it’s funny, but it also makes you think: these gems are not raised to think outside the box and they can do it without being told so only under exceptional circumstances.

of the vast library of texts that ghost (and lapis) used to take care of, just how many are novels and fiction? none of them? a small amount? a decent amount? in a society thats as focused on practicality, efficiency and conservatism as the lustrous’, how is fiction perceived if perceived at all? 

is there art? red beryl’s craft comes very close to art when they express their feelings about ‘fashion for fashion’s sake,’ but it’s an exception that the other gems find hard to grasp.

phos is often told to stop fantasizing about the world and get things done, the only tale we know the gems are told is the actual story of how their world came to be. the gems always talk about real things, stuff that happened, and make and do things that have a practical use. 

even bort’s jellyfish diary is just made up of a recollection of what happened when they tried to feed them. still, the fact that bort names the jellyfish makes you think that these rocks do have potential for fantasy, theyre just not used to it

Totalitarianism and Privacy

to make this even more shady, here’s your gentle reminder that:

- gems’ rooms have no doors. the only door ive been able to find is the one in shinsha’s room (ch 2) and that is because shinsha’s room is closed off to other people and full of mercury. its like putting a patch on smth you dont want to deal with (much like shinsha’s whole character arc tbh)

- the gems have little to no free time. or their free time can be revoked any time in case an emergency occurs, sensei is napping etc. the gems’ time is rigorously managed by jade, euc and sensei. each gem has a place to be and a time to be.

this means that a missing gem can be found at all times and slackers can be identified very easily. they all have a job and they have to follow it. this is not to say that they have no fun ever, but leisure time is rare and (at least as far as we know) its not contemplated when tasks are assigned each day.

the mere fact that there is a morning assembly and tasks are assigned each day makes you think. is this communism? is this totalitarianism? but most importantly, is this a scary dystopia that hits you in the face like a brick the third time you reread ch 2?   

- sameness > equality. i already went over this in the past. gems society underlines sameness and conformity over anything else. the gems think theyre equal but theyre actually ‘similar.’

a system based on equality emphasizes differences so that every individual can do the best with what they have got and get back what they need, according to their personal needs. 

these gems emphasize sameness: everyone is upheld to the same standards, even when those standards dont match with a gem’s unique characteristics (ie phos cannot be a fighter, no reason to keep saying stuff like ‘if only you were stronger/you’re useless’ etc. they’re a rock with an imagination in a world where dull reality is the rule. just make them write theater plays and play with slugs with shinsha, wth)

It’s real 1984 hours:

all of the above means that:

- your sense of self is subordinated to the group. if you dont belong you’re simply a nothing. at times, the gems almost display a collective consciousness (a pretty hostile one too): everything must be decided together and done together

- you are what you do. gems identify completely with their job. thats why a job is so important, thats why this system is so fucked up. self worth is not inherent, it depends on what you can do. talk about a breeding ground for mental health issues 

- you dont have a saying in picking your career or deciding for you future. thats up to sensei (and maybe euc and jade). unless you have a very strong affinity with a certain task (like red beryl and alex)

- youre expected to follow orders all the damn time. no matter how much sensei wants his gems to exert free will, they still prefer to do what theyre told. ill admit, its much easier than taking your life in your hands and decide what youre gonna do with it, but damn if it isnt depressing. and childish

- euclase and sensei are the authority. sensei and euc are the powers that be. in the sense that they assign tasks, they decide on times and battle plans, on purpose etc. lets not forget that euc was the one to take on sensei’s role after he ‘resigned.’ 

i wonder what would happen if euc were abducted and the gems had no one to follow anymore, no orders. who’d be the new leader? would there be one? lets not forget that no matter how gentle euc is, phos is shit scared of them.

- thought police is a thing. to end this meta on what is probably the shadiest note: surveillance is a thing. the gems report on each other, it’s thought police, no sugarcoating this. 

there’s no privacy, no secrets. even antarc reads rutile’s diary. this goes from cute and childish (’you did this one wrong thing, im gonna tell sensei’) to absolutely fucked up (’you did this one wrong thing, im gonna tell sensei’)

[fanfic-corner]

Established Relationships

So you want fics without any of the awkwardness of a weird build up or painful pining? Then here are some established relationship fics for you.

Crazy Diamonds by pantheon_of_discord on AO3. (24,872 words).

Tags: Time Travel, Episode s04e02 Are You There God? It’s Me, Dean Winchester, Future Fic, Human Castiel, Castiel in the Bunker, Established Relationship, Impala Sex, Angel of the Lord!Cas.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: A week ago, Dean was pulled out of Hell. Now, he’s apparently woken up in 2018, and the angel that a mere twenty-four hours beforehand had threatened to chuck him back into the pit is sleepily pouring himself coffee and wearing Dean’s second-favourite Zeppelin shirt. It all seems like a perfect happy ending, but with Hell’s scars still so fresh, Dean can’t imagine how he could have possibly gotten there. At the same time, the Dean who went to sleep in the bunker, right next to Cas, wakes up on Bobby’s couch in 2008. He’s instantly bombarded with questions by a Lilith-obsessed brother and a man who’s been dead for years, and must decide between keeping his finally-perfect life intact, and the lives he could save by re-writing history. Regardless of these choices, both Deans are trapped in the wrong decade, and their only way back lies with a Castiel still very much under Heaven’s thumb – one who might find the future Dean describes difficult to believe.

Notes: I do love a good time travel fic, and frankly, Dean still being pissy about Ruby made me laugh out loud.

Just Like You by imherecauseimnotallthere98 on AO3. (35,717 words).

Tags: Homophobia, Homophobic John, Hurt Dean Winchester, Protective Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, Protective Castiel, BAMF Castiel, Protective Sam Winchester, Angry John, Angry Dean Winchester, Angry Sam Winchester, Protective Bobby Singer, Awesome Bobby, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Scared Dean, John Being an Asshole, Swearing, Bisexual Dean, Pansexual Castiel, Past Child Abuse, Accidental Outing, Death Threats, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Sharing a Bed.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: When John shows up at their door in the middle of the night, the Winchesters and Cas start looking into who or what could have brought him back. Meanwhile, Dean struggles to keep his relationship with Cas a secret from his father, with some help from Sam. The tension rises between the Winchesters as Dean shows John that he is no longer the obedient little soldier he once was, and tries to establish himself as an equal with his dad.

Notes: I am fully aware I recced this really recently, but I did really enjoy it and there is an established relationship! I am starting a new rule where I will only rec things more than once if I rate them either 4 or 5 stars, but if I read a fic worse than that while specifically looking at a tag, then it will be in that post. Does that make sense? I think it does.

Take You To The Country by almaasi on AO3. (18,987 words).

Tags: Historical AU, Propositions, Eloping, Newspapers, Fluff, Romance, Forbidden Love, Misunderstandings, Pining, First Kiss, Established Relationship, Running Away Together, Moving In Together, Childhood Friends, Marriage Proposal, Farmer Dean, Bisexual Dean, Domestic Dean Winchester, Clock maker Castiel, Autistic Castiel, Frustrated Sam.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: A Dean/Cas 1950s AU. Dean reads an elopement proposal in the town's local newspaper, written by some old soul in love with their best friend. He's mid-way through expressing to his brother how beautiful he finds it when Dean realises the proposal is for him.

Notes: So cute! I love the letter Sam writes to the newspaper at the end, it was just so beautifully written and he seemed simultaneously so happy for them and so done. I’m not really sure it counts as an established relationship, but it is tagged that, so I’ll include it.

Cuckoo And Nest by komodobits on AO3. (10,190 words).

Tags: Generically canonverse, Established Relationship, Miscommunication.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: For a long time, Castiel thought that every earthly possession other than the immediately necessary was excess to requirement. But Dean – Dean who named his car, who keeps a photograph of his mother in his wallet, some thirty-plus years after her death, who still has the crumpled ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign with a sleeping pelican emblazoned on it from the Microtel outside of Roanoke where he first kissed Castiel, clumsy and unsure, under the unsteady fluorescence of an exhausted bathroom bulb – is sentimental. It puzzles Castiel, where Dean draws the line between what is meaningful and what it is worthless.

Notes: Beautifully written, and I genuinely don’t know how they managed to make such a short fic that angsty. Maybe it’s just ‘cause Cas leaving the bunker almost made me cry. Hmm.

The Tea Is Decaf by mnwood on AO3. (3,673 words).

Tags: POV Castiel, Fluff, Sign Language, Castiel in the Bunker, Bunker Fluff, Canon Compliant, Sharing Clothes, Asexual Castiel, Gentle Dean, Non-Explicit Sex, Domestic, Established Relationship.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: Based on this text post from thebloggerbloggerfun: "Listen, imagine Eileen sneaking out of Sam’s room at night to go to the bathroom or something and steps out into the hallway in one of Sam’s shirts only to see Cas trying to quietly leave Dean’s room while wearing one of Dean’s shirts and they both just stare at each other awkwardly for a few seconds before trying to muffle quiet laughter and now they have a late night club where they talk about life and gossip about the Winchesters in sign language" And this anon I received: "what if Eileen and Cas discover there are some things Sam and Dean both do in bed because Dean jokingly gave Sam pointers when they were younger and Sam took the advice"

Notes: Does it matter that Eileen has only been in one episode I have seen? No. I will rec this fic until the day I die. I’m not even 100% why. I will tell you that it is pretty much the reason I screamed when I realised I finally met Eileen, though.

Say Yes by MaggieMaybe160 on AO3. (7,996 words).

Tags: Episode s05e04 The End, Established Relationship, Secret Relationship, Cheating, Drug Use, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Canon Compliant, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Nearly Human Castiel, Dreams vs Reality, POV Dean Winchester, POV Castiel, True Love, Love Triangles, Idiots in Love, Marriage Proposal, Wedding Rings, Chronic Pain.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: Endverse!Dean's life is going pretty well with Endverse!Cas until Dean's past self shows up. A look at the episode "The End" from Season 5 from Endverse!Dean's point of view.

Notes: Quite cute, mostly canon compliant, and the ending gives me the serious chills. To be honest, the episode did as well.

What Holds Us Up by frecklesarechocolate on AO3. (39,708 words).

Tags: Established Relationship, Kissing, Case Fic, Angst, Minor Character Death, Implied Homophobia, Post Season 9.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description:  What happens when John Winchester suddenly comes back to life, and meets the boys as they are today?

Notes: Very cute, an excellent case, and so nice to see some characters we haven’t seen in a long while! The Sam and Jody ship did freak me out a little bit though: I guess I just never even thought of them that way so I don’t exactly ship it. (Apparently it freaked me out so much I deleted it from my bookmarks?!)

What’s A Hickey? by almaasi on AO3. (1,101 words). 

Tags: Hickeys, Marking, Castiel & Sam Winchester Friendship, Fluff, Ficlet, Human Castiel, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Relationship Reveal.

My Rating: 3 stars.

Description: Sam and Cas have a conversation about hickeys. Specifically, about the one on Castiel's neck.

Notes: Sam and Cas’s friendship has such a specific vibe that I live for but can’t put into words... luckily this talented author can, and we got this.

So there we are! I hope you enjoy them, and if you have any requests for fic lists or any fics you think I should read, please tell me! Otherwise, enjoy the last few episodes (or if you are like me, pray you avoid spoilers until you can catch up 3 seasons).

[neighborhood-merc]

It is I, and I am back with more a new list of fanfics for this wonderful ship called SpideyPool. 

Listen, I don’t know why I’m doing this as well (maybe because I fuckin love these boys and want to share my fave fanfics of their ship to everyone...or whatever) but here we are. [ Here are Part 1, 3 btw! ]  

Same shit applies:

The themes of the stories on this list varies, I’m either into something heart-warming, fluffy, domestic that sort of stuff or into some really really heavy and dark messed up ones. It always depends on the mood am I right? *wink wink*

It’s always gonna be smutty though lol

As long as it’s tastefully written, whatever kinky shit, I can be into it, I don’t judge the writer. With that being said if I add something straight up messed up here now/or in the future, don’t judge too, just mind the tags of the fic, for your own discretion if anything.

this list should be Wade Wilson/Peter Parker - Spiderman/Deadpool pairing only. I kinda like my babies greedy/possessive for/of each other.

I don’t care who tops or bottoms.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Summaries are taken directly from the fanfic’s summary.

Read the tags first!

Wolves [ Update: Sadly, the fic has been deleted :( ] (This is WIP, but I swear it’s so fucking good you should read it. It’s a Prison AU, and the writing is sublime)  Peter is falsely accused and sent to jail, where he meets the violent ex-mercenary, Wade.

Don't Forget To Check Your Calendar! Peter REALLY should remember to check his calendar or Peter forgets that he has a heat coming up, and in doing so causes several sticky situations to occur (thank god for Tony's NDA's).

Communication Error “Have you seriously been doing this bit for a year now?” “Bit… what bit?” Wade looked at him, confused. “This,” Peter waved his hand, “the 'we’re dating' bit.” There was a pause, and then suddenly, it was like Wade’s whole body imploded. His shoulders sunk and his head dropped and suddenly Peter knew he’d made a huge mistake. “Hahaha, yeah, the dating bit.” He held up the wine. “One year of one really bad, horrible joke.”

Night Off Wade is taking the night off when a certain Spider calls for help.

The Great Florist, Wade Wilson (this ones got a Sequel) Deadpool has found the apartment belonging to Spiderman. Or Peter Parker, if the name on the door is anything to go by. Now some people might use this information of said secret identity wrongly. Normally Wade would have been one of them. But this is different. This is Spider-Parker, I-mean, Peter-man, I-mean, fuck. Now Deadpool just have to figure out exactly what he is gonna do with this information. Which is quite simple really. He's going to leave Spidey flowers and win his heart this way or the one, where Deadpool spams Spiderman with flowers, and Spiderman has no idea what's going on

Tale As Old As Time, Song As Old As Rhyme (This belongs to the series  “A Spider in the Pool”) It is absolutely fucking good, I recommend you read them. Do read the warnings though yeah?) Peter Parker gradually falls for Wade's dubious charms. They have a lot of hang ups and kinks to negotiate, but with sex this hot, Peter can't help wanting more. Erotica with significant plot and relationship development.

Help Me, Peter Parker, You’re My Only Hope! “I need your help,” Wade admitted. “And why would I help you?” Peter asked with an amused chuckle. “Because, um, I asked you? Isn’t it what you do? Help people who ask for it?”

Damage Peter Parker finds himself in a sticky situation and who should show up to rescue him but the infamous Deadpool? Now Peter feels indebted to the mercenary... And maybe weirdly charmed by him.

I'm Serious Wade wants Peter to top. But he really, really doesn't know how to ask.

Shake it out (this series is a good boi)

Sick Days  "Wade." "Mr. Rogers." They stared at each other, one calm and silent in his fury while the other looked like a deer about to be pummeled by an eighteen-wheeler. "I'm sure you have a reason for being in my son's bed without a shirt on?"

Love Me Dead Peter tries to tell Wade his feelings. It's kind of a train-wreck.

Disgusting -Spideypool (5+1) This is a Wade Centric fic containing topics of mental health struggles and self image. Nothing too graphic but still.

Flip the Safety They both get a little carried away when they fight, but this time Wade grins over his gun and the worst part is that Peter knows he doesn’t plan on shooting him.

Do It Yourself “I bet you’re flexible enough to suck your own dick.” Wade plants that thought in Peter's head and he can't help where curiosity leads him.

Looking for a savior in these dirty streets  (WADE YOU LITTLE SHIT LOL) what's your opinion on eating ass? just looking for a yes or noThat's the text Peter gets when he's in a meeting with Anna Maria, trying his hardest to get back to running a company a few months after an unexpected trip to the underworld.

Act your age (not your shoe size) “Wanna go grab some grub? I have it on good authority there's some qual-a-tee Mexican around here.”Peter’s mouth drops open. “Uh, you always invite guys you just met out for lunch?” Deadpool laughs and leans forward. The words are muffled when he says, “Only the ones I meet in movie theaters.”

That's the power of love (cute af fic) “Yeah, so, about that. Nice to meet ya, I’m Wade Wilson but def not your Wade Wilson although I gotta say, I’m jealous of the asshole.”

Baby, i’d victoria your secret anytime (another good boy) Peter’s known Wade for a while now, so he can maybe see how this makes sense -- like, maybe Wade has a thing about going commando and just happened to have an old girlfriend’s panties lying around, one thing led to another…but…“And the bra?” Peter croaks.

It's The Alcohol Talking It wasn't every day that Wade came across a drunk-off-his-ass Spider-man.

Marco (this is fuckin’ hurt ok???) Spidey was fine. Everything was going to be fine.

Took no time with the fall (Part One of “wasn’t looking for this” series) When the Avengers had briefed him on Deadpool, they played up the Kills People for Money and Has No Real Morals angle and left out the Is Pretty Damn Funny and Charming in a Weird, Terrifying Sort of Way part.Or, five times they meet on rooftops plus one time they take it to the streets*

Now you're in my way (Part Two of “wasn’t looking for this” series) Wade's been with the Avengers for four months. The two of them have been together for five.Their relationship consists of taco-based dates, a ton of sex, and, well, Avenging.

The Stalking of Wade Wilson "It’s around this point that a niggling thread of thought worms its way into his head when he’s not paying attention, one that gently suggests that Wade might be slightly less of a bad guy than Peter previously thought."

Seeing the real you (it's not what I imagined) "The fuck,“ Deadpool said slowly. He was staring at him in a way that made Peter feel decidedly uncomfortable, and this was saying something, considering Deadpool had a habit of leering at him at the most inappropriate times. "Are you kidding me?" he eventually gasped. "How OLD are you? Twelve?“

I'll Always Protect You Anonymous said: If anyone is up for it I have a rescue prompt idea where Peter (he is not in his spiderman suit) is taken as a hostage with a gun to the head along with a few other civilians. Peter is warning the criminals to let everyone go otherwise his fiance,Wade, will kill them all. They mock him and beat him up. Then a furious Deadpool saves Peter by the most badass way possible. Also I would love if someone write how unnervingly skilled Wade is as a mercenary. Please? Anyone?

Your ass is mine  Spidey takes a toilet break while on patrol. He wasn't expecting Wade to join him.

When I'm Inside You Spiders are hard to catch. When Deadpool manages to pin one down on an NYC rooftop, he thinks he deserves a prize.

Daddy It had started as a joke, which was conveniently how most of these things always happened.

Any Means Necessary Anonymous said: Abo au where Peter is a young mutant who both displayed his heat early before his adolscent stage and spidey powers that went out of haywire the moment his heat started, leaving him to thrash around the city, running away from his family. Wade Wilson, an alpha, who happens to be a professional mercenary for hire, is now paid to catch this mutant, and try and calm him down by “any means necessary” because Peter, even as an omega is swrecking havoc amongst the city. [ 1/2 ] Of course, Wade takes those words seriously, and decides to just do that solution by first, capturing and drugging the young omega, and then, placing him in what could be described as a special and adjustable breeding stand in Wade’s attempts to calm Peter down. [ 2/2 ]

One Fear (Two Fear), Red Rear (Pink Rear) (Note: Now this is where “read the tags first” is applicable af. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you dude) Anonymous said: Hello, another one for you: Deadpool adopts MCU Spidey and treats him like his actual child. That is until Peter starts growing up more and Wade can't help but feel attracted to him. At around age 15, Peter starts actively trying to seduce Wade. Wade resists, but in the end gives in. My kingdom for hardcore daddy kink, Sub!Peter, Wade calling him a good boy/baby boy. 

Wo Rauch Ist (this fic is fucking gold) "Someone needs to write a ‘the fire alarm went off at 3 am and now the cute guy from the flat next door is standing next to me in his underwear’ AU" 

[hinaegifestival]

Things I'll never say

Author: @troycattribunny

For: @snowwharasho

Ship: Hinaegi

Warnings: rejected marriage proposal for ike 2.5 seconds. Unbta’d and errors cause I finished this high on painkillers.

Prompt:  “Hinaegi going christmas shopping, having fun in the snow, wearing dumb christms sweaters and opening presents”

Notes: Me: I am the angst writer. I only write angst! You will not find anything but tears.

Someone: C-

Me: THE ONLY ANGST HERE IS HAJIME THINKING HE DOESN’T SAY “I LOVE YOU ” TO HIS BOYFRIEND ENOUGH

1. It started with a snowball to the face. Of course it did, this is Hajime and Makoto we’re talking about. Still, that Snowball was the start of a downward spiral in Hajime’s mind. For, when he wiped away the white, cold fluff from his face, he was face to face with his beautiful boyfriend with a coy smile on his cute face. Makoto had leaned in close, close to where Hajime could see the flecks of light gold in his irises.

“I love you.”

Makoto had said it so casually, the words flowing off his tongue. Hajime had opened his mouth, but before he could reply, a single snowball had hit his face again. When he had removed the cold fluff from his face again, Makoto had run off leaving Hajime to ponder in his thoughts. ‘Do I not tell Naegi I love him enough?’

2. The car radio had been blasting another Christmas carol and at this point, Hajime was sick of it. Christmas Traffic. Fuck December. Who the fuck gave this month to be the right to be so- “Hajime, we’re here.” Said boy broke out of his reverie. His mind as on autopilot he realized seeing himself be parked into the driveway of the shopping mall. They were here to do some last minute Christmas shopping. As soon as they had broken through the thresh hold of the door, Makoto ran off, leaving Hajime to his own devices.

‘Okay,’ he had thought, ‘Presents for my class,presents for Komaru and Toko and-’ A present for Makoto! Oh shit, how could he have forgotten his own boyfriend! He looked around and saw “Nyan Neko Sugar Girls” it looked.. Girly but he had remebered that Makoto had been meaning to catch up on the series. So he threw it into his shopping cart.

They met up in front of the store, Makoto holding a small paper bag, looking so happy. He buied his face into his boyfriend’s chest, “I love you.” Hajime had been too caught up in the warmth of his boyfriend’s hoodie to have heard him, therefore he didn’t answer.

3. Hajime loved his boyfriend to bits. He relly, truly loved Makoto to hell and back. Sadly, it seemed like the statement wasn't returned.

Future Foundation’s annual Christmas Eve celebration. Makoto had presented Hajime with the most horrid sweater he had ever seen. It looked as uncomfortable as it was, but Makoto had wanted to be matching sweater buddies.

“Hajime, calm down, it’s just a sweater.” Kazuichi had tried to tell him, but his own laughs drowned out the statement. “An ugly sweater, ” Fuyuhiko had finished, taking a gulp of sme juice. Hajime sweatdropped, “It’s not that bad…”

Okay, yeah, that's a lie. The sweater was disgusting. An ugly red and green mess that had way too many pompoms to even remotely be comfortable. It wasn’t. It was itchy and Hajime wondered how Makoto could stand to wear it and smile.

Hajime loved Makoto, though. So as long as he was happy and smiling, Hajime wold wear 1000 of these dorky and ugly and itchy sweaters. He’d probably sleep in it.

Okay yeah thats a lie, He couldn’t wait to take it off.

4. Christmas Day. Hajime had woken up to a very sleepy Makoto trying to make him breakfast, tripping and spilling hot tea, luckily unsweetened, all over him.

But they showered together, so as far as he was concerned, he was on top of the world this Christmas. Hajime had taken over breakfast, seeing as his beautiful boyfriend had accidentally messed up. But Hajime was happy to see Makoto eating his cooking and seemingly love it.

Then, he had asked to open Hajime’s present.

“Uh.. it’s not much but I remember you saying you wanted to finish the series so….” and presented the wrapped gift.

“”Nyan neko sugar girls?”

Makoto smiled,  before getting onto one knee in front of Hajime.

“Hajime Hinata, I love you with all of my heart. Will you,” no. “Marry me.”

“No,”

The word fell out of Hajime’s mouth before he could stop it. But the damage was done. Makoto’s eyes widened in shock, “Oh.”

“Wait. You’re getting the wrong idea. It’s not that I don’t wanna marry you it’s that you should not want to marry me!”

“Well, I mean, I’m the one who proposed, so are you sure you’re right?”

Hajime ran his fingers through his hair, slightly tugging at the little hairs on the back of his scalp.

“I don’t even say “I love you” enough!”

“You… don’t say you love me?”

“NO!”

Makoto shook his head a small smile on his face. “Oh Hajime...”

The shorter boy wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, burying his face into his chest. “Hajime~”

Brown eyes twinkled, “You never yell at me when I’m annoying you. You bring me shopping, you listen when I ramble on about obscure anime no one ever really watches. You go along with my stupid coupley schemes to make me happy. You always tell me you love me. And I love you. So, Hajime Hinata, will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

[companionjones]

Choose?

Kind of requested by: @kuroakikitsune

Sort of request: It's cute but it feels like you skipped over all of the interesting bits, if that makes sense? (like how did they save Jack? etc- that could be a story or chapter on its own) :)

Fandom: Doctor Who, Tenth Doctor

Pairing: Tenth!Doctor x Companion!Reader x Captain Jack Harkness

Warnings: None that I can think of

Author’s Note: This came about on the comments of a fic of mine that I posted a while back. While I’m happy to write this, I would appreciate everyone future sending requests into my inbox. Thank you for reading!

Choose? is a mini-chapter to this post. It takes place towards the beginning of it, while the Doctor and Y/n are rescuing Jack from the alien planet.

*******

    The Doctor and you stepped outside the Tardis’s doors, and were immediately shot at by lasers.

    “What the hell is that?” you exclaimed as both you and the Doctor hit the deck to dodge the attack.

    The Timelord puffed out his cheeks, then let the air out. “The Welcome Wagon, but it’s probably not a good idea to stick around for the cake. Allonsy!”

    Both of you took off running.

    After about ten minutes of action, you and the Doctor finally found a few seconds of shelter.

    “So,” you gasped out as you tried to catch your breath, “you asked me how I wanted to spend New Year’s Eve. I decided I wanted yours and Jack’s company. Any idea where he is?”

    He laughed, “Nope! Isn’t that fantastic?”

    Before you could answer, new laser shots rang through the air. You and the Doctor’s heads whipped around to see down the hallway. It wasn’t a stranger alien. It was Captain Jack Harkness.

    A grin broke out across his face as soon as he saw you. “Look who joined the party!”

    Running to give the former time agent a hug, you then gladly stepped aside to be replaced by the Doctor. You missed the way the two men eyed each other, and how the following embrace was stiffer than yours had been. Other than that, it was a happy reunion. Well, until the three of you were shot at.

    A few minutes later, the Doctor was trying to sonic open a very complicated locked door while Jack fought back against the aliens.

    Jack yelled over the violence, “What brings you two to this neck of the woods?”

    “Apparently, if we’re following the calendar from the day the Doctor picked me up, it’s New Year’s Eve. The Doctor asked me how I wanted to spend it. After a little deliberation, I realized I wanted to spend it with my two favorite guys in the whole universe.”

    In response, you got a cute “Aw” from Jack and a kiss on the cheek from the Doctor. Right after, the Doctor managed to get the three of you through the door.

    Once the door shut behind the three of you, the Doctor inquired, “Jack, may I ask why you are way out here in the middle of Galaxy 10642?”

    The Captain chuckled, “It’s actually a funny story--”

    Suddenly, the floor slid out from under you, and the three of you fell about two floors down. Luckily, the three of you landed on garbage that that was able to break your fall.

    When you opened your eyes, you realized how dark your new setting was. You could barely see Jack, and he was only a few feet away from you.

    The Doctor called into darkness, “Is everyone okay? Y/n?”

    “I’m fine, Doctor,” you replied, wincing from a new headache.

    Jack put his two-cents in. “Don’t worry, I’m just peachy. And you, Doctor?”

    You could practically hear the Doctor’s eyes roll. “I’m alright. And sorry, but not having the ability to die causes you to fall down the priority list.”

    “Boys, calm down,” you sighed. You were half annoyed, and half amused. “Jack, could you please tell us that ‘funny story’ of how you got here?”

    After cracking his neck, the man with the American-sounding accent began, “Well, I was in open space, no other ship around mine for miles when I was suddenly transported to a much more crowded room. Apparently a queen, the queen of this planet, was looking for a mate. This species his the technology to view every face in the universe. She chose my lovely mug.

    “Once I realized the royal family’s plan, I fought back. I would’ve been fine with a one-night stand, but this lady was looking to tie down this wandering soul.”

    The Doctor laughed, “The first ‘soul’ to achieve that impossible feat will be a god in my eyes.”

    “Come on, you two. Let’s see if we can get out of here.” You found your way to your feet and started feeling around the walls for a door knob, or a light switch, or anything. The sonic screwdriver’s light helped a lot in your search.

    Within a few minutes, the three of you were able to find a door. Before you could get to it; however, it opened.

    A batch of guards appeared. “You three. Come with us,” one of them ordered.

    Seventeen minutes later, you, Jack, and the Doctor were facing a queen on her throne.

    Of course, Jack wittily greeted, “Hello, sweetie. I wasn’t expecting to see you for a long time.”

    “How dare you run from the crown of this...prospering planet,” the alien queen bellowed menacingly.

    You rolled your eyes at the pause for dramatic effect and alliteration.

    Jack clicked his tongue. “I’m not built to be a married man, your majesty.”

    The queen replied, “That may be, but it does not mean I cannot force you to be my betrothed. Guards, seize them! Kill the other two, and prepare Sir Harkness for the wedding!”

    Upon hearing that you were in danger, the Doctor sprung into action. His sonic caused an explosion that didn’t hurt anyone, but caused enough distraction and chaos for the three of you to get a head start. You all ran.

    Once the three of you got far enough, the Doctor shouted, “How is it that you so frequently manage to get Y/n and myself into this much danger?”

    Captain Jack bit back, “Oh, like you’re any safer for Y/n to hang around.”

    “Girls, girls!” you cut in, “Stop fighting! You’re both pretty! Now can we focus on getting out of here, please?”

    The Doctor sighed. “This way.” You and Jack followed him.

    Four hallways later, the guards were gaining on the three of you. Soon enough, the were coming from the front and only about twenty yards behind you. The Doctor ushered you and Jack into a storage room with a luckily not wooden door. He sonicked it shut to slow the guards from getting to you, as well as to have a moment to think of a way to get out of there.

    “What the hell, Doc? This is not the ideal time for one of my most common fantasies to come to life.” Jack quipped, but it was clear he was distressed.

    Your companion wasn’t doing any better. “Jack, could you please keep your inappropriate remarks to yourself for once?”

    From there, your two friends got into an argument. The bickering quickly got on your nerves.

    “What is up with you two?” you exclaimed over the disagreement. “The whole time we’ve been together, I’ve barely managed to keep you from tearing out each other’s throats. Why is that?”

    The Doctor was the first to speak up. “Y/n, I was less happy than I let on when you told me who you wanted to spend your New Year’s Eve with.”

    You sighed, “Yes, that’s become more than obvious.” You dropped to sit on what you assumed was a box of some sort.

    “Well...” The Doctor’s mouth opened and shut a few times. It seemed he was really struggling with what he was trying to say. Finally, the Doctor admitted, “It’s because I’m in love with you.”

    Jack jumped in with his own hesitant confession. “And I’m in love with you, too. We don’t know what to do about it, Y/n.”

    The Doctor continued, “Jack and I thought we could be around you for at least one night without either of us making it a competition. We wanted you to be happy, Y/n.”

    Shaking his head and avoiding your eyes, Jack muttered, “Clearly, we didn’t do that since all the Doctor and I have been doing is fighting.”

    “...Please, say something,” the Doctor nearly begged after a few moments of silence.

    Ever since both of the men's’ admissions of love, you’d been processing. You would have never expected either men to fall in love with you, let alone both. It was a lot to take in. After nearly thirty seconds of nothing, you inquired, “Do you expect me to choose between the two of you now?” 

    “Neither of us would ever want to put you in that position,” the Doctor pointed out.

    At the same time, Jack finalized, “Never in a million years.”

    Biting your lip, you decided to go out on a limb. “So, it’s okay that I don’t choose?...I could have both of you?”

    Jack was as surprised as the Doctor was. “You would want both of us?”

    “I...yes. If that’s okay with the both of you.” You glanced between the two men. Part of you couldn’t believe you were having this conversation.

    The Doctor blinked. “I mean, it would eliminate this rivalry between us if we knew we both won.”

    Of course, Jack was completely fine with it.

    “So...it’s settled,” the Doctor bewilderedly stated.

    You laughed, “I guess it is. Now, we still have the pickle of the three of us stuck in here.”

    The Doctor reset into his problem solving mode and started searching for a way out of the locked room. “Now, just let me think for a moment...” he pondered out loud as the guards’ banging on the door grew louder. The Doctor interrupted himself, “Wait. Y/n, what are you sitting on?”

    “I don’t know--” You were barely able to stand up and get the words out before the Doctor rushed over to examine it with his sonic screwdriver. “What are the chances?!” He suddenly exclaimed, then came back to you to kiss you on the forehead. “Thank you, Y/n. You are brilliant.”

    While the Doctor fiddled with some sort of keypad that was out of your view before, Jack, seemingly trying to keep things even, kissed you on the forehead as well.

    The Doctor informed, “This is a very special briefcase, you two. It can take us right back to the TARDIS.”

    “Really?” you gasped.

    Jack barked out a laugh, “No way!”

    Grinning just as wide as you and Jack, the Doctor explained, “All I have to do is enter in the right code for the TARDIS...both of you put your hand on one of my shoulders...and allonsy!” A circular blue light came out of the briefcase and whined until it surrounded the three of you. You blinked, and the TARDIS was in front of you.

    “Please.” The Doctor was still giddy as he moved ahead and opened the TARDIS door. “After you,” he offered you.

    You looked back to Jack, whose smile was as wide as yours. You entered the TARDIS with the Doctor and Jack behind you. It felt good to be home.

    Everybody fell to their back as the TARDIS launched.

*******

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! Fill up that heart and reblog if you liked it! If you would like to read more, I have more fics on Doctor Who over on my page. You should go check it out. Also, REQUESTS ARE OPEN. I take requests for one-shots, multi-chapters, headcannons, and preferences. No smut, please. I write for a variety of fandoms. If you’re wondering if I write for a specific fandom, please ask me. Have a nice day, night, or whatever time it is for you.<3

[myherowritings]

Heya!For the matchup/ship thingy, (most of which you already know lol) Maddi, she/her, Im kinda short, 5'3", with dark brown hair, kinda like,,dirt colored?? Im a bit chubby but I call it fluffy! Im also stronger than I look lmao, Ive got brown eyes and chubby cheeks uhh. Personality wise: i can be stubborn and somewhat blunt, but I promise im really nice besides when im sarcastic/sassy. Likes: color orange, sweets and swimming, dislikes: bugs, pickles. Quirk: Water control (Percy Jackson style)

author’s note: AHH MADDI THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT i hope you enjoy your match up ;) i wrote way more than 300 words bc i got excited ahjshkjh SORRY ILY (want to commission a ship? see this post)

i ship you with…shinsou hitoshi! 

[Okay, first off, I was torn between Bakugou and Shinsou because you and Bakugou would be so cute not gonna lie, but I think your personality would match Shinsou just a little bit better!]

The first time you met Shinsou was at the U.A. Sports Festival. Sure, you’d seen him around before in passing, but you’d never really noticed him until then.

And while he had heard of and seen you (along with the rest of the infamous Class 1-A), he was never really all that impressed. Until he saw you in action, that is.

After his match against Midoriya, you went up to Shinsou and told him how impressive you thought he was out there. Most of the quirks you’d witnessed were grandiose and made a spectacle of things, but there was something alluring and captivating about the subtle yet powerful nature of his quirk.

Of course, Hitoshi was still skeptical of your words and, because of his past, thought you were only saying that to mock him.

But as you continued congratulating him, the sincerity and kindness in your voice made him finally realize he could believe you, and you felt his defenses ebbing ever so slightly.

“You were so great out there! Maybe we could ever spar together in the future?” you suggested, too excited to be shy.

Hitoshi looked taken aback, but he replied nevertheless. “I...I wouldn’t mind that.”

That was the first time you saw him smile.

From then on, his begrudging respect turned into genuine liking and he couldn’t help but find his interest piqued by you.

As your friendship with Shinsou grew, you were surprised to find that he was actually really great at initiating conversation.

He went out of his way to talk to and hang out with you and you quickly found yourself liking him as more than a friend and planned to ask him out on a date-- Officially.

However, Shinsou beat you to it and asked you to be his girlfriend first, which triggered your competitive streak and caused you to almost rejected him the first time, just so you would be able to ask him yourself the following day (a fact that he will never let you live down, much to your annoyance).

When you finally started dating, you found out how much Hitoshi loved cuddles.

With his brainwashing quirk and most people fearing him for most of his life, he never had many opportunities to show or receive affection.

So when you became his girlfriend, he didn’t let the opportunity to go to waste.

Shinsou loved holding your hand, kissing your nose, and running his fingers through your hair, but he also loved it when you let him rest his head on your lap while you braided his hair or gave him a massage.

You two were able to be completely relaxed and happy in each other’s presence, while also not being afraid to push each other to become better persons and heroes. :)

[iwannawritelots]

That Fucking Prince pt. 1

Originally written March 2022

Ship(s): Lord Diavolo X Mephistopheles

Trigger/content warnings: body horror(?), torture, neglectful parent

Headcanons/notes from the author: In this fic series, Dia and Barbatos are younger, since it takes place before/during/after Barbatos becomes Dia’s butler. I imagine they are in late teens/young adulthood equivalent of demon age for this. Non-binary Barbatos

Brief Blurb: The Demon King finally has the most wanted thief in the Devildom incarcerated.

Lord Diavolo wasn't sure why he even left his room that morning. Mephistopheles wasn't going to come over and he had a stack of homeschool work to do, so going downstairs was counterintuitive. Nonetheless, the prince had made his way into the large living area and sat down by himself. Part of him was hoping his father would show up, and maybe he could convince him to play a game. Even though it rarely happened, sometimes he could convince the Demon King to spend time with him.

The prince quietly sat and read a book he picked from the shelf without really thinking about it. It was a little difficult to read, the language being one he had not spent much time studying. He couldn't remember which one it was, despite being able to understand most of it. "Diavolo, what are you doing in here?"

Lord Diavolo startled, then closed the book and gave his father a big smile. "I'm just reading since I got a lot done."

"A lot, but not all?" The Demon King perked an eyebrow and frowned deeply at his son. "I don't know what you think you're doing, Diavolo, but this isn't cute."

"I-I just wanted to see if we could spend some time together..." Lord Diavolo admitted meekly, fumbling with his hands and dropping his gaze. "You're always so busy, s-so I thought—"

The Demon King snarled, "I have a responsibility, as the king of the Devildom, to ensure our subjects are well. You will someday take this duty from me, and I expect you to act like it. Place your hands in your lap and look at me when you speak." Attempting to keep tears at bay, Lord Diavolo made eye contact with his father and dropped his hands so they were folded in his lap. "Are you seriously trying to pry me away from work to do something unimportant?"

"I-I only wanted to see if you had time..." Lord Diavolo stated quietly. "I just—"

"Shut your mouth." Lord Diavolo quickly did as he was told. "You can make excuses all you want, but that doesn't change any—"

The Demon King was interrupted by a Li'l D. bonking into his leg. "S-Sorry, Your Highness! I just wanted to inform you that the thief you requested be captured is here!"

Growling, the Demon King rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Don't think I'm finished talking about this with you, Diavolo. I have to take care of this thief."

"M-May I follow?"

Clearly irritated, the Demon King rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine, just don't even think about doing anything stupid."

"Y-Yes Daddy." Lord Diavolo stood up and quickly followed his father out the door and downstairs into the dungeons. "Which thief is it..?"

"The Demon Who Sees Both Past and Future," spoke the Demon King harshly. "It's unbelievable, the amount of trouble he has caused me. Stealing from the human world and Devildom, seducing my servants, attempting to burgle the castle... I've had enough. He is to be killed by nightfall."

Silently nodding, Lord Diavolo stayed close to his father. The two passed by plenty of incarcerated demons, but none of them were the one in question. They made it to the end of the first corridor, where a long haired, silent, reptilian type demon was chained to the floor by every appendage possible. None of the other demons in the dungeons were chained beyond their waist...

"The Demon Who Sees Both Past and Future, gaze upon your king," spoke Lord Diavolo's father, voice loud and deep. "Perhaps if you are well behaved, you can live another night."

Lord Diavolo felt his blood run cold when the demon did nothing except chuckle, skeletal horns shaking. "I am no fool, Demon King."

"You dare laugh in the face of your king?"

The thief snickered and coughed, but outside of a tremble was unable to move. The chains dug into their skin when they tried to move their head and neck. "You surely are aware I cannot move in my current condition. This is just a way for you to prove to yourself that you're stronger than me." They let out a weak yelp when the Demon King snapped, feeling their ankles twist with a small pop. "You only give me more reason to be grateful I need not meet your eyes."

A knot was forming in Lord Diavolo's stomach. The demon was covered in their own blood, saliva, and tears. Their hair was disheveled and sticking to their bare shoulders. Despite the state they were in, powerful magic emulated from their body. Lord Diavolo had only felt something nearly this strong from his father. "You will suffer until everything you have stolen is returned."

"I stole only what was left unattended. I would say that isn't stealing at all."

"Of course you would. You are a thief."

Lord Diavolo watched his father draw a circle with his fingers, then stared in horror as the demon before them screamed in agony. Their hips dislocated and twisted themselves, but never tore out of their body. Usually his father would only break a few bones or kill the incarcerated immediately. "Some king you are," the demon wheezed, "torturing—"

They were interrupted by their own shrieking and sobbing, the chains digging into their joints. Lord Diavolo heard small pops echo from them, and nausea washed through him. "This is a just reward for your crimes. You're a rogue that must be kept under control." The Demon King laid a hand on Lord Diavolo's shoulder, then gave him a genuine, sick smile. "Son, let this be a lesson to you. Anyone can become a prisoner."

"Y-Yes Daddy."

Reblog divider story divider

[nevilliven]

KillChalla fanfic list

Everytime I want to re-read some fics, my brain just can't recall any names and it’s a pain when I have to look through history and pages so I make this list for my poor memory mostly (they are not in any order). But if you are new to this ship, and still wondering what to read, take a look, I'm not too confident about my judging and recommending ability, but well, the choice is yours :))). And if they fit to your liking, I'm glad. 

I ship Erik top so yeah, most of them are top Erik (some of those fics are rated T or there are no sex scene, so I don't know). I also think A/B/O universe fits really well with this ship so there will be more A/B/O fics than normal ones. On-going fics and different rate will be noted and If I don't say anything, they are finished or rated E *LOL*. It could be a little bit messy cause I'm not good at organizing things (I'm not good at anything!!! *LOL*).

A/B/O AU.

Equilibrium of Three Forces - CatsGirlsComicsAndThisOddball The main story is Threefold - written in T'Challa POV. Most of the story is M and T, except one. I LOVE THIS SERIES. But have to admit, they are painfuly slow.and also, there are M'Challa and M'Erik (but they love each other so don't worry :)))) So be prepared. (please update soon author I love you)

Constellations - yellow_crayon There are 3 parts and I haven't read Gemini - the prequel of Orion yet. I think this is the first English fic i read when I first came to this ship. (first ones I read are in Vietnamese)

Beelzebub's Cubs - Bad_Bunee rated M. This author writes a lot of bottom T'Challa but her/his T'Challa is a little OOC, I think. I like powerfull T'Challa, and the author's version of T'Challa is a little bit feminine for me. Oh and one more thing, if you don't like Mpreg and boypussy, don't read

not what you need (but what you deserve) - Preach Alpha but bottom T'Challa, and that's all I need :))))). This author can write both bottom and top T'Challa.

Kismet - Qhernadez07 The main story is Kismet I'm excited when I read it, because like Eo3F (the first recommended fic on the list) It has rooms for developement (and I love world building, one of the reasons I like E03F), but now, I heard that the author plans to end it at chapter 10 or 12 and I feel it might end too abruptly. Because the author metions new tribe, and some problems relating with N'Jobu, but in the newest chapters (8 and 9) he/ she only writes about Erik's rut and their bonding, with a hint that T'Challa might be pregnant. But if there is part 2, I have nothing more to say besides "Yes please, I'm waiting":)))))). update: It's done :))))))

The Challenge - pastelfeathers rated T. This could also counted as "Growing up together AU". I love thisssss urggggg my hearrtttt

Beneath the Blooming Tree - malixa rated M. Mpreg (just a hint) No politics, no fights, no strategy. Simple, sweet and good for my poor heart :)))))))

Erik-lives-at-the-end AU (fix-it AU)

isizathu - black_nata I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS. I saw this fic some times ago but didn't know why I didn't have the urge to read it until one day, my brain said "who cares, it's bottom T'Challa! Read it !" (that time, the fics were not much and tags were super confusing 😂😂😂) So I jumped in and it became one of my favorite right away.

Speak No Evil - ProlixEllipsis rated T. It's cute

yield strength -tkillamockingbird (Theboys) Not too dark in my opinion, but I LOVE the plot

Kiss it better - mikaminato

Tradition (1001 Wakandan Nights) - Preach A little fast. But yes, I like it :))))). This fic could be sorted in King-Erik AU :)))

pandora - insincerely I have to admit, this is the only fic that has plot (light-plot but yes there is plot) in the author's work :)))))), the rest is PWP :)))

call a cat a cat - CatsGirlsComicsAndThisOddball So cute. I will die in this fluffiness :)))))

(I'm an) Animal - pastelfeathers M rate. Panther T'Challa :))))))

fight you fight myself - sadonsundays Most of the fic I read, when these two begin their relationship, T'Challa is usually the one who worries about the blood-related part while Erik is more who-gives-a-shit, you-like-me-i-like-you-let's-fuck kind of person :))). But this, T'Challa is so awesome!!! Not that I don't like the rational thing, but T'Challa in this is so ;aldjflajdlfj yess!!!!!

A Piece of Me (I Wish I Didn't Need) - deliriouslyshipping G rate. IT SO CUTE. Erik has kids, 2 little princessess before returns to Wakanda. aldkjflajdlfjaldjf just read it.Most of the stories of deliriouslyshipping are in T'Cherik Drabble they have both KillChalla and T'Cherik so just pick whatever you like :)))))) Those fics which are listed here MAYBE is Erik top (I guess so)

Dive in - deliriouslyshipping G rate. Ok I will say no more. Just read it.

Growing up together AU

(On-going)Balwo - gingeringfigs not rated It's so cute but it is on-going so TTT_TTT

Open - deliriouslyshipping G rate. Part 11 of T'Cherik Drabble

Soulmate AU.

You'll Never Be Alone (I'll Be With You) - deliriouslyshipping G rate. The first fic I read about Soulmate AU. I have no idea that sould contract and fated love,... has an named AU of it's own. And you all know how much love I have for long-lasting and fated relationship

Bottom Erik

Holy Union - quixotesque As far as I can remember, this is only one in this category (well who knows, this might change in the future😂😂😂)

[grim-fate-13]

The Arachnophobic Arachnophile?

Fic below, but first a note from the author:

So @monstergrounds recently gave the all-clear for fic’s between their single monster characters and other people’s oc’s. I have this old oc I have been messing around with recently who I thought would be real cute with monsterground’s spider-monster Alex. So I ended up writing this fluffy garbage. So click the read more and feast upon my fluffy, ship fic. (Also sorry if Caitlyn and Alex come off as being out of character, I did the best I could with what little info we’ve been given about them) 

Alex paced around his home feverishly, doing everything he could to avoid becoming an anxious wreck. He knew he just needed to be patient, his mother had promised to come over as quickly as she could to assist him. Yet he still found himself constantly side-eyeing a small bundle, wrapped in webbing beside him. Alex would glance over at it, feel his anxiety rise and go back to his pacing.

Alex reassured himself that he had every right to be nervous, but that he should also trust that his mother would help him figure out what to do next. You see, this was no ordinary bundle of webbing, inside of it was a woman. Now before anyone goes thinking of anything nefarious, Alex had found the woman in her decrepit state. He had been out, enjoying a walk along the bank of a nearby river when a black object caught his attention. Alex’s curiosity got the better of him, and he strolled over to get a look at what the black thing was. Much to his horror, it turned out to be hair. More specifically, human hair attached to a human body. The body of the young woman now passed out in his home.

Alex can remember how cold and wet her body had felt when he knelt down to check on her. He could even feel her weakened body shiver under his touch. Alex turned her onto her back, noting that she had no fatal injuries to speak of, thank goodness. His heart did sink a little bit to see she had been scuffed up though, she couldn’t have been much younger than himself. He had glanced out at the water and contemplated where she could have come from. Alex knew the river had some rapids where she could’ve gotten scuffed up, but those were almost half a mile upstream. How awful a trip the woman must’ve had after falling into the frigid, rapids and being dragged all that way by the rushing waters. To top it all off, the river was particularly cold this time of year. Alex knew that she would probably catch her death of cold if left out in the open. So he grabbed the woman up and immediately made his way back home. Along the way, he had bundled her up in his webbing in hopes of insulating her and helping her get warm again. He had only left her head free of the webbing so he could feel her forehead and keep track of her temperature.

That had been over an hour ago, and even though the woman had stopped shivering, she had also failed to wake up. Alex would be the first to admit that he didn’t know a lot about hypothermia, he was not harmed by the cold the same way humans tend to be. Hence, why he had reached out for his human mother for aid. He just hoped he had not been too late to save his ailing patient.

Alex was snapped out of his thoughts by a small groan. When he looked over at his web, he noticed the woman had begun to move. He quickly scuttled over to her, peering at her face to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. She opened her eyes slowly, clearly fighting the haze of unconsciousness. When she opened her eyes fully and looked at Alex, he felt a small smile crawl upon his face.

His smile didn’t last long, however. His guest gave him one short glance, and immediately began to scream. Alex was caught off guard, immediately flinching back away from the woman. The woman herself began to struggle against her web cocoon, but she quickly lost steam and fell still. She was clearly still weak from her earlier “swim” in the river. Alex waited a moment for her to calm before beginning to walk towards her once again.

He was stopped by a familiar voice, calling out to him from the entrance of his home. “Alex? Honey? Are you home?” The arachnid turned and saw his mother standing there, clearly perplexed. “What was with that scream? Did that girl you mention wake up?”

Alex walked over to his mother, embracing her, “Mother! Yes, she did wake up.” He paused, before leaning down and whispering to his mother, “I think I gave her a fright though. She took one look at me and let out that scream.”

His mother looked at Alex and then gave him a small, warm smile. She whispered back, “You aren’t always the best with personal space. Let me go check up on her and I will tell you when it is clear for you to come over.” His mother gave Alex a reassuring peck on the check, before walking over to his now shaking guest. Alex stayed put, but strained his ears so he could make out their conversation.

“Hello dear.” His mother greeted, the woman flinched when she heard his mother’s voice. His mother came around to face the woman, only to find the stranger’s eyes screwed shut. “I’m sorry, it seems we may have accidently given you a scare.”

“… Spider.” The woman mumbled.

“Hm?” His mother got closer, slowly and gently placing her hand on the woman’s shoulder. His mother’s face contorted in concern when the girl’s body tensed under her touch, the younger woman was so very frightened.

“Spider-There was a… A big spider.” The woman stumbled through her words, the fear apparent. “You’re not… You’re not a spider too, are you?”

“… No. My name is Caitlyn, and I am very much human.” His mother assured.

“Is it… Is it still here?”

“Why does that matter dear?”

“I… I don’t like spiders…” The woman mumbled.

“You mean… You mean like arachnophobia?” Caitlyn clarified. She heard the other woman swallow, and watched her give a small nod. His mother seemed to fall deep into thought, plotting their next move no doubt. His mother did a once over at the stranger before her looked changed. Alex knew that look, his mother had been struck with an idea.

“What is your name my dear?” His mother inquired.

“Um…” The woman took several moments to process the question before responding. “Ly-Lyra.”

“Lyra, what pretty name.” Alex’s mother reached up and grabbed the knot of Lyra’s purple headband. “Do you mind if I borrow this for a second Lyra?”

“Uh… I mean sure I guess… Though I don’t see why you would need it.”

“Well it is just that I don’t want you to become any more panicked than you already are. So I was thinking I could put this over your eyes so you couldn’t see any spiders in the room.”

“But-But how am I supposed to avoid them if I can’t see them?” There was a twinge of panic in Lyra’s voice.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything bad happen to you. Spider related or otherwise.” Alex watched his mother give Lyra a reassuring pat and waited for the young woman to respond.

“All… All right. I guess you can use my headband then.” Without any hesitation, Alex’s mother untied the head band and retied it so it covered Lyra’s eyes.

Alex had spent the whole time, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for his mother’s signal. He was overcome with guilt over the whole situation. “Arachnophobia.” He knew that word well, the irrational fear of spiders. So that is why she had screamed so violently. How frightened she must’ve been upon seeing his multi-legged form hunched over her restrained body. He made note to work on those kinds of behaviors in the future.

Alex was brought out of the clouds by his mother waving at him. He glanced up at her. First his mother placed a finger over her lips, signaling him to be quiet. Then she waved him over to her side, watching as he silently walked up to them.

“Now Lyra.” His mother spoke, turning back to the woman. “My son and I are going to get you out of this webbing. Then I can lead you out of here and help you get back to town okay?”

Lyra paused for moment before giving a firm nod. His mother than nodded for her son to assist in releasing Lyra from the webbing around her. Alex complied, quickly dispatching of the webbing and allowing his mother to guide Lyra onto her feet. Of course, Lyra had not been on her feet for more than a second before her knees locked up and she started to tumble forward. Alex, on instinct, grabbed her with his upper two arms, being gentle as he helped stabilize her.

“… Is that… Is that your son?” Lyra asked, turning her head towards his mother.

“Yes, he is just helping you stay upright.”

Lyra turned her still blind-folded face in Alex’s direction. “Tha… Thanks.” She replied, uncertainty in her voice.

Alex didn’t know what came over him, but he smiled, even giggled a bit as he replied, “Of course!”

With that, his mother led Lyra out of the cave, whispering to Alex that she would update him about Lyra later. Alex didn’t think, as he watched Lyra and his mother disappear from view, he would ever see Lyra again.

***

Lyra had no idea why she was doing this. She hated spiders… Okay, she didn’t hate spiders. She was AFRAID of spiders. It was an awful fear. Lyra knew spiders were good for the environment, they were good for bug control and all that other great stuff. On the whole, she tried to sweep any spiders out of her store so they could go live their creepy, eight-legged lives out in the great, wide somewhere. However, if it wouldn’t go live outside willingly, than Lyra often wouldn’t let it live at all. The paranoia they induced in her was just too great.

And boy, if Lyra though the little spiders at her shop were bad, it was nothing compared to the big spider she had seen last week. The same big, ol’ spider she was on her way to see right now. Cause… Yah know… Lyra was clearly a masochist with no sense of self love. Okay maybe that wasn’t the actual reason but that is certainly how she felt as she drew ever close to the spider’s liar.

You see, the real purpose of this journey was a thank you, and an apology. Maybe even a bit of a crush?

No. No crushing on what she was pretty sure was a giant spider-monster. Only weirdos and creeps love spider-monsters. Though, Lyra supposed she didn’t have any REAL proof that her rescuer was the same giant spider she had awoken to. Caitlyn had said her son had saved Lyra when he found her on the riverbank. Nowhere in that sentence was it implied said son was a massive spider. Then again, Caitlyn was wearing a spider ring on her finger and had seemingly gotten rid of the massive spider-monster without any kind of fight. The most plausible explanation was that the spider and the son were one in the same, right?

Lyra’s feet stopped short as her destination came into view. Her nerves, which had previously been buzzing, were now on fire. She started to feel sick, and she was certain she was going to turn around then and there. Than a memory surfaced, a memory from that night. Alex… that was the name of Caitlyn’s son and Lyra’s rescuer. He had sounded so sweet, his hands had been so gentle. Lyra’s heart had skipped a beat when she felt those strong, gentle hands supporting her. He had only said two words to her, but she could feel his joy in those two words. Lyra felt her face begin to burn a bit at the thought of him.

Even if he was a giant spider-monster, Lyra had to at least thank him properly for helping her. She also needed to apologies for not being more polite upon waking. Lyra looked down at the tin in her hands, a thank you gift she had made herself. Caitlyn had mentioned that Alex had a sweet tooth. Her resolve restored, Lyra untied her headband and secured it once more around her eyes. She couldn’t freak out at the sight of spiders if she couldn’t see them, right? Lyra swallowed nervously, but allowed herself only a moment’s more hesitation before walking straight ahead towards Alex’s home.

***

Lyra was filled with so much regret. She was pretty sure she was at the entrance of Alex’s home, but she couldn’t be sure because she couldn’t see it. She thought of taking her blindfold off, but what if the big spider came back and she ran off before she could see Alex? Or worse yet, what if the spider was Alex and she ended up coming off as rude and ungrateful all over again?

At that point she had been standing there for several minutes, debating what she was supposed to do next. That choice was made for her, however, when a familiar voice called out from somewhere just above her.

“Lyra?” Alex questioned.

Lyra craned her neck to face up at him out of instinct before replying, “Um… Yes. You’re Alex right?”

Alex lowered himself using his own silk so he could stand in front of Lyra. “Yes. How did you know?”

“Caitlyn- You’re mother told me.” She was silent for a moment, “Sorry, I know this is strange but… I wanted to thank you for helping me.” Lyra held out a small golden tin in Alex’s direction, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. “She also mentioned you like sweets? I’m a baker by trade, but my grandma taught me this salted caramel recipe and I thought you might like them.”

Alex slowly reached out and took the tin. He opened it with a pop and was greeted with several small salted caramels, all lying neatly on a bed of wax paper. “Well… Well thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”

“Yeah,” Lyra said, embarrassment in her tone, “I kind of did. I… I was kind of rude to you before. I left without saying thank you and I my conduct was far from… Polite. I just wanted to come back and make it clear how much I appreciate what you did for me.” Lyra’s face was now beet red, yet her lips were curled into a small smile.

Alex felt a smile grow on his own face. “Might I convince you to stay a while longer? I don’t get visitors that often, and candy is so much sweeter when shared with good company.”

Lyra paused for a moment, clearly thinking about it. Her aura became nervous the more she dwelled on the question, and for a moment Alex felt certain she was going to say no.

“Yes.” She finally replied, sticking her hand out, “But uh… I can’t see anything so can you… Help me find my way inside maybe?”

“Of course.” Alex gently took her hand in one of his, “While you are here, maybe you can tell me how you ended up getting swept up in the river to begin with!”

Lyra immediately felt a fresh wave of embarrassment hit her as she was led inside.