#awesome fics on AO3 to check out

[spacestationvampire]

kudoichi for the buddy

[corinnetheanime]

AND IT IS FINALLY HERE!!!! Happy Ecto-Implosion week, everyone!! The artwork and amazing fic collab that has been in the making for the past couple months is finally here for y’all to enjoy!!

Warning for implied character death/s, experimentation, mild violence, and overall mature themes.

It’s been an amazing honor to work with @thelightningstreak for the @ecto-implosion event!!! Her stories (looking at you, CHAINED) are some of my absolute favorites in the entire phandom since I first joined in 2013, and she’s been an amazing partner to work with! I was blown away by the very first draft alone! Seriously, give her some love, and check out her works!! Thank you, Lightning, for collaborating with me on this! It's been a joy to share this with you!! :D

Artwork title: Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

[zentriii]

Most of the time? Atsumu's just a guy who acts before he thinks. Doesn't think before he acts. However that saying goes.

What feels good? What's easiest? What does he want?

Those aren't questions he writes down like life's an exam. They're simple urges that guide his actions during a typical day. He’s not a fan of overthinking the details.

He's been doing well enough for himself, so why fix what's not broken?

Unfortunately for Atsumu, there are times when this goes around to bite him in the ass. Covered in flour and three seconds away from screaming, well, he's shaking his fist at his past self again.

He sets the bag down onto the counter and peers in- great. Just what he was hoping for, there's not enough left.

Atsumu kicks the small pile of flour that was making itself comfortable laying on his feet and puts his thinking cap on. He’d wallow for a bit, but it’s too late at night for him to feel frustrated for long. It’s already half gone, slipping through him like a ghost. What's next?

Staring forlornly at the spilt four, he knows he has to throw it out. Sure the floor looks clean, but he hasn't swept in a week or mopped in. Actually, he's not finishing that thought. In too long's good enough.

He quickly sweeps up and takes a wet cloth for the bits that were left. Atsumu didn’t have the energy to chase the stubborn line the spade leaves behind forever. The recipe called for two cups of flour and he knows from just the look of it, there's not enough left. Fuck.

Alright so he needs flour. That's his solution. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with any steps he's willing to take.

Atsumu can feel the flour under his clothes, there isn't a damn way in hell he's going out in public looking like a hot mess. And honestly, it's the middle of the night. The clock above the stove helpfully supplies the time and puts the final nail in the coffin, 4:23AM. Even if there's a place open, it's nowhere near close enough. Not only would their PR manager have a fit if he got caught, he'd get clowned on by everyone until the day he dies for it. His friends and family don’t need that sort of ammo on him, they’ve already got enough as it is.

Atsumu shakes some of the flour out of his hair, if he's lucky one of the college students across the hall should be awake. It's midterm season, if his brother's grumbling over their last call is reliable. He stares mournfully at his apartment’s door. Hopefully the friendly one answers, because he's not looking forward to explaining himself to the one with the death glare.

The one with the death glare opens the door because of course the gods were laughing at Atsumu, of course they were. The words he had prepared die on his throat but thankfully Tall, Dark, and Brooding doesn't give the silence time to become awkward.

“Can I help you?” Grumpy-san asks, attempting to incinerate Atsumu with his eyes alone. Sadly for the poor guy, Osamu's been trying to do the same since the moment he came out of the womb, Atsumu's immune.

“D’you have any flour by chance?” Atsumu asks sheepishly, playing up the charm. He gestures vaguely to the mess on himself, “I kinda had a bit of an accident in the kitchen.”

“I can see,��� The man drawls, not giving Atsumu an inch.

“What do you even need it for at,” he glances at his phone, “four-thirty in the morning.”

The Man with Moles glares at him, like he's a ten year old inconveniencing his teacher by asking to use the washroom.

“I'm baking cookies, would ya like some when they're done?” His voice is saccharine and his smile fake. Atsumu hopes his neighbour doesn't take him up on the offer. Who would want to spend more time with a guy that looks like he could make you shit yourself if he tries? So obviously, the hot stranger agrees.

“Are you going to poison them?” He asks Atsumu, and interrupts before he can answer, “Actually no, I don't care. They just better not taste like shit.”

He slams the door in Atsumu's face, which, rude, but gives Atsumu a chance to process what the fuck just happened. Ah well, a few cookies is a small price to pay, maybe he could even weasel a name out of Eye Bags for Days, it’s getting tough to keep coming up with names for him. A small part of him is offended at the lack of trust in his baking skills, but he’s aware of how he looks right now. Atsumu wouldn’t trust a stranger in sweats, knocking at his door at ass-o-clock, asking for flour cause he got it all over himself.

The door opens as abruptly as it closed, and a container of flour finds it way into Atsumu’s hands, damn, Curly Hair works fast. “Don’t come by again for another 10 hours at least. Good night.”

With that he nods a goodbye and Atsumu still feels stuck reeling. His Ma raised him with manners though, even if he deigns to ignore them most of the time, so he chirps a quick, “Thanks! Ya saved my life.”

His gratitude is sincere, his words, less so. It doesn’t matter much as his fellow insomniac’s eyes are bleary with sleep. Glaring must be exhausting. He grumbles something Atsumu can’t pick up, and closes the door, Atsumu takes that as a courteous you’re welcome or anytime, even if he’s not tired enough to actually believe it. The guy should’ve spoken more clearly if he didn’t want people putting words into his mouth.

Still mostly dusted in flour, Atsumu walks back to his place. A little lighter with the container of flour weighing him down, a little nervous to see the man again, a little annoyed at his curt responses. At least he’s interesting, Atsumu can’t stand boring people. He’ll just overlook the guy’s prickliness as sleep deprivation, he’s a kind guy like that.

updated vers on ao3

[l0calidi0t]

So uhh how crazy would it be if i went back and edited my first 2 chapters to make them better instead of writing a 3rd chapter. I swear im not procrastinating……

[hua-liansimp]

Never have ayaitto been more thoroughly described in a single sentence.

[kokoa-la]

Ngl I just find it so funny if Danny just accidentally becomes friends with someone trying to rob him like-

___________________________________

“Get up!”

And he was up, hands above his head and everything. The guy in all black proceeded to pat him down along his pockets while pointing a gun at him otherwise. 

“How do you not have a wallet on you?”

“I’m a college student, I can barely afford tuition.”

That’s a lie, he was on a full ride scholarship, but they didn’t need to know that. 

“Oh you too?”

Did this bitch just say ‘you too’ ? No way.

“‘You too?’ Are you doing this to pay for college???”

Ancients, the school system sucked if he had to resort to crime for this.

“Yeah- you wouldn’t believe how expensive my major is, the textbooks alone cost more than my rent!”

“Holy shit, no kidding. Yeah, why are textbooks so expensive? Why am I paying hundreds of dollars for something that could have been a 2 dollar pdf?”

“Right! I tried asking my professor instead, but he said he’d fail me if I didn’t have the right materials! It’s driving me nuts. Like how am I supposed to pay for all this?”

How Dannt started making conversation with his own robber, he didn’t know, but he was happy to finally complain with someone. He hadn’t exactly made friends since he got here.

“Personally I buy used books, and the more trashed they are, the cheaper. Then, you can just use the pdf version but still have the textbook in class. It’s honestly so much easier. Or you can see if you can borrow it from the library and just bring it in for the classes he checks it, then return it after to avoid the fees. That option is a bit more troublesome though.”

“Oh shit, no way! That’s awesome, I never thought of that, thanks man! Man, I wish I talked to you sooner.” 

“Yeah, it’s all good, maybe just avoid the crime after this? There’s tons of online jobs you can do during class and stuff. I don’t know, there’s always another option than crime. You sound like a good guy, just desperate.”

The robber turned friend (?) lowered his gun and sighed before returning the items in the bag to everyone. He then apologized to the cashier and then to everyone else before giving Danny a hug (how long had it been since he’d gotten one of those?) and leaving. Danny was so proud of him he almost cried (again). 

______________

I know it's a bit weird and out of place, but that's bcs its a snippet from a fic I'm writing on ao3 😭

But still, I need more of Danny befriending ppl trying to jump/rob him

[snowzapped]

A scene from the JayTim fic The Haunt on ao3. :D

Thank you to the awesome person who commissioned me. I had so much fun drawing this!

Go read the fic guys! It's such a good read but check the tags to be sure.

If you want a comic drawn, commissions are always open. Or check out the links below for more stuff. 🥰

commission info / patreon / ao3 / Buy Me a Coffee / merch store / art blog

[anarchycox]

Commenting By The Numbers

I have always said I am lucky when it comes to comments, even now when I have archive locked my fics. But I saw a thread on another blog and my brain went that cannot be right so I decided to check it out.

People always are begging for comments, that they make a writer feel like they matter, that they keep going/feel motivated because of comments. People respond, they are tired, scared, they have no spoons, don't know what to say, it already has so many comments does what I say matter.

But I think we all need some perspective on this.

There are 12.2 MILLION FICs on AO3.

Now lets sort by comments, lowering the number each time:

Fics with 1000+ comments - 17,041

Fics with 500+ comments - 50,223

Fics with 100+ comments - 361,390

Fics with 50+ comments - 742,970

Fics with 25+ comments - 1,488,302

Fics with 10+ comments - 3,297, 072

Fics with 5+ comments - 5,149,438

SO THAT MEANS ABOUT 7 MILLION FICS HAVE LESS THAN 5 COMMENTS ON THE ARCHIVE.

I exist in all these columns, because I had luckily timing on a few of fics. But looking at the hard numbers was a real eye opener for me as a fic reader. When people say they don't get comments THEY ARE SERIOUS.

Please, for the love of fandom and community give a writer a keyboard smash, a 'loved this', 'awesome fic'. You will honestly be making a difference in someone's life, when they have already made a difference in yours.

[rotenpk]

ANOTHA ONE.

Post attempt 2, electric boogaloo ❤️

Link to the uncensored version here ❤️

“Just a peek” WAS SO GOOD….im way too down bad for this man and you guys are just fueling my crack cocaine addiction with all these delicious fanfics. I linked the ao3 page for the fanfic that inspired this in quotation marks for your reading pleasure >:)

This fic was awesome but y’all should go check out the author @zaunitearchives and their other work for more scrumptious pieces 👁️

If you can’t access it pls let me know in the comments and I’ll try to fix it.

[justagalwhowrites]

Halcyon - Ch. 17: You're Sorry, Great. Awesome.

You and Joel throw Sarah a birthday party. Things don't go as planned. A continuation of Halcyon from the prologue through Ch. 16, a modern no outbreak AU TLOU fic found on Tumblr here.

(I am BEGGING HBO for some flashback scenes this season PLEASE.)

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: SMUT! Unprotected P in V sex. Fingering. Kind of aggressive sex. Modern No Outbreak AU, No use of Y/N, Slow burn, 18+ only, Minors DNI

Length: 7k

AO3 | Main Master List | Prologue | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

“You gonna come for me?” 

Joel was everywhere, fucking everywhere, deep inside, pressed tight over you, arms looped around beneath you, his breath hot against your ear as he sucked wetly at your neck. All you could do was whimper below him, clawing at his skin as you scrambled to keep him close. 

“There you go,” he said, voice low and quiet and rough. “Fuck, gettin’ so damn tight on me, you’re close baby, lemme feel you.” 

You angled your hips as best you could below him so that every thrust reached deep and every motion worked your clit. 

“Joel,” you breathed, desperate and too close to your climax to care that you sounded pathetic and needy. “You feel so good, fuck, please, please, please…” 

His thrusts grew harder, sloppy, panting breathlessly against your skin. 

“Love makin’ you feel good,” he said, sounding half out of his mind as he did. “Fuck, love makin’ you come, you gotta come for me baby, I need it, c’mon honey, please, fuck, I love, I love…” 

Your orgasm hit you hard, making you cry out, pressing your mouth into Joel’s shoulder to muffle the sound of your pleasure. 

“Oh fuck,” he groaned, his hips stuttering. “That’s right, keep comin’ for me, gonna fill you up, fill you up so fuckin’ good, leave you drippin’ me all damn day, fuck!” 

He pressed deep and you could feel the heavy throb of his orgasm as he spilled into you, his come hot and thick on your most sensitive places inside. The feel of him pressing himself tight against you, clinging to you like you were all he wanted, made you come again around him, this orgasm more subdued as you focused on just how damn good he felt inside you. 

“Holy shit,” he panted, going limp on top of you as both of your orgasms eased.

“Tell me about it,” you said, breathless too, trailing your fingers up and down the broad expanse of his back. 

He laughed a little. 

“Fuck I love startin’ my day that way,” he said, pushing himself up from you and kissing your forehead as he slid out of you, a thick thread of his come and yours connecting your bodies for a moment before he collapsed at your side. 

You waited, as you always did, for him to decide how close the two of you would be after. But he tugged you against him, so your head was on his chest and his arm was around your shoulders, giving you a squeeze. You draped your arm over his broad chest and snuggled closer, breathing in the smell of his skin. You always liked having time like this with Joel but you were extra thankful for it then, the stress of getting ready for Sarah’s birthday pool party easier when you had a few reliable orgasms every day. Now that the day had arrived and you had a list of things that still needed doing, it seemed necessary to soak up that closeness with him while you could get it. 

“Me too,” you said quietly. 

“Speaking of starting the day,” he said and you could hear the smile in his voice. “You ready to have about two dozen tweens crash in on us for the afternoon?” 

You snorted. 

“As I’ll ever be,” you said. “I think we have everything except the cake and a few snacks but we should check again before one of us goes to pick it up.”

“See, logistics like this are why I never did this before,” Joel teased. “So much easier to just show up at a bowling alley or some shit where they do it all for you.” 

“She’s going to have so much fun though,” you smiled a little, remembering going to Party City with Sarah a few weeks before to find things for the party. She’d excitedly picked all the purple butterfly covered decorations and invitations, beaming as she did, her front teeth still a little too big for her face. “You’re going to have cool dad points for months off this.” 

“Fuckin’ better,” he said and you nuzzled closer to him as you laughed and he sighed. “I’m gonna miss this, Goldie girl.” 

“What, starting your day fucking someone?” You teased even though it stung knowing that’s all it was. 

You and Joel had thrown yourselves fully into the friends with benefits arrangement over the last month. You fucked every day, usually before he went to work - when Ellie’s early morning cries got one of you out of bed for at least a few minutes to settle her before returning and getting tangled in each other - and again in the evening when Sarah and Ellie were both asleep and you could take your time - pulling orgasm after orgasm from each other until you passed out, naked and sweaty and slick with come. You loved it. Far more than you should love it, so much that you had to fight to keep from saying it and ruining everything. You’d finally found some way to almost have what you wanted, you weren’t about to wreck it just because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. 

But it was all ending soon, anyway. Anna had a release date from the inpatient program you’d gotten her into and, after talking with her and her doctors, you’d decided that you and Ellie would move into Anna’s house for a while. That meant leaving Joel’s and his bed and the comfort you found inside his space. 

“Don’t act like you’re not gonna miss that, too,” you could hear the roll of his eyes as he spoke. “But I more mean doin’ stuff like throwing this party with you. If you weren’t here, I’d just be stressed about it if I were doing it at all. But you’re here so I can look forward to it and how happy it’s going to make her and I’m going to miss having you here to do that shit with.” 

“I’m not going far,” you said, smiling a little into his chest. “But I get what you mean. Taking care of Ellie was so scary at first but you’re here and now, it’s not. Because I’m doing it with you.” 

Joel trailed his fingers up and down your upper arm and you just lay there with him, feeling his warmth and the softness of his skin and wishing you could find some way to be this close to him all the time. 

“You could just have Anna move in here,” he said and you laughed. “Hey, I’m serious!” 

“I know,” you said. “But no, not the best idea for this stage of recovery, that’s a lot of upheaval when she’s already going to be adjusting to life outside and as a mom. But once I bring Ellie there, Anna’s going to be seeing a therapist daily and if she’s getting overwhelmed, she’s going back in. Who knows, I might be back here before you know it.” 

“Hate that you’re makin’ me be against you showing back up here,” he said, just as the alarm on your phone started to ring. He groaned and you rolled to turn it off but you were only away from him for a moment before he pulled you back with a little yelp. 

“Hey!” You laughed into his chest. “C’mon, we need to get going…” 

“We got time,” he said, his voice husky, his hand skimming over your side, fingers trailing up to your breast. 

“Joel…” you breathed, sounding just as needy as you felt and you tried to avoid the twinge of shame that crept in with that need. 

“C’mon,” he said, tilting your chin so he could kiss you. “Lemme have you again. We got time.” 

His hold on you tightened and so did the knot in your stomach and you knew you couldn’t say no to him. You never could. 

“OK,” you said softly. “We got time.” 

You were both still breathless when Sarah knocked on Joel’s door about 30 minutes later and you turned to muffle the almost maniacal giggle that slipped out of you as she spoke. 

“Hey Dad?” She called to you both. “Can we have pancakes?” 

“Sure thing, baby girl,” he panted. “Just… five minutes.” 

You could practically hear her frown through the door. 

“What are you guys doing in there?” She asked. “You sound weird.” 

“Just… gettin’ ready for the party,” he said and you snorted. He pulled you tight against him so your mouth was pressed tight to his chest. “Be out in a minute.” 

Once the two of you left the quiet privacy of his bedroom, things moved quickly. You bounced and fed Ellie while Joel made breakfast for the three people in the house eating solid food. After you ate, Joel cleaned up while you put Ellie in a baby wrap and worked with Sarah to decorate the living room and the pool. She carefully decided where she wanted the gift table and where the snacks should be, what games should be out, where goodie bags should live, stepping back and considering everything with a serious look on her face that you had to fight to not giggle at. 

“OK,” she said after a while as she surveyed the space and gave a firm nod. “I think it’s perfect.” 

“You picked a good set up, kiddo,” you smiled, not even irritated that you’d swapped the gift table and the snack table’s positions four times. “Everyone’s going to have a great time.” 

“I hope so,” she said, beaming. “I can’t believe I get a pool party! I’m going to go get ready!” 

You and Joel left Sarah at the house to do her hair while the two of you took Ellie to pick up the cake and the last few things you needed at the store. 

Your niece was strapped to your chest and you were halfway down the chip aisle when you ran into Alyssa, the friend at work you’d made at the start of the school year that you hadn’t spoken to in months, too wrapped up in everything with Ellie and Anna and Joel to do anything like maintain a relationship with a coworker. 

“Oh, my God!” She beamed at you, pulling you in for an awkward hug with Ellie to the side. “I haven’t seen you in… shit, months? How’ve you been? Busy, I see!” 

“Yeah,” you laughed a little. “I’ve had my hands full taking care of this one. My sister’s… sick.” 

“Well, she’s an absolute doll!” She smiled broadly, leaning in to Ellie who beamed back at her, smiling her little gummy smile. “Hi there, cutie! Are you keeping your auntie from writing the next great American novel? Are you totally worth it? I think so!” 

“OK I got the cookies, too,” Joel said, coming up behind you and putting his hand on the small of your back, reaching around you to drop the packages in the cart. “Don’t know what kids don’t like fuckin’ cake but…” You cleared your throat as your cheeks got hot, feeling oddly exposed at the idea of having someone see Joel’s casual intimacy with you like this, Joel’s face near yours in a place you might kiss him if the two of you were at home. “Oh. Hi. I’m sorry, have we met?” 

“Yeah, hi,” she smiled, straightening and looking Joel up and down in that way she had. “I’m Alyssa, we ran into each other when you came by campus toward the start of the school year. Good to see you again! It looks like you two have gotten…” 

“Oh, no,” you laughed quickly, eyes darting to Joel, hoping he wasn’t panicking at the concept of being with you. “No, no, we’re… he’s been helping with Ellie here, he has a daughter so…” 

“Yeah, I’ve just done it all before,” he said, an odd twinge in his voice. “Don’t mind helpin’ out.” 

“That’s so nice of you,” Alyssa said, still watching Joel closely. “God, there’s just something about a man who’s good with kids…” 

“We are in high demand,” Joel said, a new flirtatious edge to his tone that made your stomach get tight. “Sorry to pull this one away but, speaking of kids, we got a birthday party to get back and finish settin’ up for…” 

“Oh, of course,” she smiled, waving him off. “Sorry, I don’t want to keep the two of you on a Saturday! But… you know, if you two aren’t…” 

“We’re not,” you said, probably too harshly, not able to look at Joel as you said it. 

“Then maybe we could have a drink sometime,” she said, as though you hadn’t spoken. “She’s got my number, if you’re interested.” 

“Uh,” Joel said and you forced yourself to glance his way, his hand still on the small of your back. “Yeah, alright, I’ll… I’ll let you know.” 

“Looking forward to it,” she winked before looking back to Ellie. “Goodbye, sweet girl!” And then she looked to you. “So good to see you!” 

“Yeah,” you forced a smile. “You, too.” 

You watched her go before turning back to Joel. 

“Sorry, that was…” you searched for the word. “Awkward.” 

“Yeah, think you could have denied that a little harder,” he said wryly and you glared at him. “What? Don’t think I’m that embarrassing.” 

“You know you’re not embarrassing,” you rolled your eyes. “I just… don’t want to tie you down.” 

“You don’t tie me down,” he said. 

“That’s sweet,” you said, grabbing the biggest bag of Doritos and adding them to the cart. “But… you know, the lists did include helping each other find a stable relationship and -” you looked around quickly, lowering your voice as you did “- we both know that friends with benefits is not that.” 

“So you’re gonna set me up with your friend?” He asked, sounding almost annoyed. 

You frowned. 

“What, are you going to pretend like she’s not your type?” 

He just looked at you for a moment, his jaw tight. 

“Never mind,” he said. “Let’s just go get the cake.” 

“What?” You asked, following after him as he took over pushing the cart. 

“Nothin’,” he said. “Don’t worry about it.” 

“Joel,” you caught up with him. “Is everything…” 

“It’s fine,” he snapped as the two of you got to the bakery counter. “Just drop it, alright? Jesus.” 

“Fine,” you muttered as Ellie started to fuss against you. “Dropped.” 

But you didn’t want to drop it. You tried to find a way to bring it up again but Joel was still surly on the drive back to the house, his mouth still in a thin line as he carried things in from the car. 

“Are you really going to be like this all day?” You asked quietly as you set the cake on the table in the living room next to the butterfly themed plates. “Because…” 

“I’m not bein’ like anything,” he said. “I’m fine. I don’t know why you keep askin’.” 

“Because you’ve been acting weird since the chip aisle,” you said. “And Sarah’s been looking forward to this for like two months.” 

“She’s my kid,” he said, defensive. “I know that she’s looking forward to it, alright? And I have not been ‘acting weird.’” He put the words in air quotes. “I’m just stressed about making this party happened, not everything is about you and what your people think, Goldie.” 

You pulled back from him, his words sharp. 

“I’m sorry that my coworker thought we were a couple,” you hissed, keeping your voice low. “We’re not in high school anymore and while you night think anyone would be a better option than me but not everyone is going to just assume that you could never want me!” 

“That’s what you think?” He asked, stepping closer to you, his hands on his hips, his shoulders feeling unreasonably broad. “You think that’s why I’m upset?” 

“Aunt Goldie?” Sarah said, running into the room, a sarong in her arms and wearing the swimsuit you’d helped her pick the week before. “Can you help me put this thing on? I can’t figure it out.” 

“Of course, kiddo,” you said, taking the sarong and giving Joel a look. “Come on, we’ll get it figured out.” 

You left Joel with the snacks and went to help Sarah, trying to shove Alyssa and Joel’s shitty mood out of your mind. 

***

Sarah was happy. 

Joel kept reminding himself of that. 

Sarah. Was. Happy. 

That was the important thing, that’s what mattered, that’s what the two of you had been planning and working on for weeks, throwing Sarah the party she’d been begging him for for years. 

And now it was here, Sarah was happy and he had a grill full of burgers and hot dogs, a backyard full of 25 pre-teens and a handful of parents who’d volunteered to help make sure no one drowned. 

Including the dad of one of the kids in Sarah’s class. One who had a decade on you and Joel and was apparently single and deciding to make that your fucking problem. 

And Joel wasn’t sure how long he was supposed to stand here and watch you flirt with that fucking guy. 

It was bad enough, getting hit on in front of you at the fucking grocery store and watching you rush to dodge any connection you had with him. No, now he also had to deal with this fucking asshole who was - frustratingly - not really an asshole at all. 

Tim was a guy Joel had met a few times, one of the few hands on dads in Sarah’s class. They’d chaperoned a few field trips together and Joel liked the guy. Or he had, anyway. The pair hand bonded over their daughters’ love of Taylor Swift and learning how to do hair and their shared apprehension of the coming teen years. He was good natured, an invested father, a guy he’d have liked to grab a beer with sometime. He’d been meaning to try to get their kids together and see if he could actually, maybe, have a friend outside of you and his brother. 

And then Tim saw you and everything changed.  

Now, Tim was making Joel’s fist clench and his stomach tighten because he was making you laugh. You were in your swimsuit, one that made Joel want to touch every goddamn inch of you, Ellie in your arms in her little sunhat and you were laughing at something Tim was saying, that fucking smile of yours making his heart ache. That fucking smile holding so much promise when it was made for that guy because smiling at him was different than smiling at Joel.

Because, really, how would he measure up to someone like fucking Tim? The guy who actually made good money, who had bothered to go to college, who didn’t need to wait to accidentally knock someone up to get his shit together. And you obviously had a thing for guys who were older, Tim’s graying hair and casual ease making Joel feel at least a little lacking before let alone now. Of course you’d be interested in him over Joel. Why wouldn’t you be? 

“You alright?” Tommy asked, sidling up to Joel by the grill. 

“Fine,” Joel muttered, still watching you. Tim held his arms out and you passed him Ellie before reaching to grab a can of White Claw from the cooler next to you, smiling and cooing at Tim and Ellie as you did. Joel ground his teeth. 

“You sure?” Tommy said. “Because think that burger would disagree.” 

Joel frowned, looking down to find the patty on the corner of the grill smoking, the dripping fat from the meat making the fire flare up below it. 

“Shit,” he swore, quickly sliding the spatula below the burger and moving it away from the flames. 

“That one’s yours,” Tommy teased, taking a sip of his beer and looking out toward the pool. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Joel said, taking stock of the rest of the grill to make sure nothing else was on fire. 

“Goldie’s lookin’ good,” Tommy said after a moment. 

Joel’s grip on the spatula got tight. 

“Guess so,” he said. “I see her every day so… wouldn’t know.” 

“Oh I think you know,” Tommy said. “Looks like she’s gettin’ awful cozy with that guy over there.” 

“Hadn’t noticed.” 

“Really?” Tommy said, brows raised. “Guess you were… what, starin’ at the fence behind ‘em then?” 

“Fuck off, Tommy.” 

“I’m just sayin’,” he said. “Like to think I know you pretty well seeing as you’re my brother and all. Just calling it like I see it. Calling it like I’ve been seein’ it for 20 years.” 

“Well, you’ve been seeing wrong,” Joel said. 

“Don’t think that’s it,” Tommy said. Joel opened his mouth to argue but Tommy didn’t give him the chance. “Look, if you really want to sit on your ass about it forever, that’s on you. I’m just saying that it sure seems like now is a damn good time to work your shit out with her. Either that or decide to just be a miserable asshole forever because you’re stubborn. No skin off my back.” 

“You, what, think you know everything because you’ve found a woman who will stick around?” Joel snapped, fighting to keep his voice low. “You’ve been in a relationship for five goddamn minutes, don’t sit there and…” 

“Hey guys,” you walked over, smiling, Tim still at your side with Ellie in his arms. “ETA on burgers? Think I should go get all the condiments set out?”

“Not a bad idea,” Joel said, fighting to keep his voice even. 

“Want help?” Tim asked. 

“If you can just keep holding the wriggly one, that would be amazing,” you smiled, touching his arm. His fucking arm. You looked back to Joel. “I’ll get everything set out… Are you OK?” 

“Fine,” he said through clenched teeth. “Why?” 

“If you say so,” you said, turning back to Ellie. “You be good, squrimy wormy.” 

“She’ll be an angel,” Tim smiled. “Don’t even worry about it.” 

Joel and Tim both watched you go inside, Joel struggling not to think about the sway of your hips below the gauzy wrap you’d tied around your middle like a skirt. 

“Kids seem to be having a great time,” Tim said, looking out toward the pool. “I know Lucy’s been talkin’ about nothing else all week. Kid was born in December but I can already tell she’s going to be begging me for a pool party for her birthday all the same.” 

“Glad I was able to pull it off for Sarah,” Joel said, looking determinedly at the grill. 

“Well, you had help,” Tommy said and Joel shot him a glare. He pressed on like nothing had happened. “Sure it’s a lot easier when you’ve got your best friend there pitchin’ in…” 

“Yeah, she was saying you two have been putting this together for a few weeks. If you don’t mind my asking,” Tim said, leaning closer to Joel and angling Ellie away from the heat of the grill. “What’s… what’s goin’ on there? Are you two…” 

“Nope,” Joel cut him off. “Just… we’re just friends.” 

“Cool,” Tim nodded slowly, looking toward the house as you carried plates of burger toppings out to a table covered in a purple tablecloth. “Because damn if she isn’t something.” 

“See, that’s what I’ve been sayin’,” Tommy said, giving Joel a look. Joel just glared back. 

Tim wasn’t looking their way, his eyes glued on you. 

“I still can’t believe she wrote that book,” he said, sounding a little awed. “I still think it’s the best thing I’ve ever read. Must have been a hell of a trip to read that already knowing her.” 

Joel was quiet, just flipping the burgers and taking a drink of beer. 

“What was that like?” Tim asked when Joel had been quiet too long. 

He glanced up at him, the annoyingly perfect fucking image of him holding Ellie while looking like the exact kind of person you’d go for making him hold his beer bottle a little too tight. 

“Wouldn’t know,” Joel said, looking back down at the grill. “Haven’t read it. Don’t read much.” 

“Oh,” Tim said, sounding surprised. “Well, you should. It’s amazing. She’s…” 

“Something,” Joel cut him off, knowing he probably sounded like a dick but not caring enough to stop it. “You said.” 

“Thank you for that,” you said, walking up and wiping crumbs from burger buns on your hands on your swimsuit. “Way easier when I’m not holding an infant but I’ll take her back now. Hi baby girl! Were you so good?” 

“She was a dream,” Tim said, putting Ellie in your arms. “Makin’ me wish I had another one.” 

“It’s the cuteness,” you said, smiling a little before looking down at your niece, letting her wrap her tiny hand around your thumb. You nuzzled into her head and kissed her. “She’s tricky that way.” 

“Might be,” Tim smiled, watching you with the baby. “But still, real hard not to miss it. Wouldn’t mind having another one.” 

“Yeah?” You asked, looking up at him with raised brows, holding Ellie against you. 

“With the right person,” he smiled a little and if Joel had to watch this shit any longer he was sure he was going to break something. 

“Alright, burgers are up!” He yelled toward the pool, ignoring the fact that Tim was standing close enough that he flinched. 

Joel hung back as the kids clambered out of the water until everyone had a burger and you found him, a slight frown on your face. 

“Are you sure you’re OK?” You asked. “Because if this is about earlier at the store…” 

“Don’t they teach you smart college types that doing the same thing over and over don’t get you different results?” He snapped. “Stop asking.” 

“Sorry,” you said, sounding hurt which made Joel’s jaw tighten. “Just try not to miss out on the good shit from today because of… whatever that is.” 

You didn’t wait for him to respond, you just went to find fucking Tim, that hurt look melting off your face when he said something that made you smile in that fucking way you had, where you started slow and then it spread so your whole face shined, the way that Joel loved so much. 

Joel stuck close to Tommy and his new girlfriend, Maria, for the rest of the party, trying to focus on Sarah and how she really was so fucking happy. He tried to ignore you. He tried to ignore the side eye from Tommy and the way you were looking at fucking Tim like he hung the goddamn moon. He tried not to think about the fact that, soon, you and Ellie would be leaving and this semblance of a family that he’d fallen into wouldn’t exist anymore. It would go back to the way it was before, just him and Sarah, and you’d go off and live your own damn life with Tim or someone like him. 

The frustrating thing was, it wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t know what he’d be missing. When it was you and fucking Brad at least, Joel didn’t know any better. He didn’t know how good it could be with you. He didn’t know what he didn’t have. Now it would always be there, hanging over him, covering his memory of this time with this bitter patina that he couldn’t shake. 

Tommy and Maria and fucking Tim stayed after the party wound down and helped clean up, you putting Ellie in her bouncer as you laughed at something he said. Things were back to normal - or close to it, a cake with a purple frosting border only half eaten on the kitchen counter and a few bags of trash by the door waiting to go into the big bin in the garage - in no time at all, something Joel was thankful for because that meant that Tim would probably leave soon. Hopefully. 

“Where did y’all get that cake, anyway?” He asked following you inside as you put a sleeping Ellie in her playpen, Joel just a few steps behind. “It was really good.” 

“H-E-B,” Joel said even though he knew Tim wasn’t asking him. “Nothin’ crazy.” 

“Thanks,” Tim smiled over his shoulder toward Joel before looking back to you. “It was good. Really.” 

“There’s tons of extra,” you said. “Want to take some home? Lord knows I don’t need it and if Sarah eats it all we’ll never see the end of the sugar high.” 

As if to prove a point, Sarah and Lucy, Tim’s daughter, shrieked in glee over something in the back yard. 

“That’d be great,” Tim said. “Sure Lucy’ll enjoy it.” 

“I’ll wrap some up for you,” you smiled, leading the way to the kitchen. 

“Try not to break your jaw clenching it like that, brother,” Tommy clapped him on the shoulder. Joel glared at him. “We’re gonna head out.” 

“You know where to find the door,” Joel said. 

“Know where to find your attitude, too,” he replied. “Try not to screw yourself over here, Joel.” Tommy left before he had a chance to argue, his arm around Maria’s shoulders as he led her to his truck. 

But Joel, for a change, decided to actually take his brother’s advice. He didn’t want to screw himself over. He wasn’t ready to lose this with you, not yet. 

He went to the kitchen to find you standing next to the cake, your body angled toward Tim’s, closer to him than Joel was happy about. 

“So I’ll call you,” he was saying, a crooked smile on his face. 

“Sounds good,” you smiled back, handing him his phone. “It might be a bit, a lot going on right now, but…” 

“I can wait,” he said. “Something about good things coming to those who do…” 

Joel cleared his throat and you almost jumped away from Tim, eyes a little wide, almost like Joel was your dad and you were in trouble. 

“Get what you needed?” Joel asked, brows raised, hands shoved in his pockets. 

“Think so,” Tim said, pocketing his phone and picking up a plate loaded with cake and covered in plastic wrap.”Thanks for having us, it was a great party.” 

“Thanks for comin’,” Joel said, wishing he’d just get through the niceties and get the fuck out of his house. “Know Sarah liked having Lucy here.” 

“Lucy had a great time, too,” he said before turning back to you. “Think we’ll get outta your hair but… talk to you soon?” 

“Yeah,” you smiled. “Looking forward to it.” 

Joel walked Lucy and Tim out to their car, Tim handing his daughter the plate with the cake before turning back to Joel. 

“Look,” he said, all polite pretense gone from his voice. “I feel like I did something in the wrong here and I don’t want to try to steal another man’s girl…” 

“She say we were together?” Joel asked, brows raised. 

“No, but…” 

“Then there you go,” Joel said, a little to harshly. 

“Well then I must have done something else,” Tim said. “If it’s just that you’re protective of your friend, trust me, I meant it when I said she’s somethin’ because she is. I don’t know if it’ll work out but I’m not gonna hurt her.” 

Joel clenched his jaw, trying not to picture someone else touching you the way he did, someone else pulling the little sounds of pleasure from your lips the way he did, loving you the way he did. Just the passing thought made his stomach turn, his blood hot. He wanted to tell Tim to back the fuck off because you belonged with him. But he couldn’t do that. Because it wasn’t true.

“Good to see you,” Joel said instead. “Drive safe.” 

He didn’t wait to see them leave the driveway. Instead, he went to find you. Because maybe you didn’t belong with him, maybe you couldn’t be his in the way he wanted but goddammit if there wasn’t something in him you apparently wanted. You wanted it enough to be his friend, to ask for his help, to fuck him when you didn’t have another option. There was something in him that you thought was worthwhile and there had to be some way to make you remember that.

Joel stalked back inside to find you reorganizing the fridge, Ellie asleep in her playpen in the living room. You glanced his way as you put a plate of leftover burgers back in the fridge. 

“Sarah’s showering,” you said. “But then she wants to open presents and asked if we could watch a movie after, I told her that should be fine but…” 

Joel didn’t give you a chance to finish. Instead, he grabbed you, rougher than he should have but he couldn’t bring himself to care, pulling you away from the fridge with a surprised but quiet yelp as he pressed your back against the wall. He forced his knee between your thighs and pulled your mouth to his as he kissed you, harsh and sharp, devouring you and your needy little sounds. His hand tightened on your chin, holding you still so he could press tongue into your mouth, his other hand grabbing your thigh and hitching it over his leg, opening you to him. 

He shoved the gusset of your swimsuit aside and thrust two fingers inside you, your tight heat wet and welcoming and he didn’t ease his way to that soft, sensitive place deep in you. Instead, he pressed in hard, his palm against your clit before he pulled his mouth from yours, everything wet and messy. 

“Joel,” your eyes were wide, searching his. “What…” 

“You think he can do this to you?” He rutted his cock against your hip. “Think he can make you come like I do?” 

“Sarah’s home,” you whispered, your panting shifting to a moan as he pressed harder on your clit. “Fuck, Joel, you can’t just…” 

“I can hear the shower,” he said harshly. “Answer the question. You think he can make you feel like this?” 

To prove his point, he added another finger, stretching your tightening walls and making you gasp, fingers scrambling against his shoulder as you looked down to the place he was entering you. His own come from the morning was sliding over his skin and he was almost pissed about that, that you’d even look at another man while you were still full of him. 

“I…” you looked back at him, pupils blown, lips shiny with his spit and yours from when he kissed you. “I… I don’t…” 

“Think that fuckin’ guy can fuck you like I can?” He asked. “Think he can make you feel like I do? He can’t and he fuckin’ won’t.” 

You moaned, desperate and uncontrolled and buried your face where Joel’s shoulder met his neck. His cock ached in his swim trunks, leaking and angry and he rutted it against you but he knew he wasn’t going to find relief right now. He didn’t care. 

He felt like a man unhinged, the thought of you with someone else, touching someone else, in bed with someone else, loving someone else pushing him on. He couldn’t give you much, he fucking knew that, but there had to be a reason you’d stayed in his bed the last month and he was going to goddamn well make sure you knew it. 

You came then, your pussy throbbing hard around his fingers as you moaned, voice cracking as you did. He stilled inside you, his hold on you easing so that his palm was more cupping your sex than pressing into it, savoring the feeling of your pleasure on his skin as your come soaked him. Your whole body went limp and he had to hold you up as you panted for breath. He eased his fingers out of you more gently than he’d done anything else since he’d started touching you, carefully tugging your swimsuit back into place over your leaking slit. You whimpered against him, sounding fucked out and exhausted. 

Joel carefully adjusted you, holding your face in his hand, your eyes wide and mouth open as you took shaky, uncertain breaths. 

“What was that?” you asked quietly. 

Joel didn’t know how to answer. 

“You OK?” He asked instead. 

Your eyes raked over him, still wide and shocked, and he lowered your leg back to the ground, giving you a chance to stand on your own again. 

“What do you want from me, Joel?” You whispered. 

“Hey Dad?” Sarah yelled from her room. “Do we have more of that hair stuff?” 

His jaw tightened. 

“Go,” you said, reaching around him to hold onto the counter for balance. 

“We’re talkin’ later,” he said, watching you for a moment before going to help Sarah. 

He did his best to focus on his daughter while she opened her presents from her friends, you smiling and taking notes about who got her what so Sarah could write thank you cards, never once looking at Joel and he had this sinking, raw feeling in his stomach that he might have ruined things, actually ruined things this time. You stayed on the opposite end of the couch from him as the three of you watched the Hunger Games, careful to never even brush against him when you got up to get something. So different from every other time the three of you had sat here, you casually leaning your head on his shoulder or touching his leg to get his attention. 

“Thank you, Dad,” Sarah said as he tucked her into bed - something he was sure she was going to start insisting she was too big for any day now. “That was the best party, everyone had such a good time, it was so fun to see everyone!” 

“I’m glad you had fun, baby girl,” he smiled, smoothing her hair back from her face. “I know you’ve been wanting that for a while.” 

“Yeah, but I know you’re busy,” she said. “It’s OK that it took some time.” 

“Well, I should never be too busy for you,” he said. 

“Probably right,” she said, scrunching her nose. Joel laughed. “I love you, Dad.” 

“Love you, too,” he smiled, reaching to turn out her lamp. 

“Oh, tell Aunt Goldie I love her too?” She said. “I forgot to…” 

His heart clenched. 

“Course baby girl,” he said. “I know she loves you, too.” 

“Duh,” she smiled. “I’m the best.” 

Joel laughed. 

“Don’t let it go to your head.” 

He started back toward the living room to find you but stopped when he saw the light on in his bedroom. He paused at the door, wondering if he should knock even though the two of you hadn’t had that pretense in weeks. 

But he just opened it, moving quietly and closing the door silently behind him, finding you emptying the drawers that had become yours in the months you’d lived in his house. 

“What are you doing?” He asked quietly. 

You looked up, your eyes finding his and narrowing. 

“Goldie…” he moved to touch you but you pulled yourself away before he could. 

“Don’t,” you snapped, packing your things into the suitcase that had been tucked away in the space between Joel’s dresser and the wall for so long he’d almost forgotten it was there. 

“Look, I…” he began but you cut him off. 

“What the fuck is your problem?” You asked, all but throwing some shirts into the suitcase. “What was that!” 

He sighed, not able to look at you for a moment. He wasn’t sure how to answer that. What was he supposed to say? Sorry, the thought of losing you to another man made me lose my mind for a minute? Now that you don’t need as much help with your niece I wanted to remind you of the one other thing you seemed to need me for? 

“I…” he broke off. “I’m sorry.” 

“You’re sorry?” You asked, brows raised. “You’re sorry, great. Awesome. What do you want from me, Joel? Do you want me to never date anyone so you can fuck me when you’re bored? Do you think I’m going to just live here forever so I’ll be at your disposal whenever you need to get off?” 

“That ain’t…” 

“I want to be with someone who loves me!” Your voice was thick, wet. “I want a chance at loving someone and I want them to love me, too, and I can’t do this with you, Joel! I can’t upend my entire life because we’re doing whatever this is, I can’t and I don’t want to.” 

His chest got tight and you just shook your head, going to get more out of the drawer to keep packing. 

“Anna is about to come home,” you said. “I was already going to leave soon. I’ll go tomorrow, spend a few days in my own damn house in my own damn bed and then go to her place.” 

“Goldie,” he whispered, stepping close to you, taking your face in his hand. You at least didn’t pull away from him this time. “Just… stay.” 

Your eyes searched his for a moment and, for half a second, he thought you might say yes. 

“I can’t,” you said softly. “I’m sorry.” 

Joel just hoped you couldn’t see the pain in his eyes as you went back to collecting your things to leave him behind yet again. 

Next Chapter

A/N: I really wish I could explain what came over Joel here but I can't I'm sorry I think he possessed me and this is what happened SORRY

Thank you for being here and for reading. I love you!

Taglist: @kaseyconnour

[brandileigh2003]

Wolfstar fic canon divergent fic recs: post-azkaban, bring back black, lie low at lupins

Let me know what I missed including self recs, and give the authors all the love.

��Remain in Light by @veeagainsttheday (175k)

•A Store of Happiness by coyotesuspect (10k)

•An Unexpected Reunion by @r33sespieces (37k) Remus raising Harry when Sirius escaped

•Till We Have Arrived Home Again by prouvairing (43k) in 99, harry visits with news

•He Is Part Of Our Family Too by Lucigoo89 a gift for me 💙💙

•Beyond the Veil by Atalan bring black back

•Leave the Children Behind by @montparnassee

•Dignity be Damned by @violetthistle1 (121k)

•How Long 'Til My Soul Gets It Right by krabapple @severedreamerfox 88k

•Chiaroscuro by krabapple 17k

•December's Light by krabapple (16k)

•Where do we go from here? by realismreading

•Darling, I’d go through it again by lez_writes13 (32k)

•It gets so hard to breathe (when you're looking at me) by arcane_illusions and @neondomino (57k)

•Wherever I Am/You'll Always Be series by @brigid-faye

•The Postwar Chronicles by @sliebman10 post canon series

•Give Quarter to Old Men - @krethes series

Open ended:

•used my best colours for your portrait by littleoldrachel

•I Keep Mine Hidden by insatiablerealist (36k)

-On my tbr/recs from others-

• Darklands by orestesfasting (wip 15/16)

•One to Speak, Another to Hear by @seventymilestobabylon (60k)

•It Wouldn't Be An Adventure Without You by @myheadsgonenumb

•Hounds of Love by estas_absentis (15k) lie low

•The Long Road Home by orphan_account (15k) bbb

•Three Days (The Rebuilding the Temple Remix) by victoria_p (musesfool) ootp era (15k)

•Be With Me Always by TheHufflebean (63k) bbb

•No One's Gonna Love You by Anonymous (109k)

•Laughing all the way by Wheatmarten

•beautiful boy (darling boy) by @impishTubist  roaming_the_greenwood1 mpreg at grimmauld and Sirius is able to get custody of Harry, navigating dynamics, plus pining wolfstar and get together

•A grave mistake by @soloorganaas Sirius back from the viel and navigating complicated situation with Remus being married to Tonks.

•Black Oblivion by @alandia-wings Remus Sirius and tonks all survive

•In Daylight by Essie_Cat

--check out wolfstar librarian list1. 2. She's awesome--

-- there is also a long list at wolfstar warehouse including older ones and many off of ao3--

[hopefulcanary]

☀️The best UV protection in the alpha quadrant!☀️

Finally, it's here 😍 I hope you enjoy my offering for the Live Long and Pin-Up Spirk collection! Jim emulating the Coppertone Girl seemed like a sure fit for cheesecake. Everything about this piece was such a fun challenge, especially our helpful sehlat ally 😉

I was so fortunate to partner with the talented @boldlyqueertastic , who wrote the awesome accompanying fic you should immediately read:

Thank you @android-and-ale for extending the kind invite, and thank you to the many talented artists and writers who provided ideas, cheerled myself and others, and participated in this very cool collaboration. 💛🩵

Check out @livelongandpinup for more works as they're posted, consider purchasing a calendar, and follow the AO3 Collection for the whole set in one place!

[flareboi]

HEY EVERYONE my dear awesome friend @purpurps just released the first chapter of his grapeduo royalty au fic rewrite, titled wingless things! please go check it out and show it some love, he’s an awesome writer and the worldbuilding is very great! this au is literally 99% of what i’ve been drawing during my break lmao

summary (copied from AO3):

Purple is the prince of Cantavis, a thriving kingdom ruled by King Mango, built on shaky ground. Haunted by a past he cannot undo, Purple dedicates his life to compensating for his history. He has never needed anyone... or so he thinks.

And then, there's Green. Like any other knight, he is hopelessly dedicated to the crown, always taking what he is given without complaint.

But what happens when the crown starts to slip?

[kaysfanficcorner]

Movie Dates with a Stranger

Author's note: Just a quick little one shot about sweet Javi after a discussion with my best friend. She and Pedro are truly my two muses. If you dig this, please check out my other fics, Celebrity Crush (Dieter Bravo) and Out of This World (Din Djarin). More chapters of Out of this World are on *the way* soon!

Pairing: Javi Gutierrez x reader

Summary: You go the movies every Saturday morning, and the same man is there every single time.

Warnings: none that I can think of other than how stinking cute this film nerd really is.

AO3

*****

When the company you work for announced that they were opening an office in Spain, you jumped at the chance to take a position there. Having always wanted an excuse to leave the country and coming off of a bad break up, it was as if the universe was giving you exactly what you needed exactly when you needed it.

You're finally feeling settled in your new city. You've even managed to find yourself a gorgeous little vintage movie theater so you can get back into your favorite hobby from back in the states. Going to the movies is your favorite pastime in the whole world, and it has been since before you can remember. In America, you would attend the movies at least once a week if not two or three depending on how many good releases were out in one weekend. You hadn't realized how much you missed it until the morning stroll when you managed to stumble upon the one-screen theater playing a new film you'd been dying to see.

Without further consideration you'd purchased a ticket and the rest was history. Every Saturday morning since you've gone to see whatever movie was out regardless of what it was. Some in Spanish, some in English, but none of that matters. You're in your happy place.

The fact that you always go to the first screening of the day means that there are usually very few people in the theater.

So you notice when the same man has been there with you for the last five films.

He's gorgeous in every sense of the word, which you really got to see up close the third time you came and he was in front of you in the line for the snack bar. Well dressed, his casual attire was certainly expensive looking so you assume he must have money. He's got the most adorable smile, his dark eyes wrinkling at the corners as his mouth forms a grin at the huge bucket of popcorn the worker handed him. He always gets popcorn, a cherry coke, and a box of peanut m&ms. He's had the same snack every time you've seen him.

His burnt caramel hair is curly and always well managed, definitely with some sort of boujee product. His cologne smells like heaven when you catch a good whiff of it. He'd turned with all of his treats in hand, smiling down at you and telling you to enjoy the film with such genuine enthusiasm you hadn't been able to hold back your own wide grin at him. As he moved past you to allow you your turn in line, the scent of him nearly made you moan out loud. His voice had also been one of the loveliest sounds you'd ever heard.

In other circumstances, the thought of a strange man appearing at the movie theater five weeks in a row would freak you out. Are you being stalked? A naive American being scoped out for kidnapping or murder?

No, that's not the vibe you get from him at all. If you had to pinpoint the vibe you do get, it's that he's a fucking nerd. This guy adores film, just like you do. He'll obviously see everything. In the last five weeks the two of you have watched two action movies, one drama, one boner-comedy, and one romantic comedy. Not all of them were good, but your movie theater buddy seemed to watch all of them with the same level of reverence. He even turned around after the second action film, the fourth time you'd been in the theater with this stranger, and gave you an enthusiastic little grin and a thumbs up.

“That was fucking awesome, wasn't it?!” he'd whisper yelled to you.

That had made your heart skip a beat, whisper-yelling back in the affirmative.

The fifth movie was when you realized how much you were looking forward to seeing your stranger. That entire morning you'd had a giddy little smile on your face, picking out one of your cutest and most flattering casual dresses with a pair of heeled boots to match. You'd even gone so far as to do your hair and make up, when the first couple of weeks you'd gone for a more bum-chic look with sweatpants and a hoodie.

It was halfway through applying your mascara when it hit you that you like your film-nerd stranger. Seeing him every Saturday has been the highlight of your free time in Spain so far. Living so far away from everyone you've ever known has been lonely, and this handsome fellow at the movies has been the closest thing to a real social interaction outside of work since you moved here.

You're certain that you'd noticed his reaction to a more dressed up version of yourself, purposefully sitting one row in front of him so that he had no choice but to see you. His eyes had widened before a little shy smile crept up his lips, you'd seen it out of the corner of your eye before sitting down with a little smile of your own.

Now it's the sixth week, and the first horror movie. Horror is one of your favorite genres, and this one has been getting rave reviews for the last couple of weeks. Critics are calling it the horror film of the year and audiences are calling it the most frightening movie of the decade. Needless to say you are chomping at the bit for this one.

With an appropriately spooky and equally flattering outfit, and a makeup look complimenting the vibe of the film you're about to see, you feel like you truly look your best upon entering the theater lobby on that Saturday morning. On instinct your eyes flick around the large room, on the lookout for your stranger among the movie posters and popcorn.

You don't see him anywhere and your heart sinks a little, but you try not to lose hope. You're aware that it's quite possible that he's going to eventually skip a Saturday or there may be a movie that doesn't interest him after all.

Making your way over to the snack bar, you grin and wave at the same teenage girl who has greeted you from behind the counter every weekend. The same crew works the same shift each time you're there so you've become a little friendly in your snack bar encounters.

Knowing your Spanish isn't perfect, you try your best to order a soda and nachos in the language of the country you're in, and a cheerful voice from behind you makes you jump when you're finished.

“Your accent is getting much better.”

You spin around to find him standing behind you, that kind smile of his reaching all the way up to his eyes. He's dressed in a dark brown pair of slacks with a tan t-shirt and a dark purple corduroy jacket. His hair is perfect and he looks almost as if he's the one who was trying to dress his best this week.

You can feel a blush rush to your cheeks, avoiding his gaze as you give an awkward little, “Gracias.”

So he'd been paying attention to you just as much as you'd been paying attention to him? Lord have mercy.

He doesn't say more, just smiles that adorable smile of his as you grab your snacks and leave him to order his usual. You quickly make your way to your seat then, opting for the one you usually take that sits two rows behind the handsome stranger. He takes the same exact seat every week and you'd certainly noticed that as well.

Right on time he comes in and takes his seat, eyes flicking to you for a moment before he sits down. You smile broadly at him, and a shy little look takes over his features as he turns to face the screen. No one else shows up to this screening. The trailers run and your stomach flutters when you realize that the two of you will be here alone for the very first time.

You try not to pay attention to him when the lights begin to dim and the title card of the movie appears on the screen. You try not to watch the back of his head as he happily shoves popcorn into his mouth, attempting to focus on the movie you've been dying to see since they first announced its conception on some movie news site years ago.

Eventually the eerie tension of the film and the characters start to draw you in, your attention finally in the right place. And then a brilliantly laid out jump scare actually manages to get you, and you notice a bit of popcorn flying into the air over at your stranger's seat. Another comes shortly after that, and the stranger gets up from his seat completely. Your eyebrows raise, trying to keep your eyeballs glued to the screen. But then you feel a presence come right up beside you, and you turn to see your stranger standing right there. Your heart leaps in your chest as he slips into the seat right beside you and sends an apologetic look your way.

“I am so sorry to intrude, and I hate to look like a total pussy in front of a beautiful woman, but I am so fucking scared of this movie. Is it alright if I sit with you?” he whispers over, despite the fact that no one else is in the room but you. His accent is so cute that it's killing you not to giggle.

“Sure, I was honestly getting a little scared of it myself,” you whisper back, hoping to reassure him a little.

“Gracias,” he says with a bow of the head before turning his attention back to the film.

The presence of him next to you is driving you mad throughout the next few scenes, but you're completely elated by the fact that he's so close now. Close enough to smell that cologne again, for your forearm to brush his on the armrest.

Another scare comes, and the stranger's little yelp of surprise beside you causes the giddiest of grins to tug at your lips. When another comes again shortly after, his hand grabs for yours.

“Sorry!” he whisper-yells, letting you go just as quickly as he'd grabbed you. He looks so embarrassed.

Feeling brave, you reach over and take his hand in yours. He lets you touch him with ease, fingers of both hands intertwining with each other. His hand is so much bigger than yours.

“If this helps you feel less scared I really don't mind,” you whisper back, eyes on the screen once again. He doesn't say anything else.

Each time the movie scares your stranger, his fingers dig into your hand with varying levels of pressure. At one point you catch yourself tracing little circles into his skin with your thumb, and he's actually doing it back. That makes you melt into the seat a little.

Sooner than you'd like it feels like the climax of the film is wrapping up in a mess of blood and guts, and shortly after that the film is over all together. The credits start rolling and the house lights come back on. You're expecting your stranger to let go of you, but to your shock he lifts your connected hands and places a chaste kiss on the back of your hand. Then he lets go.

“Thank you for keeping me company during that. I am forever in your debt,” he says, adding shyly, “Horror movies always scare the shit out of me. Even the bad ones.”

“Well they weren't kidding when they said that was the scariest movie of the decade online. I was just as scared as you! And usually I can handle things like that. Proud of you for making it through that with me,” you say, adding an introduction as you give him your name.

“I am Javi,” he says with a grin, “I'm glad to finally meet you after all these weeks.”

“Likewise. It's nice to know another movie enthusiast,” you agree.

The two of you gather your things, heading back out to the lobby while discussing the finer points of the film you both just saw. When you part ways to both use the restroom, you're thrilled to find him waiting for you just outside as you reemerge.

Javi extends an elbow towards you. “Would you like to go get a cup of coffee? I have so much more to say about that movie, I probably need at least another hour to get it all out!”

A giggle finds your voice, a hand coming to your lips for a second before you're looping your arm through his and he's leading you out of the theater and down the street.

You start the conversation back up, leaning into him a little as you walk. “I cannot believe that the lead actress did such a good job! I honestly wasn't expecting such a performance from her based on the other movies of hers that I've seen.”

“Oh my God, I know! I was really shocked by how good she was, and the things that poor girl had to do! It must have been so fun to shoot that stuff.”

When the following Saturday morning rolls around, you cannot wait to jump out of bed to start your day. It will be the seventh straight week of going to the movies with Javi Gutierrez, but it's going to be your first real date.

*****

Masterlist

[sun-spice]

Hello Phandom! It's @ecto-implosion 2024 this week, I was partnered with the brilliant @lollystocks who went ham and (lovingly) ran Danny through the wringer in her awesome fic Pins and Needles!

Read here on AO3

Danny had always hated needles.

— AU where instead of becoming a halfa, the portal accident gives Danny Ecto-Acne. As his world is plunged into chaos and uncertainty, he must stare down his fears, and make a leap of faith. Oneshot. Written for Ecto-Implosion 2024

Please check it out and give her some love <3

[thegoldencontracts]

Rec-list!

This is a little compilation of all the twisted wonderland works I personally recommend. Feel free to DM me, or comment anything you think should be added. If you're on this list and I haven't commented on your fic, I'm so sorry! I hope my words of praise here can somewhat make up for it.

Bold Fics/Creators are/make X Reader!

Italicized ones are ones I find underrated, so I highly recommend checking them out!

Tumblr:

Kisses - by @thehollowwriter, a fluffy OC X Azul fic that made me sqeee aghhh it's so cute <3

Azul, Idia, and Riddle With A Flirty Reader - by @etheries1015, tooth-rottingly fluffy tsundere!twst xreader, I love it sm. Ft. Azul, Riddle, Idia

Ashes - by @thehollowwriter, Azul angst and it BROKE my heart, trust me it's painful in the best way.

Untitled Azujami Drabble - by @poisoned-pearls, and though they're popular probably I still think this awesome little fluffy masterpiece is criminally underrated aghhhhh

Ace, Leona, Azul, and Jamil With A Talented Baker - by @atierrorian, super fluffy and I absolutely adored it.

Group Hug - by @whats-it-mean, Ace, Floyd, Jade, and Azul all in a group hug with the reader, it's such a funny premise and yet so well done.

Arms Tonite - by @thesunshineriptide, I honestly believe it is the gold standard for hurt/comfort fics, it's absolutely amazing and honestly one of the best twst fics I've ever read.

Please Don't Leave - by @just-patchy; octatrio poly (no twincest) hurt/comfort, it is so good, don't listen to the a/n saying the writing's bad trust mee.

Azul + Anniversary - @cloudcountry; azul x reader and it's so cute ashdhfdhsfkdlj I'm dyinggg

Coin-Flip - @pomefioredove; this one was so cuteeee azul x reader, it was so fun seeing him get all flusteredd fhjdfkjh

Ao3:

and who'll love me if i'm not the top of my school - by @idia-shroud-is-tmasc/shatteredcoll on ao3; heart-wrenching riddle angst fic in the absolutely best way. If you're a riddle fan, seriously I recommend checking it out.

Of Rosy Snapshots and Deep Dives - by bedtime_at_four_am on ao3; I may be biased but honestly I love all their works, seriously recommend reading it's such a good azurido fic and even if you don't like the pairing you'll find it hilarious.

Rock and a Hard Place - by @thateldribitch/ThatEldriBitch on ao3, it's such a short but sweet fic and honestly I've reread it so many times I've probably ended up skewing the stats HELP-

Fungi Makes A Fun Guy - by Foxyexy on ao3. Azul x Jade and It's sooo cute aghjfdjdk I'm dying I'm deadd-

Business Soulmates - by Mell(MelMystery) on ao3. Platonic octatrio; It's so perfect imo, and one of the few twins meeting azul fics i like.

Indebted - by Midnight_Archives on ao3. So cute, and it's SO underrated, especially compared to other Jamiazu longfics.

Misc. (Follow Recommendations):

@malletsum - hilarious tweets and banger malleus + twst takes imo

@dailytwsttweets - Absolutely fucking hilarious every tweet of theirs is a banger imo, never forgetting "yaoi pills"

@thehollowwriter - banger takes and a bunch of good fics!

@poisoned-pearls - SO MUCH GOOD JAMIAZU STUFF it's actually insanee

@skyephobic - Banger art absolutely EDIBLE imo

@traumxrei-archive - Everyone probably knows them but they write SO MUCH good flustered Azul content it's insaneeee

@luciferzstar - Underrated Azul artist imo, lots of great memes <3

@pomefioredove - Great fic writer imo SHJFDJHKFKJFDS

@jovieinramshackle - Great artist for Azul content, I love their ocs <3