#billy russo fic rec

[idaoftheburningmind]

‘You were his to protect, above all else.’

How I went from baby-girl-had-a-dildo-and-a-plan to sobbing into a pillow, wailing for my panther, pretty much sums up my relationship with this series, and just about all of Chelsea’s stories.

Because it’s maddening how she writes and we yearn for things we didn’t even know we wanted, like Billy Russo transforming into a panther and presumably crushing the marrow of whoever took the Reader’s necklace.

Someone had dared to hurt you, and thought they were capable of getting away with it.

Billy needed to send a message.

One that would not be misunderstood.

First of all, that declaration is sexy af. Second, how dare you make it sound sexy af @becauseicantthinkwritings

This is the hurt-comfort trope I would sell a kidney for, where the aloof partner rips apart whoever dared harm their beloved, their mate, that one person on this sad, sorry earth that they’ll ever be soft around (in secret). Yes, I’m on my knees and I’ll take more of that, please.

“You’re… not…just a panther, are you?”

We badly, very badly, want these two to be together (and, for the love of god, finally fuck), but Chelsea is telling us to be patient, more patient probably than we’ve ever been. We might be forgetting that there is more than one hunter on the prowl, and Billy has yet to find out just how much closer he’ll need to keep watch.

Teeth

Part 9!

Werepanther!Billy Russo x Female Reader

Masterlist

Warnings: Angst, anxiety, implications of murder.

You twitch your toes, waiting till there's a knock on your door.

Blinking, you open it carefully, trying not to fiddle with your fingers as the anxiety threatens to overwhelm you.

"Thank you for this." You say, looking up at Billy, before looking away.

He's dressed in his work clothes- suit and tie, looking at you so carefully that you feel like he can see so much more of you that you'd care to admit.

"I'm glad you called." Billy says, voice low, taking a step back to let you lock up, "Didn't like the idea of you trying to go down there alone."

You let out a dry laugh.

"I tried, but I just couldn't do it." You say to him.

"You look like you haven't slept." His voice is gentle, like a welcome hand on your back, rubbing circles to calm you.

You smile sadly at him.

"I haven't- I- I can't-"

"It's okay, we'll figure it out." Billy says, reassuring you that nothing you're going through is abnormal in any way.

You reach for his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Thank you." You say, trying to express your earnesty, glad to have someone as understanding as him with you.

His car is... sublime.

Gorgeous, sleek in its aerodynamic design.

You're not too familiar with car models, but you catch the BMW logo on the front of the black car, smiling as he opens the passenger door for you.

You settle yourself in, admiring the supple interior, and the simplicity of it.

"Honestly, this is not what I thought you drove." You confess to him when he climbs into the car.

The engine absolutely purrs to live, revving beautifully, tingling your eardrums with the low sound.

"What did you think I drove?" Billy asks, raising an eyebrow at you.

It suddenly made you aware that you may have been about to tell him you thought he was extravagant.

"Okay, I just realised what I thought you drove made zero sense and I would like to retract my comment."

He grins at you, deviousness leeching out of his every pore. It makes you simmer with delight.

"No way, tell me."

"Well, I thought someone like you- CEO of a company that is- drove what other CEOs of companies tend to drive."

"An Aston? Lamborghini? Ferrari?"

"All of the above?" You supply with a light hint of an apology in your tone.

He laughs, and the sound is nothing short of divine. You wanted to memorize the funniest jokes just to hear him laugh again.

"I'm not that ostentatious. I run a security company, being unseen is my ally, and luxury cars like that are just impractical."

"I guess that makes sense." You mumble, deep in thought.

"But I have to admit that I did buy a Royce the first year my company lifted off."

"Of course you did." You tease lightly, with no malicious intent behind your words.

He gives you a little lift of his shoulder.

"It's the little things sometimes."

How easy talking to him was, so very dangerous in so many ways, you were always just two steps shy of flirting with him. He made talking to him so simple, made you forget about ever being anxious in the first place.

You were definitely in trouble.

.

"That's it?" You asked when the officer returns your bag to you, informing you that the items were left behind when the suspects realised they were being chased.

"What about my jewellery?" You ask, heart squeezing in your chest.

She gives you an apologetic shake of her head.

"Jewellery is usually a lot harder to recover, it might have already been pawned off. We'll keep an eye out, but I wouldn't get my hopes up."

Your heart sinks. You nod, thanking her before turning and walking back to a waiting Billy.

"I got my laptop and wallet back." You murmur, avoiding his dark eyes, trying very hard not to cry in front of your boss.

"That's everything?" He asks, "Do you want to go home?"

You swallow, nodding quickly and walking past him.

You hold this awful, rotten feeling inside of you all the way back to his car, but when you get in, and you close the door, the tears refuse to be ignored any longer.

Billy says your name with concern when he notices you crying.

You let out a shaky sob.

"I'm sorry." You whimper, pressing your face into your hands to hide from him as you weep pathetically.

It takes all of a second before he's pulling you against him, your bodies at an odd angle to allow you to fit against each other with the centre console of the car in the way.

"What is it?" He asks, "What's wrong?"

You lean against him, hands gripping at his bicep in an attempt to pull comfort from him.

"I knew the odds of getting the necklace back but I was hoping it wouldn't be true." You start, reaching into your bag and finding your packet of tissues hidden in the lining.

"I just- I know it's not that important in the scheme of things but-" you sigh, "-I really loved that necklace."

"It is important. If you loved it, then it's important. Don't lose hope, you can still get it back." Billy tries to soothe, his warm breath on your cheek, so maddeningly close.

You cry against him a little bit more.

"It just made me feel safe. After- after every terrible thing that happened. It made me feel like I was being protected by something much bigger than myself. But-" You shudder out a sad breath, "-not even that is true."

His arms tighten around you.

.

He wants to make so many promises to you in that moment.

Billy wants to promise that he'll do everything he can to keep you safe, that he's here no matter what. He breathes in your scent and squeezes his eyes shut and hates that he'd given someone the opportunity to lay their hands on you.

His sweet girl didn't deserve this, and Billy was going to do everything in his power to get you that necklace back.

You were his to protect, above all else.

.

You fall asleep on the drive back to your place, a sudden bout of traffic turning the ten minute drive into thirty minutes.

There's just something about being around him, that slows every rushing thought in your head, you find yourself so relaxed in his presence and before you know it, you're asleep in minutes. The events of the last two days have taken a toll, and you sleep so deeply that you don't register a single thing.

You don't wake, not even when he picks you up, scooping you into his arms so easily that you would be amazed if you weren't asleep.

He places you in bed, tugging your shoes off, before dimming the lights.

You only truly wake up, when you hear your bedroom door open, an indication that he was leaving.

"Billy." You call out for him, fighting to sit up, rubbing one eye to regain your focus.

He's paused at the door, looking back at you.

"Can you stay a little longer? Just until I get to sleep?" You let out a little sigh, "I've asked a lot of you already, so you can say no, I won't hold it against you. But I just-"

"I get it." Billy says, interrupting. He turns from the door, moving confidently to your bed, and carefully placing himself on top.

It's kind of hilarious, he's still in his finely pressed work shirt and pants, having shed his jacket and tie at some unobservable point. If you were more comfortable with him, you would have insisted that he change before lying beside you.

But your level of exhaustion is too great to worry about anything, not lying in bed beside your boss, and definitely not moving closer to him till you're almost touching but not exactly.

You look up at him with sleepy eyes, and he carefully raises a hand to your cheek to brush some of your hair out of your face.

"Thank you." You murmur, taking his hand in yours, pressing the warm appendage to your chilled cheek.

You can't help it in your sleepy state, curling closer to him, head resting in the crook of his arm.

"Just five minutes," you try to reason with him as if he's protesting in any kind of way, "Just until I get to sleep."

"I'm here." He says softly, as you drift off in the depths of his scent.

.

He stays for an hour after you fall asleep, trying very hard to talk himself into getting up and leaving.

It's just that you look so at peace, your head resting on his bicep that is half asleep with the loss of circulation.

The beast purrs, subdued, inside of him, eager to look at you, and be near to you, though he knows he shouldn't stay.

He's not taking advantage, he doesn't want you to even think he was capable. Billy has spent years curating a steady hand on his self control, only to have you rip right through it like its paper in five minutes with your bare hands and a sweet smile.

What would an eternity of this feel like? He wonders. How often would he find himself lost in your strawberry scent if he could?

His mouth waters.

He shudders in a deep breath.

You hum, drawing closer to him, he swallows when your palm connects with his clothed chest.

His eyes fall on the scratches at your neck, he tilts his head, studying it with careful eyes. He memorises the look of them, the way they make him feel. He latches onto the emotion, plants a seed of rage inside himself, watered by the beast's thirst for retribution.

Someone had dared to hurt you, and thought they were capable of getting away with it.

Billy needed to send a message.

One that would not be misunderstood.

.

You wake up alone.

Groaning angrily after a night of such peaceful sleep only to wake up and realized that he'd left just like you'd asked him to.

Was it too much to wish that he'd stayed? That he couldn't help himself and fell asleep beside you?

Of course it was, and it was a very dangerous, no good thought.

He was your boss, he was in control of your salary, you shouldn't be pining over him like some lovesick puppy.

The lines between personal and professional had been painfully blurred since the moment you'd started working for him, maybe even before, and yet still you wished it would blur farther.

What would waking up next to him be like? Hell, what would seeing him asleep be like? Would the harsh lines of his face soften till you couldn't tell his age? Would he make little sounds as he slept?

And then the scariest thought of all comes to mind.

Did he even want that with you?

Probably not, considering that he's left your 'Thank you again for last night' text on fucking read.

It was worse than not reading it. It had been hours since the read receipt was activated and yet still, he hadn't responded.

Maybe he was busy, you try to not let it get to you, deciding to go through your laptop and see if anything was tampered with in the meantime.

You still find difficulty in leaving your apartment. You try for hours, sitting at your open front door in an attempt to get used to the idea of it.

Everytime you try to leave your heart starts racing, your body shakes, all you can think about is what terrible fate would befall you next.

Thankfully, after a quick call to your therapist, she suggests starting smaller, with an open window.

It's how you end up on your balcony, sitting next to Dani's gift, soaking in the sunlight.

This was nice, this was good, outside was not something to be scared of.

But facing Billy's home- just reminded you of him.

Still left on read, you drop your phone angrily.

What did you want? A romantic relationship with him? That wasn't sustainable at all. You should definitely just avoid him, the way he was no doubt avoiding you.

Your hand spreads over your bare throat and you let out a sad sigh.

You wished you could feel safe again.

When night comes, you can't sleep once more. There's no Billy here to put you at ease, nothing to make you feel safe and warm and protected. The worries in your head are too loud, there's an agony to not being able to relax in your own home.

Amy is sympathetic to your plight, staying on the phone with you as long as possible until she inevitably falls asleep, and you're left alone once more with a world of thoughts.

You hadn't gotten any other type of communication from whoever had taken that photo of you. Had they given up? Or lost you after you changed both your address and your job?

Something in the back of your head, maybe fear, or just past experience, told you that things probably wouldn't be over that easily.

A sound catches your attention, as you gaze off into your room deep in thought, echoing through the apartment before it reaches you.

You raise your head, your heart pounding as you realise it's coming from the front door.

Was someone trying to break in? You reach for your phone, trying to be as quiet as possible as you climb off your bed.

Who should you call? Billy? No, it was 2am you should see what it was first.

As you get closer, you register that it sounds like soft scratching, a very strange sound for a potential thief to be making.

"Hello?" You call through the door, perplexed at the sound.

When there's a low rumble back at you, you take a deep breath and unlock the door quickly, pulling it open with a rush.

You squeak in surprise.

Midnight black fur, golden brown eyes looking up at you.

The panther, sitting patiently at your door.

"What the hell?" You say in disbelief, taking a step back, hands covering your mouth in shock.

There was a large beast sitting at your door.

The panther, somehow taking this as an invitation, stands, and walks slowly toward you.

You can't believe it, was this a prank or had you gone insane? How had a dangerous animal of this size gotten into your apartment building in the first place?

You step backwards as it approaches, taking slow steps as if it's somehow trying to put you at ease.

Your body smacks into the side of your couch and you stiffen as it gets close enough to touch you.

A soft head bumps against your thigh, your mouth parts with shock at the greeting.

There's a little purring sound it makes as it rubs its head over your thigh gently, eerily similar to what it did the last time you encountered it.

Last time...

Before it had saved you from a knife wielding serial killer.

"It's you." You say, in absolute surprise, your body building a strange cocktail of shock and calm inside of you.

The panther rumbles in something akin to agreement as if to say, 'yes, hello again.'

You reach for the large cat, shaky hands smoothing into the butter soft fur on its head, after a moment, when you realise there's no immediate threat, you let out a laugh of surprise.

It closes its eyes, nuzzling easily into your palms.

"Hey pretty boy." You murmur eagerly, speaking to him in a light tone that you can tell he loves based on the way he continues to purr, a deep vibration against your palms as you bring your face closer to his to rub your head against his affectionately.

He pulls away after a second, and you watch with an open mouth as he casually walks his way deeper into your aparment.

You move to follow before remembering that your front door is still open.

After hastily shutting your front door, you follow after where you saw him last, finding that your bedroom door has been pushed open at the end of your hallway.

There you find the large predator, lying on your bed.

You approach a little cautiously, very confused about what was going on.

He drops his head, and from his mouth, something shiny and gold falls onto your bedsheets.

The panther looks up at you eagerly as you move closer to investigate.

It was your necklace.

You gasp, reaching for it, picking it up to examine the little pendant eagerly, a little symbol of the large beast in front of you, dangling from a delicate gold chain.

You don't hesitate, clasping it around your neck excitedly before moving to your little vanity to examine yourself in the mirror.

The panther had brought your necklace back.

The panther... was in the city with you.

You turn to study the predator on your bed, and it looks back at you in kind, its tail twitching in what you assume is contentment on your bed.

How had this panther gotten all this way without being caught? Had someone trained it to bring this to you?

You tilt your head, and blink in astonishment when the panther also tilts its head to mimic you. When you straighten your head, it does the same.

You didn't think this was just another trained animal, there was something in its eyes, an understanding that you weren't familiar with.

You were probably going crazy, hallucinating, or maybe this was a dream.

You look down, counting your fingers. Not a dream.

This was real.

There was a real panther in your bed.

Or was it?

"Can you... understand me?" You ask, almost absurdly to the animal.

Its answer is to flop onto its side with a big huff.

"Is that a yes?"

Another huff of breath.

You approach the beast slowly, sitting at the edge of your bed, reaching out to touch one big paw, its fur so soft you're almost addicted to the way it feels.

"You're..... not.... jut a panther are you?"

A flick of its tail, the flex of its paw to show off the very sharp claws hidden between toes. You retract your hand at the sight of such a deadly appendage.

"Are you... also a human?" You ask, aware of how certifiably insane you sounded.

What other explaination was there? How had a panther brought you back a necklace? How had it known how to get to you?

The beast takes a deep breath, letting out another sharp huff.

You gaze away for a long time, your brain scrambled with too many thoughts, too many rushing ideas and reactions.

After a second you look back into its golden eyes.

"That was a yes?"

A huff.

You gulp, turning away, sitting at the edge of the bed trying to process the information given to you.

Shapeshifters? Shapeshifters were a thing?

"Oh god." You say, almost sick to your stomach at the implication.

As if it senses your distress, the panther crawls closer, and rests its large head onto your lap. Automatically, you raise a hand to stroke its head. Almost immediately, an arrangement of soft purring starts up, its eyes closing easily..

You can't help smiling, hands roaming over its ears, watching them with amusement as they flicker and twitch.

"You're kind of cute." You say to it- to him.

His response is to let out a soft sigh.

You observe him, admiring the way he looks, eyes drawn to the peek of teeth jutting out from his mouth.

"You're kind of scary too."

He peeks an eye open to look at you.

"Will you show me who you are?" You ask.

It's the wrong thing to say, because the panther's response is to pull away from you.

He stands on your bed, giving you his back and lying down facing away from you.

"Message received." You mumble.

You sit and stare at his back, raising your hand to touch the pendant around your neck, thinking quietly about everything.

The situation is absurd, beyond that even, there's no words to describe what you're going through. You can't seem to figure out why you're so calm, as if there was a puzzle piece in your head that has always been there, but just sitting in the wrong spot.

Now, things are just clicking into place, making more and more sense, but also showing you a side of the world that you didn't even know existed.

You feel your body overheat with the amount of thinking you're doing, you're not sure how you can even continue to exist with this knowledge-

You don't even realise you're unable to breathe until you wheeze out a gasp.

The panther, hearing just a single sound of distress, turns to face you quickly.

The bed dips as he stands and approaches.

"It's a lot." You whisper, looking up at the predator, tears blurring your vision.

His furry head bumps your cheek, an attempt to soothe you through your little freak out.

You feel him nudge you into a reclined position, and you let him, because you're too caught up in your shock to process anything really happening around you.

The panther grips your duvet in his teeth, and pulls it up till it covers your shoulders.

Slipping under it beside you, you study your hands intently, your focus.only breaking when he pops his furry head as close to your face as possible without touching.

You pause your self destructive thinking to study him, hand automatically trailing from the top of his head down his back.

It calms you, and after a few moments like that, you suck in an easy breath.

"You saved my life." You say to him, watching his ear twitch as you glide your hands over them. He doesn't react, merely looking at you while you're deep in thought.

You rest beside him, eyes drooping involuntarily, trying to stay awake and memorise the look of this animal in your bed with every sense you can.

"Thank you." Is the last thing you whisper quietly, voice just above a whisper, burying your head into his neck, admiring the silky feeling of fur on your cheek as you drift off right to sleep.

When you wake up in the morning, you almost think it was all a dream. That is, until you raise a hand to your neck, and you feel the warm gold necklace dangling from your neck.

Maybe you weren't as unprotected as you thought.

.

.

.

[moonpascaltoo]

ben barnes characters

╰┈➤ 18+ none of these stories belong to me! this is a masterlist of all ben barnes stories i’ve read and reblogged! just thought it would be nice to have them all in one spot! (if your fic is on here and you wish not to be, please let me know!) <3

MASTERLIST • 08/17/24

˚‧⁺ ･ ˖ · ୨ৎ recs

siruis black

billy russo

𑣲 anti-heroe I @sergeantbuckybarnes

You’re assigned to eliminate Frank Castle. But how can you do it? He’s your boyfriend’s best friend. And Billy has no idea you used to kill for money.

𑣲 just wanted to hear your voice I @chvoswxtch

billy hasn't been able to stop thinking about you all morning, and he just wants to hear your voice.

𑣲 sneaking around I @that-sarcastic-writer

You've been sneaking around with Billy, and your brother finds out.

𑣲 a women scorned I @queen-haq

(linking last one so all links are available) You’ve been sleeping with Billy Russo for a few months now. Knowing his aversion to any kind of emotional commitments, you’re satisfied with your clandestine arrangement until you catch him having dinner with Dinah Madani one night. Then it finally dawns on you. It’s not that he doesn’t want to commit, he just doesn’t want to commit to *you*. Billy may think he knows you, but he has no idea what he’s just lost…

𑣲 devil may care I @k-marzolf

Billy keeps ending up on your doorstep wounded.

𑣲 the way you look tonight I @stvrlightgirl

aleksander morozova / the darkling

𑣲 to love another and be loved I @myhairpintrigger

hanahaki disease

𑣲 the hard way I @/myhairpintrigger

𑣲 brighter than the sun I @holden-caulfield

aleksander can't help but regret the choice to leave you as he looks at alina and only sees you.

𑣲 total eclipse I @inej-ruination-ghafa

You were his everything and when he angered the soldiers in the nearby town, they decided to take their revenge out on you, not knowing of the disastrous consequences.

𑣲 the dark side of the moon I @maimingaffairs

king/prince caspian

𑣲 prove her wrong I @oneawkwardwriter

both you and caspian have been miserable

𑣲 i see the light I @/oneawkwardwriter

you're staring at the moon and stars; Caspian is staring at you

𑣲 my prince I @heliads

𑣲 snow on the beach I @inej-ruination-ghafa

the one where you realise that there will be a change in your whole life and you have to leave to behind with someone you don't like

𑣲 like it once was I @banditthewriter

𑣲 do you yield I @im-a-wonderling

𑣲 take everything from me I @isolemnlyswearpevensie

Caspian is jealous because of Y/N’s newfound love for high king Peter Pevensie

𑣲 just ask her already I @mxltifxnd0m

Caspian asks you to the yule ball.

multiple characters

𑣲 take your pick I @marvelmusing

Your boyfriend has a very interesting ability, and every character he can shift into has a special place in your heart. But which one do you want to spend the night with?

[basicrese]

Billy Russo Fic Recs

back to main navigation

one-shots

After the Rain by @e-dubbc11

anti-hero by @sergeantbuckybarnes

Hypothetically Real Future by @peterman-spideyparker

Our blood is burning by @k-marzolf

Sneaky Link by @amhrosina

To Love You More by @e-dubbc11

When Life Slips Away by @reg-arcturus-black

series

A Woman Scorned by @queen-haq

A Woman Reborn by @queen-haq

[readerinsertsaremyguiltypleasure]

Billy Russo x Reader Fic Rec List

Here’s a little project I’ve been working on for... *checks notes* five months and I’ve finally finished it! So without further ado, here are about 20 of my favourite Billy x Reader fics (under the cut, of course). Enjoy!

Balance Between Forces by marvelmusing

Author’s summary: You can’t explain the pull you feel towards the Sith Lord, Darth Russoti. No matter where he is, you can always find him.

Rec notes: Who doesn’t love a sexually charged sword fight? Or in this case, lightsaber fight, as this is a Star Wars AU. One thing I particularly like about this fic is the “Red/Blue looks good on you” parallel, which is what made it stand out for me. Well, that and the idea of Billy as a Sith. The little picture at the top of the fic shows why that is so appealing.

The Blood We Spill by celestialspecial

Summary: The reader wants revenge against those who killed her sister… so she makes a deal.

Rec notes: A short fic, but a good one. I love the concept of demon!billy, and making him a crossroads demon just makes so much sense. Be warned, though. This fic will leave you wanting more. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a sequel in which it is time for the reader to pay up.

Bottle of Scotch by banditthewriter

Summary: The reader works for Billy and develops a habit of anonymously gifting him things. But solely because they are such good friends. Not because of any hidden feelings or anything…

Rec notes: I LOVE the friends-to-lovers trope. The pining, the sexual tension, the denial and misunderstandings… just hook it to my veins! This fic does not disappoint, which is to be expected from this writer. Fair warning, you are going to be seeing their name a lot in this list.

Cupid by banditthewriter

Author’s summary: You’re a cupid that has run into the same man a few times while you’re making matches. The only problem? That man is a reaper. A reaper that goes by the name Billy Russo. Well. Maybe it’s not too much of a problem.

Rec notes: A cupid and reaper falling in love is such an interesting concept, and I love how the writer has managed to build the world without taking anything away from the characters and their relationship. A hard thing to do in what is a relatively short fic.

Guilty of Love by marvelmusing

Summary: The reader is a detective assigned to a case of recent killings across the city. But their work has not gone unnoticed, and they find themselves a lot closer to their fugitive than expected.

Rec notes: I love how seamlessly Billy and the reader fall into a relationship in this one. Even before anything is defined and the characters themselves haven’t realised, it is obvious that they are committed to each other. This fic is also a great one if you are looking for a long story, but don’t want to read it all in one go. It’s broken up into seasons and then into small chapters that are practically one-shots. Perfect for reading on the go or just in between doing other things.

Hunger by lieutenantwilliamrusso

Summary: Billy is a vampire and the reader lets him drink from her.

Rec notes: Vampire!Billy is always great, but what sets this one apart is the ending. The first half of the fic is your typical sexy Billy with a vampire twist… but then the darkness slowly creeps in. It’s wonderfully done and has a killer last line.

Impossible Year by banditthewriter

Author’s summary: It started as a care package to a nameless soldier. What comes next is a year of letters, emails, and Skype calls that document the reader falling for a soldier on the other side of the world. 

Rec notes: This is one of my favourite Billy x Reader fics. I don’t think I can properly describe how good it is. It’s the type of fic you just can’t put down, even when you’re dead tired. And I love how it’s broken up into months. It flows nicely and the audience really gets a sense of how the reader and Billy’s relationship grows as they slowly get to know each other.

In Time by banditthewriter

Author’s summary: It’s time for the annual Purge. The reader usually hides in a bunker with Billy, Frank, Karen, and the Lieberman family. This year, things are going to get bloody.

Rec notes: This is my favourite of Bandit’s Halloween fics. And considering the high quality of the others, that is saying something. As you may have guessed from the summary, this fic is based on the idea behind the Purge movies, so be prepared for violence and a whole lot of whump. What I like about this fic is that even though the reader and Billy spend very little time together, there is always something linking them, be it phone calls, Rawlins using the reader to get to Billy, or just internal angst and pining. It’s brilliantly done.

Look After You by banditthewriter

Summary: The reader and friends – including one Billy Russo – spend various nights at a karaoke bar. You know where this is going.

Rec notes: I just had to have a singing one in here. With Ben Barnes’ voice, how could I not? Sometimes karaoke love confessions can be really cheesy… okay, they are always cheesy, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be great as well. This fic is the perfect mix of fun and emotion and the ending never fails to make me smile.

Misdial; Redial by banditthewriter

Prompt/Author’s summary: Wrong Number AU: Reader is going through hard times and her friend gives her number to a guy who usually helps veterans but won’t say no to a civilian. But instead of talking with a polite man named Curtis she ends up texting with a guy named Billy who’s incredibly witty, funny and maybe gets attached to her but doesn’t want to show his face

Rec notes: This is another one of my favourites. It’s long for one chapter (17k words) but it’s such a great read, you won’t want to stop. There’s a lot of past trauma to deal with in this fic, both the reader’s and Billy’s, and the writer handles it all brilliantly and sprinkles plenty of lighter moments throughout the story, highlighting the reader regaining control of her life and getting to a better place.

New Year Celebrations by marvelmusing

Summary: Billy had never cared too much about celebrating the New Year. Until he met you, that is.

Rec notes: This little ficlet is so fluffy I wanna die! It’s sure to leave a smile on your face.

Play It By Ear by banditthewriter

Summary: The reader is a music tutor and one of her favourite pupils just happens to have a very attractive dad.

Rec notes: Kid!fic is not usually my thing, but I think the reason I like this one is because it isn’t the reader’s kid. Billy is a single dad and the kid is a teen by the time they meet the reader, so, as someone who is not very maternal, it makes it easier to relate to the reader. Another benefit is that we have skipped all the “I don’t know how to be a dad” angst and gotten straight to how Billy was with Lisa and Frank Jr. Okay, there’s still a little bit of “I don’t know how to be a dad” angst, but I think that’s just a normal part of parenting.

Set it Up, Knock it Down by banditthewriter

Prompt/Author’s summary: The reader is friends with Frank and he asks her if she has any friends they could set Billy up with. She isn’t close to Billy but she finds him attractive, and at first it doesn’t bother her to set him up but during the process they grow feelings for each other.

Rec notes: “You wanted me to set you up with someone but now I’ve caught feelings and can’t do it anymore”. It’s a classic. And I love the little bits from Frank’s point of view.

Show Me by banditthewriter

Summary: The reader is a virgin and is ready to take that next step with Billy.

Rec notes: It may be an unrealistic fantasy, but I love fics where the reader is an older virgin (or at least can be read that way) and their S.O. not only doesn’t judge them, but makes it their mission to ensure their first time is good. And I particularly like this fic because it doesn’t treat the reader like someone who needs to be taught, and despite the focus being on the reader, there is definitely mutual pleasure shared by the two characters.

Take Charge by banditthewriter

Prompt/Author’s summary: Billy gets into a heated fight in front of the reader. The reader is really diplomatic and she is the only one that can calm him down.

Rec notes: Billy is the perfect character for these kinds of fics. It is so in character for him to go past protective and into vengeful, which makes it all the more satisfying to see the reader calm him down. Add in Billy getting turned on by the reader taking charge of the situation, and you have yourself a great little fic.

Teeth by sincerelyreinhardt

Author’s summary: You’re his and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Rec notes: A very short fic (162 words) but it captures Billy’s character well.

Trials & Tribulations by marvelmusing

Summary: The reader is Anvil’s marketing director. It doesn’t take long to fall head over heels for the CEO.

Rec notes: This series is different because it’s not just fic. There are also moodboards, text message screenshots, and other visuals that make up the whole story. The series is set up into three parts, one for each phase of the relationship (colleagues, friends, dating), so it’s easy to follow even with all the different formats.

Two For One by banditthewriter

Summary: The reader is “asked” out on a date by a douchebag who can’t take no for an answer, so Frank and Billy show up to set the guy straight.

Rec notes: No actual violence in this one, so it’s pretty tame as far as protective!Billy fics go, but honestly, that’s kind of the appeal. It’s a nice fantasy solution to a problem that far too many women can relate to, even if not quite to this level of creepiness. Other fic highlights include protective-big-brother-Frank, Karen being Karen, and Billy demonstrating a much smoother (and less creepy) way to ask the reader out.

Who’s Going Home With You Tonight? by banditthewriter

Summary: Billy loves reader. Reader loves Billy. But of course neither of them realise it. Billy’s solution is to drown out his feelings by sleeping with as many women as possible, not knowing how much it is hurting the reader.

Rec notes: This fic is perfect for when I’m in an angsty mood. It dives straight into it and slowly builds throughout the short fic until you get to the satisfying resolution and happy ending. It also has drunk!Billy, which is always fun to read.

[marvelmusing]

Fic authors self-rec! ✨ When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers 🖤

In Another Life [Aleksander x GN!Reader]

My longest series and the one I'm most proud of for finishing.

Tender Loving Care [Vampire!Aleksander x Fem!Vampire!Reader]

My ultimate vampire!Aleksander comfort fic.

Blood is Thicker [Fem!Reader]

Smutty vampire foursome. That's it. That's the fic. (Featuring Aleksander Morozova, Billy Russo, and Logan Delos).

Glitter & Gold AU [Modern!Darklina x Fem!Reader]

AKA: The high society AU where everyone is rich, successful, and bisexual.

The Twins [Billy Russo x Fem!Reader]

I just really love this AU (Featuring Billy's twin brother, Jonny Russo).

[kiwi-peaches-blog]

January 2023 fic recs

Disclaimer: none of the below are my own work, they're just a few of my favourite pieces. If any author doesn't like their work linked here, please dm me and I will take it down.

Frank Castle

Salt fire and ice chapter twenty five

Kill or Die

Steve Harrington

Wishful Thinking, Mindless Dreaming

love as sweet as honey, (and lover, i'm hungry)

Billy Russo

Play me a memory

Sneaking around

Kill or Die

Clint Barton

to ashes, growth

Billy Hargrove

Untitled

Sorry

Eddie Munson

Close Call

everyone adores you (at least i do)

Indiana Jones

Relative Dating

[lesbians4armand]

the father, the son, and the holy spirit for brank fans are heart of a dog, way down we go, and a salt wife.

(heart of a dog is by wheatfromchaff on ao3)

(way down we go is by ponfarr on ao3)

(a salt wife is by saltandbyrne on ao3)

[idaoftheburningmind]

Within Reach

Billy could also be slightly dramatic when he was sick….

I don’t know that it’s just Billy, but I think quite a lot of guys who project a tough persona turn clingy, needy, and just this side of whiny when they’re not feeling well 😆

@e-dubbc11 writes quirky established relationship dynamics between the Reader and Billy with such obvious delight, in this story it feels like extra servings of the house special handed out with a playful smack on the bottom. Billy is both adorable and, as the Reader pointed out, “exasperating”; but even when the Reader says “I speak fluent sarcasm, Billy,” we’re not the least bit surprised she looked at his pleading (handsome) face and still braved an unglamorous run to the corner store.

I love how this fic nails that stable, long-term quality to their relationship where openly sassing each other takes nothing from less overt displays of affection.

Ericca’s stories always give Billy a home life that feels authentic and familiar — in that way, her stories make us feel like our own happiness is within reach. “A Day of Rest?” cheers with the simple joy of laughing over discomfort, and sharing an inside joke. Reread as often as needed, and be generous with the oyster crackers.

Can you do: “your lover gets clingy when sick so now you've to deal with their adorable, bubbly but sick, half dozing version. you love them, so no complaints,” for Billy, please? 🥰

Thank you so much for sending in this prompt, I hope you like it! ❤️

A Day of Rest?

Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader

Warnings: couple of swear words, Billy being a big baby, fluff

Word Count: 1.6k-ish

A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this one, I made myself giggle. Also I’m not editing these as much as I usually do because I’m trying to finish all of these before we all get gray hair so if there are mistakes, I sorry.

Finally. A planned day off with nothing to do or whatever you wanted to do, it was your day. Billy left for work around 8, you were still curled up in bed when he came in to say goodbye.

He gently moved your hair away so he could kiss you on the neck, his lips were warm and soft. They were almost a little too warm though, and he looked a little pale.

“Hey, handsome. You ok? You look a little pale.” You asked in a concerned tone.

“I’m fine, sweet girl. Go back to sleep, enjoy your day off and I’ll call you at lunch. I love you.” He said as he kissed the top of your head.

“I love you too, Billy. Have a good day.” You said with a warm smile.

He stopped before walking out of the bedroom to smile and wink at you. The front door closed behind him, he was off to work and you were finally alone for the day.

You weren’t sure what you were going to do but you knew it involved, comfortable clothes, some junk food, and the couch but for now you’d start with a cup of coffee.

You had been alone for maybe a few hours when you thought you heard a sneeze and keys in the door. That can’t be right, Billy was at work.

Another sneeze outside the door echoed down the hallway as he opened the door and slowly walked inside, he looked terrible. His normally perfect hair was slightly tousled, there were tiny beads of sweat on his forehead, and he appeared a little delirious.

“Oh my god, Billy?! You look awful.” You said.

Billy shrugged his jacket off to rest it on the dining room chair, he couldn’t get his scarf off quick enough, and he could barely get his shoes untied without falling over.

“Thank you, my love.” Sarcasm dripping from his voice, eyes half open and even paler than he was earlier that morning. “I am so sorry to ruin your free day, I was just going to sleep in my office but Frankie made me go home.”

“Well I’m glad he did—come on, let’s get you to bed.” You said trying to usher him towards the bedroom.

He stopped walking. “Can I just stay out here? Please?”

You rolled your eyes, only because he couldn’t see you. “Alright, just go change your clothes so you’re more comfortable. You need to rest, Billy.”

Billy was very clingy when he was sick. Your rough and tough Marine turned into the biggest baby when he didn’t feel well, he didn’t want to be in a room if you weren’t there with him. He just felt better if you were close by which was kind of sweet but you knew you were in for a long day of nursing.

After Billy emerged from the bedroom in his sweats and a t-shirt, he stumbled towards the couch and basically fell face first onto the cushions (Billy could also be slightly dramatic when he was sick.) He rolled over onto his back so you could touch his forehead and his cheeks, he was very warm but goosebumps erupted on to his exposed skin.

“You’re very warm, baby.” You said.

He started to shiver. “Yeah well I’m fuckin’ freezing!” He said.

You went to the bedroom and came back with a blanket.

“Can I have one of your blankets y/n? Yours are so much softer than mine. Please?”

He wants to be particular now. At least he was polite about it.

You gave him your blanket that you had been relaxing with before he came home and you couldn’t blame him for wanting to use it. It was very soft and warm.

“Thank you, sweet girl.” He tried to smile but he was too tired.

Picking up your book, you started towards the bedroom when Billy stopped you.

“Baby, where are you going?” He asked.

“I was just gonna go read in the bedroom for a while, I don’t want to disturb you. You need to rest.” You told him.

He didn’t want you to go. “Stay here with me, I would feel better knowing you’re right next to me.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “Does Frank know you’re a big baby when you’re sick? He always says ‘Ah Bill is the toughest guy I know.’ I think he’d take it all back if he found out you’re VERY needy when you don’t feel well.” You said with a slight chuckle.

“No, he doesn’t know and YOU’RE not going to tell him either, my love.” He started to cough a little.

“Ok, ok. At ease, soldier. I won’t tell him but you owe me, Mr. Russo.” You said.

“Well I’ll buy you a pony then.” He said sarcastically.

You returned the sarcastic comment. “I want a white one so I can dress it up like a unicorn.”

“Fine, I’ll get you a white one.” He rolled his eyes as he said it but he was laughing now too. “You always have somethin’ smart ass to say, don’t you princess.”

“I speak fluent sarcasm, Billy. The sass contest belongs to this girl.” You said while trying to keep from laughing. Your playful banter was one of the reasons why you loved Billy so much. You understood each other’s humor and tried to see who would crack a smile first.

Before sitting down on one of the side chairs, you sat down on the edge of the couch, leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “Now get some rest, handsome. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Billy had a nice long nap on the couch while you read your book, trying to not make any noise. It would be a lot easier to make tea if he was asleep in the bedroom, so you tried to be as quiet as possible.

You offered him peppermint tea to help settle his stomach but he didn’t want it, he wanted lemon tea so you made that for him instead.

He asked for an extra blanket and a pillow, which apparently wasn’t fluffy enough so he wanted yours too. He also didn’t want the soup you made unless there were oyster crackers to go with it.

“We don’t have any oyster crackers, Billy. You really should try and eat something, at least get the broth down.” You said. “We have regular saltine crackers.”

“But I like oyster crackers, y/n.” He said with his perfect smile.

You made a low growling noise under your breath. “You are VERY lucky I love you so much Billy Russo because you are exasperating!”

After running down to the corner store, in your sweats and no makeup, you came back with a box of oyster crackers only to find Billy asleep again, his soup cold and still untouched. You may kill him before the day is over. Although it was hard to be mad at him when he looked so adorable asleep on the couch.

He stayed asleep for a while this time, not moving much. His body really must have been tired to need that much rest. You even fell asleep for a little bit. When you woke up, your book was on the floor, it was dark out and Billy was still asleep. You flicked the lamp on and just gazed at him for a minute while he slept.

Watching his chest rise and fall, you remembered the times Billy took care of you when you were sick, making sure you had fluids, making sure you were resting and not on your phone and he would drop everything he was doing to come home and make sure you were alright. You loved him for that, so you were happy to do the same for him even if he was a pain in the ass about it.

You moved his soup from the living room to the kitchen and started to clean up a little. While you were washing dishes, a pair of long arms snaked around your waist, his body had you pinned against the kitchen counter, and a pair of lips pressed to your temple for a little kiss. His lips felt cooler than earlier.

Slowly, you closed your eyes and let out a soft moan. “Hmmmmm…..hello handsome. You feel any better?” You asked.

“Because of you, I do. Thank you, my love.” He answered with another kiss to your temple.

You turned around to face him and wrapped your hands around his neck. “You’re welcome, Billy.” You pointed a finger at his chest. “But you still owe me a pony.” A wide smile spread across your face.

He inched his face closer to yours, his obsidian like eyes staring at you as he leaned in and softly pressed his lips to yours like you were made of glass and he didn’t want to break you.

“I will buy you whatever you want, sweet girl.” He said with a smirk. “I know I was a pain today and I’m sorry but thank you for taking care of me and not killing me.”

You pressed up onto your toes to kiss him again. “If I killed you, I wouldn’t get my pony now would I, Mr. Russo. Now go sit down, I’ll reheat your soup.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Billy’s mouth and he let out a little laugh.

“With oyster crackers?” He asked with a wink.

You brushed his beard with your thumbs and scraped his scalp with your fingers, he drove you absolutely crazy but you were crazy in love with him and would do it all again when he needed you to.

“Yes, handsome…with oyster crackers.”

Tag List: @mindidjarin @saintmurd0ck @wheresthesunshinesblog @idaoftheburningmind @rafaelakelley @snowkestrel @xdervyxccgh @mattmurdocksscars @fakehappy27 @music-indie-tv @fictional-hooman @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @celestialams

If you’d like to be added to (or removed from) my tag list for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕

[dreamlandcreations]

Fic authors self-rec! ✨ When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers 🖤

Oh, thank you for sending this 🖤_🖤

In no particular order:

Billy the Cat drabbles

I'm pretty proud of this (partly bc I managed to finish something 😅) but also bc with the limited words per post I think I still managed to tell a full story (mostly how I intended)

Echo & Ghost (Locke & Key AU)

So, I only posted a little intro for this but I pretty much have the story lined up in my head and it's one of my favourite daydreaming projects 🙈

I Bet the Pot + Sabotage

What can I say? Chef Alfie lives rent-free in my mind 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not yet / Lost you

I can't decide, both are my fave comfort fics 🥰 Lost you is also a bit of a fix-it fic soooo yeah, it's a fave 🤭

[ruerecs]

𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑟𝑒𝑐 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡.

one

two

three

four

five

[donovankinard]

hey besties! i talked about starting to do monthly recs, and i've decided to go through with that - in both the 911 and 1d fandoms! so here goes nothing, i guess... i based the formatting of these posts off of a few mutuals who do regular fic rec posts <3 much love to them. i read a lot of 911 fic this month! way more than i have in the past, so here goes nothing. this month we've got tevan, buddie, riaz, and a sprinkle of gen christopher!

🔥 Tricks and Treats (but mostly Treats) || @ninjatrashpanda evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3k While taking Jee-Yun trick or treating, Buck and Tommy are mistaken for being her parents. It causes them to have a conversation they’ve been putting off for a while.

🔥 Almost Cost It All || @sunnywithachanceofbi eddie diaz/josh russo || 3.7k Josh & Eddie run into one another a month after breaking up and hash it out. Jeddie Week Days 3/4: Double Dates & Missing You

🔥 Carry You Home (Alex Warren) || emaisnialleraf evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.2k “Do you ever think about the future?”

🔥 through the good, the bad, and the gross || @wikiangela evan buckley/tommy kinard || 1.7k Tommy assures his boyfriend that he doesn't look gross, even with the boils on his face.

🔥 you still love me anyway || @epiphainie evan buckley/tommy kinard || 43.5k But that was just him. Evan. He was too much, too smart, too impulsive, too earnest, and he was prickly, petty, bratty, unruly, redefining the phrase of high maintenance. He was Tommy’s favorite person. aka five times buck was being too much and one time tommy told him so

🔥 Made From Scratch || @inawickedlittletown evan buckley/tommy kinard & jee-yun han || 4k As soon as Maddie was gone, Buck turned to Jee-Yun. “Ready for some fun with your uncle Buck?” “Yes!” she cried out, smiling big. Buck grinned. “I thought you could help me out with something really important.” “Really?” She asked, head tilting to the left. “What?” “Well, we’re going to make a birthday cake.”

🔥 with you, i am home || @rosetterer evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3.6k The injured shoulder causes some issues during the night. Tommy takes care of it.

🔥 amber glow || @userautumn evan buckley/tommy kinard || 5.8k "I think I fucked up." “What did you do?” “I think I remember how Tommy Kinard knows me.” or; Buck is a down-on-his-luck photographer, and Tommy is the industry It-boy that just wants to help him out.

🔥 friendly neighbourhood firefighter || @sunnywithachanceofbi evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3.6k Tommy's adventurous Halloween role-play goes hilariously wrong when he gets himself stuck in a Spider-Man costume, only to end up with an injury. What was meant to be a playful, sexy surprise for Evan turns into an emergency rescue situation, with the 118 on the scene.

🔥 Pumpkins Scream In The Dead Of Night || Must_Love_Dogs evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.3k Since Bobby and Athena's house is unavailable, Tommy offers his house for a Halloween Party. With a lot of help from Buck, and a bit from Maddie, and Chimney, they plan and decorate his house to perfection.

🔥 i'm haunted (by billy boils) || buckleymoons evan buckley/tommy kinard || 935w Tommy and the 217 hear two calls from dispatch during their shift. For some reason, both of these calls relate to one Evan Buckley. or: the 217 teasing Tommy for dating an idiot that carries corpses around

🔥 on purpose, i am going to care about you || @stardustvx evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.1k Buck has a horrible migraine and Tommy takes care of him. Perhaps they also say I love you to each other for the first time.

🔥 The Favorite (Derogatory) || xanthippe74 evan buckley/tommy kinard || 1.3k After golfing with Gerrard, Buck just wants comforting over a few drinks with his friends. But all he gets is a hard time.

🔥 Family Dinner || @sugdenlovesdingle evan buckley/tommy kinard & the 118 || 817w The first 118 family dinner at Bobby and Athena's new house

🔥 Lay Waste To Your Beliefs || thespeckledbandicoot evan buckley/tommy kinard & the 118 || 3.1k Buck gets cursed on the job. Luckily, Chimney knows a guy. For the Bucktommy Winter Fest Halloween prompt: Magical Realism

🔥 Save A Horse... || Must_Love_Dogs evan buckley/tommy kinard || 1.7k What if Tommy had helped Buck decide which costume to wear for the "Firehouse Haunt Fest"? A season 8, episode 5 missing scene because I would have loved to see Tommy's reaction to Buck's cowboy costume.

🔥 maybe together we can get somewhere || @the-amber-raven evan buckley/tommy kinard, tommy kinard & daniel buckley || 62k Tommy has always been able to see ghosts. Usually, they stick around for a few days or weeks, maybe several months before they get what they need to move on. There was one ghost, however, who appeared when Tommy was young and seemed to be unable to get the closure he needed to let go and so he just… never left. He got used to it, after a while, and Daniel became a consistent companion throughout his life. Or, the one where Tommy can see ghosts and is haunted by Daniel Buckley for reasons it takes him almost thirty years to understand.

🔥 Where All This Love Comes From || @carlos-in-glasses carlos reyes/tk strand || 107k A single tear slips from Carlos' eye. Years ago, there was a young man in New York City called TK Strand and he had no idea that in Austin, Texas, a stranger called Carlos Reyes was aching, yearning, pining for exactly him. He had no idea how loved he was going to be by someone he had yet to meet. He had no idea how wonderful he was as a person with or without a partner – but he was about to find out. That's why you have to keep living, Carlos thinks, so you can find out.

🔥 a moment of clarity || acollectionofdaydreams evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.1k The morning after breaking up with Evan, Tommy opens his door to find an Eddie who has something to say about it.

🔥 go ahead, rip my heart out || @atimeofyourlife evan buckley & eddie diaz, evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.6k After 8x06, Buck crashes on Eddie's couch for the night. Eddie finds him the next morning presenting with cardiac symptoms on his couch.

🔥 Pause || iwroteafictoday evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3.2k Sometimes you just need to put a conversation on pause and talk it out with a friend. Post 8x06 fix it fic

🔥 If You Really Love Someone You Don't Let Them Go || @black-and-whitecrow evan buckley/tommy kinard & eddie diaz || 4.3k There are things worth fighting for. Like love. There are people worth fighting for. Like Evan Buckley. There are idiots needing some sense talked into them. Like Tommy Kinard. Luckily, there are also good friends who can make idiots see what's worth fighting for. Like Eddie Diaz.

🔥 i choose us every time || @spacewinter evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3k Of course, Buck is angry. He got his heart shattered by a man who thought he could tell Buck what he should feel. He's hurt, he's angry, and he's not ready to let it go. Hen's words resonate - he should fight for this relationship if he wants a future with Tommy, so that's exactly what he does. He drives over full of righteous anger and hurt, only to be faced with a ruined, heartbroken man that he still loves They talk instead, they hug. Apologies are made, anger is expressed. They make a decision to build something stronger together.

🔥 Closet Conversations || @eyesonstars-feetonground evan buckley/tommy kinard || 10.6k Six months is a long time to stick around if he thought you’d dump him. OR After his boyfriend dumps him, Evan Buckley goes on a date, makes a new friend, has some conversations, and realizes he's queer. Tommy haunts him every step of the way.

🔥 Hold Your Tongue || @guardiandelacour evan buckley/tommy kinard || 4.5k The Buckley parents decide to pay a visit to their reluctant children, and Tommy is finally forced to meet the people who made his boyfriend believe that he is worthless.

🔥 A House is Built with Walls and Beams || fairytalegonewrong evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.1k Tommy is ready to take the next step in his relationship with Evan as they celebrate their anniversary. After much thought, he plans to ask Evan to move in with him, marking a significant moment in their relationship.

🔥 excellent chemistry || @judymarch15 sal deluca/eddie diaz || 3k Sal wants to be a fire captain someday, but to do that he'll need to go back to school and earn an associates degree in fire science. Eddie shows his support.

🔥 Just Let Me Adore You || @inawickedlittletown evan buckley/tommy kinard || 35.7k What if...instead of Chimney taking the role of interim Captain of the 118, Tommy is asked to take on the role. Or, what happens when Buck meets Tommy in S2

🔥 I'd Love To Hear 'Bout How You Been || Snaptic evan buckley/eddie diaz || 10.5k Did you say Evan Buckley?” Eddie has to confirm because there’s no way he heard that correctly. “Yes, sir…” The lady says, continuing on, but Eddie hears none of it, his brain still stuck on the name. Evan Buckley. He hasn’t heard that name in years. His thoughts become a grainy slideshow of memories, fragmented from the years; a wicked smile on a dirty face, broad shoulders covered in camo, curly hair blowing in the breeze, piercing blue eyes gleaming in the sunshine. Or: two old friends from the desert reunite in an LA hospital room

🔥 time is shortening (down to the bone) || @calinaannehart evan buckley/tommy kinard || 8.3k (WIP) “Hey, excuse me,” Buck says to the nurse behind the desk. “I’m not sure who I’m-" The words die in his throat as his eyes land on a familiar form in a large wingback chair, the leg rest raised so he’s reclined with his head tipped back and eyes closed. He’s thinner than he was when Buck last saw him, deep shadows sit under his eyes and his hair, patchy in places, has been shaved short. There’s a port-a-cath in his upper arm and hanging on the drip stand above is a bag of fluid, the bright red chemotherapy label visible even at this distance. “Sir?” The nurse says, but Buck can’t look away from the man. “Tommy.”

🔥 It's Freakin' Bats! || writerdot evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3.8k He startles awake with a gasp, sitting straight in bed. He’s scared and he doesn’t know why so he closes his eyes, breathes deep, and feels himself start to relax. Once the feeling fades, he looks at the time, and sees it’s just after 2AM. Grabbing his phone, he opens his text thread with Tommy and sends a heart. Or: it's Buck and Tommy's first Halloween together and Buck's not quite feeling himself.

🔥 Where It Wasn't Supposed To Be || @princessfbi evan buckley/tommy kinard || 45.7k They’d kept it under wraps to an almost paranoid degree. They didn’t touch in public, not even on their hikes up the countless trails that were never short of people minding their own business as they took in the good weather. They sat on opposite sides of the table at dinner. Evan came over to his place instead of taking the risk with his roommates. Evan had even come up with a cover story if they ever ran into anyone: he was picking Tommy’s brain about the job. Nothing more. Nothing less. What if Buck and Tommy met the three months before Tommy transferred to Harbor and Buck started at the 118?

🔥 The Last Drop Spilled Over || @lucid-ao3 evan buckley/eddie diaz || 28k Eddie is having conflicting feelings now that Buck is in a relationship with Tommy. Why does it feel like time is running out? And why does Drunk Eddie keep giving him so much trouble?

🔥 Habitual Damage || @eggmacguffin evan buckley/eddie diaz || 9.1k About a week after starting back at the 118, and about three weeks before he was supposed to start getting a steady check again, Buck quietly moved out of his loft— —and into his jeep.

🔥 Led Me Here To You || @andthenshesaid-write carlos reyes/tk strand || 28k TK knows his life is going to change when Gwyn and Enzo die, leaving him with custody of his six-year-old brother Jonah, but he isn’t prepared for the rigours of parenting, the questions it raises in himself, or for Jonah’s new teacher, Carlos Reyes.

🔥 old flames, new fires || @jamesandanthony evan buckley/tommy kinard || 3.1k The picture round arrives with the interval, and they're hunched around the sheet, arguing over a country outline that has them a little stumped when a figure approaches their table hesitantly. "Tom?" he says, and Tommy looks up in surprise. "Oh my god, Mateo?" he says, eyes wide as he stands to greet him. "Yeah," Mateo replies, grinning, and Tommy doesn't miss the way he looks him up and down appreciatively. "Man, how long has it been?"

🔥 The feeling came late (I'm still glad I met you) || paleredheadinascifi evan buckley/eddie diaz || 4.6k Come on, Buck. Let it out. I hate this, too. I hate leaving you. Tell me how much you hate it. Yell at me, Buck. Come on, yell at me,” he begs. Buck snaps. He pushes off the couch and crowds into Eddie’s space. “Is this what you wanted?” He spits, pushing hard enough against Eddie’s chest that he takes a step backwards. “Hmm? You want me to lose it on you?” Or, Eddie cannot handle Buck pretending to be fine about his move to Texas. He, in fact, refuses to let him.

🔥 got nothing on my mind (but the two of us) || @tommybuckleys evan buckley/tommy kinard || 5.1k “You’re covered in flour. Why are you covered in flour?” Buck sighs, letting his eyes follow Tommy’s path down his form — and wow, yeah, okay, it’s somehow even worse than the small glimpse he caught earlier. The apron he threw on has protected most of his clothes, but he can already see the flakes getting matted in the hair on his arms. Buck can only imagine the state of his face and hair. Maybe he should have prioritized that shower, after all. “I had a, uh — baking mishap,” Buck admits, still wrong-footed from Tommy’s sudden appearance. “I didn’t know you baked.”

🔥 our love is spook-tacular || @aesthetictarlos evan buckley/tommy kinard & mara & jee-yun || 2.1k "Uh, I made a list.” That's when Tommy notices his dangerous smirk and the clipboard on the table, together with a notebook and a few pens. This screams trouble, so much trouble. “A list about what?” He asks curiously, bracing for the practically endless range of possibilities. “Halloween couples costumes we could wear,” Buck says enthusiastically. Or, the one where Buck and Tommy go trick or treating with Mara and Jee.

🔥 Half Agony, Half Hope || @livinginsunnyhell evan buckley/eddie diaz || 52.6k He should’ve known this was going to be a moment when Christopher says, “Then why don’t you date? If dad’s gay… Why don’t you get together?” Buck does choke on his water this time. Sputters droplets all over the table and coughs loud enough to draw the attention of everyone around them. “Why – why do you ask that?” Buck wheezes and coughs again. Or Buck goes through the five stages of grief when Eddie comes out and considers dating men.

🔥 Your Name, Forever The Name On My Lips || @911varietyposts evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.6k He was a widow at the age of 35. His husband had been ripped from his life in a cruel joke. OR: Evan adjusts to life without Tommy after a helicopter crash takes his life.

🔥 It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything || @xjustlikeyou evan buckley/eddie diaz || 148k Chris leaves for Texas. Eddie tries to cope. Eddie fails. aka the Fight Club 2.0 fic

🔥 this love was once mine (please god, let it be us again || @xtarmanderx evan buckley/tommy kinard || 11.5k Buck's blue soulmark on his wrist is the thing that keeps him going after his breakup with Tommy. Somewhere out there, he may still have a soulmate who loves him. He holds onto that until the day his world is turned upside down and his mark turns black while he watches Tommy collapse to the ground.

🔥 Let the walls break down || @harmonic-intervention evan buckley/tommy kinard || 15.6k A whole month. That was how long Tommy could push his luck. bucktommy fix it, near-death experiences will force them to talk if nothing else will

🔥 never last (last) || Philipa_Moss (bsky) christopher diaz-centric || 15.2k Carla turned off the car and turned to him. “It’s just you and me,” she said. “What happened, baby?” Everyone said he’d been such a sweet kid. Every time he opened his mouth, he could hear himself pushing that kid farther away. “Nothing,” said Chris.

🔥 Darling, I Wanna Love You! || @rosyhoneydew evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.4k “It’s no trouble at all,” Maddie jumps in. “Come on in, Tommy! You can just leave your shoes by the door there.” Buck turns his head slowly to give his sister a look that hopefully conveys the gravity of her duplicity, but she merely widens her eyes and tilts her head toward him in a motion that says get over it! He’ll do no such thing.

🔥 Bad Beer and Naked Rodents || @dashing-disaster evan buckley/tommy kinard || 1.6k "My point is, you got scared of commitment for three seconds and tell Evan Buckley, Evan Buckley, to go off to frolic on Grindr? I’m sorry, but do you know how stupid that is? Do you have any idea what happens to guys like Evan Buckley on Grindr?” Or: after the break-up Tommy's friends are there for moral support and a much-needed reality check.

🔥 The Weight Of The Past || @acrownofstardustandbone evan buckley/tommy kinard || 1.6k Sometimes the weight of the past is just too much to carry alone--and now, Tommy has Evan to help him shoulder this burden.

🔥 I Don't Want To Be Like This || Snaptic evan buckley/tommy kinard || 2.6k “Tommy?” Evan asks him gently, evidently noticing something is wrong. Tommy sighs, wondering if he’s really about to do this. If he’s really going to sit there and give Evan the ammunition to walk away from one of the best things that’s ever happened to Tommy. OR: Buck finds acceptance in his partner. Tommy shares his own secrets.

STATS: # of fics: 49 # of authors: 45 # of words read: 1,170,000~

[idaoftheburningmind]

Transformation

The way I just squealed when I saw this 🥹

@the-cult-of-russo is one of the first Billy Russo writers I stalked followed, and I’ve been fan-girling hard since her return from a long hiatus.

Darkness Forever is everything I have loved about her writing in a single (for now) intense serving. She writes unapologetically about unconventional needs and the rarer, dimmer places we might go to fulfill them. The choice to cross boundaries is a foregone conclusion, and we can either revel in the free-fall or spend the rest of the way down scrambling for purchase. We get why Billy Russo is the perfect muse for these themes, scarred Billy Russo even more so.

It’s also why the narrow difference between pleasure and pain takes on a powerful immediacy when her characters become intimate. These scenes are written so that we’re caught up in the moment, their beauty inextricable from the whispered promise of withheld brutality. Why should the potential for unrestrained violence hold such savage attraction? It’s like @the-cult-of-russo understands that we are innately creatures of chaos, as capable of the damnable as the divine.

“I was born of fire and pain, torture and suffering. I feel like that’s something you can relate to…”

It feels bracing, this kind of storytelling that places us in the eye of the storm to feel all that swirling power down to our very bones. By taking us outside ourselves, we might return somewhat unrecognizable; but that’s how we continue to discover, long after the experience of this story, what it is we might still become.

Darkness Forever

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader 

Warnings: cursing, angst, pain, dark shit, smut, idk lmao

A/N: So I can’t manage the next chapter of JBTF with how sick I am, but I wanted to at least try and give you guys something. This is a gift for @idaofinfinity . Thank you for cheering me on so much and always touching me with your amazingly kind words. I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate you being my biggest cheerleader since I came back.

As always, I love all of you guys and I appreciate all the well wishes you’ve sent me.

Side note; the Reader in this one is based off an OC I made for a different fandom and I’ve wanted to do this idea for a while.

Name of this one is from a song of the same name by Soccer Mommy.

Head in the oven

Didn't sound so crazy

My brain was burnin'

Hot to the touch

Lithium readings

Makin' me dizzy

They keep my feelings

Simmering low

Darkness forever

A cold sinking ocean

I wanna feel the

Warm of release

The devil is chasing

Hot on my tail and

Tryin' to struggle

Out of his leash

Words from an artist

Killed by their insides

She tried to set the

Evil on fire

It's warm in the kitchen

Like hot sticky summer

Demons are rising

Up with the smoke

---------

The club was loud but you ignored the noise, the constant buzzing in your ears as your eyes drifted around. You could see clearly even in the dimly lit space as you were trying to find your target for the night. No one had jumped out at you yet, no one really intriguing enough to capture your interest. But then you saw him. He was sitting off in a corner with some guys, the group being rowdy. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his face littered with scars like that but he was easily the most beautiful human you’d ever laid eyes on, and you’d seen a lot of them. The darkness that curled around him was like a siren calling out to you and it made a thrill trickle down your spine, a slow smirk curling your lips. You sat in your spot for a while, eyes never leaving him as he talked with the guys he was with. They were all trouble, you could feel it. This one though, he was something else. When he got up and walked over to the bar, you licked your lower lip before standing, sauntering over with no hesitation. You stood next to him at the bar and he turned his gaze to you briefly, checking out who was next to him. But as he was turning away again, dark eyes turned back to you, interest and curiosity burning in them and you could sense his desire as his eyes raked over your form. 

“Hello there,” you smirked, eyes glittering mischievously that had his own lips quirking up a little. He seemed slightly surprised but you figured it was about his face. You’d seen some of the looks he was getting here, saw how the girls pulled their faces and barely shot him a glance after that. Honestly, you thought they were all fucking brain-dead. 

“Hi,” he drawled, giving you another once over. The scars did little to detract from his handsome face and you didn’t think you’d ever seen eyes that dark before. 

“So… I was getting kind of bored and then I saw you. You look like the kinda guy that could show me a good time,” you flashed him a sultry smile and he chuckled, the sound low and rich and filling you with need you hadn’t felt in a very long time. 

“Is that right?” he asked smoothly, a smirk on his lips. Your eyes drifted over him in a way that made his eyes darken, as if he could sense your need for him without words.

“I’m Y/N,” you purred, reaching your hand over and settling it over his. The moment you made contact with him, you got what you needed. The flashes burst behind your eyes and in seconds you knew exactly who this man was, knew everything he’d ever done. Knowing just what the darkness was that surrounded him lured you in even more and you could feel how damp your panties were getting now you knew just what he was capable of. 

“Billy,” he supplied, eyeing you like he wanted to devour you. You shot him a wolfish grin at the thought. You leaned closer to him, biting your lower lip and his eyes were drawn to the motion.

“Well, Billy… How about you take me back to your place?” you asked with a raised brow. He smirked once more, anticipation flashing behind his eyes that dragged over your body slowly like he could see what lay under your clothes. 

“Sounds good to me,” he replied easily, slamming back the drink the bartender had settled in front of him during the exchange. He didn’t even say anything to the guys he’d been with as he stood, so tall he was looming over you. He shot you a devilish smile before he guided you out of the bar.

His place turned out to be a motel and it was a pretty seedy one at that. You hadn’t been surprised though, you’d already seen it when you came in contact with him. The second he had you inside of his room, you were pressed against the door as his mouth claimed yours desperately. He kissed like it would be his last kiss on earth, a real toe-curling kiss that his whole body seemed to move with as he pressed against you. You moaned, your hands fisted in the front of his black t-shirt as you kissed back fervently and arched against him. It drew a delicious moan out of him and you were almost purring. You pulled away, the pair of you panting and you were surprised to find your hands were shaking a little with how tightly wound with desire you were. You grabbed his hand, moving around him and leading him over to the beat-up sofa on one side of the room. He followed obediently and you pushed him to sit on it, causing him to chuckle darkly as he tilted his head watching you. You moved to straddle him and his hands grabbed your hips with no hesitation. One of your hands splayed on his chest, the other going to his short hair as you raked your nails over his scalp. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, a soft moan leaving his lips as he leaned into your touch. He reminded you of a cat.

“If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?” you asked curiously. His eyes opened then, confused and mildly curious about your weird question in the middle of something like this. You felt his hands flex on your hips as he licked his lower lip, eyes dipping to your chest before back to your face as you blinked down at him patiently. 

“You, naked and writhin’ under me,” he replied easily, an impish smile on his face. Your lips curled into a smile as you scraped your nails over his scalp once more and he hummed softly, once again leaning into it. He didn’t close his eyes this time and his obsidian gaze stayed locked on you.

“I mean it… if you could have one thing in the world, anything… what would it be?” you asked again, a little firmer this time. His eyes narrowed for only a moment and you started to think he wouldn't indulge your curiosity as he looked away briefly. A haunted look passed on his face and his fingers dug into your hips a little before he tugged his eyes back to your face.

“I’d… I’d go back… change some shit. Make better choices, pick the right people,” he answered honestly. How disappointing. You’d half expected him to ask for his looks back, knowing how much it bothered him. Or maybe he wanted to be able to get revenge on his former best friend that had done this to him. You hadn’t expected this with the darkness that blanketed him but you could feel it now. The guilt, the heartbreak, the self-loathing. And while he was purposely vague in his answer, he had no idea you already knew. You knew just what he was talking about. He wanted to go back and not betray Frank Castle, not lose the family that had taken him in. He wanted to live the life he should have had if he hadn’t given in to temptation. You deflated a little at his answer but it didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. You’d still get what you wanted in the end anyway.

“What if I told you I could give you that?” you asked carefully, your nails still scratching at his head. He gave you a look that was partly amused and partly annoyed as he rolled his eyes.

“Yeah… okay,” he snorted. You blinked and when your eyes opened again, they were no longer the color they were a moment ago. Instead, they were black as coal, no whites to be seen. You felt him tense under you, his eyes widening a little before he squinted at you.

“What the hell are you?” he asked roughly. He was looking at you like you were a threat but you weren’t offended. Instead, his words made a rueful smile curl your lips as you looked down at him.

“I’m the things nightmares are made of, Billy,” you smirked. His breathing hitched a little yet his hands didn’t leave your hips and he didn't attempt to move you away. There was some fear there but he also gazed at you curiously and surprisingly enough, you could still feel his straining erection under you. 

“I was born of fire and pain, torture and suffering. I feel like that’s something you can relate to,” you added, your smirk softening to a smile. You felt him relax a little at that, his only answer being a small nod of his head. 

You weren’t what was considered a normal demon. You were one of the originals, one of the oldest. There were books out there with your name on them, telling terrifying tales of the ‘Bringer of Chaos’ and the ‘Princess of Hell’. You’d been Lucifer's favorite once upon a time. He’d taken a special shine to you and he’d tortured you himself. That’s how demons were made. Their souls were corrupted, their humanity literally tortured out of them until they couldn't take it anymore. Only with you, you had something no other demon still had, something Lucifer had forced you to keep. A small fragment of your soul. It wasn't a gift because he liked you, no. It was the ultimate torture, something that would ensure you would be tortured for as long as you still existed. You couldn't ignore your brutal nature, couldn't escape it. But the tiny fragment of humanity left in you was enough to cause you to feel things no demon should be able to feel. You’d gotten used to it with how old you were, you’d learned to control it for the most part. But every so often you’d snap, having moments of near hysteria or insanity as the guilt consumed you whole, forcing you to see just how much blood stained your hands. It was a curse and you despised it and in the end, you despised your maker for forcing you to keep it. 

“If you want to go back and live the life you should have had, I can do that for you. You’ll remember all of this but they won’t,” you murmured, your hand moving from his head and coming to rest on his chest with your other. He shifted under you and the movement jostled you, bringing you closer to him. He didn't seem to mind it though and his dark eyes were burning into you. You could see his intrigue, could see your offer was enticing him.

“What’s the price? There’s always a price, so what do you want in return?” he asked, no smirk in sight now as his eyes pinned you in place. You licked your lower lip, looking at him under your lashes as your hands smoothed up his chest.

“Your soul. But the way I see it, you already sold yours to Rawlins a while ago and now you're suffering. This way, you get what you want,” you shrugged and you could practically feel the hope radiating from him. 

“My soul…? And what does that mean? What happens with it?” he asked curiously. You sighed a little, looking off for a moment as you tried to figure out how to word it. This was always the hardest part, the part where sometimes people tried to resist. His fingers tightened on your hips and forced your eyes back to him and he raised a brow at you. He was lucky you thought he was so handsome, anyone else giving you that sassy look would be up in flames in seconds. 

“It would belong to me. When it's time to collect my debt, your soul would be mine.” you answered, purposely not telling just what that entailed because you knew he didn’t like to not have control, you knew he’d struggle with it. 

“How long would I have?” he asked and you could tell by his voice he’d already made his mind up. It made you smile softly.

“Five years,” you supplied. He inhaled sharply, his Adam's apple bobbing as he looked away.

“That's it?” he asked, a despondent tone to his voice.

“You’re lucky you're getting that. I usually only offer two,” you replied with a shrug. You meant it too. You weren’t quite sure what it was about the man that had you being so lenient with him, had you giving him more time that you usually bothered to give. He exhaled a shaky breath, nodding to himself before he looked back at you, a determined look on his face.

“I’ll do it,” he said firmly and you grinned at his acquiescence. You leaned in and kissed him deeply, causing him to groan as his hands slid around to your back, holding you closer.

“How do we… uh…” he asked, sounding uncertain once you broke the kiss and you smirked darkly before moving off him.

“How do you think?” you asked wolfishly, holding a hand out to him. He looked at it for a moment before he took it and stood. 

You kissed him and he kissed you back just as desperately. There was something lighter about him now, the prospect of getting a do-over setting a fire inside of him. Before long, you were both free from your clothes and you were straddling him on the bed. Part of you wanted to drag this out, to make your time with him last as long as possible, but this was a job and you didn’t want him to change his mind about this. Usually, the souls you took didn’t belong to you, they just got sent down to hell. But you’d make sure your contract with him made it clear he belonged to you, you wouldn't be sharing this one with anyone. Daddy dearest wouldn't be happy about it but he shouldn't have given you the authority to make such a move to begin with. You were once again struck by the sheer possessiveness you felt over this human. You’d never felt anything quite like it. Not wanting him to change his mind, you leaned down, capturing his lips in a sinful kiss as you sunk down onto his hard and wanting cock. The pair of you moaned and his hand wound into your hair as his kisses turned more ferocious. You broke the kiss, your hands on his chest for leverage as you started riding him at a punishing pace. His face contorted with pleasure and you committed it to memory, wanting the beautiful image to remain burned in your brain forever. He was the kind of beauty that would inspire works of art. You bounced on his cock, delighted moans leaving your lips as he filled you up in the best way. He let out a dirty groan when you raked your nails down his chest, drawing a little blood and he arched up at you roughly. He looked feral and you felt like your insides were on fire with the pull you were feeling towards him. This wasn’t exactly necessary to complete the contract, if it was you’d barely get any souls. You didn’t get people like Billy very often. One of your hands slid to his throat, tightening carefully and making him gasp in pleasure as his body writhed. He had no idea just what strength lay beneath your hands, how easy it would be to snap his neck with little effort. You felt your climax coming quickly and it caught you off guard, your moans getting louder and more frequent. Your hips were stuttering as your head became cloudy with desire and he used his grip on your hips to lift you and slam you back down onto his cock roughly. Your eyes snapped open, once again black but he showed no signs of fear this time as he rut up into you, his top lip curled like an animal. You smirked at him before he cried out in pain, his body tensing as words started to litter his body, bright as the flames that were putting them there. You moaned loudly as you came hard around him, seeing your contract over his skin claiming him as yours pushing you over the edge. And despite the pain he was in, he came with a loud roar, his mouth hanging open as his body shook. You were panting as you watched his eyes flutter shut, his head lolling to the side as he passed out under you. You leaned down, placing a soft kiss to his lips before climbing off him. The words that had been branded into his skin were invisible to the naked eye but you could feel them. You didn’t think you’d ever felt so accomplished for taking a soul before. You climbed off the bed and got dressed, giving him one last look before you walked to the door.

“I’ll see you soon, Billy,” you smirked darkly, slipping out the door feeling like you were dancing on air. 

—-

Five years ticked by extremely slowly and you once again found yourself doing things for Billy you never did with any of the other humans you’d made a contract with. You’d observed him carefully, watched over him in the years that went by. He’d built Anvil from the ground up with no help from Rawlins and Frank had been his partner in all of it. He was living the life he’d wished to have and he was happy. Knowing that Billy turned down Rawlins' offer and that the man was planning on taking both Billy and Frank out for their part overseas, you'd dealt with Rawlins personally. You'd had a lot of fun with the man, making sure he regretted everything he ever put Billy through, even if he didn't remember most of it with the new timeline. You stood at the corner of the street, watching as Billy sat outside at a cafe with Frank and Curtis as they ate lunch. The three of them were chatting away and laughing and you felt a bitter pang of something rip right through you. Never once, even with your pesky fragment of soul, had you wished to be human again. Never had you felt so wretched to be a monster. Watching Billy like this, you just wanted to be a normal girl by his side. To just be Y/N again. You growled to yourself before you turned on your heel and started to walk away. It was time to collect but the excitement that had been fueling you on had simmered into something else you couldn't quite place and you didn’t like it. You made your way to Anvil, knowing he would be back soon from lunch. You drew some attention when you waltzed in and as you slipped through the doors to the back rooms, Billy’s PA looked up at you. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, you waved your hand and her eyes went vacant for a second. Once it cleared, she blinked slowly before shaking her head to herself, ignoring you completely as she went back to clicking away on the keyboard and you slipped into his office. You moved over to his desk, looking over at the pictures there of him with the Castles and feeling something gnawing at your chest. You felt his presence as soon as he entered the building and you turned around, leaning back on his desk as your eyes stayed glued to the door. When it opened, he stopped abruptly as he saw you.

“Y/N…” he murmured with a shaky voice, shutting the door slowly before he stood in front of it. He seemed surprised to see you somewhat but you knew deep down he wasn’t. Not completely. Your contract with him forged a bond and you knew he’d been waiting for this day. He’d been dreading it.

“Hello, Billy,” you smiled, tiling your head at him. He looked so different from when you’d met before. Now in his suit with his perfectly styled hair and scar-free face. You wouldn't say he was more beautiful now but he was definitely happier, it was radiating off him. And you were here to take all of that away from him. He didn’t say anything as he stared at you and you pushed off the desk, trying to ignore that itching in your chest as you looked at his slightly panicked face.

“It’s time,” you said firmly, squaring your shoulders to steel yourself. His mouth opened and closed for a second, his eyes drifting to the closed door.

“I… Can I… Can I at least say goodbye?” he asked and the sheer hopelessness of his voice felt like someone stabbed you through the chest. You clenched your jaw and blew out a breath. You should tell him no, that wasn't how things worked and this wasn't on his terms. You should make it perfectly clear that he belonged to you and he was lucky. He was lucky because usually you didn't come to collect yourself. Usually, your hellhound did that for you and death by being ripped to shreds by a hellhound was a very traumatic way to go and you’d saved him from that fate by coming here yourself. You couldn't bring yourself to say those things to him though as his dark and damp eyes bore into you, your usual confidence and authority that you wielded like the dangerous weapon it was seemed to be non-existent right now. You turned around, gritting your teeth as you grabbed a pen and scribbled your current address onto a post-it note. You tore it from the others harshly, hating whatever it was you were feeling. Hating that you felt anything at all. You turned back around to face him, walking over and handing him the post-it note.

“You’ve got until tonight. Come by my place when you’re done,” you muttered, your words harsh though. He nodded shakily, blinking at you. 

“Thank you,” he breathed and you forced the growl that wanted to leave your lips down as you stormed past him and slammed the door. You shook your head at yourself as you swiftly left the building and made your way to your apartment. You couldn't make sense why you were breaking so many rules with him. He was just a human. You’d never felt anything for any of them that you made a contract with and it was making your head hurt. 

When you got back to your place, you sat on the sofa in silence as you tried to understand just what was going on with you. You couldn't place anything you were feeling because you weren't used to feeling much. It couldn't be guilt, not when you’d already been so merciful with him. You’d been so excited for this, waited on bated breath for the day to come when you got to take him with you, to be the one to play with him until your heart's content. So why did you feel like this? At 11 pm, your door knocked and you stood up, feeling something suspiciously like nerves prickle at you. You sneered at yourself as you moved to the door and swung it open. Billy was there but the happiness you knew he’d had earlier was gone. He looked wrecked, his face damp from tears and looking so devastated your chest felt tight. You blinked slowly at him before you moved to let him in, shutting the door behind you as he stood there anxiously. 

“What's gonna… what's gonna happen to me?” he asked shakily. You’d purposely avoided it before but it wasn't like he could back out now. The contract was done so you didn’t need to be afraid he'd change his mind. It was far too late for that.

“I’m gonna kill you… I’ll make it painless. Then you’ll be going to the fire and brimstone downstairs with me. You belong to me so I’ll be the one to torture you. Eventually you’ll have a choice to make… you can continue to suffer for the rest of eternity or… or you could give up your humanity and become like me,” you murmured. You could feel the fear radiate off him in waves but worse than that was the utter devastation over what he was leaving behind. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his breathing coming in sharp and fast as he nodded. 

“Okay… okay… I’m ready,” he muttered, not sounding ready in the least. You stepped closer to him and he tensed, closing his eyes as his jaw clenched. You frowned to yourself, his sadness felt like it was smothering you, like it was choking you and you hated it. You moved to lay your hand over his chest, hating the tightness in your own as you looked at him. Tears rolled down his perfect cheeks, his eyes still closed as he awaited whatever hell you were about to bring him. Your own distress had the paintings on the wall vibrating and it was taking all of your willpower to stop the apartment building from falling down around you. He cried out in pain and your lower lip wobbled a little, your hand not leaving his chest as he yelled and almost fell over. His skin lit up like the first time, only this time, the words started to fade from his skin slowly. When you were done, he fell to his knees before blinking up at you confused, swaying where he knelt from the pain.

“You need to leave,” you insisted firmly, unable to look at him any longer. You felt like you were wound so tightly that you were about to snap. 

“What?” he asked confused, his voice raspy and raw. You sniffled, wiping your face to find horribly enough, you were crying. 

“Get out! The contract’s gone!” you yelled, making him look at you in shock. The walls started to tremble like a small earthquake was sweeping through the place and he grabbed the wall to help him stand on shaky legs, looking confused and lost. You knew he wanted to ask why, that the question was on the tip of his tongue, but as the walls shook harder and the lights started to flicker, he gave you one last look before he made a mad dash to leave the apartment like he thought you might change your mind. The second your door shut, you let out a rageful yell and the entire building groaned. You could hear car alarms going off in the street as you fell to your knees on the floor. You were going to get in so much trouble for this, you knew you were. You’d be dragged back down there to be on the receiving end of the torture for a while yet for some reason, it felt better than having Billy in your place. You whimpered as you felt it, the call from the big man downstairs as he summoned you. Years felt different down there, one year felt like a hundred. You wondered if he’d torture you so much that the remaining part of your soul would be gone but you knew he wouldn’t be merciful with you, not with what you’d done. You still weren't quite sure just why you’d done it. Unsure why you had allowed a simple human to affect you so deeply. 

It was supposed to be simple. You offered them whatever they wanted and you got their soul in return. You’d forget about them soon after and it would be up to your hellhound to collect them and someone else downstairs to deal with them. Yet, from the moment you laid eyes on Billy, he’d been different. There had been a pull to him like no other, a pull that had you breaking all the rules just to make things easier for him. Why did you care enough to make things easier? Why did you care to give him more time than people usually got? Why did you care so much about how wounded he was to leave this life behind now he finally got his happy ever after? You were ruthless, brutal. Your name had been nightmare-inducing for centuries with the things you’d done. You’d killed people just for the fun of it, relished in taking away things people loved just to see them hurt. Fear, pain and suffering were your heroin, the things that gave you life. Selflessness wasn’t in your nature, even if you were attached to him for some reason. You’d owned his soul, it had been yours, in writing. Any attachment you felt for him should have only increased the possessiveness you’d felt towards him, making you want him down there with you even more no matter how he felt about it. Instead, you’d broken the contract, to let him live his life until it was his time to go and he’d be doing it all without you. Why the hell had you let him go?

—-

Two Years Later

You hurried down the street, glancing at your watch as you went knowing you’d be late. Your boss really wasn't known for having patience. You heard a car honk and you glanced over your shoulder briefly, drawn by the noise, but it caused you to collide with someone in the street. You squeaked, feeling the world tilt for a second before you were caught by strong hands that helped you stay upright.

“Shit, I’m sorry… Y/N?” the voice asked. You looked up at the man as he let you go, blinking up at him in confusion.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” you asked slowly, your eyes trailing his face. He was stupidly handsome and wearing a suit that looked like it was made just for him. He had the darkest eyes you’d ever seen and he was breathtaking. You were pretty sure you’d remember a face like this. A deep frown creased his brows then as he tilted his head.

“Billy… Billy Russo?” he phrased it like a question but you shook your head, it still not ringing a bell.

“Nope, sorry,” you shrugged apologetically. You didn’t think his frown could get any deeper but you’d been wrong and he blinked rapidly, glancing around before his eyes settled back on you.

“I can’t tell if you’re fuckin’ with me or not. You don’t remember me? From two years ago? I sold my soul to you and then you let me go. I went back to your place a few days later to ask why you did it but you weren't there,” he muttered, sounding a little annoyed. 

“You.. sold your soul to me?” you asked warily, taking a step backwards without thinking. Of course, the handsome one had to be a little crazy, you weren’t surprised. It didn’t negate the fact he had known your name though and it was mildly unsettling. He was giving you a weird look you couldn't quite place and you wrapped your arms around yourself feeling more than uncomfortable at the exchange.

“Look, Mr… I don’t know you and maybe you need to see a professional or something but I need to go. I’m late for work,” you insisted, giving him a wary look before you moved around him and started to walk hurriedly down the street. You found your eyes drifting over your shoulder, unable to help yourself like a magnet was drawing you. The man, Billy, was already looking at you, standing in the middle of the sidewalk as people walked around him. He looked a mix of confused and sad as he stared at you and something itched in the back of your brain that you couldn't place. You blinked quickly before turning back the right way, not wanting to bump into anyone else. You really needed to get your ass to work, the library books wouldn’t sort themselves.

Taglist: (if you’ve been asked to be tagged and aren’t here, it wouldn’t let me tag some people.)

@firexfate

@blanchedelioncourt

@on-ya

@sunshinedaisies-anddeath

@snowkestrel

@music-indie-tv

@idaofinfinity

@sweetserendipity65

@ramadiiiisme

@k-marzolf

@celestialams

@woowwwee

@noortsshift

@rainbowgoblinfan

[baddestbittyontheblock]

°.┈∘┈୨୧┈∘♡masterpost♡┈∘┈୨୧┈∘°

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ here all my masterlists in one place! i hope you all enjoy! 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ remember to like and reblog the works you enjoy in order to support each writer!! 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

monthly recs

2024

january

february (2)

march

april

may

december

tlou

ellie williams fic recs(1) (2) (3)

abby anderson

joel miller

woso

alexia putellas(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

alessia russo(1) (2) (3)

leah williamson(1) (2)

steph catley

caitlin foord

ona batlle

jessie fleming

leila ouihabi

patri guijarro

claudia pina

georgia stanway

lucy bronze

mapi león

aitana bonmatí

ana-maria crnogorčević

jenni hermoso

sam kerr

kyra cooney-cross

vivianne meidema

måneskin

hp universe

marauders era

sirius black(1) (2)

james potter(1) (2)

remus lupin

lily evans

marlene mckinnon

kpop

huh yunjin

yu jimi

minatozaki sana

im nayeon

park jihyo

kim minjeong

kim jennie

kim mingyu

hong jisoo

choi seungcheol

dancers

lee bada(1) (2)

marvel universe

natasha romanoff (2)

wanda maximoff (2)

tasm!peter parker

yelena belova

bucky barnes

hotd

rhaenyra targaryen

celebrities

billie eilish

elizabeth olsen

scarlett johansson

florence pugh

pedro pascal

bridgerton

anthony bridgerton

benedict bridgerton

peaky blinders

tommy shelby

f1

lewis hamilton

charles leclerc

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ dividers: @v6que, @chilumitos, @h-aewo, @aqualogia 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

[enretrogue]

𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗜𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗦 (𝟭)

.☘︎ ݁˖ = BLACK/POC WORKS | 23' FIC REC M.LIST

MCU

BUCKY BARNES

Bumblebee Series: 1 ⎢ 2 ⎢ 3 ⎢ 4 ⎢ 5 ⎢ 6 ⎢ 7 ⎢  — @angrythingstarlight .☘︎ ݁˖

Soft!Dark!Mafia!Bucky x Runaway Bride!Reader — @angrythingstarlight .☘︎ ݁˖

Peachy Sweet: 1 ⎢ 2 ⎢ 3 ⎢ 4 ⎢ 5 ⎢ 6 — @straywords .☘︎ ݁˖

FRANK CASTLE/THE PUNISHER

Apple Bottom Jeans (+Billy Russo) — @bubuslutty

#15 w/ Frank Castle — @bits-and-babs

Bambi With Fangs ⎢ 2 ⎢ 3 — @bubuslutty

Bring Me Home — @frvnkcastles

Bakery AU — @devils-dares

Love Language (+ Billy Russo) — @bubuslutty

Imagine #1,044 (+ Shane Walsh) — @komotionlessqueenmm

Primal — @darlingshane

Instagram AU — @amhrosina

You’re Everything I Never Knew I Needed — @lemon-world1

Cowboy!Frank — @rrestrella

Really Bad Week — @chvoswxtch

“Come here…Hey! I said come. Here.” — @bullet-prooflove

Sanctuary — @glossysoap

Biting Truth — @narcolini

Soft Morning Sex w/ Frank — @amhrosina

Cutesy Blurb — @thyme-in-a-bubble

Frank w/ An Inexperienced Reader — @amhrosina

STEVE ROGERS

His Inheritance: Chapter 26 ⎢ Chapter 27 — @jtargaryen18

FRANK CASTLE + MATT MURDOCK

Spelling Out “I Love You” — @amhrosina

Baking w/ Matty and Frankie — @chvoswxtch

An Unexpected Delight — @amhrosina

TWD

GLENN RHEE

CDC — @collecting-stories

Feel Me — @nikkisheep

Never Stopped Looking — @glennrheesworld

Sex w/ Glenn — @strgrlxox

PEAKY BLINDERS

LUCA CHANGRETTA

Busted — @mlmxreader

Our Scars — @arzennn

MICHAEL GRAY

Behind On That Cute Date ⎢ Chocolate Pie — @anonymooseforever007

ALFIE SOLOMONS

Airport Snow — @there-goes-thefighter

Angel of Birmingham — @darkdevasofdestruction

Quid Pro Quo — @scorpiussage

THOMAS SHELBY

Dragon’s Den — @pherelesytsia

Afternoon Shelby Chaos ⎢The Boys ⎢Dad!Tommy ⎢Mr. Giraffe — @teenwolf-theoriginals

Mama Bear — @dlmlufics

Arthur + Cards — @dlmlufics

Big Sister Bess — @dlmlufics

Escape to Me — @daisyblinder

GEN. PEAKY BLINDERS

The Proposal (Shelby!Reader) — @anonymooseforever007

TGM

COURT GENTRY/SIERRA SIX

Take a Nap Amidst the Storm — @lloydsbitch

Home — @welcome-to-my-multiverse

SIERRA SIX + LLOYD HANSEN

Ready for Destruction (Prologue) — @holylulusworld

STRANGER THINGS

JIM HOPPER

Handcuffed — @thisfanisgonesorry

Taking Control — @call-me-little-sunshine84

Workplace Gossip — @darling-i-read-it

Batch of Cookies — @sunnylands-world

Hopper x Sleepy!Reader — @ddejavvu

DBF!Hopper — @ddejavvu

Final Essay — @keerysteacake

Plain Old Man — @ddejavvu

Out of the Woods — @mypoisonedvine

DBF!Hopper — @empresskylo

[readerinsertsaremyguiltypleasure]

Fic Rec List (Part 2)

My first rec list was strictly Billy Russo x Reader fics, but this one covers The Darkling (Shadow and Bone), Logan Delos (Westworld), and Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia). There are only a few of each so I didn’t see much point putting them in their own separate lists.

Anyways, on with the fic recs!

The Darkling

Dusk Till Dawn by FluffyUnicorn666

Author’s summary: Your relationship with General Kirigan only exists after the sun goes down and you begin to wonder whether he loves you beyond the night calls. Before you can find out Kirigan’s true feelings, you’re tied up and thrown into the back of a van.

Rec notes: This is my go-to Darkling comfort fic. I don’t even care about the anachronisms. When I first got into Darkling x reader fics, there was a particular type I was after, and this was it. Non-Grisha reader - check. Angsty uncertainty about Aleksander’s feelings - check. Reader is put in danger/goes through traumatic experience - check. Aleksander going full Darkling when rescuing her - double check. And finally, a soft resolution where feelings are openly admitted and all misunderstandings are brought to rest - check and check.

Nyctophobia by ohthislove

Author’s summary: General Kirigan saves you after the Second Army raids your village in Fjerda, but he wants something from you in return.

Rec notes: Dark!fic isn’t normally my thing, but this one is an interesting role reversal, with the Grisha being the malevolent raiders and the Fjerdans sympathetic victims. This fic does come with a great big warning, though. It is definitely not for everyone, so please pay attention to the tags, specifically the “Rape/Non-Con” one. This is not a happy fic and there is no love between Kirigan and the reader.

Where Your Heart Is by Clairecrive

Summary: The reader is fed up with slowly losing Aleksander to Alina and decides to leave. Aleksander will have to stop her before it’s too late and he loses the one he really loves.

Rec notes: You can’t go wrong with a bit of angst, and the Alina “love triangle” provides perfect ammunition for it. This fic is definitely one of my more favoured of the “Reader is jealous of Alina” storylines.

Logan Delos

Delos and Austen by marvelmusing

Author’s summary: Logan Delos is the CEO of Westworld. You are the co-head of Narrative, and have been friends with Logan for nearly two years.

Rec notes: Logan can be such a fun character, and this fic demonstrates that well (though the last fic in the series is more serious). The writer does a great job of giving us the nicer side to Logan’s character while still keeping him a little bit of an asshole, which I appreciate. And I love the “Austen” nickname.

P.S. The link for this one is for marvelmusing’s Logan Masterlist, as it was easier just to link to the one page. I also recommend reading the other fic on it.

Just a Kiss by banditthewriter

Summary: After a shitty breakup, the reader confides in Logan that one of the things her ex said when he broke up with her was that she was a bad kisser. Logan offers himself as a test subject to disprove the accusation.

Rec notes: This one is a good mix of light angst and light smut. Throw in a healthy dose of friends-to-lovers, and you’ve got yourself a highly enjoyable fic.

Knee-Jerk Reaction by banditthewriter

Author’s summary: Logan reacts to finding out the reader loves him. Let me rephrase that: Logan reacts poorly to finding out the reader loves him.

Rec notes: I like this one because it starts post-confession and deals with the fall-out and processing of feelings. It’s a refreshing change from the common (though no less appealing) “love confession is immediately accepted and reciprocated” plot. Plus there’s a nice moment of jealous!logan to enjoy.

Logan Delos’s Soulmate by banditthewriter

Summary: Soulmate AU where you meet your soulmate in your dreams.

Rec notes: I love Soulmate AUs! There are so many different types, which means you get a bit of variety within the trope. If you are looking for tooth-rotting fluff, however, this is not that kind of soulmate au. This fic is surprisingly emotional, with a high focus on Logan’s drug addiction and self-worth issues. But don’t despair! There is a happy ending.

Caspian

Like It Once Was by banditthewriter

Summary: Modern AU. After Prince Caspian’s year long absence, the reader is informed that he no longer wants the throne, as it will prevent him from marrying a woman of non-royal heritage. This makes life difficult for the reader, as not only is it her job to manage such announcements, but she and Caspian had also been developing a relationship before he had left for military duty.

Rec notes: Ah, the good old “misunderstandings leading to unnecessary angst” trope. Love it! This is only a one-shot, which means that the angst is just the right length to stop it getting repetitive, and the flashbacks are spaced out well (I think there are only two) so they break the angst with a bit of fluff. All in all, a great read. For anyone who only has surface knowledge of the Narnia series (like me), this fic does feature the Pevensies, but it’s a modern AU, so knowledge of their stories is not needed to enjoy it.

Make Your Choice by banditthewriter

Author’s summary: When the reader was just a baby, she was promised to Prince Caspian of Telmar. Her and two other girls that is. Once the prince because King of Narnia, the women promised to Caspian are brought to Cair Paravel to see which will become Queen of Narnia. Can she make the king fall in love with her?

Rec notes: A lovely written fic that manages to fit into the arranged marriage trope while skirting the definition of “arranged” when it comes to the actual marriage (the characters fall in love and the marriage proposal is made from love… so willingly arranged marriage, maybe?). It’s a good fic if you want to read something lengthy and plotty that still has high focus on the romance aspect.

A Recipe For Love by padfootagain

Author’s summary: Your life was quiet, working in the Royal Kitchens and craving for a chance to become a cook. But your whole world changes when your eyes meet the King’s gaze…

Rec notes: Who doesn’t love a king/commoner love story? I particularly like this one because it is the reader who makes the big gesture at the fic’s climax, rather than the canon character. Usually it’s the other way around, so this was refreshing to read. Other highlights include Caspian looking after the reader when they are sick, and him meeting their parents (who don’t believe he’s the king).

Visiting Princesses by pillow-titties

Author’s summary: A banquet held to welcome visiting princess vying for King Caspian's hand has your jealousy reach its peak and brings hidden feelings to light.

Rec notes: A classic friends-to-lovers story with a heavy dose of smut. Seriously, this one is something like 80% smut and I am far from complaining.

What You Deserve by banditthewriter

Summary: Cornered into choosing a suitor, the reader thinks her best choice is a man who treats her with far less respect than she deserves. But a voyage on the Dawn Treader proves that she may have another option.

Rec notes: This one features the Pevensies, but Caspian is a king, so I’m guessing that means it is set between Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader? But if you haven’t seen the movies or read the books, as I haven’t, it doesn’t really matter. It is still an enjoyable fic with a very satisfying ending.

[idaoftheburningmind]

“No. Just bunnies, and maybe five cats and a goat.”

Please. I want this future for them 😭 I’m not okay right now and I needed this to help pick myself up from the floor.

@k-marzolf please know that I hoard your stories like treats and I binge on them like a wild thing hiding in a corner — not because of guilt, mind, but the giddy joy of a creature secreting away its treasures.

I love that she’ll knit and he’ll “read Dorian Gray for the millionth time,” the picture of them that presents… i want to run away with it and hold it to my chest forever.

River

You propose to Billy. Kind of.

[bffs to lovers, intoxication, fluff, fem!reader]

Taglist: @idaofinfinity

You’re drunk after three glasses of wine, something your best friend finds amusing to no end.

“You’re so fine, I wish you were mine.” You sing off key, flopping down onto him like a bunny looking for attention.

“Sweet pea, you’re drunk.” He says, booping your nose.

“I think it’s from that Potter book,” you slur, pressing closer to him. You blink at him, pausing before saying as drunks do: “Love you, Bill.”

He smiles indulgently, “Love you, too, sweet pea.”

“We should make a pact, if by fifty you aren’t married, I’ll marry you.” You giggle; “I’ll be knitting in the corner in a rocking chair while you read Dorian Gray for the millionth time.” You mumble into his sweater.

Billy hums, “No kids?” He asks.

“No. Just bunnies, and maybe five cats and a goat.” You giggle to yourself.

Billy lets out a choked out laugh. “Okay, baby.”

You sleep that night soundly snuggled into his side, and Billy feels warmth creep on him as he watches you. He wonders when he’d started seeing you as more than his best friend.

Fuck.