#but they were really well-written chapters

[misshoneyimhome]

What’s up, buttercups! 🎄✨

Merry (steamy) Christmas, my loves! I’m so excited to share this next festive chapter for Sexy Christmas featuring none other than Captain Auston Matthews himself on this Christmas morning ❤️ This one is all about cosy holiday mornings, unwrapped surprises, and a whole lot of passion.

This chapter was such a joy to write— I had my g @lcandothisallday in mind ❤️ I hope it warms your holiday spirit (and maybe heats things up a little too).

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays filled with love, laughter, and a little extra spice.

Happy reading, my darlings! xo 🎁✨

➼｡ﾟ

Christmas Morning, Barely Wrapped - Auston Matthews

OC and the hockey player wake up together on Christmas morning, but instead of opening presents, they decide to unwrap each other first, making the holiday morning unforgettable.

Tropes & Warnings: 18+ smut, Auston Matthews x reader, fingering, oral sex (m receiving), unprotected sex (p in v), cum inside

Word count: 2.6K

The soft glow of morning light seeped through the curtains, bathing the room in a golden hue. Outside, the world was hushed under a blanket of freshly fallen snow, a serene Christmas morning tableau. Inside, however, the warmth was anything but serene.

You stirred first, the faint hum of forgotten holiday music drifting from the speaker left on the night before. Your eyes opened to find Auston Matthews beside you, his dark lashes resting against his cheeks, his tousled hair a tempting mess. His broad chest rose and fell steadily, the intricate tattoos on his arm stretched lazily across the pillow.

The sight stirred memories of the night before, heat blooming in your cheeks as the events replayed in your mind.

“Mmm, morning,” Auston’s voice, low and still laced with sleep, broke through your thoughts. His dark eyes blinked open, meeting yours with a slow, lazy grin that was both boyish and utterly captivating. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” you murmured, your voice husky from sleep as your fingers reached out to trace the stubble along his jaw.

He caught your hand, his lips brushing over your palm in a kiss that sent a shiver racing down your spine. His gaze, heavy with mischief and intent, held yours as he rolled onto his side, the covers slipping to reveal the expanse of his bare chest.

“Thought I’d wake up to presents,” he teased, his grin widening. “Instead, I get this view. Guess I’ve been really good this year.”

You laughed softly, but the sound faltered as his hand found your waist, tugging you closer beneath the covers. “You’re impossible,” you replied, though your breath hitched as his lips ghosted over yours.

“Impossible to resist,” he murmured, his words melting into the kiss he pressed against your lips. It started slow, tender, but quickly deepened, his hand sliding under the hem of the oversized t-shirt—his t-shirt—that you’d worn to bed, knowing full well you weren’t wearing panties beneath it, just as Auston had requested.

The warmth of his palm against your bare skin sent sparks coursing through you. “Didn’t realise you were unwrapping your first gift already,” you teased, your voice breathless as his lips found the sensitive spot below your ear.

“Best gift in this house,” he rasped, his lips curving into a smirk against your skin. “And I’m not sharing.”

Your laughter dissolved into a soft moan as his hands grew bolder, sliding the t-shirt up and over your head. His eyes raked over you; appreciation written in every line of his expression as he took in the sight of you in the soft morning light.

“Mmm yes, the perfect gift for me,” he said, his voice low and rough, his hands settling on your waist as though grounding himself. His lips found yours again, the kiss deep and consuming, his touch reverent yet insistent.

And instinctively, your hands found their way to the waistband of his sweatpants, your grin turning playful as you tugged at the fabric. “Maybe I should unwrap you too.”

His laughter rumbled low in his chest as he shifted, helping you slide the fabric down his hips, leaving him gloriously bare beneath the golden light. The sight of him stole your breath, the intimacy of the moment heightened as he drew you closer, his hands steady on your hips.

“You’re all I want for Christmas, baby,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he effortlessly guided you to straddle him, the heat of his body against yours driving every coherent thought from your mind.

You grinned down at him, your hands roaming over the expanse of his toned chest, feeling the defined muscles shift under your touch. The air between you was thick with tension, nearly tangible, the kind that made your pulse race.

“And you are…” you began, your voice dripping with seduction as you let your fingers trail lower, never breaking contact with his heated skin. Slowly moving yourself down his body, you stopped just above his growing length, your lips hovering tantalisingly close as your hand wrapped around him, stroking his length with deliberate care. “…all I want, Aus.”

Your voice was low and filled with unrestrained desire, each word laced with intent. As he hardened fully in your hand, you leaned forward, your breath warm against him. With slow, deliberate movements, you took him into your mouth, your touch gentle but purposeful as you savoured every reaction your actions drew from him.

Auston groaned softly, his head falling back against the pillows as your lips wrapped around him, the warmth of your mouth sending a shudder through his body. His hand instinctively found its way to your hair, his fingers tangling gently in the strands as he murmured, “Fuck… you’re incredible.”

You maintained a slow, teasing rhythm, your tongue tracing along his cock as you glanced up at him through your lashes. The sight of him—his chest rising and falling heavily, his dark eyes hazy with desire—sent a surge of confidence through you, spurring you on as you hollowed your cheeks, taking him deeper.

His grip on your hair tightened slightly, not to guide you but as if to ground himself, his breath hitching with every deliberate movement of your lips. “You’re going to kill me,” he muttered, his voice rough and low, his words laced with both awe and urgency.

You pulled back just enough to respond, your lips brushing over him as you whispered, “I’m just getting started.” Your hand replaced your mouth momentarily, stroking him with a firm but gentle grip as your other hand slid up his chest, your nails grazing his skin.

The way his hips bucked slightly into your touch, the way his head tilted back as he groaned your name, made you feel powerful, completely in control as you explored every reaction you could draw from him. You leaned back down, your tongue swirling around the sensitive tip before taking him into your mouth again, deeper this time, the sensation earning a sharp gasp from him.

“Baby…” he rasped; his voice strained as his fingers flexed in your hair. “You’re so fucking good, but… I’m not going to last if you keep going like that.”

You pulled back, a smirk playing on your lips as you kissed your way back up his body, your movements slow and deliberate, making him feel every inch of your touch. When you reached his lips, you captured them in a kiss that was deep and consuming, your bodies pressing flush against each other as his hands found your waist.

“Then maybe we should move on to the next present,” you murmured against his lips, your voice filled with teasing intent as you rolled your hips against his, the friction sending a spark of pleasure through you both.

Auston growled softly, flipping you onto your back with a controlled urgency, his hands bracketing your head as he hovered over you. “You’re naughty,” he said, his lips curving into a grin that was both playful and full of promise. “But I think I like it when you’re naughty”

Auston’s grin widened, his dark eyes heavy with desire as he leaned down, capturing your lips in a kiss that was all-consuming. His body pressed against yours, the warmth of his bare skin leaving no space between you. His lips moved with deliberate precision, each kiss growing deeper, more urgent, as his hands roamed your body, memorising every curve.

“You make it impossible to think about anything else,” he murmured against your lips, his voice rough with need. His hands slipped down to your thighs, his fingers expertly finding your core to explore. 

You gasped as he found your sensitive clit, his thumb circling while his index pressed passed your entrance. 

Auston’s grin turned wicked as he felt the way your body reacted to his touch, his fingers moving with deliberate intent. “Mmm, so wet for me already,” he murmured, his voice rough and filled with satisfaction. His thumb continued its relentless circles over your sensitive clit, while his fingers pressed deeper inside you, curling slightly to hit just the right spot.

Your back arched off the bed, a soft moan escaping your lips as your hands gripped his shoulders for stability. The intensity of his touch sent waves of pleasure rippling through your body, each movement coaxing more from you.

“Aus…” you breathed, your voice trembling as your hips moved instinctively against his hand, seeking more.

His dark eyes locked onto yours, the fire of desire unmistakable as he leaned down, brushing his lips over your jawline and down your neck. “That’s it, baby,” he whispered, his breath warm against your skin. “Let me take care of you.”

Every flick of his thumb, every press and curl of his fingers sent you higher, your breaths turning into soft, broken gasps. The way he watched you, his gaze fixed on your every reaction, only added to the heat pooling in your core.

“You’re amazing,” he murmured, his lips finding the sensitive spot below your ear. “So beautiful like this.”

The tension built quickly, your body coiling tighter with every calculated stroke of his hand. You could feel yourself teetering on the edge, your moans growing louder as the pleasure became almost too much to bear.

“Auston, I…” you managed to gasp, your fingers digging into his shoulders as the wave of release loomed closer.

He grinned against your skin, his free hand gripping your hip to hold you steady. “Mmm yes, baby,” he coaxed, his voice dripping with encouragement. “Come for me.”

His words, combined with the relentless rhythm of his fingers, sent you tumbling over the edge. Your body arched against his, a cry of ecstasy spilling from your lips as the pleasure consumed you. Auston didn’t stop, his movements slowing but never ceasing, drawing out every aftershock until you were trembling beneath him.

As you came down from your high, Auston’s lips pressed soft kisses along your collarbone and up to your jawline. His hand slid out from between your thighs, only to rest gently on your hip, grounding you as you caught your breath.

“I love it when I make you cum like that,” he murmured, his forehead pressing gently against yours. His dark eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and adoration as he brushed a strand of hair from your face. “But I’m not done with you yet.”

With a fluid motion, Auston turned you onto your stomach, his strong hands guiding you as you settled against the mattress. He straddled you, his knees framing your hips as his hands slid down your sides, spreading your cheeks gently to align himself with your entrance.

Leaning down, his lips brushed softly against the nape of your neck, his breath warm and tantalising against your skin. One hand gripped your waist firmly, steadying you as he positioned himself, while the other grabbed the sheets next to your head. “You’re so fucking sexy,” he murmured, his voice a husky rasp laced with anticipation, sending shivers racing down your spine.

The moment he pressed into you, your body tensed, the stretch sending a mix of pleasure and intensity coursing through you. Your fingers clenched the pillow on either side of your head. For a moment he stilled, giving you time to adjust as he pressed soft kisses along your shoulder blade, his hand massaging your hips to keep you grounded.

“Relax, baby,” he whispered, his voice soothing as he began to move slowly, his hips rolling in deliberate, measured thrusts that sent sparks of pleasure shooting through your body. His chest stayed pressed against your back, his warmth and weight a comforting contrast to the intensity of his movements.

Each thrust grew deeper, more deliberate, as Auston adjusted his angle, seeking out and finding that spot inside you that made you cry out in pure bliss. The room filled with the symphony of your moans, harmonising with his laboured breaths and the faint creak of the bed beneath you. The pace quickened, each movement driving you both closer to the edge, the connection between you electric.

His hand explored your body with unrestrained devotion, one gripping your hips firmly to hold you in place, the other tightening in the sheets. His touch was both possessive and tender, as though he wanted to claim every inch of you while cherishing it all at once.

The position felt like the perfect juxtaposition—intimately close yet tantalisingly daring. His chest pressed to your back, his lips leaving soft, lingering kisses along your shoulder and neck, adding a layer of romantic heat to the raw intensity of the moment. You felt entirely consumed by him, your bodies moving together in perfect rhythm, every movement sending you both spiralling further into pleasure.

Auston’s rhythm grew steadier, each deliberate thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. His grip on your hips tightened, pulling you closer into him with every movement, as if he couldn’t bear to let even a breath of space exist between you. The sheer intensity of the connection left you trembling, your moans spilling freely, blending with the low groans escaping from deep in his throat.

His hand then slid down the curve of your back, his fingertips tracing your spine with a reverence that sent shivers through you. The position of his featherlight caress along your back heightened every sensation, making you ache for him even more.

“Aus…” you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper but filled with raw need. The sound of his name on your lips seemed to ignite something in him, his movements growing deeper, more purposeful as he adjusted his angle. The shift had you gasping, the pleasure building to an almost unbearable crescendo as he found the perfect spot inside you. “Just like that.” 

“Oh shi-,”” he murmured, his voice rough, his lips brushing against your ear. “Fuck I’m getting close, baby.”

The words sent a fresh wave of heat coursing through you, your fingers gripping the sheets beneath you as your body arched into him. His chest pressed flush against your back, his lips finding the sensitive spot just below your ear before trailing down to your shoulder. Each kiss was a mix of tenderness and unrestrained hunger, as if he was determined to leave no part of you untouched, unclaimed.

His hand slipped from your hip, sliding around to your front, his fingers finding the sensitive bundle of nerves at your core. The dual sensations of his touch and the way he moved within you had you spiralling closer to the edge, the tension coiling tighter with every moment.

“Auston, I’m gonna—” you gasped, your words catching as the pleasure overtook you, the waves crashing over you in a crescendo that left you trembling in his arms. And the way your body clenched around him pushed him to his own release, a deep groan vibrating against your skin as he buried himself fully, his movements faltering as he followed you over the edge.

For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but the sound of your laboured breaths and the soft hum of the world outside. Auston’s weight pressed comfortingly against you as he leaned down to kiss the back of your neck, his lips lingering there before he pulled out and shifted to lie beside you.

Turning you gently, he wrapped his strong arms around you, pulling you close as his hands glided through your hair. His voice was a tender murmur against your ear, warm and content. “Merry Christmas, baby,” he said, the satisfaction in his tone matching the soft glow still radiating between you. “Best morning I could ever wish for.”

You smiled, your lips brushing against his chest as you rested your head there, the steady thrum of his heartbeat grounding you in the moment. “Merry Christmas, Aus,” you replied softly, your voice laced with warmth and contentment.

Entwined in each other’s embrace, with the morning light filtering in and the world outside covered in snow, everything felt perfect. It was the kind of Christmas morning you’d remember forever—the kind where love, warmth, and joy made everything else fade into the background.

[enchantedchocolatebars]

Witte Solstice - Chapter 26

Cover art by @leespinoodle.

Fic written by me (enchantedchocolatebars) and @leespinoodle.

Summary: It's winter in the Boiling Isles, and Caleb prepares to celebrate the solstice with his wife, his friends… and hopefully, with Beardo Philip! Philip swears he'll never partake in the satanic holidays of those demonic witches. But when Caleb invites him over for the solstice… maybe he'll find himself making an exception.

Ao3 version

By the time Caleb had returned to the banquet table with the drinks, the Yule log had already been lit.

There was only a small fire at the base of the pillar, but as the night grew older, the fire was sure to grow higher, providing much needed warmth and light.

...

A speeding Philip quickly jetted through the forest while wearing his wooden mask and a pinned holly above the golden 'A' symbol on his coat.

The sky had become dark as the sun had waned, and the night had taken over.

The brunette was conscious of his tardiness to the celebration.

He was so engrossed in crafting his gift for his brother that he neglected time.

Philip silently prayed that there was still time left to save him.

…

With only a few more swift steps, Philip soon spotted his brother's cottage.

He, Evelyn, and their guests were gathered at a banquet table with food, drinks, and what appeared to be a burning log.

Philip's mind was building with thoughts as he approached the party slowly.

'No! What are they all doing outside!? My plan! They should all be inside!'

Although he mentally groaned, Philip decided not to give up on his goal so easily.

All he really needed to do was convince Caleb to join his side by showing him the depravity of the Demon Realm's winter traditions.

The eldest could still technically set the house on fire once he saw the light, but Philip really wished for the witches to be present inside when he did so.

Oh, well.

Upon arriving at the table, Philip set his mask aside his face and began speaking, putting on a false facade of cheer.

"Hello, dearest brother," he greeted Caleb before shifting his attention to Evelyn and the guests.

"And…" Philip had to hold his tongue to avoid sounding rude. "... Others."

After clearing his voice, Philip spoke once more. "As an honored guest, I am here to celebrate the solstice with all of you. I even brought this."

Philip produced a small, purple pinecone that he found on the forest floor today from behind his back.

He placed the pinecone onto the table and sat down, suppressing his urge to cringe at the proximity of so many witches.

The party went quiet as Philip sat down, the only noise coming from the crackling of the Yule log.

"A pinecone? … Thanks," Evelyn said with unconvincing faux gratitude as she shot Caleb a confused look.

"Philip! You're here! I thought you weren't coming?" Caleb sat with his arms braced on the arm rests of his chair, unsure of whether he should stand to greet his brother or stay seated.

Philip felt a multitude of eyes gazing at him.

"Well...," the brunette began, clearing his voice once more as he looked at Caleb.

"Initially, I was planning on not attending," he admitted before continuing.

"But I soon came to realize the significance of doing so thanks to the magic of..." Philip needed to come up with something.

"... The Yule festival spirit," he finished, sounding confident in his words despite not believing them.

"So, now that I'm here, how's about we get started on some solstice day activities? We can't do so if everyone continues to gawk," Philip chuckles, trying to capture the same lightheartedness of the holiday in his aura.

"Truly? Have you really changed your mind?" Caleb asked, a tentative smile on his face.

Philip took note of the hesitant smile that appeared on his brother's lips.

To relieve his worries, he released a joyful laugh, attempting to sound genuine and appear trustworthy.

"Now, Caleb," Philip began. "If I hadn't truly changed my mind, then why would I be here? I wouldn't waste my time if that were the case. As you stated in your letter, we are family, and it's important for us to spend the holidays together. Yes. Just us and these..."

It took so much out of Philip to actually spit this lie out, but he managed to do so without looking too annoyed.

"Very kind and oh so wonderful witches here at the table," he muttered out with a smile, directing his "well-meant" words at Evelyn and the guests.

The brunette chuckled again, mentally moaning in his mind.

'Come on, dear brother, just please start these monstrous activities already so that I can prove to you how bad they are. I can't spend another second with these cretins...'

Caleb's smile grew, and his joy was so infectious that everyone else at the table found themselves smiling as well, even if they didn't particularly like Philip.

Caleb lifted his glass for a toast, and the rest followed.

"To family! Now, let's eat!"

"Yes, indeed," muttered a much less enthused Philip with a flat smile, being the last to toast his glass.

"To…" The brunette swallowed his disgust whole. "... Family," he finished.

[ii-darkfic-confessions]

unpopular opinion! i hate experiment 21. for starters, it's extremely illogical! ex. they literally know where test tube is but dont do anything, there are no search parties at all, rhey somehow immediately find test tubes lab, etc! i could go on and on! there are COUNTLESS plot holes and it clearly wasnt really thought out at all! it's also just extremely out of character, and if your excuse is that being locked in a lab for a really long time (i dont remember exactly) can mess you up, I recommend you just read Hall 17. hall 17 perfectly captures what lack of contact and being locked in a room for months can do to an object! everyone also acts identical to themselves in the show! shout out to the writer for writing lightbulb genuinely so well, as she is infamously known for being extremely mischaracterized within the ii community. experiment 21's execution is also just straight out horrendous in some parts. it commonly feels rushed and out of place and the POV's could be executed a lot better. there are a few more things I could talk about, but these are my main points! so in conclusion, read hall 17. there arent words to describe how good it is and you all need to read it right now. i will make another confession about how AMAZINF hall 17 is when its not 2 am!

Very solid argument, anon. Though I haven't read Hall 17, I can say I found myself chuckling a bit as I read Experiment 21. In defense of the author, I'm fairly certain they were quite young when they first began writing, which explains the plot holes and mischaracterization, but the final chapters were written decently. I'll have to check out Hall 17 sometime. The prospect of Lightbulb actually being written in-character is an enticing promise. And yes, please hop off tumblr and get some rest (says the one that answers asks at 2am themself).

[freaky-flawless]

Just finished the second one after a bit of a holiday delay. And you know what? It was a bit better! You can tell the author found her groove writing the main 3's dynamic, though I have some issues that I'll get into.

Jinafire and Skelita feature in this one, though their roles are very small and they pretty immediately fall into the antagonists control (seemingly) Toralei does show up, and just like Cleo, she sucks! The author wrote the two of them so horribly, and I think it's such a shame cuz mean girl characters can be very fun, and I think in the other medias the two of them are.

Speaking of mean girls...Venus kinda is one! There were so many instances of her being rude, and being attitudinal kinda seems like her main personality trait. She'd say something out of pocket to someone, and then get mad when they handed that energy back to her, it was kinda infuriating.

Unfortunately Rochelle went right back to being annoying as well. She's written to be blunt and take things very literally, to the point where she comes across as pretty insensitive a lot of times, but it's explained away as being a "gargoyle thing". Maybe it would be a little less bothersome if she wasn't also super condescending at times, especially with how she constantly corrects others. It was also established in the first chapter that she and Garrott broke up at some point, so now her crush on Deuce is considered slightly less problematic.

Robecca was okay in this one. She said "bees knees" a lot less, thankfully. The story also started to touch on the disappearance of her father, who in this story was fully normie, as well as Robecca's sensitivity on the subject. Her love interest Cy was all around lame and useless in this story, which is kind of a shame since he worked with the main 3 a lot in the first book, and they had a decent-ish dynamic. (He's also written to be a bit of a creep....he's always following Robecca around without her knowing. Granted when he does he normally comes to her rescue in some way but still...its weird.)

Overall though, the thing that bugs me about the narrative is that it seems like it hinges on everyone in the school being stupider than the main 3. Everyone but them got brainwashed in the first book, everyone but them trusts the lady who brainwashed them in the first place. Like come on...if this was a MH movie or webisode, Ghoulia would have figured everything out behind the scenes during a side plot. If they really wanted to make it believable, they'd have had her get kidnapped at the end instead of Headmistress Bloodgood.

Oh but the illustrations is this one were delicious! I got so excited to see each one at the start of the chapters, and the chapters in this one were shorter than the first so there were a lot more. We got to see a bunch of other characters aside from the main 3, and it was such a treat! Really makes getting through these a bit less of a slog.

I'm like halfway through the first Ghoulfriends book and main three are so annoying. I'm hoping it's like a character flaw thing, where they'll recognize it and get better over the course of the series, but oof. Gitty did these ghouls so wrong.

They're beefing with Cleo for no reason...Venus flipped out on her out of nowhere (in the middle of class, unprovoked!!) for using paper bags and then sprayed her with hypno pollen, meanwhile Rochelle, who is in her own relationship, is hardcore flirting with her man!!! I wish the author had been more original when it came to giving them a "frenemy" there are so many options aside from Cleo! (Honestly Operetta would have been an interesting choice, but whatever)

Robecca's characterization is the most tolerable, but she's incredibly rambly, and the author decided to give her a bad sense of time for...reasons. And despite being British, she uses oddly Southern phrases while talking...its super strange. With Venus and Rochelle, I can see where her mind went with writing their characters, but Robecca honestly seems so opposite to her canon personality.

And her backstory was kinda mangled too. It's acknowledged that she was disassembled, and recently reassembled, and even that she previously lived with Mrs. Kindergrubber, but she's treated like a brand new student. No acknowledgement that it was Ghoulia who put her back together!

I understand giving the characters a fresh take, but it would have been pretty simple to integrate the actual canon. Robecca and Rochelle were introduced in the same movie, they were new to Monster High, just not new to all of the characters.

[fawn-tongues]

Drawing of a scene from chapter 7 of @entryn17 ‘s fic uncanny all along

[13eyond13]

I love the way that, in addition to his origin story with his over-sized sword and the scar on his nose, the flashbacks to Guts's childhood show how much of his insane work ethic and reckless self-endangering abandonment in battle were all kinda ingrained into him by his craving for attention and approval from shitty father figure, Gambino.

Random nice mercenary guy: "Don't overexert yourself, kid. Just do what's needed. 'Cause if you die, you lose everything."

Gambino: "It's your first battle. Work hard!"

Guts: [throws himself into battle so hard he nearly dies multiple times, fixating on pleasing Gambino the entire time]

Gambino: "C'mon, hurry up! Work! Work!"

Guts: [gives Gambino his entire earnings, Gambino tosses him back a single coin]

Guts: [more motivated by this one mild bit of encouragement than anything he's ever experienced before in his life]

[raifuujin]

It's been more than 20 years and for some reason I feel that Gosho hasn't given Kaiao any development, how can more than 20 years pass and Aoko dynamics, relationship and feelings remain the same? At this point I feel like Gosho is just going to make them date because "they already liked each other" they remain in the same status quo

Hey, if we go by DC romance progress, they've been going too fast. We've already had suspicion of identity chapters, and that didn't happen until more than 400 chapters in DC. /j

Since heists have taken over any character development recently, I don't even know if Kaito and Aoko will even get any romantic progress. Maybe the actual identity confrontation will happen down the line, since that's thief drama, but atm, it really wouldn't surprise me if they only ask each other on a real date at the very end of the manga.

Like. I'm sure Gosho would love to make MK a love drama as well, but he writes MK so rarely, and usually as hype for something Kid related in other media. So the MK stories tend to be heavy on drama that can only take place at Kid heists. (To the point that the new chapters just. Use Kid as the plot device to show off a new character. Even Hakuba's never gotten so much 'look at this character being a detective' treatment in MK.)

-sighs- I just feel bad for MK as a series at this point. I like the characters, I like the general story idea, but. It's been going down a very steep hill with Gosho wanting things exciting, but not wanting any real progress in. Anything. But unlike old MK, the new stories aren't even nice standalone setpieces of story, they're... mundane. They could be high stakes, if you purely look at the scenarios on paper, but. We all know nothing's gonna happen to Kid. Nothing even happens to him when the actual bad guys show up, much less one-time antagonists.

We need actual character focus and development, not heist drama. Badly. Not even romance, though that'd be a nice change. Just any character expansion of our limited cast of characters. Gosho wants big, all the time, meaningless big stuff, when small would be so nice.

[2030kamenriders]

Perhaps it's because of trying to recover from near-burn-out this summer, but I can't help but see this as a metaphor for developing long-term illness from overwork.

As you read the first few pages, you learn that Gregor has been single-handedly paying the family bills for the past 5 years. Also he's about halfway though paying off his parents' debt to this business. And to make it worse, his boss is that type of guy who thinks burnt-out or chronically-ill people are just being lazy. But here's the thing (and it's a painfully relatable thing too): Gregor doesn't even want to call in sick. Despite being extremely sick from the transformation, he wants to work. He is ignoring and minimizing his symptoms, trying to tell himself everything is alright.

I get the impression that he just really doesn't want to let his family down. Not just in terms of his parents' debt, but also his sister. See, his sister is a teenager who likes playing violin, and Gregor was going to surprise her on the holidays by paying for her tuition for professional music school.

And even though the story is in 3rd person, you could still understand just how painful the whole situation is on the guy: not just physically, but emotionally.

Early on, the bug symptoms worsen so that he can't talk properly. He still understands what everyone else says, but they just hear a bunch of bug noises, with maybe some words muffled underneath those sounds. But instead of trying to have even a basic, rudimentary, stilted attempt at trying to communicate with him sometimes, they don't even try. They act like he doesn't understand them either.

I repeat: they assume he doesn't understand them, just because he can't talk anymore. That hurt. That hurt to read. And in a sort of warped way, it just hit some painful memories I have.

(But that's a tangent for a different time. Because right now I have a lot of other thoughts to unpack.)

Despite the situation, Gregor is still focused on making sure his family isn't more stressed by him than they are. Because he quickly figures out that his family is terrified of him.Even when they're trying to be "helpful", it's bare-minimum stuff and it's done in a way that makes it very clear to Gregor that they're terrified of him. So he does everything he can to stay out of their way, even out of their sight.

(And don't even get me started on the other characters. Not a single one of them treated him with any humanity.)

Gregor does get beat up a few times too. But to my surprise, that's not really the direct cause of his death. Instead, after months of this treatment and a particularly stressful day, his family start questioning if he's really still the Gregor they knew, and talk about how much they need to get rid of him.

And all while he's right there in front of them.

Listening to every word.

And the heartbreaking thing is that, at this point, he agrees. Whatever shred of hope or will to live he had in him, it was just gone.

And even as he dozes off to sleep that night, he still doesn't even hate them! And you can tell, because despite being written in 3rd-person, the story was written so that you could really feel how Gregor felt. And when does it end? When does the story end?!

When he dies? No, it ends after that!

When he gets buried? Nope. Heck, we don't even know what happens to his body after the house finds out he's dead. We just know that the cleaning lady "took care of it" (and she says this in the most suspicious and malicious-sounding way possible)!

The story ends with Gregor's parents and sister going on a little trip to the sunny countryside that day, while realizing that they are actually doing pretty okay financially now. And now they're planning to fire their old housekeeping staff, move, and have a fresh start. yay?

No, not "yay"! That was your family member! He just died! And not a single one of you even bothered to consider giving him any sort of funeral. You guys had the audacity— the damned audacity!— to look at his corpse and literally say "thank god he's dead".

This entire darn time he was a bug (even after his death, in that sort-of 4th-wall-breaking way I tried to mention above), Gregor's top priority wasn't himself. It was his family. And when he needed them most, they couldn't treat him the same.

(Before reading The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka): well this is gonna be an interesting story to read.

(After reading The Metamorphosis): Gregor... bro... (Fists start shaking Kotaro-Minami-style as I think about the way all the other characters treated him)

[skitskatdacat63]

Boy King AU | Vettonso + Martian | 1.3k

There's something about putting the future emperor of the Holy Realm on his knees like this. About how easily he goes, how willingly, how obediently. What would his adoring public think if they could see him now. If they saw their beloved king pressed down like this, in the cramped space between Fernando's legs. When they realized their little boy king took it like he was a little concubine instead. 

Fernando's bitterness is lifted away in moments like these, like taking off a heavy cloak on a winter's day. It was hard to feel humiliated about his own situation when watching Sebastian debase himself like this. 

He always gives himself up so easily. When Fernando threaded his fingers through his thick curls. When he pulled them, and then when he pressed his face down further down into the vee of his legs.  Sebastian rubbed his cheek into the coarse fabric of Fernando's breeches and blinked up at him. Fernando had to smother an embarrassing sound; he was just like a little cat!

Sebastian quirked his lips up into an odd little smile and slightly rose up on his knees, "What's funny?" Fernando swallowed lightly and schooled his face back into being impassive, "Nothing. As you were." Sebastian simply smirked at him and let himself be pushed back down by the fist clenched in his hair. 

Fernando scoffed internally, there was only so much pleasure in putting the other man in his place when he instead acted like this, this degrading action, was his birthright. He took to ruling and indulging in carnal pleasures as if they were of equal gravity. To be privileged to hold such high station and also let himself be taken apart like this…Fernando felt embarrassed for him.

He is dragged away from his musings when Sebastian moved to settle his hands in Fernando's lap, clutching his hips over the fabric and slightly squeezing; Fernando fought against the urge to shiver. Sebastian pushed up the skirt of Fernando's waistcoat and smoothed his hands over the opening flap of his breeches.

His eyes darted up at Fernando again, a daft smile on his face. Fernando scowled at him, "What?" Seb's grin sharpened, "You could stand to be a little more gracious. This is your future emperor, and future husband might I add, kneeling for you on this dirty, depraved, derelict- ah–" Fernando tugged on his hair again and hissed, "Well then, why don't you show me how eager you are to perform your marital duties?" 

Seb licked his lips, completely unconcerned by Fernando's annoyance, and unbuttoned one side of the closure to Fernando's breeches and moved to open the other–

The door to the carriage flew open, arrival announcement dying on a wheezing breath as the servant took in the image the two kings made. One splayed across the seat, exuding power, the other kneeled, debauched, between the former's legs. 

One would be hard pressed to determine which was higher on the totem of power and titles. 

There was something gratifying about this to Fernando, about being caught. He had been humiliated enough throughout the entire courtship, what was one more thing? And, certainly, what was one more thing if he could drag Sebastian down into the dirt with him. 

"Oh Mark, don't act so abashed! It's nothing you haven't seen before, in fact, we have been in this very position not even a fortnight ago!"

Oh. Yes. That. 

It was hard to be completely pleased when he remembered how Sebastian had already spent years prior to their engagement sampling the palace's ample selection of fellow high-born men. And how all those men seemed to be completely and utterly wrapped around his little finger.

Fernando released his hand from Sebastian's hair as if it had burned him. He did not understand why he felt ashamed with Mark looking in on them like this. Fernando was the one marrying Sebastian, not Mark; Mark was just a lowly courtier who had the esteemed duty of spending practically every waking hour with the brat…something he himself was decidedly not looking forward to. 

Sebastian stayed kneeling, staring impassively up at Mark, still fiddling with the clasp on Fernando's breeches. Fernando gritted his teeth and looked up from where he was watching Sebastian's clever little hands; Mark stared back at him placidly. 

Mark's indifference made the entire situation worse. Fernando now felt as if he was not doing anything unique, not doing anything particularly new. How many other men had Mark caught Seb with in this exact position? Fernando felt like he was just another plaything of the boy king, soon to be boy emperor, except his position was forever, permanent. He was the "Kept King", the king who only kept his throne due to the whims of a boy who doesn't even understand what power is.

Mark coughed, "Well," he says, "Your Majesty, I do believe you have a meeting to attend." Seb pouted at him and whined, "We were just getting to the main course," but still braced himself on Fernando's thighs and got up off the carriage floor. 

Seb pranced down the steps Mark had placed next to the carriage, miming tripping sown the stairs, snickering when his action made Mark reflexively reach out to grab him, and then playfully skipped off the final step. 

Fernando couldn't help but stare as Mark made the weirdest grimace in response, and he inexplicably felt all his mortification seep away from him. Huh. Maybe Mark is-

Seb then turned around and frowned at him, seemingly disappointed, but his eyes are deceivingly sharp, "Fernando, I regret to inform you that I have other duties I must attend to, you will simply have to wait." He then grinned up at Mark next to him and giggled as the other man stiffened when Sebastian looped both of his arms through Mark's. 

He leaned all his weight on the other man, Mark not so much as shifting his weight, "Oh Mark, won't you carry me back to the palace? I'm so very tired after all the horse riding," Seb looked up at him imploringly.

Fernando observed as Mark rolled his eyes and shrugged off the man, though notably not pulling his arm from Seb's grasp, and he got the distinct feeling that this exact scene had been played out countless times before. 

Fernando clenched his jaw as he watched Seb turn and saunter off, Mark trotting alongside him like a loyal dog. Fernando was supposed to be the unaffected one in this partnership, the unflustered one, the unconcerned one. And yet here he stood, in broad daylight, in a foreign kingdom, on the steps of a carriage with his breeches half unbuttoned and his cravat in disarray. 

He heard a cough from beside him, jolted and looked to the side. Sebastian's loyal Horse Master stood there, lounging against the side of the carriage. Fernando had forgotten who had even been driving the carriage in the first place. After Seb has let himself be pushed down, his hair still windswept from their ride together, everything else seemed to fade away. His thoughts were reduced only to how he could mess up the younger man's hair further. 

Jenson grinned at him wolfishly, and casually crossed his legs,  "First time?" he inquired. Fernando glared at him. The other man laughed openly at him, "What? He's a busy man with big prospects. You're not his majesty's only conquest, you know. Now your throne on the other hand…"

Fernando seethed, it was one thing to be humiliated by the future emperor, but to be patronized by the king's horse boy? No. It would simply not do. He closed his eyes in annoyance, pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaled, and prepared a speech about how he was not about to be talked down to by a man who didn't even have a throne to speak of! 

But when he opened his eyes again and opened his mouth to begin his tirade, Jenson was already wandering away to tend to the horses. Dios mío, Fernando was not mentally prepared to spend the rest of his life with all of these impertinent morons. 

[cat-dragron]

I'm still so mad that August Kitko was such a mid book and like I would go do far as to say maybe it was bad but it's likely it just wasn't for me.

And then I read Hell Followed With Us and realize hey now... there's a lot of similarities between these two books and wow i am enjoying this other book way more. I almost want to dig into that and figure out why. Can you ever dislike something so much you want to take a scalpel to it and dissect it to find the bloody heart? Yeah that's what I'm feeling with August Kitko... it kinda sucks but I need to know why it makes me so mad.

[cuteniaarts]

@katkastrofa: *writes a single throwaway line in one chapter of Lost and Found that is never referenced again*

Me, completely randomly and with no prompting: Alright, bet–

[reel-fear]

people who still make Joey the ink demon despite canon steering far away from that being the case this is for you I am sending u kisses XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO <3

People who make Joey well-meaning, sympathetic, a lighter shade of morally grey than canon I am also sending u lots of love <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3!!

And people who generally steer wildly from the direction Bendy takes with its characters and has fun with it I hope to see more from all of ur aus and rewrites!!

[valleyofdeaddandelions7]

AYO WHY TF ARE THERE SO MANY SPY X FAMILY ANGST FANFICS?! AND WHY TF DO THEY HIT SO HARD?! 😭

[jonny-b-meowborn]

You know, I've never been a fanfic person, and so far I've pretty much only read short one shots, I think I've read only one fic with many chapters and a bigger plot? But a few days ago I read a few Road 96 fics I bookmarked in the last few weeks, and turns out!! Two of them are unfinished. One lacks only the final chapter, and that one wasn't as interesting to me so I don't feel bad for not being able to finish it, but the other I got super invested in before I noticed it has only three chapters out of who knows how many. I understand now the hell of finding the perfect fic and having to wait for more. Ough

[protectcosette]

may be an unpopular opinion but the hunger games (2012) kinda sucks

[venomgender]

required reading .