#can't even read my book i borrowed from the library

[todaysromano]

10.14.2024

Today, Romano took a shower and was happy with his soft hair.

Arab.com link

[totallynotreadingatwork]

Told myself I was only going to read books I already owned this year because I have a massive stack in my bedroom I need to get around to reading, so that means no library books (sorry library), no borrowing from other people, and no buying new stuff (unless it's part of a series I'm partway through).

Thus far, out of the 50 books I've read this year, the breakdown is a follows:

Borrowed books; 7

Library books: 23

My books: 20

And of the books I've read that are actually mine there are 5 that were bought this year.

Oops.

[erwinsvow]

𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬

summary: how you and rafe got started <3

author's note: if i could stop losing my brain cells over rafe cameron for a minute that would be great but i can't so here it is <3 this is mostly cute but in the shea cinematic universe this establishes the beginning of what can only be a hopelessly codependent relationship <3 more parts to come! also none of this would be written without the surge of inspo i get from reading every single one of @princessbrunette's posts but in particular this one, this one, and this<3 one!

now spinning: one of the girls by the weeknd & jennie

Rafe’s always thought you were cute. 

Cute, he’d think to himself in passing, on a hot summer day when he was getting ready to take beers from the fridge and go find the boys at the country club. He didn’t need to steal anything, the waitress at the club always gave him whatever drink he asked for, but he just felt like taking them from the house today. 

You were dawdling around the house with a bored Sarah, all dressed up with nowhere to go. Sarah was texting on her phone, likely engaging in a virtual fight with Topper. He’d feel bad, but the two of them did it to themselves. You were at the counter with Wheezie, leaning on your elbows while the two of you discussed something. He didn’t really care, until he met your eyes for a second. 

Cute. The way you met his eyes and then looked away, face heating up. You were in a bikini and a coverup, probably waiting for his sister before spending the day on the beach or at the pool. The cover up was white and see through, covering everything to the point where no one could see anything but the faint yellow of your bikini underneath.

Leaning on the counter, when you looked away, he got a glimpse into the top of your dress. He could make out little yellow flowers on the material of your bikini and the outline of your tits squeezed against each other. 

He grabbed a beer and opened it with his back tooth, spitting the cap out on the counter next to Wheezie’s book.

“Ew, Rafe, get your spit molecules away from my book.”

“Who reads in the summer anyways? You should be glad for my spit if it makes you stop.”

“It’s my summer reading, Rafe, not everyone can just skip their assignments and get away with it.”

“Please, what have I skipped?”

You and Wheezie turn to look at each other and start laughing. He cracks a smile too, unexpectedly.

“Actually, it’s a great book. You’re missing out, Rafe,” you say, with a smile gracing your face, and he realizes he’s never actually heard the sound of your voice. You’ve maybe said hi to him twice, and both times Sarah had dragged you away within seconds. You even sound cute. His name on your tongue sounds even cuter.

“Really? Maybe I need to give it a try.” You laugh again, meeting his eyes this time. 

“You can’t have my copy, I already put my annotations in this one-“

“Stop yapping, Wheeze. I’m not gonna take yours.”

“Actually you have a copy in the library upstairs. I borrowed it last summer.”

“Really, kid? Wanna come find it with me?”

Your face heats up so much you turn away. He smiles then, and he smiles again when you follow him up to the library.

“This one is fantastic too, it’s about this young girl in England-” your voice continues to describe the plot of the book in your hand. You shelve it and then your eyes immediately land on another, another classic, another favorite. You ramble off the description but Rafe’s hardly paying attention.

He’s trying to recall when you had become so cute, so pretty. He thinks he’s never noticed you after you walk away with Sarah, or when he walks away from you two lounging on pool chairs, your nose in a book like always.

This is different. When had you become so irresistible?

Your pretty hair falls down your back. It sticks to your neck when the two of you are outside in the sun, in the heat. He has an urge to lick the sweat off just to see how you’d blush and feel how you’d squirm. Your eyes are warm and bright, but you’re still too shy to meet his blue ones, even when it’s just the two of you.

And it has been. Just the two of you, recently, almost all of the time. Sarah’s always off with her stupid friends and Wheeze is at home doing her summer work. 

The two of you travel to every ice cream parlor in the eight in the next few weeks. Conversation comes easily, even though you have nothing in common. He hasn’t picked up a bag from his dealer since he started talking to you, he realizes. Hasn’t felt the need to get high.

You’ve never even smoked weed, much less snorted coke. You’ll drink at a party with Sarah, but not too much, and you always end up being the sober friend holding back the vomiting girl’s hair. At the bonfire that he invites you to, your eyes keep darting around, seeing if anyone needs your help. 

Rafe moves so he’s standing right in front of you, blocking your view.

“Hey, kid,” he says quietly, leaning in. You’re boxed in, with Rafe and only Rafe on your mind. The clean, attractive scent of his cologne. The way it lingers on his clothes, like the button up you’re wearing over your pink dress.

He picks up the red cup in your hand and places it on the log beside you, balancing his beer next to it. His hands are cold from the bottle but you don’t mind much. He takes your wrists first, holding them in place, and then slides down so your hands are touching. 

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” You were looking down at the hands, where the two of you were connected, but his voice makes you look up. He’s looking at you, and you want to hide your face. Your fingers twitch beneath Rafe’s grip. He holds on even tighter. “Don’t look away, princess. We gotta work on that, huh?”

You feel your face heating up at the nickname. You wish you were home so you could scream into your pillow.

“Sorry, sorry,” you scramble, trying to look up but you can’t find the strength or the will.

You’re embarrassed. Of course you are—this is Rafe, and you’re just you. Rafe is the one you’ve had a crush on since you knew what crushes were, and you are still the awkward little thing you were the first time you met him. 

His gaze burning holes through you makes you want to run and hide. Because this is Rafe, and right now you’re one of his girls. The ones Sarah’s complained about the whole time she’s known you—they get too attached, act all clingy, and then are replaced before long. 

You hear Rafe’s quiet laughter. You’re still boxed in, feeling hot and clammy even though he’d given you his button up not thirty minutes ago because you felt cold. 

“What’re you saying sorry for?” You look up quickly, and then look back down. Then Rafe’s hands leave yours, and he holds up your chin until you’re looking right into his eyes. “Hmm?”

You feel like puking. 

“I-I just, well I just-”

“You just what?”

“I don’t think I can be, um, be one of your flingy, uh fling-type girls. So, you know, maybe all of this isn’t a good idea.”

“Fling-type girls?” he questions. He’s holding back a laugh, which makes you irrationally upset. You shove hard against his chest to free yourself from the cage of his arms. 

“Yes, your fling-type girls. You have a new girl on your arm every week, and everyone knows it, and I refuse to be one of them, because it’s just embarrassing and dehumanizing,” he watches you ramble on. He smiles, but you don’t notice. “And frankly, I deserve better than that.”

“Are you done?” You glare back at him.

“Yes, and not because you said that. I was done anyway.”

“Good.” Your face drops for a second, thinking you overstepped and totally overreached regarding his intentions, but then Rafe surprises you—he leans in and kisses you. 

You weren’t expecting a playground peck, but the way he’s kissing you completely surpasses any and all expectations (and fantasies) you’d dreamt up. His grip on your hips is hard, and his tongue is almost down your throat. It’s messy, and wet, and when he pulls away, there’s strings of spit connecting you to each other. 

You should wipe your mouth before anyone sees, but you don’t. Your heart is racing, and you can barely speak, much less move. 

“If I wanted you to be one of my girls, I wouldn’t have spent the last three weeks listening to you blab about books and buying you ice cream. You’re gonna be my only girl, and that’s that, okay?”

You nod dumbly—words and motions still not quite back yet. You feel flushed. People’s eyes are on you both.

“Now, do you wanna head out and go get a cone?” You nod again. “Good girl. And watch your mouth.”

[prettealolilol]

I feel like as a reader and someone who grew up poor, Jason doesn't really pay attention to was he uses as a bookmark. Of course he has a handful of those, birthday and christmas presents, or simply gifts from when Bruce first found out the kid loved reading and wanted him to feel at home. And since the man is rich and emotionally constipated, he bought Jason really expensive bookmarks, like one made in China with a really detailed dragon carved into the wood, or another one embedded with little diamonds from France. Jason doesn't really understand, because a paper would be enough, you know ? There was only one bookmark Jason had truly felt overjoyed to have : one that belong to Jane Austen. Needless to say, Bruce had almost cried when Jason hugged him tight, smiling like he was trying to rival the sun. (When Jason died, Bruce framed the bookmark and put it in one of his desk drawers. When Jason came back, and they were on better terms, he went to his son place and put back the bookmark. When Jason came home, he found a birthday gift awfully wrapped up on his bed. If he cried while holding the bookmark, no one needed to know.)

Back to the point, Jason doesn't really care about what he uses, as long as he doesn't lose his page (although he almost gutted Tim when the boy folded the corner of his book. Instead he shook him like a puppet, telling him about how disrespectfull he was towards books and writers.).

---

Tim, pocking his head in the kitchen, where Alfred is busy cooking and Jason is reading : Has anyone seen my budget report ? I left it on the table in the library this morning, and I can't find it.

Jason, not looking up, shrugging : No one cares about your reports Timbers, no someone would have move it.

Tim leaves, sighing. Later, when Jason goes to close his book and reach for the paper he was using, he realises he was holding said report. Alfred raises an eyebrow. He must have taken it when he picked up the book in the library.

---

Damian, barging the cave, clearly annoyed : Todd !

Jason, repairing his bike : What, demon brat.

Damian : Tell me this instance if you have taken my sketchbook.

Jason, looking up : Why the fuck would I have your sketchbook gremlin ? Your dog is more likely to have run off with it.

Damian stomps back into the manor grumbling about Titus being more polite that Tood could ever be. Jason decides to ignore him. Later, when he's done with his bike and picks up his current book for some well deserved reading time, something falls with a thud when he opens it. Apparently he was the one with the sketchbook and used it as a bookmark. He didn't even realised. He'll have to find a way to give it back without the baby demon knowing.

---

Jason and Cass are sitting on the couch when he remembers he left his phone in his room and is expecting some informations. He looks around for something that could keep the book open, finding nothing.

Cass is staring at him, signing : Looking for something ?

Jason stares at her hand for a few seconds, before shrugging. He takes her left hand, the closest one and put it on his book : Don't move just a sec, i gotta go get something.

Cass stares at his back incredulously. When he comes back and take back his book, she just shakes her head, a fond smile on her lips.

---

Bruce, walking into the living room where the kids are playing : Does anyone have 20 bucks I can borrow ?

Jason, snorting : Aren't you, like, the richest man in the country ?

Bruce : I need to pick up something and they don't take card. There was an issue with the bank so no money can be withdrawn. I put a 20$ bill in the kitchen but I can't find it.

Dick, standing up, taking his wallet : I've got you. You owe me now though.

Bruce, slightly smiling : Sure chum.

When Jason get back to his place in the next morning and drops on his bed, he pulls out the book Tim had recommended a few days ago (although nobody can know he's reading it). A 20$ bill slips on his bed when he opens the book. He takes it, putting it his back pocket.

Jason, grinning : It's sad he didn't even try to find it. It would have so satisfying to watch the great Batman look for a bill hidden in a book.

---

Jason is helping Alfred bring the groceries to the kitchen, because no one in the godforsaken rich family should be trusted with food or anything to do with cooking.

Duke, shouting from the library : Why is there a dictionary open in the middle of the library ? On another book ?

Jason, who hadn't had the time to look for a proper bookmark : It's so I don't lose my page.

Duke, still shouting : Why a dictionary though ?

Jason ignores him. He doesn't have to explain himself.

---

Dick, at Jason's door : Hey little wing, have you seen my blue swe-

Jason, looking at his phone on his bed : What ?

Dick : You're the one who had it all this time. Seriously Jay, why don't you just ask- Why is there an open book underneath ?

Jason, shoting up : Don't touch that ! You're gonna make me lose my page.

Dick, blinking : Don't you have like thousand of bookmarks ?

Jason : Shut up.

---

When Stephanie breaks in Jason's apartment, he is grumbling about babysitting while bringing his med kit. She reaches his couch and suddenly she's laughing so hard she ends up wheezing on the floor. Jason doesn't understand why, until she stands back up slowly, taking her phone out to take a picture. Jason doesn't know if she's laughing at the book mark that is in fact a mug, or at the mug itself. It's clearly holding on for dear life, put down in between the pages, absolutly not stable. He then receives a text on the children Batman kidnapped 's groupchat, seeing a picture of a mug with Batman's signature bat symbol and the inscription 'this mug survives longer than Robins' (actually, Tim has a matching one with the inscription 'bats don't kill... coffee might', but no one needs to know that.).

[ppssession]

Wonderful freedom

In a long time there used to be a group of demons that lived in the human world. They were extremely lustful demons but sadly their bodies were not attractive to them. These demons that craved hot bodies came to the human world. They often lured many humans into falling for their sweet offers. Humans who fell for their sweet offers would eventually have their bodies snatched away. These demons would then possess humans.

Legend also says that it was so greedy for male genitalia that it didn't care whose body it belonged to. Kings, royalty, knights, peasants, and many others were possessed by the demon and used for sexual purposes.

Fortunately, at one point, the world of those demons was sealed off by a group of people with special powers, and the stories of demons possessing human male bodies were gradually forgotten.

When he finished reading, Brandon closed the book. “These legends are so ridiculous, where in the world would there be demons possessing men for sexual purposes?” Brandon complained about the collection of stories he had rented from a bookstore.

The handsome young man, Brandon, put down his book and prepared to go to the library to return the boring book he had borrowed.

Shortly after Brandon returned the book, he began wandering around the large library, looking for interesting books to take home and read.

But suddenly the library became dark. Even though he wondered what was going on, he continued walking to find the book he wanted to read. He walked back and forth in the darkness where he could see things.

After a while, he found a strange-looking book. It was a black book with an eye in the middle. At first, Brandon thought it was just a fancy book with just plain paper inside.

But as he was about to walk away, his mind felt strange, as if his body was being led to open that book, his mind ordered it to be that book, he slowly walked over to touch the book, when he picked it up, he felt that something was definitely going to happen, but he still couldn't stop himself from opening the book.

When he opened it, he looked inside, there were countless unknown characters, and those characters slowly floated out, they gathered together and turned into a large smoke, as the large smoke in front of him rushed into his body, a large amount of smoke entered his body through his mouth, causing Brandon's body to twist, his muscles twitched, and his eyes rolled back.

The book cover slowly crawled into the smoke, and the strange-looking book turned into an ordinary book.

Brandon's body, which was inhaled by the strange smoke, slowly twisted his muscles and moved his neck a few times before speaking with an evil smile, "I confess, I'm free now. That stupid seal only locked me for a few hundred years. Do you think I can't wait?"

A demon that desires a human body like mine can live for hundreds of thousands of years, it wouldn't know. The demon possessing Brandon replied yes as his body rubbed against it. "Wow, it seems I hit the jackpot, this body is insane, these muscles are making me horny," a large tent formed between Brandon's legs.

But unfortunately, I don't have enough power. I'll let this guy control his body for now while I take my time to recover and devour him. Haha, after speaking, Brandon's eyes rolled back and forth, he regained control of himself, and he couldn't remember anything about the strange book. "What happened? Oh yeah, I got the book from the library. Oh, I can't remember. Never mind, let's go home."

After that, about a month passed. แบรนดอนกำลังนั่งสบายๆ อยู่ในบ้านหลังจากทำธุระมาทั้งวัน เมื่อเขารู้สึกแปลกๆ ในท้อง

“Ahh, what happened?” Brandon’s body didn’t listen to his commands, it started moving on its own without his control, his muscles tensed, his penis hardened uncontrollably.

His hands were rubbing his body, now Brandon's mind was spinning, instead of being afraid, his mind was enjoying this feeling, the feeling that something was slowly taking over him, his eyes rolled back, that was the last time the real Brandon was conscious, suddenly his eyes returned to normal.

I'm so horny

The devil has taken over Brandon's body.

Okay, I have to deal with my hard cock first. One hand unzipped my pants and pulled out my big, thick, long cock from my pants.

His thick hand lightly touched the large cock, the other hand played with the nipple that was on his shirt. The moans of a man possessed by a demon echoed throughout the room that only he could hear.

Soon, the new Brandon was chasing after the climax, the speed of his hand was increasing, the rhythm was becoming unstable. In no time, the moan of the possessed man was heard along with the semen flowing out of the tip of his cock. “Ahhhhh.”

Brandon took a weak breath, this was his first release after being sealed away. He picked up his phone and found news of a new park being built in a nearby town. “Oh yeah, that’s where another one of my friends is locked up. I should probably go help him out, since he has the same taste in body possession as me.

Then the devil took a photo of himself with his new hot body a few hours later. The new Brandon was busy masturbating all night long.

After finishing, I must say that this story will have a sequel where Brandon will release the demons that are imprisoned in various places. Let's see what kind of demon friends the new Brandon will meet. See you, bye.

[dewdr0pz]

he looks just like a dream ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

summary: dating headcanons w/ remus lupin

a/n: hello!! this is my most recent fic on this account and my first Marauders fic, so sorry if this is bad!! also, please keep in mind that even though i'm writing a fic about something tied to the Harry Potter universe, this does NOT AT ALL mean i like JK Rowling. i've liked her books since i was a child and have been separating the art from the artist for quite some time when it comes to this. also, i've written Remus in more of a modern situation, so keep that in mind :)

tags: @back-totheoldhouse @daemontargaryennn @o-kye @unbeleevable @mochamuff1n @call-me-frosting-or-not-idc @dangerouslyyour (this is me just guessing who would be interested in this, please let me know if you would like to be removed/added from the taglist!!)

warnings: nicknames with "girl" in them but otherwise gn!reader, mentions of crying, mentions of scars

boyfriend!remus who's memorized how you like your coffee or tea. or if you don't like either, he's memorized your favorite drink and has perfected it every time he makes it. you tell him it's not needed, that you can make drinks yourself, but he says it's worth it just to see the smile on your face.

boyfriend!remus who wouldn't dare tell you to cover up with a dress or outfit you're wearing when you go out ("any guy who tells their girlfriend/partner to cover up because it makes him uncomfortable or insecure instantly just proves he has a fragile ego accompanied by a micropenis.") and he'll only suggest a jacket if he knows it'll be cold outside. if you're happy in what you're wearing, why should he stop you?

boyfriend!remus who reads the books you're reading to have an extra thing to talk to you about and to ensure he understands what you're describing when you rant about how much you either love it or hate it. "yeah I know, I can't believe he did that!" "seriously, the way the writer set up the plot is terrific." "what was the author thinking? the plot makes no sense."

boyfriend!remus who always gives you his clothes. his soft beige knit sweater? of course you can wear it to our date. you need to borrow his beanie because it's cold outside? please do. you want to wear his shirt to bed? just keep it, he thinks it looks 10x better on you.

boyfriend!remus who takes you on all sorts of dates. library dates, lego building dates (which turn into laughing hysterically because one of you doesn't understand the instructions and the other one does understand, but can't find the right piece), cafe dates, aquarium dates, baking/cooking dates, late night walk/drives dates...the list goes on (i will happily elaborate on any of these if asked). he may or may not stalk your pinterest to find out what dates you like

boyfriend!remus who subtly shows you off to the marauders. he's usually a little bit touchy with you in public (a hand on the small of your back or intertwined with yours, his arms around your waist or shoulders, etc.), but he does it more around his friends. it's not any sort of intentional possessive thing (like "grrr my bbg is mine you can't have her raaah"), he just likes people knowing he has a gorgeous partner :)

boyfriend!remus whose room is littered in random trinkets, some of which he'll randomly gift to you. a silver pocket watch he found with intricate details because he thinks you'd like it. a rock or crystal he says looks like your eyes. a flower that he found because he remembered the one time you said "what a pretty flower" when you accompanied him on a walk. a stuffed animal he found at a yard sale because it was your favorite animal. the list goes on.

boyfriend!remus who mainly shows love through acts of service and physical touch. your shoe's untied? he's getting down on his knee to tie it. your books are a bit heavy? he'll carry all of them for you. you're not feeling good? he's doing your homework.

boyfriend!remus whose nicknames for you are mainly "dove/dovey", "baby", and "darling". he calls you "sweet girl/pretty girl" when you're sick, under the weather, or sad, "my love/my dearest" when he knows you're upset, and "sweetheart" when you're in an argument.

boyfriend!remus who would be terrified of showing a lot of skin around you because of his scars mainly because he doesn't want you to be disgusted. he knows deep down that you wouldn't, but it's a deeply-rooted fear for him.

"Remus, your friends have scars. Does that make them ugly or bad people?"

"No."

"Some of the teachers you like have scars. Does that make them ugly or bad people?"

"No."

"I have scars. Does that make me ugly?"

"Of course not, dove."

"So then why do you think scars make you ugly if they don't make anyone else you care about ugly?"

[writingquestionsanswered]

hiya! for writers who are complete beginners, kinda sorta maybe write at a high school level, can't describe to save their lives, have overall bad flow (as in they can't decide what little moments scenes to think up and even write, if they do, they're no good), have been told countless times to write daily and just read more but that doesn't cover the basics or foundations of creative writing, not like they can learn from a book bc they're a hands on learner anyway and p.s they're super broke so can't afford writing classes and no library near them offers free ones ---- aka me :( --- do you have any advice? lol i feel kinda doomed and that maybe writing isn't for me, but I don't wanna get my hopes down!! with the right tools, it's possible.

Free Resources for Learning How to Write

I want to start with addressing why you've been told so often "to write daily and read more" as a way to learn how to write. It's very difficult to learn and excel at a craft if you have no experience with said craft. You can read all the information in the world about how to forge a sword, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to pick up a hunk of metal and be able to forge a beautiful sword. You need to spend a lot of time watching other people forge swords, and spend a lot of time actually practicing each step yourself if you want to get good at it. Writing works the same way. Reading lets you experience what fiction should be, writing lets you practice each step for yourself.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to read fiction for free. You can borrow books from friends, family members, and members of your community. You can check out books and e-books from your local library if you have one. You can look for Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood. There's also a lot of legally free fiction available online. Project Gutenberg, Planet E-Book, Bartleby, Literature.org, Classic Literature, Classic Short Stories, Wattpad, Archive of Our Own, Library of Short Stories, Levar Burton Reads, and sites like Kobo, Amazon, and Audible often offer freebies of both e-books and audio books.

Other free ways to learn how to write:

1 - Follow bloggers and vloggers and authors on social media who talk about the craft of writing. Some of my favorites are: Joanna Penn/The Creative Penn, K.M. Weiland, Liselle Sambury, Abbie Emmons, Hannah Lee Kidder, Brittany Wang, Alyssa Matesic, Bethany Atazadah, Lindsay Puckett, Alexa Donne, Shaelin Writes, Ellen Brock, The Writing Gals, and Sincerely, Vee.

2 - Follow writing craft blogs here on tumblr: (some suggestions) @writingwithcolor, @howtofightwrite, @heywriters, @cripplecharacters, @lgbtqwriting, @fixyourwritinghabits, @wordsnstuff, @yourbookcouldbegayer, @lizard-is-writing

3 - Watch writing craft videos on YouTube: If there's something specific you want to learn about, say, "how to structure a scene," type it into YouTube and many different videos will pop up that walk you through how to structure a scene. Just look for one that strikes you as appealing!

4 - Look for free writing resources online: many authors (especially indie authors and writing gurus/coaches like Joanna Penn, K.M. Weiland, Bethany Atazadeh, Brittany Wang, and Abbie Emmons) offer free writing resources on their web sites or by signing up for their newsletters. Often you'll see writers participating in free online writing summits/workshops which you can sign up for and either watch the videos live or via video playback that is offered for a short period of time (like 24 hours.)

5 - Do a Google Search: believe it or not, there's not a single thing you could want to learn about writing that you can't find for free on Google. If you want to learn how to improve your grammar, go to Google, type in "tips for improving grammar" and you will get a million articles that will tell you how to do just that. Want to learn how to improve your story's flow? Google "how to improve story flow" and you'll have your answer. You can even search for free worksheets, guides, and workbooks on just about anything you want. "Free character development worksheet" brought back a ton of nice looking free worksheets. "Free worldbuilding workbook" brought up several free workbooks and worksheets to help you with worldbuilding. Everything you could want to know is out there.

And, bonus: you can always read through the posts in my WQA master list to get help with a wide variety of craft and writer-related issues.

Happy learning! ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[zainnaprollyloveslevi]

"Got you, Love."

Satan X Reader

Summary: Out of pure boredom and maybe out of curiosity, you decided to play a light prank on Satan while he was in the library. However, he manages to turn the tables on you, reminding you why you shouldn't bother the avatar of wrath.

Warning: None, just fluff and no-brain writing. I don't know Satan that well (yes, I HAVE played the game, and I do still play it. I just pay all my attention to Leviathan) so this might be a little OOC. NOT PROOF READ. Short. GENDER NEUTRAL MC/READER

Word Count: 1.1k

Extra: This was a suggestion from tiktok! TYSM FOR BEING PATIENT!!

You didn't really think this through? Did you?

You sighed as you watched the blonde demon in front of you, a good distance from your sulking form. His pretty lashes crowned his eyes, the green hue seeping through like sunlight through blinds under the light of his own room, reading a book you two bought last week. He's obviously ignoring you. You pout, sigh, anything to get his attention. But alas, you have been reduced to background noises. You give up, resting your chin against the round wooden table. He had cleared out this table, which was once a place where old books were discarded to make way for you.

All you could do was stare at the figure in front of you as he flawlessly ignores you. You thought it was a good idea to prank him a little– just a smidge. He always looked so cool in public, upright and well-put, you wanted to see what it was like to startle him or get a strong reaction out of him that wasn't angry out in public. So, while he was returning the books he read in the library, you decided this would be the perfect moment to startle him. A stack of books rested upon his hand, his arms straight to keep the books steady. He was too absorbed in returning the books he had borrowed to notice your form. You didn't tell him you'd join him in the library. As soon as his hand picked up the book from the pile he was carrying, you jumped out from behind the bookshelf and yelled,

“Boo!”

His shoulders tensed, startled by your sudden presence. Unfortunately, this was enough to send the tower of books he was cradling, tumbling down onto the floor as he took a few steps back. Eyes lingered on the two of you, curious by the sounds of chaos in what was supposed to be a place of silence. A few shushed you two. You chuckled nervously, realizing you might have gone a few steps too far. He slowly turns his head, leering at you from over his shoulders. He was glaring at you angrily. Your fight or flight senses kicked in, and you bolted towards the exit of the library. Eventually, you felt bad, slowly walking towards his room, knocking on his door, apologizing through the solid that blocked you two. And yet, all he did was unlock his door, let it open a little, and go back to his spot, reading his book.

And here you are, regretting your actions from earlier deeply. You decided to try again.

“Satan… I'm sorry…”

Nothing. Not even a hum or a cough, just nothing. He's totally giving you the silent treatment. You sigh, resting your cheek on the old table.

“Sataaaannnn!”

He only blinks and flip the page. You feel the need to be more annoying. You'd find a cat and use that on him but the doors closed behind you as soon as you walked in. Like a boss level room you couldn't exit until you finished the quest. You then sit up.

“Come on, I know you can't ignore me forever!”

He finally puts his book down, you sit up straight thinking it was a sign he was finally acknowledging you, but he instead gets in his bed and covers himself in his blanket. Was he seriously going to sleep you away like you were some light cold?? You wanted none of that. You get up and march towards the bed and the lump on the bed.

“Satan! I really am sorry! Please don't ignore me… I'll do anything, just don't be mad anymore!”

Suddenly, his hand grabs your arm, pulling you into his bed, you yelp at the strain on your joints as you are forced to lay down near him. He glares down at you, looming over your strained form, sitting up to have your head close to his lap.

“Anything?”

Your face heats up, you cough as you try to sit up.

“Anything WITH LIMITS- ah!”

He doesn't let you sit up. His grip on your form was strong.

“Satan, let go!”

“First you beg for forgiveness, then you have the nerve to order me around?...”

You fall quiet, looking up at the demon in front of you. Well, at least he's giving you attention.

“...An apology won’t do, MC. That does nothing to soothe my anger...”

He trails his hands over your head, playing with every strand of your hair ever so gently.

“...You know this, and you know this well.”

You swallow a lump in your throat. You feel your heart racing. The gentleness of his trust betrays the roughness of his voice. He continues,

“You are the only human aside from Solomon who would do something as idiotic as irritating the avatar of wrath.”

Silence. You said nothing. All you could do was stare, feel afraid, and hope he chooses to spare you. Yet deep down, you liked this. The soft light of his room hits his back ever so gently, the shadow looming across his face made his eyes seem brighter than they were. It would be rude to say this, but he looked angelic, heavenly. If he were the demon who would lull you to sin like a sweet lullaby on a cold night, you'd be on your knees for forgiveness almost every hour. As scary as he was, he was beautiful.

Then, out of nowhere, he chuckles. A soft, teasing chuckle.

“Did I do good?”

You blink twice, confused.

“huh?”

He lets go of you. He chuckles once more as you sit up.

“Did I scare you?”

You were being played for a fool.

“Satan! I really thought you hated me!”

“Impossible.” He then sighed, thinking back to the moment you startled him.

“Well, at first I was annoyed at whoever thought it was a good idea to play me for an idiot at the school library, but after seeing it was you, I just let it go.”

He cocks a smile, as if bullying you for falling for his antics. “You were whining and begging to be forgiven so much that I couldn't resist getting back at you.”

You huff, genuinely annoyed but relieved that it was all just a set up prank to get back at you. He continues to speak. “Or… did you think I was arrogant enough to feel annoyed for being slightly humiliated?...”

He tilts his head back slightly, an intimidating look on his face. “...Don't you think that's something Lucifer would do? Are you, out of all people, comparing me to Lucifer?”

You jolt, trying to explain that that wasn't the case. However, he chuckles once more, amused by the different reactions you were giving him. He sighs.

“Got you, Love.”

[loves0phelia]

Hey, how are you? Could I request something for Zach Maclaren, where the reader and Zach are spending the night together for the first time (no smut) but the reader can't sleep because she's wearing a bra, afraid of making Zach uncomfortable if she doesn't, and Does Zach figure this out?

Bra insecurities

Summery: The request.

Words: 1,1k

Warnings: grammar mistakes.

A/N: I'm great, i hope you feel good too and i hope you like this! thank you for the request xxx

You and Zach have been together for a couple of months, yet somehow you haven't had a sleepover together. Every time he asked for you to come over to his house to spend the night something came up (more like you gave him excuses)

You knew Zach would never comment on your body. He adored everything about you, from head to toe, inside and out. He was completely smitten. But knowing that, didn't stop you from overthinking.

You had eyes, you could see how your breasts looked without a bra. They slumped down instead of being held up and the outline of your boobs could easily make someone uncomfortable especially when you wore a tank top. You didn't want to risk Zach looking at you differently. Your relationship was perfect the way it was.

"Hey baby," his delicate voice rang in the quiet library as he laid his head on your shoulder, wrapping his muscular arm around your waist from behind.

“Hi,” You turned in his hold to face him.

“I have soccer practice after class but do you want to come over tonight? We haven't spent any time together this week. I miss you so much” he dipped his head to meet your lips. 

“You could spend the night, my sister is staying at a friend's house for the weekend and my parents are away on a couple's weekend. I promise no funny business, I just want to spend time with you.” His digits gently rub against your cheeks and his eyes have that small glimmer you can't refuse.

“I don't know…” You bow your head down towards the floor, avoiding his begging gaze.

“Please, please, please, please” Between each “please” he placed a kiss on your cheeks and your forehead. 

“Fine” Your voice was barely above a whisper when you spoke but Zach did not fail to hear you. His eyes widen as well as his smile.

“Yes! You're the best!” He picked you up and spun you around as if you weighed nothing which made him earn, from the librarian a few feet away, a shush.

“Alright join me at the field after my soccer practice okay? see you tonight baby” he pressed one last rapid and excited kiss to your cheeks before running out the door leaving you giggling from the spot he had left you. 

You spent the rest of the day studying and reading your newly borrowed book until it was time to join Zach. When you got to the field you already had your backpack filled with your toothbrush, skin care, PJs and a change of clothes just in case. 

You saw him wipe his face with the bottom of his shirt which revealed his perfectly sculpted abs. Your face reddened instantly and his eyes met yours.

“You ready to go babe?” he met you with a small welcoming kiss. Still flushed from the previous sight your boyfriend gave you, you could only nod in agreement.

Taking your hand in his, he led you to his car. And like the gentleman he was, he opened the door for you. You offered a small "thank you" as you climbed in.

The ride was silent yet comfortable, his thumb was rubbing softly on your thigh as his other hand clutched the steering wheel. Your knee couldn't help but bounce anxiously at the thought of sleeping at his house tonight. 

But Zach had planned everything perfectly. the second you entered his house he rushed to get everything ready. He laid out plush blankets on his bed, with multiple pillows and your favourite snacks. The scent of freshly popped popcorn merged with the faint chocolate aroma of your favourite candy bar.

"This is amazing, Zach," You said, turning to him with gratitude and affection after he prepared everything. At this moment you couldn't even remember why you were nervous to begin with.

"I'm happy you like it, babe," he grinned and replied, his voice tender as he pulled you into a gentle embrace.

He reached for the remote and he started your favorite movie after settling down on his bed. 

"I'm so glad we're finally doing this," he whispered, his eyes meeting yours in the dim light.

“Me too” you replied shyly before letting your lips meet his.

After the movie ended, you and Zach both started getting ready for bed. Once again your anxiousness came back.

“Hey, do you want to sleep with one of my shirts?” He asked, he always loved seeing you in one of his shirts.

“Sure” You mumbled and took the white t-shirt from his hand, slowly you turned so your back faced him and removed the shirt you already had on. Just as you were about to put his over your head his voice stopped you.

“You gonna sleep with that? isn't it uncomfortable?” You turned your head over your shoulder and saw him looking over at the clasp of your bra on your back

“oh yes, it's ok” You pulled the shirt down he didn't ask more questions. He didn't know much about what girls wore to bed.

So you got in his bed and acted like everything was normal. Truthfully nothing was normal. The clasp dug into your skin as well as the straps, and the metal strings inside the bra felt like it was cutting underneath your breasts.

“Do you want me to remove it for you?” Zach spoke up in the dark and silent room.

“No!” you said harshly. “It- it's fine” 

“Baby come on it's hurting you” his hand softly stroked your arm.

“I don't want you to see my boobs” you admitted and you saw his brow furrow in the dark.

“You don't have to worry about that, you have my shirt on, I won't see anything I promise” His voice was honest and sincere, you knew you could trust him but you were still scared of judgment. 

“I don't want to make you uncomfortable, you can see them through the t-shirt and… they aren't pretty without a bra, they slouch down”  Your voice got even quieter and you avoided his gaze at all costs, but he grabbed your chin to make you look at him.

“Y/N I love you” Your eyes winded at the confession. “I love everything about you, even the things you don't like.”

“Really?” 

“Yes. I absolutely adore you, you could have the biggest or smallest boobs on earth and I would still love you!” He laughed and kissed your cheeks almost eagerly which also made you giggle.

“Now please let me help you remove it. I can't bare to see you uncomfortable.” you nodded and slowly his hand slid inside the shirt to unlace the clasps. Immediately the bra fell and your breast fell free.

“See? much better” His hand massaged your shoulder and he pressed a gentle kiss to your neck.

“Thank you, Zach, I love you too” 

[tinytalkingtina]

Wiggly 🧠🪱 Wednesday

@devondespresso Tagged me in this forever ago and I finally had one wiggle its way into my brain!

This week been fiddling with the idea of a true role reversal Steddie, with Eddie as the popular jock and Steve as the metalhead (as opposed to a punk). This got a little away from me, haha. No idea for a story or how other characters might fit in, but if anyone wants to take the concept and run with it feel free!

Eddie

Eddie is still poor, and still lives with his uncle (let's pretend he had to repeat a grade due to the chaos of moving in with Wayne). But he's Hawkin's star track runner/lightweight wrestler, channeling his energy into sports and competition. His grades are probably still not great, but since he's winning awards at meets, teachers let a lot more slide, and he skates by most of his classes with low C's. If he's loud and excited, then well, that's just what jocks do, right?

Wayne works nights, so Eddie is usually left to his own devices. Sure, the trailer can't hold that many people (and maybe Eddie has a bit of a chip on his shoulder that he lives in the trailer park), but this is the Midwest, and Eddie is creative. He hosts big bonfire ragers out in the woods, deep enough that the cops can't easily break them up.

Eddie's "Munson Doctrine" is from the perspective of being a jock. Mixed with his insecurities, it becomes about staying on top, no matter what. That means dating around, taking girls out most Fridays. He likes girls and has plenty of fun. And if he occasionally slips in a fantasy or two about drug dealer Steve Harrington pinning him against a wall with that knife of his, no one needs to know.

Steve

Then we have Steve. Steve's had piano lessons since he was 5. A framed picture of him in his bow tie and tiny suit at his first recital sits on his mom's desk. He's good at sports and does Little League as a kid, but they don't hold his interest, not the way music does. When he hits middle school, him and his dad have a huge fight over him refusing to try out for any sports. The cracks were already there, because his parents are louder than they think when they argue. To drown them out, he turns on the radio, spinning the dials. By chance, he finds a Black Sabbath song. Something in it speaks to him, gives an outlet to the frustration and anger he's feeling.

Steve picks up drums to play in band at school, but he also borrows books from the library and teaches himself guitar after begging his mom for one for his 13th birthday. He makes a few friends, they start a band. As he enters high school his parents fight more. His grades, never great to begin with, slip further, so no more allowance for Steve. The first time he tries to steals a tape, he's caught almost immediately. But he gets better at it over time. Can't steal tattoos though, and Steve's not a great artist. So maybe he starts dealing. His parents work late most nights, so they don't need to know about his...extracurricular hobbies.

Even if he's not at the top of the high school food chain, Steve's still good at reading people and social situations. I don't think he would have the desire to DM AD&D, but I think Steve makes a good player, always solid at strategizing. In the hallways, he sees and overhears things, enough that he's able to keep the heat off him and his friends with some clever insinuation, and the threat to cut off anyone who tries something.

He sees the way that loudmouth jock Eddie Munson's eyes flick down to his lips when he buys weed off him at parties too, the guy isn't nearly as subtle as he thinks he is. Steve would love to take him down a couple pegs, if Eddie'd let him.

Thanks to @little-annie for some ideas on fleshing metalhead!Steve out more :D

Edit: check out the role reversal steddie tag for snippets of what Annie and I are writing now :)

No pressure tags to some folks (and if anyone wants to be tagged in the future let me know!): @augustjustice @hbyrde36 @puppy-steve @soaringornithopter

@hairstevington @eyesofshinigami

[ilivingonmyway]

Something, something, some headcanons about the Ninja team that I have this is in alphabetical order. Part II here!

Cole

• Being the Earth Elemental, he knows several types of rocks, earth and minerals, as each one has a different structure that can interfere and/or contribute to a task/fight.

• Even though he hated dancing for a long time, he still practiced some steps from different dance styles, because some of them were very similar to moves that could be used in battle he did it in secret thought.

• For a long time he always acted a little distant from the other team members, but he was still there to support them if they needed it.

• He's a mama's boy, and he loved seeing Lilly and Lou dancing together.

• It was his grandfather who chose his name. He was bedridden, but he held on until Lilly gave birth to the baby, and when Grandfather saw the little one he cried, because he knew he wouldn't survive to see the child growing up, So, Lilly asked him to name him, as if it were an "I'll always be here" gesture from grandfather to grandson.

• His favorite game is the one where there's a bunch of food falling from the sky and you have to catch it, he's already broken a record 3 times in this game.

Jay

• He's the fastest and most elastic/flexible on the team. This guy's ability to put his thigh behind his head is insane, you DON'T want to be his partner in stretching exercises.

• He knows the Kyusho-Jitsu. This is a technique/type of fight used to stun/paralyze the opponent by striking pressure points (Curiosity, this is the technique that inspired Ty Lee's Chi Blocking technique from ATLA). He uses this on normal criminals, like thieves, assassins, and smuggling gangs, that way they don't get hurt. However, he also use it on Krypytarium criminals, but with the addition of a mild shock to ensure the criminal is rendered unconscious.

• Edna taught him how to cook, so he has the ability to make really good food. Although he prefers to make roasts and stews.

• Jay is a sleepwalker. Not daily, but during really bad lightning storms. Master Wu often found him sleeping on the highest point of the Monastery after the storm. Once, the Ninjas tried to keep him inside the room during the storm. They locked the door and windows and kept watch. But somehow, Jay still managed to get out of the room and get into the storm. No one ever found out how he did this.

• This one I got from Lloyd’s Guide To Surviving The Merge, a lovely fanfiction of @omgjayaaa, I really loved that one He's a medic. He knows how to treat illnesses, injuries, concussions, etc. It started out more as a hobby. Check out medical books from the local library and spend hours reading and applying the teachings on the Monastery's training dummies (sometimes Zane was the victim) just as a "strange diversion" (Kai's words). However, one day, there was a training accident and Cole dislocated his arm, while everyone was worried trying to call the hospital, in an incredible act not to mention strange of calm, Jay grabbed Cole's arm and relocated it back into place, then he borrowed some materials that were in his room and made a sling for the Earth Elemental's arm. No one ever forgot that day, because while Jay was "Just another normal day" the others were staring at him like "What the fuck was that?"

• I also got this from a Ninjago chat fanfic, also from @omgjayaaa He is a natural with children. You can't say otherwise, that this super sensitive and humorous man doesn't have a natural ability to calm/entertain/do anything involving children. And he really enjoys that, being able to make a baby stop crying and go to sleep or helping a child that got lost from the parents. Your honor, this man has everything it takes to be a good father and you're not going to change my mind.

Kai

• He hates super spicy food, being the Fire Elemental doesn't mean his taste buds are pepper/wasabi approved. He just likes a small amount in his food. Ironically, spicy food can kind of serve as fuel for the fire, so the hotter the pepper is, the more heat the fire emanates from it. Although he hates this ability.

• He's not very good at reading/writing, he left school very early to take care of Nya and the Blacksmith, so he lost most of his literacy skills. However, he took some lessons from Wu, so he didn't feel so out of place.

• In fact, his natural hair is like his mother's, but it's as untamable as his father's, which is why he uses so much hair gel. Like, you can't say that wavy and stubborn hair is not hard to care.

• He's that kind of person who sings in the shower, he often forgets that there are people in the Monastery and starts singing so loud that you can hear it from the training yard.

• He and Jay, often in secret, hang out together. Where? Karaoke. Kai sings and Jay plays the guitar, sometimes they change roles Kai prefers to play the bass. It's a lot of fun for both of them, but they don't want to let others find out, because they know none of them, especially Nya, would let it go.

• As much as many people think otherwise, of the RGB siblings, Kai is the most "stable". Not because he wants to, but because he is Nya and Lloyd's support. He feels very embarrassed when the papers change.

• He is super attentive to people close to him, especially Lloyd, who is the youngest on the team. However, now with the addition of Wyldfyre, Sora and Arin in DR, he is as protective as he was with Lloyd.

[sephirthoughts]

crisis core but if cloud was aware of his cuteness:

zack: hey, tseng, i forgot my wallet at the office. can i borrow ten gil for lunch?

tseng: you being irresponsible with your things is not my problem. i hope going hungry teaches you a valuable lesson

cloud: tseng-gege, can i—

tseng: here's my wallet take whatever you need

zack:

later on the helicopter to modeoheim:

cloud pouting and rubbing his ass: ow this seat is so hard

zack still mad about lunch: why don't you sit on tseng-gege's lap

tseng: wouldn't be any better

zack:

zack: OH GOD GROSS

after they crash in modeo ravine:

zack: fuck! my leg's broken!

tseng: you SOLDIERs are supposed to be tough. use a cure materia and walk it off

cloud leans against tseng: sorry, tseng-gege. i'm a little dizzy

tseng scoops him up like a princess: i better carry you. can't take any chances with your health

zack: what about his rifle and gear?

tseng: good thinking. make sure you grab those. and pick up the pace, will you?

zack: a̵g̴s̸h̴f̷l̸a̶g̶s̴h̸f̶g̷a̵k̷

later outside the mako extraction facility:

cloud shivers: wow it's pretty cold up here

tseng: zack you can handle a few hundred enemies on your own, right?

zack: well not—

tseng: excellent. take care of this and meet us in town afterward. we'll be at the hot spring baths

zack: COME ON, MAN

years later in nibelheim:

tifa: not goin' too fast for you, am i?

zack: of course not. we're just trying to pace ourselves

cloud: actually, my feet kind of hurt

sephiroth turns around: your feet hurt? you are a shinra trooper. when we are in the field, you represent all of us. you should—

cloud: -takes off his helmet-

sephiroth: —be looked after with the utmost care, like the precious treasure you are. as such, i am duty bound to carry you the rest of the way up the mountain.

zack: IT'S ALL HAPPENING AGAIN

tifa: cloud…?

later in the shinra basement library:

zack visibly twitching: hey, sephiroth. what you got, there?

sephiroth reading a book to cloud, who is sitting in his lap: oh, zack, it's you. you'll never believe this. i'm not even human. turns out i was created in a lab, from the dna of an ancient creature they dug out of a sedimentary rock layer. isn't that cool?

zack: HOW IS THAT COOL? AREN'T YOU DEVASTATED??

cloud snuggling up to sephiroth: i think it's cool, sephi-chan

sephiroth: see? cloud thinks it's cool. i guess you just don't get it. actually, you'd better leave. you're kind of killing the vibe

zack: i̴̘̥̕ ̷̨͗͝å̶̱̝ḿ̴̡̕ ̶̰͋̕b̸̢͚́u̴̘̯͊͂r̸̼̭̐n̵̢̿ȋ̵̜n̴͙̠͒͘ģ̷́́ ̶̦̀t̵̼̗͑h̸̠̺̾͒i̷͚̗̿s̴̡̥͐ ̶̤͝f̵̤͐u̴̖͖͌c̷̱̲͑͗k̸͔̃̾i̵̮̥̊n̴͕̆̓g̸̨̒͝ ̴͎̈́t̵̼̞́̍ṏ̸͚w̷̡͗̃ń̸̫̈́ ̵̟̎t̸̞��o̶̼̎ ̶̢͔̈́ẗ̸̼̩ḧ̵̳̮́e̴͚̋ ̵͎͚́̅g̴̗͒̈́r̸͉̓̕o̴̗͌̕u̶̹̓n̷̛̘̹d̴̙̑

[hotchfiles]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ❝ [GLASS TIES] ❞

request by lovely anon who loves isaac and pain. pairing: isaac lahey x reader. summary: isaac and you share the perfect summer fling. those ties don't last when summer ends. content warnings: mentions of sex and death. there's like a huge teen wolf spoiler but i mean the show is over for years now. word count: 1,4k+

working during summer wasn't your ideal way to enjoy the warm days and freedom from school work, unfortunately the city library needed help and you needed all the extra crap possible to make your resume look nice, full and interesting for colleges, so you'd spend three afternoons a week helping nerdy teens and old ladies find the books they wanted, register it as they borrowed it and more recently, read to a group of children once a week.

it wasn't the worst job, it could be quite fun... but it was mostly just silence, quietness and a bit of boredom, you enjoyed having access to that many books, but even you got tired of reading after a while, so when the most beautiful guy you've ever seen waited for you to notice him, you were busy laughing at your phone like an idiot.

and he could've faked a cough or anything of the sort to call you out, but instead he decided to simply lean down and insert his head in between your face and your phone, looking directly at you as he did so and making you screech from the scare. "oh my god, what're you doing?"

"getting your lazy ass back to work, apparently." he's nonchalant, his smirk makes him annoyingly handsome, and you'd remember those eyes and those curls anywhere.

isaac lahey, a year older than you, blue eyes, golden curly locks, greek god possibly. you blinked quickly and shook your head, so nervous you couldn't even think of a comeback to his sneaky comment. "so-sorry, do you need help?"

"need a book."

"good, we have some of those here, yes." you found your breach to tease him and you took it without even thinking, trying not to panic as the words left your mouth. isaac enjoyed it though, laughing and nodding along.

"sure, yeah, sorry. werewolves, uh, the less... fictional the better." you're about the laugh it off, yeah right. but he was completely serious, if only a bit concerned about having to ask for those.

you nodded and thought for a minute, putting up key words on the system to see if you could find anything. "we have some really old ones in our more special section, but they can't leave the building. also i wouldn't call them non fictional... i mean, werewolves right?" you shrug, chuckling lightly and he's oh, extremely amused, genuine laughing and you're not sure why. "but uh... they're quite old and kinda damaged, so we don't really know what the purpose of it was."

you take him to the back of the library and shows him the two books you mentioned, they are big, old and dusty and isaac has the time of his laughing laughing at how much you were sneezing back there. "glad you're having fun, but lower your voice, funny boy." you whisper shaking your head disapprovingly, but your smile was too difficult to hide.

you go back to the reception after telling him the library rules again, thinking that would probably be it; but it wasn't.

he took the books to where you were working, taking the closest table to you. he would spend minutes on end just reading, looking beautifully focused, but then he would glance at you and catch you staring at him, isaac would then smile, tell you to go back to work as you told him to keep his voice down.

it was the most fun you had since the summer started.

isaac went back to the library every day after that, shamelessly leaving if you weren't working until he memorized the days you would be there. he truly wasn't much of a library guy, but he enjoyed spending time with you there. it was quiet, much quieter than his mind and his life, but still, it wasn't boring, at least not for him.

after the first week the books didn't matter, not giving him much more information for what he was going through, making you blush though, that mattered a lot and he noticed he was quite good at it.

he was getting used to having girls looking at him more, but something in you stood out. he figured out soon it was simply the fact you've been secretly glancing at him even before he changed. turned.

you would make comments as he walked you home after your shift ended, and he knew you didn't even notice how endearing it was or how much of a tell it was, so not a bike guy anymore? or you gained some weight, right? like, not in a bad way, not that gaining weight is bad, you're just... stronger now.

isaac felt connected to you somehow because of that, you had no idea of what he was, or how bad his life was before, but still, you liked him even then, even when he was broken and you didn't even know him. knowing someone paid some attention to him back then gives him conflicted feelings, but most of them are good. warm. tender.

you make him feel soft. and normal. and wanted. and he knows he could've made his move on you much sooner, but oh, he enjoyed the pining, the blushing, the way you bit your lower lip and tucked your hair behind your ear whenever he complimented you. he enjoyed the teasing too much.

after he kissed your lips for the first time though, he figured out what he enjoyed more than the teasing.

you.

being a werewolf in a freak city meant he didn't always have the amount of time he wished he had to spend with you. but that summer, all the time he had at his dispose was spent with you. calling you, texting you, working with you.

he would take you to late night movies, bowling and ice cream, so terribly charming even when he awkwardly ended up meeting your mom after sneaking in and cuddling with you all night, she adored him. gave him a pass to sleep over as long as he didn't sneak in and the door to your room was always open.

you both followed the rules strictly, but your mom wasn't a light sleeper, so what started with you guiding his hand down your pants ended up with him taking your virginity. slowly, quietly, tenderly. he locked eyes with you and didn't glance away for one second that night. told you words that were probably too soon to be said.

the three words left your lips like a secret, matching his.

things changed when summer ended, school coming at you in full speed.

and maybe it was your fault, with all ap classes, extracurricular, volunteer works you put yourself through, or maybe it was the naivety of not asking what you two were, of not labeling what you both shared before the outside world came into play.

or maybe it was isaac's fault, and the way his outspoken personality sometimes served as a shield to his secretive actions. whatever it really was, you would barely see each other at school, each with your own little friend group, different classes, you were lucky to catch him in the hallways, where he would smile at you and touch your hand lightly as if you two were a secret.

were you? not exactly, but isaac wanted to keep you away from the mess, away from the killing, the blood, the fear. he didn't want to taint what you both had, so the more you didn't have time, the more he got away from you, slipped from your fingers.

and before you could even fight it, try anything to keep him, there was allison.

laughing with him, touching his arms, knowing things about him you would never dream about, you could see it, even from afar, the eyes of two people who connected.

confidants.

it broke you. but you couldn't do anything about it, you felt like it was your fault, as if your oh so busy academic life pushed him away. you let him go, no more texts, no more looking for a glance and a soft touch pass the hallways.

for weeks it was almost like it never happened, like your life was ever the same, like it didn't change past summer. of course you would go through the texts you shared from time to time, shed a few tears and pretend to get over it. and it worked.

until he was at your door sobbing. bloody. completely lost.

allison was dead. and nothing would ever be the same again.

[waywardducks]

I just can't stop thinking about the idea of y/n and Jason having a meet-cute in a bookstore! It's so cozy and sweet. I’ve had this idea in my head for days now.

CW: Fluff, a bit OOC, mentions of fighting and of Jason’s death, Gn reader

⋆ ✩₊˚ ʚ♡ɞ ˚₊✩⋆

Jason was fighting with Bruce, which meant Jason would not be going to the manor for the next few weeks. At least not until one of the men decided to give in and apologize. Which would be a while this time. Usually, when it is Jason’s fault his brothers will talk him into apologizing and help him recognize where he was wrong. But this time Bruce is wrong. Meaning no one, not even Alfred will be able to get this man to pull his head out of his ass. Maybe they could if Jason fought hard enough, and threw enough hard-hitting insults to breach the stony exterior that is Batman. But Jason doesn’t feel like breaking his own heart right now, so he’s opting for the long run, waiting (im)patiently as far from Batman as possible. Bruce will come back and apologize eventually when the silence and lack of his second son start feeling too close to when Jason was dead. When memories start to surface grief begins to overwhelm the man.

For now, though, Jason is content to sit in his apartment and read. The only real downside is that the book he had been reading was currently still in the manor’s library. Technically Jason could just ask one of his siblings to retrieve it for him, but he’s still hurt from his fight with his father and doesn’t feel like doing something vulnerable, like asking for help.

So he heads to the bookstore. He’s been to this particular bookstore a million times. It’s cozy, nestled on the edge of Blüdhaven, close to the border. Sometimes Jason would head to Dick’s apartment afterwards, since he was in his brother’s neighborhood. The shop has a little cafe area, indoor and outdoor seating, a covered patio with a couch that Jason enjoyed sitting on when it was raining.

A bell chimes his arrival as he entered the small shop.

“Welcome in!” An older woman greets from behind the counter.

Jason gives the woman a smile before making his way to the Shakespeare section. He began browsing the titles, trying to find the exact one he was looking for.

The bell chimes and again, but Jason paid it no real mind, only acknowledging that a third person was now in the store.

“Oh! Y/n. How lovely to see you again.” The woman at the front exclaims.

“Hey Mrs Goodmen! How’ve you been?” The newcomer asked.

“Just perfect, thank you for asking dear. What brings you in today?”

“I need a new copy of a book I love. I let my friend borrow it a year ago and I don't think I'm getting it back.”

“Well, you go find it, let me know if you need any help, okay?”

“Of course, thank you!”

There was silence again as the person began browsing aisles. Jason smiled as he found the book he was looking for. He pulled it off the shelf and began flipping through the pages.

“Oh, how funny.” A voice startles Jason out of his skimming and he looks up. It was the person that had been talking the lady.

“What's funny?” Jason asked, closing his book.

“That's the book I was looking for.” They say, pointing at paperback in Jason’s hands.

Jason smiles. “Oh, that is funny.”

“Great minds think alike.” The person jokes. “I'm Y/n, by the way.”

“Jason. Nice to meet you.”

“You too!”

Jason watches as Y/n grabs a copy of the same book off the shelf.

“I've read this like 8 times now. I'm planning on actually annotating it this time. It's just so good. Oh! I should check to see if they have that new book I wanted to read.” Y/n mumbles.

Jason thinks it's cute how distracted they got all of a sudden. They themselves were cute. The oversized sweater they’re wearing, the concentrated look on their face as they search for the book they need, even the way their hair looks like they just rolled out of bed.

Jason pulls a small notebook out of his pocket and writes his name and number on it quickly. He doesn’t normally do this sort of thing, maybe it was because this person had similar taste in reading. Jason isn't sure, but he did know that this person is cute and he wants to get to know them.

“Are you a Shakespeare fan?” Y/n asks all of a sudden.

Jason chuckles. “I suppose you can say that. Though I suppose I'm more of a classical literature fan.”

Y/n smiles a bit wider at that. “Me too! I especially love Greek mythology and Gothic romance. Oh! They do have it! Perfect, I've been so excited for this one!” Y/n plucks a book off the shelf and does a triumphant little twirl.

Jason takes note of the book in her hand. “Biography of Mary Casset?”

Y/n shows Jason the books. “Yep! She was an impressionist painter whose main focus was on the relationships between mother and child. She also used traditional Chinese printing methods. She was a hardcore feminist and never stopped even after facing backlash for being a female artist in a male-dominated industry. I adore her.”

Jason can't help but stare at Y/n as they gushed over the artist. The way they ramble and are so passionate about it has his heart beating a lot faster all of a sudden.

“She sounds pretty fucking cool. I might need to grab me a copy of that as well.” He says. “Oh yeah, said you wanted to annotate this book,” he lifts the book that brought them both here in the first place. “We should get together sometime, compare notes maybe?”

Y/n blushes. “Yeah. That sounds like a lot of fun.” They smile brightly.

“Awesome! Here, take this.” Jason hands them the paper with his number on it. “Text me, we’ll make it a date?”

Y/n’s blush darkens. “Of course! I, uh, maybe a cafe or something? I’ll, umm, I'll have to check and see when I'm free.” They stammer as they carefully place the paper in their bag.

“Perfect. I'll be waiting to hear from you then.” Jason winks before turning and walking to the counter. He checks out and makes his way back to his apartment.

⋆ ✩₊˚ ʚ♡ɞ ˚₊✩⋆

What do y'all think? I tried to keep the book nondescript but then went I ranted too hard about Mary Casset. My bad. I hope that my little explanation at the end there makes up for how ooc Jay is. Let me know if you want more! Feel free go request and give a prompt as well! I love writing and I want to do more of it!

Also, I apologize for any mistakes. I have major Dyslexia and Grammarly doesn't always fix everything. I hope you Enjoyed! 🌼🐛

[catalystcorvid]

Where to Find Free, Legal Books

If you have access to a public library and/or have college credentials;

Libby - Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. Free, but requires a library card. Materials aren't infinite, so popular titles will often have a several week long waitlist. If you're in the US (or sufficiently crafty) you can sign up for a free card from the Queer Liberation Library.

Hoopla - Another service often bundled with a library card. The selection is smaller than Libby, but you have a limited number of instant borrows per month to cash in.

EBSCOhost Research - Ebooks and research materials, usually offered through a college. Where I do most of my reading lately, TBH.

Worldcat - Browse the world’s libraries from one search box. Easiest way to find out where to go to check out a book if you can't find it at your usual spot.

US residents will likely have a public library near them, but if you cannot go in person and sign up, there are a number of public libraries that don't require anything but a local address to get an Ecard. The libraries that offer this change frequently, so ask around.

Also keep in mind that US public libraries don't typically purchase self published material. If you're looking for your favorite tumblr author's book, you might want to try the links below instead.

If you can't get a library card (or couldn't find what you're looking for)

Open Library - Large collection of ebooks. Some materials may not be available currently due to ongoing legal issues.

Project Gutenburg - Another huge collection of ebooks, probably the most well-known option on this list.

Standard Ebooks - Professionally formatted public domain ebooks (sourced from places like Project Gutenburg but then turned into dynamic epubs)

LibriVox - Public Domain Audiobooks. Extremely limited library, but provides a rare service.

Audible Free Trial - Amazon offers a free trial of their service, with one free title on signup. You need a viable payment method to get access, but you keep the book even after you cancel. Don't give Amazon your money, folks.

I'd also recommend trawling youtube and soundcloud for user-made audiobooks. The quality varies, but I've been surprised at the results.

Other cool resources

StoryGraph - A non-Amazon GoodReads alternative, for those who like to challenge themselves to read more or enjoy writing book reviews.

Banned books list - Around since 1994 and currently still updated weekly, this site showcases books that are either banned or have been attempted to have been banned somewhere in the US. Some are available to read for free on site.

[honeyflower-bellybower]

Poet Remus AU, part 3

Somehow, Regulus agrees to let Sirius read his own copy of the Moonlights. Sirius almost can't believe it. He covers the small book with his hand, coveting it in his lap.

«What about the new publication? Is it more poems?»

At that, Regulus bristles and Sirius is surprised by his wry tone. «No. Prose. Dialogues. On damnation and lovers.»

«What is it about? Do you have it?»

«You’ll have to get that one from a library, I read it at the club. A borrowed copy, I couldn't tell you whose. I don’t think anyone there would admit to owning one.»

«…you didn’t like it?»

Regulus takes a second to answer that, though when he does he seems sure. «Too political. And lacking in form, too.»

«How can something titled Damnation and lovers be political?»

«Read the damned book, Sirius, I’m not your syllabus.»

«Dear, thank you. Sorry for abusing your precious time.»

Sirius leaves the library feeling pissed. He shuts himself in his own room, drops down on the bed and opens the Moonlights. He cracks the spine, just out of spite.

The first poem is a short one. It starts and ends in that same page. It’s called “I a man”. It’s divided into two, short beats, each made up of four verses. The first stanza is just a description. A lake, at night, and the grass next to it, the pebbles at the bottom of it. It’s ethereal and calm. The second is much faster in rhythm. Hasty, almost dismissive.

Daylight did the slumber span waters bent as wind whiffed past So it was my life began, green the earth and I a man.

It's interesting, to Sirius, how one would choose to dedicate more space to describing the scenery than their own birth, or awakening. But he'd never been good at interpreting poetry. He always seemed to find an alternate meaning in verses, instead of the intended one. At least, that was his tutor's opinion.

This aside, he finds himself turning the page eagerly. It was just a poem, no spiritual or social undertones, and certainly nothing scandalous. Yet the words were lovely and the rhythm smooth, soothing his restless mind. “I a man” isn't going to be his poetic awakening, but it has something. It promises Sirius even without finding any scandalous content, he’ll enjoy the read anyway.

But oh, Sirius does find it.

Regulus was right. There is no outright rejection of religious values, of course, God is actually mentioned in a couple verses, but always with a sense of distance or disappointment. The general tone of the collection is melancholic, imbued with an earthly cynicism that can only belong to a non-believer. Even without directly addressing the crown, the theme of lacking freedom is recurring, with the implication that people remain obliviously complicit in their own oppression. Sirius somewhat expected a critique to England's reign or societal situation, but he finds the commentary is broader, more of a condemnation of power itself, beautifully complemented by soft odes to nature's peaceful stillness in contrast.

As for the romantic themes… well. Sirius can see why no one found any reproach for those. Every few poems, one is about love. Specifically, about the physicality of love. And it's rendered so elegantly, in delicate yet passionate song, that no one in their right mind could find anything to pick on. They are explicit narrations, yes, but so focused on details that the big picture is often impossible to read. Therefore, the crude aspect is completely absent. A single portion of skin is detailed for a whole stanza. A sound the anonymous lover makes, a crease of their expression. Emotions or feelings are never named, but the tone is adoring. Sometimes yearning, then gentle and admiring. They're absolutely exquisite and Sirius’ favorite.

Sirius is halfway through the entire collection when he realizes his eyes are straining. He’d slowly come closer to the pages as the burning light of the morning turned into the softer hue of the afternoon. Now it's almost sundown, complicit the short hours of winter, and the tall window near Sirius’ bed won't provide illumination enough to keep reading for long.

He considers taking a break. But suddenly the words come to life in his head, not images, but a whirlwind of thought. A hurricane, and Sirius feels he has to hold on to something or he’ll be swept away. So he opens the book again and clings to it like a lifeline. He pauses only to move to the desk and pull out a candle, grasping at it like a sick to their medicine. He lights it and goes back to read.

Later, he'll realize what it was. Not a paranormal effect, nor a trick of his mind. It was just that the poems were made to each be read independently, and reflected upon before moving on to the next one. Sirius, who's always tended to immerse himself in a single task, kept his brain quiet throughout the entire reading. The second he let himself space to think, the burden of the possible meanings and interpretations and opinions about every line hit him all together.

That happens again when he finishes the book, leaving him overwhelmed in the middle of the long January evening, with the small volume still open at the last, blank page.

He sits there for a long time, only living inside his mind. He picks the big jumble apart, thinking each thought one at a time. He visits the sceneries again, the landscapes and the small objects and the fragments of loved people. He lets himself feel each emotion. The rage, the grief, the frustration, the heartache. For a moment he thinks he'll take a rifle on his shoulder and go to war. Against oppressors all around the world, against the rich, and his own family, against the King himself. And then sorrow washes over, seclusion, melancholy for something he doesn't even know.

Finally, he feels calm. Wholly at peace, like he's lying down in the grass, on a warmer, kinder evening, under the last stars of the night, on the shores of a lake. It is that very first poem’s view, he recalls.

So it was my life began,

green the earth and I a man.

Read part 2 here, read part 4 here.

Please note that I am not a poet, furthest thing from it really, so yeah. Also this is rather plot-less and just my personal ode to Remus' amazing writing skills that I made up lol. Promise actual plot is coming! This "episode fic" is really just me brain-munchin on my own idea though, so don't expect too much.