#category:f&m

[prettygirl-gabi]

Skin to Skin

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Rating: General Audiences

Warning:Fluffy fluff, even more fluff, very boring but cute aftercare

Category:F/M

Fandom: Matt Sturniolo (Sturniolo Triplets)

Relationships: !boyfriend Matt Sturniolo x f reader

Summary: imagine laying on top of matt skin to skin after sex and he’s just carresing the back of ur head 😢

This came from @mattscoquette and her anonymous ask.... I hope I did it justice and I hope I did it well

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I lay on top of Matt, our bodies warm and tangled, the only sounds in the room being the quiet hum of the city outside and our slowed breaths. My head rests against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear is comforting. His arm is wrapped around my shoulders, his hand moving slowly up and down my back, tracing small, soothing circles. I feel safe, cocooned in the warmth of his skin and the softness of his touch.

Neither of us says anything for a while, content in the shared silence. I close my eyes, feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. The room is dimly lit, a soft glow from the bedside lamp casting gentle shadows over us. I can feel him occasionally shift, his fingers grazing the back of my neck, sliding up into my hair, then back down to the base of my spine. I love the way he touches me—so careful, as if I might slip away if he’s not gentle enough.

"Are you okay?" he asks quietly, his voice a soft rumble that I feel more than I hear.

I nod, too relaxed to open my eyes just yet. "Mhm," I murmur, nestling closer. "I'm perfect."

He laughs, a quiet sound, and I feel his chest vibrate beneath me. "Perfect, huh?" He shifts slightly, brushing a few strands of hair away from my face. "I can live with that."

I smile, opening my eyes to look up at him. His face is relaxed, his eyes soft and sleepy. There’s something in his gaze that makes my heart flutter—a kind of tenderness that he usually hides beneath his usual jokes and laid-back attitude. But right now, with just the two of us here, he doesn’t hold anything back.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers, almost like he doesn’t mean to say it out loud. His hand moves up to cradle the back of my head, his thumb tracing a gentle line along my cheek. "I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this."

My cheeks flush, and I look away, a little embarrassed. "Stop," I mumble, though I don’t really want him to.

But he shakes his head, his gaze steady. "No. I mean it. You’re... you’re everything." His words are soft, sincere, and they settle in my chest, warm and comforting.

I close my eyes again, letting his words sink in. It's moments like these that make everything worth it—the late-night conversations, the small, quiet gestures, the laughter we share. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this connected to someone, like we’re two parts of the same whole.

After a few more minutes, I shift, lifting myself up just enough to meet his gaze. "You don’t have to be all sweet, you know," I tease, though my voice comes out softer than I intended. "I’m not going anywhere."

He smiles, his fingers brushing against my temple. "I know," he says, pulling me back down to his chest. "But I want to. I like being sweet to you."

His words make my heart ache in the best way. I wrap my arms around him, holding him close, feeling his warmth seep into me. It’s quiet again, and I close my eyes, letting myself sink into the moment. I feel him press a soft kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering for a moment before he settles back against the pillow.

"Are you tired?" he asks after a while, his voice low.

I shake my head, running my hand up his side, feeling the way his muscles shift beneath my touch. "Not really. I just want to stay like this."

"Good," he murmurs, tightening his arm around me. "Because I’m not letting you go."

We lay there for a while longer, wrapped up in each other. His fingers never stop moving, tracing gentle patterns along my back, his touch grounding me, reminding me that he’s here, that this is real.

Eventually, I break the silence, lifting my head to look at him again. "What are you thinking about?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looks at me, his gaze soft, thoughtful. "Just… you. Us. How lucky I am."

His words hit me, filling me with a warmth that I can’t quite put into words. "I’m the lucky one," I whisper, brushing my fingers over his jawline. "I didn’t think I’d ever feel like this."

He smiles, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Me neither," he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin. "But I don’t want it any other way."

I close my eyes, letting his words wash over me, letting myself believe them. There’s a vulnerability in moments like this, a kind of raw, unfiltered honesty that makes me feel closer to him than ever. It’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

He shifts slightly, adjusting the blankets around us, making sure I’m comfortable. His touch is gentle, reassuring, like he’s trying to tell me without words that he’ll always be here, that he’ll always take care of me.

"I love you," he whispers, almost like he’s afraid to break the quiet, but his words settle over me like a blanket, warm and comforting.

I look up at him, my heart swelling. "I love you too," I whisper back, my voice thick with emotion.

He pulls me closer, his hand moving up to cradle the back of my head, his fingers tangled in my hair. And in that moment, I know that this is where I belong—right here, in his arms, safe and loved.

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-Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

-prettygirl-gabi🎀✨️

[broomsticks]

What was the HP fandom on AO3 writing in 2022?

some stats diving, ship- and femslash-focused.

default filters used for everything unless indicated otherwise: language: english, no crossovers. only on AO3 (obviously)

hmm someday i'll do a yearly breakdown maybe.

for reference, there were ~324,676 total works in the HP tag updated in 2022 and before, so the top ship Drarry makes up 16% of HP works.

ships in this list but not the former: jegulus, dorlene, and regulus & sirius.

ships in the former list but not this one: snarry, sevmione, tomarry.

harry the character is tagged in 42.7% of all HP works.

the list of "fastest-growing HP character tags in 2022" was almost identical to this. sirius, remus, james, and lily went up one place, severus and ginny down by one, and ron dropped by two. no change in the top 3.

i'm thinking of doing one for HP ships but am unsure which ships to do. you can get a rough estimation from graph #2 though!

A closer look at just the 2022 ships:

filters used: english, no crossovers, works updated between 2022-01-01 and 2022-12-31.

color = ship type by canonical gender. outlined = canon ship

Background vs main pairing ships:

most commonly tagged ships, with the otp:true filter:

very pretty spread of (canon gender, not AO3 category) F/M & M/M ships here.

notable: there is not a single snape ship in the first list, and two snape ships in the second (sevmione at #4 !! and snarry at #8). grindeldore is the other new entry, and

romione, dorlene and regulus & sirius fell out of the top 10

this is probably a better view though:

a mix of all ships in either of the top two graphs (excluding the platonic ship regulus & sirius by definition of the otp:true filter), plus remadora.

open to more ship suggestions, but at some point i need to think about a size cutoff

anyway: some interesting strata here:

snarry+sevmione at the >60-70% mark. (do all snape ships show this trend? just crossgen snape ships? what about other crossgen ships? to be investigated)

grindeldore is an expected outlier due to the different canonical time period

marauders era tends to have more fics-with-multiple-tagged-ships. unexpected - there are so many more named lightning gen characters! lightning gen fandom more splintered/fragmented?

clustering of canon couples at the 15-20% mark, surprisingly consistent across marauders vs lightning gen

oooooo i could soapbox about this dorlene outlier for days. (tldr: if you want to write OFCxOFC that's all well and good, but writing OFCxOFC as what's quite clearly a background ship and a background ship alone? i think we can do better.)

Multi-shipping & ship overlap

marauders era is dominated by one main fanon pairing. no other “/” pairing with either of these two characters makes the top 10 list. in contrast, wrt lightning gen, Draco, Harry, and Hermione are all shipped with each other, with all three combinations making the top 10 list.

there is one pair of marauders era ships with ship overlap, though. which means stats! also included remadora as an additional comparison point since that's another big overlapping ship

jegulus AND jily are tagged in 675 works, out of 3944 works (17%) where all three of james, lily, and regulus are tagged.

meanwhile drarry + dramione: 80 works tagging both ships, out of 8128 works tagging all 3 characters, with an overlap of <1% fics tagging both ships. these two do not mix.

actually ykw this all was very funny

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✨ FEMSLASH! ✨

filters used: english, no crossovers, works updated between 2022-01-01 and 2022-12-31, and category:F/F.

ok so that's a complete nonstarter 😂

tried two ways of filtering down to just femslash ships without losing too much else in the process:

1) excluding works tagged M/M, F/M, and Gen (leaving 2765 fics)

dashed outline = cross-gen ship. solid = marauders gen. everything else = lightning gen.

oh, interesting, people are writing genderbend wolfstar? *checks fics* -- no they're not. 'nuff said.

2) instead, tried adding the otp:true filter (2402 fics)

very similar results -- both lists had the same 9 femslash ships. Bellamione (#1 on both), Fleurmione (#2), Pansmione (#3/#4), Dorlene (#3/#5), Linny (#4/#6), Cissamione (#5/#6), Ginmione (#7/#9), Marylily (#7/#9), Ginsy (#8/#10).

i don't see any obvious trends re. which ships are ranked higher on one list vs the other.

a real quick rating comparison between categories, using the otp:true filter:

"angst" and "fluff" were the top two tags used for most categories so i decided to try a bit of:

<1 = more angst works than fluff, >1 = more fluff works than angst.

the other top tags for each category:

F/F and F/M: both romance (#3)

M/M: established relationship (#3)

Multi: polyamory (#3)

Other: au canon divergence (#3). "other" was used to refer to a mix of NB/trans character, thingfic, and x reader.

Gen: au canon divergence (#1). i was worried about using the otp:true filter for gen fic but the top two tags were indeed & tags (harry & severus, regulus & sirius).

[miraculous-bookshelf]

He'll Never See It Coming

by jokermans

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:F/M

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Relationships:Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Characters: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe

Additional Tags:Romance, Comedy, Teen Romance, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Identity Reveal, Fluff and Humor, Blind Date

Language: English

Published: 2021-06-24

Completed: 2021-07-02

Words: 9,649

Chapters: 3/3

Summary

Ladybug has fallen in love with Chat Noir (finally) and wanted to surprise him one night by confessing her love and revealing her identity to him. It was going great… until Cat Noir mentioned he’s fallen in love with someone else. “Who’s the lucky lady, Chat?” She hesitantly asked. “The girl I’m in love with is—-“ Ladybug turned her head away slightly to soften the blow of hearing this other girl’s name. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” He said. “What?!”

[ao3-fanfics-recs]

Fanfic Rec: All Hail the Dark Lord, Or Something Idiotic Like That

Rating:Teen and up

Archive warning: major character death

Category:F/M, M/M

Characters/Pairings:Harry Potter/Percy Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Sirius Black/Severus Snape, Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks

Summary: Harry Potter had a plan...it wasn't a very good plan, but at least it was simple.

Step 1: Don't die from the insanely difficult ritual

Step 2: Cause as much chaos to the timeline as possible before getting killed and/or arrested

As it goes, it was really simple...until it became clear he wasn't traveling back in time alone. Now the whole plan has to change.

Step 1: Don't die from the ritual

Step 2: Kill off current Dark Lord

Step 3: Establish following to become new Dark Lord

Step 4: Overthrow Ministry

Step 5: Cause as much chaos to the timeline as possible

Step 6: Keep boyfriend alive and not mad at him

It was a work in progress, but plans hadn't worked out well for Harry in the past regardless. Oh well, it's not like he could make things worse...

Read on ao3

[shamelesslymkp]

REC: shadowquill17 - so full of love I could barely eat

URL: https://ift.tt/HC6QK4R by @shadowquill17 Charles thought Edwin was cute the moment they met, even before he knew Edwin was a ghost. And he didn’t stop after he knew, either. He was dying but he wasn’t blind, so he noticed Edwin’s graceful hands and Edwin’s adorable dimples and Edwin’s long, long legs, but he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, so he made sure to keep that off his face.But Edwin kept—talking and being pretty and looking at Charles like he was happy to see him, even know they didn’t even know each and no one had looked at Charles like that in—in a long fucking time.   The one where Charles knew first. (Words: 9,591) !!!fandom, !!fic, |site:ao3, +fandom:dead.boy.detectives.(tv), ::rating:teen.and.up.audiences, ~author:shadowquill17, character:charles.rowland.(dcu), character:edwin.paine.|.edwin.payne, character:crystal.palace.(dcu), character:niko.sasaki, relationship:edwin.paine.|.edwin.payne/charles.rowland, relationship:crystal.palace.&.charles.rowland.(dcu), relationship:charles.rowland.&.niko.sasaki, ::category:f/f, .m/m, \no.archive.warnings.apply, ~ao3:pov.charles.rowland.(dcu), ~ao3:post-canon, ~ao3:charles.knew.first, ~ao3:oblivious.charles.rowland.(dcu), ~ao3:heartbreak, ~ao3:pining, ~ao3:self-esteem.issues, ~ao3:friendship, ~ao3:crystal.is.tired.of.charles’.bullshit.and.tells.it.like.it.is, ~ao3:mostly.because.she.can.absolutely.relate, ~ao3:niko.is.an.angel.and.we.love.her, ~ao3:crystal.and.niko.are.dating.in.this, ~ao3:but.i.don’t.know.if.i.should.tag.it.in.the.relationship.tags, ~ao3:because.it’s.not.central?, ~ao3:minor.crystal.palace/niko.sasaki, ~ao3:anyway.back.to.payneland.and.their.dumbassery, ~ao3:misunderstandi

[mahariel-theirin]

Eighteen

Category:F/M

Fandom: Infamous - Amy (Interactive Fiction)

Relationship: Seven Lawless/MC

Additional Tags: Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff

Word count: 5457

Summary: Aoi always believed that turning 18 was life changing. She just didn't expect the change to come after a game of spin the bottle.

Read on AO3

Excerpt:

He frowned, lips pursed. “You're moving two hours away.”

Aoi smiled. “Are you pouting?”

The tips of his lips curled lower. “No I'm not. Don't change the subject.”

Aoi pulled away, meaning to flick on the bed lamp. But before she could stray far, Sev grabbed her wrist and tucked their joined hands under his chin. Aoi’s lips parted with a sharp breath. Against her knuckles, she felt the rhythm of Seven’s heart—too fast for someone who was as frozen as her.

“Stay with me,” Aoi blurted

[silurisanguine]

Rating:Explicit

Archive Warnings:

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Major Character Death

Category:F/M

Fandom:Starfield (Video Game)

Relationships:

Sam Coe/Spacefarer | Player Character

Cora Coe & Sam Coe

Characters:

Sam Coe

Barrett (Starfield)

Andreja (Starfield)

Sarah Morgan (Starfield)

Seren Jones OC

Additional Tags:

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

What-If

I'm putting my spacefarer through heartbreak

Major and i mean major character death

Angst with a Happy Ending

Angst with a capital A

Starfield endgame spoilers

Possible Soulmates

Summary:

Seren's first experiences as a Starborn make her wonder if it is a cursed life

[thestonelady]

Chapter 31 is up!

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category:F/M Fandoms: The Flower from Tiamat's Fire (Visual Novel), Romance club - Fandom Relationships: Niall/Nikkal, Niall (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire)/Nikkal (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Characters: Nikkal (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Niall (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Su, Shimun, Ethan (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Varassa (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Iyar (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Agga, Unzi, Kingu (The Flower from Tiamat’s Fire), Enki, Shamash, Enlil, Ishtar, Ninhursag, Other(s) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, War, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Character Death, Original Character Death(s), Lagash’s A+ Parenting, Enki’s A+ Parenting, Shamash Is His Own Warning, Enlil Is His Own Warning, Enki Is His Own Warning, Ishtar Is Her Own Warning, Dragons, Additional world building, Eventual Smut, Slow Burn, Intrigue, Tags May Change, Hurt/Comfort, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Battle Couple, slowburn ended in ch28 Language: English Words: 176,677

Summary AU - Nikkal and her friends were born earlier, and were recruited into the army to fight against Kengir. Alone, Nikkal ends up under the command of Enki’s general. Her goal: to survive and regain control over her magic.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! However, I have to announce something – I won’t be posting chapters in the following two weeks because I am travelling and will be without computer. So the next chapter will be posted on the 13th of May and weekly updates will hopefully continue throughout the month before I go on hiatus in June due to exams.

Thank you for understanding!

[notoriousnelly]

Another Story Done 🎉

Enchanted Illusion

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning:Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category:F/M

Summary:

Astrid has the power to make others see and hear the person they love most, a dangerous and uncontrollable magic that causes harm to everyone around her. She knew one day she'd leave her adopted family she just never thought she'd be leaving with the Avengers or that they could be the ones to help her?

Over time it becomes obvious that very few Avengers trust her and no one can help her with her magic, not even Wanda. So how come Thor knows exactly what to do? Can he really help her? And why won't he stop staring at her?

She should probably let him know she's not interested, because there’s a certain super soldier she has her sight set on, she's just not sure he feels the same way.

[soulhusbands]

Her boys are gravitating towards each other like flowers turning towards the sun, everything and everyone else fading into the background. The quiet, desperate wonder in their eyes—it’s the same look that used to pass between her parents whenever her father came home from a hunt. Mary watches Dean brush a strand of hair out of Sam’s face, watches Sam curl his fingers into the collar of Dean’s coat, and suddenly wants to throw up from loneliness.

A Family Affair by @frozen-delight​​

Sam/Dean Teen Canon - Season 12 Outsider POV 3k [more on pinboard]

[alia-turin-fanfiction]

Because @golden-olea absolutely loves one of my OCs and I love him as well and she is my excuse to continue writing about him

Fic Title: Hot Spring Rating: Explicit Category:F/M/M Fandom: Wiedźmin | The Witcher Relationships: Eredin Bréacc Glas/Original Female Character(s)Original Male Character(s)/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Eredin Bréacc Glas Original Characters Original Female Character(s)Original Male Character(s) Additional Tags: Threesome - F/M/MPool SexHot Springs & OnsenBlow JobsMaster/SlaveElf/Human Relationship(s)One Night Stands

AO3 Link

She watched the elf as he walked to the hot spring. His Red Rider armor was still on him, dirt and blood covering some of the shiny pieces of metal. He wasn’t wearing a helmet, his golden hair was tied in a high ponytail and she froze as his warm blue eyes stopped on her. She bowed her head realizing she had been staring. She had been working in the hot springs for a month now, she had seen a lot of elves pass through here, soldiers, generals, noblemen and even common merchants, but he was certainly one of the most handsome she had seen. 

He tilted his head in curiosity, probably seeing the blush on her cheeks. 

“I think this is the part where you help me take my armor off.” his voice didn’t sound annoyed, teasing or cheerful was what she would go for. That surprised her. Someone else, using these words probably would be already shouting at her. 

She didn’t wait for a second invitation not wanting to test her own luck. She came closer to him, her fingers easily finding the straps and ties of his armor. She remembered the first time she had to take one of these, her hands were shaking and she didn’t know where to start. Now that wasn’t a problem. Piece by piece she shed the metal from his body, then she unbuttoned the shirt, her movements becoming more nervous as she knew he was staring at her. She removed the garment and began folding it neatly as her eyes watched his body. She could see every muscle on his chest, arms and abdomen neatly outlined, he had a tattoo on the right side of his ribs, a horse standing on its hind legs, breathing fire. She wondered if that was something all Red Riders did, they were horsemen after all.

“Saw something you like?” he asked teasingly again and she realized she had stopped folding and had been just staring at him. 

“My apologies, my lord.” she felt stupid. He had been doing that every day for a month, she should just get it together. 

“Not a lord.” Aedan put two fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him, just as she was about to reach for his belt. She was pretty, big blue eyes staring at him, long brown hair reaching way past her shoulders. “And you didn’t answer my question. Did you see something you like?”

She didn’t answer, just stared at him, probably concerned she had stepped over the line. She probably had, but he didn’t care. 

“You are pretty.” he said with a smile and her face turned almost as red as his cloak. “Can I kiss you?” this time she nodded, a bit hesitant but she nodded. Aedan leaned forward, and pressed his lips against hers, realizing it has been months since he has felt a touch like that. Stupid border patrools. “Why don’t you finish what you started.” he looked down at his pants which was the only piece of clothing he had left. 

Her face was still flushed but her fingers resumed to his belt, then his pants. She pulled them down, stopping for a second as she saw the bandage around his right thigh. 

“You won’t hurt me.” he finally said as he saw how much she was trying to prevent touching anywhere near the bandage. It had been bad a week ago, it still hurt when he walked or when he rode his horse, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been when Eredin found him bleeding, dying. 

He stood there naked in front of her when she tried to make a step to the side to allow him to walk in the hot water, but he grabbed her hand and turned her with her back toward him. 

“Tell me if you want me to stop.” She was a servant and he knew he could do whatever, but he did not like abusing that power. Not like that. 

He kissed her neck, gently, his fingers easily finding the laces of her drass and working them slowly. His lips moved to her back, kissing every inch that the fabric revealed under his touch. Her dress fell around her feet and he pulled her body closer to his pressing her hardness against her back. She moaned as he cupped her breasts with his hand, her whole body feeling so small and fragile compared to his.  He moved one of his hands between her legs feeling she was already wet, he smiled as his fingers started teasing her, gently caressing her clit until she started moaning and wiggling against him. He continued kissing her neck softly, his body wrapped around hers, as he pushed two of his fingers in her, she felt so tight around him, he needed to push her on the ground and just take her like that, but he also doubted his legs would be able to withstand that without opening the wound. He continued fucking her with his fingers, his thumb on her clit pressing harder. 

“Look at you, going to come around my fingers like a little slut.” he whispered in her ear and he felt her tense under him as she came. 

Eredin walked to the hotspring, it had been a long trip, he needed to clean himself and relax in the hot water. His body ached and he needed rest. The springs had turned into something like a tradition for him and his men, the mountains around Tir na Lia were filled with them. The Aen Elle had found something sacred in the hot springs, a way to relax and communicate in the peaceful environment. All springs had servants that took care of the place, but humans were not allowed in. 

Eredin was about to walk to the pool, surprised that he had not been greeted by anyone, and then he realized why. The first thing that reached his ears was the lewd noises, a woman purring and moaning. Then he saw it, tall blond elf had wrapped his arms around a servant girl, one of his hands on her breasts the other between her legs fucking her slowly. Eredin raised an eyebrow, realizing who the elf was. He was surprised with the injury on his leg, Aedan was up for any of that, the man barely walked and barely rode, even if he did not complain for a second. He just leaned against the nearby wall and watched, his man was playing with the girl, her body completely helpless against his. 

For his own surprise he could feel himself getting hard, the space in his pants getting tighter with every time her body wiggled against Aedan’s, but Eredin watched. Now was not the time for him to walk in. He saw Aedan moving his lips from her neck to her ear, he could see his mouth moving and words coming out of it, words he could not hear, but whatever he said made the girl tense and then she came around wiggling even harder against him. Aedan kissed her, his hand gently caressing her arm. Interesting, from everything he knew about the man he would not expect him to be the caring type. He whispered something in her ear again and the girl turned around, her face flushed with embarrassment. Eredin watched her get on her knees, her lips slowly sliding over the tip of his cock. Now was the time to walk in. 

“Having fun?” Aedan groaned as he heard the familiar voice behind himself. He thought he had heard footsteps earlier, but as no one came, he thought it was just his imagination. The girl jumped away from him and stood up, turned toward Eredin but her head was bowed down in shame, her hands trying to cover her nakedness mostly unsuccessful. 

“Didn’t know watching was your thing.” Aedan was trying not to growl. Things between him and Eredin were complicated at best. The man had been his commander for months now and certainly his opinion has changed a bit. At first he thought Eredin to be nothing more than a lordling, a nobleman’s son who had been given that command to get some glory under his belt until he moved to a more pleasant life in Tir na Lia. Since then he fought next to the man, with him and Eredin had even saved his ass as much as that annoyed him. Deep down he was starting to understand his initial perception was probably wrong, but he still did not like him or trust him. 

“It is not.” Eredin answered as he took his own clothes off and walked in the hot spring. He moved to the furthest end of the pool and sat on the stone bench that was under the water surface. “Come here.” 

The words were directed at the servant and it took her a moment to realize that, but she started walking in his direction, going around the hot spring. 

“No. Get in.” Eredin’s words surprised even Aedan. Humans were not allowed in the pools, no matter what. He knew his general had shown great care about some traditions and little care about others. The girl hesitated, understandable. “I’m the master of the Wild Hunt, and you will obey me.” The way he spoke the words even Aedan would have obeyed him, if that was directed at him. The girl nodded and got in. “Come to me.” she did, following the same path Eredin had taken. 

Eredin watched the girl as she walked to him. She was pretty, no wonder Aeda had gotten his hands on her, she had been probably the first female he had seen since they returned, but certainly a very good looking one. When she came close to him, Eredin ran a finger over her soft cheek. 

“Was he nice to you?” his eyes were on Aedan who had walked in the pool as well, sitting on the opposite end. “I’m his officer, if he was not nice to you I will punish him.” he didn’t care how Aedan had tried the girl, his words were not for her, they were a reminder for the other man where his place was. 

“He was kind.” she spoke softly as Eredin turned her around so she could face the other elf. 

“Tell me, have you fucked two elves at the same time? Two Red Riders?” she shook her head for no. “Well there is a first time for everything isn’t there?” he said as he sneaked his hand between her legs, feeling the wetness inside her. “Exciting, isn’t it?” she moaned as an answer. 

He lifted her a bit, making her slide down on his cock as he was sitting. Her small hands grabbed his forearms for support, nails digging in the muscle. His hands were on her waist and he picked a harsh speed, moving her body up and down his length, his hips pushing up to bury him deeper. He looked at Aedan and smiled, the man’s blue eyes were a mix of anger and lust. 

“Missing your toy already?” Eredin asked mockingly as he grabbed the girl’s throat and pulled her back, exposing her chest above water. He didn’t stop his violent pace and her moans filled the otherwise peaceful place. 

Aedan couldn’t decide if his anger right now was stronger than his need for release. He wasn’t jealous, the girl meant nothing to him in the grand scheme of things, but he was first there. He knew that was Eredin’s way to put him in his place and he probably deserved it, for all the times he had disobeyed in the last few months. 

He was about to do something stupid and impulsive, his speciality, when Eredin pushed her off himself, the servant whimpering in displeasure. He watched as his general placed his hands on the edge of the pull, and pushed himself up, sitting at that same ledge. 

“I think your pretty mouth has some work to do.” Eredin said as the servant turned toward him. She leaned forward, one hand reaching for his cock, but before she could wrap her lips around his tip, he grabbed her hair violently and pulled up. “Hands behind your back, like a good little slut.” She did, as she was told, immediately, no hesitation and then leaned forward to take him in her mouth as best as she could. 

“Fuck it.” Aedan was done watching. He walked across the pool, as Eredin was giving him a smug smile. He wasn’t even going to ask him for permission. 

Aedan ran his hand over the girl’s back, feeling her tense for a second, his hands grabbed her hips to keep her steady and she froze for a second. 

“Don’t stop.” Eredin said as he tightened the grip around her hair. 

She continued moving her head up and down on his length as Aedan pushed in her, still so wet inside her. He picked an even faster pace than Eredin had, his thrusts moving the water around them and splashing it outside of the pool. She moaned, or tried, Eredin was fulling controlling her head, fucking her mouth with the same pace Aedan was moving in her. He felt the wound on his leg open, blood showed on the surface of the water, but he didn’t care. He continued chasing his orgasm, getting closer with every move, he moved one hand between her legs, finding it easy to drive her over her own edge, and as she started coming around him, he knew he needed just a moment but then something hit his chest and sent him flying back. 

Eredin almost laughed seeing the surprise on Aedan’s face as he kicked him in the chest. The man got on his feet, spitting water as he was trying to say something. The servant just moved her eyes between the two of them, but Eredin jumped in the pool, embracing her. 

“Do you want to return the favor? He made you feel good twice, I think you owe him at least one.” he pushed her closer to Aedan and she stepped behind her. “Take a deep breath and make sure you swallow.” he pushed her head under water, using her hair to guide her to Aedan’s cock. Even if the water was moving he could see her finding her way. Aedan didn’t need an invitation either, he grabbed the back of her head and stared fucking her mouth fast until he came, letting her go. The servant pushed herself out of the water breathing heavily and choking. Eredin gave her a few moments, when he grabbed her hair again and pushed her under the water, her mouth this time wrapped around him. It took him a few thrusts until he came, feeling her gasp for air around him. He let her head go as he needed a moment to recover. When he opened his eyes he saw Aedan sitting on one of the under water stone benches, the servant in his arms. He was kissing her neck and whispering something in her ear. 

“Get out and bring him a bandage.” Eredin had not failed to see the blood in the pool and now that the water had stopped moving he had no problem seeing the source either. 

The girl didn’t hesitate, she freed herself from Aedan’s arms and jumped out of the pool, her step shaky but she found her way easily. 

“You don’t need to be a dick.” Aedan sank a bit deeper in the pool, relaxing his head on the stone. “Especially after that.”

“Are you nice to the deer in the woods before you kill it and skin it?” Eredin sat on the other end of the pool, sinking up to his chin; he needed the warmth of the water to relax his muscles. 

“Do you plan to kill her and skin her?” the blond elf laughed. “She is a toy, but I don’t like breaking my toys.” 

“And where is the fun in that?” Eredin asked and they both shared a smile. He had learned that the two of them had more in common than they didn’t. Maybe that is why they had started on the wrong leg. He didn’t care if Aedan liked him or not, but the man was an excellent soldier and that was something he needed and respected. He was young and reminded Eredin of himself at that age. Impulsive, hungry for glory. “Are we good?” 

“Ask me tomorrow when I am not bleeding in a hot spring because I couldn’t control myself when I saw a pretty face.” Aedan grabbed the stone ledge of the pool and pushed himself out, rolling his body on the floor just as the girl brought the bandage. Eredin sighed. Stubborn. As he thought, they had a lot in common.

[prettygirl-gabi]

Skin

---

‐‐‐

Rating:General Audiences

Warning: Fluff, angst, bitter ex, major friend group dynamic shift

Category:F/M

Fandom: Outerbanks (OBX), (Netflix TV series)

Relationships: JJ Maybank x f reader

Summary: Kie's slowly getting under your skin especially when you're JJ's new girlfriend

Based on recent experiences, and the song skin by Sabrina Carpenter has been stuck in my head for like 6 months on top of the recent experiences...

---

**"Maybe we could’ve been friends, if I met you in another life…"**

The thought crosses my mind as I stand in the middle of the living room, fiddling with my phone, and waiting for JJ to come back from the kitchen. The memory of Kiara's expression when she found out about us is still fresh, lingering like a bitter taste I can’t wash away. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, but I guess things never go as planned.

“You okay?” JJ's voice pulls me from my thoughts as he enters the room, a playful smile tugging at his lips. He’s balancing two mugs of coffee in his hands, making his way toward me like everything in the world is perfectly fine.

I nod, forcing a smile back. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

He hands me one of the mugs, his fingers brushing against mine. The contact is warm, grounding me in the moment. "About Kie?"

I glance away. He knows me too well.

“It’s hard not to think about her,” I admit, sitting down on the worn-out couch. “She was—no, she *is* my friend. I hate that it feels like I’m betraying her.”

JJ sighs and sits next to me, his arm resting casually behind my shoulders. “You didn’t do anything wrong. She’ll come around. It’s just gonna take time.”

**"I’m happy and you hate it, hate it, oh…"**

I wish I could believe him. It’s not that I don’t want to be with JJ—it’s that being with him comes with a whole mess of complications I didn’t see coming. Kie and JJ had always had this unspoken connection. At least, that’s what everyone thought, including me. And then I fell for him. Hard.

Now, it’s like every glance from Kiara is a reminder that I’ve taken something she didn’t realize she wanted until it was too late.

“I don’t think she’s ever going to be okay with it,” I confess quietly. “With us.”

JJ chuckles softly, shaking his head. “Well, that’s too bad. Because I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”

His words make my heart flutter, even though the doubt still lingers in the back of my mind. I know he means it—he’s serious about us, about this. But how do I move forward when the person I care about most next to JJ feels like I’m rubbing this relationship in her face?

**"You can try to get under my, under my, under my skin, while he’s on mine."**

I take a deep breath and lean into him, letting his warmth seep into me. I want to focus on him, on this moment, but the guilt weighs heavy on my chest.

“You think she’ll really get over it?” I ask softly, not really expecting an answer but needing to hear him say it anyway.

JJ turns his head slightly, his lips brushing against my temple. “Eventually. Or maybe not. But either way, I’m not giving this up.” His voice is firm, and I can feel the truth in it.

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to silence the doubt. There’s something undeniably special between us—something that wasn’t there with anyone else. And maybe that’s why it feels so complicated. Maybe that’s why Kiara reacted the way she did when she found out.

**"I wish you knew that even you can’t get under my skin, if I don’t let you in…"**

“It’s not just Kie,” I whisper, more to myself than to him. “It’s everything. The looks. The comments.”

JJ pulls back slightly, his blue eyes searching mine. “You mean from the others? John B? Pope?”

I nod. “They keep acting like this is something we should’ve told them about sooner. Like we should’ve asked for permission or something.”

JJ sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Look, I know it’s complicated with the Pogues, but at the end of the day, they’re gonna support us. Maybe they’re just weirded out because they didn’t see it coming. But who cares? This is about *us*, not them.”

His words are reassuring, but the sting of Kiara’s reaction still sits heavy in my chest. When she found out, the hurt in her eyes was unmistakable. She hadn’t said much, but the silence spoke volumes. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so torn between two people in my life.

“You don’t think I’m a terrible friend, do you?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

JJ tilts his head, his expression softening as he looks at me. “No. You’re not a terrible friend. You just…fell in love. And sometimes, that happens in ways people don’t expect.”

**"And I’m not asking you to let it go, but you’ve been telling your side, so I’ll be telling mine."*

It’s true. Kiara hasn’t exactly been shy about expressing her feelings on the matter, even if it’s been in subtle ways—pointed comments, sideways glances, and the awkward tension that fills the room whenever the three of us are together. But I’ve kept my side of the story mostly to myself, too afraid to make things worse.

“You know she called me the other night?” I say, breaking the silence.

JJ raises an eyebrow. “What did she say?”

“She just…wanted to know why. Why *you*? Why now?”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment, his jaw tensing slightly as he processes my words. “And what did you tell her?”

I shrug, feeling the weight of that conversation settle over me again. “I told her the truth. That it just…happened. That I didn’t plan on falling for you, but I did.”

JJ’s lips quirk into a small smile, though there’s a hint of sadness in it. “And how did she take that?”

I let out a soft laugh, though it’s more out of exasperation than amusement. “She didn’t really respond. Just said she needed time to figure things out.”

He leans back on the couch, pulling me closer into his side. “Then let her have her time. We’ve got all the time in the world.”

**"You can try to get under my, under my, under my skin… but he’s all mine."**

The thing is, I know he’s right. I know that no matter what happens with Kiara or anyone else, this—what we have—it’s real. And I can’t let their opinions, their judgment, get in the way of that. JJ is mine, and I am his. That’s all that should matter.

“I just don’t want to lose her,” I admit softly, resting my head against his shoulder. “Or anyone.”

“You won’t,” JJ murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “And even if things are rocky for a while, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

I close my eyes, letting the comfort of his words wash over me. Maybe it won’t always be easy. Maybe there will always be a part of Kiara that resents me for this. But I can’t let that hold me back from being happy.

**"You can’t get under my skin, if I don’t let you in."**

And I won’t let her. Not anymore.

I pull back slightly to look at JJ, his face soft in the dim light of the room. “I love you, you know.”

His eyes light up with that mischievous glint I’ve come to adore, and he leans in, his lips brushing mine. “I know. And I love you too.”

For the first time in a while, I feel like maybe, just maybe, everything will be okay.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

‐Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

-prettygirl-Gabi✨️🎀

[enby-hawke]

Rating: Mature

Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence                     

Category:F/M

TW: Graphic depictions of violence, exploration of race and class dynamics, eventual smut

So here it is after 3 years of talking about it and then trying to turn it into a comic, I’m kicking it out because it doesn’t pay rent and I have other stories to tell. Here it is. Hope you enjoy. 

----

“I still do not understand what taste is,” the spirit somehow huffed. Malcolm knew it was a mistake to respond at all. The red specter hovered on the edge of Malcolm’s bed, it’s angry red glow a contrast to the murky green that the Fade was hazed in. It had somehow got in again, into the sanctum where he allowed his mind to rest as he guarded the dreamers of Kirkwall. Malcolm could have made his sanctum look like anything, but he didn’t bother giving himself the illusion he was anywhere else but his Circle cell. The thin sandpaper sheets did nothing to soften the metal bed underneath him. The cell had barely enough room for his dresser and desk that he used to do his studies, which he spent more time doodling on than learning. Even here he could still smell the faint aroma of the toilet that was next to his bed. Still, as unpleasant as his sanctum was, he needed a strong sensation to anchor his body, especially if he was going to battle a demon tonight.

Malcolm took in a stale breath, held it for 4 seconds, and gently let it go. It was important that no matter what happened, he remained calm.

The shimmering of the phantom became more urgent, more vibrant. Malcolm continued to ignore it, even turning his head and body away to make a point, but it didn’t seem to stop the creature from trying to dart into view, insistent on having his question answered. After the third turn of his head, the demon reached and gave one of Malcolm’s pointy ears a firm yank, screaming, “Can you hear me?”

On instinct, Malcolm swiped at the demon with a crackling fist, but the demon darted away. The sparks in Malcolm’s hand arced wildly as he leveled it at his target. “Fuck off, demon. I told you, one question.”

The wraith started to warp along with the Fade as anger emanated from Malcolm’s body. Claws started sprouting from it’s fingers and through it’s translucent skin, he could see it’s teeth starting to jut out at odd angles, but the demon made no move to fight him. “Were you listening? I am not a demon. I’m a scholar. And you are the first somniari I have come across in ages.”

The demon kept it’s distance but became more animated, gesturing with it’s gangly arms. “The last somniari only survived long enough to tell me about eating, but though I’ve tried it, the phenomenon remains perplexing.” Malcolm jumped as the demon inched closer. “Sometimes eating brings joy. Sometimes eating brings sorrow. Sometimes eating brings no emotion at all.” Quivering in curiosity, the demon then sprung forward so close to Malcolm could easily punch it. “Why somniari?”

The sparks in Malcolm’s hands died down as his eyes glazed over, caught in a memory. He saw his mother, with dark freckled brown skin, and beautiful curly hair that cascaded down her back, but her face was blurred as he failed to recall the details. Still, he remembered the smell of the plate of piping hot pancet that she placed in front of him, how the steam coming off of the unending noodles made his mouth water. She brushed his mop of curls from his eyes and kissed his forehead with a warm smile. “Happy birthday, Malcolm.”

The creature sniffed at his head as if he was about to take a huge bite. “Oh, what is that? That smells delicious!”

Malcolm swatted at the spirit as if it was an annoying fly. “Stay out of my head!”

But the spirit had already plucked the memory out of his head and dashed away a safe distance from the room. It wiggled in delight of it’s prize, and in it’s hands it materialized into a bowl of pancet. Malcolm felt a sick twist of envy as the spirit grabbed a handful of long fried noodles and shoved it into it’s mouthless face, slurping it down with wet smacking noises. “This,” sluuuurp, “memory tastes both,“ sluuuurp, “happy and sad, though the sadness is fresher.”

Malcolm, quaking in anger, rose to his feet, summoning threatening flames so high, they licked the ceiling. “Were you not warned of who I am?”

The spirit continued to eat in bliss, Malcolm’s threat no more than an annoyance. “The wisps call you,” sluurp, “Spirit Slayer.”

Malcolm raised a thick eyebrow, wondering why this spirit had no sense of self preservation. Or was this demon stronger than he thought? “So why do you risk pestering me?”

At this, the demon lowered the bowl, a mess of sauce dripping down it’s face. “Because only you can answer.”

The demon looked sadly at it’s last noodle and picked it up between it’s claws. “I, too, have lost much, somniari. I had a name once. I’ve given up trying to find it.”

“I’ve asked every stone, every wisp, but so much was lost after The Sundering. What I am, is what I have left.” The demon turned to Malcolm and though it had no eyes, he could feel it looking through him with earnest that he could feel thrumming in his heart. “So if this quest is my end, so be it.” Then it ate the noodle, looking oddly like a worm being sucked through a hole.

The flames died in Malcolm’s hands, his anger deflating with plumes of smoke. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt me to spare a moment.”

The words had barely left Malcolm’s mouth before his pocket started to buzz with a generic ringtone, that vibrated the air of the Fade like a tinging glass. The spirit cocked his head, confused as Malcolm dug through his pajama pockets and fished it out. “Sorry, demon, duty calls.”

“Scholar,” the spirit corrected, but Malcolm shushed him as he put it to his ear.

A terrified voice began sobbing through the speaker. “Help! Somebody help!”

Malcolm didn’t recognize the voice, so they weren’t one of the Circle mages being plagued for a meal. An apostate perhaps?

“Hello? It’s going to be alright,” Malcolm began like he always did. He raised his free hand to feel the cords of the Fade that were weaving together, trying to connect to the dreamer who rang his phone. The air around his hands shimmered like sparkling dust, faint harp-like threads connecting from the tips of his fingers.

“Hello?” the voice answered back, full of confusion. “Who is this?”

“That doesn’t matter. Can you tell me where you are?” He stepped off his bed and towards his bedroom door.

“Where I am?” the voice repeated, slick with tears. “I’m…I don’t know.”

He could feel that she was panicked, confused, disoriented, and that there was a dark aura surrounding her, stronger than he had felt in awhile. Malcolm had been sure that he had cleansed this area of the Fade of demons, but this just meant that more would come in to feed on the remnants. Malcolm closed his eyes, reaching through the phone to try to peek at her dream. “Yes, you do,” his soothing voice taking a commanding tone. “Just open your eyes and describe what you see.”

He heard her gasping for air as she struggled to breathe but eventually she sputtered out. “I’m in my bedroom. It’s filling up with water, fast. You have to hurry.”

He put his hand on the door. Through the darkness of his eyelids he began to see light, and the running rush of water filled his ears. “Describe your room to me.”

“What would it matter!?”

“It matters if I’m going to find you.”

A beat of silence registered on the phone, before she continued. “Well, it’s a room…with a closet and a bed.”

“Helpful,” Malcolm snorted before he could stop himself. Still, a misty silhouette of a closet, which was more like it’s own room, and a grand bed with a flowing cloth canopy started to form. There was a body tucked within it, nestled on a throne of pillows.

“Well I’m in a state of panic right now! Can you blame me? My clothes are getting ruined. It’ll cost a fortune to redo these carpets, not to mention-”

Malcolm sighed, trying to press on as she chattered. It never did any good to argue, but this monologue wasn’t helping. “What color are your blankets?”

“Cream…embroidered with gold thread.” The vision in his mind began to fill in with color.

“And the pattern of the embroidery?”

“Really?”

“Messere,” Malcolm gritted his teeth. “It’s important you stay calm. The more you panic the faster the water will flood.” It wasn’t a lie, but he also needed her to hurry.

She relented with a sigh, and said, “a gold-leaf rose spread.”

It took a little more coaxing, but eventually Malcolm got her to describe her wallpapers, floral and pink, and her carpet, which she insisted before the flood was a beautiful white color. She also described a bookcase, her lute, and a vanity mirror where she would get ready for the day each morning, a family heirloom, made from wood of the grove of the Emerald Graves, with brass knob handles and the symbol of her family’s crest that was carved into the wood, that showed either two ravens perched in angular stone columns, or a dragon head, depending on how you looked at it. Soon he could see the room, and could finally solidify the flimsy connection.

He pressed his forehead against the bedroom door, eyes still closed, the hard metal cold and unforgiving. “Now I need you to walk up to your door and let me in.”

“Are you crazy?” she shouted so loud that Malcolm had to take his ear away from the receiver. “It’s going to let all the water in!”

“No,” Malcolm said calmly. “Because I will be on the other side.”

“You know that makes no sense.”

“You’re talking to a strange voice in your head, your room is flooded, and from my estimate about the cost of that vanity mirror alone, you live somewhere in Hightown. Does any of this make sense?”

This time she whined, which sounded more cute than annoying. “But I’m going to get wet.”

Malcolm burst out in laughter. He had run into a lot of dreamers, but while most were suggestive, she seemed to easily resist the strings connecting them. He could see deep into the pit of her heart that she was as stubborn as he was, which was saying something. It was intriguing really, but before his curiosity could run away with it, his sensible self reminded him that she was in danger. And with how long it took for him to find the location of her dream, the demon had now sensed him coming.

“Look, the door is locked, and only you can open it.”

“Can’t you just break the lock open?”

“Sure,” Malcolm said, “but that door represents the connection of your body to your slumbering mind. If I break it open, it would hurt…a lot.”

Silence filled the air except for the splash of rising water and the slurping noise of Scholar licking the last remnants of sauce from their bowl.

“You promise you’ll be on the other side?”

“Promise.”

She heaved a huge sigh and after a few moments, he could hear the sloshing of water as she started to wade her way through her bedroom, but Malcolm could not only hear it from the speaker, but the other side of the door as well. Malcolm shoved his phone back into his pocket and placed his hand on the doorknob that would normally be electronically locked, but right now, it was just another illusion of the Fade. As the lock clicked open, Malcolm turned the doorknob, blissfully unaware of how his life would change until he met the girl’s black doe eyes.

Read more on A03

[miraculous-bookshelf]

A Closer Look

by jokermans

Rating:Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:F/M

Fandom:Miraculous Ladybug

Relationships:Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Characters:Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe, Rose Lavillant, Alix Kubdel

Additional Tags:Romance, Teen Romance, Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Fluff, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Truth or Dare, Identity Reveal, Fluff and Humor, Post-Episode: s04 Le Gang des Secrets | Gang of Secrets, Season 4 Spoilers

Language: English

Published: 2021-05-29

Completed: 2021-06-12

Words: 11,915

Chapters: 4/4

Summary

“So what’s your type, Adrien?” Adrien began to describe his ideal girl. It was pretty simple. All he had to do was describe Ladybug. Dark silky hair. Deep bluebell eyes… and so on. As he finished, Alya and the rest of the group looked excited. “We all know who it is!” They said. Adrien was ready for them to tell him they know his type is Ladybug only for all of them to say: “It’s Marinette!” “Wait, what?!” He exclaimed. Adrien was stunned by their answer. As he thought about the similarities… maybe his lady really was that close to him after all.

[ao3-fanfics-recs]

Fanfic Rec: mist surrounds me, fate dazzles me

Rating: Not rated

Archive warning: Creator chose not to use archive warnings

Category:F/M

Characters/Pairings: Link/Zelda, Link/Mipha

Summary: He's been resurrected from the dead and there’s a dead-but-not princess scattered among the stars waiting for him to kill the devil so she can be resurrected too.

“I’ve got plans, you know?" He flashed a half-grin, because they definitely didn't know. "I’ve got business to finish before I settle in.”

A chronicle of Link's journey processing the trauma of the Calamity during the events of the game, feat. Mahler's Kindertotenlieder and Symphony no. 2 "Resurrection".

Read on Ao3

[shamelesslymkp]

REC: Gruoch - Dance the Night

URL: https://ift.tt/9nbeSfj

“What is that?” Crystal asks, looking Edwin up and down with an expression of abject befuddlement that borders on disgust.

“It is my disguise,” Edwin replies a little stiffly in response to her tone. “You told me to wear a disguise.”

“You look like Margaret Thatcher,” Crystal says flatly. “You’re going undercover at a nightclub, not a library. This—“ she plucks at Edwin’s long tweed skirt, her lip curling— “is not appropriate nightclub attire. You’re gonna attract too much attention.”

“I thought attracting attention was the point of this ludicrous exercise,” Edwin snaps back.

“Yes, the right kind of attention,” Crystal stresses. “This—” she waves a hand broadly at him—“will get the wrong kind of attention.”

~~

In which the gang returns home to discover something sinister stalking London’s party scene after dark, Edwin lets his hair down, Charles’ confidence is shaken, and Crystal pursues a new lease on life (and hopefully doesn’t die in the process). (Words: 69,182)

!!!fandom, !!fic, |site:ao3, +fandom:dead.boy.detectives.(tv), ::rating:teen.and.up.audiences, ~author:gruoch, character:crystal.palace.(dcu), character:edwin.paine.|.edwin.payne, character:charles.rowland.(dcu), relationship:edwin.paine.|.edwin.payne.&.crystal.palace, relationship:edwin.paine.|.edwin.payne/charles.rowland, relationship:crystal.palace/charles.rowland.(dcu), ::category:f/m, .gen, .m/m, \no.archive.warnings.apply, ~ao3:tragicomedy, ~ao3:one-sided(or.is.it??).edwin/charles, ~ao3:“it’s.complicated”.crystal/charles, ~ao3:when.you.&.your.best.frenemy.and.the.guy.you’re.both.in.love.with.all.have.intense.trauma, ~ao3:and.are.deep.in.the.throes.of.mourning, ~ao3:but.are.desperately.trying.to.act.cool.&.professional, ~ao3:and.failing.miserably, ~ao3:oh.and.maybe.there’s.a.vampire.murderer.afoot.as.well, ~ao3:charles.“i.am.entirely.straight”.rowland, ~ao3:proceeds.to.repeatedly.put.his.best.boy.mate.in.a.dress, ~ao3:repressed.edwardian.ghost.boy.suffers.through.the.horrors.of.modern.