#going back to cozy and fantasy books

[torpublishinggroup]

Celebrate Pride with Tor Publishing Group!

Rakesfall by @adamantine

They met as children in the middle of the Sri Lankan civil war. Later, in a demon-haunted wood, an act of violence linked them and propelled their souls on a journey through the ages. As they reincarnate ever deeper into the future, a truth emerges: Some stories take more than one lifetime to tell.

Running Close to the Wind by @ariaste

In this queer pirate fantasy, Avra Helvaçi has accidentally stolen the single most expensive secret in the world. To avoid capture, he flees to the open sea, where only his on-again, off-again ex aka pirate Captain Teveri az-Ḥaffār can help him survive, profit, and become a legend.

Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Something evil is buried deep in the desert. It wants your body and wears your skin. Welcome to Camp Resolution, a queer conversion center where everyone leaves a different person. In 1995, seven queer teens were abandoned here by their parents, but survived. Sixteen years later, they’re scarred and broken, but back to face an evil that threatens the world. 

Kinning by Nisi Shawl

In this alternate history where barkcloth airships soar and former colonies claim freedom from imperialist tyrants, the identity of the island of Everfair still wavers. Victorious in the wake of the Great War, a new threat looms. Can Everfair continue to serve as a symbol of hope for anticolonial movements around the world, or will it fall to forces within and without? 

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by @rebeccathornewrites

Can one of the Queen’s private guard and the most powerful mage in existence leave their lives behind to settle down in their new bookshop that serves tea? This cozy fantasy is steeped in sapphic romance and nestled on the edge of dragon country. 

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

Once there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power and connected by a single city: London. After a desperate attempt to prevent corruption and ruin in the four Londons, there are only three. Now the worlds are going to collide anew—brought to a dangerous precipice by the discoveries of three remarkable magicians.

Now available in paperback!

The Archive Undying by @emcandon

This is a story about misplaced faith, complicated love, so much self-loathing, and yeah—giant robots. Plugged into his AI god when its apocalyptic corruption renders him unfortunately immortal, sad gay disaster Sunai takes a die-again-or-die-trying approach to things. Unending life’s tough when intimacy is somehow scarier even than either of the warring police states set on turning you into a weapon or the rogue undead mecha-fragment of your old god that wants to eat you. 

Now available in paperback!

The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen

A dazzling historical mystery that dives into the shadowy, closeted world of the Navy, emerging in the gay bars of the city. It’s a whirlpool of missing people, violent strangers, and scandalous photos in 1952 San Francisco. 

Now available in paperback!

Celebrate Pride with more titles from Tor Publishing Group here!

[kateksmallcuteowl]

June 29: Single Parents/Uncles AU for an event by @bagginshieldweek24

I deeply regret that the challenge is a day late! Exams are merciless to me, and even though I started drawing in advance, I still couldn’t handle the deadline 😅 I promise to catch up with feedback tomorrow, after passing bioinformatics exam.

More headcanons and details under the cut>>

— It’s an alternative Middle-earth universe with hobbits, humans, dwarves, and elves, but set in modern times.

— Thorin grew up in Erebor in a royal family (which makes sense), is accustomed to good coffee, can distinguish different types, and knows which brewing devices are best. Now he has moved to London for work and discovered that both dwarf and human coffee shops would often use cheap beans or bad coffee machines, or they grind the beans incorrectly, or even set the wrong amount of grams of coffee per espresso shot. In general, they save money wherever they can, mostly selling the vibe and relying on the fact that taste isn’t important to most of the customers. Elves occupy the niche of coffee connoisseurs, but Thorin would rather drink filter coffee from a kettle on the roadside than go to elves. And then he discovers that hobbits, little hedonists, love good food and GOOD COFFEE! Of course, in hobbit cafes, he has to sit on low chairs and by the small tables, and at first, the other patrons looked at the dwarf in their company strangely, but it’s worth it. Thorin is willing to sit with a bent back if he gets a quiet and cozy atmosphere, excellent Wi-Fi, and delicious coffee (an office in London is good, but sometimes you need to get out of the four walls to not get nuts).

— Thorin rarely drinks pure espresso, preferring softer variations. He also has a sweet-tooth.

— Bilbo is a children’s book writer, mainly known for a series of fantasy novels about a brave hobbit who traveled over and under the mountains, rode in barrels, and played riddles in the dark (Bilbo, in canon, wrote his memoirs, which all hobbits except Merry and Frodo knew primarily for Hobbiton children, so I think he would primarily write for little hobbit kids).

— It’s not a real feather he uses, but a ballpoint pen with attached feathers, like those sold in souvenir shops. Bilbo bought it after a tour to the Tower of London. He likes the ✨vibe✨ and the fact that he can twirl the feather part around his lips when he’s thinking. (It’s literally an instruction on how to seduce Thorin)

— Mr. Baggins only drinks doppio. The cup is big compared to him because it’s hobbit ceramics, and the portion sizes for hobbits, who love treats, are no smaller than human ones.

— Bilbo has taken care of Frodo since his parents drowned in an accident. Frodo is about 8-9 years old here.

— I love the headcanon that hobbits’ ears react to their emotions, so the fact that Frodo doesn’t lower them when Bilbo scolds him is a good sign. Bilbo is a good uncle.

— Thorin and Bilbo have seen each other several times on Wednesdays. Usually, they don’t care about other patrons, but barista keept trying to serve a doppio to the stern scowling dwarf in black leather jacket, and a cappuccino with whipped cream to the little curly hobbit in a plaid sweater. They’ve had to swap their drinks several times.

— Thorin read Mr. Baggins’ books to his nephews in Erebor and quickly figured out who always sits at the table near the window in his favorite cafe. Thorin likes Bilbo’s books but doesn’t know if he’s married because he keeps his personal life private. Seeing Frodo, he immediately assumed he was Bilbo’s son, considering how the little hobbit looks at him.

— Bilbo immediately noticed the stern ( handsome) dwarf sitting with his eyes glued to his phone, but he always felt too awkward to speak with him. How do you even start a conversation with a stranger, especially from another race? So when Frodo, rather bluntly, commented on his appearance, of course, Bilbo was embarrassed. No, he absolutely agrees with Frodo. The exotic braids, unusual for short-haired hobbits, look amazing on the tall dwarf, and the iron clips highlight his blue eyes perfectly, but isn’t that a bit rude to point that out? Wouldn’t a dwarf decide that he is trying to mock his culture?

— Bilbo saw that while he was scolding Frodo, Thorin turned away and for some reason tugged angrily at his braid, so he decided to muster the courage and compliment him himself to ease the awkwardness and not seem rude (not at all because he would gladly say what Frodo did himself and not because Mr. Dwarf has much more attractive features he’d also like to make a comment on, not at all, what are you talking about, no-no-no).

— The dwarf didn’t seem offended at all.

— They started talking and found out that Thorin’s nephews love Bilbo’s books (Bilbo was flattered by this news. He’s still surprised when his books are read by anyone other than hobbits. (Gandalf didn’t tell him that his books are popular among all races. Mostly because for other races they play the role of kids books where main protagonist is a cute mice)).

— And in the end, as we see, they exchanged numbers 🌚🌝

— They will meet again, but without Frodo and not just for coffee.

— The end✨✨✨

I’m still experimenting with a flat-color style and lineart so I’ll be glad to know what do you think about it. Hope the comic was enjoyable!

[kentobb]

The Bet (Part Five)

Characters: College!Sukuna x Female Reader

Genre: Angst

Warnings: Ok. Listen yall. There is PURE SMUT at the end. I am warning yall. Second, foul language.

Author’s note: After this part is published, part six will be next in a few minutes since its already written. Pure smut and angst that next chapter.

Part 01

Two months had passed since Sukuna and you had officially started dating, and your relationship had quickly become the talk of the campus. Everywhere you both went, people would smile and whisper, excited by the unlikely yet perfect couple. Sukuna's tough, athletic image was softened by his obvious affection for you, and you seemed to glow with happiness whenever you were by his side.

Hand in hand, you would stroll through the campus, fingers intertwined. Sukuna loved the way your hand fit perfectly in his, and he never missed a chance to pull you closer, pressing a kiss to your temple. Your dates were always filled with laughter and tender moments, from casual coffee shop visits to adventurous ones. But your favorite dates were the book dates, where Sukuna would take you to your favorite bookstore.

In the cozy aisles of the bookstore, you would each choose a book for the other. You would carefully pick out a thriller or a fantasy novel you thought he'd enjoy, and he would select a romance or a classic, knowing how much you loved getting lost in those stories. Both of you would spend hours browsing, reading excerpts to each other, and sharing your thoughts on various books. It was during these quiet moments that both of you felt closest, surrounded by the stories you both cherished.

Tonight was no different in terms of closeness. Both of you curled up in his bed, each engrossed in your own books. You were lying on his chest, and he was gently caressing your hair as you read. The low hum of the TV from the living room indicated that Yuuji and Choso were watching a game, the occasional shouts and laughter providing a comforting background noise.

You closed your book and looked up at Sukuna, a contented smile playing on your lips. He glanced down at you, his heart melting at the sight of your adoration. He closed his book, setting it aside as he shifted you so that you were on top of him.

"Why are you looking at me with those eyes?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

You giggled, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. "What eyes?"

He chuckled, his hands moving to your waist as he pulled you closer. "These eyes," he said, before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss.

Your kisses grew more intense, and he began to grind you gently against him. You moaned into his mouth, a sound that drove him wild. His hands roamed over your back, pulling you closer as your breathing grew heavier. Just as things were heating up, the door suddenly burst open.

Yuuji stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. "Hey! I've been calling you guys for... OH MY GOD, IM SO SORRY!" He screamed, covering his eyes with his hands.

You quickly scrambled off of Sukuna, your face turning a deep shade of red. Sukuna, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh. "The door is closed for a reason, dumbass. Learn how to knock!" he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

Yuuji stood frozen for a moment, his face a mix of embarrassment and horror. "I... I'm sorry! I didn't know you were... you know!" He turned around, practically running out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

You buried your face in Sukuna's chest, mortified. "Oh my god, that was so embarrassing!”

Sukuna continued to chuckle, holding you close. "He will forget.” He tilted your chin up, kissing you softly. "Now, where were we?"

You giggled, pulling back slightly, your cheeks flushed. "Actually, I have to go. I have a night study session with Utahime.”

Utahime. Your new friend. You met her two months ago and now she is your “bestie” according to Sukuna. He was proud of you for making your first friend and having someone else other than him. Although he didn’t mind having you all to himself. He was selfish like that.

Sukuna's face fell comically. "You're leaving me like this?" he pouted, trying to sound playful but clearly feeling a bit needy.

You smiled apologetically, leaning in to give him one last kiss. "I'll kiss you more later, I promise.”

Sukuna sighed dramatically but couldn't help but smile. "Alright, go be a good student. I'm happy you've made a friend, my bookworm."

You quickly gathered your things and left, giving him a final wave before disappearing out the door. Sukuna lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling the acute pang of unfulfilled desire.

A moment later, Yuuji knocked on the door, the sound exaggerated and mocking. "Knock, knock! Can I come in, or it isn’t safe yet?"

Sukuna groaned, laughing despite himself. "Yeah, come in, you idiot.

Yuuji opened the door cautiously, peeking his head in first. "You're not going to beat my ass are you?”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. "No, but I should.”

Yuuji stepped inside, his face still carrying traces of shock. "Dude, seriously, you two were like... wow. I mean, I've seen some stuff, but that was..."

"Yuuji," Sukuna interrupted, holding up a hand. "I don't need a play-by-play."

Yuuji laughed, plopping down on the bed. "I'm just saying, it's good to see you so happy. And, you know, in love and all that mushy stuff.”

Sukuna smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Stop trying to embarras me.”

Yuuji leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head. "So, what are you going to do now that she's gone to study with her new friend? Need any tips on how to distract yourself from, uh, pent-up energy?"

Sukuna groaned again, tossing a pillow at Yuuji. "If you don’t stop talking, I might actually kill you.”

Yuuji caught the pillow, laughing. "That's why you love me, bro."

Sukuna chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here.”

Yuuji stood up, saluting with a grin. "Yes, sir! Use your lock next time.”

Sukuna laughed, giving Yuuji a playful shove toward the door. "I'll remember that."

As Yuuji left Sukuna's bedroom, Sukuna's phone buzzed with a call from Geto.

"Yo, Sukuna, wanna hang out? We're all chilling in my dorm," Geto said, his voice filled with mischief.

"It's kinda late, man," Sukuna replied, glancing at the clock.

Geto laughed. "What, you got a curfew now? Don't tell me your girlfriend has you on a leash already!"

Sukuna laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I'll be there in five."

After hanging up, he quickly sent you a text message.

Mr. Mysterious: Hey, heading to Geto's dorm to hang out. See you later?

You replied almost instantly…

My bookworm :): Oki! I’m with Utahime. See you later! <3

Feeling a bit lighter, Sukuna made his way to Geto's dorm. As he entered, he saw his teammates sprawled around the room, chatting and laughing. The familiar camaraderie put him at ease. Even Gojo was there, though Sukuna had noticed he had become more distant recently. Still, Sukuna was determined to bridge that gap.

"Look who decided to show up!" Geto announced loudly, grinning from ear to ear.

Sukuna rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get too excited."

As he joined them, they handed him a drink, and he started to relax, watching a random game on the TV. The banter flowed easily, but Sukuna could feel Gojo's eyes on him, a mix of curiosity and something unspoken.

"Hey, Sukuna," Geto said, squinting at his neck. "Is that a hickey I see?"

Sukuna's hand flew to his neck, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. "Uh, maybe."

The room erupted in laughter and teasing. "Our boy's been busy!" one of the teammates shouted.

Geto leaned in, his grin widening. "So, did you guys... you know?"

Sukuna felt the weight of Gojo's gaze intensify. "No, we haven't. She's…” He coughs, “She’s not ready yet," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The room fell silent, everyone staring at Sukuna in disbelief. Known for his reputation, this was the last thing they expected to hear.

Gojo was the first to break the silence, chuckling. "Wait, hold up. You're telling me that for two months…you haven't been getting any?"

Sukuna shrugged, his expression serious. "No."

The room buzzed with shock, and Geto finally spoke up. "Damn, man. I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

Sukuna sighed, feeling the need to explain himself. "We are just taking things slow. Whenever she is ready… I’m ready.” He said

Gojo, still chuckling, added, "Guess our Sukuna's a softie after all."

Sukuna smiled, appreciating the shift in his attitude. "I care about her a lot, and I don't want to mess this up." He said, as he saw Gojo shifted his sight away from him.

Back at your dorm, you were hanging out with your new friend Utahime, the two of you seated at a small table, books and notes spread out around you. The atmosphere was light and filled with laughter as you both attempted to study. For you, this was a new and wonderful experience. You had never really had a friend before, and the bond you were forming with Utahime was something you treasured deeply.

Utahime looked up from her notes, noticing your face light up as you received a text. You giggled softly, your eyes glued to the screen as you typed back a reply. Utahime raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her lips. "Sukuna again?"

You nodded, a dreamy smile on your face. "Yeah, he is going to Geto's place. They're going to hang out."

Utahime chuckled. "You guys are so cute. How's everything going with him?"

"Everything is great," you said, your voice filled with genuine happiness.

Utahime watched you for a moment, noticing the way your smile faltered slightly, turning into a small, almost pouty expression. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, her tone gentle.

You sighed, looking down at your hands. "I've never had a friend before. I don't really know what's right and wrong to talk about."

Utahime reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on you.” You can talk to me about anything. That's what friends are for. Beside, you have heard about all of my fail talking stages… so whatever you have in mind can’t be worst than mine.”

You took a deep breath, deciding to share what had been weighing on your mind. "I haven't... you know…done it with Sukuna."

Utahime's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't say anything, waiting for you to continue.

"And…we were so close of doing it today… until Yuuji came bursting on the door. But that’s not the point" you explained, your voice trembling slightly. "I don’t know if today I would’ve been ready either you know. Like… I am but… I’m scared. What if… he doesn’t like my body? Or he ends up feeling the ick with me? Or what if he changes his mind about me?”

You could feel the anxiety rising within you, your fears bubbling to the surface. Utahime squeezed your hand gently, offering silent support.

"Hey, hey," Utahime said softly, "breathe. It's okay to feel scared. But you need to remember something important—Sukuna likes you for who you are. That won't change."

You looked up, tears welling in your eyes. "But what if—”

"No 'what ifs,'" Utahime interrupted gently. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He looks at you like you're a piece of art, something precious and beautiful."

Your cheeks flushed, a small smile tugging at your lips despite your tears. "Really?"

"Really," Utahime confirmed, smiling warmly. "You don't have to worry about your body or whether he'll change his mind. He cares about you, and that won't change just because of something like that."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you, Utahime's words sinking in and calming your fears. You hugged your friend tightly, feeling grateful for the support and understanding. "Thank you, Utahime. I really needed to hear that."

Utahime hugged you back, squeezing you reassuringly. "That's what friends are for. Anytime you need to talk, I'm here for you."

She pulled back from the hug, smiling. The tension that had been hanging over you seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of peace and confidence.

"Now," Utahime said, playfully nudging you, "let's get back to studying before we both fail this test."

You laughed, feeling lighter than you had in weeks. "Alright, alright. But you know I'm going to ace this."

"Oh, confident now, are we?" Utahime teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Maybe just a little," you replied, grinning.

You both dove back into your studies, the room filled with the comfortable silence of turning pages and scribbling notes.

As the night went on, you couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. You had a wonderful boyfriend who cared deeply for you and a new friend who was quickly becoming an important part of your life. The fears and doubts that had plagued you seemed smaller now, overshadowed by the love and support you felt from those around you.

When you finally decided to call it a night, you felt more at peace than you had in a long time. You hugged Utahime once more, thanking her for being such a good friend.

"Anytime," Utahime said with a smile. "Now go get some rest."

Utahime waved as she started to walk away, her heart light from the pleasant evening they had shared. She couldn't help but smile, feeling grateful for the bond they were forming. But as she walked down the quiet, dimly lit path back to her own dorm, she couldn’t help but to feel guilty. Her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen and saw Mei Mei's name flashing.

With a sigh, she answered. "Mei Mei."

"Utahime," Mei Mei's voice came through, smooth and confident. "How did everything go?"

Utahime's smile wavered slightly as she remembered your conversation. "You don’t have anything to worry about. They haven’t done it.”

Mei Mei's laughter rang through the phone, sharp and knowing. "I knew it," she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction. “That’s why he hasn’t left yet.”

Utahime hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. "So? What are you planning to do?” she asked quietly.

"Nothing really. Yet. I’m just waiting for the right time.” Mei Mei replied, a smirk evident in her voice. "Sukuna won't last long in that stupid relationship.”

Utahime couldn't help but laugh nervously, though a part of her felt uneasy about the whole situation. "Are you sure? He seems… pretty in love.”

"Why don’t you just keep following the plan, hm? More to do and less talking." Mei Mei said, her voice firm. “Just wait and see.”

Utahime nodded, even though Mei Mei couldn't see her. "Yeah…”

As she hung up the phone, her smile faded completely. She pocketed her phone and continued walking, her thoughts a mix of guilt and resolve. She knew she was in too deep, and the stakes were high. But Mei Mei has been her best friend since first grade. And she would do anything for her best friend. So for now, she would have to play along, hoping that things wouldn't get too complicated.

After Utahime left, you stood in your room for a moment, taking a deep breath. The study session had been wonderful, and you felt a warm glow of friendship and support from Utahime. Now, it was time to get ready for your sleep over with Sukuna. You began packing a small bag, placing your essentials and a few overnight items inside. As you reached for a brush, your eyes caught sight of a lingerie set you had bought a few days ago while shopping.

The lingerie was delicate, white with a small red bow that made you think of Sukuna. You picked it up, running your fingers over the soft fabric. "Am I ready?" You whispered to yourself, a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbling up inside you.

You knew you were ready, but fuck, that fear lingered. What if he got a post-nut clarity, like those countless post you have read about in Reddit? The thought made your heart race with worry. You started to overthink, your mind spiraling with doubts and insecurities again.

But then you remembered Utahime's reassuring words: Sukuna liked you for who you are, and that wouldn't change. Right? You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself.

Deciding that tonight was the night.

Determined, you ran a warm bath, letting the soothing water relax your tense muscles. You brushed your hair, feeling more confident with each stroke. After your bath, you slipped into the white lingerie, the red bow standing out against your skin. You then put on a dress to cover it, a simple yet elegant outfit that made you feel beautiful.

Taking one last look in the mirror, you gathered your courage and grabbed your bag. You left your dorm, heart pounding with anticipation and excitement. The walk to Sukuna's dorm seemed to take forever, each step filled with a mix of eagerness and nerves.

As you turned a corner, you saw your boyfriend walking towards you from the opposite direction. His face lit up with a smile when he saw you, and without a word, he closed the distance between you and kissed you gently.

"Hey, baby," he said, his voice warm and reassuring.

"Hey," you replied, your voice soft and a bit shaky.

Sukuna noticed the bag she were carrying and, without hesitation, took it from you. “Let me carry that for you," he said, slinging it over his shoulder.

Both of you started walking together, heading towards his place. He glanced at you and noticed the slight blush on your cheeks, the way your hands fidgeted nervously. He could tell something was on your mind.

"What's up?" he asked, gently ruffling your hair. "You seem a bit... distracted."

You looked up at him, trying to muster a reassuring smile, but your nerves were getting the best of you. "Oh, it's nothing," you said, though your voice betrayed your anxiety.

Sukuna chuckled softly, pulling you closer and kissing your forehead. "Come on, you can tell me," he teased. "What's got my baby blushing?”

She bit your lip, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks even more. He took one look at you and chuckled, “You’re cute.”

You both arrived at his dorm, the night air filled with anticipation. As you stepped inside, you were greeted by the sight of Yuuji and Choso lounging in the living room, engrossed in a movie.

Yuuji was the first to notice you. "Hey, you two! Welcome back," he called out with a grin.

Choso looked up and waved. "Good to see you!"

Yuuji's grin turned mischievous as he looked at Sukuna. "Don't forget to actually lock the door this time, big bro," he teased, winking exaggeratedly.

Choso chuckled and Sukuna rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "This is why you’re adopted.”

You couldn't help but laugh at the banter, feeling more at ease despite your nerves. Sukuna said his goodbyes to his brothers, leading you to his room. You have been here before, but this was going to be your first sleepover with your boyfriend, and the thought made your heart race.

You knew he had no idea what you wanted to do tonight, but you also knew he was being incredibly patient with you. As you entered his room, you found yourself lost in thought, the nervousness building up inside you.

Sukuna's voice broke through your reverie. "I'm going to take a quick bath," he said, grabbing a towel from a nearby shelf. "Make yourself comfortable."

You nodded, trying to steady your breathing. "Okay."

As Sukuna disappeared into the bathroom, you sat on the edge of the bed, your mind racing. The nerves were getting to you, again and you felt your heart pounding in your chest. You didn't know how long you had been lost in your thoughts, but suddenly you realized you could no longer hear the shower.

The bathroom door opened, and Sukuna stepped out, steam billowing around him. He was without a shirt, droplets of water still clinging to his skin. You blushed deeply, your eyes widening. You had never seen him without a shirt before, and the sight made your heart race even faster.

Sukuna noticed your reaction, he couldn't resist teasing you. "Enjoying the view?" he asked with a playful smirk, walking over to you and kissing your forehead gently.

You couldn't bring yourself to speak, so you just nodded, feeling your face heat up even more. Your hand moved almost on its own, reaching out to touch his abs. As your fingers brushed against his skin, Sukuna's own cheeks flushed, a rare sight for someone usually so confident.

The feeling of your touch was electrifying. He took your hand in his, guiding it gently across his abs. "You okay?" he asked softly, his voice filled with reassurance.

He looked into your eyes and saw them filled with need, a mix of nervousness and lust that mirrored his own feelings. You stood up from the bed, your movements delicate and hesitant.

He watched as you took a deep breath, your fingers trembling slightly as they reached for the hem of your dress. You lifted it over your head and let it fall to the floor. The sight before him took his breath away. You stood there, almost naked, dressed in a delicate set of white lingerie that made his heart race.

In that moment, he felt as if time had stopped. The dim light of the room cast a soft glow on your skin, highlighting your curves and the intricate details of the lace. You looked like a vision, ethereal and breathtaking. He could barely contain the surge of emotions that rushed through him-desire, admiration, and an overwhelming sense of love.

Your eyes met his, and in them, he saw a mix of vulnerability and determination. You were telling him without words that you were ready, that you trusted him. He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving yours and gently took your hands in his.

He leaned in close, his warm breath tickling your ear. "Let me make you mine.” Your heart pounded in your chest as you nodded, unable to speak. You had never felt such intense desire, and the fact that it was your first time made the moment even more electric. Sukuna seemed to sense your nervousness and pulled you gently into his arms, kissing the top of yout head. "Relax, baby," he murmured.

His words sent a wave of relief through you, and you snuggled closer, inhaling his fresh, clean scent. His strong arms felt like home, and you couldn't help but let out a contented sigh.

"Better?" he whispered, nuzzling your neck, his scruff brushing softly against your sensitive skin.

"Much," you replied, tilting your head to give him better access. You closed your eyes as you felt his lips press gently against the pulse point on your neck, his hands roaming gently over your back. One hand slipped on your bra, his fingers tracing patterns on your lower back, sending sparks of pleasure throughout your body.

He continued his sensual assault, kissing a trail down your neck to the sensitive spot where your shoulder met your collarbone. He nibbled gently, causing you to gasp and arch your back, pressing yourself closer to him. Taking advantage of your position, he slipped his hand under your bra, cupping your breast and thumbing the peak through the thin fabric.

You moaned softly, your hands clutching at his shoulders. You had never felt such pleasure, and you wanted more. Sukuna seemed to read your mind, tugging your bra over your head in one smooth motion before taking your mouth in a searing kiss. His tongue teased yours mimicking the movements he wanted to make lower down your body, and you opened to him, eager to explore this new world of sensation.

Breaking the kiss, Sukuna trailed kisses down your jaw and along the curve of your neck, pausing to suck gently on the sensitive skin, leaving a mark that would remind you of this moment long after it had passed. His hand slid down your body, fingertips grazing the tops of your breasts, your nipples pebbling at the light touch. With a gentle squeeze, he rolled the peaks between his thumb and forefinger, earning a soft whimper from you.

"You like that, baby?" he murmured, his hot breath fanning over your damp skin. "You like it when I touch you here?" He pinched the peaks gently, rolling them between his fingers, and you nodded, too lost in sensation to form words.

Sukuna smiled against your skin, loving how responsive you were to his touch. He wanted to worship your body, to explore every inch of your perfect skin. Sliding his hands down your sides, he lifted you onto his lap, shifting so that you could straddled him. The position allowed him to cup your breasts fully, and he moaned softly at the feel of their weight in his palms. Leaning forward, he took one nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the bud before sucking gently, then firmly, earning a soft cry from you.

"K-Kuna," you breathed, threading your fingers through his hair, encouraging him to continue his delicious torment. He switched to the other peak, giving it the same attention, before pulling back to admire your swollen, damp nipples. "So beautiful," he murmured, capturing one peak between his thumb and forefinger, rubbing it slowly as he leaned in to capture your mouth in a deep, passionate kiss.

You moaned into the kiss, your body on fire. You wanted—no, needed—more. Breaking the kiss, you looked into his dark, passionate eyes. "Please," you whispered. "I- I want you.”

Sukuna's heart swelled at your words. He had hoped, but never imagined you would offer yourself to him so willingly. "Are you sure, baby?" he asked, his voice hoarse with desire. "I don't want to rush you. We can take it slow."

"I'm sure," you replied, your eyes shining with desire. "I trust you, Sukuna. I want this moment to be with you."

He captured your lips in a fierce kiss, pouring all his love and desire into the embrace. His hands roamed over your back, tracing patterns on your soft skin, before sliding down to grip your firm ass. Squeezing gently, he urged you closer, grinding his hardening cock against your core through your panties.

The feeling of his arousal sent a jolt of need through you, and you rocked your hips, seeking more friction. Sukuna groaned, tearing his mouth from yours. “Fuck, baby, you feel so good," he growled, his voice thick with desire. "Let me take care of you.

Sitting you back on the bed, he stood and quickly shed his towel, letting you take in the sight of his muscular body. His erection pointed proudly towards you, and your mouth watered at the thought of having him inside you. He was big, that’s for sure. Reaching behind you, Sukuna slipped your panties off and tossed them aside.

His dark eyes devoured the sight of your naked breasts, full and lush, the dusky pink nipples begging for his attention. Cupping them in his palms, he lowered his head, taking one nipple into his mouth as he rolled the other between his thumb and forefinger, earning a soft moan from you. Sucking gently, he lavished attention on one peak before switching to the other, determined to drive you wild with pleasure.

You threaded your fingers through his hair, holding him to you as waves of pleasure washed over you. You had never known your breasts could be so sensitive, every touch sending sparks of desire straight to your core. "Please," you whispered again, needing more, needing him.

Sukuna released your nipple with a soft pop, trailing kisses down your abdomen, his hands reaching behind your ass, he paused to kiss the insides of your thighs, earning a soft whimper as your knees fell open on their own accord. He chuckled softly against your skin, the vibrations sending shivers through you.

"So responsive," he murmured, nipping gently at your inner thigh before trailing kisses lower, closer to your core.

You held your breath as you felt his hot breath fan over your most intimate folds. You were wet, aching for him, and couldn't wait to feel his mouth on you. Sukuna, seemingly able to read your mind, obliged, pressing a soft kiss to your swollen pussy lips before flicking his tongue across your clit, causing you to cry out and grip his hair tightly.

"That's it, baby," he murmured, the vibration of his words sending shocks of pleasure through you. "Let me hear how much you're enjoying this." He sucked your clit into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the bundle of nerves before nibbling gently with his teeth, sending you spiraling closer to the edge.

You moaned loudly, hips bucking involuntarily as Sukuna continued his assault on your sensitive bundle of nerves. His hands gripped your thighs, holding you in place as he devoured you, his tongue delving into your wet heat, tasting your essence as he sucked greedily on your clit. Your pleasure built, coiling tightly in your belly, and you knew without a doubt that you’re was his, body and soul.

Sukuna sensed your impending release and increased the pressure of his tongue, rubbing your clit in firm circles as he slid two fingers into your hot, tight channel. Your walls clenched around him, milking his fingers as he curled them upward, seeking the spot that would send you over the edge. Finding it, he rubbed firmly, his mouth working your clit relentlessly.

"K-Kuna I'm—I'm going to—" you stuttered, your breath coming in short gasps as you surged over the precipice, crying out his name as waves of bliss crashed over you. Sukuna continued his relentless assault, riding out your orgasm with you, prolonging the pleasure until you were reduced to a quivering mess, boneless in his arms.

Pulling back, he admired his handiwork, your skin dewy with a post-orgasmic glow, your chest heaving as you panted for breath. "Beautiful," he whispered, climbing onto the bed to lie beside you, pulling you into his arms. You nestled against him, feeling safe and loved in his embrace as he nuzzled your hair. "You were such a good girl baby" he murmured, a satisfied smile on his face.

"I- I want more. I want you." You muttered as you looked at him, your breathing not evenly yet.

Hearing the desire in your voice, Sukuna felt his cock twitch, ready and eager to claim you as his own. "I want you too, baby," he growled, his voice deep and husky. "But we don't have to rush. We have all night."

You shook your head, looking up at him with passionate eyes. "I want to feel you.”

His dark eyes smoldered with desire. "As you wish, my baby.” Climbing over you, he positioned himself at your entrance, the tip of his throbbing cock teasing your wet folds. "Are you ready, baby?"

Nodding, you wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him forward. With a slow thrust, he entered you, groaning at the tightness surrounding him. You gasped, your eyes widening at the sensation of being stretched, filled by him. Holding still, Sukuna gave you a moment to adjust to his size, kissing you softly as you whispered words of encouragement.

"You feel so good, baby," he murmured, nipping at your earlobe. "So tight and wet. Made just for me."

You moaned softly, your body relaxing around him as he stroked your hair and kissed you tenderly. "Move," you whispered, wanting to feel him deep inside you. "Please, Sukuna."

With a gentle thrust, Sukuna began to move, sliding in and out of your wet heat, setting a slow, sensual rhythm. You met his thrusts, your hips moving in perfect synchronization as you rose to greet each stroke, bodies creating a delicious friction. Wrapping your legs tighter around him, you urged him on, your breath coming in short gasps as pleasure spiraled through you once more.

Sukuna leaned in, capturing your mouth in a passionate kiss as he increased the pace, his hips moving faster, slamming into you with deep, hard strokes that had the headboard banging against the wall. Fuck, Yuuji and Choso are going to kill him tomorrow.

You cried out, nails digging into his back as you met his passion with your own, bodies slick with sweat, sliding against each other as both of you moved in perfect harmony.

Reaching between your bodies, Sukuna found your swollen clit, rubbing it in firm circles as he thrusted into you, aiming for that sweet spot deep inside you. You moaned, the pleasure building again, crashing over you in waves as you surged towards another climax.

"That’s it baby, cum for me, baby," Sukuna growled, his own orgasm building as your inner walls clenched around him. "Come on my cock."

His words sent you over the edge, crying out his name as your walls clamped down on him, milking his cock as he joined you in release, filling you with his hot cum. Gasping for breath, he collapsed onto you, his weight crushing you into the mattress as he struggled to catch his breath.

You laughed softly, your fingers threading through his hair as you looked up at him with adoring eyes. "K-Kuna" you breathed, pressing soft kisses to his sweaty forehead. "I love you."

He raised his head, his dark eyes filled with passion and love. "I love you too, baby," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips.

YES. I WARNED YALL. IT WAS PURE SMUT. BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT PART. 🩷 Also, this is my first time writing smut.

[chaoticharrington]

Early Morning Surprise

Pairing: Mike Schmidt x afab!reader

WARNINGS: SMUT!!!, MINORS THIS IS NOT FOR YOU PLEASE DNI(AGELESS AND BLANK BLOGS WILL BE BLOCKED), spit kink, slight overstimulation, thigh job, pet names, somnophilia, bdsm themes, praise, oral (f receiving), face riding, squirting, cum play, porn without plot, needy Mike 😵‍💫(if you squint slightly subby Mike)

Summary: Mike comes home from work and surprises you while you’re sleeping

Authors Note: Enjoy folks :) <3 I have three more fics lined up so stay tuned!

Word Count: 2.3k

When Mike works nights you always try your best to stay up and wait for him to come home, especially with this new job that seems to drain him so much after a shift. Always looking slightly horrified and even more tired than he already looks.

You were doing really good in the beginning, getting Abby all snuggled in bed, doing some laundry, making some dinner for yourself and even watching some tv on the couch. Where you started to go wrong was when you decided to migrate to your shared bedroom and lay in bed and read your favorite book. Your eyes start growing heavier and heavier with each page you read until your book is tipping forward onto your chest and your eyes are mostly closed. You drift to sleep and your book falls somewhere onto the floor losing your spot as you get more cozy in your sleep. Laying comfortably on your side, dreaming of an easier life for you, Abby, and Mike.

Until you feel yourself being pulled from your sleep, feeling little pecks on your neck and shoulder. You don’t think much of it, shifting onto your back to get more comfy. You feel the blankets gently pulled from your semi sleeping body and your legs softly pulled apart. You groan at the sudden chill that coats your body leaving goosebumps in its wake. Despite the cold your body starts to adjust and you begin drifting back to sleep.

Being pulled again from sleep, chasing a feeling… a really good feeling between your legs. Stirring by letting out a soft moan, absentmindedly grinding your hips into the feeling wanting more of it. That’s when you hear a moan that’s not yours…. but one that sounds familiar. You start testing your eyes by lightly opening and closing them, trying to get your bearings of your surroundings. You look down your vision still a little fuzzy, but you can make out just enough to see Mike lapping at the bundle of nerves between your legs like his life depended on it. You let out a louder moan

“F-fuck oh shit mike” you groan turning your head into your pillow. You remember the conversation you had had earlier that week with Mike about this fantasy he wanted to try out, and truth be told it was something you wanted to try too.

“Ssshhh shh baby go back to bed, daddy just needed to taste you” he mutters into your apex making the most obscene slurping noises

You gasp as he dives into your now very wet cunt like a starved man who’s not eaten in years. Licking and sucking every single crevice of you just to get every single drop of your arousal into his mouth. You’d never seen Mike so needy before and it was turning you on more than usual, knowing how much he needed you in this moment made you feel sexier than you’d ever felt before.

“m sorry honey I couldn’t help myself… I was so bored at work… lookin… at those screens all night… kept dreaming of this sweet sweet pussy…” he gravels, emphasizing the last few words by pointing his tongue and expertly circling your entrance.

You let out an even louder moan, now fully awake chasing your release the more he devours you. Your hips start rolling harder into his face, closing your thighs around his head, just trying to chase that feeling even more. Usually you’d be too self conscious to do something like this, chasing your own pleasure without thinking about him. But you couldn’t help it, it just felt so fucking good. And your inhibitions are down because you had just woken up, needing to chase your release in almost a primal, needier way.

Mike lets out the loudest moan you think you’ve ever heard from him, echoing inside the confines of your room. It spooked you, if Abby wasn’t already fast asleep it definitely would have scared you.

Mike lifts his head slightly, his nose all the way to his chin covered in your arousal and spit, he’s pupils blown clearly very turned on.

“Baby… I-please fuck my face… If I could devour you whole I would… I just… I need you” he says while he hangs his tongue out flat, lightly incasing your folds and grinding softly against the bed.

You take in a deep breath at his dirty words… mulling it over in your head… it’s not something you’d ever done before. But with how his lips and tongue already feel, you could imagine that it would at least feel just as good.

“Fuck okay” you say with a jagged breath

“It’s okay Angel I got you” he says as he grabs your hips and starts to move them so your clit is rubbing on his tongue.

He’s eyes never leave yours, showing you in each and every way that he wants this, no… needs this. Moaning and groaning into your folds reverberating into your core only egging you on more. You start getting the hang of it, no longer being guided by his hands but instead you guiding his with your hips.

His fingers making a home at your hips, digging deeper and deeper into your skin. The slight pain it caused only increase the unimaginable euphoria Mikes tongue was already creating for you. Gasping and moaning at a slightly alarming volume. The sensations becoming too much to bare, you grab onto his curls hard for some security, forcing another moan from Mikes lips.

You are hurtling faster than you’d care to admit towards release, grinding harder against Mikes face, coating his face in your wetness. Both of your moans quietly filling up the room careful not to wake abby.

At this point Mikes tongue is out lapping up everything you give him and letting your hips do all the work. The squelching noises between your legs only pushing you on even further to the edge.

“Mike oh my god Mike I- s’fuck I think i’m gonna cum” you shriek

He doesn’t respond verbally only showing you he heard you by moaning louder into your core. And then an explosion of color happened behind your eyes, you felt as though your body was floating in the air as you came hard. Soaking Mikes face even further in your juices.

“s’fucking pretty” he said as he came up for air, and pushing your folds apart to have better access to your clit and all the cum still freely coming from your center. Not even caring that you’ve already come down from your orgasm.

You scream in response, immediately covering your mouth, praying to whatever god you believe in that abby didn’t hear that and wake up. Your legs beginning to shake as Mike continues his assault on you, and you bite your hand to force yourself to be quiet.

“Sorry baby not done yet, I need more, I wanna see you cum again, you just look too fucking perfect, be a good girl for me and take it okay?” he mutters, it’s not a question, he’s telling you he’s not going to stop until he feels like he’s had his fill. Of course unless you used your safe word that the two of you had previously discussed, but you weren’t thinking about that right now. You were already flying towards the finish line for a second time. His moving your hips for you until you regain enough control to do it yourself, forcing you further into pleasure.

You grab onto his hair with your hand again harder than before, entangling his curly locks into your fingers. Youre knuckles turning white and your hand is beginning to hurt by how hard you were trying to contain yourself.

“Harder baby… do it harder, feels so good” he says to you dreamily, clearly so lost inbetween your folds.

You obliged him and pull even harder, pulling a whimper from his lips, muffled from being in between your thighs. You can feel the skin surrounding your core becoming sore from Mikes scruff, only adding to the already intense sensations.

You look down between your thighs to see that Mike is no longer looking at you, but eyes closed entranced and now shamelessly grinding his clothed cock against the edge of the bed unable to help himself.

“Fuck Mike, feels s’good” circling your hips pointedly to make his nose hit your clit, making you gasp.

You do the motion again and again and again, rocking the bed back and forth with a combination of your thrusts and his.

Then it hits you even harder than before, stealing all the breath from your lungs, pushing every bone and muscle further into ecstasy. Your mouth contorts into a silent scream, legs clamped around Mikes head and toes curled in pleasure.

The waves or pleasure still hitting you over and over again until Mikes tongue slows and he stops your hips. He licks one long stripe up your core before leaving kisses on each thigh.

You look up at him panting, trying to catch your breath. While you watch him stand up off the bed, seeing a wet spot of precum in his jeans.

He quickly pulls his shirt and boxers off, so you can see his painfully hard erection slap against his soft tummy.

He climbs on top of you eagerly, kissing you hard against your mouth. You moan as you taste yourself on his lips and tongue, it was wet and messy and you loved every second of it. Your mouth welcomed his tongue into yours as your tongues danced. He grabs the back of your head deepening the kiss, the both of you lose yourself into this for while. Grinding against each other and grabbing every single inch of skin that the two of you could grapple at.

He then slowly leans back, a string of saliva still connecting the two of you. He grins at you lightly, clearly very happy with the outcome of your experiment.

He pushes himself off the bed and puts his hand in front of your face with an expectant look.

“Spit baby” he hints

You indulge him by gathering a bunch of saliva in your mouth and lightly spit it on to Mikes hand. He then takes that same hand and rubs your spit onto his cock. He pushes your knees together and lines himself up between your thighs.

He drives his cock inbetween your thighs and exhales a big breath. You moan at the visual he was creating above you by fucking your thighs. You were grateful for the downtime because your clit was aching from cumming twice in a row.

His thrusts are slow but hard, making the prettiest noises, his face scrunched up in pleasure.

“You’re so fucking perfect you know that?” he said breathlessly, picking up his pace slightly

You bite your lip, you love seeing how much you drove him crazy. His moans and groans are like music to your ears. You want to give him a show just as much as he was giving you one.

You grab the edges of your night shirt and slip your shirt over your head, leaving your tits now free to bounce in sync with his thrust. You grab them between your hands and push them together, pinching your nipples between your fingers. You let out a soft hiss, reawakening your abused clit.

“Fffuuuckkk me” he gasps at the sight of you.

“You like what you see?” you say as you lick your fingers to put right back on your nipples.

“Yeah f-fuck yes I do” he says shakily, you can feel his thrusts getting less controlled and his breathing becoming more shallow.

“You’re always so good for me baby, so fucking dirty too…my dirty girl” he coos

You smile shyly at his praise, and squeeze your thighs tighter together so Mike had more friction as he was reaching his climax.

Mike whimpers in response, his hips slapping erratically against your thighs, and with one final thrust he’s coming. He cries out as his cock spills his hot cum all over your thighs and stomach.

You moan in response, the bottom half of you now basically covered in his cum. You both look between your legs, iced like a cake, Mike entranced with this imagine runs his cum covered cock inbetween your folds one last time.

He takes one of his hands and runs it between your thighs and on your stomach collecting his cum on his fingers, bringing up to your mouth.

You open your mouth happily to suck and lick all the cum off his hand. You make eye contact with him and moan, making sure he knows that you’ve enjoyed it just as much as he did.

“Jesus.. christ baby… your gonna kill me one day I swear” he babbles

You chuckle with his fingers still in your mouth and then letting go with a pop. He inspects his hand for a second making sure every bit of his cum has been gathered up by your tongue

“Good girl baby, did such a good job f’me” he praises you

Your heart swoons and you pull him back down to you into an embrace. He chuckles and settles himself behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and his knees tucked behind yours.

You nuzzle backward into him, lazily rubbing circles against his arm that was wrapped around you.

He kisses your shoulders and neck, occasionally giving you little praises about how well you did or how beautiful you looked. You wished you could stay in this moment forever, feeling completely safe in his arms. You know tomorrow you’d have a longer discussion about the new activity you guys tried out tonight, but for now, you’d rest.

Your eyes were getting heavier and heavier, and Mikes breathing was leveling out behind you, knowing he’s close to sleep as well. You finally let your eyes drop as you both went into dreamland content and satisfied.

[a-deep-ocean-of-secrets]

Home Is Where I Want to Be (But I Guess I'm Already There)

Summary:

The thing is, Buck didn't mean to move in with Tommy.

Read below or on AO3 (3.8k words)

The thing is, Buck didn't mean to move in with Tommy.

Those first few giddy weeks and months (like bubbly champagne buzzing through his veins every time he saw Tommy’s smile, kissed Tommy’s full lips, found himself tangled in Tommy’s bed sheets) of staying over in his boyfriend's cozy, Venice bungalow have him living almost exclusively out of his trusty duffle bag. Which isn't a big deal. He's used to lugging that ratty thing back and forth from the firehouse to his apartment. 

Can it be annoying sometimes? Sure. His clothes are constantly wrinkled (which majorly sucks when he's trying to dress to impress on date nights) and he's always forgetting or running out of one toiletry or another. If it’s not his deodorant then it’s his mouthwash. If it’s not his aftershave then it’s his moisturizer. Minor inconveniences, really, but worth it every time to wake up in Tommy's king-sized bed with Tommy's strong arms wrapped around him and Tommy's hot breath on the back of his neck.  

It doesn't take long for that to change. Like a seed beginning to take root, Tommy, as he’s done since the very beginning, makes room for Buck in his life. Just as he opened his helicopter to Buck and his friends and flew them headfirst into a raging hurricane on nothing more than an outlandish hunch. The same way he took time out of his busy schedule to grant Buck a private tour of Harbor Station and answered all his jumbled questions as Buck nipped at his heels like an overeager golden retriever, tail wagging a mile a minute, wanting nothing more than to be closerclosercloser to the cool guy with a megawatt grin, who called him ‘Evan’ and had his heart skipping a beat even if he couldn’t identify the why of it all at the time.  

So it’s not a surprise at all when he carves out precious space in his closet and lets Buck's colorful and patterned button-ups and polos blend in with Tommy's neutral henleys and shackets. They’re two big guys with a penchant for working out, so their wide array of tank tops, sweatpants, and basketball shorts become indistinguishable from each other. Their LAFD-issued shirts are so interwoven that they've given up trying to tell them apart and frequently go to work wearing the other's name branded on their backs, much to their coworkers’ loud and endless amusement. 

Buck’s grapefruit shampoo and citrus body wash relocate to the shower niche alongside Tommy's own sandalwood and frankincense-scented products. On the vanity, Buck's red toothbrush is a companion to Tommy's green one. 

All these minute modifications to Tommy’s home are simple and understandable ripple effects of Buck regularly spending a few nights a week there. 

The offshoots of that single seed deepen into winding vines without Buck even noticing. 

First, it's Buck's lucky set of boxing gloves hanging innocently alongside Tommy's Muay Thai gear in the garage. After a frustrating and tedious shift, he enjoys nothing more than a few vigorous rounds with Tommy’s punching bag. Then, Buck's large and varied assortment of books (ranging from biographies on famous figures such as Marie Curie to The Book of 10,000 Incredible Facts to the new YA fantasy series that is all the rage among Christopher and his friends) slowly but steadily find a home among Tommy's WWI & II aviation history collection on the shelves of the reclaimed redwood bookcase Tommy crafted by hand. 

His favorite cast iron skillet and Instant Pot take up permanent residence in Tommy's kitchen, alongside his garlic press and waffle maker. His 'Buck Off' coffee mug (a gag gift from the 118) is always ready to go for lavender and daffodil-colored mornings spent on Tommy's front porch overlooking the canal as kayaks and paddle boards drift by in the early morning light. The sinfully soft, ocean blue afghan Carla knitted for him during the pandemic is draped over the back of Tommy's unfairly comfortable sectional. Christopher’s US History textbook is lying open on the coffee table, left behind after a pizza and study session. The newest season of The Bachelor (the combined forces of Maddie, Chimney, and Josh got him hooked. What can he say? He loves love.) is TiVoed on Tommy's flatscreen TV. His Jeep has its own designated spot next to Tommy's ’71 Bronco. 

The roots of their budding relationship grow deeper and extend farther than the eye can see. 

Buck's most cherished brand of coffee is readily available in the kitchen cabinets. His all-time favorite blend just so happens to be named The Beast. A fun fact that never fails to stop him from leering at Tommy and waggling his eyebrows every time he brews a cup. His favorite cereal is stocked in the cupboards and his favorite yogurt is in the fridge. The same fridge that is currently plastered with Jee-Yun's vibrant crayon drawings alongside pictures of Tommy’s nieces and nephews in Chicago. A true collage of sparkly princesses and menacing dragons beside Polaroids of beaming faces on the sandy shore of Lake Michigan and sitting in the stands of Wrigley Field with messy hotdogs and giant foam fingers. 

Even food Tommy turns his perfect, aquiline nose up to but Buck loves (like quinoa and chirimoya) are now staples in his pantry. His most treasured cookbook, battered with stained, dog-eared pages with the margins filled in with his own corrections in his scratchy scrawl, holds a place of honor on Tommy's countertop on a wooden stand Tommy scrounged up at the local flea market. 

He has to rack his brain to remember the last time he spent a night at the loft. The last time he had been there, to pick up some clothes from his rapidly depleting wardrobe, it had looked even emptier and barer than usual with hardly any food in the fridge, the bed sheets stale and unloved, and a thin layer of dust on his kitchen island. The industrial, modern space had felt cold and clinical and nothing like a living, breathing home. 

It lacked the wooden floors Tommy had spent weeks refinishing as he lovingly sought out the perfect stain. It lacked the extra-long, extra-wide hammock hanging off Tommy’s back patio where Buck delighted in taking the occasional catnap on sunny afternoons. The loft hadn't inspired even a fraction of the warmth that Tommy's home did every time he walked through the door with the key Tommy had given him three months in, dangling from a helicopter keychain that made him grin like a dope whenever he pulled it free from his pocket. 

Buck doesn't realize any of these very important and essential truths until one morning when he nearly trips over his running shoe that was lying discarded by the front door. At the sound of his clumsy stumble, Baron, Tommy's five-year-old Shepkita ("That's not a word, Evan. He's an Akita Shepherd.”), raises his head from where he's lounging on his overstuffed dog bed, exhausted from their early morning run at the beach. 

At the sight of Buck being Buck, Baron lets out a jaw-cracking yawn and puts his head back down to resume his beauty sleep. Kicking the offending sneaker out of the way, Buck stops dead center in the living room, hands on his hips and wearing Tommy’s faded USC sweater that’s been worn soft from years of washings and smells tantalizingly of Tommy’s laundry detergent, and can't help but survey the terrain and take stock of how much of himself is residing in Tommy's space. He's visible in every nook and cranny. 

He has completely, and totally, infiltrated Tommy's home. 

The thought instantly fills him with indescribable joy that blossoms like radiant sunflowers inside his chest. For all of ten seconds. He then remembers the last time he unknowingly moved in with someone and the heartbreaking consequences of it.

Abby.  

She had been so terribly sad and broken in the wake of her mother's death. It had been as easy as breathing for Buck to step up, to prove himself, to try and do everything in his power to fix her with his love and devotion. So he stayed with her day and night, and his things had steadily trickled into her apartment. It had been easier back then to do, he had had so little to his name other than the Jeep and his clothes. And he can't lie, it was a relief to get out of that glorified frat house filled with Connor and the others. 

It had seemed natural to move in with Abby (even if she had been unaware of it). He thought they were building something special together, something made to last. He hadn't known at the time that while he saw a new beginning, she saw entrapment. For her, she would be trading one role of caretaker for another. Going from a sick mother to a young punk (at 26, he had still been a kid) who was stumbling like a newborn giraffe through his first serious relationship. Had she stayed, there would have been so much handholding on her part as he continued to figure out all the volatile nuances of life and commitment. And that hadn't been fair of him to ask that of her when she was so vulnerable, he understands that now with valuable time and distance. She had been so lost that the only thing she could do to find herself again was travel halfway across the world and leave him behind in the process. 

He had lived (however briefly) with Abby. He was living with Tommy, even if he hadn't clocked it until just now. 

And he wants it, he realizes with a jolt not unlike the bolt of lightning that had struck him. He wants to live with Tommy. He wants to wake up with him every morning and come home to him every night (demanding schedules permitting, of course). He wants their high-energy workout sessions that always turn into a different kind of workout and their sunset strolls through the canals with an enthusiastic Baron (complete with goofy selfies in front of David Hasselhoff’s house from Baywatch). He wants their weekends at the Venice Farmers' Market. He wants their monthly meetings of the LGBTIQA+ book club that Hen and Karen started and that Tommy and Buck have hosted twice now inside this very house. 

He wants Tommy. Plain and simple. He always wants Tommy. Tommy, who has the world’s worst fake mouth static, but jokingly brags all the same about winning a medal for it. Tommy, who acts big and tough on the job and up in the air, but he never fails to shed a tear whenever they watch the climax of a romantic comedy. Tommy, who always has a heating pad and massage waiting on standby for rainy days when the pain in Buck’s bum leg flares up like relentless flames. 

Tommy, who has no idea that they're living together. 

An icy sliver of fear sluices down his back at the terrifying thought that once Tommy learns they're essentially playing house with each other he might turn tail and run away, just like Abby did. Or, perhaps, even worse, he won't run, but he won't want Buck here anymore either. He can already see it in crystal clear HD: Tommy's handsome face shuttering to stone as it does when he's uncomfortable but doesn’t want to show it. His blue eyes darting away and his lips thinning into a brittle line as he tells Buck that this is all moving far too fast, that maybe they should take a step back and put some space between them, and then Buck will be banished back to his sad, pathetic loft that doesn't have Tommy waiting for him in it. 

He cuts the catastrophizing off at the knees before it can spiral into something far more treacherous. Tommy, for all his flaws — he drinks orange juice straight from the carton like a Neanderthal and he doggedly believes that his directions are better than the GPS ("I spend most of my time in the air, Evan. I know all the shortcuts throughout Los Angeles County.") — isn't the kind of man who runs away from a fight when the going gets tough. He's the kind of man who digs his heels in and comes out swinging the next round. And he's been nothing but kind to Buck the entire time they've known each other. He enforces tough love when he deems fit, but it always comes from a place of kindness and gentleness. 

They love each other. And they live together. It's time Tommy knows it. 

So, screwing his courage to the sticking place (Jee-Yun loves Beauty and the Beast), Buck shuffles his way into the kitchen where his boyfriend is manning the stove and making their breakfast. In the oven, a frittata bakes away in Buck’s cast iron skillet and on the stovetop, turkey bacon sizzles as it fries. Tommy, hair curly and wet from his earlier shower, flips crispy pieces while humming along to The National playing softly in the background on the radio. 

God, Buck adores this man with everything in him. 

Tommy catches him out of the corner of his eye hovering there like a massive dweeb and flashes a dazzling smile his way. 

“Hey, babe. What was that noise I heard?” 

He can feel an embarrassed blush rapidly bloom across his cheeks until his face is as pink and splotchy as his birthmark. “Oh. That was just me. I, uh, tripped over my running shoe,” he lamely explains. 

“They can be quite the menace,” Tommy says with his usual brand of wry humor. He chuckles quietly to himself as he turns his attention back to the mouthwatering bacon. For a tempting moment, Buck just wants to forget the stunning revelation he’s had and instead stay in this blissful, domestic bubble that seems to exist whenever the two of them are alone together. It doesn’t matter where they are or what they’re doing, there’s just an undeniable ease to the two of them existing in the same space, breathing the same air, hearts beating in tandem. 

But, alas, he’s a man on a mission. 

Reaching up and rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, Buck thinks through his options. He’s come to learn, through many a messy trial and error, that honestly truly is the best policy. The last time he had so thoroughly ignored the elephant in the room was when he had asked Taylor to move in with him for all the wrong reasons. 

That had been a train wreck of epic proportions, even for him. He had well and truly bucked that situation up beyond repair. 

But that was then and this was now. And the only things Tommy and Taylor had in common were their initials and their partiality to cruising around LA in helicopters. His feelings for them were night and day as well. He had loved Taylor, but by the exhausting end of their relationship, he hadn’t genuinely liked her anymore as a person. They were too different, their morals too misaligned to exist harmoniously together. It isn’t like that with Tommy. He both loves and likes practically everything about his fellow firefighter, even the traits and bad habits that annoy the ever-living shit out of him. 

“So, hey, I, uh, kinda just realized something…pretty important.” 

Smooth start. And to think, before he met Tommy he had honestly had game. But something about the self-assured pilot, from the moment they met on the tarmac at Harbor and he introduced himself as Evan instead of his standard Buck, had him tripping over his tongue in both the best and worst ways. His foot-in-mouth syndrome had ruined their first date and nearly all chances he had had with Tommy, but it was that same unfiltered nature of his that had Tommy granting him another shot and scoring him as his plus one to Maddie and Chimney’s wedding that never was. 

Which reminds him: he owes Tommy a dance. He files that tidbit into his mental to-do list for another day. 

Tommy looks at him with a quizzical raise of his brow as he lazily twirls the spatula in his hand. “What? Found some more facts about that jellyfish? What’s it called? The spotted—“

“Chriodectes maculatus,” Buck corrects automatically. “Or more commonly known as the spotted box jellyfish. Only the rarest jellyfish in the world, I might add.” 

The corner of Tommy’s lush lips curl up into a fond half-smile. “Yeah, that’s the one. I thought you exhausted all knowledge on it last night when we watched that documentary.” 

“In the words of Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zhou, ‘Life is finite, while knowledge is infinite.’ So, no, I’ll never know enough about jellyfish, rare or otherwise, to exhaust myself, Thomas.” 

Tommy mouths ‘Thomas’ to himself and looks to be gearing up a quippy retort of his own when Buck realizes with tightening dread that he’s on the road to derailing this potentially monumental conversation with talk of jellyfish, of all things. Honestly, he can’t even believe himself half the time. 

Time to pivot. 

“Forget about the jellyfish. They’re not important right now.” 

Swiveling his broad-shouldered body, Tommy gives him his full attention as his eagle-eyed gaze slowly sweeps over the entirety of Buck’s 6’2” frame. Buck, for his part, staunchly fights the urge to fidget as he knows it would give him away in an instant. There’s something almost surgical in the way that Tommy, without ever saying a word, can expertly peel back all the layers of bone and marrow of Buck’s psyche down to his bleeding center where his festering insecurities and crippling self-doubt reside. 

If it were anyone else it’d feel violently invasive. But Tommy has only ever treated these undesirable parts of him with the tenderest of care, delicately stitching up invisible wounds Buck hadn’t even known existed until the moment Tommy kissed him in his kitchen and completely shook the bedrock of all his pre-conceived notions about himself. 

“Sounds serious,” he says after a moment of contemplative silence. The only sound in the kitchen is the hiss of the bacon roasting away on the stove. Through the window over the sink, a beam of sunlight shines in and bathes Tommy in its golden rays. 

Buck heavily exhales a breath out between his teeth. “It is. Or, it could be. Maybe. It really depends on how you look at it, I guess.” 

“Look at what?” Tommy asks, even-keeled as ever. It’d be infuriating if it wasn’t such a damn turn-on. 

It’s now or never. 

“Look at the fact that… We kinda, almost…sorta, seem to be living with each other?” 

Tommy freezes to the spot, his eyes going wide as he blinks, coming off as a perturbed owl for a moment before he schools his features back into his usual calm facade. He looks back down at the bacon and quickly flips some pieces before they can turn into a charred mess of meat. 

Composure regained, he asks, “Was that a question or a statement?” 

He’s always lightning-quick to toss the proverbial ball back into Buck’s court. Always willing to let him take the lead in their relationship and set the parameters and boundaries. Without fail, where Buck goes Tommy follows. It had been a sweet relief in the early days of their relationship when Buck was stumbling around blind, but nine months in and Buck needs Tommy on equal footing with him. It’s the only way forward. 

“It’s, uh, a statement.” Damn. That didn’t sound convincing at all. Closing his eyes and centering himself the way Dr. Copeland taught him, he slowly takes a deep breath, and then another, and then one more for good measure, opens his eyes, and looks Tommy square in the eye. “It’s a statement. We’re, for all intents and purposes, living together. And I want, no, I need to know what you think about…that.” 

Tommy’s gaze slides away and catches sight of Buck’s mug already topped off with his second cup of coffee for the day as swirling mist rises off of it. He sees Buck’s LAFD hoodie hanging off the back of one of the stools situated at the island. He spots Jee-Yun’s drawings on the fridge, giving the stainless steel appliance so much color and joy. He spies the Fokker Dr. I triplane chew toy Buck specialty ordered for Baron lying on the floor near the dining table. 

Tommy’s home hasn’t just been Tommy’s home in quite some time. 

He spots every single change that Buck has brought into his house with his very presence, and he gathers them to him like they’re the most precious of jewels. He turns to Buck and smiles at him. 

It nearly stops Buck’s heart for a moment. 

He loves all of Tommy’s smiles. He loves his smirk when he’s said something particularly snarky or deadpan. He loves the closed-mouth grin he does when Buck is batting his eyes and pouting and Tommy is steadfastly pretending he isn’t endeared by the silliness. He loves the smug curve of his lips when Tommy moves just right inside of him, hitting that elusive, perfect spot that has him seeing stars and clutching Tommy tighter to him until he can’t tell one limb from another. 

But this, this is his favorite Tommy smile by a far-flung mile. 

It is simply radiant. His smile is wide and open, with his straight, white teeth brilliantly on display. It stretches broadly across his rugged face, exposing his deep-set dimples on either side of his ample mouth. His nose adorably scrunches and his eyes are squinty with unbridled happiness. At the corners of his eyes, his crow’s feet spread like tiny estuaries spooling into the grooves of his tan skin. 

He looks boyish and carefree. And so very in love. 

All because of Buck. He was the cause of such boundless euphoria. No one has ever loved him the way Tommy unashamedly does. 

“What I think is,” Tommy says clearly and concisely, “I think we should make it official. What do you say, Evan? Will you move in with me?” 

Buck feels like he was socked in the gut, but only in the very best of ways. His breath is stolen from his body and he doesn’t even know if his feet are still on the ground or if he’s simply floated away with how incandescently lighthearted he feels at this very moment. 

“Y-You really mean that? You want to live together?” 

It never hurts to double-check. He does that every time with his faithful clipboard. It is truly the only way to be efficient. 

Tommy’s smile only widens further. “Evan. You’re my favorite person in the world. Of course, I want to live with you.” 

The sunflowers inside Buck’s chest come to full bloom. 

He and Tommy live together.

[thevillainswhore]

Read Between The Lines

Pairing: Modern!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Word Count: 6.6k

Summary: There shouldn’t have been anything unusual about your routine visit to the local bookstore. Your life was simple and mundane, even if you were a daydreamer at heart. But you were pleasantly surprised when this time you met a handsome stranger between the shelves.

Warnings: Pure fluff, meet cute, meddling bookstore owners, lets also pretend that walking someone home after you’ve only just met is fine 😅🤣

Author’s Note: Unbeta’d, warning graphics and dividers by @rookthorne 💜 hope you enjoy your gift my love 🥰

It was an early morning in Brooklyn as you walked down the cobblestone path — a light dusting of wind had you wrapping your coat tighter around you while a chill tingled your cheeks. 

Finally, a free day marked out in your calendar meant you had the opportunity to spend some time to yourself and of course, that had to include the cutesy, tucked away bookshop — fittingly named Hidden Treasures — found in an unplanned outing; a true secret gem you held dear to your heart. 

Weekly stops to your new bookstore soon became routine in your life. A daydreamer at heart, you were always on the hunt for a new fairytale or fantasy to delve into; best friends to lovers, soulmates bound to fall in love, a bump in with a handsome stranger — a girl could dream. 

Modern dating had proven disastrous for you when plenty of first dates arranged online had turned sour fast. That embarrassment was enough to have you swear off real romance for life. 

So, you had always kept your head in your books. Yes, your days might have been a little stale. And yes, you could have used a little more excitement in your life. But, you were more than happy to stick to your safety net of fictional men — they would never disappoint you.

The chime from the store bell rang as soon as you opened the door and stepped inside. Shimmying your coat and scarf off, you hung them on the rack and sighed happily. By the counter as always was Teddy; the sweet, old man who had greeted you with a beaming smile and an enthusiastic wave since your first visit. “Morning, darlin’!”

“Good morning, Ted.” It was impossible to contain your wide grin as you stomped the dirt off your boots onto the mat, happy to see the bookstore owner and your now good friend. “I’ll catch you when I’m finished, okay?” 

As usual, Teddy gave you the go ahead with a nudge of his head to get on with your weekly haul, already expecting you to jump into your adventure of fiction and find him after. 

The feeling of being transported into another world each time never disappeared. The floor to ceiling oak bookshelves wrapped in green vines, towered over you like castles and the bumps and ridges of variously sized books you ran your hands over reminded you of their stone walls. Fairy lights were strung between the exposed wooden beams of the roof and streams of daylight casted in through the window that brightened the shop.

All your responsibilities vanished for the time being and a blissful peace clouded the stress and anxiety of the week. It was magical.

Endless coves and hideouts hid around the shop — the amount of times you had gotten lost, even in such a small space, never failed to amuse Teddy. You would always find your way back to the counter, a stack of books overflowing in your arms with a sheepish expression. You were still finding secrets to this very day. 

After idly walking around the cozy bookshop for a while with no real goal, you eventually decided to stroll towards the romance section. You were on a mission to find the next installment of the series you were currently reading, browsing from A-Z and trailing the tip of your finger along the coffee stained, worned spines.

The rustic smell you could only find between the pages of written stories were deeply breathed in as you hummed along to the calm jazz song that played from the speakers. You scoured through the endless selection until you reached exactly what you were looking for. Finger coming to a stop, you were about to carefully pluck the book from the shelf. 

Now, you believed you were a cautious person — a healthy amount of awareness of your surroundings never hurt to keep you safe. However, instinct seemed to fail you when a figure brushed your back. They were directly behind you, light on their feet and quiet. 

The tiny hairs on your arms stood up, alert with the presence close by and before you could have spun around, a thick arm stretched over the top of your head and into your vision.  

The feel of ringed fingers gently brushed against yours as they landed on the book you planned to take. You looked at both of your hands, transfixed at the difference in size between you. The staccato of your heart was sent into overdrive, thumping wildly against your chest. 

You watched in real time as the cold silver against your warm skin thrummed all the way through your body, a bolt of electricity tingling your nerves — never had you felt more alive.   

Following a path from the stranger's hands all the way up his arms, the pattern of colourful tattoos screamed out at you. Beautiful, intricate designs with immaculate detailing bursted over his olive skin and decorated his frame perfectly. 

There was no doubt this stranger heard the small gasp you let loose. But you couldn’t have helped it. Those arms taunted you — the devil on your shoulder poked its sharp tail against you and whispered delightful sins into your ear. 

Down girl. You didn't even know him yet.

“Oh!” The stranger exclaimed. “My apologies, Doll. Looks like we were reaching for the same book.” The deep voice that rumbled above caused a shiver to run down your spine — pure heaven in your ears. 

You gained the courage to turn around and look up at his face, and you were utterly mesmerised at the ocean blues staring straight into your soul, reaching into the deep valleys of guarded secrets you kept close to your heart. Everything you wanted to keep hidden started to unravel in one look. You were unsure whether you loved it or hated it.  

Your mouth fell agape as this tattooed stranger with a dreamy gaze smirked, watching you take his appearance in. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you racked your head for something to say as your eyes darted over his features — desperate to take in his beauty. 

However, you failed to realise this man had also been basking in your beauty too, obsessing over every detail of your face. You watched him slowly lick his lips, flitting his eyes up and down your figure before he summarised, “Huh — I guess you do look the type for a good romance.” 

As much as you tried to remain composed, your mind apparently had decided that was the time to throw your filter out the window. “I can’t say the same for you.” 

Your mouth instantly fell open in shock, mortified at your audacity. The embarrassment of your own awkward nature forced you to slap your hand over your mouth. 

Quick to want to rectify your mistake, you stuttered, falling over your own words as you attempted to say your apologies. “Oh my god. I didn’t— I didn’t mean it like that, I swear! Just— just with the tattoos and— and the— the um…” your words trailed off as you gawked at his nose ring in awe.

You were too busy lost in this man’s invisible spell to notice the laugh he tried to keep in. All you paid attention to was his teeth biting into his plump bottom lip. 

However, it was the sudden realisation of the position the two of you hadn’t moved from that shook you out of your haze — now hyper aware of the proximity against each of your chests. The way this walking, tatted sin on legs, plucked straight from your dreams held eye contact astounded you. Your legs were almost forced to cross over each other, to stop the flutter between them as his breath tickled your neck and the scent of mint and leather permeated your senses. 

Outwardly shaking your head to snap out of your brain fog, you stepped back to lean against the bookshelf, out of this unusual hold of a stranger so you could actually think properly. 

You undoubtedly expected him to bid you farewell, for him to take offense to your quip (rightfully so)  and never see him again — your chance flushed down the drain already due to your own inability to socialise like a human being. 

The world would be that cruel to you, you figured. To dangle the most gorgeous man you had ever seen in front of you only to rip him away because of your lack of grace. Why not after your so called luck with dating? 

So it was to your pleasant surprise that instead, this stranger wasn’t repelled by you and in fact took a step closer towards you, eyes homed onto yours intensely with a glint of mischief. “While my looks may be deceiving,” he rested his hand on the shelf beside you and leaned down to your height. “I sure don’t mind the element of surprise if it captures the attention of a pretty girl.”

The charm and the charisma that seeped from his pores had you releasing a giggle. And the delight of being the cause of that twinkle in his cerulean eyes was unlike anything else.

Testing the waters, you teased him, praying you didnt mess up the second chance you had been graciously gifted. “Do you normally pick up girls in bookstores?”

The bewitching stranger didn’t let up on his allure though. “This is actually my first time, is it obvious how bad I am at this?”

“You’re not doing so bad.” You shrugged, a smile edging its way into your face. 

“Well, thank god for that.” He dramatically clasped his hand to his heart, blowing out a breath. “I was hoping that would work because I had no more pick up lines to win you over.”

Your laughter filled the aisle. His endearing nature — just the right balance of wit and appeal — attracted you even more. 

A calm broke over the two of you as your joint amusement naturally settled. You both continued to gaze at the other before your companion introduced himself. “I’m Bucky.”

Bucky. You finally had the stranger’s name and it suited him, you figured. Hearing it gave you a warm feeling in your chest and an itch to test it on your tongue. 

“Can I have the pleasure of knowing your name too?” he asked smoothly.

The subtle cock of his head and that damned sparkle in his eye, finished off with a tongue in cheek smile almost had you giving in. Bucky was patient as the tension brewed in the air and he looked at you as though all of his problems would have been answered if he knew what to call you. 

However, a sudden defiant nature within you wanted to test him. Make him work for something so personal. “I think I’ll stick with keeping it to myself for now,” you granted him instead.

Bucky was visibly surprised with your comeback, eyes widening the slightest as he stood tall and slid his hands into his jean pockets, but the glint in his eyes told you he liked your sass — a mystery stood in front of him that he was desperate to unravel. 

“Elusive, I like it.” He cocked his hip and grinned, giving you an appreciative once over before he declared, “Doll it is then, sweetheart.” 

Your heart swooped. Like you were on a rollercoaster, about to drop from the highest point. The rush you experienced from one small interaction was addictive and you wanted more. 

“So,” Bucky said. “What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he squeezed his eyes shut and winced as a flush crept up his neck. 

Discreetly, you covered your mouth with your hand to hide the laughter lodged in your throat. You actually thought his dorkiness was adorable, but you wanted to let him suffer for a little longer. “Is that really what you’re going with?” You sniggered. “I knew you said you were out of pick up lines, big guy, but you’re scraping the barrel with that one.”  

Bucky squinted his eyes open and sighed. “I know — I know — that one was awful.” Surprisingly, he managed to pull you back in with his dreamy smile. “I swear I got better game than that.” 

“Oh really?” You challenged, crossing your arms over each other. “I don’t believe it.”

But as quick as a whistle, he retorted. “Go out with me and you’ll soon know how I could win you over.”

It was your turn to stifle the heat rising to your cheeks. There was a hopefulness in his gaze, desperately pulling you in. The hopeless romantic in you could have fallen in love with him right there and then, but you knew that wasn’t at all reasonable or realistic. 

“Okay, I’ll give you that one,” you laughed. Turning on your heels to pluck the very book that had been the cause of your bump in with your beautiful stranger, you waved the book over your shoulder, “But I think I better go pay for this.” 

“Ah, you beat me to it, Doll.” He clicked his tongue, a bout of sadness to his tone. “Would you mind if I walked with you? I’ve already got everything I hoped for.” Bucky’s eyes never left yours as he reached over the top of your head, once again trapping you, and taking a book from the shelf. 

Had your mind been any less fuzzy, you would have noticed he hadn’t even looked at which book he was reaching for, picking one at random to gently wave in the air between you, too.

You cleared your throat. “Y—yeah, of course! Not a problem whatsoever.” 

After Bucky had stepped back, he gestured for you to go first and the two of you silently walked over to the counter. You tried to discreetly glance over your shoulder, unable to resist looking at him. But your cheeks heated up when he met your gaze and winked. 

Once you reached the counter, you offered a bright smile to Teddy, who was already grinning back at you. Placing your chosen book on the wood between you for him to scan, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Just the one for you today, little one?” 

“Just the one this time, Ted.” You confirmed. 

“That’s unlike you.” Teddy hummed in thought. “Didn’t find anything else you like back there?” 

You mumbled under your breath, quiet enough that Teddy struggled to hear, “You could say that.”

Aware that Bucky was literally right behind you, you swiftly changed the subject. “How’s that husband of yours getting on anyway?”

George, said husband of Teddy, had been away for a trip overseas to collect rare editions of books on his wish list (along with a few surprise items for Teddy that you knew of) and as much as Teddy loved to keep up his beloved, bubbly personality alive in the shop, you knew he missed him deep down. The pair of them were two peas in a pod — incomplete without the other. 

So, you were shocked to see a grin crawl on his face as he scanned your book. “You can ask him yourself.”

You were confused until another figure popped their head around the doorway of the back room with a flourish. You gasped and ran towards him, throwing your arms around his neck for a hug. “George! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!”

George rocked you side to side with a big squeeze before he held you at arms length with fondness to check you over. Your face scrunched up when he booped the tip of your nose. “Yeah well, you can’t keep me away for too long, sweetheart.” Playfully side eyeing Teddy, he brought you closer and whispered loud enough for his husband to hear him say, “Besides, someone has to keep this troublemaker in check, don’t they?” 

“Haven't got the slightest idea what you could mean, Georgie.” Teddy overheard and put on his most innocent face. You giggled into George, amused by his husband’s antics. “I’m an angel.”

Their love encompassed everything you wanted from a life partner. You longed for their banter and their care and the passionate fire that was still raging all these years later between them. 

Looking over to Bucky, you were caught off guard to find him gazing at you already, a smile on his face that slightly scrunched up his nose. 

You stepped back to the counter, heated under the spotlight just as Teddy rang you up with a price. Though, you didn’t miss the seemingly casual glance he made behind you. “Mornin’, Buck. Got any nice plans for today?” 

You frowned, surprised that they were familiar with each other. Bucky cleared his throat before he spoke from behind you, “Just a small visit here today I’m afraid, Ted.”

Teddy still continued to speak over your shoulder as he took a suspiciously long time to bag up your book. “Right,” he murmured. “No plans for the rest of the day then?” 

“Nah.” Bucky's voice rumbled at your back, as if he had taken a step closer to you. “Nothing else, unfortunately. Can’t go anywhere without a pretty date now, can I, Teds?”

Almost immediately, Teddy looked at you, a glint in his eye of excitement before he innocently offered, “I may know someone.” 

You choked, causing all three men to look at you; Teddy had a shit eating grin on his face, while George tried to hide his laughter in his hand — unsuccessfully. You could even feel Bucky’s stare locked in on you from behind. 

“Don’t you dare,” you muttered under your breath to Teddy. 

But you knew by his wicked smile your threat wouldn’t stop him from meddling. “Why don’t you walk little one home after this? Get to know each other,” he said to Bucky. 

Amazed by the man’s audacity, you scolded him. “Teddy!”

“Nonsense, girl,” Teddy rounded the counter to you and slid his arm around your shoulders, turning you towards Bucky before he continued. “Besides, you heard the boy. He needs some company and I know for a fact you’ve got no plans apart from locking yourself at home.” Teddy looked proud of himself as he shrugged. “Problem solved.” 

He wasn’t lying. Although you were a little embarrassed he would out you like that, you in fact did not have any other plans. Traitor. 

“As lovely as Bucky seems, I don’t know him, Ted.” Quickly you glanced at Bucky and shyly uttered, “I mean no offense by that.”

“Don’t worry, dollface,” he said and you just knew by the grin on his face he was about to tease you. “I think I’m used to it by now.” 

Bucky snorted at your mouth falling open in shock.  Cheeky bastard. 

“Oh, dating back in my day was so easy.” Teddy sighed. “You liked the look of someone? You speak to them. You want to get to know them? Great! Ask them out.”

You shook your head in exasperation. The complexities of modern dating weren't as simple as Teddy’s reasoning. Respectful, charming men didn’t just fall from the sky, unfortunately, and fairytales didn’t just happen. 

Looking at Bucky, you gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about him.” You threw a lighthearted glare at Teddy while you admonished him. “Someone doesn’t know how to keep their mouth shut.”

Bucky waited until you looked at him and shrugged with a lopsided smile. “Eh, I don’t mind the old man so much.” Scratching the back of his head, he admitted, “Especially when he sets me up with pretty girls in bookstores.” 

Okay, maybe a few charming men fell from the sky. 

You clasped your hands together tightly, repressing the urge to squeak from giddiness.

Bucky stepped forward and placed his single book onto the counter before he offered his arm to you. “What do you say, Doll? Fancy humoring me?” 

While Bucky was still technically a stranger, Teddy knew him and one thing you were sure of was that he would never let any harm or danger come to you — you would be safe. 

Sighing lightheartedly, you stepped out of Teddy’s hold and stood before Bucky. You observed the slight bob of his Adam’s apple, taking pleasure in the small victory of his nerves and decided to put him out of his misery. “I guess you wouldn’t be the worst company on my way home.” 

Hooking your arm through Bucky’s, the glee that overtook his adorable face was worth your decision alone. He looked over to Teddy and gave him a single nod. “I'll take good care of her, Ted.”

“You better boy, because now I’m in trouble.” 

You grabbed your book from Teddy, already bagged and paid for. “Me and you will talk next time,” you warned. 

Teddy tightened his lips, hiding his laughter as he saluted you. “Yes, ma’am.” 

Rolling your eyes, you looked to Bucky, “You’re sure you don’t mind? Please don’t feel as though you have to do this.” 

But he just smiled earnestly, subtly pulling you closer towards him. “Believe me when I say I absolutely want to do this.”

Your cheeks warmed, flustered beyond belief. You were relieved as he started to usher you towards the coat rack, helping you pull your coat over your shoulders and wrapping your scarf around you.  

With a departing wave, you said goodbye to both George and Teddy as you began to exit the store. Teddy’s shout of, “Have fun kids, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” was the last thing you both heard before the door closed.

George rounded the counter, having witnessed the whole exchange and curled up to his husbands side. He squinted his eyes in suspicion. “What are you up to, mister?”

Teddy continued to watch the two of you walk into the distance out the window, both jittery, arm in arm and a joint hidden excitement to be together. He just smiled as he shrugged. “Oh, nothing much, dear.”

“Little one, huh? Very cute.”

“Oh, god,” you groaned, ducking your head in embarrassment.  

Bucky wasn’t deterred by your timidness, however as he gently nudged your shoulder and playfully whispered, “Almost suits you as much as Doll, sweetheart.” 

Your huff of breath froze over in the cold air and you looked up at him with a shy smirk before shaking your head. “You’re good, you know. The women must love this — you stealing them from their daily life and whisking them away on dates.”

Bucky just laughed before he brought you closer to him, slinging an arm over your shoulder as he said, “Oh, so you're admitting this is a date, Doll?” 

You couldn’t help gazing into his stormy blue eyes that lit up in the sunrise above you. He was carved by angels, you swore by it. 

Walking forward, you detached yourself from Bucky’s hold, letting his arm drop, and spoke over your shoulder, “Play your cards right, handsome and we’ll see what this is by the end of the walk.”

You caught the redness creeping up Bucky’s face before you turned your head forward, though you did miss his goofy fist pump in the air. 

The thud of his heavy footsteps neared as he caught up to you and you decided to play dumb when he sneakily snaked his arm through yours. 

“So, Bucky,” you began. “Since we’re still practically strangers, let’s get to know each other.” 

He quickly recovered and nodded in agreement, “Great idea, Doll. What do you wanna know?”

“Tell me what you do for work,” you said. 

Bucky cheekily smiled before asking, “Any guesses before I tell you? No offense will be taken.” 

“Wow,” you laughed. “You’re really making me work for forgiveness aren’t you?” You hummed in thought before saying aloud, “Okay, I have something.” 

He raised his eyebrow. “Hit me with it, Doll.” 

You hesitated a second before you muttered, “A drummer.”

“What?!” Bucky laughed in shock and stared at you, eyes wide. “A drummer?”

Giggling, you held your defense. “Oh, come on! You can’t blame me with the tattoos and the jewelry.” You gestured to his form before shrugging. “You just have this classic rockstar look to you — nothing wrong with that of course.” 

Bucky held his free bare hand out, red from the cold and decorated with black ink. With a smirk, he leaned over to whisper in your ear, “The tattoos doin’ it for ya, Doll?” 

His Brooklyn drawl caused a shiver to run down your spine and you lightly gasped. He chuckled, overly satisfied to have made you flustered while you attempted to keep your dignity in tact. 

You bumped his hip with yours, ignoring his laughter. Brushing his flirtations off to try and keep your composure, you asked, “What is it you do then?”

A proud smile on his face, he answered, “I’m the owner of a vintage bike shop.” 

You turned to look at him, taking in his appearance for the umpteenth time and cocked your head. “Hm… I can see that actually. You got the whole biker aesthetic going for you.” 

You were pleased to see a small dust of red coat his cheeks. “Thanks, Dolly. Got anything else for me?” he asked, squeezing your hand. 

“Do you have any family?” you asked tentatively, worried it may be a sensitive topic. 

But Bucky’s face lit up at the mention and he turned to you, resembling an excited puppy. “I have the best family, Doll. My mom—Winnie, she raised me and my sister, Becca. They’re both amazing women and—“ 

As he went on, you stared at him and admired the way he spoke about the two most important women in his life — so full of love and awe for them that you felt like you knew them yourself. Your own mother had always taught you to take notice of a way a man speaks about other women in order for you to know how he would treat you. You were happy that Bucky did not disappoint. 

Along your walk, you had learnt how Bucky had a secret passion for pottery, something that allowed him to create beauty and art from his calloused and worn hands that years of oil and mechanical work had damaged. You were also over the moon to hear he was an avid reader. Of course you knew he must have a knack for reading if you met him at a bookstore. But, his detailing of certain stories he enjoyed and quotes that had stuck with him from authors he loved had your heart melting even more. 

The two of you continued to ask questions back and forth, learning more about the other as you walked together.  

“So,” Bucky started. “Hypothetically speaking of course, since this isn’t our first date, what would your perfect one look like?” 

You looked at him from the corner of your eye, watching as his eyes suspiciously darted around — whether he was digging for key information or not was a mystery to you. But you decided to answer the question anyway. 

“I think,” you began. “I think I’d enjoy an active date — maybe like a trip to Coney Island? You know the one with the—“

“The cyclone!” Bucky said enthusiastically. “Oh man, I haven’t been there since me and Stevie were kids.” 

“A good friend I take it?” You smiled, secretly enthralled by the way his eyes lit up. 

“The best,” he nodded. “Sorry, Doll. I got a little carried away there.” Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that was free. “Carry on.” 

“Don’t worry about it, it was cute.” you assured, before quickly clearing your throat once he started to smirk. “Anyway —  after a couple of rides and games where my date wins me a stuffed bear, a romantic little trip on the ferris wheel would be next and he would pay to stop at the top so we can see the whole of Brooklyn.” 

You feel Bucky’s stare on you as he said, “And then?” 

“Then he would walk me home and kiss me goodnight.” You finished quietly. 

“Interesting,” he mumbled. You didn’t miss the tone of his voice, one that made you skeptical of his antics. “So, kinda like I’m doing now?” 

Smartass, you thought internally. 

“Don’t be getting any ideas, Bucky,” you scolded lightheartedly. “This isn’t a first date, remember? You’re just walking me home.” 

He thinned his lips, trying to contain his smirk. “Of course, of course.” A moment passed in peaceful silence before he muttered, “There’s still time though, right?” 

Bucky ran away and out of your reach before you could land a playful whack to his arm. 

“Come on, Doll — I’m a dateless man!” he shouted. “Are you really gonna leave a poor man high and dry?” 

You scoffed, unable to contain the growing smile on your lips. “In your dreams, Bucky!” 

In hindsight, you should have known his retort wasn’t going to be anything other than cheeky — especially, with his sinful grin that made butterflies flutter in your stomach. “That you will be, Doll.” 

Beams of light from the sun, breaking through the clouds of the cold day, casted down over Bucky, creating the most heavenly glow over his features. Those ocean blue eyes that starstruck you from the very first look shone bright as ever and his piercings and rings that glistened had you entranced, wondering how they would feel against your body. 

The walk home, while not long, had given you a fair insight to this man you had met not only an hour ago. Bucky was unlike anyone you had met before — sweet but mischievous and the biggest flirt you had ever known. 

Not that you were complaining. 

The two of you were shortening the distance to your apartment. Admittedly, you felt a small ache in your chest, disappointed that the walk had to end so soon. However, the steps to your apartment that you reached signified the end of your time with him. 

Your hands twitched in anticipation. Was it inappropriate to want to see him again? Would you look desperate if you asked for a real date with him? An array of thoughts rushed through your mind until Bucky spoke over the scrambled mess in your head. “Okay. I have a confession to make.” 

You looked up, frowning to witness him twirling the rings around his fingers, dare you say looking as nervous as you felt.  

He had been making you stumble over yourself since your first bump in with his shameless flirtations and smooth moves. But now he was reduced to a man on edge. 

Intrigued, you wished for him to keep talking, curious to know the cause of his unease. “Go on,” you urged, softly.

Bucky nodded and took a deep breath. “I may have seen you. In that same bookstore. A couple of weeks ago.” He ran a hand through his hair, wincing at his inability to formulate his sentences coherently. “I um—found it after wandering around one day. I was in the far corner when I saw you walk in for the first time.” 

Your mouth fell agape, and your eyes widened while you listened intently. Though the shock of his confession rendered you speechless, you were rooted to the spot, hanging onto every word he said. 

Then, he gazed straight into your eyes, stepping closer and you gulped. “I swear I had never seen someone so beautiful in my life. I couldn’t take my eyes off you, Doll.” He shook his head and laughed earnestly. “You’ve had me in a chokehold for the longest time.” 

“But— But earlier?” You tried to get the words out to explain your confusion regarding the way he acted as though you met for the first time. 

Bucky closed the distance between you, tentatively closing his hands over yours. “I’ve seen you every week, walking into that store with your bright eyes, taking in everything like it’s the first time all over again. And every week I found myself in that far corner, obsessing over you and falling for you a little more each time.” He sighed before finishing, “I’d been building up the courage to come up to you until I finally did — Today.”

You could only imagine how you must have looked — a deer in headlights most likely, about to run away. Honestly, you were floored and you weren’t quite sure your mind had caught up yet. 

Attempting to settle your nerves, you cleared your throat. “You’re telling me,” you paused. “You’re telling me you planned on reaching for the same book as me? How did you even know which one I was going for?”

Bucky looked ultimately relieved that you hadn’t slapped him across the face just yet. His fingers twitched against yours while he laughed apprehensively. “Actually, I may have had a tiny bit of help with that one.” 

The cogs turned in your head and after a while the realisation struck you from his suspicious antics this morning. “Teddy!” you gasped. 

“Guilty as charged.” Bucky sheepishly smiled. “I asked him if he thought I had a chance with you the first time I saw you and he gave me some pointers.” 

You couldn’t help the huff of laughter that spilled from your lips. The whole situation was incredulous, something that would never happen to you. 

The tension slipped from Bucky’s shoulders, but his eyes still held on to some hope. Easing his worries, you grinned. “That was brave of you.”

Confidence visibly returned to him as he cockily shrugged, lips curving into his familiar smirk. “It was a risky move to take.”

Placing your hands on his chest, over his black leather jacket, you gave Bucky a run for his money as you caught his shudder with your eagle eye and decided to play him at his own game. “Some might even say creepy.”

“Oh yeah?” Bucky licked his lips and smoothed his hands over your hips. “Is that why you’re grinning like you’ve just found your future husband, Doll?”

This man, you thought to yourself. “You’re cheeky,” you replied aloud while you gripped his jacket. 

“And you like it.” He squeezed your hips.

There was hardly any distance between you; eyes glued to the others like neither of you could bear to look away. 

His eyes hooded as he joked playfully, “You gonna invite me up?” 

You smacked his chest, watching the crows feet by his eyes crinkle with amusement in the sweetest way. “I don’t put out on the first date,” you batted back. 

You weren’t prepared for the sudden shiver that rippled down your spine as he whispered, “Clever girl.” 

The charged air heightened your senses, you could feel every minute movement his fingers made, the way his thumb rubbed back and forth over your waist. 

“Can I have your name now?” Bucky disrupted the silence between you as his gaze flicked between your eyes. 

The rebellious nature from earlier had only come back tenfold. Coming within a hair's breadth away from his lips, you daringly muttered, “I’ll give it to you on our next date.”

His eyes lit up, like a kid on Christmas. “Next date?”

Pushing him away with a smirk, you held your hand out while he dazed at you longingly. “Phone,” you said confidently. 

You held in your laughter as Bucky quickly fumbled over himself, patting each of his pockets to find his mobile. Once located, he quickly slid it out of his leather jacket and into the palm of your hand. 

The glow of his screen lit up your face while Bucky tried sneaking a peek. But you shoo’d him away and carried on typing into his phone. 

Finally, you were finished and handed the phone back to him. With eagerness he grabbed it and instantly smiled with joy once he saw the screen. “Your number?” 

“Use it wisely, handsome,” you purred. Leaving him staring at you in his own haze, you walked up the steps to your apartment, a sway to your hips. You couldn’t be completely sure whether you heard Bucky stifle a choke from behind you, but you ignored it for the sake of his ego. 

Reaching the door to the lobby, you spun around on your feet and raised an eyebrow in question. “See you soon?” 

Bucky grinned from ear to ear. “Absolutely, Doll.” 

With that, you waved him goodbye and swung the door open, missing his besotted stare following you until you were out of sight. 

You raced up the stairs, holding in your excitement while you entered your apartment. As soon as your apartment door was shut behind you, you released the squeal that had been trapped in your throat while you danced on the spot. 

And at midnight, as you laid in bed thinking about Bucky, your phone chimed and you instantly grabbed with haste. The bright screen stung your eyes but once you saw who had texted you, they shot open — a thrill causing you to bite your lip and squeak.

Unknown Number: I was supposed to be asleep by 12 but you’re still on my mind. 

A few weeks later…

Teddy and his husband, George were readying the shop to open again after closing because of maintenance. The early morning was quiet yet peaceful; the only thing to be heard were the birds singing their song as the sun rose and shone into the shop windows. 

George leaned his elbow on the counter and sighed with nostalgia as he reminisced back to the beginning of their relationship. “Do you remember our first date, honey?”

Teddy spun around from his task of shelving the newly released books and smiled lovingly. “How could I forget?” 

The two gazed over the space between them, lost in their own bubble of harmony when the chime of the bell above the door snapped them out of their reverie. They both knew it was the usual time you would visit the shop, precise to a fault. 

With bright smiles, the pair looked towards the door, ready to greet you as was routine. But George gasped loudly when they found something a little extra glued to your side. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Teddy, however, kept quiet — no vocal response to be heard, only the visible large grin on his face once he caught you looking at him with a sheepish smile. 

“Well, good mornin’, little one,” he said teasingly.

You hid behind the tall frame next to you, embarrassed from being the center of attention. “Hi, Teds. Hi George,” your mousy voice spoke up. 

Easing the attention of you, Teddy glanced to your side and raised his eyebrow with a smirk. “Bucky.”

Your new boyfriend smiled and nodded his head in greeting to both men. “Good to see you, fellas.” Gently, Bucky grabbed your hand and pulled you with him as he began to lead you away. “Catch up with you shortly.”

Giggles and laughter echoed through the shop as you followed him down the closest aisle of books and away from prying eyes. 

George rounded the counter and came to his husband’s side, looking at him with a sneaking suspicion. “You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that would you, honey?”

Teddy thinned his lips, hiding his smile as he glimpsed at the two of you disappearing from his sight before getting back to shelving the books in his hand. He spoke over his shoulder, with all the innocence he could muster. “Me? Not at all, George — That’s nothing but a little bit of magic from Cupid.”

[citrlet]

i have a slight mods addiction so here's part 2! part 1 linked here

~under the cut as usual because there's just too dang much

visual aesthetics

medieval sheds (to go with medieval buildings / medieval sdve / way back pelican town)

secret garden terrarium

starkissed skintones

rosedryads fairy wings & accessories

dynamic reflections

chest deco

hummingbirds

moths

bees

ladybugs

too many swatches furniture recolor

fancy trash and resources retexture

fancy vanilla and sve elixirs retexture

fancy qi items and misc stuff retexture

fancy fishing and tackles retexture

fancy crops and forage retexture

fancy artisan goods icons retexture

fancy rings and shoes retexture

fancy artifacts retexture

fishing rod bobbler retexture

warp totems to magic books

more elegant farmer body

gameplay

aimons more lively quarry

aimons lively sewer

distant lands witch swamp expansion

the farmers children

mr. ginger cat npc

jorts and jeans cat npcs

amanita lover

lnh fantasy farm cave

downtown zuzu

strange machines revisited

fieval goes east scarp

rodney o'brien

juliet and jesse

professor jasper thomas

alecto the witch

mechanics

better shipping bin

smart building

furniture placement tweaks

furniture adjustment

misc

buildable large tree pack

mystical buildings

shyzies string lights

divine decor

guxelbits furniture

lunes offerings

aimons fancy farmhouse

aimons tidy cozy cellar

aimons fancy greenhouse

redesigned shed layout

tidy cozy ginger island farmhouse

additional bus interior map

greenhouse furniture set

sailor moon hairstyles and clothing (fashion sense version in the comments section)

shyzies seasonal rugs

seasonal open windows

futan bears

romantic fountains and arches

romantic furniture

bathroom furniture

[st4rbwrry]

COZY ☆ sasuke uchiha.

★ 𖥻 synopsis. nurse sasuke misses touching you.

     ‍ ☆. warnings — 2.1k. pwp. fem!reader, lowercase intended, pleasure!dom, sub reader, eats through the panties, teasing, praise, overstimulation, fingering, slow missionary, soft spoken sasuke ofc, clit spanks, neediness, face grabbing/smacking, pet names [ baby/babe, princess, pretty ] ,black coded. minors aren’t welcomed ! reblogs & comments are appreciated. for you, my pretty @sailewhoremoon

“hey, sweetheart.”

your tall boyfriend with messy hair emerges past the front door to greet you with a lopsided grin. he’s dressed in his usual attire; light blue scrubs while carrying a beige tote bag over his shoulder he sets down by the door after kicking his crocs off, a pile of three books clutched in his long fingers and underarms. he finds you sitting on the couch watching coraline in the darkish living room, holding a tub of ice cream in your hand and waving your spoon as you talked. only dressed in lilac panties and a vintage biker tee that’s like ten years old. feet propped on the coffee table as you enjoyed your movie on your day off.

“you’re home early. how was class?”

“interesting. i have a physiology final friday so the professor let us go early.”

nodding, your eyes drift. “whatcha got there?”

sasuke raises his brows, following the trail of your eyesight to see you looking at the books he had. “oh! i stopped by to get a few more supplies for class and found these novels i wanted us to read this weekend.”

his heavy body walks toward you, steps creaking the floor as he ruffled his black hair and hands you the novels. you set your ice cream aside to observe. sasuke’s crouched in front of you on his knees while he gets comfortable and rests his head on your pudgy stomach. you giggle from the gesture, scanning the grunge book covers on them all.

“dark fantasy this week, huh?”

his hands smooth up and down the outside of your smooth thighs, nodding his head. “you’ve been into that lately. look what you’re watching now. your third time this month, actually.”

you nod frantically, setting the books aside. “only because—okay, listen! i’m trying to analyze all the things i missed. there’s this theory that coraline didn’t actually seal the door.”

“why’s that? didn’t she get rid of the key?”

“yes! but in the end, right. notice when the camera pans out that it shows her parents’ garden. it shows her face, the same way it did in the other side. right. also, the cat fucking disappears through the sign at the end remember? and he could only do that in the other world!”

“mhmm!” sasuke raises his brow and making a sound that he understands, listening to you, barely that is considering he’s not looking at you at all. focused on his hands massaging your thighs and getting closer to your inner thighs, kissing your knee gently.

you frown. “baby, you’re not listening.”

sasuke raises his head, blinking. “i am. finish, babe.”

“okay, so!” the excitement picks back up in your tone, rambling on more. “point is, coraline never left from the other world and she only thinks that she did because she's in a fake copy of her own world somewhere behind the door. also if you notice, every single time she goes into the tunnel, it’s gets longer, which means she’s going deeper . . . ”

“what’s that smell?” sasuke interrupts, face completely unfocused. as much as he loves to hear your rambles and theories about your favorite movie, he’s too entranced by the way your skin smells right now, hiking your shirt to your midsection and seeing the sparkly belly piercing you have, leaning closer to lay his head there.

“ ‘ke,” your frown deepens, wishing he’d pay attention. you were super excited to tell him about this but he wasn’t listening to you. silence shadows you when you notice how much darker his eyes become, sucking in a breath the harder his thumbs knead into the flesh of your inner thighs, sasuke’s hands nearly gripping underneath your knees to hike your legs onto his shoulders. absentmindedly, your body sinks lower for him to accommodate, his face inching closer to your clothed cunt rapidly dampening as he releases a raspy moan.

“what is it? it’s driving me crazy.”

“t-that rihanna perfume i got at the flee market, remember? the red one.”

“fuck,” it’s like your sixth sense kicks in and you could practically tell that his dick just twitched in his pants, his hips pressing against the edge of the couch, close to grinding against it. sasuke loses his mind with the next thing you say. it coming out like you knew exactly what he was thinking right now. 

“just put your mouth on it,” it’s soft the way it comes out, perceiving. you sound as if you’ve been waiting for him to do it while also being needy for it. i missed you, is what he says in his head. and you knew that. could read it in his eyes that are low and longing for physical touch. he’s been touching all these bodies but yours, having enough of class and needing you. 

an undefeated grin sinks on his face, trying to keep that act up when you knew damn well how feral he’s feeling deep within. sasuke doesn't say a word, pushing your legs further back and craning his neck to drop his thick tongue onto your covered pussy, fabric sliding along his tongue as he licks a rough, long stripe over the entirety of your cunt. a whimper escapes the two of you in sync, his mouth suctioning your hidden clit, saliva soaking your lilac panties and sucking hard. your knees jerk from the feeling, hips grinding on his face. sasuke keeps his eyes on yours, releasing his mouth with a loud, wet pop and spanking your clit three times hard. he avoids where you craved him the most, playing with the thin band, moving it aside to catch a quick lick, dragging it side to side over your folds and sloppily kissing at your inner thighs.

“ ‘ke, stop teasing and eat it,” you whine, taking your hands to hold your own legs up, biting your lip, eyes glossy.

“i didn’t hear a please. you know i don’t like that.”

you hated giving him the satisfaction of begging sometimes because he tends to take advantage of it. he knows how badly you loved getting your pussy ate, and its embarrassing really. but he couldn't blame you when he did it so good. you’d cry for it, get mad if he doesn't do it or initiate it, didn’t offer after your period ends, when you’re sad or having a bad day. he will purposely make you beg for it even if he planned on doing it all along. 

you take too long, and he’s extremely impatient. sasuke slips your panties to the side and slides his two middle fingers deep into your creamy cunt, white substance coating his slim fingers, hearing it squelch as he gently curls them upward to hit that spot. he raises his brow, still waiting. your thighs shake when he smacks your outer thigh, the impact stinging. your back arches. “c’mon, girl.”

“please, please, pleaseee baby.”

“i can eat it, princess?” sasuke smirks like an asshole. 

fuck you. “yessss, yes, please!”

sasuke slurps at your clit greedily, destined to make you cum so he can drink it all. your pupils shift white once they roll back, clawing at your own thighs and prolonging his name in a content moan. its really wet, the sound so loud it bounces off the wall even with the movie playing on low in the background. sasuke thrusts his fingers slowly in and out, kissing at your pussy, sucking hard on your clit and pulling it with his lips, even uses the point of his tongue to flick at the throbbing bud. you can’t speak when you cum, your boyfriend moaning into your sweet pussy the minute you tug at his silky hair and hang your mouth wide open, squealing and closing your legs around his head. 

“good girl,” sasuke’s voice is deep and primal. he swallows down his gift, chin doused and lips shiny. he continues to thrust his fingers, your walls clenching tight on them as he hovers over you to stick his tongue in your mouth and kiss you. your eyes falter closed in bliss as you suck on his tongue and kiss back, rocking against his fingers. “taste that? that’s all you. ain’t it good?”

“mm hmm,” your attentive hands reach forward to tug down his scrubs, dick springing free and slapping hard onto his abdomen. sasuke’s stomach rolls inwardly from the freedom, thick vein pulsating on the right side of his cock leading up to the bubblegum pink tip, wanting more than anything to suck on it like a lollipop. the way he’s looking though? it’s not happening. maybe later in the shower. he straightens his back to lift off his top, chest bare to you now, his pretty vanilla skin gleaming from the low lighting coming from the kitchen and television. 

“look at her wantin’ more,” sasuke hums, thumb circling your sensitive clit and you jolt. sasuke bends his neck to spit between your legs, saliva hitting your mound and streaming down before he gathers it with two fingers and plunges them back into you, pushing your left leg back and fucking them fairly quick into you. he has his right knee indented into the sofa, messy black hair hanging around his clenched jaw, his brother’s necklace dangling. “nng you’re so much tighter, baby.”

“ ‘ke,” again, his name is the only thing you can conjure. sasuke locks his lips with yours roughly, whimpering in his mouth with his dick jumping against your thigh. “g’na cummm!”

“lemme have it,” its sort of a struggle to pump his fingers because of how tight you grip on it, despite it, he applies more force. he’d be a fool to ruin your orgasm. he loved pulling that out of you more than anything. gasping loud, you push at his exposed chest and trap his forearm with your spasming legs, screaming out the faster he fucks you. “mmm, thank you pretty.”

his next moves are haste, picking you off the sofa just to lay you flatly on your back before situating himself between, heavy cock pulsating and slapping the head on your clit a few times before he gently eases his way into your gaping hole. so fucking slick it drives him wild. still coming down from your previous high, your eyes are lazy as you hold your arms to your chest and watch him with fascination. the pretty man hovering above you hissing the deeper he sinks into your tight pussy, groaning loudly when he’s reached his peak. he’s become immobile like you have, the two of you needing nothing else to say, just wanting to relish the pleasure. sasuke’s hips roll back before he pistons forward, hips interacting, keeping his pace slow and hard to feel it all. it’s been a while since he’s taken his time with you. always rushing sex nowadays since he’s busy with classes and you’re constantly working. he missed you so damn much it was painful sometimes.

he has both your knees pressed to your chest, the two of you looking where you met, his dick coated in your juices and moving sensually into you. your cries are music to his ears, leaning forward to whimper and moan into your mouth. he fucks you a little faster, choking up from your third orgasm already building up. it’s insane how many times he can make you cum in one session. and you knew this wasn’t going to be the last today. he’s free for the next two days, and so are you since you requested off for a mental day. what’s mental is that you’re going to get your brains fucked out by your horny boyfriend all weekend.

“fuck, cum with me, please baby,” sasuke pants, fucking you harder the closer he gets. he interlocks one of your hands together and pins it above you head while your free one strokes at your clit. pain and pleasure mixing into one. “so fuckin’ good to me, baby. love you.”

“i love you too, ‘ke,” tears well in your eyes, holding eye contact as your mouths breathe into each others, reaching your climax at the same time. wrapping your legs around his waist, you hold him close to you as a note for him not to pull out, sasuke cussing like a sailor as he cums inside, filling you with a generous amount of cum. your orgasm shocks you, balling up into his chest and grinding on his dick. sasuke heaves, roughly grabbing your face to kiss you hard, gently smacking the side of your face with a proud grin. it’s a thank you. he does it every time he cums and it’s the best reward. your lips are pouty like a goldfish since he’s squeezing your cheek, pecking your lips once more and staying inside of you as he lays his head on your chest. both of you smiling and watching the end credits of coraline while you play with his hair, chain cold on your collarbone.

[unpopularwriter25]

Pages of Affection

Summary: Y/N's obsession with books often leaves Hajime feeling ignored. Fed up, he decides to do something that will remind her of his love and presence.

Warnings: None

The room is softly lit by the afternoon sun streaming through the window, casting a warm golden hue on the walls. Stacks of books are neatly arranged on the shelves, and a cozy reading nook is set up by the window, complete with a fluffy blanket and a few cushions. The room has a soothing ambiance, filled with the faint scent of vanilla candles.

Y/N is nestled comfortably in the reading nook, completely engrossed in a thick, fantasy novel. Her eyes are glued to the pages, oblivious to the world around her. She turns a page, her brow furrowing in concentration as she gets lost in the intricate plot.

Downstairs, Hajime paces back and forth, his patience wearing thin. He’s been trying to get Y/N’s attention all day, but she’s been too absorbed in her book to notice him. Frustration bubbles up inside him, and he finally decides he’s had enough.

With determined steps, he makes his way upstairs to her bedroom. He opens the door quietly, taking a moment to observe her. There she is, just as he expected, lost in her book. A small smile tugs at his lips despite his annoyance; she looks so peaceful, so immersed in her own world.

But he wants her attention. He needs her attention.

Hajime approaches her silently, his eyes never leaving her face. He kneels down beside her, then slowly climbs onto the reading nook, positioning himself over her. Y/N doesn’t seem to notice; her eyes are still scanning the pages, her mind far away.

With gentle fingers, Hajime tilts her chin up, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes widen in surprise, and before she can say anything, he captures her lips in a heated, passionate kiss. The book slips from her hands, forgotten, as he deepens the kiss, his hands sliding around her waist to pull her closer.

Y/N’s heart races, her mind spinning from the sudden, intense kiss. She finally pulls back, breathless, her eyes meeting Hajime’s fiery gaze.

“Hajime, what are you—” she starts to say, but he cuts her off with another quick kiss.

“You’ve been ignoring me all day,” he murmurs against her lips. “I can’t take it anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice soft and sincere. “I just got so caught up in the book…”

Hajime smirks, his eyes glinting with a mix of frustration and affection. “Well, now you’re going to get caught up in me.”

He leans in again, capturing her lips once more, his kiss demanding and possessive. Y/N can’t help but respond, her hands finding their way to his hair, pulling him closer. The world of her book fades away, replaced by the intense, consuming presence of Hajime.

As they finally break apart, both of them breathless, Hajime’s expression softens. He brushes a strand of hair away from her face, his fingers lingering on her cheek.

“Just… don’t forget about me, okay?” he says, his voice low and earnest.

Y/N smiles, her heart swelling with affection. “I won’t. I promise.”

Hajime grins, satisfied for now. He leans in for one more gentle kiss before finally sitting back, allowing her some space. But this time, Y/N doesn’t reach for her book. Instead, she wraps her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.

[highabovethecloudssomewhere]

Bi-Yearly Book Catalogue (2024)

Every book I’ve read the past six months and what I thought, told as briefly as I can manage.

One Star Books:

Loveless by Alice Oseman

I understand that this book was helpful for a lot of people. It was the opposite of helpful for me.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

My gripes with this can be whittled down into: this writer does not understand depression but really, really wants to cure it. Also, if you do decide to give this book a try, please mind the subject material. It really, really isn’t for everyone.

Two Star Books:

N/A

Three Star Books:

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A simple book about an old man learning to want to live again. Where ‘The Midnight Library’ failed for me, this one succeeded. If you plan to read this one, be mindful of the content warnings. It also isn’t for everyone.

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowely

It’s about a dog who has cancer. I think that says it all. There were parts of this book I really liked and parts I really didn’t like. It lost me halfway through and I stopped caring about the stakes, which is really upsetting when the stakes are a dog. But the good parts are really, really good. Just be mindful of the premise going into it.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

I liked the character work, loved the world building and on a technical level the writing was well-done. My gripes have to do with the story’s internal contradictions and how the only character traits I can think of for the main character are “asexual” and “inventor,” neither of which are explored properly (emphasis on asexual here). I didn’t like that despite being 21, the main character was narratively treated like a child, often involving his sexuality. I had to google how old he was multiple times because I couldn’t believe he wasn’t in his mid-teens given how he reacted to the story and how the story treated him. Loved the writing on a technical level, though, and I do plan to read more from this author.

Four Star Books:

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

A COFFEE shop AU? In MY high fantasy? If you like DnD, low-stakes high-fantasy and fun character work, give this one a read. It’s very cozy.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

It’s a book about a nonbinary tea monk and a robot who lives in the mountains. Slow-paced with good vibes and great world building. I read it in an evening and came away from it feeling warm.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship breaks my heart again. This was incredibly well-written and appropriately devastating. I just wanted them to be happy.

Countdown to Countdown by Kong Xiao Tong (graphic novel)

I bought a physical copy of this because I’ve always loved the artist’s work and wanted to support, and I enjoyed it a LOT. Beautiful art, fantastic characters. I know not everyone can avoid a physical copy, but the webcomic is available to read for free online and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Our Dining Table by Ori Mita (manga)

Learning to enjoy mealtime with loved ones again after childhood trauma? Y’all. It’s a single-volume manga and it’s well worth your time.

Five Star Books:

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This was the most devastating book I’ve ever read. If you are interested in reading it: find a list of content warnings first. I went in blind. It is hauntingly real and the author handled the material so, so well. I can’t recommend this book without that caveat. But it’s one of the best-written books I’ve read.

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

This book is about a man looking back on his life as a boy - the friends he made and the misadventurous ghost-hunts his uncle dragged them into. It’s just the right amount of campy with fun characters and a brilliant use of prose. If you’re a less experienced reader and want a book that is easily digestible while also being extraordinarily well-written, I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat, and it’s every bit as entertaining for more advanced readers.

What you are looking for is in the library by Aoyama Michiko

Five stories about five people, all in different stages of life, and their unique experiences with the same librarian and the same library. Individually, each character in each story has their unsatisfying lives changed in an unexpectedly simple way, thanks to the library. There’s nothing wild about this book, but it is wildly impactful. The library is for everyone!

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Heroine travels the treacherous seas to save the man she loves. It’s a book about perspectives and joy and making unlikely friends, breaking curses through clever means and never, ever giving up. It has all the whimsy of a classic fairytale, yet not once could I predict how it was going to end. It’s fast-paced and hard to put down. The world is intriguing and the characters are wonderful.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This book is utterly mind-bending and I loved it. Two time-travelers chase each other through reality on opposing sides of the Time War and gradually fall in love. It’s great. The biggest complaint I see leveled at this book comes from less experienced readers who struggle to follow the narrative - and I do agree, if you’re just getting into reading for fun this might be a book to save for later. But don’t let me stop you. I loved this book.

Conclusion:

Reading is great. Libraries are your friend. I always love book recommendations and I’m on GoodReads as BeyondTheClouds777, predictably. If any of y’all take a stab at these books (or have taken stabs in the past), I’d love to hear your thoughts! I’m back in my bookworm era and thriving.

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: litany in which certain things are crossed out

A beaten-down Aziraphale opens a bakery in the small town of Tadfield, where he finds an all-night greasy spoon and one fallen Crowley, who is making amends through various and increasingly ridiculous means of community service. Features an inexperienced!Aziraphale, Crowley the town ne’er-do-well, and Crowley’s self-appointed protector, young Adam. 

Length: 30,909 Words

AO3 Rating: Explicit/ Spice Level 🔥🔥

Best for: Safe in Public, Human AU, Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Triggers: None/Read Author's Notes

Read it here, fic by Ayes

*Minor Spoilers* I get overwhelmed sometimes when I stop to think about the fact that even after reading hundreds of fics of these two characters, it is still magic to me. How they slot together, how they mend each other's jagged edges, how they are meant to be. It's just beautiful and no media has ever come close to what this pairing does for me, and this fic was the perfect reminder of that fact.

Aziraphale has just moved to Tadfield to open a bakery, hoping for an escape from a life that has been nothing but guilt, repression, and shame. In town, he meets the wildfire that is Crowley. Fallen from grace, Crowley spends his days doing community service as his penance. Both runaways looking for a fresh start, who discover a home in each other. This work really captures them beautifully, so true to their roots but with a powerful take of it's own. It's soft, domestic, the most beautiful fantasy of finding someone who you just fit with.

The love story between the pair is the star of the show, but the rest of the cast are outstanding as well. I love spending time in Tracy and Shadwell's pub, and Adam was the perfect way to round out their family. And I can't forget to mention good girl, Lucy, our lovely dog friend who always made me smile. I would read a million words of this story, I want to know everything about this town and it's residents. I want to watch lazy days in the bakery, and sit at their table at dinner time. And what I also really really want is to live in Crowley's greenhouse. It sounds perfect! So beautiful and cozy, I want to lay in bed while it rains with Golden Girls in the background. The landscape and buildings here were rich characters of their own.

Simply put, this fic is gorgeous. Going by the notes, it looks like this was actually written in 2017 (book omens), taken down, and then reuploaded this year. Thank someone it's back up because I needed to read this one. There's a short, non explicit scene, but you'll be fine in public if you wish. Though, I think this one is best suited to home or at least a nice quiet and contemplative space.

Read it here, fic by Ayes

[yutafrita]

Dollhouse

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ ⋆.˚ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

half-vampire!Sungchan x Vampire Hunter!Reader (she/her; femme presenting)

Genre: Angst, dark fantasy

WC: 6.5k

Synopsis: You, an elite vampire hunter, have been assigned to take down the son of the infamous vampire, the puppeteer.

TW PLEASE READ: MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! +18 ONLY. Excessive swearing, obsessive behaviors, stalking, a lot of gore, mentions of bullying, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, murder, suggestive/ sexual themes, dubcon heavily implied, violence/ threatened violence, death of family. Please proceed with caution.

I do not believe that any person written into this fic or any of my fics acts at all like these characters here. Their real life counterparts are just my inspiration and are utilized as actors for the story. No ill will is intended.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎ * ੈ✩‧₊˚｡⋆｡ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ﾟ☾

You were going to get fired.

You felt it in your bones. Your leg wouldn’t stop fidgeting as you sat in Irene’s office, the crest of the organization looming over you making you feel small. 

Irene walked in, her face cold as stone as she threw a file in front of you before she sat on her chair, “this is your new job.”

You blinked, “what?”

“Initially, I was going to give it to Seulgi and put you on probation-.”

“I killed the vampire cleanly and quickly-.”

“And in front of another human,” Irene cut you off before pinching the bridge of her nose, “look. An insider told us that  you would work best for this job, and,” she sighed before opening the manilla folder, “I think they’re right. The puppeteer has been missing for months after we had finally devised a plan to take the motherfucker out.”

You squinted as you looked over the carefully collected information before you asked, “how much time do I have?”

“Not a lot, so hurry up.” -----------

The library was warm and inviting. It was a small public library that matched the small town it was nestled in. Even when agents were sent weeks ago, they all agreed- it was entirely unremarkable, which made him an even stranger anomaly. The town itself was often forgotten on maps and glossed over, but as you entered the library, you were in awe of the coziness. 

It was almost too easy to find out everything about him. Graduated from community college in library sciences. No one had a single mean thing to say about him… ever. Apparently he hadn’t been in a long term relationship in years either. Your angle had written itself to ensnare him without much help from anyone else in the organization.

You sauntered in slowly, your heels muffled by the dusty carpet as you slowly approached the center table where he sat. You had on a loose fitting dress that stopped at your calves, a low cut top that was still mildly conservative, your dark sunglasses, and your freshly done hair wrapped in a silk bandana.

You found it difficult to hold back your laughter as he locked eyes with you. He was processing a few returned books when he dropped his stamp to fully stare at you. You gave yourself permission to smirk once you made it to the desk, leaning against it to allow him to take full stock of you. His big brown eyes were scanning over every part of you, and by the tremble of his jaw you could tell he was fully trying to hold himself back.

"Hi sir, could you help me out?" your voice was low, and you watched as his dropped jaw slowly lifted. He blinked quickly, looking between your chest and lips before he cleared his throat and looked away, his ears now an embarrassing shade of red. The council had perfectly planned every minute detail down to the final strand of hair, and he was reacting even more deliciously than anticipated. 

It was almost too easy how much he was falling like putty in your hands.

"O-Of... of course! How can I help, miss?"

You removed your sunglasses and placed your hand on his chest where his name tag sat.

"Well... Sungchan," you smiled, tracing your fingers over his name before placing them back to your side, "I'm currently working on a project for a research course."

You began spouting off on a topic you knew Sungchan was absolutely fascinated by. The Vampire Hunter Council had done extensive research on the half-human bastard off-spring of the missing high profile leader of the Vampires. The puppeteer’s son’s eyes were still rounded, hanging onto every word coming out from between your glossy lips as you spoke.

After you finished, there was a pause, and then, "you're perfect."

"I'm sorry?" you pretended to not hear his mutter as you batted your eyelashes at him. He was half-vampire, but as far as you could tell either his vampiric side was fully dormant or barely did much- there were no reports of missing humans in the area, didn’t seem to have his father’s gifts, he was not nocturnal, and didn't bare any fangs.

You almost felt bad about having to kill him.

Even if Sungchan didn't know his monster of a father, it was still an absolute shame to vampires to have your offspring be murdered, and you planned to bring Sungchan's head to the feet of the Puppeteer. At least, that’s the plan. You’ll have to lob Sungchan’s head off after using him as bait to bring the puppeteer out from hiding. 

Sungchan had led you to the back of the library, his large hands holding several books and tapes for you.

“You seem to know a lot… are you busy later? I would love to pick your brain,” You were nearly purring, your hands squeezing his forearm. Cold. Not as cold as other vampires you’ve suckered into thinking you’re weak before killing them, but still colder than an average human. Was this the only way his vampiric side showed?

“No! I mean… I’m not I…” Sungchan was sputtering out now, his free hand pushing up his glasses.  “I- I would love to help you.”

“Hm… are those prescriptions?” You asked, your fingers moving to tap the bridge of his glasses and watch his breathing hitch. Vampires typically had enhanced vision, and while he was only half-human, none of his medical records showed that he had any possible visual impairments.

“N-no they’re for the uh… blue light…” his muttered, clearly flustered. After he led you back to the front desk he began typing away at the computer before nervously looking back up. "Do you have your library card?"

Before you left the vampire hunters council headquarters, you were given every bit of fake identification you would need and this indeed included a library card.

"I... I've never seen you around here before," he was clearly racking his head to remember you as he continued the check out process. He had read off your fake name, and you watched him mutter it to himself to commit it to memory.

"I got it somewhere else in the county," you fibbed, "so. I'll see you at the diner at 9?"

"Y-yes, absolutely."

_______________

You arrived at 9:12pm.

Sungchan sat in the corner in a small red booth with a bouquet of flowers, twiddling his thumbs upon your entrance. There were only three other patrons at the small diner, all at the counter with their backs to you as they stared up at the old television set playing a hockey game.

According to your research, Sungchan had gone on a few dates with a few people he went to the local high school with- so between his bashfulness, innocence, and likely exhaustion with his small dating pool, his eagerness to see you made sense. It was also something you and the rest of the vampire hunters council were banking on. You needed him to be obsessed with you- to post you online, for everyone in town to see you with the librarian, and allow this information to trickle up to his father. You were a top level hunter and were well hated enough by Vampires that this would not be overlooked- especially not by the Puppeteer.

"You look so handsome," you complimented, sitting across from the nervous young man. You were late on purpose- aiming to put him more on edge. You were in a tight mini dress and a pair of combat boots. A combination in your daily life you wouldn’t normally pick, but from his internet history seemed to be outfit pieces he really loved on women.

“Th-Thank you,” he then shoved the bouquet towards you, “these are for you.”

“Roses,” you hummed, staring down at the perfectly red petals, “you’re so sweet, thank you.”

“Um s-so roses are a great way to convey joy, friendship… passion,” he scratched the back of his neck bashfully. “They’re beautiful and uh… reminded me of you.”

“Roses are my favorite… are you a mind reader Sungchan?” you playfully reached across the table and tapped his shoulder. Lying was easier when you got to mix in the truth. Roses were your favorite, but they were also a part of the crest of the Vampiric Hunters for their scent is supposed to keep vampires at bay.

It seemed to also be another way that Sungchan’s vampiric side didn’t bare its teeth.

Sungchan was sickly sweet. As the weeks passed, each time you would go on a date he would bring either flowers, a book regarding your paper, or a poem he had written for you.

You were inside the motel you were crashing at, recounting this to the president of the hunters.

“Has anyone heard from the puppeteer?” you asked. A part of you was starting to genuinely feel guilty- Sungchan was so human. He ate human food, lounged in the sun, and even seemed to have a heartbeat.

You had considered that his vampiric powers had simply never awoken, and that they never would. This was highly uncommon in vampire hybrids, but genetics were fickle, so Sungchan wouldn’t be an exception if he really just seemed fully human despite having a vampire dad.

“No, but it seems like he’s still giving orders through his lackeys. There was even a small scourge of his puppets tearing up a small town,” Irene recounted, “Remember to keep him sweet on you.”

“Did I not read to you this latest poem? The last stanza was talking about how he wants to fuck me and keep me with him forever.”

“Wow, that’s a little creepy… and maybe sweet?”

“His face was all red when I teased him about it.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t fucked him yet.”

“I have to kill him, Irene.”

“That has never stopped you before,” she noted. Irene was right of course. Vampires tended to be overly sexual creatures, so seducing them often led to placing them in more vulnerable positions that could allow you to take advantage of them. 

“Fair,” you muttered, glancing out the window to see the same person who walks their dog at this time every night passing the street across the motel. This town was sleepy and boring, but it was almost odd how scheduled everyone was. No car accidents ever, the same groupings of people throughout town all in the same places. Static.

After you hung up with Irene, you moved across the room to the stack of books you checked out from the library all those weeks ago. They were due soon, and you were planning to swing by the library to drop them off with Sungchan while also sweet talking him with stupid facts you had picked up.

You flitted through the last book you hadn’t opened yet and paused. Crammed in between a few pages was a tightly folded note. Curious, you unraveled it. In extremely messy handwriting and covering the entire sheet was one sentence.

Write forever until I die. Write forever until I die. Write forever until I die.

You squinted and scoffed. Likely it was a kid in detention that was assigned to write out whatever was on the board and instead did this as a weird joke. Without much thought you tossed it into the trash.

Still. You had a shiver run down your spine. Wrapping yourself up in a coat, and grabbing the ice bucket you stepped out of your room. Maybe a walk around the motel would make you feel better about having to kill the kid who didn’t ask to be born. 

The ice machine sat in the lobby and was usually only manned by the same two people who would hardly look up from their books. You filled it up and looked back over to see the young man again reading Slaughter-house five.

“Yknow, Vonnegut has written other books,” you joked. The young man flinched, his grip tightening on the book to a point that his knuckles were white. Yet, he didn’t speak or react in any other way. You frowned, and returned to your room.

“Do you like the stars?” Sungchan had asked the following night as you helped him close up at the library. 

“Hm, they are pretty, yes,” you hummed, sitting on the edge of the desk. Just like the other nights you had helped Sungchan, the same patrons who seemed to be there every night, left at the same time in the same fashion, all with the same smile and wave to the librarian as they exited.

“I… Do you wanna go into my truck and look at them?” he asked, and you noted he was avoiding your gaze as the red tint on his ears shone.

“I’m a lady, Sungchan,” you pouted, watching as he seemed to jump, “I hope you’re not… expecting anything.”

He was so easy to fluster. It wasn’t even just to keep him obsessed with you at this point- it was because you found it downright exciting. He was so cute as he jumped up from his seat.

“I would never expect anything from you that you don’t want.”

Sungchan was soft and sweet. Your job as a hunter didn’t allow for much dating outside of your profession, and most other hunters were too preoccupied to give romance much attention. Every minute you spent with Sungchan gave you the delusion that you could leave the life of being a hunter and runaway together. You could protect him, and be happy. But then, you were reminded of the oath you gave, your few friendships, and the fact that you have been lying to Sungchan, and you’re brought back down to earth.

You laid on the trunk bed with Sungchan. He drove out a few miles to empty farmland and covered the trunk bed in pillows and blankets. The stars shone bright in the sky, and you looked up to see Sungchan staring up with a smile on his face. He was beautiful with stars reflecting themselves in his eyes.

“My Mom used to take me out here all the time,” he started, his voice a whisper. “I would get bullied a lot in school, so on the weekends when all of the other kids would hang out, my mom would bring me out here and tell me stories.”

“I’m sorry kids were so cruel to you,” you were sincere, squeezing his arm as you laid on his chest, “do… you have any favorite stories? I’d love to hear them.”

“It’s okay- I got to be the bigger person in the end,” you swear you could hear a smirk, but you were too comfortable to check, “but stories… well. She would always tell me this one story whenever I was really down.”

He cleared his throat, kissed the top of your head, and started working from his memory, “there was once a sickly, meek child. He had a hard time gathering his breath, and struggled to keep up with other kids his age. Running was especially a challenge, and his legs would often give out as his peers would run off, laughing at him. He was clumsy, and his limbs were so stiff and wooden. He began to be known as the puppet because of this. Between the torture of the other children, and the torture of his own body, the boy fell deathly ill. The local doctor told the boy’s mother that her son only had a few hours left at best- but, if she gave her own life, her son could live forever.”

Sungchan paused, and you could hear him swallow thickly before continuing, “the mother begged for there to be another way. It was just her and her boy- while her son could live forever, how was he going to grow fully into a capable young man without a guiding hand? The doctor assured the mother though, that the son wouldn’t be alone. He will create a new family of his own one day.”

“And so, the boy was not only given the gift of eternal life, but also another, even more special gift,” he hummed a bit then, “can you take a guess?”

There was a chill that raced down your spine. You sat your chin on his chest, meeting his eyes. You absolutely could take a guess- a real guess, but you decided to continue playing dumb, “hmmm, flying? So he could fly far away from the bullies?”

Sungchan chuckled before he kissed the tip of your nose, “no, but that’s a great guess. The boy was able to control the minds of those bullies, so they could never be cruel to anyone ever again.”

“The puppet became the puppeteer,” you froze, unable to stop yourself. His mother presented this story, and Sungchan had it fully memorized without realizing that the puppeteer was his own father.

“Yeah,” Sungchan was quiet before he met your gaze. “I know you won’t be here forever, but I wish you could stay. I want to know everything about you. Did your parents tell you stories at night?”

“My parents died when I was very young,” you confessed, “they were killed in a home invasion.”

This was partially the truth. Your parents were killed in a home invasion of a pair of twin vampires who slaughtered them mercilessly. You were in the room next door when it happened, hiding under the bed until it was over. The hunters arrived hours later, and you were then adopted into their ranks.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. That’s not fair,” he squeezed you closely and you shrugged.

“Can’t change the past,” you shrugged, forcing a smile.

Despite your own hesitations, you gave in to Sungchan’s begging, and stayed the night at his place. You couldn’t sleep though, and after you were sure he was knocked out, you stepped outside to the back of the apartment complex to call your closest friend.

“Seulgi… he’s a human,” you whisper cried. The back of Sungchan’s apartment complex held a small forest, and seemed to absorb any bit of light the complex offered.

“And you’re sure he’s not manipulating you?”

“You know I can always spot that shit. Remember the orphanage?”

“Vampires turning young children into vampires so they could more easily kidnap humans… you spotted it faster than Irene did,” Seulgi conceited. There was a rustle in the trees and you froze. Your small wooden stake was always hidden somewhere on your person, this time in the lining of your jacket.

“It’s your job, though. Think of the lives you’ll save by bringing the puppeteer out of the shadows.”

“I’ve gotta go,” you hung up, shoving your phone back into your pocket and sliding out the stake. The forest was quiet, and for a moment you thought you imagined it.

Then, a hand holding a clean white napkin appeared before the rest of their body followed.

“I’m not here to attack, just have a chat,” Yuta had a mischievous grin as he skipped out from the forest and towards you. Yuta was a five hundred year old vampire who had climbed the Royal ranks due to his ability to game information. He was never a liar, but just someone who knew how to use knowledge to his advantage.

“You miss me?” You taunted, arms crossed.

“Of course,” he simpered, now fully in your view as the lighting coated him. He was inhumanely handsome, which was to be expected. “However, that’s not why I’m here.”

“And why are you here? Yknow, most people drive past this tiny little town and yet…” you let your voice trail off, an eyebrow raised as you studied his features. 

“I’m one of the few people that know about Sungchan, the puppeteer has kept his half-human son under wraps for a while. How did the hunters find him?” 

“Ah, so you want information from me?” You chuckled at his nerve.

“Hm, I think we can exchange actually,” he raised his eyebrow, and your eyes widened instinctually. Now this was very appealing. “You see, I pop in every few months to see how the young man is doing. Check him out from a far. Then, I write out a report, and give it to his dear old daddy.”

“Why would you tell me where he is?” 

“Hm, perhaps I have my own ulterior motives for leading a top hunter directly to him,” Yuta then took out an envelope from his shirt pocket. “Tell me our leak, and I’ll tell you what you want.”

“It wasn’t a leak,” you rolled your eyes, “Sungchan did one of those family ancestry online dna things. We utilized it see if there was any human-vampire matches… he just popped up one day.”

“God, is there no such thing as data privacy anymore?” Yuta sucked his fangs before extending the envelope towards you. “I hope you are prepared to face the true wrath of the puppeteer.”

You slid back upstairs after a short while, the envelope tucked into your jacket.

——-

Yuta was a fucking liar. The address made no sense- it was clearly just Sungchan’s apartment. You wanted to rip your hair out- how could you be so stupid?

While Sungchan was at work you looked through every crevice of his place, and the only off putting thing you could find was his high school yearbook. God, the kids were so cruel to him. Sungchan couldn’t hurt a damn fly now as a fully grown man, let alone defend himself against the relentless bullies he faced.

You were hitting a dead end. No other vampires had made their way to the town since Yuta a month ago, Sungchan had completely become infatuated with you, and you were becoming too close to the half-breed. 

One night, after he returned from work, you bought a bottle of wine. You had hoped potentially getting him a little drunk could coax any memory of his father out. He had spoken at length about how great his mother was, but shrugged off any prodding you made about his dad. It didn’t help that Irene was breathing down your neck, and Seulgi was struggling to keep her at bay.

“It’s not too strong, is it? I’m not good with alcohol,” He giggled as he helped you uncork the bottle.

“It’s not strong,” you lied as he took out two untouched wine glasses from the cabinet.

“Oh, can you grab me my phone? I left it in the bathroom,” he smiled. Without a second thought, you maneuvered to the bathroom to take it off the counter. While you still on occasion stayed at the motel, Sungchan was incredibly needy. And since your job was to keep him interested in you, you felt inclined to bend to his will, especially when he didn’t care about anything else you did. You still hadn’t even slept with him yet, much to Seulgi’s and your own surprise.

No messages on Sungchan’s phone, or calls, as per usual. You knew he didn’t have a ton of friends or anything, but it was still… weird. No one else in town spoke to you unless it was more than a word and you initiated it. Everything here had felt fake, but without any real reason to be suspicious, you couldn’t really share your concerns. A town full of people, and yet it still felt empty to you.

Seulgi was busy keeping Irene from slashing your throat, so your own phone has been dull as of late. Maybe Sungchan just sincerely didn’t use his phone, ever, unless it was to speak to you.

“Here, Sungie,” you placed it on the counter, and took the drink he handed off to you. You took a large sip and frowned slightly to yourself.

“Everything okay?” He tilted his head, his beautiful brown eyes filled with concern.

“No I guess I just left the wine under the sun for too long,” you reason, taking another sip. It was a little funky, as if the wine had soured.

“Ah, maybe. All wine tastes the same to me,” he took a sip of his own, and you noticed the small dimple that formed and disappeared.

“What are you ssssmiling about?” You asked. Your words came out more slurred than you’d like. You were a strong drinker, but you also haven’t been drinking as much lately. Maybe that’s why the wine was hitting you faster than usual?

Sungchan leaned a little closer, his hand holding your chin up, “how long were you planning to lie to me?”

Your eyelids were heavy, and you leaned your head fully on his hand as you slowly processed what he said, “I… haven’t -.”

“You thought that I wouldn’t notice a pair of hunters in my town following me around?” He squeezed your chin and you yelped in surprise. You were fighting your body now, trying to stay awake despite whatever he put in your drink. “I’ve been waiting for you… for so long. I’ve planned it all and yet… you still won’t be honest with me. That’s okay though. I’ll forgive you.”

————-

You don’t remember meeting Sungchan, but he remembered you.

Years ago, Sungchan had done a solo trip to the big city, and wanted to test his world. Everyone did what he said at all times- how far could he push this gift?

“That’ll be $4.26 for your coffee, sir.”

“This coffee is free for me,” Sungchan hummed. He didn’t ever have to do extra work to make this gift pop in- whatever his wish was, as long as it was physically possible, was his command. 

“Yes, your coffee is free,” the man nodded as Sungchan walked off. 

This is how Sungchan lived life. He had gotten the entire shit town he lived in to follow his every whim. The world was his giant dollhouse. 

Until you shattered it.

Sungchan was able to control the folks working the front desk at the nicest hotel he could find. He was set up in the best possible suite, and sat one night at their rooftop lounge that overlooked the concrete city.

“It’s a great view,” a voice above the chatter of other guests caught his attention. You wore a simple dark t shirt and dark pants, and spared him a smile as you leaned against the railing with him.

“Yeah,” was all Sungchan offered. It was difficult to force himself to engage in conversations anymore, but you were pretty enough that he didn’t feel like shooing you away.

“What brings you here?” You asked, your gaze still set on the city below.

“Hm, I’m on a journey of self-discovery. You?”

“I’m here for work,” you replied. Sungchan looked at you again. Your voice was nice, you were attractive, and he didn’t have other plans.

“Come to my room with me,” he spoke, moving off the railing. Instead of your eyes losing their sparkle and glazing over, though, you stayed just as you were.

Instead, you burst out laughing.

“You’re funny,” you chuckled, unmoving. He froze. Maybe he didn’t say it loud enough.

“Come-.”

“You wish. Maybe buy me a drink next time,” you gently shoved his arm, and then disappeared out of the lounge.

Sungchan was frozen, his eyes not moving from where you once stood next to him. After what felt like hours, he rushed downstairs to the concierge and got your information.

You were made for Sungchan, you had to be. Why else would the universe deliver him the exciting puzzle that was you? A vampire hunter since childhood was now the only being Sungchan, a half-vampire, couldn’t control. It was fate. To him, you were star crossed lovers, destined for one another despite the complications.

Sungchan had discovered his parentage early in life. He was able to easily get his mother to tell him the truth about his father since she, like everyone else, was susceptible to their gifts. 

So, his next steps to get you trapped, were set.

Sungchan had been using the town he lived in as a dollhouse for years beforehand. He loved testing the limits of his abilities, and had hoped that it would one day awaken his proper vampiric powers. In the meantime, though, he would use the citizens to cultivate a proper image for the hunters to happen upon.

Having every town member edit their social medias. Perfectly crafting and tailoring his existence to seem like a shy, bullied child. Make sure every person in town, if ever approached, all know exactly what to say. All that was left was to get a few vampires that knew their way around the hunters so Sungchan could fully execute his plan.

———-

You were awake, but kept your eyes shut.

It was a technique learned early in your hunter training, but one you didn’t ever use. You didn’t lose the upper hand often enough to be foolishly knocked out.

And, yet, you failed.

“Your breathing is uneven and your heart rate spiked,” his voice sent a chill down your spine.

You cracked open your eyes. You were laid on a plush mattress, and Sungchan sat at the corner of the bed, his eyes unmoving from you. 

You wanted to die. Sungchan’s big, beautiful brown eyes that you had become prey for, were gone and replaced with your worst fear. Ruby red eyes, and they were fixed on you.

“You awakened me,” he cooed, crawling towards where you laid. Your eyes searched the space frantically for anything to defend yourself with. Your wrists were bound by rope, and you had been stripped down and changed into a completely different outfit without any of your hidden weapons. The bed you sat on was on top of a metal bed frame, and the wooden nightstands didn’t offer a quick change into a stake. You sat there, like a piece of fresh meat as he now hovered over you. “I want to show you something.”

Sungchan tossed you over his shoulder like you were nothing, taunting you with his newly found vampiric strength. You were reeling.

“You were out cold for three days. I didn’t think what I added to the wine would do that much,” he chuckled as he carried you past beautiful marble flooring and down a few sets of staircases. You were trying to create a mental map, but he was going too fast for you to get much down. “I’m so happy you’re finally here so I can show you your gift.”

Like you were a child, Sungchan placed you on your feet and turned you around. You gagged, staring at the horrific site in front of you. It had to have been months judging by the level of decay, and this matched up with your previous information.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Sungchan snaked his arms around your waist and pulled you tightly to him, “the old, fake puppeteer is dead. Now, the hunters don’t need you to pull him out of the shadows.”

“Y-You’re the puppeteer now,” you choked out, squeezing your eyes shut. Yuta wasn’t being a dick- he was helping you.

“I had to throw the hunters off our scent-.”

“There is no- Sungchan what the fuck?” you broke from his grasp, terrified and searching the basement area for anything you could use to kill the monster in front of you. “You… you were a human-.”

“And bringing you to your new home awakened me fully!” he was so joyful as he said this, the dread consuming you.

“I was only with you so I could bring,” you glanced at the horrible sight of his slain father, “him down. I was going to kill you.”

“You don’t get it,” he whispered. He looked away, and for a moment you swore his dead eyes were going to shed tears before he met your gaze with a dead glare. “I have planned everything so I could have you. I stole my father’s empire, I had the head of the hunters controlled into giving you this fake assignment…”

As he paused, you decided to make a run towards the basement stairs. You were desperate, and that desperation had made you stupid. Sungchan caught you within an instant, one hand wrapped around your waist and the other squeezing your wrist with an iron grip.

“I didn’t want it to come down to this,” he pouted, “that friend of yours… I have it set that if you escape from me, she’ll burn down the hunters headquarters with herself inside.”

“Seulgi?” you whispered, eyes wide with terror.

“Don’t you get it, though? We are meant to be!” he was smiling as if he did not threaten your livelihood. “Ever since that day in the hotel when you told me no! You’re the only person in the world who did- and you’re a hunter! You are the Juliet to my Romeo!”

“They both die at the end you fucking idiot,” you replied through gritted teeth. 

He let go of your wrist, and instead gripped under your chin with his cold hand, “we’re going to have to work on how you speak to me my love.”

Then, you remembered him. The encounter was so brief and so small to you, and yet, it seemed to be absolutely defining for Sungchan to a point that you became his whole focus. Now, your knees trembled as your fate settled. 

You set your gaze down, submitting as he let go of your chin.

“See? This is good. I have your favorite foods, and everything you could ever need here,” he squeezed you to his chest, and you couldn’t even bring yourself to cry. “I know you hate cooking, so I have a team of chefs here just for you.”

“Not of their own will,” you bit, and you felt his grip on you tighten before he forced out a hearty laugh.

“These people are all dolls. Now that I’ve taken over my father’s empire…” his voice trailed off. “Nothing in this world matters except for us.”

_______

You snuck onto the rooftop one night. Sungchan had fallen asleep next to you, and you had managed to slip out. Despite the chill in the air, it was not nearly as cold as when you would be forced to be by his side. Before his vampiric powers awakened, he was still slightly colder, but now it was like being next to dry ice.

You needed to breathe.

You missed Seulgi. You hated seeing the glazed over eyes of the people Sungchan took from god knows where. You hated having to be around the monster of a man. 

You hated yourself, especially, for feeling so weak and succumbing to him.

You stared down at the plethora of bites lining your arms, and lifted a hand to touch the ones on your neck that were still fresh. You couldn’t even bring yourself to poke at the ones that lined your upper thighs. You choked back a sob, the wind of the night air rustling through your hair as you stared at the fresh blood Sungchan had managed to leave behind after feeding from you. 

You had let a monster inside of you, and the worst part was that you liked it. Sungchan was very clear about the fact that he had been studying you- everything about you. How you took your tea, how you liked to sleep curled up in a ball, and how to properly pleasure you. He had been studying you for years- knowing exactly how you seduced other vampires and how you would get yourself off. It was already an unfair advantage. This, coupled with the fact that being bitten by a vampire has the same effect on your brain as an orgasm, you were pretty much subdued physically as often as possible by him. And it felt fucking incredible- addictive, even. You hated yourself for being so weak. Weak to a point that you’d be begging for him to fuck you, just like he dreamed you would. Just like he hoped, you’d become his little doll. The shame was becoming unbearable.

You stared out at the surrounding area. In the darkness, all you could tell was that there was no city at all nearby, the light pollution nonexistent as you were able to see all the stars clearly. You were previously able to piece together that this residence used to be Sungchan’s father’s, but he had decided this was best for you. Maybe he was right, in a way. You felt like you were meant to die the night your parents did, so being here with Sungchan was a way to repair that broken strand of fate.

You heard footsteps and turned towards the door. It was one of the housekeepers Sungchan had around the property.

“Hello,” you stared blankly. This woman, like every other servant in the manor was instructed to not speak to you under any circumstances. She smiled awkwardly and within the blink of an eye, was in front of you. 

Instinctually, you went to the pocket of your jacket for your stake. Of course, though, there was nothing. You were unarmed, and physically at your weakest.

She knocked you down to your back, and began dragging you by your hair towards the edge of the roof. The height was only a few stories so it wouldn’t be enough to kill you, but certainly hurt you enough to make killing you quicker for her.

You were clawing at her hands, tears streaming down your cheeks as you fought for your life. You hadn’t made it this far with Sungchan only to be killed by someone else.

She shoved your head over the edge as a wicked grin formed on her face. You sent a swift kick to the back of her knees, causing her to let go of your hair. You stood up and ran towards the door only to then see Sungchan standing there, eyes bright red in anger. 

The woman let out a yelp of fear before you heard a sickening crunch. Sungchan had, without a drop of hesitation, lobbed the head off the vampire and was holding her by her scalp.

“I’ll have another servant pick this up.” he tossed her head off the side of the manor as if it was a crumpled piece of paper. He wrapped you in an embrace, the blood of the woman that landed on his chest now coating you.

“I don’t have anything to protect myself with,” you replied. You were desperate. Maybe, you thought, you could use his obsession with you to get him to give you a stake under the guise of self-preservation. Shit, even some vervain would be useful.

“You’re right…” he whispered, letting go of your embrace and holding you at an arm's length. He brushed the hair stuck to your face away, as you were still sniffling. His hand lowered to the bite marks on your throat. “I’ll make it so that you’re as strong as me.”

As strong as me.

“Sungchan no-!” you were struggling as Sungchan held you with one hand gripping the back of your neck. In the dim moonlight, you watched as his fangs pierced his wrist and exposed his blood.

“No, please!” You had hit a new low, begging for your life.

“I need you safe… and I need you by my side forever,” his voice was melodic as he shoved his wrist into your mouth. You were struggling as he jammed it in as deeply as possible, but you refused to swallow. In your struggle, you two had collapsed onto the ground. He had you fully pinned down, and seemed to relish the fear and disgust in your eyes as is his other hand moved to pinch your nose.

“You know you want to,” he purred, his lips now next to your ear. You were running out of air and the tears and snot were running down your face as you vigorously tried to shake your head no. “I know you love the power you feel when I bite you. When you get to boss the servants around. You’re mine. And now…”

You gulped, your eyes wide in horror as realization set in. His blood flowed down your throat, an ambrosial taste of iron now flooding your tongue and throat.

“Now… you’ll be your whole self with me. Forever.”

——————————————-

More riize? Click here.

Tag! @nini0620

[shepherds-of-haven]

I'm trying to get back into reading and and so I was wondering if you had any recommendations? I was hoping it would have romance in it as well if thats alright. Also, for your published book is there a preferred site to order from?

Hi there, thanks for your ask! I have a bunch of recommendations in my #recommendations tag, but here are some of the more useful ones for your purposes. You should definitely check my "favorites" post, since that one has a lot of books I obviously highly recommend!

My favorite books (organized by category)

My top 5 fantasy recommendations (same answers here)

Some book recommendations from 2021 (I particularly stand by The City of Brass, but I'd have to give the Wolf of Oren-Yaro and Serpent and Dove a re-read to know if my feelings have been tempered by time)

Here are some other recent reads I've enjoyed, or which helped me get over a reading slump, that also include some romance!

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen - cute "enemies to lovers/unknowing penpals" romance that takes place in a weird, magical version of the Wild West between a marshal who hunts the undead and a mortician who's trying to keep her family business afloat!

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - a medieval Russian fairytale that has some of the most gorgeous, lush prose I've read in recent years, though be warned that it's a fittingly brutal look at peasant life in a rural village during that time period. It has only the faintest smidgen of romance in the first book, but I'm guessing the romance expands in the sequels!

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher - a fluffy, cozy, low-stakes, humorous Dianna Wynne Jones-esque fantasy romance featuring a rather silly, sheltered widow who inherits a sword that happens to have the spirit of a warrior trapped inside it. Very comedic and heart-warming, and it takes place in a larger world that has several books set in it (Paladin's Grace and its sequels are closely related to Swordheart, but they feature different characters)

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - another cozy fantasy romance that reminds me heavily of Howl's Moving Castle, featuring an extremely serious, socially-awkward university researcher and her extremely vain, good-looking, ridiculous academic rival as she tries to complete her dissertation and secure tenure. Takes place in an alternative history of Europe that features all kinds of faeries, myths, and folklore!

Hope that's helpful! Oh, and thank you so much for thinking of my book, We Have Always Been Here! 🥹 The publisher's website is the best place for all the purchase links, but whichever site you'd like to use or is most convenient for you is best: the only thing that changes on my end of things is the format of the book (hardcover or paperback, etc.), not where you buy it from, so feel free to use whichever site you like! Supporting indie booksellers like Bookshop.org (which donates a portion of its proceeds to local bookshops), Books A Million, Powell's (still family-owned and everything!) and Hudson Booksellers is always great; if you live internationally, Penguin Random House direct or Barnes and Noble should get that to you, too! A review on Amazon is always nice, but going an indie route is always great if it's possible for you! :) Thank you so much for asking!

[604to647]

Safest with You - Ch. 2 (The Bookstore)

1.7K / Modern AU Retired Mob Enforcer!Din Djarin x fem!reader

Summary: You run into a familiar stranger at a bookshop after work.

Warnings: None! All fluff: our meet cute continues in a second location.

A/N: Thank you for the kind words and encouragement on Ch. 1 🥹 This takes place at the end of the day following the events of The Coffeeshop (Series Masterlist).There's a Paz mention (he took over from Din as head of security for the Fett family when Din retired), and a Peli mention too! 😊 I didn't set out to do dual POV, but it veered in that direction a little bit - if you have any tips on writing in this style, please do kindly share! Thank you!

You work late, as usual, and find yourself with just enough time to run across the street to your favourite independent bookstore downtown before heading out to dinner with some friends.  It’s actually such a funny little store to be tucked away amidst all the concrete skyscrapers, but you’re grateful it exists – a friendly, cozy haven that you often find yourself visiting at the end of a long work day.  Today, you’ve come expressly to pick up multiple copies of the latest release in a fantasy series that a few of your dinner friends are reading.  After picking up four copies, you give in to the temptation to look around the shop for something to add to your ever growing TBR pile.

---

Din spots you from his spot in the bookstore window before you even come in.  He’s supposed to be keeping watch for the target in his assigned area, but the truth is he’s been distracted thinking about you all day.  He had noticed you in the coffeeshop this morning even before the kerfuffle with that scrawny punk in the grey suit, but after having spent a little time with you, he hasn't been able to get your pretty smile and sweet voice out of his mind.  He had been touched by the way you took care of an old lady you didn’t even know; but it was after your warmth had radiated to his hand when you had warned him of the sharp porcelain shards, that you truly became unforgettable.  He admired the way you had diffused the situation this morning; not many had the talent to calm and soothe him with a single touch. It was especially striking since he had seen a fiery spark in your eyes when you had admonished that jerk in the grey suit.  The way you could be so sweet, but then tap into such passion at a moment’s notice, had him grinning to himself positive he would not want to get on your bad side. What a woman.

Din watches you bounce into the store and make a beeline for the new releases table.  With amusement, he sees you select multiple copies of the same book, but not before picking up and examining all the copies on the table, and choosing only the ones that pass your careful inspection.  After you disappear between the stacks, Din makes the split second decision to leave his post (he and Paz had planned for multiple sightlines covering each location.  It should be fine.).  Going first to the till to discreetly pay for the books that he saw you pick up, Din then ducks into the back of the store where he saw you wander off to.

He finds you straightening up the piles of books on a table labelled “BookTok Faves” and wonders if you’re organizing a mess you had stumbled upon or one you had created by searching through the copies looking for the “crispiest” covers.  He finds both possibilities to be equally charming.

“Hi.”

You look up, completely taken by surprise to see the handsome Quad Ice stranger from this morning looking at you with an adorable grin, and you can’t help but smile back, “Hi!  It’s you.”

Din chuckles, “Yes, it’s me.”

Right away you think of the events of this morning, “Oh!  Was everything okay with the old lady after I left?”

Din isn’t at all surprised that your first thought is to ask after someone else.  He tells you everything: how he waited with Elizabeth for her cappuccino to be called, how he learned she’s in the city visiting her twin grandchildren (one girl, one boy), and how he saw her to and sat with her at a prime window seat in the coffee shop for a little bit, and that when he left, she was halfway through the delicious coffee cake, which she had insisted he take a bite of.

You delight in these details and you tell him so as you thank him for his thoughtfulness.

“What about you?  How was the rest of your day?”

You note that it’s kind of him to ask and let him know that you had a perfectly lovely day, “…and to think, some spilled coffee on my clothes didn’t make a lick of difference to the people I work with.  Imagine that!”  You have a twinkle in your eye, and Din laughs along with you, not even trying to hide how mesmerized he is by the sound of your giggles.

He points at the stain on your skirt that he remembers seeing this morning and offers, “Well, if you need a good dry cleaner, my friend runs ‘Peli’s Drycleaning’ on 14th.  If you say Din sent you, they might try extra hard not to lose your clothes.”

“Oh!  Thank you!  I have a great relationship with my dry cleaners… I spill a lot,” you joke, “but I appreciate the offer so much …Din.”  You try out his name and find that you love the way it sounds rolling off your tongue; you introduce yourself and give him your hand when he holds out his.  His huge hand completely dwarfs yours, and as he holds your hand for a moment longer than necessary, you feel how strong and rough his palm and thick fingers are and think you might like the feel of his hands even more than the feel of his name.

To snap yourself out of a daydream state that is barreling towards inappropriate thoughts such as where else you might like those hands and fingers, you take the opportunity to thank Din for everything he did this morning.  “Thank you again for all your help this morning; I’m really glad you were there.”

“You look like you had it under control,” Din smiles, but his brow furrows remembering, “but I didn’t like the way that guy spoke to you and Elizabeth.  He was really out of line.  No one should be speaking to anyone else like that.”

“Oh, sadly I feel like that’s more common than it should be around here.  There’s always some puffed up finance guy that thinks he can yell his way to the top,” you roll your eyes.  Over your career you’ve definitely met your fair share of douche bag finance bros; luckily, you’ve also learned that arrogance and false bravado aren’t the only way to get ahead.  You have a feeling that the man standing in front of you is a testament to the fact that strength and authority can come from calm and consideration. “You don’t work around here?” you ask Din.

Din shakes his head, “No, just have a work assignment that has me down here for the day.  I don’t usually come downtown.”  Din light heartedly jokes, “Which is lucky for our coffee-stained friend, you might not be around next time to calm me down if I were to see him again.”

You remember the electricity that had emanated from Din this morning when you had touched his clenched fists and remember the sense of safety you had felt then; you feel it now, just being in his presence.  You give Din a glowing smile, “Well, I hope his meeting went well and that no one noticed his stains, so he was thoroughly ashamed of himself for the rest of the day for the way he acted.”

“You’re much nicer than me.  I have been actively hoping all day that his meeting didn’t go well.”

“Well.  I think you’re very nice,” you look up shyly.

Din smiles back.  How are you so sweet? He is about to ask you if you’re free for dinner, when the phone in his hand buzzes.  He looks down to see a text from Paz that the target has been spotted and the location that everyone needs to converge at now. “Oh.  Shoot. I have to go.  I’m sorry.”

You’re a little surprised by the abrupt end to the conversation, but Din genuinely looks sorry to be leaving, “Of course!  Good luck with.. your thing!  It was nice to see you again.”

“You too.”  Din has already started to move towards the bookstore exit, but he tries to convey his regret at having to leave you with his forlorn expression.  He’s not sure if he will ever see you again, and he swallows the lump in this throat at that thought, doing his best to memorize your pretty face and the sweet way you’re waving goodbye.

After Din leaves you let out a deep sigh.  Would you ever see Din again?  He didn’t work downtown, so your chances of running into him at the coffeeshop or this bookstore again were probably nil. And you didn’t know anything about him other than his first name and the fact that he was kind and funny, with puppy dog eyes you could lost in, and big strong hands that would feel so good around… stop it.  You exhale another melancholy breath and wish you had had a little more time with Din, maybe you could have gotten his number or something.  You resign yourself to having to forget your handsome Quad Ice.

To fill this new emotional void, you add a couple more books to your purchase pile and you make your way over to the cashier.  After she scans your items, she pushes the stack back towards you and says, “It’s all taken care of!”

“I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

“The gentleman who was here earlier paid for your books already.”

Din? “The gentleman?  The one with the dark fluffy hair with greys in it?” You describe what Din was wearing as well, still in disbelief.

“That’s the guy!  He actually gave me a lot more than what’s needed to cover your books, so you can grab some more stuff if you want.  He said to keep paying for people’s books until it ran out, so if there’s anything else you want to get, go ahead.”

“No, that’s ok…I’m sure the next person will appreciate the gesture,” you say, absentmindedly, other thoughts racing through your head, “Wait.. did he leave a number or anything, some way I can contact him to thank him?”

“I actually asked him if wanted to do that, but he said he wouldn’t want you to feel obligated because of the books to call him; he just wants you to enjoy the gift.”  Your breath hitches a little; the cashier notices and says, “I know, right?” She gives you a dreamy look, which you mirror back.

Well so much for forgetting your handsome Quad Ice.

Thank you for reading! First two lines of Ch. 3 (The Drycleaner):

“He bought you books?!?”

“Well technically, he bought us all books.”

[little-emerald-snake]

Are you still taking requests? Would you do double penetration f!mc one in her p one in her backdoor? Could be with Leander and garreth or Ominis and Sebastian take your pick

Double the Gryffindor’s - Garreth Weasley X Leander Prewett X F!MC

🔥 NSFW 🔞 MDNI

Warnings: threesome m/m/f, FWB, double penetration, unprotected p-in-v, unprotected anal sex

1k words

Garreth had always had a soft spot for his roommate and best friend, Leander. When Leander had come to him, confiding that he was feeling pent up and horny, constantly having to evacuate the room when Garreth had his fuck buddy over, Garreth felt a bit sorry.

At first he’d thought about maybe taking Leander to the pub to find him a lass to hook up with. But after thinking more about it, he’d decided to instead have a chat with his fwb to see if she’d be down for a threesome.

She’d hesitated at first but eventually agreed when Garreth had described his plan, when he’d been so excited explaining it to her she didn’t have the heart to deny him.

Leander wasn’t bad looking or anything, but there had always been a certain…stigma surrounding him that he was whiny and snobbish. Yet all the experiences she’d had with him had been pleasant, willing to leave his and Garreth’s shared dorm so they could have the privacy to hook up whenever they pleased.

When she’d arrived the next day, Leander had already begun reaching for a book, gathering his things to evacuate the room for them. Garreth grinned from ear to ear at the look on his best mate's face when she’d simply wagged her finger at his roommate, pointing back at the bed he’d stood up from.

He did as she instructed, confused albeit refusing to say anything. “What’s going on? I thought you’d be coming over to get cozy with Garreth. Are you guys going somewhere else today?”

She shook her head, grinning as she grabbed the book from his hand, setting it aside to his bedside table before pushing against the center of his chest till he laid back on the rumpled red duvet of his bed.

She climbed up to straddle his lap, watching with a smile as he blinked, mouth trying to form words desperately. “Not today, Lee. I wanna play with you today. We both do, actually.”

Leander’s eyes shot to Garreth who leaned against the bed post of his own bed, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, waving with his fingers. “That’s right mate. Said you’ve been pent up lately, right? I thought maybe I’d share my favorite little stress reliever. She’s happy to oblige, as you can see.”

Leander’s glance snapped back to her and she sat, straddling his waist innocently. He took a shaky breath, trying to process what was happening. “I-is this your way of playing some fucked up prank on me, Gaz?”

Garreth pushed off his bed post, coming to stand at the foot of Leander’s bed, fingers gripping onto the top of the wooden frame. “No pranks, mate. I genuinely want to share. Figured I could get you laid and fulfill a little fantasy I have all in one go. If you’re down, that is.”

Leander swallowed and much to his horror, the girl in his lap shifted, sliding back to see the tenting of his pants. “Damn, Lee. You might be bigger than Garreth here.”

Leander’s mouth popped open in surprise and Garreth chuckled, coming around to stand behind her. “Hey now, don’t start slamming me when I’ve given you rights to get dicked down by my best mate.”

She giggled, turning back to Leander who still laid open mouthed below her. “So, Lee. Are you down or not? Because I’d really like to feel all this…” she caressed his cock through his trousers. “inside of me tonight.”

Leander peered over her shoulder to Garreth, who nodded at him with a genuine smile. His eyes met hers again and she gave him a lusty smile, still caressing him through his pants. “Y-yea. I guess I’d be down. How exactly will this work…we take turns or something?”

Garreth chuckled, leaning over her and pushing her skirt up. Leander’s mouth went dry. “Nope. I’m gonna fuck her ass and you’re gonna fuck her tight little cunt.”

She worked his pants open, not minding as Garreth slid her panties down and helped her out of them. “H-have you ever-“

She pulled his pants down, exposing his length which bobbed needily. “Have I ever taken two cocks? No. Have I done anal? Yes. Garreth is an ass man above all else.”

Garreth spanked her playfully, while undoing his pants with his free hand. “Don’t act like you don’t love it sweetheart. There’s no denying you’re a good little anal slut when I need you to be.”

She hummed in satisfaction, sliding herself across Leander’s stiffened length for friction. “Gods, you feel so good, Lee. Need to feel you…”

Leander looked absolutely dizzy below her, face red as he watched her grind against his cock. When she reached down and slid him inside his head tipped back. A gasp spilled past her lips and she slid all the way down his cock.

Garreth groaned at the sight, using a wandless lubrication charm before sliding himself between her cheeks. “You’re little pussy looks so good wrapped around his cock, sweetheart. Gonna look positively divine speared on both our cocks.”

She went starry eyed, so full from both of them that her lips popped open with a moan. “S-so full. All that talk about bravery with you Gryffindor’s but no mention of incredible cocks.”

Garreth grinned, thrusting gently which had her rocking forward on Leander. “Holy shit. Can feel him filling your pussy, making your ass even tighter for me.”

She clenched down, which tore a moan from Leander, who reached up to grab her hips and thrust into her. All three of them groaned in unison. Garreth and Leander worked together and got into a rhythm, grinding into her, against each other. She was pleasantly unraveling between them, giving into the intense pleasure they wrung from every last bit of her, sending her to multiple shaking orgasms.

Garrath was the first to finish, filling her ass with his cum before pulling out and sitting back to watch as she rode Leander. Garreth groaned, watching as his cum dripped down to her pussy and mixed with her juices.

She rode Leander till he stilled deep inside of her, climax hitting him like a tsunami and dragging her to another shaking orgasm in the process.

The two settled with her collapsed on his chest, both panting in an attempt to regain breath. Garreth, now cleaned up and fully clothed, came to lay beside them on the bed. “I think we should get into some more fun like this more often, what do you guys think?”

[sidekick-hero]

(steddie | teen | wc: 790 | tags: established relationship, former jock Steve, Eddie Munson loves Steve Harrington, in fact he's so in love he would do anything for love | @steddielovemonth prompt Love is going out of your way to do something you know will make them happy (@forgottenkanji) | AO3)

At first glance, Steve and Eddie weren't meant to be.

At first glance, they were two opposites, one the antithesis of the other. While Steve was the sun, Eddie was the moon. Day and night, summer and winter, light and dark.

But despite all the differences between them, they still worked. They complemented each other, creating a precious balance that made them both better. It's as if they only made sense with each other by their side.

There was only one difference between them that tested their love for each other: Steve's love of the outdoors and Eddie's utter hatred of it.

Steve, a former jock with a physique to match, found solace in the rugged beauty of nature. He relished the adrenaline of a challenging hike, the satisfying burn of muscles pushed to their limits, and the sweet exhaustion that followed a day spent under the open sky. Eddie loved that Steve's body was a true testament to his enduring love of the outdoors: the sun-kissed skin with constellations of beauty marks and freckles an invitation for adventurous hands and lips, his thick thighs and impressive stamina God's apology for Eddie's hardships.

Eddie, on the other hand, had always lived a different kind of life. A theater kid at heart, he thrived in the world of imagination and creativity. Dungeons and Dragons was his favorite realm, where he spun tales of fantasy and daring escapades. Physical activity, however, was a realm he hadn't quite embraced.

Early Sunday mornings were his sworn enemy, and the thought of a hike sent shivers down his spine. And yet, it was exactly what he had apparently agreed to do.

The soft morning light seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the room that Steve and Eddie shared. Steve, already dressed in his hiking gear, couldn't contain his enthusiasm for the adventure that awaited them. He leaned over and gently nudged Eddie, who was wrapped in the warmth of the blanket.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Steve whispered, a grin playing on his lips. "Time to rise and shine. We've got a beautiful hike waiting for us."

Eddie groaned, a muffled protest escaping from beneath the covers. "Can't it wait? It's Sunday morning, Steve. I need my beauty sleep."

Steve chuckled, his fingers lightly tracing circles on Eddie's back. "Come on, love. The early bird catches the worm, or in our case, catches the breathtaking sunrise over the hills. Trust me, it's worth it."

Eddie peeked out from the covers, one eye squinting against the morning light. "Can't we catch the sunrise from the comfort of our bed?"

Steve's laughter filled the room. "As tempting as that sounds, there's something magical about witnessing it from the top of the trail. Plus, fresh air and the sounds of nature – it's the perfect way to start our day together."

Eddie sighed dramatically, dragging himself into a sitting position. "You and your love affair with fresh air. I swear, it's a conspiracy against my cozy Sunday mornings."

Steve leaned in, planting a soft kiss on Eddie's forehead. "I promise it'll be worth it. And hey, I'll even let you pick the playlist for our drive to the trailhead."

Eddie's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Anything I want?"

Steve nodded, a playful glint in his eye. "Anything. As long as it gets us up and moving."

With a theatrical sigh, Eddie finally relented. "Fine, fine. But you owe me breakfast at that little café we passed last time. And I get to pick what we do for the rest of the day. Deal?"

"Deal," Steve agreed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Now get dressed and let's make this Sunday morning one for the books."

As Eddie reluctantly began to accept the idea of leaving the warmth of their bed, he let the warmth of Steve's smile envelop him instead. It wasn't that he suddenly liked Sunday mornings or breaking a sweat for anything other than what he had planned to do with Steve once they were back here in their bedroom. He knew he would hate the burning in his legs and lungs every step of the way, but all that seemed like a small price to pay for Steve's joy and happiness. What was an early morning and the discomfort of working his untrained body for a few miles if it meant sharing moments with the person who made even the earliest of Sunday hikes something Eddie would look back on fondly.

So when they finally reached the top of the hill, Steve turning to him with sparkling eyes and asking, "Didn't I tell you? It was all worth it," Eddie couldn't help but kiss him, long and deep and sweet.

Everything was worth it for Steve.