#i keep thinking i want to do a bracket but i have neither the time nor the energy to put together any sort of thing

[thursdayinspace]

Only reasonable thing to do while waiting for an online meeting to start? Write two sillies being normal coworkers together. I'm just waiting for the day when I'll accidentally copy-paste smut fic into a Very Serious zoom chat.

It starts raining without warning. The sky darkens and then they’re in the middle of a downpour without an umbrella, without raincoats, soaked to the skin within seconds.

He looks at her. She meets his eyes, shocked for a second, and then she bursts out laughing. He laughs with her and can’t stop, and it seems that neither can she. When she takes his hand and pulls and they start running back to their car, careful not to slip on the soggy ground, he feels almost high on happiness. It’s the little things sometimes, like ending up in entirely unplanned ridiculous situations with the woman he loves.

The seats are as soaked as they are by the time they make it back to the motel and the rental company isn’t gonna be happy, but there’s nothing they can do about it. He’s not surprised when she follows him straight into his room—they’ve been sharing it since they got here even though she has her bag in her own room, still keeping up pretenses while they settle into this thing that’s building between them. They’re dripping water all over the carpet and they don’t care. Her hair is plastered to her face and she’s breathtakingly beautiful and he has no idea how he got so lucky, but here they are.

She walks ahead into the bathroom and their clothes hit the tiled floor. He sees her shivering, and turns on the hot water in the shower, letting her step in first before he follows her.

“Did you check the weather report this morning?” she asks, still grinning, and he shakes his head.

“I’d have brought a rain jacket if I had.”

She steps into him and wraps her arms around him and they just stand under the spray, the cold slowly melting away. He still hears her soft chuckles every few moments and hugs her tightly and he can’t stop smiling.

Warm and dry a short while later, she slips into bed dressed only a soft robe and he doesn’t bother with clothes at all, hoping that this is going somewhere that would just have them get in the way. She lies on her side, propped up on one elbow, and the look in her eyes is soft and happy.

“Remember our first case?” she asks.

“The graveyard,” he says. “Yeah. I remember.”

He can taste the smile in her kiss as she leans down and touches her lips to his.

There is no need for clothes. The robe slips off her easily and she climbs on top of him. He’s ready. This is new, this is still so new, and yet it feels right and familiar, his cock sliding into her as she lowers her hips until he’s in as deep as he can go.

“You were laughing then too,” he says. “In Oregon.”

She brackets his head with her forearms and rests their foreheads together. “I did.”

“I wanted you to stay,” he tells her. “In that moment, I think that’s when I knew we could be good together.”

“I think it’s when I knew I wanted to stay,” she says. “Even if I did think you were crazy.”

“Maybe I was,” he answers. “Maybe I am. Thanks for sticking around.”

She starts moving on top of him and he sucks in a breath, his hands finding her hips. She’s hot and tight around him and it feels so good. “If you’d made a move, I would have done this with you then.”

“Oh god,” he says. “Believe me, I thought about it. More than once.” She raises up just slightly to brace herself on her hands above his shoulders and rolls her hips harder, his cock sliding in and out of her in the most perfect rhythm, and he slides her hands up her back, feeling her muscles move under her smooth, warm skin.

Her breath is coming fast and her mouth falls open as she rides him and he thrusts up into her, making her gasp out loud and throw her head back. His hands find her breasts and every one of her exhales ends in a tiny moan. Through the fast-building need, his heart is clenching with joy. Nothing compares to this.

The sound she makes as she comes sends shockwaves of heat through his body, the sight of her riding him frantically, grinding her clit against him is what pushes him over the edge and his body arches off the mattress, his hands gripping her hips to pull her down against him as he buries himself deep inside her.

Her body, panting and exhausted on top of him, anchors him to this earth, to this moment, to life.

So, he thinks, this is what being in love feels like. This is what it feels like to be loved in return. He can’t get enough. He’ll stand with her laughing in the rain anytime, running for shelter hand in hand, for as long as she decides to stay.

[the-headless-horsedude]

rvb fans, has anyone done any sort of tournament/bracket for the best fight in red vs blue?

[ohbo-ohno]

Kinktober Day 31 - Free Use

Poly 141 x Reader - 4.3k (on ao3)

summary: Glimpses into your life as a housewife and free use toy for the 141 post-retirement. (Reader POV, second person)

cw: soft sex, half-drunk sex, light somnophilia, anal sex

note: last kinktober of the month! sorry i got off by a day at the end here, but i hope you guys have enjoyed everything so far :) btw this is less "free use" and more "sex with the 141 while living in domestic bliss"

Your days are filled with sex. Sex with all of your boys, in every position you can think of, in every room of the house they’d bought for the five of you after retiring. 

You all split the chores evenly these days. No one does more than they’re more comfortable with, and you’ve all found your stride, something to give you purpose, after the rigidity of the military.

Gaz has taken to bee-keeping. As odd as it sounds, he’s got the patience for it, and he’s quite protective of his bees, even has nearly an entire library of books he’s taught himself with. Price helps him out by selling the honey he harvests, keeping track of his profits and managing the household’s finances. 

Ghost hunts, spends his days out finding game to bring home, tracking herds and predators around your property. Johnny does a little of everything - fixes things when they break, chops firewood every morning, helps Simon skin his prey, tries to help Gaz and his bees. 

And you take care of the house. You make the meals, clean up after everyone, and find yourself perfectly happy to keep your men fed and warm. 

Your other chore is to bend over whenever they want. Well, bend into any position whenever they want, Ghost and Soap tend to enjoy getting a bit more creative. It’s not really much of a chore, considering how eager you are to do it.

It’s a great deal for you. Johnny and Kyle are always eager to get you off, and neither Simon nor Price is stingy with the orgasms these days either. You live your life floating between domestic labor and orgasms - not a bad existence, by your metric. You get to live without a care in the world, four men to take care of and four men to take care of you. It’s like a dream come true.

———————————————————————

You hum to yourself as you dance around the kitchen, wearing nothing but a frilly apron as you wait for your pancakes to cook. The small radio on the dining room table plays music from a local radio station, something cheery to start your day. It’s hard not to smile, with sunshine pouring in from the windows and a batch of fresh eggs to scramble on the stove. 

Your small moment of bliss is interrupted by a pair of hands on your hips and a large body bracketing yours.

There isn’t even a moment of fear, you instinctually lean back into the man behind you. A moment later, a rough beard brushes over your cheek.

“Pancakes this mornin’?” Price asks, big paws resting on the softness of your hips.

“Hmm,” you hum, tilting your head to claim his lips. He sways the two of you back and forth slowly, to the beat of the song, and lets you take your time with him. “Blueberries in yours,” you tell him when you come up for a breath of air.

One hand shifts to your ass, the other to your stomach, and you feel him smile. “Thank you, love. Got time for a quick round before they burn?”

You mimic his smile, let him bend you over slowly. “You’re just in time, Captain, I haven’t cracked the eggs yet.”

“Perfect,” he purrs, pressing himself to your backside. He tucks his plaid pajama pants down a little, rubbing his warm morning wood against you. You fold your arms beneath your head, let your eyes drift closed as his fingers make quick work of getting you ready.

Moments later, the heavy length of his cock fills you slowly. You moan, shifting your legs a little bit wider as he massages your waist.

“There you go,” he sighs, bottoming out and grinding himself slowly inside of you. “Tight as always, perfect girl.”

You giggle a little drowsily, wiggling your hips against his. “Always for you, John.”

He sighs contentedly, pulling out slowly. “Don’t I know it.”

He fucks you slowly, a steady pace that drags against all your most sensitive parts on every thrust. John’s thick, and the stretch isn’t quite comfortable with no prep. But you’re still a little loose from your time with Soap and Gaz last night, so it’s far from painful to take him.

He hunches over you as he gets closer and closer to the edge, elbows resting on either side of you and breath ghosting across your nape.

“Aw,” you hear Soap say,voice rough from sleep as he steps into the kitchen. “I wanted first go today.”

“Early bird gets the worm, Johnny,” Gaz teases, settling into a chair in the little breakfast nook Simon had built soon after moving in. “You’re the one who stayed up so late with her last night.”

“Wasn’t just me, jackass, you’re the one who-”

“Boys,” Price grunts, hips slamming against yours, leaving you squirming beneath him. “Will you shut the fuck up while I’m balls deep in our girl?”

You can’t help but snort beneath him, pushing yourself up enough to arch your back further, stick your ass further out for him. “Ye-yeah, boys.”

“Hush,” Price scolds, one hand shifting to your neck where he forces you flat to the counter again. “‘M almost there…”

He groans lowly as he buries himself deep inside of you, pumping slowly as you tighten up, trying to milk him. “Fuck, feels good…”

You smile against your arms as the pleasure that had been building inside of you starts to dull to a simmer, something warm in the root of you.

Price pulls out only moments later, two thick fingers tucking into you to keep any of his come from dripping out. “Keep me safe inside you, pretty thing, c’mon. Clench down.”

You take a deep breath and try your best to listen, straightening up and doing your best to keep yourself from dripping down your thighs. 

He turns you around, leaning you back against the counter and cupping your cheeks in his hands, tugging your face up to give you a soft kiss. “Thank you,” he whispers into your mouth, just quiet enough for you to hear.

“Of course.” You reach up to grab his wrists, holding him close. “Never gonna say no to you, John.”

The two of you linger in the moment, sunlight warming your skin as you breathe into each other.

It’s Soap that interrupts you, an intentionally obnoxious clearing of his throat nearly making you jump. “Any chance at coffee sometime today, bonnie?”

You huff a laugh into Price’s mouth, pushing him away and shooting a half-playful look to Johnny. “Can’t give me a minute of peace, can you?”

He smirks, “Nope.”

John scoffs as he pulls away, moving you with him and giving you a quick tap to the ass to send you over to the counter with the coffee machine. “Someone’s gotta teach you some patience, MacTavish.”

“If Ghost still hasn’t gotten it into him, no one is,” Gaz laughs, shifting enough for Price to join him on the bench. 

“Who says I haven’t?” Ghost says, stepping from the hallway. He’s already got a cigarette lit between his lips, and you wave him away with a spatula.

“No!” You scold, trying to shoo him closer to the window. “No smoking in my house! You know I hate the smell.”

Ghost rolls his eyes good-naturedly but lets you herd him to the open window, resting a shoulder on the windowsill and blowing a mouthful of air. You hmph, satisfied, and move to flip the pancakes. “You’re not the one who has to get that smoke out of all the furniture, you know.”

Ghost sighs, but he’s dramatic enough about it for you to know that he’s intentionally exaggerating his annoyance. “Awful early for all that nagging, woman.”

You glare at him playfully, picking up an egg to crack. “Awful early for a cig, too.”

He huffs and you crack your egg, the kitchen shifting into a comfortable silence. You continue your humming as the song changes to something more upbeat, unable to keep a smile from your face.

———————————————————————

You’re half tipsy, giggling into Soap’s mouth as the two of you stumble into the house. You manage to trip over the lip of the entrance, and you yelp as you start to fall.

Johnny just barely manages to twist and catch the both of you in time, grunting loudly as he hits the ground. The breath is knocked from the both of you, and you lay there in the dark for a moment, still.

You’re giggling as soon as you can breathe again, unable to stay still with all the energy and wiggling against his chest. “Jo-Johnny!”

“What?” He pants, still not fully able to take a breath in. You can see the outline of a smile, though, and his hands come up to fully cup your ass. “You were the one taht tripped, lass!” 

That only makes you laugh harder, kicking your feet against his shins. “I-I know!”

Now he laughs, a full-bellied sound that has you bouncing on his chest. He manages to push himself up so that you’re in his lap, and presses his mouth to yours without warning.

You make a high sound of surprise but quickly kiss him back, licking into his mouth when he parts his lips. 

Your kiss is messy, both of you a little too drunk and a little too needy to bother for tact. Johnny’s softer than he usually is, all tongue and no teeth. You wrap your arms around his neck, shifting so your knees rest on either side of him and squeeze his hips.

“Need you,” he pants into your mouth, shifting you over him to start a slow grind. “Need to be inside you, bonnie.”

“Yeah, please,” you say, quickly dropping your hands to his belt and clumsily working at his belt. It takes several tries for you to get it undone, and both of you get more and more desperate. Your underwear get more and more damp as you work yourself over the rough denim of his jeans, your skirt rucked up around your hips as he palms at your ass.

“Come on,” he growls, landing a harsh slap against the meat of your thigh. You yelp at the sting, then giggle, and finally manage to get his belt loose, quickly tugging it off.

“There you go,” you mumble, throwing the belt to the side and hearing it slide against the hardwood. “C’mon, c’mon, need you now, Johnny.”

He nearly snarls into your mouth, jerking your panties to the side and stuffing two fingers into you with no warning. You jolt higher on your knees and moan, digging your nails into his shoulder.

“Sit still,” he growls, tugging you back down and scissoring his fingers quickly to spread you. He slips a third finger in easily, your cunt already slick and dripping for him. “Stop fuckin’- stop wigglin’ around.”

You can’t help but giggle again, pushing your smile against his lips and nipping at his chin. “Can’t hold me down, MacTavish?”

You feel him grin, growling playfully, and before you can keep prodding him he’s got you flipped onto the floor beneath him. You squeal when he somehow manages to keep his fingers inside of you, pushing deep as he pins you down. He tucks your knees higher, both of your legs resting on his shoulders.

“I’ll show you held down, lass,” he growls, smile just barely visible above you. “Want it rough, then?”

You bite back another laugh, pushing up just enough to bite his bottom lip and tug it down with you. “As rough as you’ve got, MacTavish.”

It works as the perfect taunt you’d meant it as, and he’s buried in your tight heat before you can try and push him any further. Your head falls back against the hardwood floor as his falls to your throat, both of you moaning loudly as his hips meet your thighs.

“Fuck,” he groans, teeth pressed against your throat. When you arch your neck even further, he bites into your flesh, sucking a hicky and making you ever wetter between the thighs. “Fuck.”

“She tight, Johnny?”

You both yelp at the sudden voice, Johnny jolting away from your neck and shifting inside of you, causing you both to melt again.

There, in the corner of the room, is Ghost. He’s smoking a cigarette by the window, illuminated only by the glow of his cigarette butt and the moon. You can’t quite see his expression, but you can just imagine the cocky smirk.

Johnny groans above you, sinking back down to press kisses along your throat and forcing your knees almost to the side of your head. “Scared the shit outta’ me, Ghost,” he sighs, pulling out just enough to give you a few tiny thrusts. You moan, letting yourself relax into the floor.

“Not surprised,” Ghost says, and you watch as he stubs out the cigarette and take a few steps to where the two of you are tangled in each other. “How much did you two have to drink?”

You laugh at the question, but it melts into a moan as Johnny starts to find a rhythm that works for both of you. Your knees nearly knock against your own face as he makes his way across your neck, leaving bruising kisses. 

“Not-” you choke a bit on a particularly rough thrust, just barely managing to keep your eyes open and watch as Simon settles into an armchair. “Not that much.”

“Yeah,” Johnny pants, lifting himself up enough to look down at you. “How-how much’ve you had, L.t.?”

Ghost snorts, taking a swig from a beer bottle you hadn’t noticed before. “Less’n you two, I can tell that much.”

You and Johnny both snicker, half out of breath already, but none of you try and keep speaking as Johnny starts to really fuck into you, finding a perfect rhythm that’s just a little messier than usual, a little jerkier. 

The two of you make no attempt to be quiet, moaning and whining loudly as you work to find that peak. Even with folded in half as you are, you try to push into him as much as you can to help him hit the perfect spot inside of you. 

You nearly scream when he does, clenching down so tightly onto him that he’s forced to a still inside of you, his length throbbing in time with your heartbeat. 

The world blurs around you as Johnny takes your lips again, pressing your tongues together in a slick slide as he batters inside of you.

“Clo-close,” you gasp, clawing down his shoulders. Your nails dig in enough through his shirt to have him moaning, arching further into your touch.

“Me too, bonnie.”

He shifts enough to lean his weight further onto your thighs, newly freed hand smoothing down your chest and stomach to work against your clit. You melt beneath him, muscles going loose as you turn into nothing but a limp doll for him to fuck.

Your eyes squeeze shut as your orgasm starts to overcome you, Johnny’s work against your clit and the hot length inside of you finally shoving you over the edge.

“Fuck- fuck!” Johnny nearly shouts above you, your orgasm triggering his own. You cling tight to him, dragging his body as close to you as possible while your muscles clench down around him. The two of you are nearly drooling in each other’s mouths, eager for as much physical touch as possible.

It feels like an impossible amount of time later when you hear Ghost crouch down next to you, see his shadow cast over both you and Johnny. “You two done, then?”

You feel Johnny huff where he’s leaned against your cheek, feel his smile grow against yours. 

“Yeah, Si,” you say, squirming a bit beneath Johnny to try and get out from under him. “I think we’re done.”

Johnny gans a little but he obliges and shifts back enough for his softened cock to pull out of you. You both whine in sync at the separation, and he finally lets your legs fall to the ground, heels thudding against the floor.

Johnny rolls off of you, flopping to the floor next to you. “Carry us to bed, L.t.”

You giggle and blink up at Simon, softened from your orgasm and the lingering buzz from your night out. “Yeah, L.t.,” you lift your arms high, making grabby hands like a toddler. “Carry us to bed.”

Ghost snorts above you, but he still leans down and scoops you up beneath the knees and the back. You squeal when he hefts you over his shoulder into a fireman's carry. He ducks low again and you grasp onto the bottom of his sweatshirt, then giggle when Johnny flops bonelessly over Ghost’s other shoulder.

He carries the two of you effortlessly down the hall, and Johnny’s soft laugh joins yours - well, at least before you hear a muffled slap and he quiets himself/ Of course that only makes you laugh, earning you a spank of your own.

You’re dropped rather carelessly onto the massive mattress all five of you share these days, hand flopping against what you’re sure is Price’s chest as Ghost falls on top of Johnny where he’s dropped.

You hear a muffled oof! from next to you and curl into Price with a smile, tucking yourself close to his chest. He rumbles a low noise, instinctually tucking you close. You can hear Gaz getting annoyed with Ghost and Soap, feel him kicking at them to fight for his own spot on the mattress. You fall asleep with Ghost’s back to yours and Price’s chest to yours, surrounded by warmth.

———————————————————————

You groan into the sheets in frustration, fists clenched tight. “Simon, come on, please.”

He spanks you sharply, but the pain is hardly noticeable compared to the need you’re drowning in. 

“Quiet,” he grunts, three fingers spreading your ass. “Need to stretch you out properly, don’t want any tears.”

You whine, arching your back and pushing your ass further into the air. “I’m ready, I promise, just need you inside. I’ve been stretched for the last ten minutes!”

“And you’ll get stretched for ten more if you don’t quit complaining.”

It’s almost impossible to bite back a complaint at that, but you manage to dull it down to just a near-painful eye roll. You try your best to stay still for him, stay patient, even as you feel like your pussy is dripping like a faucet.

Ghost has fucked you with far less prep than this, you know he’s just trying to be an asshole - no pun intended. You also know that the more you rush him, the slower he’ll go. So you force yourself a little looser, let your body sink more comfortably into the position he’s got you in.

It doesn’t make the wait any easier.

You’re not sure how long it’s really been when he finally deems you stretched enough, but he finally pulls his fingers free. You whimper at the cold dribble of lube as he spreads a bit more across your stretched hole, the slick sounds echoing in the room telling you he’s likely spreading it across himself too.

“Alright, love,” he says, notching himself at your back hole with both hands on your hips. “Loosen up for me now.”

The stretch is sinful as he finally gives you his cock, enough for you to feel the sting but not at a painful point. Your eyes roll back in pleasure instead of frustration, and your knees shift just a little wider to welcome him more fully into your body.

“Fuck, you feel good<’ he grunts, grip tightening on your hip.

On a normal night with Ghost, you’d expect minimal prep and long rounds of edging. He likes to keep you from coming for as long as possible, then coax an orgasm that feels earthshattering from you when he finally shoves you off that ledge. Either that, or he fucks you quick and dirty - in the yard outside, in the shower, in the middle of the night, really any time he feels like getting off. With you around, there’s no need to masturbate. That leaves you getting bent over and used at any time he feels the slightest urge to get off, but you couldn’t mind less.

Now, though, Ghost paces himself far more slowly than usual. His thrusts are long, bottoming out and pulling back until the head of his cock just barely breaches your hole. If you couldn’t feel the way his hands bruise your hips, you’d almost call his pace leisurely. 

The two of you are near silent as he fucks you, content to fill the air with soft moans and the occasional whine instead of dirty talk. It feels nice, such slow sex with Simon. It’s a side of him he rarely lets you see, even now.

He knows you can’t come from anal alone, and is feeling generous enough to grab one of your hands and shift it down, telling you, “Rub your clit for me, love. Wanna feel you come.”

And, well, who are you to disobey?

You bring yourself to a slow, rolling orgasm with rhythmic circles against your clit, hips working against his even with his grip. You moan more loudly now, moith open and spit spreading across the pillow.

“Si-Simon,” you gasp. “Feels so good, so deep.”

“Yeah? Deep in your ass, huh, love?”

“Mhmm, mhmm. Can hardly br-breathe around you, Si.”

“I know, so big in your little hole. You’re taking me well, though, being such a good girl for me. Gonna - fuck, love - gonna make me come, give you a nice load then plug you up.”

“Yes, yes…”

“You want that? Want to be stuffed with my come? Keep me inside of you ‘til I say you can take the plug out?”

“Yes, I’ll keep it in for you, Si, be so good for you.”

“Oh, I know it, love. Always a good girl for me, most perfect girl… fuck, feel so good around me…”

He groans when he finally gets himself off, pulling you back onto his harsher thrusts and letting your channel squeeze the come from him. You rub your clit a few more times, ignoring the aftershocks in favor of forcing your muscles to milk him a bit.

When he finally pulls out, he tucks a good-sized plug into your loosened hole before any of his come can slip out. You shift from your knees to your stomach with a soft hum, tugging a pillow into your arms as your eyes drift shut.

“You stayin’ in here for a bit?” Ghost asks, brushing some of your hair away from your face and dipping down to press a dry kiss to your cheek.

“Hmm. Gonna take a nap before dinner.”

“Alright. Need any help tonight?”

“No,” you hum, curling deeper into the bedding. “You can set the table, if you really want.”

You hear him laugh as he pulls away, weight shifting off of the mattress. “I’ll leave that to Johnny, I think.”

A few moments later the door click softly shut behind him, and you float into a peaceful slumber while trying to half-plan dinner. 

———————————————————————

You’re half-asleep when you feel someone shift in bed next to you, their body covering yours. There’s a distinct hardness against the small of your back, and you press back against him.

“Stay still,” you hear Gaz whisper in your ear as he urges you further onto your stomach. You hum a little in response as he settles over you, kneeing your thighs apart enough for him to rest between them. “Don’t wanna wake anyone else up, right sweetheart?”

You hum again in what’s probably supposed to be agreement, but is really just a half-asleep sound. You trust all your boys, though, so you’re perfectly content to let Kyle do whatever he wants.

You sleep naked these days, so it’s easy for him to spread your cheeks a bit, to rub at your folds. You’re still a little damp from the shower sex with Price you’d had right before bed, and Kyle doesn’t seem to think you need much more than that.

You’re almost asleep again when you feel the tip of his cock at your hole, and then the familiar weight of him entering you. It’s hard not to groan, especially when you’re so dazed, but you think you do a good job.

Well, until Kyle shushes you loudly, stuffing a few of his fingers into your mouth. 

You make a small offended noise, but it shifts into a sound of pleasure when he sinks fully inside of you.

“Hush. Don’t wanna share you right now, just needed to feel you for a bit.”

You feel his hips shift against yours before he sort of falls to the side, taking you with him. You’re left spooning him, his cock buried deep inside of you and kept warm by your body.

He sighs, pleased, against your back and pulls his fingers from your mouth, letting his hand float down to rest on one of your breasts. He squeezes you for a few moments, but that only works you up more and has you squirming against him.

Kyle makes a small, whining noise and squeezes you more tightly to him. “Stay still, love. Just want to hold you, let you hold me. Go back to sleep, yeah?”

You sigh, debate trying to get him to finish what he started, but ultimately decide that it sounds like far too much work for your current state. 

So instead you let yourself relax into Gaz, body quickly adjusting to the weight and stretch of him. It’s easier than you might’ve thought to doze off like that, held close to Kyle’s chest.

[ohsc]

hiii idk if you take requests for smut but if you do i have an idea for sam, i just think sam would be such a gentle lover with an inexperienced reader and it’d be so 🫠🫠🫠

delicate.

sam winchester x fem!reader, 4.1k, nsfw 18+, fingering, p in v, praise, size kink if you squint, somewhat softdom!sam, inexperienced!reader — requests are open

Sam knew to be delicate with her.

As his hands traced the outline of her body through her clothes, as he felt the heat of her mouth against his own, the weight of her settled in his lap as they made out, he knew to keep his touch gentle, his kisses passionate yet not overbearing.

A few days before the first time they’d had sex, she’d gotten out through the hands that she’d used to hide her blushing face that she really hadn’t done much sexually before. Nothing more than a few PG-13 make out sessions and above-clothes groping. It had taken her a while to admit it, she’d been so horribly embarrassed, but Sam sat and rubbed her back as he listened, because he didn’t ever want her to feel embarrassed with him about that stuff.

Alright, he wasn’t exactly a saint. He’d gone to college, hooked up a bit, had a girlfriend, and then had his fair share of nights with other women afterwards until he met Y/N, but he didn’t see her any differently for not having done those things. It didn’t sit well with him that she might’ve been worried about his reaction to her sex life, or lack thereof.

In all honesty, it just made him want to make it special for her, as horribly cliché as that sounded.

So a few days after that conversation, he’d taken her virginity. It hadn’t been all rose petals and tea-light candles and silk sheets, but he’d dressed up nicely and taken her to dinner, took her back to a nicer motel room than they usually resided in, and took his time with her. Got himself accustomed to her body, her reactions, what she liked and didn’t like, what made her breathing shudder and left her keening beneath him. Left her satisfied enough to fall asleep happily in his arms once they’d finished, left himself burning with pride that he’d made her feel so good.

It had been some months since that night, and whilst they’d had sex a few more times since the first — he’d slowly introduced her to new things, had her cum around his cock and his fingers and on his tongue (which was his personal favourite), atop and beneath him, in a bed and a shower and on a sofa — she was still pretty shy. Sam thought it was fucking attractive that he could get her blushing and panting from a few simple touches, but he still didn’t tease her about it. He made sure to take his time, not to overwhelm her or take things too fast than she was comfortable with. She was still pretty new to it all, he wanted her to enjoy it, not feel like it was stressful.

He could barely contain the groan that rumbled from the back of his throat as he felt her hands thread through his hair, her smaller fingers curled around the strands in a way that drove him crazy. Seeing her slowly edge out of her shell over the past few months had been so fucking enjoyable, even when it was just down to simple touches like that. Four months ago and she would’ve asked three times before even just touching his hair.

“God, sweetheart-” His fingers flexed against her waist and brought her as close as physically possible, her thighs warm against his where they bracketed them, her stomach pressed against his. The shitty motel mattress beneath them shifted slightly as they both moved, springs complaining under the shift in weight, but neither of them paid it any mind. “Love it when you get so needy.”

A huff of breath escaped her lips and she mumbled something indignant against his open mouth, and Sam let out a soft laugh, tipped his head back just slightly to look at her flushed-pink face.

“What was that?”

“I said don’t make fun.” She grumbled, eyes dipping down, and Sam felt as her fingers slowly started to retract from his hair.

“Ah-ah,” his hand lifted, lightly gripping one of her forearms to keep them there, before his head dipped down to press a chaste kiss to her inner elbow. “I’m not making fun, not at all,” his head tipped enough to press another kiss higher up her arm, until the soft cotton of her t-shirt brushed against his nose. “You should know how much I love you like this.”

His mouth finally reached her neck, and one of his hands slid up the length of her back to cup the base of her skull, and he slowly tipped her head back until the skin of her neck was a little more exposed. He didn’t miss the little breathy noises that escaped her as he kissed her neck, it made his cock twitch in his jeans, the denim suddenly far too tight.

“You sound so pretty, baby,” he mumbled the words against her warm skin before his lips pressed to her pulse point, and he felt as her pulse drummed beneath her skin. He couldn’t help but smile against it as he lightly sucked the skin into his mouth, just enough to pull another gasp from the depths of her chest. “So pretty.”

“Sammy-” Her fingers were twitching in his hair, grasped lightly before she shifted in his lap a little, and he knew she was a little too worked up to keep up with the lighter touches. They’d been making out for a while now, it had slowly progressed from softer pecks and light giggles to that need that thrummed beneath their skin. He liked getting her properly worked up and ready for him.

He knew her body enough now to know that her restlessness meant she was exactly that. Ready.

Sam left one last kiss against her neck before he leaned back enough to look at her face, and with a much more loving kiss against her mouth, he lightly tugged at one of her belt loops and mumbled, “Wanna take these off for me, honey?”

She didn’t really hesitate and nodded, before she climbed off of his lap to take off her trousers, let the material fall to the floor before she’d climbed back in his lap again, and the sight of her straddling his thighs in just her panties and t-shirt was enough for his cock to throb.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” Sam all but groaned as he leaned forwards to kiss her again. As his tongue probed at her bottom lip before it dipped into her mouth and licked behind her teeth, one of his hands gripped her hip, his other smoothed up the warm bare skin of her thigh before he cupped her sex through the cotton of her underwear, felt her warmth and her wetness, her light gasp into his open mouth at the touch. “All worked up for me, baby?”

She nodded dumbly, and a soft little gasp was pushed from her mouth as he slowly traced her through the wet fabric. “Please-”

“Shh, I know,” he pressed his lips to her cheek, her jaw, the side of her neck. “I know, just relax, sweetheart, I’ve got you.”

Sam’s fingers slipped beneath the elastic of her panties before he nudged two of his fingers through her folds, and as the warmth and the slick of her arousal coated them, his cock throbbed harder. “You’re already so wet for me,” he all but groaned into her neck as he started slowly rubbing her clit with the pads of his fingers. “So fucking perfect.”

Sam lived for the way she shuddered and gasped in his lap, the way he felt her fingers grip the material of his shirt as she tipped forwards slightly, her head rested against his. Though little gasped breathy noises were escaping her, she was still pretty quiet. Being noisy when they were having sex was something he knew she was shy about, but Sam didn’t urge her to be louder. He knew if he brought it up, it’d be all she’d think about, and he really didn’t want her to get in her own head about it. He much preferred letting her explore what she was comfortable with as he touched her, let her breathe her own reactions to the stimulation he provided until she was comfortable doing more.

This was all for her, after all.

Sam kissed and nibbled and sucked at her skin for a while as he paid close attention to her clit, switched from lazy circles with his fingers to long strokes against the length of them, until he and her and her underwear were completely soaked with her wetness. He didn’t try to move further until she was almost trembling in his lap, her hands grasped at his shoulders as she gasped and whimpered in response to his insistent rubbing.

His fingers lifted from her clit to press a little further into her underwear, and pressed the tip of his pointer finger against her entrance, holding it there as he murmured, “Is this okay?”

Y/N nodded immediately, and breathed out a “Please,” that sounded so deliciously needy that it took all he had not to cum in his fucking pants.

Sam slowly pushed his finger into her, felt the warmth and the tightness of her wet cunt around him, and fuck did he need to work her open a little before she’d be ready to take his cock.

His eyes flickered up to watch her expression as he slowly pumped his finger inside of her, and it was like fucking art the way she straddled his thighs, her hands grasped onto his shoulders, eyes half-lidded and lips parted enough to let out the soft breathy moans and whimpers every time his finger shifted to hit a spot inside of her that made her body shudder. He could watch her like that forever, could burn the image into his eyelids and happily stare at it any time he closed his eyes.

If that was her reaction to one finger, the thought of how she’d react to his cock fucking into her was enough to make him see stars.

When he added a second finger she keened and groaned, and the sound was so fucking good that Sam wanted to keep it, file it away in his brain to play whenever he wanted, whenever he needed to get himself off quickly in the shower on mornings he woke up with a hard on. It’d do the trick, Sam thought as he crooked his fingers inside of her and dragged out a replica of the first groan, it’d have him cumming in seconds.

Sam worked her open with his fingers until she was a mess, until all he heard was her blissful noises and the lewd wetness every time his fingers thrusted back inside of her. His free hand, which had been pressed against the small of her back to keep her close, lifted and cupped her face, and the fingers inside of her slowed to a lazy pace as he stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “You wanna be on top, baby?”

She didn’t really respond. She’d gotten like this a few times, worked up and blissful to the point where she got a little lost, a little dazed. Sam’s thumb lightly pressed beneath her jaw and he tipped her head up, and the glassy look in her eyes was all he needed to see to know she needed to be brought back into herself.

“Hey,” his thumb stroked along her jaw a little firmly to ground her as his fingers stilled inside of her. “You with me, sweetheart?”

Y/N blinked, her lips parting with a soft breath before she mumbled, “Hm? Yeah, I’m-” She took a second breath. “Sorry-“

“Hey, no,” Sam shook his head, and slowly pulled his fingers out of her as he kissed her forehead. “Don’t apologise, you’re okay. Just breathe a moment.”

As she did as she was told and took some breaths, Sam never ceased the gentle rubbing of his thumb against her jaw. His eyes never left her face, he watched for any signs of discomfort, that she wanted to stop.

“You okay?”

She nodded, humming. “M’okay, I swear.”

“Still want to keep going?”

Again, she nodded. “Please.”

“Okay, sweetheart,” Sam pressed a soft kiss against her lips, before he leaned back to look at her as he repeated his original question, “Do you want to be on top?”

He saw the moment she blushed, overcome with shyness once again. “I… whatever you want-”

“No,” Sam briefly kissed her again. “What do you want?”

She paused, and really seemed to think about it that time, before she whispered, “Can you?”

“Can I what? Be on top?”

She nodded.

Sam kissed her again. “Of course.”

He moved his hands to her hips to help her off of his lap, and once she was sat staring up at him, hands planted on the mattress behind her somewhat to keep herself held up, Sam stood up to shed himself of his jeans, and watched as Y/N stripped herself of her shirt and Christ, he thought it was hot undressing her himself, but he could watch her do it for hours.

When they were both stripped naked Sam climbed over her on the bed. The mattress squeaked it’s protest beneath them again as he settled over her, and Sam couldn’t help but close the distance to kiss her again. Her mouth was warm against his and he groaned into it as his body pressed down against hers, pretty much covering her completely. His hips pressed into hers, his hard cock slid through her folds easily with how wet she was, and she felt the shudder that ran through her at the movement.

He reached down with his free hand and gripped the base of his cock, and slowly dragged his head through her folds, nudging her clit and back down, collecting her slick wetness on himself until she was gasping and tipping her hips upwards beneath him, and Christ what a fucking sight that was.

Sam dipped his head down enough to kiss her softly, and mumbled into her mouth, “Still want to?”

Y/N nodded immediately, her breaths hot and heavy as she exhaled against his mouth. “Uh-huh, yes- please-”

“Okay, baby, alright,” he kissed her once more. “I’ve got you.”

Using the hand he had gripped at the base of his cock, Sam lined himself up against her entrance before he tipped his hips forwards, slowly pushed the head of his cock inside of her, and he was barely inside of her when she clenched around him, and he almost fell onto her as a shiver wracked through his spine. “Fuck-”

The sounds she were making were beautiful, the little gasps and whimpers that swirled his mind in a delicious arousal that threatened to swallow him whole.

Sam took his time to push all the way inside of her. Even though he’d taken his time working her open with his fingers, she was still tight, and Sam wasn’t exaggerating or bragging, but he knew that he was big. He could see just from the blissed out look on her face that he was filling her up completely, and the sight alone almost made him cum before he’d even completed his first thrust.

He bottomed out and groaned, dipped his head down to mouth kisses against her throat as he stilled himself, just to allow her to adjust to the stretch. His words were a little strained as he breathed out, “Need a moment?”

He felt her nod, and from where he was mouthing his way up her neck, he felt the almost ragged rise and fall of her chest beneath him, her bare skin brushing against his own, and he could feel the warmth almost damp-with-sweat skin, her hardened nipples brushed against his chest with each inhale. She was perfect. Completely and utterly. He loved that he could get her like that — that she trusted him enough to get her like that.

After her neck had been littered with kisses once more and she’d had the time to breathe through the stretch of him sunken in her pussy, Sam felt her shifting beneath him slightly, her hips tilted as if she was trying to get him to move, and Sam couldn’t help the soft groan that built in the back of his throat. Y/N still wasn’t so good with words yet, asking for what she wanted or expressing her opinion unless he coaxed her into it, but God he loved it when she did that, coaxed him with her body, with a sinful shift of her hips.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” Sam shifted his hips, pulling out slightly to slowly thrust back in, and his gut clenched at the noise she let out. “You’re so tight-” he clenched his teeth as he thrusted again, felt the way her warmth clenched around him like a fucking vice. “Feels so good for me.”

Sam kept with the slow deep thrusts, revealed in the drag of his cock against her walls, the way she keened and gasped beneath him whenever his head nudged against the spongy spot inside of her that he knew made her head spin. He took his time unraveling her beneath him, watched as her eyes rolled back and her lips parted with soft little breathy gasps each time his cock nudged deeper inside of her, sinful wet noises accompanied with each thrust.

“Sammy-” her voice was so whiny when she tangled her fingers in his hair again, and the slight tug on the roots made him groan, his own breathing ragged with each thrust.

Though when she took his reaction the wrong way, Sam felt her fingers retract from his hair, and he paused his movements to reach up and grasp her forearm lightly like he had done before, and kept her hand there. “Don’t do that.”

She blinked up at him, eyes fucking blown out with lust as she panted slightly. “But-”

Sam almost huffed a laugh as he realised that he had to spell it out for her. “I like it,” he mouthed a kiss at her jaw, wet and lazy. “Pull as hard as you want. Don’t be so shy, baby.”

When he started thrusting again she whined and gripped onto his hair tighter, in such a way that made his cock throb inside of her and his breathing stutter, and a strangled groan escaped him as he kissed her throat again.

“That’s it,” he panted, and sped up just slightly as she clenched around him a bit more frequently, she was close. “That’s it, there we go, good girl-” Sam grunted, exhaled hard against her throat as his forehead tucked against her neck. “Taking me so well-”

On a particular deep thrust of his hips she whimpered, tugged on his hair just a little harder, and Sam knew her well enough by that point to know what it meant.

“You feel close, baby?”

“Uh-huh-” she sounded pretty wrecked, all breathy as she panted and whimpered beneath him. “I’m-” Y/N sucked in a sharper breath through her teeth. “I’m gonna- oh, I can’t-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Sam leaned back slightly to look down at her face when he heard as she got a little worked up again, and his hand reached up to cup her jaw, her cheek flushed and warm beneath his palm. “Easy, sweetheart. What do you need?”

She was blinking through the hazy bliss he knew was swimming through her entire body. “Can-” she breathed in again, and tilted her head to kiss his wrist softly, and if he hadn’t been fucking into her in that exact moment his heart would’ve burst with softness. “Can you do what you did last time? Please?”

Sam almost fucking came at the memory right then. A few times now she’d gotten a bit worked up when she came close to cumming and hadn’t been able to get there so easily, so the last time it had happened he’d helped he’d through it by rubbing her clit as he fucked her into her orgasm. And Sam still thought about the reaction he’d gotten, the face she’d made as she shuddered through her orgasm. He’d been dying to pull that reaction out of her again.

“‘Course, sweetheart,” his voice was hoarse and his breathing was ragged, and he mouthed more kisses against her throat. “Just breathe for me, okay? Let it happen.”

Sam kept one hand braced beside her head to keep himself held up above her, whilst his other moved between them until his fingers found her clit, slickened with her arousal that was soaking the both of them. The angle of his arm was a bit weird, but if it meant getting her there, it was perfect for him.

Y/N moaned, her back arched off of the mattress, and her grip on him was so tight it took all he had to hold himself off.

“There we go, that’s it,” Sam grunted into her neck, fingering tight little circles onto her clit as he continued to thrust into her, dragging the length of his cock at an angle that he knew left her shaking. “Such a good girl, fuck-” he inhaled through his teeth and groaned. “Want you to cum for me, baby, wanna hear those pretty noises.”

It didn’t take much. After a few more thrusts and undivided attention on her clit she came, hard, a breathless moan left her lips as she shuddered and clenched around him, her pussy pulsed in such a blissful way that Sam couldn’t even fucking help himself and he came with her. He moaned into her throat as he worked them both through their respective climaxes, and rutted against her a few more times before he groaned softly and rested his weight on top of her, his cock still inside of her as they both fought to catch their breath.

“Oh god baby,” Sam mouthed lazy wet kisses against her throat again, and his hand moved from her clit, flattening against the soft skin of her stomach and smoothing upwards until he could cradle her jaw in his hand. “You were so good for me,” he dropped another kiss. “So sweet,” another kiss. “So perfect.”

Her fingers had loosened in his hair, and instead she had just hooked her arm around his neck, kept him close to herself. She still breathed deeply, her skin was flushed and damp with sweat, her legs trembled slightly either side of his hips — she was so fucking pretty.

“You feel okay, sweetheart?” Sam tipped his head back enough to look down at her face, flushed pink, baby hairs stuck to her forehead with sweat. He lifted up his hand to brush them out of her face, before he smoothed the pad of his thumb over the hot skin of her cheek.

She nodded, and when her eyes met his, he saw the tiredness that had crept into her expression, the way her eyelids fluttered and she laid lax and practically boneless atop the mattress.

“Yeah?” He cupped her jaw again and tipped her chin up a little with his thumb. “Wanna talk to me?”

“I’m good, felt really good,” she mumbled, and one of her hands lifted to lightly wrap her fingers around the wrist of the hand he cupped her jaw with. “You’re… you make it really nice. Thank you.”

Sam chuckled softly, and dipped his head down to kiss her forehead. “Don’t need to thank me, sweetheart,” he kissed her again, before he murmured softly, “I’m gonna pull out, okay?”

Only after she’d nodded did he shift his hips again and pulled out slowly, and when he heard the way her breathing hitched, felt her little shudder, he lightly smoothed his hand over her stomach again. “Easy,” he murmured, voice soothing as he rubbed circles into her soft skin. “You okay?”

She hummed a little, blushing. “Just sensitive.”

“That’s okay, baby,” Sam tipped his head down again and captured her lips in a soft loving kiss, and took his time with it, rubbed calming circles into her skin for the duration of the kiss before he slowly pulled away and looked down at her pretty face. “I’m gonna go get a towel to clean you up, okay?”

Y/N smiled a little fondly as she nodded. “Okay.”

Sam kissed her once more before he finally pushed himself up and off of her, off of the bed entirely. But partway to the bathroom he paused and turned to face her, “Hey?”

She looked up, humming.

“I love you.”

Sam watched as she completely softened, watched as the soft little smile reserved for him crept onto her face, curling the corners of her mouth upwards. “Love you too.”

[houserautha]

These Destined Ends

Part 8

Summary: Jessica fulfilled the wishes of the Bene Gesserits to produce a daughter. You’re now burdened with the task of not only marrying the na-Baron, but also bearing his child — the Kwisatz Haderach. Will you take your fate into your own hands? Or will it always belong to those who control you?

Pairings: Feyd-Rautha x F!Reader

Word Count: 6.2k

Warnings: oral sex f receiving, the Reverend Mother is a bitch, you get your period, incest, mentions of child abuse and pedophilia, depictions of violence and gore, cannibalism (the harpies), he chases you, strangling, dubious consent, p in v, no foreplay, fingering, inappropriate use of a ring, rough sex, no protection, creampie

A/N: Nothing like a visit from your evil grandmother to snap you out of your dick trance. And a nice…jaunt…through the woods to put you right back into it

“You should stay.”

Feyd gazes up at you from between your thighs, mouth glistening and slick. His pupils are blown, plush lips swollen from the attention he’s been giving your cunt. His fingers dig into the supple flesh of your ass.

“Is now really the time to discuss this?”

You consider. This seemed like as good of a time as any, especially since you had him essentially trapped: you kneeling over him, knees bracketing his head, holding onto the headboard while Feyd laid beneath you, hands keeping you from squirming too far away from his eager mouth.

“I thought it might bolster my argument,” you finally admit.

Feyd hums in response, using a finger to spread your wetness. You shudder involuntarily.

Feyd.

When had you started calling him that? Probably sometime in the course of the last few days, in which neither of you seldom left the bed. No matter how many times he had touched you, each one led you to the brink of ecstasy.

“I do have a hard time refusing you when you’re like this,” Feyd rasps, inserting a single digit inside you. “But I’m afraid I have no choice.”

You wiggle your hips, hoping to both coax him into staying and incite him to move his deft fingers. “Please.”

Spending the last few days is exactly what you’re arguing about — Feyd is insistent that that he must return to his duties as na-Baron. Other duties, it turns out, then securing an heir.

“I said no,” he tells you briskly.

A whine builds in your throat.

Three months ago, you would’ve been appalled at this. Hell, a few days ago, you would’ve been appalled at this. But that was before Feyd had spent nearly every second of every day lavishing you with his tongue and his mouth, fingers alighting on your skin and cock keeping you full with his seed. Without him inside you, you would feel despicably empty.

“Be a good wife and I will come back and reward you for your patience.”

“How will you do that?”

And he shows you: lapping at your cunt until you can hardly bear to kneel anymore, then taking you from behind. His hips snap mercilessly against your ass as he tells you all of the ways he’ll pleasure you when he returns. It’s really not fair — especially when he fucks you so thoroughly that you barely have any protest left in you by the time he slips out the door.

Later in the day when you’re moping, sufficiently disgusted with yourself, a servant appears to summon you from your dick-induced misery. They stand hesitantly in your doorway.

“na-Baroness.”

“Hm?” You aim for casual indifference, hoping the servant can’t smell the evidence of your rampant fucking. You had turned away any of the cleaning servants, halfway clutching onto the hope that Feyd would come back. He didn’t.

Asshole.

“You have a visitor, come to congratulate you on your wedding.”

“Oh?” You can’t think of anyone who wasn’t already in attendance that would want to meet with you. “Who is this visitor?”

“She claimed that you would know her.”

You narrow your eyes. “You believed her?”

“She-She refused to tell me her name.” The servant sheepishly shifts their weight. “The next thing I knew, I was here, na-Baroness.”

Ah, The Voice, no doubt.

There could only be one person who would want to see you and be strong enough to inflict such a power. The reality of the situation sobers you. “Tell her that I will be right with her.”

Quickly you dress, your thoughts turning from the prowess of your husband to more pressing matters. Disappointment stabs at you when you realize that your suspicions were right — Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam perches elegantly on a chaise in the room where you typically receive guests.

She’s swathed in gauzy black fabric, the only indication of her gaze being the slightest trembling of her decorative chains as she turns to appraise you. Rather critically, if you were to guess.

“Lady Y/N. Or should I say na-Baroness Y/N?”

“That is my title now,” you reply coolly, “you should know, considering that you were the one to ensure it happened.”

“I did not come here to trade barbs with our tongues.”

“Shame,” you say.

The Reverend Mother says haughtily, “I came here to congratulate you. And remind you of your responsibility. I trust that Jessica delivered the fertility necklace?”

“She did,” you grind out.

“It is paramount that you conceive a child with Feyd-Rautha as soon as possible.”

“How do you know that I haven’t already?”

“I know you haven’t,” she hisses, “otherwise I would smell it on you. Your blood will come soon.”

This creates a knot of anguish in you that you try not to examine too closely.

The Reverend Mother continues, “You have failed. We cannot dally, child, when it comes to the matter of the Kwisatz Haderach.”

“It’s not for lack of trying. He’s been fucking me regularly to ensure a heir,” you snarl at her, hoping to blindside her with your crassness just as she did with news of your upcoming blood. “Maybe you should’ve gotten a Bene Gesserit witch to do your bidding.”

The Reverend Mother scoffs. “Jessica failed to educate you in our ways just as you’ve failed to conceive. I would’ve chosen anyone else if it wasn’t for ten thousand years of careful breeding. But, alas, it seems you are my only option.”

“Right,” you retort.

“Now we must do whatever it takes to ensure that the Kwisatz Haderach is conceived,” says the Reverend Mother. Her tone takes on that of self-importance. “I will conduct a visit every month until then.”

You twirl your finger in a celebratory manner.

“You mock me, but you are just fortunate enough to be here. The mother to the Kwisatz Haderach — no greater title could be bestowed upon an individual. You will bear the fruit of our tedious labor, the one destined to shape the future of our world. And you do not even appreciate this blessing.”

“Oh yes, a blessing upon my unborn child that will inevitably seat him as your puppet.” Your hand flickers to your belly, above your empty womb as if you can protect the life that has yet to take root there. “What kind of mother am I to impose that?”

The Reverend Mother stands. “An obedient one.”

You storm furiously from the receiving room without saying goodbye — formalities be damned. You’re surprised she doesn’t beckon you back with The Voice. Perhaps she knows that you’ll be forced to take audience with her next month. The thought carries you through the fortress halls without any predilection of where you’re going, replaying the conversation in your mind and growing angrier by the minute.

So lost in your anger that you scarcely recognize the rasping growl of your husband’s voice, clearly attempting for a whisper but failing spectacularly.

“—those times are over,” you catch him saying.

You peer into a room, the Baron’s own personal quarters. You’d been here only once before, when Asha gave you a tour of the grounds. How did you even get here?

“Even so, you are still my charge,” the Baron replies. “I am your keeper.”

Folding yourself into a corner adjacent to the Baron’s quarters, you watch your husband stalk back and forth like a caged predator. “I am a grown man, Uncle, you have no more use for me as you once did.”

“Even still, I remember the day you would come crawling at my every order —”

“I told you. Those days are over. They have been for quite some time.”

You can’t see the Baron as well as Feyd, just sense his enormous presence, a storm cloud encroaching a sunny day. “Perhaps it is the matters with your new wife that make me long for the days of the past.”

There’s a sickening intimacy in his words.

“Don’t speak of her,” Feyd snaps, but you get the impression that this admittance has rattled him.

“I have given you everything,” the Baron continues, nonplussed, “your title, your fame, even this wife that you’re so quick to defend. In return I ask just for you to —”

“No. Never again.”

The Baron’s softness hardens, crystallizes. “I know that it’s you who chases away my boys. And yet you won’t even offer your own services to me.”

“I chase them away to keep them from your clutches,” Feyd fires back, incensed. “Not from jealousy as you so selfishly presume.”

“What am I to do then, nephew?”

Feyd stops his pacing. “Rot. I ought to just drown you in that tub.”

“I know you don’t mean that. Come here.”

Feyd hesitates. Your pulse hammers uncertainly, if the implications of this conversation are —

You watch your husband — your proud, inviolable husband — slowly make his way to the side of the Baron’s tub. You risk moving from your hiding spot to see him kneel beside it, his features neutral and dark gaze lowered. The Baron raises a fat arm, black liquid sluicing from it, and cups the side of Feyd’s face.

“My darling nephew. You will always be my favorite.”

Feyd stills as the Baron nears him, presses a chaste kiss to Feyd’s lips — the lips that only hours ago had been between your legs, on your breasts. As far as you can tell Feyd does not reciprocate the gesture, but willingly allows it to happen anyway. Your stomach twists.

You can’t watch this anymore.

You turn and flee back from where you came, sickened and confused and utterly perplexed.

The next morning, there’s blood on the sheets. You tear them off in frustration, more so that the Reverend Mother’s prediction was correct than the fact of its presence. Feyd never returned as he promised, and you spent the night tossing and turning, your nightmares torn between images of your doomed child and the Baron in his tub, reaching out with thick fingers to drown you.

That being said, you’re exhausted. You draw a bath for yourself and have just sunken into the warmth depths when you hear a commotion in the other room. Feyd steps in the bathroom.

His gaze goes to you, roaming over your naked figure before landing on your face. “What happened?”

“I got my blood.” You dip lower into the tub, submerging yourself. “I don’t want to talk about it. What happened to you?”

He traipses inside. “What do you mean?”

“You were supposed to come back last night,” you say. You don’t want to seem sadden by his absence, however, so you busy yourself with lathering soap on your arms and legs.

“I’m here now.” He perches on the side of the tub.

It’s eerily similar to the scene you saw yesterday. You involuntarily shy away from him. “Don’t.”

“Don’t?” His voice pitches with disbelief.

“I-I need to talk to you,” you tell him.

Feyd’s smooth brow furrows. “If this is about your blood, it doesn’t —”

“I saw you. Yesterday. With the Baron.”

You expect him to flinch, to recoil. But there’s not even the slightest change in his expression. You swear you see a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but it disappears so fast that you’re not even sure you saw it. “You don’t know what you saw.”

“Explain what I did then.”

“I cannot.”

“The Baron —”

“I took care of it,” Feyd says.

His tone suggests that the conversation is over. You drag a hand through the water, swirling with soapy residue. “He hurt you.”

“He didn’t do anything I didn’t want him to do.”

“You were a child.”

“I haven’t been a child for a very long time,” Feyd says quietly.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

You finally meet his gaze. He’s watching you carefully, studying you like you’re something he’s never seen before. Your heart aches for him. While it’s impossible to imagine him so young, you know that at one point he was just a boy. Thin limbs and missing teeth. Dimples on his hands.

You touch his hands how they are now, scarred and calloused, fingers slightly bent from repeated breaks. He lets you.

“You’re starting to wrinkle.”

He snatches your hand, gazing in wonderment at your palms. You can’t help but laugh, though it’s pained, his admission fresh on your mind. “That’s what happens if I’m in water too long. Don’t look at me like that — do you not wrinkle?”

“Harkonnens don’t spend copious amounts of time in water.”

“Then what happens?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? I don’t believe you.”

Feyd’s lips twitch. Before you know it, he’s removing his clothes and dropping into the bath behind you. He has to contort his long limbs but manages to settle in, pulling you back against him.

You tilt your head back to rest against his chest.

“I’m sorry —”

“I told you not to be.”

You close your eyes, throat working. “Not-Not about that. That I’m not pregnant.”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t?”

He picks up your hand, runs his thumb over your wrinkled palm and the pads of your fingers. “No.”

Somewhat hesitantly, you tell him about your visit with the Reverend Mother. He listens, but with your back flush to his chest you can’t gauge his reaction.

“She said she’s going to conduct monthly visits,” you add sourly.

A rumble sounds in his chest. “Do you want this?”

“No, I don’t want it,” you retort. “If I had my way I would never see her again.”

“Then consider it done.”

You turn halfway, bracing yourself on the edge of the tub so you can face him. “You can’t just do that.”

“Do what?”

“The Reverend Mother always gets her way,” you tell him. “She won’t listen to you. And it’s not worth concurring her wrath.”

“Then we’ll have to ensure she won’t need to visit for a second time.”

You blow out a stream of air. “I wish it were that simple. Even if I do get pregnant, they’re going to be hovering over us until our last breath.”

Feyd doesn’t answer.

All you can hear is the sound of his heartbeat in your ear. It’s slower than yours. Due to the thickness of his blood, his heart doesn’t have to work as hard to get it through his body. At least, that’s how he explained it. You were still learning about each other.

You examine his hand. It’s as smooth as before.

“Strange,” you mutter.

He counters, “You’re the one that wrinkles.”

Later, when you’ve toweled dry, Feyd approaches you from behind. He cuts a menacing figure in the mirror, a charcoal sketch of blacks and whites. Pale skin, dark eyes. A phantom that presses his lips into the curve of your shoulder.

“I want to show you something.”

You frown. “What?”

“Come away with me. Tomorrow.”

“I will if you say where we’re going,” you reply. You spin around and he traps you against the vanity, hands at your waist.

“Just tell me you’ll go.”

You pause, although mentally you’ve already agreed. You’re desperate to leave the fortress. “Are you going to ask nicely?”

“No.”

“Then no.”

Feyd nudges open the panels of your robe, revealing a triangle of skin. “Very well. The girls will be disappointed.”

“What girls?” You close your robe.

“My concubines,” he says with a ghost of a smile. He knows exactly how to flay you, how to press his finger into the wound to make it hurt. “They will be going.”

“Then so will I.”

“I thought you wanted me to ask nicely.” His smooth brow raises.

“And I thought you were done with them.”

He skims his hands over your sides. “You have no need to be jealous, wife. They are nothing to me.” Feyd grins secretively. “This trip will satisfy a different hunger of theirs.”

“Dare I ask?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

The thopter crouches ominously in the distance. You trail after Feyd in disbelief. “You know how to pilot that?”

“Don’t you?”

You scowl. “No. I don’t like heights.”

Yesterday, after Feyd delivered his previous promise of rewarding your patience, he explained that you would be traveling to the far side of Giedi Prime. He wouldn’t give you many more details than that, but you were too curious to care. Anyways, as much as you loathed to admit it, and no matter how much you denied it, you were jealous of his concubines. If you were forced to marry him, then he should be forced to endure you solely without the benefit of other women.

Fortunately, they would be traveling separately from you, in what Feyd swore would be a relatively short ride. He helps you onto the thopter then climbs in after you.

The machine shudders as the insect-like wings snap to life. You grip the armrests of your co-pilot’s seat as Feyd guides the thopter into the air and away from the fortress, piloting it with the refined way he does all other things, with little worry or fear of failure. You wish you could exercise such confidence — especially now, as the thopter clears the smog scarfing the planet, and can you really tell how far up you are.

“Tell me something,” you say, eyes closed. “I need a distraction.”

Even though you can’t see him, you can only too clearly picture him grinning at you. “Anything?”

“Anything,” you grit out.

Feyd is quiet for quite some time. When he finally speaks, his rasping lilt obtains a softness that you’re unfamiliar with. “The Baron still…requests…the company of young boys. I do my best to intervene but I don’t always succeed.”

You peel open one eye. “It’s his disgusting problem. You can’t blame yourself.”

“But when I do,” he forges ahead, almost as if you never said anything, “I like to make sure that they won’t need to worry about him again. And that their captors will never see the light of day again.”

“Is that what we’re doing?”

“Or something,” he says vaguely.

Feyd goes on to say that, with their military schools segregated into males and females, it’s only too easy for captors to select boys that will please the Baron. The longer he talks, the tighter his grip on the controls are, until you fear that he might snap them in half and plunge you back down to the earth.

“You didn’t have to do anything about it,” you say finally, quietly. “But you do.”

Feyd’s dark eyes glint. “The Baron needs to die.”

“Why haven’t you done anything?” It seems wrong to casually inquire why he hasn’t killed his uncle — his abuser — but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Feyd shrugs. “I’m afraid that the baronship will be stripped from me if I kill him. And I can’t allow Rabban to take over.” He glances at you. “By the way, I didn’t know you were so close to my brother.”

“I’m not,” you grumble.

“Then why did he want to dance with you?”

“He wanted to warn me. There seems to be something happening that I could’ve prevented had I—” you trail off.

Were you really going to tell him? You didn’t know how he would react. The only reason you hadn’t said anything yet was because you didn’t want to anger him for no reason. You had no proof Rabban was actually planning anything but fodder to try and convince you to side with him.

Feyd must sense your unease. “Had you what?”

“He wanted me for himself.”

You swear you feel the thopter jolt slightly as Feyd works to regain his control. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“I didn’t think it meant anything,” you explain. “I thought he was just…jealous. Do you know what he’s talking about?”

“No.” Feyd’s jaw clenches.

“So then maybe it’s nothing,” you say flippantly, though you’re no longer convinced.

“He can’t just corner you and —”

“I handled it,” you interrupt.

Feyd glances at you. “He doesn’t need to concern himself with you. You are mine.”

You might’ve rolled your eyes if he hadn’t chosen that moment to start your descent. You reclaim your grip on the armrests and don’t bother opening your eyes again until you feel the thopter safely grounded.

“I’ll speak with him,” Feyd tells you. Dust settles as the thopter’s wings fold in.

You frown. “You don’t have to. I don’t want him thinking that I need you to fight my battles.”

“I don’t want him thinking that he can just manipulate you.”

“Who said he was succeeding?”

Feyd smiles slightly. “No one.”

You both step from the thopter. The first thing you notice is the lack of factories. A band of barren land encircles you and, a few hundred yards away, the start of a forest. You squint at the trees — you hadn’t seen that many in one place since your time on Caladan. It’s a comforting sight, despite the eerie sight of the neon green leaves rustling in the stiff breeze. The black sun has begun to sink below the horizon, returning color to the land, but only in small amounts.

“Come, wife.” Feyd strides for the treeline.

“Where are we going?”

Your question is answered, however, when you spot the second thopter. Your muscles tense as you recognize the forms of his concubines, three women, standing against the machine along with four other huddled forms.

As you near, the shapes of the huddled forms come into detail — four men, hooded like the prisoners from your wedding, covered in grime. The concubines each hold one man, the fourth bleeding profusely from a wound; his entire right arm is gone. You feel bile rise in your throat.

“Did you start without me?” Feyd asks his concubines sharply, eyes flicking to the fourth man.

“No,” one of the concubines says, “he did that himself.”

“Y/N, these are the men who facilitate my uncle’s…bad habits.” Feyd steps up to the first one. The man trembles.

He removes his hood and then retrieves a dagger from his belt, pressing the blade into the man’s throat but only enough to draw a thin line of blood. In response, the concubines shift in anticipation. He’s bleeding them so that they’re easy to track.

You watch, wide eyed, as he repeats the process with the other men. You can hardly find any pity for them, these horrible, horrible men, but the ratcheting tension in the air sets you on edge. Your mouth feels dry.

“And now they will know what it’s like to be hunted.” Feyd steps back to admire his work. Then, speaking to the concubines, “These men shall make fine meals for you.”

Your stomach drops. A meal? Did that mean —

The concubine closest to you flicks the fork of her tongue over her black teeth.

Feyd grabs the chin of one of the men. His voice is sickly sweet, almost a purr. “It will be dark soon. You better run fast.”

The concubines release the men. The four of them linger, uncertain, afraid, before the tallest of the concubines lunge for them — the men scurry away, glancing periodically over their shoulders as they run for the treeline. The concubine giggles.

“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” Feyd says. “I know you must be hungry. But not for much longer.”

The women flock to him, kissing his neck, the stretch of skin exposed by his armor. But he holds his hand out to you, and you take it.

“Feyd —” you begin.

“This is what I wanted you to see,” he says. “I told you that I took care of it. My uncle will never touch another child again.”

You swallow. Your gaze sweeps outward, to the forest, where the men have already disappeared. There’s a trail of black blood on the ground from the man with only one arm. How would he survive in the wilderness?

“You didn’t tell me that they…” you glance at the concubines.

Feyd smirks. “They crave flesh. It only seems fitting that I can satisfy them while fulfilling justification of my own.” He tilts his head back, marveling at the darkening sky. “Plus, I so enjoy the thrill of the hunt.”

You don’t know how to reply, so you don’t. Just observe as the concubines grow more anxious until, finally, Feyd gives them the signal. It’s so dark that you can scarcely see, but the dome of their smooth heads glint in the remaining light, and a shiver dances up your spine as the forest swallows them completely.

“They deserve it,” Feyd says to you.

You turn to him. “I know it.”

“Then why do you look bewildered?”

“I didn’t know that Harkonnens enjoyed…flesh,” you admit, repeating his words from before.

“Not all of us do.”

“Do you?”

Feyd’s grin does something to you — runs a finger of desire up your thighs and to your core. He cups the side of your face. “I have my needs, just as everyone else. Why? Are you hungry, wife?”

“No, I’m not,” you answer, nose wrinkling.

“Hm. I am.” Feyd brings his mouth to yours but doesn’t touch it, his lower lip grazing your top. “I want to devour you. I want to feel your heart pulsing, taste it in your blood. I want to consume you.”

Heat pools in your belly. You raise your chin, body bowing to him as if pulled by invisible strings.

Your voice is low. “What are you suggesting?”

“Let’s play our own game,” he says, “I chase you, you keep away from me until the sun rises and avoid the others. Or not.”

“And if you catch me?” You ask, breathless.

“I will satisfy my own hunger.” The hand cupping your face brushes down your neck, your shoulder, over your breast.

“Is that supposed to be a punishment?”

“We’ll see.” A wicked delight smolders in his eyes.

Gone is the man who held you in the tub, who traced the wrinkles in your palm like he wanted to commit them to memory. And in his place is the man you know best, who terrified and enthralled you and had you questioning your sanity; every day drawing you further into his infuriating orbit.

And you ran from him.

You pump your arms as fast as they will go, legs cycling, the promise of him on your heels. This was the epitome of your game, the ultimate test, and you were determined not to fail.

You’d learned survival from your father and Gurney. And even though you had not taken to it as you should’ve, you had been taught the Bene Gesserit way of cataloguing every single movement and flash of light, every detail in perfect memory. And so you ran. And ran.

And you kept running until you stumbled upon your first body.

It was the man who had lost an arm in an attempt to escape from his imprisonment — at least, you thought. He was badly mutilated. Blood covered the ground and pervaded your senses, to the point that the combination of it and his shredded entrails made you nauseous. You were no medical expert but you were almost certain that he was missing organs.

That someone had feasted upon him.

You unwittingly absorb his torn flesh and the evidence of teeth marks. The white of his bone.

You fight down your repulsion. If you vomited, it would give Feyd and the concubines a hint at your presence, the latter who undoubtedly hunted down this man and ripped the flesh from him. So instead you turn and run in the opposite direction, hoping that you won’t meet anyone else.

The slightest of breezes has you flinching, certain that someone will descend upon you and ravish you — one way or another. The thought spurs you on, keeps you from lingering too long in one place. The ideal decision would be to stay still and wait until morning. But you know that Feyd will be as proficient of a hunter as he is a warrior, a lover, and this keeps you going.

Branches tear at your arms and legs, the pilingitam trees seemingly intent on ensnaring you and keeping you hostage. You wish you had a knife or a shield or something. You were left despairingly empty-handed and defenseless. The only weapon you had was your strength, your endurance, the cunning of your mind, which seemed insufficient in comparison to the next man you come across, who is unequivocally alive.

It’s an accident — both of you running in the dark and finally colliding in a burst of pain. You fall backwards on your ass. The man gazes at you in fear until he takes in your clothes, your hair.

“My, my, the na-Baroness,” he says, chuckling at his good fortune. “The na-Baron turned you loose, too?”

“He thought his harpies might need the help,” you sneer back, suppressing a wince as you stand to your feet.

“You don’t have their bloodlust,” the man observes. He looms closer to you. “You might not be the Baron’s typical type, but it must be awfully distracting to have you in the fortress with him. How lucky the na-Baron is.”

His voice is taunting. He’s sure that he’s got you trapped. “And how lucky am I to have found you first.”

The man launches at you. You twist to avoid him but his hand catches your side, spinning you and taking him down with you. His body lands on you, heavy and foul-smelling. Desperately you try to wriggle free from him but his actions are unpredictable. You jab aimlessly at him, hoping to find a weak spot — finally you bring your knee up into his crotch, and it’s enough for you to roll to the side and away. He glares at you.

The dark hinders your senses, but only slightly, trading blows with the man in rapid succession.

He grabs a rock from the undergrowth and raises his hand, intending to smash it down on your head, but there’s a sudden spray of hot liquid on your face. The man screams and falls to the side. You scramble away just in time to witness a blur of pale skin, a concubine with her teeth buried in his shoulder. It’s not long before his screams turn to whimpers as she bites and tears, pointed nails driving into his chest and stilling his heart.

“Thank-Thank you,” you gasp. You’re too stunned to move, unable to move your gaze from the man’s bloodied body.

“I didn’t do it to save you,” the concubine hisses.

Blood is slathered across her face and the front of her shift. Suddenly, you’re not so sure that you prefer her over the man.

“I —”

“You took him from us,” the concubine continues, taking staggering steps toward you. “No longer does he call on us in the middle of the night, mutters our names as we coax his orgasm from him. Now his lips only say your name.”

“I am his wife,” you counter, regaining the control on your racing thoughts, adrenaline subsiding. “I will secure him an heir, rule by his side. All you have to offer is your services.”

The concubine rushes you. It appears that you can’t catch a break. But this time you’re prepared for your opponent, dealing a swift jab to her jaw before she can even lay a hand on you. She reels. You take the opportunity to kick at her knee. She falls to one side. Maybe she knows how to wring pleasure from your husband but she’s forgotten that you, too, are a warrior.

You don’t want to strike her down, just as you didn’t want to kill Ze’ev. But circumstance has left you no choice. You will carve your place on Giedi Prime out of violence and bloodshed if that’s what it takes because that’s how you were taught.

You snap her neck. Her death doesn’t satisfy you, though, as Ze’ev’s did. You take a step back.

A branch breaks.

The harbinger of death melts from the shadows. “Not only have I found you, jewel, but I’ve found you with the blood of my concubine on your hands.” Feyd nudges the limp body with his foot. “They aren’t easy to train.”

“She attacked me.”

“I know.”

You grit your teeth. You’re covered in dirt and blood, both yours and not, sweat matting your hair to your skin. “You watched and you didn’t intervene?”

“No.” Feyd crosses to you. “And I didn’t need to, did I?”

“Would you have let her kill me?”

Feyd gazes upon your face, studying you closely. “Do you think I would’ve?”

“No. I don’t.”

He seizes you suddenly — grabs you by the throat and nearly lifts you off your feet. “If anyone kills you, it will be me. Do you understand? Only my hands can touch your body, steal your blood from it. Watch the light go from your eyes.”

Feyd releases his grip enough to steer you backwards, one hand bracing on the base of the tree and the other still at your throat.

“You are mine,” he growls.

Usually, a declaration of such a nature would ignite a flurry of anger within you. But coming from him, it’s nearly a love song. Possessive. Domineering. Fraught with dark devotion. His fingers on your throat a gift sweeter than any necklace of gold or silver.

Feyd pushes your pants down your thighs, then returns his hand beside your head. He captures your mouth with his. There’s no delicacy there, only fervent need, teeth scraping yours, your lips, tongue combating yours. And you kiss him just as hungrily. You lied earlier — you were hungry. You needed his touch. Needed the swipe of his tongue on your skin to subdue the darkness persistently lurking inside you, the one that he put there, the only person able to extinguish its flame.

He spreads your legs and spears you with his cock. His size, the lack of your readiness, causes frissons of pain to erupt through you and you cry out. Feyd grunts as he thrusts into you, tree bark scraping your palms as you clamor for a hold. He ruts into you with wild abandon, hips bucking, muscles tense as he foists his pleasure on your body.

You mumble your protest when he withdraws from you, just as you’ve stretched out to accommodate him. Feyd strokes himself, slick with your moisture, pre-cum gleaming on the tip of his head. He makes a fist and then presses his knuckles to your entrance, the cool metal of his ring bearing down on your clit. You yelp.

“Quiet, wife,” he rasps, “you’ll draw more unwanted attention. And I’m not done with you.”

He bites down on your lip, drawing blood. If he hopes to silence you, this does the opposite, and you moan into his mouth. Unperturbed, Feyd presses his knuckles against your entrance, the surface of his ring flattening on your clit, a wicked source of pressure — of pleasure — driving you to orgasm.

The coolness of the ring contrasts the heat flooding through you.

This time when he touches you, he twists the ring up his finger, and then, both into your cunt. It adds an extra ridge to his fingers, one that pitches your orgasm again as it slips in and out of you, each thrust of his hand causing you to jolt.

You come and your pleasure cleaves you, into what feels like nearly in half, splitting you down the middle. Feyd returns the ring to your clit until your orgasm subsides, then plucks it off. He offers it to you, pushing it into your mouth, and you eagerly suck it clean.

It tastes of metal, of your monthly blood.

Feyd hums his approval, then presses a kiss to the ring before slipping it back on.

You writhe. You need friction. You need his cock buried in you, his unrelenting pummeling.

Feyd fists the hair at the base of your skull and uses the grip on you to throw you to the ground, naked and quivering. He drops to his knees behind you. You gasp out as Feyd notches his cock at your entrance, grabs your hips to keep you firmly in place. Blood soaks your hands, your knees, the fresh smell of death enveloping you. You try to wiggle away from it but he secures you there with his cock, snapping his hips against your ass and himself snugly inside your cunt.

“Stay here,” he growls. “I want you bloody and spent, here where they can watch.”

You fight back a sob, a combination of desire and disbelief. The concubine and the man lie only a few feet from you, watching you with their glassy gaze, their blood coating your hands.

“They tried to take you from me.” Feyd’s voice is incensed, not entirely for you rather than for himself to hear. “My wife, my jewel. And now they can watch me fuck you amongst their bodies.”

Feyd increases the speed of his thrusts. You can feel him swell with his impending orgasm, fill you even further, deeper. A cry looses from you as he finally spills himself inside you, grinding into you as he finishes and his cock starts to soften. Feyd nudges open your thighs, ensures that none of his seed escapes.

He adjusts himself and leaves you to scramble to your own feet, filthy and, frankly, swimming in the fog of your post-orgasm.

Feyd examines you. “You look wonderful.”

You bark out a laugh, your throat bruised and sore, the sound scraping out of you. “Liar.”

“Of course, you always do, filled with my cum.” He turns you to him, picks a branch that’s woven into your hair. “My beautiful, full wife.”

He grabs your hand and tugs you into the surrounding darkness.

“Should-Should we wait for the others?” You ask.

“No.” Feyd glances behind you. “They won’t be pleased when they find out you killed their sister.”

Part 9

Taglist:

@moonsoulk @heartarianagran @torchbearerkyle @unicoreads @taleah @mamawiggers1980 @jovialeggsbailiffsoul @harkonnin @avidreader73 @unicorntrooper @beebeechaos @kamcrazy123 @wo-ming-bai @kpopnstarwars @m-indkiller @kpopnstarwars @dacreshoney

[grandlinedreams]

You’re like the main reason why I’m active again on tumblr. Like, a billion thumbs up for all your really good work.

I had in idea stuck in my head (blame book Instagram) where YN x Law where YN comes back to the polar tang from spending time with Nami and Robin, and they borrowed some books to read. Law doesn’t think anything of it, until he somehow finds out they’re ✨spicy ✨ books.

Waugdjsns pls you guys have been so nice i'm 😭😭😭 but also bookstagram is always two opposites of an extreme with either inspiration galore or just kind of a '...i'm just gonna...leave these people to it' for me but that's okay!! Everyone is entitled to like what they do but anyways!! Of course I can work with that idea though!! I hope this is to your liking 🥺

[Heads up!: implied suggestive book content, a little suggestive in general]

In terms of people you could hang out with when around the Strawhats, Law is glad you choose to hang around Nami and Robin. Neither seem to attract the same level of chaos as the rest of their crew seems to (neither does Sanji, but there are obvious reasons why Law isn't particularly fond of him) and though he knows you love your crewmates, having familiar faces outside of the Polar Tang seems to keep frustration based squabbles with them at bay.

That being said, you like to test the limits of how long he tolerates your absence before he's reaching out to you via transponder snail. "We do have things to do," he reminds you, and though he does his best not to sound like he's sulking, he can hear the smile in your voice.

"I'll be back before you know it, Captain. Don't worry." He does worry even though he tells himself that he doesn't, tension easing from his muscles once you're back aboard the Polar Tang. This time you have a two bags in hand, ones he eyes with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"This is for all of us," you say as you hold up the bag of neatly packed food, "Sanji insisted on sending me back with some new recipes for us to try and said I should let him know what we all think."

"And the other?" Law points and you pull it out of his reach.

"They're books," you say simply, "for me. Nami and Robin had a few recommendations."

And then you're walking past him, conversation apparently finished. He doesn't think much of it after that, would never scold you for wanting to read when he does plenty of it himself, both for studying purposes and not.

It becomes a problem when he realizes that in having new things to occupy your time and attention outside of your job, you've severely curbed time spent with him.

So when you settle yourself on your shared bed with a book in your hand and seemingly no intention to pay attention to him from now until you inevitably go to sleep, he sets his own plan into action.

"Coming to bed on your own for once?" You ask when he settles behind you, long legs bracketing your own as he settles his chin on your head.

"Something like that," he answers, and you turn the page of your book even as his arms wind around you. He frowns when you don't react, now settling his chin on your shoulder. "Is that book more interesting than me?"

This time you reach up, patting his cheek absentmindedly. "Of course not."

It's not the answer that Law wants, far from it ㅡ and so he switches gears, tilting his head to press a soft kiss to the slope of your neck. And then another, and another ㅡ and if you've noticed what he's doing, you do a damn good job of ignoring him.

Until he starts nipping at your skin, little pinches of his teeth to worry small blooms of strawberry pink on your skin. "Did you need something, Law?"

"Your attention," he says simply, lets himself be petulant like a child behind the safety of a closed door. He reaches for your book, tugging it free and angling himself away from you when you swipe at it. "What is in this book that's so interesting?"

"Law, no! Give it back, please." He has half a mind for a moment to simply shut it without a bookmark just to annoy you (it's the teasingly mean streak he's had since childhood days with Lami) but instead, he decides to scan the page you'd been on himself.

Oh. Oh. So that's why you'd been so interested in these books as of late. He turns towards you, raising an eyebrow. "Never would have thought you to be one to read these kinds of things, [Name]."

"Shut up," you hiss, swiping the book back, though your glare is ruined by how red your face is. "I'm a grown adult, I can read what I want."

"Never said you couldn't," Law fires back before he's reaching, pushing you back until you're beneath him. His gaze flicks over his handiwork from earlier, smirk tugging at his lips as mischief shimmers in his eyes. It's rare that he's in one of these kinds of moods, and he plans to take advantage of it. "It's pretty rude of you to tell me to shut up, though. I was going to suggest we try out some of the things in that book of yours."

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 57

Part 1 Part 56

The dark, it turns out, is better than sunset. Sunset turns the sky pinks and purples and reds. Will can’t be sure where he is. At least in the dark, all he has to worry about is a Demogorgon taking him.

Still, every shadow is a threat that Will’s running from soon enough. And once he starts running, there’s no way to stop. Will’s panting and breathless in the 2 a.m. darkness by the time he’s crawling through Eddie and Steve’s bedroom window.

It sticks briefly when he opens it, making an ungodly screch but then he’s up and through, and falling on and then over Eddie’s dresser with a loud clatter.

“What the fuck, Byers?” Eddie says, bolting out of bed to click his lamp on.

Will looks around the carnage that surrounds him – Eddie’s knick-knacks and books all over the floor and looks up at him sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“You should be!” Eddie replies, arms pantomiming a punch in Will’s direction. “I could’ve killed you!”

Steve, still laying down on the far side of their bed, snorts. “Like you’ve ever fought anyone in your life.” His voice crackles with interrupted sleep. He doesn't roll over, just keeps his face smushed into his pillow.

Eddie squawks. “You got something to say, Harrington?” he demands, finally standing up and putting his hands on his hips to loom over Steve where he’s still lying prone in the bed. Not that Steve notices, seeing as his eyes are still closed.

“Weak ass bitch.”

As Eddie gasps in affront, Will feels the sickly panic he’d felt upon waking slowly start to fizzle out.

Eddie kneels down beside Will to pick up his belongings, grumbling about his strengths, and how Will’s lucky he could feel him coming, and thank fuck Wayne’s not home. He doesn’t mention the spilled objects, doesn’t try to kick Will out. Will helps him pick up his belongings and hopes he can stay.

“What’re you doing here, baby Byers?” Eddie asks, flopping back onto the bed.

Will follows, burrowing into Steve’s side until he groans and slides over just enough that Will can fit. He turns his head on the pillow, opening one bleary eye to squint at Will.

“Can I stay here?” he asks, not looking away from Steve, living and breathing beside him.

Steve blinks a few times rapidly, clearly trying to wake up, before shifting his gaze past Will to look at Eddie. “Does your Mom know you’re here?” he asks.

Will turns onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. He bites his lip, doesn’t respond at all. Not that they seem to need it with the way he can feel them having a silent conversation above his head.

“She’s gonna freak out,” Eddie says gently.

Will slumps further into Eddie’s sheets. He can already feel the nip of the cold night’s air when they kick him out. Only, he doesn’t want to go. “She doesn’t get up until six.” He says it like a prayer. If he leaves this bed right now, Will thinks he might just explode.

Eddie blows out a breath. Will can’t tell without looking if he’s exasperated, or resigned, or just done entirely. He doesn’t look. Not until he feels Eddie slump into the bed next to him, bracketing Will between his and Steve’s warm, protective bodies. “What happened?”

He turns his head, not toward Eddie but to look at Steve, who’s looking back, breathing and alive. “I had a nightmare,” he says. The word doesn’t seem loaded enough for the way his breathing had ticked wrong through his lungs.

Steve turns his head, finally uncovering both eyes. There’s pillow marks on his cheek. He looks sleep-rumpled and soft. “About me?” he asks.

Eddie sucks in a quiet breath behind Will. Neither of them look his way. Will nods, chokes out, “you were back there,” through his dangerously clogged throat.

Steve’s eyes soften further, and he smiles sadly. “It’s alright, Will,” Steve says, ruffling his hair the way he always does. “They got me out, remember?”

Will nods. He doesn’t correct Steve; doesn’t mention that he woke up thinking of Steve’s quiet voice – it’s like, sometimes I blink, and it’s like I’m there – or how when he woke up, he was sure Steve’d been taken again, until he crawled in through the window and spotted two snoring lumps.

“Yeah, they got you out,” Will says, trying to convince himself that out means back.

They hold eye contact for a while, until Steve's eyes begin to droop. None of them have been sleeping well lately. Guilt curdles in Will’s stomach that he’d interrupted both of their sleep. But, he might’ve died if he’d stayed at home; just shriveled up like a raisin in his own worry.

“How about you stay for a little bit, and we drive you back before your Mom wakes up?” Eddie asks.

Will finally turns away from Steve. Eddie looks sad, and worn, and worried. Still, Will takes what’s on offer with both, greedy hands. “You won’t tell her?” he asks.

Eddie shakes his head, glaring over Will’s head when Steve makes a protesting noise. Steve sighs. “Fine, fine, we won’t tell her,” Steve mumbles. “She’d flip out anyway.”

Will settles into the warmth, lets it soak through his bones, and closes his eyes. He tries to fall back asleep, but the darkness behind his eyelids is where the monster’s live. He opens his eyes.

“What are you guys doing for Halloween?” he asks. The guilt surges again when Steve snuffles like he’d almost been asleep, but Eddie answers readily.

“Fuck all, I imagine.”

“Language,” Steve murmurs around his pillow, cutting the G and making it sound more like lan-wah. Will snorts.

“What about you?” Eddie asks, ignoring Steve entirely.

Almost vibrating with excitement, Will replies, “we’re going as the ghostbusters!”

“Haven’t seen that one,” Steve mumbles, making Will gasp, outraged, even as Eddie chimes in, “me neither.”

“You’re both dead to me,” he says on instinct. Then the memories of all the times he thought Steve really was dead trickle through his mind, and his intestines prickle. But then Steve and Eddie laugh quietly – alive alive alive. “Anyway, we’re going to dress up for school and I get to be Egon!”

“Gesundheit,” Eddie replies.

“Wait, you’re wearing them to school?” Steve asks, sitting up like this news is enough to invigorate him. “Bad idea, Byers.”

Will glares at him, brow furrowed. “Uh, why?” he asks, in that same tone that gets Jonathan to call him a brat.

Steve just rolls his eyes, and ruffles his hair again, this time much more violently. “No one dresses up in eighth grade, dummy. You’re gonna get like, beat up.”

Eddie reaches over Will to smack Steve on the head. “That’s terrible advice!” he says, shoving Steve back into the pillows and looming over Will with intense eyes. “You gotta embrace the whimsy of childhood while you still can, baby Byers.”

Steve scoffs. “Yeah, if he wants to get picked on.”

“That’s going to happen anyway,” Will says without thinking. When both boys’ eyes narrow, he continues hurriedly, “so I might as well have some fun with my friends!”

Steve grumbles his unintelligible complaints while he settles back into his pillow. Eddie wraps his arm around Will and shakes him around. “That’s my boy!” He says it like a proud parent. Will preens, ignoring the way his cheeks are warming at the praise.

Eddie yanks him down so they’re all three horizontal, cramped together in his small bed. “Now, sleep!” he demands.

Will dutifully closes his eyes, but even as the breathing of his two companions evens out, Will doesn’t fall asleep. He doesn’t mind, just revels in the warmth of being where he truly belongs.

Part 58

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect

[smalltownrobin]

I think the best way for rovickie to be set up for s5, considering the YEAR AND A HALF TIME SKIP, would be if Vickie has been away at college.

(this is so long I'm sorry)

Obviously, where they were left at the end of s4 was very vague but also very telling, my assumption is that Vickie still needs to figure out and come to terms with her sexuality, then the two need to tell each other their feelings, but both seem to be AWARE there is something between them. Going straight from that to a year and a half later would make their story jankier than it already is, a lot of people (including myself) have thought there's a chance they're already together and we're just totally skipping over all the good ship stuff, or they would have been doing this subtle friends but gay and eyeing each other thing for over a year. Neither is a good option storytelling wise.

However, with the way things are between them by the end of s4, I think a great way to sort of keep it in that place, progress it slightly, AND give a natural explanation as for what's been happening between them during the time skip, is for them to basically not have seen each other the whole time, hence Vickie going off to college.

I can see it like their friendship got somewhat closer after their conversation at the relief centre, and they continued on that trajectory until graduation (since the education system seems to stay up and running despite gaping gates to an alternate dimension splitting the town in half), where Vickie did the typical thing and went to college, while Robin, most probably not able to afford it and wanting to stay and help with the upside down stuff, stayed in Hawkins.

While Vickie is at college, it's entirely possible that she had the time and space to figure out her sexuality (not so much "experimenting" in the derogatory sense, just being in a more open environment and meeting new people not from a small red state town), whether she entirely accepts herself or simply becomes more open to the possibility of being queer, I think either works. Of course, she would also have her lingering feelings for Robin to deal with, which would most likely be the main factor in her even considering the possibility of liking girls.

Another crucial detail is that Vickie appears to be a candy striper volunteer at Hawkins memorial hospital, along with Nancy (not technically confirmed, but we've seen Vickie at the hospital both weeks they were filming there, and someone who looked an awful lot like her stunt double in the uniform, plus my own Vickie intuition that's totally what she'd do). Since it's a year and a half break, unless Hawkins is under a strict quarantine (there seems to be something enforced but quarantine I'm ignoring for the sake of this idea), Vickie would of course be able to come home for holidays, where she'd most likely choose to spend her time away from college volunteering (this being the girl that ignored her bf to spend spring break at the relief centre, remember) (I'm doing too many brackets aren't I, my apologies). She could have some kind of workplace friendship with Nancy because of this, which doesn't add much to anything, I just like the idea of them being friends cos they'd get along spectacularly, but anyway, this would work for s5 which seems to be set around thanksgiving 1987, so of course Vickie would be home for the holiday, doing her volunteering, and that's how she ends up involved this season.

I think something that could be cute here is if Vickie comes back to Hawkins every so often (christmas, thanksgiving, spring break, summer, etc.), and every single time she wants to call Robin, or go to her house, and hang out with her, but every single time she never quite has the guts to. If she's been away thinking about the way she feels about this girl, realising that she may actually be queer, then as much as she likes talking to someone who gets her and is like her, that could just about hold her back from willing herself to see her again.

Now, ROBIN'S SIDE OF THINGS. Obviously, girlie would be staying in Hawkins doing... whatever, idk, her and Steve don't seem to be employed anymore, maybe they've just been chilling looking for Vecna, but from Robin's perspective, when Vickie left for college, she left for good. Hawkins is a fucked up and dangerous place, she wouldn't have thought there'd be any reason for her to come back, and even if she did, she wouldn't want to meet up with Robin. So, Robin's probably spent a year and a half trying to not think about her or what they could have been, because Vickie's safer away from this place, and doesn't need her.

AND SO... when Robin goes to the hospital early in the season (for a reason I still don't know), it could be where her and Vickie run into each other, see each other for the first time in a year and a half, and all of that is behind that moment. It keeps them somewhat in the place they were left at the end of s4, but it has even more weight to it, and it accounts for the time that's passed.

From here I could get into how I think they talk at the hospital and arrange to meet up (hence why Robin's done her hair all cute with that bow), and then they don't for whatever reason and bla bla bla, but then I'd just be spewing s5 theories and it's 2am I don't have the energy for that. This was just what I wanted to share, and it took me way too many paragraphs to do so, but there you go.

TL;DR: s5 would be cool if Vickie figured out her sexuality at college and popped back into town occasionally to volunteer at the hospital and Robin thought she left for good and is glad she's safe while sad thinking what they could have been, they don't see each other during the year and a half time skip until they run into each other at the hospital (during thanksgiving break) and from there that's how Vickie gets involved with the upside down.

[sociallyrepressed]

alright heaven forbid I come to the defense of a rich white man whose watch is out of my tax bracket and at the risk of sounding parasocial, let’s discuss the response to the events of today, and how we can change our outlook in the future:

1. The public response on Twitter and in the comments of Instagram are not okay. You are allowed to feel strongly about some things but to go to a public space and wish harm on a person is too far. If you are focused so negatively on the shortcomings of someone you dislike that you cannot focus on the success of someone you do like, then you are only working to make yourself and others negative (“hating ___ makes me happy” no, being negative makes you happy, which does not make you a happy or enjoyable person).

Since the fandom is bad at relegating emotions and focusing on the positive, here are some exercises:

instead of “____ is a waste of a seat”—> try “my driver worked to get into f1 and be where he is, I’m proud of him!”

instead of “____ did so horrible, my driver is way better” —> try “my driver had such a good race!”

instead of “I hate ___ he should crash/leave the sport” —> try “I’m not a fan of this driver, I like ___ more and root for him in the races”

in no situation is it okay to send death threats/imply a driver should die/propose suicide to a driver. neither is it okay to make racist comments about drivers. ever. if you are so affected that you enjoy sending these types of messages, I am afraid no post on the internet can help you because the type of help you need requires a degree.

I bring these up today because of the backlash Lando received post-race, but these types of comments have been present in all of Formula 1 history, and never has it been okay.

However, if you want to hate in the privacy of your mind or with friends, go for it, bringing it into public platforms makes it uncomfortable for everyone, and takes the fun out of a fandom.

2. Context! Critical thinking! Being able to think critically in a given situation is a very important skill to have in life. Things are not split-line black and white. In today’s example, a couple of sentences in Lando’s post-race interview were taken out of context and misunderstood. Rather than checking out the original source (in which he was clearly discussing the misfortune of his own pit stop and how the timing of the red flag was luck) and forming their own opinions, many people jumped on the bandwagon, which is uninformed and harmful. Doing this without research makes you gullible, which is not a useful life skill.

Lando has since made glowing remarks about Max, it’s okay if you relax and enjoy the results of the race.

[edit because I see people disgruntled about McLaren pitwall having Oscar and Lando swap “when Lando didn’t even do anything”. Oscar had a ten second penalty and they need to protect positions. Lando and Oscar are solid teammates.]:

Key Takeaways and Disclaimers: I will admit it would be very hypocritical if I posted this while following several blogs who dislike some drivers, however they are polite haters. But. If there is nothing else you understand or agree with from this post take away this: fandom is supposed to be fun and enjoyable- the drivers are the ones doing the hard work! We’re supposed to sit back and observe! However, to keep fandoms enjoyable and enjoyably safe I encourage hating with etiquette. What does this mean? It means using anti- tags, filtering posts, not using crude or offensive language, and not making comments that would get you arrested if said to someone of authority (death threats, racist comments, etc). This was a very exciting race with an unexpected podium! It’s what racing is about, so let’s keep things fun and fresh.

[satureja13]

'Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed boys that had been away Haven't changed, had much to say But man, I still think them cats are crazy They were askin' if you were around How you was, where you could be found I told 'em you were livin' downtown Drivin' all the old men crazy'

The Boys are back in Town - Thin Lizzy

We are back! From a new computer! (EA App stopped working on my old Windows 7 PC -.-) Arturo invited them to celebrate the opening of a brand new Temple in Morensong (and for a belated Ostara/Spring Equinox Festival since we couldn't celebrate together last week. Day and Night were equal on March 21st and warmer days are coming. Hopefully for the Boys too).

They aren't really ready to meet again. Neither Saiwa and Jeb (after Sai's breakdown) nor Jack and Kiyoshi (after Jack's breakdown). But Ji Ho has a plan.

Arturo welcomed them and showed them around. This Temple is much bigger than Kiyoshi's/ the Tree's in Koh Sahpa. Had Kiyoshi gained so much more popularity since he's back from the tree?

Arturo: "Haha no ^^' Kiyoshi's followers wanted this Temple for Kiri, Little Goat and Kumo who hadn't left Kiyoshi's side and cared for him while he was one with the Tree for all those decades. And Little Goat played a big part in bringing him back eventually." Oh... ok Ö.ö So we have a Stable Temple now... For horses, goats and sheep. We've seen stranger things, haven't we? There are 12 easter eggs hidden in the following pics and posts. I write the amount of eggs in the respective pic below in brackets. For example in the pic below you can find 1 easter egg, so I write (1). (The same egg can appear in different pics and angles, but it still counts as 1 egg.)

Kiyoshi is embarrassed. He knows that the others are keeping his distance to him since they know the whole truth about him and Jack and that he became a demon, he's back and and a diety now and they are forced to stay together to avoid a catastrophe in their possible future and he destroyed Jeb and Saiwa's relationship with this damn 'Bird' misunderstanding... He just wanted to live quietly among them and somehow make it up to them and serve them and not to cause a ruckus and being treated as something special and upset them even more. (1)

The Temple is big enough for all the horses and goats and Kumo so they finally have a place to stay in Tomarang! (1)

The Boys' horses are Otherworlds horses and they are free to roam whereever they want to and the Boys can call them via the goats. Not sure if they stay here all together all the time since they have their own problems and misunderstandings and quarrels among them... (see our spin off -> The Stables)

Arturo: "What do you think? It's awesome, right?" Saiwa: "It absolutley is. They will live in a palace!" Arturo: "Come over to the meadow. I prepared games and food." (3) (But only two new eggs, the third egg is already shown 3 pics above. That makes a total of 5 different eggs in this post. Have you found them all? The other ones can be found in the following episodes and I will reveal where they are hidden in an extra post after the festival.)

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🕹️ 'Therapy Game' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 17-22 ~ 23-28

[ichigopanhpff]

TRANSLATION: TR Character Book "Remember You!" Post ending developments

Wakui-sensei only did this for some of the characters in the book.

Note: Translation isn’t 100% and I may take some liberties in translating certain things for a more colloquial approach. Anything in brackets are my personal notes.

Sano “Mikey” Manjiro:

I’m a racer at 27 years old and my partner is Ken-chin! My dream has always been riding bikes, but my number one dream is for Emma find a good husband. Her and Ken-chin’s child will be born soon; I told them to use “Man” [“万” from his own name “Manjiro” (万次郎). The "Man" in his name came from his grandfather's, Sano Mansaku, while the "Shin" in Shinichiro's name came from their dad, Sano Shin.] in their name, but was met with strong opposition from both of them and called it lame. Those guys… I started to wonder whether or not my own name was lame.

Shiba Hakkai:

Taka-chan and my older brother seem to hang out a lot and they didn’t even think to invite me along. I like both my brothers, but it annoys me neither one of them take an interest in me. When I went home for my birthday, something smelled like it was rotting and my big brother, Yuzuha and Taka-chan were all there. It looked like they were trying to make a birthday cake for me, with Taka-chan teaching them. It tasted horrible and I cried from happiness from them trying to express their love.

Baji Keisuke:

Mansaku-san [Mikey’s grandfather] asked me to train and teach at Sano Dojo once in a while. Even though Mikey is a prodigy, he’s terrible at teaching and seems like I’m better at this than him. Immersing myself in teaching kids karate on top of my daily studies became a good change of pace for me. I want to be a veterinarian but I’m not very smart, so it’s a long and distant dream. Whenever I feel frustrated, sweating it out [in the dojo] mentally prepares me to keep doing my best. It’s my second home.

Hanagaki Takemichi:

At 26 years old, I’m currently an assistant director with a dream of becoming a film director. Everyday is an odd job, but Hina makes me a bento everyday. Before I head out every morning, she tells me “Do your best!”. When I come home completely disheartened, she’ll drink with me over dinner while listening to me complain. I’m a very lucky guy.

Matsuno Chifuyu:

Baji-san and Kazutora-kun always comes over to my house to eat since they have no money; it’s almost like extortion. But I can’t raise their wages without a reason and I can’t exactly refuse either. When the 3 of us cooked for the first time, the food was a mess, burnt and tasted thin. After suffering through that, I went out and bought tons of recipe books. Now, I’m cooking for 3 at a pro-level. They’ve recently been coming over, happily waiting for me.

Mitsuya Takashi:

While establishing my fashion brand TAKASHI MITSUYA as a designer, I hired Yasuda-san as my assistant, my assistant manager from the Handicraft Club back in middle school. She somehow married Peh-yan last year, even though their relationship were on bad terms. I hear Yasuda-san grumbling about him often while we’re working. From what I heard, Peh stuck with Pa-chin even after being married.

Ryuguji “Draken” Ken:

Emma and I live on the lower floor in the same apartment complex as Takemitchy and his wife. He came crying to me saying, “Even though we’re newlyweds, Emma-chan’s at my place every day and I can’t be alone with Hina.” The 4 of us are eating nabe [hot pot] together again.

[delicris]

strings of blood attached

april 4th | forbid | 849 words | @jegulus-microfic

cw: mcd, blood, mild gore

"James. Look at me."

And he does. Oh, he does – a fevered look charged with anger and a desire for blood. And Regulus knows he can satisfy only one of the two. There's a blade pressed to his throat and a body bracketing his entire frame, rendering both his arms useless, and yet, he has never felt calmer.

Breathe in. Breathe out. A step-by-step guide on how to survive.

Breathe in. Hold the eye contact, feel the electricity of it charging you from the inside out. Breathe out. Take the risks you were taught to avoid like the plague.

"We don't have to do this." Breathless.

Breathe in. The air staggers in your throat, and you hold it there for a few seconds, almost as if preserving this exact moment in time. Your eyes water. And then –

James's breathing is erratic when he shifts his body weight and pushes the blade further. It punctures the skin but doesn't go all the way through to his arteries.

It should hurt, and yet the only thing Regulus can focus on is James – James, who puts his entire being into a kiss so uncoordinated as his breathing. There are way too many teeth and not enough of what they once used to be, and it's sheer torture. It's the next best thing Regulus has ever experienced, and James is pulling away far too soon for his liking. He wants to lick him clean, wants to sink his teeth through his flesh and rip him apart because maybe then he could reach him.

There's a smile stretching across Regulus's face that's bordering on obscene, raw. Breathe out. He knows James is angry. He knows what urges he can satisfy. He knows the rules of survival.

Breathe in. He's calm all the while James keeps fighting for his life, keeps stealing the oxygen, keeps pushing and pulling, even after everything.

I love you. He tries to forbid himself from thinking of it.

I love you. He cannot succumb to his own selfish desires.

I love you. He wishes he could get what he came here for, what was stolen from him – vicious fingers curling around something that was never theirs to touch, not even for them to look at. It was always James and Regulus, always both or neither, always too much or not nearly enough. Is that what love is meant to be like?

I love you, I love you, I love you.

iloveyouiloveyouiloveyou

lovelovelovelovelove

lovelovelove

lo

   v

     e

Breathe out.

"I love you."

A whisper and Regulus doesn't know who says it, just knows that the lips are now much more gentle. The kiss screams of softness and care – it urges him to wake up from the false tenderness, the false sense of intimacy, and yet it lulls him in all the same. It's the last sliver of hope.

Regulus smiles softly into the kiss just as James slits his throat clean. It was always going to be the desire for blood that would end them both.

He can't see him, but he feels him hiding in the crook of his neck. He thinks he hears him sob, still drawing one breath after the other, still trying so hard.

James breathes in deep, deeper than ever before, and then, the distinct sound of a blade going through flesh. He would recognize James's body collapsed on top of him every single time, their disgruntled noises fusing into one perfect harmony.

Had the situation been different and the wounds not their last, they would have been bathing in each other's blood until the sun started painting James's skin warm, fingers dragging through the pooling blood, reaching inside.

Regulus trips over the tiny bit of hope that grew inside of him at that very last second and falls into the pit of an eternal abyss with his lover hidden deep inside of him. They were never going to leave this place on their own, the string was always way too tight.

–

They meet again, eventually. Regulus cuddled up in their bed, placed in the middle of a seemingly endless white floor. The light is overwhelming, yet the bed brings a sense of familiarity that keeps him content. A tiny black cat is keeping him company – a kitten that keeps bugging him for attention as he wakes for the millionth time. But there's a new feeling of an unmistakable weight behind him, and he shouldn't be able to feel the warmth of the body, but if he focuses hard enough, he's certain he can make out that long-awaited sense of comfort he's been searching for.

"How long have you been waiting here, love?"

Regulus no longer has to keep his breathing under control.

"Just a couple lifetimes."

Death looks him right in the eyes, and he smiles again – for the first and last time. There's an arm thrown over his waist and a kiss pressed to his shoulder, death purring right next to his head.

He falls asleep for the last time, their string attached for an eternity.

[hythlodaes]

kiss prompts! 24: as a reward (dare you to make it emileo) 🤡

also tagging @lilas ! since you both asked, here’s a little bit of modern au emileo xoxo

Leofard wakes to the sound of the shower running.

He opens his eyes for a half moment before closing them again, dragging the blanket up over his shoulder. Emile must be back from his morning run then, always up before the sun. Leofard is surprised he didn't hear him leave—usually he'll wake him when he gets up, untangling his body from Leofard, a little clumsy despite his grace on the football field.

Fooling around with the quarterback of his college team has its drawbacks as much as it has its perks.

Or whatever they're doing. It’s been months since they started hanging out, but Emile has spent the summer in Leofard's apartment. He has workouts or practice most afternoons, and Leofard has a job that he shows up to most of the time, but they always end up here at the end of the day. Leofard didn't even realize Emile wasn't going back to his dorm until he saw his guitar propped up in the corner of his room.

Neither of them have acknowledged it—the same way they don't acknowledge the framed photo of Raimille on his bureau, or how Emile goes silent whenever one of his friends brings up Varlineau.

It’s not like Leofard doesn’t think about what it means. They spend so much time together that it could be a given conclusion, if that’s who they were, if they hadn’t already agreed to keep it casual. After all, it would be such a simple question: Can I call you my boyfriend?

He’d laugh at himself if he didn’t want it so much.

The shower turns off and the apartment is quiet again for a moment before Emile enters the bedroom. He's careful at first, but then the sound of his footsteps draws nearer and he nudges Leofard’s hip over the blanket.

“Leo,” he says, his voice just above a whisper. “Are you awake?”

“Trying not to be,” he mumbles.

“Let’s go out for breakfast.”

Leofard pops one eye open to the still dim room. Emile stands over him, brown eyes bright, wet hair curving around his chin. He's still shirtless, and stray water droplets cling to his skin,trailing down to the jeans slung low on his hips. It’s hard to be annoyed with him when he looks this good. It’s not fair.

“What time is it?” Leofard asks, closing his eyes again.

"Are you hungry?"

"Emile."

“I don't want to go by myself.”

“Emile.”

“It’s early,” he admits with a soft laugh. A moment later, the weight of his body dips onto the bed, and he settles over him, thighs bracketing his hips, chest along his. Leofard lets out an annoyed sound at his wet hair dripping onto him, but Emile just says, “Come on, I’ll even pay.”

“You can pay in a couple hours.”

“I’ll kiss you,” he offers, and Leofard feels his lips graze his neck, nose brushing along his jaw as his breath ghosts against his skin. It’s hard not to react, pinned down like this with the warmth of his mouth so close to his. Leofard tilts his head blindly towards him, waiting for him to kiss him awake, but Emile pulls away completely and sits up.

“Breakfast first.”

He opens his eyes to a smile tugging at Emile's lips, and Leofard sighs, ignoring the way it sounds like a laugh. “You’re lucky you’re so damn cute.”

They dress as the warmth of the day settles in, and at the door, Leofard covers his yawn with one hand while the other presses his car keys into his palm. Emile doesn't gloat in his victory, but he does bend his head to kiss him, mouth open and soft against his.

There are worse ways to start the day.

"You're still paying, you know," Leofard says, but the words are murmured against his lips. When they part, he gives him a crooked smile. "I'll pay you back later, baby."

[obscurecharactershowdown]

Before I reveal the contestants, I want to shout out some characters that didn't end up getting in, for one reason or another, but stood out to me

Prince Peasley (Superstar Saga): I mentioned him as a character I really enjoyed learning about, but since he won the Luigi ship competition, I'm unsure of his obscurity status and he may overpower the other characters. I'm sorry your highness, please know I love you

Francis York Morgan (Deadly Premonition): I was stunned to see not one, but 2 people submit this character. I'm endlessly entertained by his weird ass game. He would've been a shoe in had he not been submitted twice. Sorry buddy. Also if he was I would've put in my own propaganda, consisting only of this image

and a video of the squirrels that make monkey noises

Crow T. Robot (Mystery Science Theater 3000): the only reason he's not in is because another MST3K I consider comparatively more obscure was submitted, but I am going to post part of the propaganda for him now because I really loved it and it would be a shame if I was the only one who got to read it:

i have to take a chance on crow, for he is my #1 blorbo and my favorite mst3k character since forever. i charted out a whole TIMELINE for him and there's like. 4-6 of him just existing in various locations. he's shaped like a friend. he can be folded into a torpedo. he has legs and i constantly forget this until he has them on-screen and i'm like OH SHIT this guy is mostly leg (he's around 5'4"). he managed to kill mike (the human guy he lives with in space) TWICE on accident and neither time stuck. all of his presentations are insane and completely factually inaccurate. he claimed women were myths like bigfoot in a short-film style black and white presentation. he's friendly/friends? with pearl, one of the main antagonists (and a woman, who he just claimed didn't exist). he can play the trombone. he just kinda bounces up and down sometimes and is so shaped. he spent 500 years alone because he got bored of being pure energy at the edge of the universe after five minutes. he wrote patrick swayze christmas, the only christmas song ever. he's constantly doing t-rex arms. he keeps falling from extreme heights. to a few ancient romans he's a spider-duck god. he's a bit of a pyromaniac. he went to thanksgiving in deep 13 and walked away unharmed (everyone else got poisoned). he causes an illusion in the theater where it looks like he's staring at you instead of the movie. he's an absolute menace. he contains so much gender yet none at all. he's different! he wants to decide who lives and who dies, and i think he should. he is simply so guy. ty for reading my crow rant sorry for the wall of text

Thank you for this. I love Crow and MST3K too, you are in good company

Mister Qi (Stardew Valley): In the propaganda section, the submitter wrote: "He sucks and I hate him. It'd be really funny if he lost." and it made me laugh

Chuck Cunningham (Happy Days): The submitter's dad told them to submit him and that was also funny to me

Vincenzo (kdrama of the same name): Submitter's dad has a crush on Vincenzo <3

Pioneer 9 (17776): This was the most submitted character, with a total of.....4 submissions! Wow!

Husky (+Anima): This is the second most submitted character, with 3 submissions! I'm sorry to you both but this means you are automatically excluded from being picked for the competition.

Less specifically, shout out to the many characters who were just barely well known enough to drop out of priority. And the major characters/protagonists of major series. A couple were clearly jokes, but several were not.

And all of the characters from albums, commercials, various Real Life Things, myths, some OCs, etc: I have a plan for you. It's not the main bracket, but you are not being left out here. More information on that when the time is right.

Thank you for all your submissions! The list of contestants and their matchups are coming soon!

[sebbyisland]

not to sound insane but I think Mizi will switch roles of their "lowest" point with Ivan in the semifinals in that she can find the fuel to keep going/rebel against the system through her love, but her love will never join her, while Ivan will be forced to watch Till die despite neither trying to win or lose.

Till dying "in front of" Ivan rather than "because of" Ivan, similar to Round 1, would be an interesting arc for both of the characters. 1)It would parallel the moment where Till runs back to life in Anakt Garden when Ivan offered him a chance at freedom. Once again, Ivan would be unable to save him. Once again, Till would suffer despite only having the purest intentions. 2) From what we've seen, Ivan is neither the vengeful nor sacrificial type, so trying to beat Till or lose on purpose seems unlikely. Ivan clings very tightly to self-control, which is why Till is so appealing to him and also could be read as a coping mechanism following his childhood trauma, in which he had no control of his fate. Many people are interpreting Ivan’s cold stare at the end of ep3 and ep2 as a form of resentment, but I think it’s more like a bitter surrender to his reality. Ivan does not care to escape Alien Stage without Till. At the same time, he values putting up a bravado of control and elegance even while fighting to survive. Trying to harmonize with Till allows him to neither appear submissive nor disregard his own feelings during the semi-final round. By singing WITH Till, not against or over Till, he can feel the most alive. Furthermore, wouldn't his love be that much more profound if he spent his last moments with Till during the one time he can monopolize all of his attention on him, instead of Mizi? Till is not in LOVE with Ivan but he does still care about him more than Background Character from Round 2, and at the very least knows that Ivan is a capable singer. They acknowledge each other in their own way, which was further teased by this promo art by Vivinos. It's not that far off to think they might have a genuine rivalry or friendship going on that might play into how their round goes.

My final thoughts on why I think Till will Lose and Ivan will go against Mizi in the FINAL round is thematic reasons. If we assume Mizi will last until the final round since she's kinda the "main" character, then we need to think about what would be the most intense and meaningful matchup for her at that point in the story. Unless something happens that totally messes up the competition, Luka and Hyuna can only show up within the same bracket as Mizi. THis means Mizi will have to face off either Till or Ivan in the final round.

Mizi vs Till: While Alien Stage focuses more on drama than the competition itself (right now), it's very likely that by the time the story is in it's final stages, the scope of the competition will be beyond just Alien Stage but more about the ongoing Alien-Human hierarchy. A Mizi vs Till fight would just be about the their love triangle drama, and there wouldn't be enough room for an overarching plot. Also, while Till would be devastated if Mizi died, the stakes would be much lower for Mizi. It wouldn't truly be a finale for their character arcs.

Mizi vs Ivan: This. THIS. Is the drama I'm looking for. Mizi and Ivan have their own philosophy on navigating a world where their love, their universe, is gone, and this battle would be their confrontation. Mizi speaks from the heart, Ivan hides his emotions and relies on self control. However, they are also both deeply hurt by Alien Stage, so I can see them potentially working together to destroy it. Ivan would want to do so in honor of Till's death. Mizi would want to do so in honor of Sua's death, but only after interactions with Luka and/or Hyuna help her break out of her shock to find a purpose for herself.

Alternatively, after Till's death Ivan could be resentful/hateful of Mizi, and this would prevent them from working together. However, their fight would still be full of so much passion and I would to see maybe Mizi and Ivan show a bit of their true feelings to each other in such a high-stakes situation. It just feels like there’s more potential for a Mizi vs Ivan scenario than Mizi vs Till.

Now, I could be proven so totally wrong by next episode but like. i feel very strongly about this. #wlw/mlm solidarity for the win LOL

[protagonistheavy]

The failure of Concord has me wondering what the future of multiplayer-focused games is going to be like, in a future where gamers are simultaneously exhausted of live-service games and the FOMO attached to it... but yet also refuse to play a game that isn't constantly being updated with both patch notes and all-new content. It really feels like the middle-ground here is nonexistent, because I can't imagine a game like Overwatch or LoL being anywhere as successful as they are if they didn't thrive on live-service elements -- what are competing games supposed to do?

It feels like gaming, in this regard, is in an unforgiving bottleneck. The effect of overwhelming FOMO has resulted in gamers celebrating the lack-of-success in games -- people are happy to find out that a game isn't popular and thus they don't have an obligation to go and play it asap. Gamers are instead stuck with just a handful of live-service games that they refuse to let go of, because they've already invested so much of their time in making that game their personal live-service game, they don't have room in their schedule to learn a different game, play by different rules, pay attention to new patch notes, keep up to date with evolving metas, watch all the videos from content creators, etc. This creates an atmosphere that's hostile to new properties and keeps players locked-up in their choice of live-service.

And that negatively effects these other competitor games exponentially, because multiplayer games like this absolutely require a constant stream of players to fill up queues. Constantly -- at no point can the queue afford to dry-up without killing the whole game. And the only way to keep players engaged long-term, realistically, is to keep providing new content, new progressions, patching the game, etc. so that players have a reason to keep coming back. Otherwise, players naturally lose interest -- even games with extreme depth and long learning curves will inevitably lose the attention of most players that are more interested in shiny cosmetics or brand new characters to play with. 1v1-oriented games can sort of get away from this system, like fighting games, but even those are nowadays relying a lot on scheduled balance changes and new content in order to keep an audience that isn't just the top 1% skill bracket replaying the same thing over and over.

I guess what I'm at odds with is how the community actually feels about live-service games, because people love loudly declaring that they hate live-service games and hope they die, but then contradict themselves by constantly pouring their time and expendable income on live-service games -- with the nerve to then complain about other games "being dead" if they don't have a concurrent playerbase in the quintuple digits. And then there's the argument over what kind of live-service is acceptable, where again, people will say that they hate free-to-play live-service games, but then scoff at the idea of a live-service game coming with a one-time entry fee to get all the content.

So lol what do we want? Do we want these large multiplayer games to be one-week-long fads that you pay $60 for before the whole game effectively dies due to a lack of interest beyond that first week? Or do we want long-lasting multiplayer games that require new content and updates in order to retain a wide-enough audience to keep the game alive? I genuinely think a lot of people would read this choice and say "neither :)" and they are either totally not the target audience for these types of games (yet feel entitled to an industry-wide opinion about these genres) or they're the most miserable type of gamer that commits themself to playing games they actually hate.

Mind all this, I never expected Concord to be a big hit, because it had a lot of other problems going against it too. But when I see people celebrating its early demise, much of the attitude seems to be pointed towards the live-service system as a whole, despite live-service being the only realistic option for a multiplayer game to thrive in this current age. At some point, I think we need to accept that live-service is gonna be inevitable for games to stay afloat, and instead of hoping they all fail and gaming reverts by two decades, we instead figure out and speak-up about what live-service strategies are ethical and work well vs systems that are oppressive and unwanted.