#i was hoping to get to some real plot and politics this chapter but it MUST WAIT

[sabraeal]

The Most Perverse Creature in the World, Chapter 13

[Read on AO3]

Written for @bubblesthemonsterartist, who one first place in the 500 Follower raffle MANY years ago, and enjoys using her golden tickets to torture me. SHE STILL HAS THREE MORE AFTER THIS

Mayu might well be a bird for how much she flits about your chambers, fussing at the tattered corners of your patience. The kind that flies in through an open window and then struggles to find its way back out.

“I did not expect you back so soon, my lady.” There’s so much clanking and clinking and clucking over at the sideboard that you despair of getting any actual refreshment. “When you’re in session, most times you don’t come back ‘till after dark!”

A lady does not glower, but so many months hidden behind lace has made your careful curation of expression lax. Your mouth thins before you catch yourself-- or rather, a glimpse of your veil, crumpled at the corner of the desk-- smoothing it to a neutral smile. “I am afraid there was not much to say today.”

Nothing for the ears of a young woman such as your maid, at least. Quite a lot had been said, at length, and you--

“There.” Steam curls up from the cup settled before you, sitting just askew on its saucer. “Are you satisfied then, my lady?”

“Satisfied?” The word claws its way out, but you hardly mark the pain. “Surrounded by a council full incompetents, all of them bent on taking their pleasure and leaving me with--”

No words fit for company, at least. Perhaps if you too had been born to your seat with a half dozen forefathers left to warm it, their generous bottoms wearing down the unforgiving wood until it cradled yours as comfortably as a womb, you might plow ahead, unheeding of propriety or good sense. But instead your teeth snap around the sentiment, leaving it to be swallowed down with your other indignities. And oh, what a feast these men have made for you this evening.

“Ah, I only meant...?” Her eyelashes flutter, hands uncertain where they hang above the desk. “The tea...?”

“Oh, Mayu!” Ill-temper streams from you like steam from a kettle, the heat of it lost in one great sigh. “My apologies. I’m afraid I’m not good company tonight.”

“Nothing to be sorry for, ma’am,” she says, firm. “If my service isn’t pleasing, then it’s only right you be cross--”

“I’m hardly cross with you, my dear.” Her hands are cold between your palms, trembling and small. “I’m cross with...a great number of people tonight, but I promise none of them are in this room.”

“Oh,” the wind hums through the windows. “That so?”

It is only reflex that saves your tea, honed from a dozen summers of rescuing tablecloths from the sort of shenanigans only a growing boy could conjure. By the cat’s grin stretched across your sill-- and the endless expanse of legs that accompany it-- he expected no less. “That’s a relief.”

“You.” You set the cup clattering against the saucer, sweeping skirts up to standing. With one finger brandished in his direction, Obi flinches. “Has no one ever made you wear a bell?”

His palms fly up, the face framed between them the very picture of innocence. “It’s been discussed. Hey, didn’t you say you weren’t mad at anyone--?”

“That’s before I knew you were here.” Your hand drops, disappearing into the folds of your skirt, and he relaxes. “Though, to be quite honest, it’s not you I have quarrel with.”

“Oh?” A corner of his mouth curls into a smirk. “Who could it be? Maybe mister--?”

A huff escapes you, hands hooking around your hips. “As if Sir Mitsuhide were anything but a pleasure.”

That only makes his satisfaction all the slyer. “That’s certainly the opinion of quite a few professionals...”

To respond, even to admonish, would only serve to encourage him. “If you must know, it is your master who plays at my last nerve.”

“Ah, Master...” One of those long arms reaches behind his head, scrubbing at the bristle. “C’mon, my lady, you aren’t still sour about that business this morning, are you?”

I don’t make the rules. The boy’s scowl stretches across your memory, his hands useless where they lay on his desk. I merely uphold them.

“No.” The denial sounds like an affirmation from your lips, but there is no point in retraction. “If I am so sour, it is because despite his claims of being my ally, week after week I am left to defend myself against those dogs alone.”

“Ah.” Your shadow grimaces. “I take it that the meeting didn’t go well?”

There is a torrent of words that rushes to your mouth, a deluge of indignities that you could lay at His Highness’s feet. Whatever else one might say about His Highness-- and oh, you have quite a bit waiting to drip from the tip of your tongue, the sort of things that would make your governess clap her hands around your ears and hers in equal measure-- you can at least say this: he keeps his promise. To disappoint you, at least. “It would be a kindness to call it a disaster.”

Obi snorts. “That good, huh?”

“It has been made clear to me that since I consort with courtesans and whores--” your nails dig sharp crescents into your palm, and oh, how you wish it were not impolite to make them bleed-- “that my words are little better than their own. Lord Hiroki called for a vote upon a minor issue, one of his pet amendments, and I...”

I merely said nay. The fear grips you even now, safe in your chambers. I said nay, and they all fell upon me like hounds on a vixen.

Anger opens your mouth, but shame shapes the words into, “It did not go well.”

“Ah.” Obi’s long fingers casually curl, cracking as they dig into the meat of his shoulder. “I see.”

“I could canvas every brothel in Wistal, I could write a painstaking proposal for tax law that addressed every issue inherent in our current policy, but none of it matters if I do not have allies. Strong allies,” you press, pacing across the room. “Ones who bother to come to council meetings.”

Weariness washes over you, your head falling heavily into your hands. “I cannot do this alone. I must make a show of friends in high places, and fast. Even if there were a single man who agreed with me in that room, he would not risk speaking out against the rest. Why, I had to wait for Arluleon bother to speak for me, and even so it was only to say--”

Might I remind you that the lady here is of gentle birth?  His pompous tone echoes enough to make your ears ache even now, hours later. It is unbecoming to speak before her in such a fashion.

Your teeth grit, his words like sand between them, wearing your control down to nubs. “Well, it was not to remind them that I was a colleague deserving of respect.”

Obi is a boy of quick reflexes and even quicker wit, but when you pivot on your heel, prepared to pace across the pile you’ve already worn a runnel in, he’s quiet. Thoughtful, if you had to put a word to it. “Ah, lady, I was wondering...he’s met you before, hasn’t he? Before you came here.”

You work your way back through his question, trying to find what possible subject he could saddle that pronoun with, and finally ask, “Who?”

“His Grace, the Marquis.” He stares at you as if you are the incomprehensible one. “Haruka.”

“Arluleon?” Your husband had never sent for you while the council was in session-- nothing is more boring for a woman than to be married during the Season, he laughed the first time you asked, still too young to wonder, give it a decade or two, and then you can bring our daughters-- but he’d had visitors in the country. Friends though, not rivals, spending the long summers planning their coups for the next year. “He came to the funeral--”

“No, no. I mean before the whole--” his hand grimly sweeps in front of his face-- “business.”

You blink, lost. “Why do you ask?”

“Er...no reason. I just was thinking, seeing you two on the stair, that maybe...” It is impossible to discern which of his whims made him sail down this particular route of inquiry, but whatever it is, he changes tack. “Just curiosity, my lady.”

It’s a curious question indeed, but your suppose it’s harmless to entertain it. “Once, I believe. He attended the wedding. But that must have been...fifteen years past now, and clearly of no consequence to him.”

Obi hums, far too interested in such a dull matter. “What makes you say that, my lady?”

“He met me at the castle gates the day I arrived in Wistal, and if he recognized my name more than my title, it would be a great surprise to me,” you sniff. “He had been much more concerned about whether I would properly submit to protocol, should he only apply the right pressure. I doubt he even recalls whether the bride he met all those years ago was a girl in the flush of her first season, or a spinster being rescued from the shelf, let alone any detail of my face.”

Despite his love for the sport, your father had never allowed you on his hunts, not even when other ladies arrived trim and stylish in their habits, riding beside their husbands. It had not been until you had been a woman grown, married a year and some and eager to show your husband just what fun you could be, that you saw your first fox caught, ruthlessly cornered by the same hounds you fend scraps from the table. An unearthly sound tore from its throat as the teeth clamped clamped down, strangled and hopeless--

And mirrored now by your shadow, a hand pressed over his eyes.

“Are you quite all right?” It’s impossible that he could have hurt himself, not when he hasn’t moved from your sill, but still, you squint at him, attempting to assess the damage. “Is something the matter?”

“No, no,” he groans, hand flapping between you. “It’s nothing. I just...put something together. That I can’t really unknow.” A laugh gasps out of him, more pain than amusement. “Well, that will be interesting.”

You stare at him, brows knitted. “Why would you want to--?”

The doors to your study swing open, Mayu breathless between them. “Ah, my lady!”

Curious. You could have sworn she’d been over at the sideboard, fussing with yet another cup of tea. Perhaps she’ll make an admirable domestic after all. “Mayu, what are you--?”

“You have a visitor!” she gasps, color high on her cheeks. “At the door.”

“The door?” Your fingers idly pluck at where your veil lays crumpled, tossed aside in your fit of pique. There are few at court who you would name friend enough to visit, and fewer still who would call upon a widow still deep in mourning. “Will wonders never cease. Did they leave a card?”

“N-no.” Her eyes widen, guilty, and ah, the poor thing never thought to ask. “He’s, ah, waiting, my lady. In the parlor.”

“He?” Obi’s mouth curls with a slyness you’re quite sure you mislike. “Sounds like you’ve got some tenacious suitor, my lady.”

“What it sounds like is that some Wisteria has seen fit to take root on my settee,” you murmur, pinning your veil in place. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you?”

“Me?” One hand presses to his chest, every inch of his raised brows professing his innocence. “Do I look like the sort of messenger that would spring a prince on you--?”

“Almost certainly,” you inform him. “And you’d stick around to watch.”

“You wound me, my lady, I would--”

“It’s not His Highness,” Mayu blurts out. “Either of them.”

“No?” It is a short list of men at court who would think to darken a window’s doorway, and to walk into your parlor, sure of their welcome-- or perhaps, uncaring of it--?

Your hands stiffen on the final pin, shoving it in clumsily enough the point drags over your scalp. “You don’t mean to tell me that Arluleon--?”

“No ma’am,” she pipes, her mouth twitching toward something close to a smile. “The opposite!”

Mayu’s assessment had not quite been...politique, but even you must admit that when your eyes fall upon the young man lounging in your parlor, cleaned and pressed and grin running parallel to the scar carved across his nose, the girl is not precisely wrong.

“Sir Zakura.” You incline your head the barest degree, enough imply regard without suggesting deference. Peer he might be, but baron hardly outranked a sitting countess. “Are you on your way to dinner?”

“Countess.” His mouth spreads wide on the title, a detail you hardly miss as he bows just a hair too deep for your station. “I thought you might be in need of an escort.”

Your steps stutter on the carpet, only for a moment, hidden beneath the weight of your skirts. “Sir,” you manage, your smile stiff on your lips. “It is kind of you to think of me. But surely you know I must decline.”

“Must you?” His head cocks, same as his smile, curious and too confident by a half. “Can’t say I see a reason why. Unless you already ate.”

“I haven’t,” you say before you can think better of it, and by Shidnote’s smile, he knows it. “But it would hardly be appropriate.”

“C’mon now, my lady.” He slouches against your mantel, rumpling the crisp lines of his coat. “Surely everyone knows you eat.”

“The problem is not with eating, sir.” It would be helpful if you could summon a chill to your words the way your great aunt had always done, leaving all who spoke with her in the cold. Perhaps that might cool the warmth in Sir Zakura’s smile when you tell him, “It is that I am in mourning still.”

His eyebrows are already the proper bent for incredulity, but the effect is heightened when he lifts them, one a hair higher than the other. “So you don’t eat dinner?”

“I am not supposed to keep company.” It is impossible for His Majesty’s aide to not know what propriety demands of you, but still, he only smiles when you protest, as if you were but a child refusing to eat their vegetables. “The thought is kind, sir, but I am certain my presence would put a damper on the evening.”

“As charming a woman as you?” He shakes his head. “I doubt it.”

You scoff. “A widow is hardly charming. Everyone might pity her, but few would welcome a reminder of their own mortality. Perhaps when it is lighter, I--”

“And when is that?” He shrugs, a sinuous movement even with shoulders as broad as his. “A month? A few weeks? I’m sure no one would mind if the rules were bent, just this once.”

Your mouth gives a rueful twist, one he cannot see. “Widows are not allowed much bending, I’m afraid.”

His grin stretches far too wide. “Now that’s not true. I’ve known several very flexible widows in my time.”

“Sir.” It is a mercy that lace hides you; your flush would only encourage him to outrageousness. “It would be inappropriate in the extreme for me to step out while I am so deep in mourning. I appreciate that you thought of me, but I’m sure one of the young debutantes this season would be must more to your like--”

“Not at all.” That mouth of his is utterly brazen when he tells you, “I like a mature woman.”

Your own pulls flat. “Then I must disappoint you. If the castle records are correct, I’m afraid that my own birth was quite a few months after your own.”

That grin of his sharpens down to a point. “Age had nothing to do with maturity, my lady. His Majesty tells me that one all the time.”

His Majesty. The title pricks at you. Sir Zakura might play at flirtation, but he hardly needs to impress you with his connections, not when the king has already asked you--

Ah. So that’s what this is. Shidnote might plead pleasure all he likes, but this...this is business.

“All right,” you concede, your hands clenching in your skirts. “I suppose one dinner could hardly hurt.”

[leclercss]

Tainted Love, Part 2 (Charles Leclerc)

Part 1

Masterlist

plot: in an attempt to fix your marriage, you've reluctantly agreed into being in an open relationship with your husband. so far, it's only been your husband that has taken advantage of your recent arrangement until one night out you meet a man who makes you begin to question your marriage.

pairings: charles leclerc x fem!reader

warnings: (+18) mentions of smut, cheating and some swearing

authors note: thank you guys for the kind words on the first chapter. i'm hoping to make to make this around 7-10 parts depending on how my creativity is feeling. hope you enjoy the second part x

word count: 4.7k

Your Uber has arrived at the address that Charles sent you and the feeling is starting to become very real. The idea of spending the night with any man other than Lewis is taking up 40% of your thoughts. The remaining 60% of your thoughts are thinking about how it will feel for Charles to kiss you again and to feel his touch on your body once more.

"Thanks so much for the lift and so sorry for the change of address," you tell the Uber driver. You climb out of the car and make a mental note to yourself to leave him a tip for his troubles.

As you make your way towards the door of the building, your thoughts go back to Charles. Are you being ridiculous for coming here? Was he really that into you? Was it desperate for you to change your mind and text him after you'd previously turned him down? And who was the "we" that he mentioned? Was it just some sort of after party that he was having? Or did he want to spend time with only you?

You're beginning to spiral.

You take a deep breath before punching in the number to his flat and wait for him to answer.

"Hey, door's open. Take the lift to the eighth floor".

It's Charles. You take a deep breath as he buzzes you in and you head towards the lift. Punching in floor number 8, a shiver runs down your spine as the building suddenly feels freezing for a late June in evening in London.

You tell yourself not to get cold feet now. You wanted this. You made some grumpy Uber driver take you to another area of London for this. Your body wanted this.

You hear some music playing on the other side as you stand in front of Charles’ apartment door accompanied by some French being thrown around. You couldn't make out the entire conversation. You had learnt French growing up but it'd been a while since you used it. And you weren't used to a Monegasque accent. But you think you can make out something about "the married one". They were talking about you.

You hear one of the voices getting closer to the front door and a second or two later the door is opened. You look at the person standing in front of you. Your heart skips a beat for a moment as you realise he's even more attractive than he was in the club.

"Hi Charles," you say softly. You try to smile but you're pretty sure the nerves you're experiencing are plastered across your face.

"Hi, [Y/N]," he replies. He smiles back at you. "I'm glad you came.” He steps to the side to let you in his apartment. "Come in".

As you enter, the music and the French conversations you had heard earlier get louder. Was he having some sort of afters?

"I live with a couple of my friends. We just came back here for a few drinks," it's like he’s read your mind. "Come on, join us for a few drinks". You feel his hand on the small of your back and a shiver runs through your spine once more at his slightest touch.

He leads you into the living room and you're greeted with a couple of faces you vaguely remember from the club. "You remember Hugo and Ricciardo from earlier right?"

They both wave at you. "Erm, yeah. Course," you lie out of politeness.

"I don't usually live here," the lighter haired one tells you. You've no idea which one he is. You think he's the one that made a comment about your husband being a lucky man when Stephanie told the group you were married. "But I thought I'd crash in Joris' room since he went back to your friend's place," he continues.

Whitney. You'd be interrogating her in the morning for details.

You feel Charles' hand move sightly further down your back. "Come on, I'll get you a drink in the kitchen," he says as he leans down towards your ear. The hand that was on your lower back takes your hand in his. You look up, smiling at him softly.

He leads you into the kitchen were he lets go of your hand to have a look in the fridge for something to drink. "So we've mostly got beer. Not sure if you're into that?" Charles calls out as he rummages through the fridge. "Oh! Actually, we've got wine. Do you like wine?" He peers at you over his shoulder and you nod.

Despite all of the alcohol you've consumed tonight, being in Charles' presence again and the thrill of turning up at his apartment has sobered you up. You feel like you need a drink to calm your nerves.

"Wine is perfect".

Your eyes follow him as he goes to the cupboard to get you a glass before pouring you a generous measure. You take the opportunity to check him out. He was just above average height. A couple of inches taller than you. He was slender but you noticed the muscle definition beneath his shirt. He definitely looked after himself. Your eyes finally landed on his fingers which were dotted with a number of different rings. You missed those fingers on your body.

"It's rude to stare you know," Charles chuckles as he snaps you out of your daze. You hadn't realised he had made his way over to you, holding two glasses of wine. He places a glass into your hand, your fingers touching.

"Thank you".

You clink your glasses together before uttering a "Cheers/Santé". You take a quick sip of your drink as your eyes meet Charles' over the top of your glass. Once you've taken a sip, you place the glass down on the counter. Charles does the same before he takes a step closer to you. He reaches towards your shoulders to remove your handbag and places it on the counter behind you. He takes another step closer to you, his face a few centimetres away from yours. His breath lightly hitting your face.

"So, what made you change your mind?" he asks you, he's waiting to see how you react. You take another sip of your wine before you decide to answer his question, earning a chuckle from Charles.

"I decided that my night wasn't done," you reply as your eyes meet again. "We didn't get to finish our dance from earlier," a reference to your earlier text to Charles.

He grins at your response. "And you couldn't finish dancing at home?" You know he's referring to your husband. He doesn't have to say it for you to understand.

You tilt your head to the side slightly before responding, "I've danced at home before. Wanted to try something new."

"And am I that something new?"

The tension in the kitchen is building as Charles' face is closer to yours than before. "I'd like to think so," you utter. You haven't broken eye contact for a while now. And it's only a matter of seconds before you feel Charles' hands on you again. He moves a strand of hair away from your face before softly tucking it behind your ear. His hand then lowers to your cheek while the other finds its way to your side, just below your breast.

"Well I'm glad you're open to trying," his voice is so smooth it melts in your ears like butter. He's confident, like he's played this game before. "I'd definitely like to show you a few things".

The tingle that you felt in your underwear from before has returned. This time accompanied with some dampness. You notice Charles is still looking at you, as if he's waiting for you to make the first move this time.

The two sips of wine have helped boost your courage, God bless alcohol, and you lean in. Your lips meet and this time there's no hesitation as you move your lips against his. You arms find their way around his neck and you take no time in pushing your tongue into his mouth softly.

The kiss is passionate and the longer it goes on the closer your bodies become. He lightly pushes you against the counter top as the hand that's below your breast now lowers towards the bottom of your dress before he pushes it beneath the hem. His other hand now finds itself lightly wrapped around your neck. The dampness is continuing to grow in your underwear. Fuck, it's definitely been a while since you've felt this horny if you're starting to get this wet so quickly.

That feeling of horniness doesn't slow down as the hand that Charles has slipped under the hem of your dress makes its way further up towards your panties. He doesn't even need to ask you to open your legs, your body voluntarily does it for him.

Your hand fits its way to the back of his head and you grip onto his hair lightly as you feel his hand move across to your underwear. Your tongues still deep in one another's mouths until you let out a soft moan as you feel Charles' finger run over the outside of your panties, applying a little pressure as his fingers runs over your slit.

You can feel him smile triumphantly as he's still kissing you. "Someone's a little excited". His voice is laced with smugness. If it was anyone else it would be a turn off but with Charles it seems to spur you on even more.

He breaks the kiss as he moves his lips along along your jaw line. Your head tilts backwards as another moan escapes your lips. He moves his lips to just below your ear where he nibbles on your skin before making his way up to your ear.

"Were you thinking about me on the way here?" he asks but you're too into the feeling of him touching you down below that you don't answer. "I asked you a question". His voice is more commanding this time, causing you to open your eyes. He's already staring at you, waiting for you to respond.

You nod at him. Fuck, you hadn't felt this submissive to a guy since earlier in your relationship with Lewis. It's been so long since a guy had fucked you senseless that you didn't know how to respond.

"Were you thinking about what it would be like for me to touch you?" He's enjoying this, you're putty in his his hands and he's enjoying every second of it. You don't know how but you're even wetter than before.

But you don't want him to have all of the fun, so you reach out for the bulge that's growing in his pants and give it a squeeze. This time it's his mouth that the moan escapes from.

"I wanted to know what this felt like," you purr into his ear and you're pretty sure you feel him become harder in your hand.

"Where do you want to feel it?" He's trying to regain some sort of control and so he slips two fingers past your panties and into your folds as he begins to rub your clit.

You bit your lip as he try not to moan again but it's becoming harder not to. "In my hands and my mouth," your lip trembles as you answer his question. You're surprising yourself with how much you're enjoying this. For it being the first time you would sleep with someone other than your husband in over six years, you're pretty good at it. But it's the next four words that leave your mouth that surprise you the most, "and in my pussy".

You're not sure if the noice that leaves your mouth is a hiss or a moan as you feel Charles plunge the two fingers that have been rubbing your clit into your pussy. "Shit, Charles!" you gasp as you grip onto his shirt to stop your legs from going from beneath you. You can't look away from his eyes as he start to build some momentum with his fingers.

"Just like that?" he teases you. "You want me to touch you right here?” His thumb now finds its way to your clit. You manage a nod as you find yourself clawing at his chest.

"I want to hear you say it," his voice is getting deeper as the tension is building.

"Yes," you pant. "Just like that, Charles".

The two of you are so lost in the moment. You try to maintain eye contact with him but your eyes are attempting to shut from the pleasure you're feeling. Your vagina is practically throbbing in Charles' hands.

You have forgotten that Charles had other company until one of his friends (Hugo and Ricciardo is what you've been told but this is one with darker hair) innocently walks into the kitchen to grab another drink.

"Shit! Sorry!" he cries as he looks away from the sight of Charles' fingers deep inside you in their kitchen. "Thought you guys were just getting a drink".

You feel your cheeks turn red from embarrassment as you've been caught red handed. But Charles doesn't seem too phased. He's joking with his friend, telling him to "fuck off" in French (that part of French you definitely remember).

His friend says something about getting a beer but Charles is busy so he'll just grab one for Hugo and himself. You've been too embarrassed to engage in the conversation so you've spent the time fiddling with one of the buttons on Charles' shirt.

Once his friend (so that was Ricciardo) has left the kitchen, Charles lifts your chin up so you're looking into his eyes again. "Sorry about that, looks like we got a bit caught up in the moment," you're not sure how he can sound so sweet while he still has his fingers inside of you. "Why don't we got to my room? No chance of them walking in on us there."

"Yeah, sure".

You instantly miss the feeling of Charles' fingers inside of you as he pulls them out before fixing your dress. You each grab your glasses of wine as Charles takes your hand in his and leads you towards his bedroom. Thankfully you manage to avoid bumping into his friends so you don't have to look them in the eye after one of the just saw you being fingered by their friend.

Charles opens a door which you're assuming is his bedroom. As he's about turn the light on, you hear one of his friends call his name from the living room.

"What?" he calls out.

The response you can't quite make out but Charles let's out a little huff before handing you his glass of wine. "I'll just be a minute. Let me deal with these two quickly".

You give him a reassuring smile as he places a kiss on your forehead before going back down the hall. You take the opportunity to have a little look around his room. His room is dark due to the late night but the lights from the street softly filter into his room. You can see the outline of some pictures on his wall. A vintage Ferrari car, a print of the Monaco GP. He's clearly into motor sports. You walk towards the window and look towards the view of the City and Canary Wharf in the distance.

You've been too occupied by the view and having a nosey around Charles' room that you don't hear him come in until you feel his body lightly press against you from behind. You jump a little earning a laugh from Charles.

"Sorry for scaring you, the guys should leave us alone now," he tells you as he takes his glass of wine out of your hand. He takes a sip, eyes firmly on yours before taking your free hand in his.

"Have you been enjoying the view?" he asks you. You're sure he's talking about the view outside but he's hinting towards himself as well.

"Yeah, it's not bad," you say as you lick your lips. "That Monaco GP poster is pretty impressive". You both chuckle at your light teasing.

"Yeah? Well maybe one day I'll get to take you. We can watch it from one of my friends' places back home," he tells you. He places his glass of wine on the window sill so he can cup your face in his hands. His fingers are laced in your hair and he's staring at your lips like he's ready to kiss you again.

"I'd like that," you whisper. You too placing your glass of wine on the window sill before you place a hand on Charles' cheek, the other on his chest, running your fingers across the bare skin that peaks through his top buttons which he's left undone.

You inhale before leaning in to kiss him. This time the kiss is sweet, it feels so delicate and intimate. Your touch is delicate too as you're both just enjoying the feeling of each other.

He gently pulls your bottom lip between his teeth before lightly kissing your lips. Your whole body is starting to tingle at the intimacy, something you've been missing for so long.

"I'm glad you came," his voice is barely a whisper. His hands start to roam the rest of your body. His touch is sexual but mostly intimate. He doesn't need to rip your clothes off, you're here now and he's going to take his time with pleasuring you.

"I'm glad I came too," you whisper. Your head tilting back as Charles' moves his kisses towards your jaw line, slowly down the side of your neck before making his way towards your throat.

"I want to feel your lips all over me," you tell him. You don't care if it sounds desperate because the anticipation growing inside of you is starting to become desperate.

Charles obeys your gentle order and makes his way down towards your collar bones, softly sucking and nibbling on your skin as his fingers make their way to the straps of your dress. He slowly pulls them down over your shoulders as he soothes your now bare skin with his fingers. A whimper leaves your lips.

He continues his movement downwards as he tugs at the material around your chest, lightly yanking it down to reveal your large breasts. He smiles to himself at the sight before him. "Where have you been hiding these?" he chuckles and you can't help but giggle as he starts to massage them.

He's clearly enjoying fondling your breasts but you want his lips on you again and so you place your hand on the back of his head so you can move it towards your body. He knows what you're looking for and so he takes one of your nipples into his mouth, soothing it as it starts to become swollen and sensitive in his mouth. He makes sure to pay attention to your other nipple, massaging it with his thumb.

Your fingers find its way into his hair as you lightly grab onto it. Your eyes shut and your lips are lightly parted from the pleasure.

After enjoying playing with your boobs, Charles can feel his jeans become tighter and more restricted and he's ready to up the intimacy.

"[Y/N], I want you to lie down on the bed," his voice is once again so soft and delicate. You nod as you pass him to get to the bed. You sit down on the edge before laying back, your dress still covering your lower half. You prop yourself up on your elbows so you can watch Charles as he kneels in front of you. He slowly begins to pull your dress down along with your underwear, leaving you completely naked. You feel a little vulnerable, you haven't been this exposed to another man for so long that you feel a little self conscious.

But Charles is giving you no reason to feel that way as he slides your heels off your feet before making his way back up to your legs. He places a hand behind one of your knees before throwing your leg over his shoulder, giving him better access to the area he wants the most.

His mouth is wet as he places sloppy kisses along your thighs before running a single finger between your slit. You're so wet it's almost embarrassing. Charles makes sure your eyes are connected with his before he leans in and places a long, slow lick along your slit.

"Oh fuck," you let out as you lightly grab the bed sheets.

"I've been waiting to taste you all night," you practically flinch at the hot air between your legs. "And it looks like you've been waiting for it too".

You nod, you can barely string a word together unless it's some profanity. He doesn't wait for an answer as he places another long, slow lick on your slit again. This time he doesn't stop to hear you moan. He pushes two of his fingers through your slit to open you up in a scissoring motion so he can get the access he needs before he starts licking your pussy.

"Ohh... Charles!"

As Charles' tongue continues to lap up your juices, the two fingers holding you open make their way further down as he pushes them inside you. His movement inside of you is slow at first, he wants to tease you for as long as possible. But your impatience wins as you lightly close your thighs around his head for him, signalling for him to speed up. Your pussy is practically throbbing for him.

He begins to lick and suck every part of you that he can reach with his mouth as the pace of his fingers picks up.

"Charles, fuck, just like that". You throw your head back in ecstasy, you can no longer maintain eye contact as your eyes shut so you can enjoy the sensation Charles is giving you down below. One of your hands grabs onto his hair as you basically shove his face into your vagina but he doesn't complain. It's easier access for him and he takes every opportunity to increase the amount of pleasure he's giving you.

"Do you like that, baby?" His voice is muffled against you.

"Yes! Oh god, yes!" You really sound desperate now but who could blame you? He's so good at this.

His pace is now relentless and you're not sure how much longer you can handle this before you end up squirting all over his face. The sounds leaving your mouth are now rolling into one long moan and your thighs are beginning to twitch around him.

"Fuck, if you keep it up like this I'm going to cum all over your face," you plead.

His eyes glisten as they look up at you. Satisfied with the mess he's creating in front of him. "I'd have no complaints," his voice vibrates against you once again but he's finished up with is assault on you. You're panting heavily.

As he uses his elbow to lift himself up, you notice that his lips and facial hair are drenched in your juices. He doesn't seem to mind though.

You hadn't noticed he was completely clothed still until he begins to unbutton his shirt, revealing his toned chest. You can't help yourself as you reach out and delicately run your fingers along his torso.

He stares down at you as he begins to take off his belt and jeans. He climbs back onto the bed and places his knees either side of your head as you instinctively reach out and begin to tug at the band of his boxers. Your hand wraps around his dick instantly, hard and fully erect.

Your movements are slow but with intent as you stare up at him and you're about to put him into your mouth but Charles has other ideas.

"No," he says with intent. "Tonight it's all about you". He shuffles back down the bed and places himself between your legs which are still open for him. He rubs his cock a few times before leaning over to place a wet, passionate kiss on your mouth.

You can taste your juices from before. They taste sweet and Charles is clearly enjoying his lips on yours again as he pushes his tongue into your mouth. Missing the feel of him, you join him in rubbing his shaft and continue to stroke him until he's ready.

Once he's ready to be inside of you, he leans back on his heels and rubs his throbbing cock between your folds a few times, causing you both to moan simultaneously.

"Charles, I want you inside of me," it's barely a whisper but you've spent so much of your night thinking about this moment that you can't wait any longer. He doesn't hesitate as he pushes himself inside of you. He lets out a soft moan as he feels you wrap around him.

His first few movements are slow, allowing you both to get used to each other before he starts to build up his pace. The only sounds you can hear is your skin slapping against each other along with your soft whimpers.

That soon changes as Charles' speed and rhythm picks up and he's soon fucking you with some momentum.

"Oh my god, Charles," you've said this so many times tonight but you don't care. Not when he's making you feel like this. He's fucking you harder now as if he's trying to fuck you into the bed. You grab onto any part of him that you can, clawing your nails into his back. You wrap your legs around his waist so he can be closer to you.

He brings you even closer together as he starts to kiss you again. It's sloppy and wet, the complete opposite to the intent of the movements he's making with his hips. You try to maintain the kiss but you're a moaning mess. You haven't been fucked like this in so long and it feels so good, it's almost euphoric.

"Charles, this feels so good," you cry as you hold his face in your hands. "Fuck, [Y/N], you feel so good". He's starting to sound desperate too.

He feels like he's losing his control as he can feel his core tighten with pleasure. He places his hand around your throat and continues to fuck you even harder into the mattress. You really hope his friends are still playing music in the living room as the cry you let out is animalistic.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! I'm so close," you cry and you wrap your legs around him even tighter. Holding onto him for dear life as his rhythm starts to become sloppy, he's getting closer too.

"Ah shit, [Y/N], I'm going to cum any minute".

His hand is still around your throat as he leans down to kiss you again. He wants his mouth on yours as you cum for him. And it only takes another thirty seconds before you're moaning into his mouth and reaching your orgasm.

Charles' moans are becoming louder and more frequent as his movements become even sloppier.

"Where do you want me to cum?" he asks you, panting heavily.

"On my chest".

It only takes him another five thrusts before he's pulling out of you and stroking himself above you. Your hand finds it's way to his cock once more to help him finish and soon his cum is landing on your boobs and chest.

He makes sure he's given you all he has before he collapses onto the bed beside you. You both lay there for a minute or two, trying to catch your breath. Your legs are still trembling slightly and you miss the feeling of him.

It's like he reads your mind as he pulls your body against his. He wraps his arms around you and pulls you onto his chest so he can place a kiss on your forehead.

"That was nice, huh?" You can't help but giggle at his accent.

"Are you laughing at me?" he cries out and you find yourself laughing even harder. You place your hand on his cheek as you look down at him.

"No, it's your accent. I love it," you tell him. "And that was amazing".

You lean down and place soft kiss on his lips. You lay there for a few minutes just placing soft kisses on each other. It feels romantic and as your lips move so intimately against his, you don't realise how this night will change everything.

[greenerteacups]

Hi GT. I hope this message finds you well. I am sending all the good vibes and we'll wishes your way! ♥️♥️♥️ I hope you've had a wonderful summer.

I'm such a big fan of your work. Lioneheart is amazing and has stuck with me for such a long time.

I was wondering if you had any other stories you'd like to explore one day (even if you never get the chance to write them.) Whether it be fanfiction or original work, I was just curious because sometimes I feel as if I have hundreds of stories inside that I could tell, and I am not sure how to pick just one and see it to completion.

First of all, thank you! This is a fun one. I have a few enduring ideas for longfics I may or may not ever write (i.e., ideas that would have been projects already if I didn't have an ongoing longfic). I don't get stuck in them mostly because I try to remind myself that the idealized story you imagine when a concept occurs to you will never actually exist as it does when it's unshackled by the constraints of execution. What you'll get if you actually sit down and hack it out is (1) a real and imperfect piece of writing, and (2) the satisfaction of having written it, which is by far the more reliable source of motivation, if we're being honest. That being said, here are some ideas I've always wanted to explore, if and when I finish Lionheart:

I've always wanted to write a longform canon-divergent Tomione fic about Tom Riddle's 7th year at Hogwarts. Big honking political melodrama ft. the original Knights of Walpurgis, a Triwizard Tournament, and realistically functioning time travel (hence why this one's always been kicked down my list of projects, because writing a time-travel plot is like running through a minefield made of trampolines). I've already got character concepts sketched out for the Hogwarts cast — sooooo many fun ideas for the teenage Walburga. But I'd still need about a week of solid fic preproduction on the plot alone before I was ready to boot up and start writing, and it'd take at least 250k words — closer to 300k, if I'm being honest about myself. So this probably won't see the light of day anytime remotely soon, if ever.

A canon-compliant Dramione war fic, diverging from the Malfoy Manor chapters in Book 7, picking up from a speculative thread I read once about what would happen if the war didn't end after Voldemort died at the Battle of Hogwarts. I've always thought it would be fascinating to see who Hermione and Draco would become if they were actual soldiers in the war (and my disappointment with how Book 7 handled the "war" of it all has been established). That being said, Book 7 of Lionheart will probably give me a lot of similar ideas to chew on, so I don't know what my appetite for this one will be once I'm finished with it.

Durmstrang AU. This one's barely a fic concept so much as it is a mental moodboard — I just want to worldbuild the hell out of Durmstrang. And the international wizarding world, generally. It's a delicious sandbox.

A longform canon-compliant fic or series of fics about the previous generation of Blacks (Sirius/Bellatrix/Narcissa, namely). If you look at the books, there's a huge amount we don't know about the fall of the Blacks. I always found it bizarre that the sisters and Sirius seem to be the only ones left by 1995. No one else has a claim? No one else from this all-powerful wizarding family wants to step in and claim this big honking townhouse in the middle of London? Or its attendant fortune? Dude, what happened? Also, we don't see nearly enough of the Black family melodrama in canon. They lose 4/5 children of a generation in the span of almost single decade. And then (presumably) all of their parents die in the span of another. Goddamn. Just imagine the character work you could do there.

A No Chosen One/Voldemort Wins (The First Time) AU where Hermione never gets her letter, and meets Draco much later in life as a self-taught witch. The dynamics I have in my head for this are really enjoyable, and it would be a chance to finally write Hermione POV, plus the Draco I've cooked up for this universe is [chefs kiss]. I also just love the idea of Hermione as a feral witch-child running around muggle London. I love it a lot.

[thefrogdalorian]

The Best of Both Worlds

Din Djarin x Female Reader Modern!AU

Summary: When a new Star Wars TV show called The Mandalorian premiered, you found yourself completely enamoured with the titular character. Enjoyment of watching the lone bounty hunter travel through the galaxy quickly turned to obsession. There was just something about the show that captured your imagination. Now, you spend much of your free time — when you're not working a fast-paced, minimum wage and incredibly stressful job at a prestigious London Museum— speaking to your online friends about your love for the show. There's just one thing... Despite how much you love The Mandalorian, no one knows the identity of the man behind the helmet... either in the show, or in real life. You only know him as Mando. No one has ever seen his face, no one knows his name.  Even after the countless hours of speculation from fans online, which even you have occasionally participated in, no one is any the wiser to the identity of the mysterious man who wears the shiny armour.  Surely, given the depth of your love for the show, you'd recognise if the man who you spend so much time obsessing over online was to ever cross paths with you. Right?

Content Warnings: Reader is AFAB, uses she/her pronouns and in her mid 20s. Age gap between her and Din is noted but not really central to the story. Grogu is human, hints of past trauma/child abuse before Din adopted him are mentioned but not described in detail. Some mature scenes later on in the fic but not explicit smut... because I just cannot write x reader smut! Author's Note: SO very excited to finally share this fic! Thank you to the lovely @suresnips for being my beta. I really appreciate you ♡ This baby was originally my NaNoWriMo 2023 project and was inspired by this post from @toxic-seduction that I saw one evening and couldn't stop thinking about! POVs will alternate chapter to chapter from Din to reader. It was fun to write that way! Set in London for a few reasons: partly because I love the movie Notting Hill and it has some of those vibes (if you squint), also, the village where Din lives is based on Elstree Studios just outside London, where the OT was filmed and ultimately because NO WAY was I writing a modern!AU set in the states, it would've been painfully obvious a Brit wrote it. While there are lots of references to places in London, I don't live there so it might not be truly accurate (Londoners don't come for me). Also, to be political for a sec, reader works at the British Museum and I hate that institution. This was actually the line of work I was interested in when I was at Uni but for many different reasons I did not pursue it. However, it works for the plot of this story and as you'll see, she doesn't exactly love it either and goes on a few rants. Just wanted to make that clear that her job there is not an endorsement of it or anything. I can't stand them or their historical apologist bs and I wish we would give back all the things we stole (including the Parthenon Marbles)! Finally, it was incredibly important to me that the actor behind Mando in this fic clearly be the fictional character of Din Djarin rather than the real person Pedro Pascal, because rpf is not my jam! I hope I did that pretty well but just wanted to warn that if you're expecting me to use Din as some kind of way to write a Pedro fic, this won't be for you! Okay, I'll shut up now! This fic is fully written, just needs editing so hopefully I'll get a couple of chapters up each week, but life happens. I'm very proud of this one and I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Also if you would like to be added to my taglist for this fic, please let me know! Happy reading ♡

❁ My Masterlist ❁ Read on AO3 ❁

Why Does It Always Rain On Me? [Reader POV]: After a dreadful day which saw you drenched by a rainstorm after leaving a hectic day at work, you reflect on your love for Mando and upcoming excitement for the sci-fi convention you will soon be attending with your internet best friend.

He Is My Only Priority [Din's Pov]: The character of The Mandalorian is known and loved by millions. But there is another, much softer side to the man who portrays him that Din Djarin is determined to keep hidden from the world, despite the challenges that presents for him and his beloved son, Grogu.

This Is Why (I Don't Leave The House) [Reader's POV]: Your internet bestie arrives in preparation for the Star Wars convention you will attend together. Everything is set for the greatest weekend of your life! Until you arrive at the con and find yourself overwhelmed by all the crowds and noise. At least you have numerous incredibly realistic Mando cosplays to distract you from how stressed you feel, and there's one in particular which is uncannily accurate...

Curiosity Killed The Cat [Din's POV]: Despite his reservations and against his better instincts, Din heads to a Star Wars convention that he was invited to. Although he fears that his cover will be blown, curiosity gets the best of Din and he can't resist attending a panel. But Din doesn't exactly find the answers he was looking for. Instead, he finds something far more precious. Something that he would never have expected...

He's So Tall (And Handsome As Hell) [Reader's POV]: Being back in the real world and returning to work after an incredible weekend at the convention where you had so many fun experiences is taking its toll on you. The thought of collapsing on your couch in front of The Mandalorian is the only thing keeping you going. However, the universe has other plans for you. News of an out-of-hours tour for a private client that you are asked to lead almost sends you over the edge, but when you finally meet the man, he is the opposite of what you were expecting. Weirdly, he seems familiar...

With A Little Help From My Friends [Din's POV]: Din returns to the set of The Mandalorian to begin filming a new season. Despite his experience and capability, he finds that he struggles to focus as his thoughts remain firmly fixed on a certain someone...

You're The Sunflower [Reader's POV]: Despite feeling certain that you'll never see the ridiculously handsome man you gave a tour of the museum to, a special delivery is about to change everything...

Your Face Hung Up High In The Gallery [Din's POV]: After a difficult few days of filming The Mandalorian, Din is excited to spend time with you as he finally takes you on your first proper date...

Have I Known You Twenty Seconds or Twenty Years? - (Reader's POV):  Despite a messy evening which led to you waking up in an opulent hotel which you have no memory of falling asleep in, memories of kind brown eyes and breathless kisses soon come flooding back to soothe your soul. Your relationship deepens as the two of you spending time together whenever your busy schedules allow. But one night, a turn of events causes you - despite Din's reassurances - to wonder if everything you have been working so hard to build together has just come crashing down around you...

There's A War Inside Of Me - [Din's POV]: The realities of the secret he is keeping from you begin to weigh heavily on Din's mind and he seeks advice from a certain curly haired co-star on what his next move should be. Things don't go exactly according to plan, not least because of the typically awful English weather...

It Could Be Love, We Could Be The Way Forward - [Reader's POV]: With your respective busy jobs keeping you and Din apart, a mystery date after a hectic day at work is exactly what you needed.

The Calm - [Din's POV]: When filming overruns and conspires to keep Din from the fun weekend he planned for you, he agonises over his decision. Fortunately, he manages to salvage the weekend, even after a calamity involving a rowboat...

The Storm - [Reader's POV]: The happiness you feel in response to a question Din posed to you is somewhat clouded by lingering doubts. Yet your affection for each other helps you to push those emotions down, until a weekend spent at his cottage changes everything...

P.S. - I tried to be inclusive for all body types and skin tones in this fic, but if I missed something, I do apologise. If you do spot something that takes you out of the fic, I am more than happy for constructive criticism as I wouldn't want anyone to be excluded on those grounds. I am always trying to do better and would love to know where I went wrong so I can improve and be more aware of these things going forward, so I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you do spot anything. Thank you so much! ♡

[mmogurl]

In The Shadow of Dragons Chapter 2: Forbidden Fruit

18+ | 3.1k | Daemon Targaryen X Female OC | possessive, protective, objectifying, simping, raunchy Daemon | Uncle / niece incest, Smut, Dragons, Political Intrigue, Plotting, Murder, lots of old timey concepts that don't make a lot of sense today, but are still kind of hot/fun.

The rest of Daemon's night once Ryna leaves. He also spends some time thinking back on the past. Continuing the story from Daemon's POV.

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5 | CH 6 | CH 7 | CH 8 | CH 9 Also on AO3

Daemon drained the last remnants of his chalice, savoring every drop of the wine as it passed his lips. Then, he leaned against the edge of the parapet, allowing the refreshing caress of the night air to sooth his thoughts and quell his lingering passions.

He could still taste her on his lips.

His sweet little niece.

He chuckled softly at the idea that he’d gone from barely being able to speak to her, to the young princess practically begging him to take her maidenhead.

And he would…

But first, if he was to go up against Viserys, he’d have to tread carefully.

He would need to be the perfect, repentant uncle. His brother would have to see Ryna’s affections had curbed his rashness and impulsivity… at least in his eyes. The task at hand was indeed a daunting one, for Daemon would have to win over the King’s favor, which was no small feat.

With an exasperated sigh, he turned and began the journey back inside the castle, his mind consumed with ideas on how to gain his brother’s trust once more. The party was still in full swing when Daemon returned to the Great Hall, but he could tell immediately that tonight might not be the best time for conversation.

His elder brother sat alone in his chair, drinking deep of his wine. He was the King of Westeros, but he looked like nothing more than a drunk wallowing in his cups. Daemon felt an ache in his chest at the sight of what his proud brother had become. Had the Hightower bitch and her ilk brought the King so low in Daemon’s absence these past years?

He knew a simple word from him would have the King’s attention, but as he watched his brother raise the chalice to his lips and pour a generous measure of wine down his throat, he knew no real progress would be made this evening.

Perhaps in the morning with Viserys’ head clear of the effects of the drink, Daemon would be able to speak with him.

Just a moment…

A smile tugged at his lips as he realized that it would be much easier to handle his brother in the morning when his head was likely to be thrumming from the effects of the Arbor red.

Yes, that is precisely what I need.

Daemon glanced around, hoping to lay his eyes upon his little niece, but there was no trace of her among the masses. She’d likely already retired to her chambers for the night, a thought he realized was disappointing. He stepped up to one of the long tables and began preparing a plate of food, his appetite finally getting the better of him.

Once satisfied with his selection of meats, he walked over to the dais and sat down at the edge of the empty table, close to Viserys who sat aside it. Daemon refilled his cup from a carafe that was still nearly full and nodded politely to his brother.

“Finally tired of prowling the countryside for whores, brother?” Viserys bellowed with inebriated enthusiasm.

Perfect.

Daemon laughed gruffly as he chewed the cold meat he’d bitten off. “Not as of late. It grows tiresome having to entertain every desperate widow and wanton maid who seeks a night with the infamous ‘Rogue Prince.’” He took a long swig of his wine before continuing. “It seems that the reputation I’ve built for myself follows me, whether I desire it or not.”

Viserys let out a belly laugh that echoed through the Great Hall. “Don’t dont that you relish in such rumors. You’ve always loved the attention.” The King gave his own thigh a hearty pat, the wine had clearly taken its hold on him. “I admit, I have always enjoyed the tales of your exploits, brother. Especially the one about the two septas!”

“Ah yes, the beautiful and devout septas. I’m sure the Seven above must have heard every single prayer uttered within my chamber that night.” He’d almost forgotten about that particular night, but it wouldn’t help him in the slightest with his current conquest.

“But enough of that, we’re here to celebrate the birth of your grandson.” And my inevitable claim to your daughter. “How goes the realm in my absence, Brother?”

Viserys chuckled, raising his chalice up to his brother, but not before emptying its contents with a quick swig. “Ah, it’s the same as it always is. The great houses squabble amongst themselves like children… And my daughter continues to drive me to an early grave. I confess, I’m not sure what to do with her.”

“Which of my nieces is troubling you?” Daemon asked with the raise of his brow and smirked.

“Both of them,” Viserys groaned with frustration. “I hear nothing but contemptuous rumors about Rhaenyra and Ryna won’t even consider a suitor, always with some excuse about how all lords available are unworthy of her.”

Daemon had to hold back a scoff. She is not wrong.

Instead he hummed in agreement, playing the role of the dutiful brother flawlessly. “It is indeed a pity, dear brother. She has reached the age to marry and has had ample opportunity to choose a husband. As King, her union should be at your prompting, should it not?”

Viserys let out a sound that was something between a snort and a sigh, letting his annoyance show through. “Yes ‘should’ and ‘would’ are two different things, particularly when it comes to my daughter,” he said shaking his head. “Ryna is just as headstrong as her elder sister, even though she is more agreeable on the whole.”

Daemon nodded along as he finished his meal and set the plate aside, knowing only too well of Ryna’s fiery side. The way she had demanded he give up the throne on the battlements had been a stark reminder that she was no longer an entirely docile child. That boldness would prove useful to him though, especially with the plans he had in mind.

She’ll be a willful little wife. One I look forward to taming.

Viserys refilled his chalice and drowned in another helping of wine, his tone growing more somber as he continued. “Ryna is a good girl, but her head is in the clouds when it comes to marriage. I fear that she has an idealistic dream of the perfect match, a husband who will love her and shower her with affection.” He took another long drink. “Such men do not exist, at least not in the ranks of the eligible lords of the realm. But a certain kind of affection can often grow once wed.”

Daemon let a pointed laugh die against his closed lips. No man would cherish sweet little Ryna as much as I, brother. He tried to ignore the pang of jealousy when Viserys mentioned some faceless cunt of a lord touching the princess in any way.

“That does not surprise me. I’m sure my niece will have high hopes for any potential match,” Daemon said with a feigned indifference. “All young girls wish for such a perfect husband, but the princess must consider her duties to the realm.”

Viserys gave Daemon a queer look of surprise, as if he were not expecting his brother to be so reasonable on the subject. “You truly think so? Have all the women you have known desired such a union?” he snickered at the implication. “Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly become a romantic, after all of these years.”

Daemon leaned back in his chair nonchalantly. “Perhaps I have grown tired of bedding whores and have a desire to settle down in my old age…” He reached over for his chalice and took a slow, pensive sip, watching Viserys’ face change as he was clearly caught off guard by such a statement. “I had tried, but the Gods did not see fit to let my last lady-wife persist through childbirth.”

The King nodded mournfully, “Laena… I am sorry brother.” Viserys dragged his chair over to his brother slightly and gave Daemon’s leg a gentle, understanding pat.

“Yes, Laena…” he mused, not wishing to think on the past. “I did care for her. I tried, truly,” he said with a twinge of regret in his tone. “But I simply did not share a love for her like the great love you shared with Aemma. I never shall I suppose, but I still wish I could…” He trailed off, lost in his own thoughts for a moment before looking back to Viserys.

“Aemma was my favored wife, it’s true. I believe it is why I dote on Rhaenyra and Ryna so much. I still miss her terribly, but you cannot simply force a love like that, not with a lady you do not feel it for.” Viserys sighed knowingly before continuing, emotion obvious in his expression. “I was fortunate enough to find my love. Perhaps, even you will find yours one day, Daemon.”

Daemon struggled hard to suppress a smile at that last statement. Oh, I’ve found her already, dear brother. I’ll see that little princess of yours as my wife if it’s the last thing I do. Though that was not a conversation he wished to have tonight.

He feigned a sympathetic smile as he refilled his chalice with dark red wine from the carafe. “Perhaps… Only time will tell.”

The talk between brothers continued, consisting mostly of harmless banter. Daemon did his best to maintain the friendly demeanor, letting his brother babble on and on drunkenly as the hour grew late. With each passing hour, he could see Viserys’ body grow heavier with sleep and inebriation. Though the King continued to fight it, his eyelids grew heavier until he finally relented to the alcohol’s pull. With that he slowly sank back into the chair, his head slowly rolling sideways.

Daemon sniggered as the Hightower bitch shuffled up to the high table, attempting to correct the drunken image he was portraying to his subjects. She snapped for the guards to help her escort the King out of the Great Hall and back to his chambers. Daemon nodded towards Alicent keeping the bare minimum of civility before turning his attention back to the celebration.

There were still a decent amount of guests lingering, laughing amongst themselves or drunkenly stumbling towards the exit. He stood and stretched like a cat, then made to leave the Hall.

He walked with a brisk pace back towards his rooms, trying to quell the anticipation he felt building in his chest. Ryna would be in her chambers now, likely having changed into some comfortable night shift. Daemon had a fondness for sleeping gowns; they were always made of a thin, light material that left nothing to the imagination.

Daemon shook his head trying to dismiss his growing excitement at the thought of all those pretty pale curves, begging to be claimed.

No, no. I must be patient.

He reached the door to his chamber and made quick work of the few latches that secured it. Once inside, he kicked the door shut and began to disrobe, pulling off his leather vest and then his doublet. He changed into a linen tunic, not bothering to fasten the ties, but simply letting the material hang loose. Daemon then laid down on the bed, folding his arms behind his head while he tried to relax into the soft mattress.

“You never once glanced my way.”

Ryna’s words rang in his head, his brow furrowing as he recalled the frenzied distress of her voice and the pain present in her eyes. He had done a good job of hiding his feelings it seemed, at least in recent years. When his little Ryna had still been a child, things had been simpler. Daemon never had to hide his care for the girl, for she reminded him of himself. A second child, always wanting for love and attention and always deprived of it. It was never a hassle to spoil her with gifts and trips whenever he had time to.

It wasn’t until he came back to King’s Landing after his victory in the Stepstones that he first started to notice his youngest niece in a different light. And there was something about his newfound attraction to her that both delighted and disgusted him.

She stood out from the crowd gathered in the Great Hall to witness his return and her blond and silver curls flowing down past her shoulders drew Daemon’s attention almost immediately. He did not even recognize her at first with those pouty, deep pink lips leading straight into a full bosom.

After Viserys accepted him back, he had waited for the right opportunity to approach her, but Rhaenyra had insisted on throwing herself at him every moment she was able. Which of course resulted in uncomfortable glances from both her father and goodmother as she tried to inject herself into a conversation where she did not belong.

But as Rhaenyra and Alicent walked off together and Viserys made conversation with his Hand, Daemon finally found the right moment to speak to her. He approached the young woman who had replaced his niece as she sat alone on a stone bench, nibbling away at a sweet cake. He felt like a stranger to someone once so dear to him and he regretted those four years he’d spent away from King’s Landing most in that moment.

Ryna acted as though not a day had passed and surprised him when she jumped up from her seat and embraced him as though she were still a child. There hadn’t been much in his life that he’d felt wicked for, but the arousal he felt shoot to his groin in that moment was one of them. He knew then he could not stain the memory of someone so pure with such debauched thoughts.

Daemon backed away, not even giving her the gift he had tucked away in his pocket, and he had stayed away from her since. It might have been cruel, for she had tried to approach him so many times after, but he thought it best that he keep his distance. She did not deserve a wolf such as him barking at her heels. He would deny himself this one indulgence.

As he stood beneath the heart tree thinking of what must never come to pass, Rhaenyra approached him once more. She was practically lusting after him, all but saying it out loud how much she desired him. It was then that he realized how similar they were. They were both vicious and willing to do almost anything to get what they wanted. Almost anything.

It dawned on him that perhaps he deserved Rhaenyra. That they deserved each other. And that it would be a means to return to the throne he’d been robbed of. And in that instant, he’d make a foolish mistake. He’d tell himself that what he felt for his first niece was good enough. It wasn’t about love after all, it was about gaining advantage. About producing heirs. She had the same Valyrian blood running through her veins, and she was just as dark as he. Not good and innocent as his precious little sweetling was.

And just as many have been wont to do when aggrieved, he had taken the bait. As she bat her lashes at him, flirting while proudly displaying the necklace he had once given her while she spoke of not wanting to be married off. She might as well have been begging him to marry her instead, but Viserys would never go for it and he knew it well. So he’d stolen her away from the castle at night, brought her out to see the sights, and ultimately ended up in the basement of a brothel with her.

Daemon hadn’t even been sure what his intentions were that night. Perhaps he wished to sully her maidenhood in an attempt to force Viserys’ hand into either self-sabotage or the desired marriage. Or perhaps he just wished to forget, to claim another girl instead of the one he wanted, but dare not touch. Even then, he could not go through with it. He could not even lose himself in Rhaenyra for that golden head of hair reminded him too much of his sweetling.

He had been foolish. He never should have reacted so poorly, but the truth of it was that he had no idea how to handle what he’d felt. Daemon should have simply used restraint in dealing with Ryna, but he’d never been good at resisting temptation. He wasn’t certain he had what it took to control his base desires in the face of such carnal enticements.

Perhaps in the end it had been best that he had run away from it all. He’d learned much about temperance from his marriage to Laena, even if his thoughts had always remained preoccupied with another. And in all those years he spent away, Ryna had grown into a true Valyrian woman, rivaling the beauty of all who came before her.

Earlier that very night, he’d become a few cups deep after hearing the chatter of several lords that had been vying for his sweetling’s hand. The sickening rumors that the King would be forcing her to wed brought him out to the battlements to sulk. But, when he saw her parade out in front of him, dressed in a beautiful blue gown with her hair glimmering in the moonlight, he decided he could no longer hold back. He must approach her, revisit the feeling that had kept him away for so long and see if it still made him feel like a disgusting cad.

He was more than overjoyed when it did not.

It might have been that enough time had passed and he no longer recalled her so vividly as the child she once was, or perhaps it was the thought of losing her forever to another man that finally allowed him to be free of his shame.

Then there was the very way Ryna had responded to him so eagerly. He supposed that alone was enough to chase away the doubts he’d been harboring. She was his and had always been his. His niece had been meant for him and him alone.

Daemon sighed heavily, thinking of the way her lips had felt against his. How flawless her porcelain skin was and how soft her thighs felt beneath his fingers. He could feel his cock growing rigid as he began to drift off, the wine finally doing him in. Read Chapter 3

[creedslove]

DESERVE IT - PART FOURTEEN

Javier Peña x f!reader

Summary: Dinner goes wrong when Murphy can't control his anger over Javi's association with Los Pepes and uses you as a way to offend him. Javier isn't pleased and ends up taking out on you

Warnings: incorrect narcos plot, angst, hurt, offense, asshole!steve murphy, asshole!javier peña, mentions of break up, insinuations of cheating, smut, oral sex (f!receiving)

A/N: Hi besties, I hope you will like this chapter. I don't know how I feel about it, I liked some parts and hated other parts, but I feel it was necessary to the story and well asshole!javi is back, so enjoy!!! 🥺

• PART ONE TO THIRTEEN ON MY MASTERLIST

5k words

Olivia chewed her food slowly, her content face as she savored the mashed potatoes and well-cooked veggies and very so often shot you and Javi adorable little smiles. She was an adorable child, eating her own food which you also prepared, while the adults enjoyed their Italian and the bottles of wine.

You had already finished one with Connie before the boys arrived, so you really knew you should stop yourself right there. You definitely didn't want to wake up vomiting all your way to work, you were definitely not ready to have Javier holding your hair back while you emptied your stomach in front of him. You knew he would do it without complaining, just as you would do it for him if he ever needed it, but you got really embarrassed at the thought of it. It wasn't a very sexy image. You were also in no mood to face any pregnancy jokes, because it seemed women were only designed to have one condition which implied growing a child in their womb, especially at your work environment where it was dominated mostly by men and their narrow points of view or women like Colleen who would love to overhear a juicy gossip and spread it through the country even if it had no proof of it being real.

And the third reason was because death would probably be sweeter than facing a hangover in the Colombian heat.

So when Murphy offered you another glass, you politely declined, helping yourself to another slice of lasagna, hoping you could filter the alcohol in your blood by putting something in your stomach.

He shot a glance and raised the bottle at Javi who also shook his head, which you thought was odd. Javier Peña never refused a chance to get intoxicated in alcohol.

You went back to focusing on Connie's story, though Javier's hand was restless on your thigh. That wasn't common of him either. Of course he had the habit of touching you, but he usually just rested his hand on your skin, however, you could feel how he squeezed your thigh softly, you didn't mind it at all, but you knew him enough to tell it wasn't normal. There was something bothering him, but not only him, Steve was also bothered, angry even, as he very often made snarky remarks towards your boyfriend. It wasn't unusual for the two agents to have conflicts concerning work, both of them were stubborn as a mule and if they didn't agree on something, things could get bad between them, but at the same time, they always managed to leave their work beefs at work, so whatever happened must've really angered Steve.

Javi took a deep breath, side glancing at you as you ate. He was hoping you would be satisfied enough so he could come up with any excuse to go home, at the same time he didn't want to rush you, it wasn't your fault he was a dumbass who only took bad decisions in life, well, not only bad ones, you were the living proof Javier could get some things right, but other than you, the rest was just a long shot.

When Steve mentioned something about work, Javi began to restlessly trace patterns on your skin. It was as if he had gotten into a nervous state, though you didn't get what exactly happened, it was like the two of them had an inside joke going on, one that was not funny at all.

You then remembered your interaction earlier that morning, when you put on his shirt and Javi had told you he was going to wear that during his meeting with Messina and you immediately relaxed at the same time you felt your cheeks and the tips of your ears heating up at the immediate memory that flooded you of what came after he had mentioned the shirt. The way he'd gripped your neck, touched you and filled you up with every inch of himself. It felt like you had been lost in paradise. Also, it became a fair assumption the discomfort between the two agents was their boss's doing. She must have been feral on them during their meeting and Murphy probably blamed it on Javier, or Javier blamed it on Murphy like they usually did.

The tension you felt dissolved completely and you actually enjoyed your boyfriend's little touches under the table, they weren't erotic, - Javier wouldn't do that. Yes, he was the kind of guy who would definitely finger you under the table in a crowded place, but no, he would never even consider doing that if there were any kids nearby. But the touches were intimate, affectionate. You bit your lips, pretending you were listening to every single sentence in that conversation, but in reality you were trying to distinguish what exactly Javier's finger was invisibly drawing on your skin, you could feel steady lines, following a rhythm order and you couldn't help but smile big when you finally broke the code.

P

E

Ñ

A

That's what his fingers traced on your thigh.

It was so silly and childish, and yet a sweet reminder of your relationship. He marked you as his even unconsciously. You couldn't lie at all, it felt pretty good.

Olivia yawned big and felt her little eyes closing on their own as sleep became so intense she couldn't keep her little head from hanging low. Connie chuckled as she noticed her daughter being so sleepy and immediately got up, picking her up gently and disappearing into one of the rooms of the apartment.

Murphy took the opportunity his wife and daughter weren't in the room any longer and smirked as he raised yet another glass of wine towards you before killing it in one sip.

"So, Y/N… you and Javi are a thing, for real now, huh? Remember just how a few months ago he was a real dick to you? He treated you like absolute shit and even fucked a hooker that looked just like you, or so I heard…" he laughed softly "good thing you are a real sweet thing and you can overcome those ups and downs in your relationship, because trust me, sweetie, I'll really need this resilience"

Just as shock was everything that went through your body, anger was the only thing that ran through Javier's veins. You both could tell Steve was drunk from the amount of wine he'd had, but he should've known better than to bring shit up like that. It was none of his business, and still quite of a gray area for the two of you as you had pretty much ignored it and pretended it never happened, when in reality you just hoped everyone else would do the same. It had already been pretty humiliating and painful as it was and you definitely didn't need anyone, let alone Steve bringing that up.

Javier slammed his hands on the table, immediately getting up and pointing a finger at Steve's temporary madness. It was one thing if he was pissed off at him. If he wanted to punch Javier in the face he could even do it and Javi would definitely not give two shits about it, but teasing you and bringing you into that situation, that was too much for him.

"Shut the fuck up right now, Steve. Why are you even saying shit like that? I made a lot of mistakes but this is none of your fucking business, I don't talk about your personal life, so why are you doing this to us? To her?" He pointed at you, as you kept your head low, you felt so ashamed at that moment, still clueless to why such thing had been brought up like that, but Steve didn't care at all.

"Sorry Y/N, didn't mean to embarrass you, but I was also wondering if you know your wonderful boyfriend is being threatened by the head of the Los Pepes death squad? Do you know she has promised to end his career in the DEA by going to the american press?" He asked "can you believe that?"

You didn't say anything at the same time Javier's voice filled the room initiating an argument with Steve, hoping he would stop talking.

"Here's a great idea, Jav… instead of jeopardizing our entire mission, you could give in to your impulses and fuck Judy, maybe it will help us all… I'm sure Y/N wouldn't mind, deep down she knows she can't expect much from you… or maybe she would understand perfectly, I'm sure she would take this bullet for the team"

You didn't know why Steve was acting that way, why he was suddenly so angry, you could understand his frustration, of course but it didn't explain why he decided to use you as a target to hit Javier. He could have just talked about his posture as a cop, insist on argumenting how wrong associating with that squad was, but using personal elements to provoke Javier was too much.

"Why are you doing this Steve?" You finally raised your head and stared at him, your cheeks already wet with tears you couldn't control at the anger and shame of being treated that way by someone you thought was your friend.

You could have raised your voice, defended Javier, defended your relationship with him, but you felt so weak and small at that moment, as if you were just a stupid little girl who fell for the Romeo's cheap tricks. You knew you couldn't let Javier's past intrude your relationship, he had changed, he wasn't that jerk anymore, he was a good man, actually he had always been a good man but he didn't believe in himself. You believed in him and that made him believe as well, and that was why your relationship was working so perfectly, but no one, and especially no one you considered a friend had the right to bring those things up. It was mean, hurtful and you felt you couldn't stay there any longer. If Murphy had a problem with Javier, he should solve it with him, and not drag you into the eye of the storm.

You got up and grabbed your coat, walking to the door at the same time Connie returned from the room and watched the warzone her dining room became. She didn't understand why Javier was screaming at Steve at the same time her husband pointed at you and mumbled something she couldn't actually understand and you cried, but she knew it wasn't good.

She called your name, trying to make you stop, wanting to talk to you and ask you what was going on, but you turned your back to everyone and walked away, running downstairs and locking yourself up in your apartment.

Javier on the other hand was livid, he wanted nothing more than throw punches at Steve, he didn't understand where that attack came from, Javi knew he had all the right to be pissed at the Los Pepes association but that should have been handled in the office and not during a double dinner date, and not by attacking and teasing his girlfriend. Javi also knew it was the only way he would get a reaction from him. If Steve had said anything about Javier, he would have probably shrugged it off, but the moment he brought you into the deal then Javi got angry. To the point he didn't know any better and finally punched his friend, feeling Murphy's face under his fist and blood immediately soaking his pained knuckles. He didn't want things to go like that, but it was partially if not mostly Steve's fault for acting like a dick around them all.

Murphy immediately fought back, throwing a punch at Javi, who groaned and was ready to get back at the other man once more if it weren't for Connie screaming for them to stop. She was terrified, in all the years they'd been together, she'd never seen her husband act like that and especially not towards his partner.

She desperately asked them to stop, but Steve seemed to only had fallen back into his senses when Olivia also screamed in fear, so scared at the commotion happening in the living room and snapping her away from her sweet dreams.

Murphy finally stopped and looked at his wife's shocked face, then looked back at Peña, who was panting and wiping the sweat off his face.

"See the shit you did, Javier? You can never do anything right!" He said angrily and paced the living room, "my daughter's crying now, scared because of your fucking scene!!! Not that you understand what that means, because you are never gonna have that, Javier. Never! You'll screw up just like you did with your job, I don't even know why you still try it!"

•••

Javier immediately left the apartment and ran downstairs, the whole environment was suffocating him, but not as much as Steve's words. He knew people didn't take him seriously, not his friends, not his partners at work, not his hometown and not even his dad. And he never really cared about it, or the part of him that actually cared was long gone and buried. It was easier to handle things that way, Javier taught himself.

But lately he had learned to trust a little more in himself, because you had faith in him, you were the only good thing he had in life and he hated himself to be brutally reminded he didn't deserve you like that, he hated how you left the room crying, disappointment after disappointment. Of course to some extent blaming it on Steve was the logical attitude, but if it weren't for himself, there would be nothing Steve could have used against you. He had done all those things, he had humiliated you with a fucking prostitute, not only that, one that looked just like you, it was disgusting and low, and he honestly didn't know why or how you had forgiven him.

Even if the whole death squad drama didn't happen, you would still have to face shame for the rest of your life just because of the mere fact of being with him. It didn't matter where you went, if it was Colombia or Laredo, people would always point fingers at you, whispering and laughing at the fact you chose Javier Peña.

He wanted to disappear at that moment, it weighed so heavy in his chest, he felt so guilty and ashamed of himself.

At the same time he needed to see you, he wanted to avoid you. He hoped you weren't so upset, so broken at what happened, you were such a strong girl, but even he could tell Steve stroked a delicate point.

He stood in front of his apartment and opened the door, walking inside and calling your name, having no answer and swallowing hard, as he knew instantly you were back at your place. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply, a bad feeling taking over him as his heart raced at the absence of you.

He turned around and went for your apartment instead, an anger filling his body, running through his veins. He knew he couldn't just aim his anger with Steve at you nor his self-hatred, but god, it made his blood boil not to find you there. All that talk about love, partnership and understanding just went to shit because of Steve's tantrum?

He didn't knock, instead he used his own key and burst the door open, making you jump off the couch startled. You sniffed as your eyes were red and puffy, being obvious you'd been crying for the past half an hour.

You looked at him, not liking how dark his expression was, he wasn't looking at you with soft, loving eyes, you could see the burning rage and you didn't know what else had happened, but you trusted he wasn't going to be childish and take it on you.

"What now?" He asked and folded his arms "is it because of Judy and her threats? Or is it still because of the hooker?" He asked annoyed and looked at you up and down. He was just so angry, at any other time, he would have wrapped his arms around your body, pulled you closer and made you forget all about what was hurting you, but at that moment, Javier's feelings were a turmoil and he couldn't control them.

You dried your tears and walked to him "why are you being so rude? It's not my fault" you said and stared at him, why Javier was snapping like that was beyond you.

Javier scoffed and shook his head "I'm not being rude, I just asked you a question, are you gonna cry about that too, Y/N? I thought all that talk about forgiving and believing I was a better man was real, but every single time something about my past comes up you're gonna cry like that?" He was visibly impatient at the same time he was willing to give everything in order to shut himself up before he could screw things up.

You frowned and shook your head "yeah, I meant all that when I said I believed you, and that I trusted you could be a better man, Javi… you are a good man" you said "but this is not the way of talking to me, it hurts Javi… I don't hold it against you, but it does hurt… it is something you did to hurt my feelings and you knew it… and now with Los Pepes… you are in danger, your career Javi… what if they try to kill you?" You blinked some more tears, but his expression was indecipherable.

He scoffed again and looked at you

"It doesn't make any sense, there's nothing any of us can do about it, cariño. I've always been a bad guy, too bad you couldn't see it, or you saw it and that was why you liked it so much"

Come on, Javier, don't say it.

He begged himself and bit his lower lip softly

"I don't think this will work, Y/N…"

You shook your head and took a step closer to Javier, he couldn't just regress to what he was before, no, you two had made such progress, you were so in love with each other, he couldn't just do what you thought he was about to.

"What are you talking about, Javi? It is working between us" you said as your breath accelerated and the blood in your ears almost made it hard for you to hear.

"It is working, but it's not gonna work in the long run Y/N"

"Are you breaking up with me?" Your voice cracked as you stared into his eyes.

No, never. He thought. He couldn't hold himself back now, he had made so much progress he was just so happy, he just wanted to fall on his knees and show you he was yours and only yours. But he didn't.

"Fuck this"

He said and turned around, walking out the door.

•••

You didn't keep track of how long you were crying by yourself. You couldn't believe and wrap your head around what happened. Just as you had got Javi, you had made plans with him, you had envisioned and fantasized a life of happiness and love with him, moving into his ranch, living your life next to him, maybe getting married one day and even maybe bringing a baby into the picture, all of that, it seemed so real to you and just like that he walked away from you.

Anyone could see it coming, but you couldn't, because they didn't know Javi the way you did, they didn't love him the way you did and they didn't know he loved you the way you did. He was so affectionate, so in love, always in need of touching and feeling you next to himself, he couldn't just walk away from you. Yeah, what had happened was bad, but all the path you walked together couldn't be undone just by one simple occasion. Steve's words couldn't be that powerful, could they? Or Javi wouldn't just break your heart with that stupid excuse of keeping you safe or because he knew you deserved better. That grew old, you didn't buy anymore. One part of you didn't believe your Javi, your lovely handsome boyfriend would ever do that, but on the other hand that was exactly what it looked like. He had just walked away with no further explanation.

You felt so lost, so alone as if the ground had disappeared off your feet and you desperately needed to find a grip back to reality. The beautiful moment you lived with him couldn't be over just yet, you couldn't accept that was ever all you would get of him because the cold truth snapped you away from the fairytale you lived for the past two months.

Those two months of pure happiness and bliss, of affection and amazing sex couldn't be the only thing to your relationship with Javi, because you were certain those two months would ruin the rest of your life, you would never be able to be happy again.

You desperately felt the need of being close to him, even if he had just left you wanted to feel his warmth, his embrace, smell his cologne, you wanted to cup his cheeks and make sure he was real, he was still yours.

So you didn't think twice before walking into his apartment. It was where you were supposed to be sleeping, where you should be tangling yourself into his body in bed, naked, rapid breathing and rhythm moves bringing the two of you to the bliss you craved so much with your man. Everything about that place hurt when you stepped inside. It had become so cozy, your true home, more than your own apartment and yet, the desperate possibility of not having free access to it every single day just made your heart tighten in your chest.

You didn't know where Javi went, a teeny tiny little part of your brain tried haunting you, planting the jealousy and anxiety seed, reminding you of all the shady sketchy places he often went to to pick up women before getting with you, but you quickly dismissed it. You had hopes it wasn't nothing but a misunderstanding, and even if it weren't, you thought Javier was better than that. Chances were he just went out to some bar to get drunk and forget that night ever existed, and it was what you should do too. If he had the right to low-key break up with you and go get drunk, then you also had the right to forget.

With the exception you we're already tipsy from all the wine you had had earlier, before everything went to shit, and that you were in Colombia and that was definitely not a safe place for a woman to walk alone at night.

Also, the fact you weren't a DEA agent carrying a gun for protection weighed on it.

A gun.

A gut feeling told you to immediately look for Javi's badge and gun, if he had left them at home, it meant he left for a bar or somewhere else, though you really didn't want to even think of that hypothesis.

You shook your head and got off his bed, going to the safe place he kept them both and opened it, finding it completely empty.

Your mouth went completely dry.

He had taken his gun and that could only mean problem.

When Javier drove back home he wanted to punch and kick himself for being that stupid. He couldn't even begin to explain to himself all the things he did wrong. Was it jeopardizing a whole investigation by allowing a death squad to finish the enemies they had in common? Was it letting his temper get in the way of his friendship? Yeah, Steve was a douche and he deserved that punch, not only for himself but for embarrassing you like that. As Javi had thought over and over: Steve could have talked about anything about Javier, but not about you. Not when you were so good to them, not when you were his girlfriend and Steve's friend. It was mean, cruel even and also a cowardly move coming from him. But now, thinking clearer, Javier knew he could have handled things better, maybe he could have just left and let the soberness of morning light handle the situation better. It would've been wiser to do that.

But out of all the bad things Javier did that night, definitely his attempt of pushing you away was the cherry on top of the cake.

He didn't know what had got into him, the whole situation led him to an unbelievable anger, one he should have aimed at anyone but you, because you were the only good thing in his life, you were the one who made it all worth it, you were the one he loved and wanted to have a future with.

And yet, he acted like a real bastard. He purposely hurt you, he left you in the dark and now he was terrified you had taken things to the letter, he just didn't know what he was going to do if you walked out of his life. If you did it, he would deserve it, but he was sure he would die.

Javi parked and got out of the car, his head pounding at the adrenaline and the booze, the punch, the stress and the fear of being alone. He sighed, he shouldn't have done any of the things he did that night, especially not after he grabbed his gun and left, but he saw no other way out. Javier took a look at your apartment door, you were probably there, asleep or crying yourself to sleep, as everything was dark and silent, so he just entered his place, knowing it would be just as dark and empty as it was the first day he moved in.

And you were there.

You were there as if nothing had happened, as if you hadn't been treated like shit by Steve first and then by Javier himself. He just couldn't believe it.

"Y/N…" he whispered and walked to you, seeing your puffy eyes, the tears caused by him, still present. You were still wearing the same dress as earlier, and god, you looked gorgeous, he wished he had told you before. When you were still having dinner with your friends, when he had his hand on your thigh, tracing his own name on your skin.

You didn't move, as you watched him walk towards you, you didn't see the storm in his eyes anymore, but you didn't see the joy in them, they were empty, sad… red.. was Javier tearing up? No, you must've been seeing things, you had never seen Javi cry.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of disappointment in himself, he knew what that scene looked like, even if he still carried his badge and gun, anyone who'd met him before would've guess he had taken a quick trip to a brothel and he felt ashamed of that, of himself and the fact people would always either laugh at you or would pity you for it.

"You're probably thinking I went to a whorehouse or something… Y/N I-"

You cut him off, shaking your head and whispering no repeatedly. Even if, yes, for a split second your anxiety made you consider the hypothesis, but you dismissed it right away, others could think whatever they wanted of Javi, but you knew him. You trusted him.

"No, Javi… I think better of you, I think the world of you and I trust you you wouldn't do this to me"

And that broke Javi.

Because you were too kind, you were too good for him, you were everything he didn't deserve it.

You always assumed the best of him, and he could never find anyone better than you. He wasn't in a whorehouse, he was at a whore's house. He went over to Judy Mocada's and against any better judgment he pointed a gun at her head, how her sicarios didn't kill him on the act, he would never know, but she thought it was intriguing, amusing even. What made a DEA agent hold her at gunpoint in the middle of the night definitely caught her attention.

He had made her an offer, she agreed and he needed to wait for her at the Embassy the next day. A part of him knew it was easy, too easy, actually, but he didn't care at that moment. In fact, he felt he should've blown up her head when he had the chance to.

And then he just wanted to go home and pick up the pieces of what he'd shattered.

And there you were, being too kind to him, being too loving, too affectionate. It just showed him little of a person he really was.

And standing right next to you, Javi felt onto his knees. His head looking up at you, all the love and admiration back in those beautiful brown eyes, his arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you closer.

"Soy un perro a tus pies"

Javier told you, his breathing was uneven as he waited for an answer that never came. You didn't have words to tell him, after all that happened in just one night you didn't know what to say. So instead, he decided to apologize to you in the best way he knew, the way he could speak beautifully without any words.

He sank his face into your core, lifting your dress up and quickly pulling your panties to the side. He lips didn't tease when they wrapped around your clit and sucked on it, feeling your characteristic warmth, your taste, and when your moans filled the room and your fingers ran through his hair, tugging and gripping at them, he thought that maybe and just maybe things would be alright again.

_____

A/N: it was a hard chapter to write, but it felt necessary to the story, I didn't want to ruin Javi's character development but I also wanted to show that deep down he is still the same insecure handsome broken agent we came to love 🥺🥺🥺

[bloopitynoot]

12 Wangxian Time-Travel Fix-it Fics

This rec list had the majority votes on my wangXian rec list poll, and honestly I didn't even realize how many fantastic time-travel fics I had collected.

Note: all of these fics are tried and true; meaning I have vetted, read, and cherish all of them. If you would like a personalized rec list theme for Wangxian DM me, I love making these lists!

These time travel fix-its all focus on Wangxian in particular though the time travelers vary (and the time plot varies).

I tried to keep the choices expansive; the plots are all wildly different, the ratings vary, and tone of the fics ranges from crack to Angst Angst Angst.

I hope you enjoy!

1 Lynchpin (103005 words) by ShanaStoryteller

Chapters: 12/12 Rating: Not Rated Additional Tags: Time Travel, Fix-It, jiang cheng fixes everything through the power of brotherly love, knowing everyone's secrets helps too Summary: He can’t get Jin Guangyao’s words out of his head. If he’d only believed in Wei Wuxian, if he’d only been willing to stand up for him, could it all have been avoided?

NOTES: This was a SOLID Yummengbros fix. I loved that it was Jiang Cheng who went back to fix the plot. This fix it starts with the canon we know in the end; WY and his husband in cloud recesses, Jin Ling being prepared to lead the Jin's, and Jiang Cheng alone. It is a solid time travel fix and I love that it is Jiang Cheng led.

2 Lan Jingyi (Accidently) Discovers Time Travel (31719 words) by Waffles95

Chapters: 12/12 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Fix-It of Sorts, Not Beta Read, Self-Indulgent, POV Multiple Summary: In a universe where Lan Jingyi is Lan Xichen’s biological son, he messes up Wei Wuxian’s experimental array and sends himself and his siblings to the past. With the help of their family, they must figure out how to get back home or be stuck there forever.

NOTES: Lan Jingyi is one of Xichen's biological children (and Jingyi has some troublesome siblings lol), he finds one of his siblings experimenting with an array and the kids are transported back in time. Now he has to take care of his siblings, figure out a way back, and do a little match making on the side. this is a silly little fic, a great pick-me-up read. Note: this is more of an alt timeline rather than a time travel fix-it but it really is close enough.

3 if you can't beat them, recruit them (228416 words) by moeblobmegane

Chapters: 48/48 Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Conspiracy, Spies & Secret Agents, Team as Family, Found Family, Burial Mounds, Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Pining, Morally Ambiguous Character, Rumors, Politics, Background JZX/JYL, Developing Friendships, Good Uncle Lan Qiren, Demonic Cultivation (Modao Zushi), YilingWei Sect Series: Part 1 of wwx time travels and accidentally creates a platonic harem Summary: Rather than mourning a future that had not happened yet, he would rather work with all his might to prevent it from happening. […] His aim was to fortify his home and his family so that they would never again be left vulnerable to greedy cultivators aiming for his genius. For that, he needed help. He may be a genius, but he was not the cunning manipulative man they thought him to be. No, that was not him. He knew who was, though.   (Or: Wei Wuxian uses a powerful array to go back in time and builds a secret squad to prevent the misfortunes of the future.)

NOTES: Oh man I love this fic so much. This fic does start off really damn sad, but it ends up positive! Wei Ying really goes through it at the beginning, this boy has compound trauma for sure. The real reason I love this fic is that Wei Ying is over here with sheer determination, future knowledge, AND has been recruiting the 'villains' the entire time. Such a solid fic.

4All of Our Memories Gather (72700 words) by geethr75

Chapters: 43/43 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst, Heavy Angst, Fix-It, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, not Jin Guangyao friendly, not jin guangshan friendly, Not Su She friendly, Not Xue Yang friendly, jin ling and his jiujiu, Golden Core Transfer (Modao Zushi), Golden Core Reveal (Modao Zushi), Canon Rewrite, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin-centric, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen-centric, jiang cheng friendly, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin & Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji Friendship, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin & Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Reconciliation, Established Relationship, established xicheng, Depression, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, canon can go fuck itself, let my boys be happy, Good Sibling Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Good Sibling Jiang Yanli, Good Sibling Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Good Sibling Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Good Sibling Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Good Uncle Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Good Uncle Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Good Uncle Lan Qiren, Good Nephew Jin Ling | Jin Rulan, Major character death - Freeform, only Jiāng Chéng enthusiasts allowed, Let's give Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen nice things, Don't Like Don't Read, Queernormative society Series: Part 18 of MDZS AUs, Part 12 of Xicheng AUs, Part 3 of MDZS Time Travel fix-it, Part 1 of Xicheng post canon time travel etc, Part 1 of Xicheng fix it Summary: Twelve years after the events of Guanyin temple, Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen are married and contemplating retirement when they along with their nephews somehow find themselves in the past immediately after the Sunshot campaign. They have to start over, and this time make different choices with the help of their nephews, and make sure that everyone they lost last time will stay alive this time Warning: THIS FIC IS NOT JGY FRIENDLY EXTREMELY JIANG CHENG FRIENDLY

NOTES: This is the crack I live for. I struggled to keep a straight face through so much of this, I could not stop laughing. JC and LXC are married and grossly in love but get yeeted into the past. These two do not even hide the fact that they are smitten and it truly makes everyone around them wonder if they are well. The plot was so fun (though there is some angst because they do have to fix-it) and it does include Wangxian matchmaking I promise LOL.

5 A Narrow Bridge (700193 words) by FrameofMind, Jo Lasalle

Chapters: 58/58 Rating: Explicit Characters: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Wen Qing (Modao Zushi) Additional Tags: Time Travel, Fix-It, Time Travel Fix-It, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Getting Together, First Time, Pining, Pining while fucking, Burial Mounds Settlement Days (Modao Zushi), Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Ending, CQL Verse, almost everybody lives/almost nobody dies, epistolary-ish, canon-ish side pairings, radishes Summary: Once, Lan Wangji made a choice to step aside. Ten years after Wei Ying’s death, he finds a way back to choose again.

NOTES: I am not going to lie, I did cry through almost all of this; for various reasons. This fic is mostly Lan Zhan struggling through grief or later because of the price he pays to fix the situation. It is written beautifully, it is deeply sad, but the ending is truly gorgeous. This is such an incredible piece of writing I cannot express- but please have tissues on standby.

6 And Time Is But a Paper Moon (139032 words) by sami

Chapters: 39/39 Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Additional Tags: wangxian and qingxicheng are both featured, Asexual Jiang Cheng, Asexual Lan Xichen, Asexual Wēn Qíng, Asexual Character, canon AU, Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It, Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, unless I hate them, Healing, Mental Health Issues, PTSD, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Depression, BAMF Wei Wuxian, BAMF Jiang Cheng, BAMF Lan Wangji, BAMF Jiang Yanli, Wen Qing is a queen in any reality, Jin Zixuan has had it with his father's shit, Lan Qiren has just had it, Wei Wuxian/self-destructive tendencies, Lan Xichen/healing/happiness 2k20, Jiang Cheng/healing/happiness 2k20, First Time, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hugs, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Sharing a Bed, Mentions of Rape, see Qin Su and Mo Xuanyu's existence, Jiang FengMian's A+ parenting, Yu Ziyuan's A+ Parenting, it's okay everybody, everything's going to be okay I promise Series: Part 1 of The Same Moon Shines Summary: "Zewu-Jun. You once told me about a house surrounded by gentians, where you visited once a month, and how Lan Zhan still waited there, even when the door no longer opened." Xichen feels light-headed. He feels shocked, and angry. He has never told anyone such a thing, but Lan Zhan is giving Xichen a look of utter betrayal. "You told him?" Lan Zhan whispers. "When?" Wei Wuxian takes Lan Zhan's hand. "About twenty years from now." Wei Wuxian starts again from the beginning. (Spanish translation on Wattpad.) (Russian translation.)

NOTES: I have shared this series so many times, but I will do it again. This is SO SO good. The series is long and evolves into other series and all of them set in the same universe. If you have a solid 2 weeks of vacation sit down and read all the parts. None of it will be disappointing. What I like about this time travel piece is that from near the beginning the people who need to know already understand that there is future intel. Anyways read it!!!!

7 Whatever it takes (115009 words) by Moonlit_dewdrops

Chapters: 35/35 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, yunmeng prides, POV Jiang Cheng, POV Wei WuXian, Wen Qing and Wen Ning live, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng actually communicate, Yunmeng Siblings fluff, But Also Some Angst, Lots of WangXian moments, Protective Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Protective Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Jin Guangshan and Jin Zixun will die for sure, Nie Mingjue Lives, Twin Prides of Yunmeng Feels, Slow burn but not for Wangxian, Brotherhood, justice for the wen remnants, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan Live, Wen Remnants Live (Modao Zushi), Cinnamon Roll Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Wēn Qíng Lives and Wen Ning (Módào Zǔshī), Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Cannibalism, reference to wwx's suicide, No beta we die like wwx, Established Relationship, Torture Summary: Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian are sent back to the past. This time, they can save everyone they love. They can make the right choices. They can learn to trust one another. However, everything comes with a price.

NOTES: Eeeeep another Yummengbros fic- this time they go into the past together and fix the plot. Also the growth that Wei Ying brings to Wangxian in this (yes, he did need to live like 2 full lives to learn to communicate but it pans out in attempt 3) is so scrumptious. They do so well for Wangxian communication. Overall this fic is a good brotherly bonding + fix it.

8 Building a home (586482 words) by R95irth

Chapters: 110/110 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Okay maybe some will die, Some like Wen Chao?, Angst with a Happy Ending, Horror, Nightmares, Canon-Typical Violence, Complete list of ships in the serie summary, Family Fluff, Found Family, Babies, Untamed heroes are babies, Basically only no-canon-named people or bad people might die?, Like the trope but also lost and found family in the literal sense, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, but not done by the Lotus Pier squad, Also JGS exists so canon related things linked to him, Same goes for Lan parents Series: Part 1 of Home is where your heart is Summary: This was supposed to be an easy night hunt. They left Wei Ying at an Inn, and wanted to be back before sunrise. Instead they find themselves at the door of Lotus Pier, in the middle of the night, wounded, and their son, their beautiful son, injured. Things did not go as planned. Maybe, because, it is time to change their plan. Maybe it is time to stop wandering, to stop running away from the man they hurt, maybe it's time to heal. Maybe it is time to build a home.   It's over!! See you on Burning roofs : the next installement!! Spanish translation is now available : https://archiveofourown.org/works/28693317 Russian translation is now available : https://ficbook.net/readfic/11789571

NOTES: I cannot tell you how invested I am in this plot. There is a part 2 in the works but the writer is on a bit of a leave (they do see comments though so if you do read and enjoy make sure you tell them :'3). This is such a cool premise, Wei Ying's parents live, injured but in lotus pier, shenanigan's are happening in the cultivation world, Wangxian meet as children, and there is a strange dark presence that keeps infiltrating dreams. This fic technically has time travel but I am not giving anything away!

9 A Matter of Time (41251 words) by mrcformoso

Chapters: 8/8 Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage Additional Tags: Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, POV Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, POV Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Dark Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Top Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Bottom Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan goes crazy, Manipulation, Grooming, Except Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are physically the same age, but Lan Zhan kept his 30 year old mind, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Get a Happy Ending, Consensual Underage Sex, Except problematic please read warning in first chapter, Blood and Violence, Insane Lan zhan, Manic Lan Zhan, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Conditioning, Come Eating, Come Swallowing, Anal Fingering, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian is a Lan, Minor Character Death, Golden Core Reveal (Modao Zushi), Good Friend Nie Huaisang, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Isn't Adopted by the Jiangs, Abusive Jiang Family (Modao Zushi), Jiang Family Bashing (Modao Zushi), POV Nie Huaisang, Dark Nie Huaisang, Anal Sex, Marathon Sex, Dual Cultivation, Horny Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Qingheng-jun Lives, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji Has a Big Dick, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Self-Lubricates, Qishan Wen Indoctrination (Modao Zushi), Plot Twists, Porn With Plot, Sunshot Campaign (Modao Zushi), Lanling Jin Sect Bashing (Modao Zushi), Scheming Nie Huaisang, Manipulative Nie Huaisang, BAMF Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, BAMF Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, BAMF Nie Huaisang, Burial Mounds Lore, Sentient Burial Mounds (Modao Zushi), Married Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Adopted Lan Yuan | Lan Sizhui, Breathplay, Dark Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Yandere Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Translation Available Series: Part 1 of A Matter of Time Summary: When Lan Wangji went back in time to the first time he met Wei Wuxian, he thought it would be on their spar on the rooftops. He thought of how much he would have to change their interactions through the Cloud Recesses, how he would have to find a way to split Wei Wuxian from the Jiangs… But when he came to his body, he found himself holding out a toy drum to a little child, a little A-Ying, in the streets of Yilling. 'Huh.' Lan Wangji thought as the little boy smiled up at him. 'This will be easier than I thought.'   Or: After Wei Wuxian’s death, something broke in Lan Wangji. He would do anything to get the love of his life back, safely in his arms. Even rewrite history.

NOTES: I will start off with MIND THE TAGS. This does feature child grooming by definition, it does have an adult in a child's body. I would classify this as Very Dark Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan goes back to the first time him and wangxian meet (donghua canon) and they are children- he essentially manipulates his uncle and brother to take Wei Ying with them to cloud recesses. Plot twist- it was not only Lan Wangji who went back in time.

10 Tragedy is Not the End (358230 words) by Hobbsy3

Chapters: 67/67 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Additional Tags: People die but they (mostly) get better, Time Travel, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Golden Core Reveal, Canon Divergence from Qiongqi Pass, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Because Jin Guangshan and Jin Zixun suck, jiang cheng is doing his best, Jiang Yanli fixes everything with soup and a baby, Jin Zixuan gets it together, Yunmeng sibling bonding, good dad wei wuxian, good dad lan zhan, Jin Zixuan Lives, Jiang Yanli Lives, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Wen Remnants Live (Modao Zushi), Junior Quartet Dynamics (Modao Zushi) Summary: When Sizhui, Jingyi, and Zizhen are captured with Jin Ling at the Guanyin Temple, they're sure that Hanguang Jun and Wei Wuxian will fix everything - until Su She stabs Lan Wangji through the stomach, and everything falls apart around them. In a last, frantic attempt to undo the damage Jin Guangyao has done, Wei Wuxian activates a deadly array to send the four juniors back in time, sending them to the morning of Jin Ling's one-month celebration. With the fate of everyone and everything they love in their hands, Sizhui, Jin Ling, Zizhen and Jingyi race to prevent the ambush at Qiongqi Pass and the subsequent fallout, but Jin Guangyao has returned from the future as well, and he has no intention of letting what he wants fall through his hands a second time.

NOTES: This starts off so upsetting; Guanyin Temple does not go as planned and the party uses a last resort to send the kids back in time. These poor babes have so much trauma and now have to prevent the future from happening again. The angst is worth it!

11 Echoes of Love (212176 words) by Witch_Nova221

Chapters: 32/32 Rating: Mature Additional Tags: Romance, Eventual Romance, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, university lecturer Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Get a Happy Ending, Dark Baoshan Sanren, Amnesia, Memory Loss, 1980s music, Lan Zhan loves all things 80s, Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race, Canon-Typical Violence, References to Torture, Murder, Blood, Blood and Injury, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mystery, Nova's Give Lan Zhan friends of his own agenda Series: Part 1 of A Never Ending Story Summary: 'Somehow I knew, that day back at Churchill, I knew you were someone essential to me. That part of you was reaching out to a part of me and now I know why.' When Wei Ying fell he was ready to die. To die and to let the world forget him but someone had other ideas. Now, stranded in 21st Century England, he finds himself without a common language, friends or even any memory of who he was before. Luck alone brings him to the steps of Churchill College and to the attention of a young Professor Lan Zhan; expert in ancient pottery and fine art, champion rower, and lover of all things 1980s. With his new friend at his side, Wei Ying begins to navigate his new world in the hope of finding his place in it but echoes of the past are never far behind.

NOTES: I have shared this before and YES I did cry reading it. This has a VERY dark baoshan Sanren, it's more of a modern au- but there is time travel and the time travel feels very epistolary (read: fucking heartbreaking letters over lifetimes). It does have a happy ending but honestly the cost was worse than canon. That all being said- it was a really good fic, but you might need tissues for this one too.

12 From Whence You Came (79393 words) by kanzaki19

Chapters: 12/12 Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Additional Tags: Time Travel Fix-It, Night Hunts (Modao Zushi), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fix-It, Canon-Typical Violence, Time Travel, Happy Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending Series: Part 1 of Second Chances Summary: Do not take those you love for granted, tell them you love them. You may never see them again. After being torn from the life he has lovingly settled in, Wei Wuxian finds himself back in Qiongi Path. Faced with immediate threats he grabs hold of every opportunity to better the lives of his family.

NOTES: A fix it from Qiongi Path AND I think all the good ones live in this? It does feature some angst because we do have WY going back and he is a trauma babe, but the ending is very positive. I can't recall if the time travel plot is actually explained or it it's an "i woke up like this" vibe, but it was still a good fic!

[tare-anime]

Hi, your posts about Spy X Family are real good. I see chapter 105 as improvement of Franky's role and character. Wheather he'll get lucky - or not - on the Finding a Girlfriend case is a hot one. I wonder,when will Anya she's fed up with Damian's disdaineful,toxic world? I posted my thorough stydy upon this case. I've ceased to believe for a friendship(or romance between them). Unpopular truth:All these (old and new) cruel and awfull insults of Damian to Anya, in the end reflect and represent his Papa(: So in my opinion she and Papa "Twilight" will get the documents of Donovan's scheme by an other source.By the way, if government officials and the SSS are not his lackey's ,associates for his scheme then who they might be? And when WISE uncovers it what will be their actions against him and his network? Are we ready to see how Sylvia has killed people,real villains say Ostanians similar the assassins yor has killed? See you :)

Oh wow, thank you so much. I'm glad you find my rambles to be enjoyable 🥰🥰

As for chp 105, yes it's one of my favorite kind of "side character building up" type of chapter. And this time, we got to see Franky's character building. For me, Franky is such an amazing character that know how to enjoy his life. He has his princips and stays true to that, and didn't stop being kind, while at the same time he has a very smart view of the world and very logic in thinking process. I do hope he will find a woman who will appreciate him as who he is. But first, he has to decide when he want to settle down before doing it.

As for Damian. Yes, unfortunately if I have to be honest, I don't like Damian very much if he is showing his tsundere side and keep pointing and hurting Anya. But, he is still a boy, who tried too much. I hope he will one day learn to accept that there's nothing wrong by enjoying the process of growing up, and not too focused on the goal. And the fact that his Dad IS NOT someone he has to look up to. I believe Damian has good heart though, as we already seen in so many occasions. And just like every kid, in the growing process, the influences from other people particularly their peers are huge. And I hope Anya (with her own problems and difficulties) alongside with Ewen and Emile and Becky, can help Damian grows into a fine man. This is why, my fave chapter of Damian will always be where he can act like a boy of his age.

And I do agree. I do hope Twilight will find some other way to approach Donovan. And not pushing it through Anya and Damian friendship. Let these kids be friend without ulterior motives other than being friends.

The mystery of Donovan ascossiates are still there. This man has so much power, and yet, we know he is not with the incumbent of Ostanian govt. He is not directly leads the SSS, though without a doubt there will be fractions of SSS who is loyal to him up until current timeline. So where did his power came from? This remains a mystery until Endo decides to move forward with the plot, I guess 🤭

Tbh, I don't think WISE is 100% good either. It is possible that Op Strix be WISE's own plot to overturn Donovan because this man dares to oppose WISE. Anything is possible in politics after all 🤣 so how will WISE reacts when they finally got the information on Donovan? That will also depends on further information given to us by Endo himself.

Come on Endo!!! Give us more plot development 😫😫

Regarding Sylvia, Oh yes, through her speech during Inu-san crisis arc, we know that Sylvia has killed people during her life. This has eating her soul, but she has to carry on with her life. The same goes to Yor. Yor must know that not all of her clients are guilty per se, but she has to numb her soul because that's how she carry on with her life.

Thank you so much for the asks. I hope I manage to give satisfying answers 🥰🥰🥰

Good day to you too!

[ageless-soul-au]

If someone was to start getting into asau, which order would you recommend? (Asking for a friend) (Definitely not for me) (Not at all) (Nope) (Nu uh)

I recently reordered the ao3 series, so it should be accurate now! Counterpart, Confidential, and Altars are the only ones you need to read for the main au (in that order) (and even then you could probably skip Counterpart but it's a short read so it's up to you. The series doesn't really start until Con). If you want to read the nsfw (P&C), some of it relies on plot things and some of it doesn't. It's different per chapter since Peaches & Cream is a catch-all.

If you wanna read the spinoff stuff, we have a separate au series for that! It's also linked in the pinned post. Faction is its own thing which receives semi regular updates, and the Lifeblood series is also separate (porn with plot, solely written by me). I need to go back and edit the fic Lifeblood since I wrote that first and then wrote the prequel. I'm kind of working on the third installment but it's slow going.

We're actively updating Altars and Faction, with an Altars chapter lined up for tomorrow (Sunday, Sept 1). Reading the main series is not required to read the spinoffs, though the characterization slightly differs between mainline, Faction, and Lifeblood.

A Condensed Guide to ASAU Fics:

Do you want to read slowburn romance that takes 30+ chapters to resolve? Confidential. Legend and Warriors spend that fic picking up (almost) every hero and having several miscommunications while learning about each other and falling in love. They deal with ✨traumaaaa✨ (and sexuality and gender) with kind of a B plot of the Quest Setup.

In The Stolen Altars, it picks up right where Con left off. With pretty much everyone assembled, it's time to get started on The Quest finally... After almost 300k words... They encounter dungeons and monsters and talk to deities, all while being toyed with by the main antagonist! A few more heroes join the cast! Be forewarned that this fic includes temporary death of major characters. It's tied in with the plot, you'll understand when you get there. This fic has surpassed Con's word count and we still have two more eras to go. It will be followed by a sequel. The main fics will maybe turn out to be a trilogy?????? But if it stretched to a 4th fic I wouldn't be surprised. The timeline on this is years lmao, I can't predict how wordy we'll get.

Faction is a political drama dealing with international relations and war, with a side of romance. It's got all the characters you know and love, but some slightly to the left! General fantasy setting with a bit of Zelda lore mixed in. It'll most likely be completed in one fic! WAOW!!!

The Lifeblood series is vampires and smut. What else do you need to hear? (Real talk tho, The Copper Kettle is higher quality/more cohesive in theme than Lifeblood the fic, gimme a little bit to fix the inconsistencies hxhdbsbsn)

Hope this helps! Happy reading! And don't forget to COMMENT!!!!! (probably with some context bc in some cases it's been years since we wrote this hxhxhsjs)

-Kio

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @twist-shout-and-shells | AO3: Aint_No_Holy_Ghost

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

This is how local political unrest can help your love life!

Izzy and Dema talk writing (surprise!), trying and failing to catch a train, and Those Greek Guys

Dema: Starting current events (at the time of the interview): It's pitch writing time! How's it going?

Izzy: I've reached the part where the fun and games end and the heavier plot begins, so I'm moving more slowly. I totally lost control of the direction my story was going after chapter 3. But it's been a great time writing this story!

Dema: It is funny how our own stories can get away from us. I think I have my vibes pinned down and I almost always deviate. Does that tend to be your experience or are you usually a make-a-plan, stick-to-the-plan-type of writer?

Izzy: I try to be a no-plan writer. That's usually how my stories start: I get an idea and start in it with no real direction. But eventually I'm forced to develop some plan for where I'm going, and I try to stick to it. But I think the nature of stories is that sometimes they just write themselves and I'm simply their vessel.

Dema: I'm trying to remember which writer described it as trying to catch a train...

Izzy: That sounds familiar... But I can't remember either.

Dema: Wow, it's gunna drive me crazy. I'll put it in later… it was basically, you're on foot, and inspiration is like a train, and you're just grabbing onto whatever you can grab. Except I'm pretty sure a nobel prize-winning writer said it so it sounded much better.

[Narrator: Dema never did find the original source, and it really will drive her crazy. If you know it, tag her!]

When you say you eventually need to develop a plan, at what point do you realize you need to do that?

Izzy: Either when I run out of inspiration or when I have a clear idea of where I want to get, but no idea of how to get there. With my story for the DABB it was the former: after writing three chapters non-stop I hit a brick wall of "alright, and where am I going with this?"

Dema: I was going to ask about the DABB next! Did you have your preliminary idea before you decided to join in?

Izzy: Yes. It was an idea that had been kicking around in my head for a long while, but that I wasn't sure I should actually write because it's a) kind of a cliche and b) not a very popular pairing, but eventually I decided to just get it out there anyway. It started with a very particular line of dialogue and grew from there.

Dema: Oh, we love a rarepair in this house…And of course, I know what it is, and am excited.

Izzy: Lol! It was strange for me actually, becoming a rare pair writer. The first big bang I participated in was for Supernatural, a pairing with 100k fics on their tag. Now I'm writing for a pair with 100 fics, 4 of which are mine.

Dema: Incredible. You are holding down this fort. Also I love this little teaser. When did you start writing for DA?

Izzy: October 2022 (We're in 2024 already, jesus Christ)

Dema: Yes, unfortunately it is a daily shock for me as well. But I love how many people come into the fandom and create new fanworks even so long after the last game came out. What drew you in? Were you already hanging around the DA fandom before 2022?

Izzy: I started playing...at the end of 2021, I think. My brother introduced me to the franchise and my autistic little brain became obsessed with it. I was going to name my favorite game and protagonist, but considering they're the center of the fic, that'd be a spoiler. Anyway, I started following some DA blogs on Tumblr, and eventually thoughts of that game had consumed my every waking thought to the point I wrote two academic essays about it in my first year of uni. I wrote a significant portion of those 4 fics in the bus on the way to said uni. What drew me in most were the themes, really.

Dema: Any in particular?

Izzy: Found family and the tragic undertones of it all, mostly. I really like the way DA2 works as a tragedy in between two epics. The mage x templar conflict is also quite interesting. The tragedy x epic was totally the subject of one of those essays, btw. My professors suffer.

Dema: So I assume DA2 is your favorite of the franchise? Have you played all of them?

Izzy: Yes, it is! I've played all of them a couple of times, and DA2...several times. I don't know how many. 

Dema: I'm so curious if you played them in order or started with DA2. The "best order" to experience the DA universe is an interesting debate.

Izzy: No, I played them in order. Personally, I think it'd be strange to play them out of order, at least for the first time, because of the way the stories tie into each other. What I did do was play DA2 twice before I played Inquisition because on my first gameplay I didn't really check the writing desk (there wasn't anything like that in DAO and I was still new to games more complex than The Sims) and I missed Fenris entirely. Detail: he's one of my fave companions now

Dema: I'm pretty sure I missed Sera on my first DA:I playthrough. It's wild how much it impacts the story, if you miss a companion!

Izzy: Yes! I mean, it's a whole arc and a lot of banter you just don't get. Fenris has so much good banter!! I truly can't believe I missed him.

Dema: When it comes to the DA fandom, would you consider yourself a gamer first and a writer or reader second, or something else?

Izzy: That's a really difficult question. I'm not exactly a big gamer. Like, I'm not a completionist and I mostly play on casual because my real focus is the story being told. So I guess what I truly am is a "reader of the game" lol. Though I have been getting more into combat strategizing and stuff like that for DA2, because you can only play something on casual so many times before it loses the appeal. If you'll allow me an anecdote, to paint a picture of the kind of "gamer" I am: one time I was playing DAI in my brother's room (his computer), and he walks in, sees me with a vein popping on my forehead, stupidly focused, staring unflinchingly at the screen, and asks "what the f* are you doing?" I was in the undercroft tinting armors. 

And then, after that, I'm a writer.

Dema: This story is very relatable, lol. You've touched on the narrative structure of the franchise a bit and I'd love to hear more about that epic to tragedy to epic format, and why that resonated. Since you wrote a whole paper on it, just distill it into like four sentences, that shouldn't be hard right??? (I'm sorry)

Izzy: Oh, god. Ok. I'll try not to get too carried away :V

Dema: Please feel free. Here is a box to stand on, and a megaphone.

Izzy:  So. Uh. The Greeks, right? Those guys. Aristotle, more specifically. The Poetics and all that. I think DAO and DAI follow the formula of classic epics: you have this larger than life hero going on a very important quest to save the world. Notice that those games are longer than DA2, kind of like an odyssey, if you will. There are many quests, many steps to the journey before the hero can rest. It's glorious and grand, regardless of whether the hero survives or not. Now DA2 follows the formula of tragedies even closer than the other games follow the epic. And I mean step by step aristotelian formula. You have Hawke, who rises into fame and fortune. The rising movement is very important, because you later have the downfall. He gets fame and riches, but everything comes with a cost, usually the lives of his family. So in DA2 you have this constant rise and fall movement, leading up to the end where (if you defend the mages, at least) Hawke is forced to leave behind everything they spend 7+ years building. They lose everything. In the essay I compared it to Oedipus: he becomes king and etc, there's this looming prophecy (remember Flemmeth when you do the amulet ritual), and in the end everything falls apart. That's as summarized as I can get lol. And Hawke starts out as a nobody! And the game is actually divided in acts!!!

Dema: I read a LOT of classics/Homer in undergrad and I love this. Ten out of Ten. Thank you! I could honestly listen to you talk about that epic/tragedy structure for another hour but alas, we are out of time. To close the interview, and just for fun: Can you come up with a buzzfeed-style, misleading, click-bait title for your fic? Without giving anything major away that would identify you lol

Izzy: Ok, so, this is as vague as I managed: This is how local political unrest can help your love life (Also, I just realized I went out to get wifi and did the whole interview wearing a DA2 sweater. It was a complete accident, I swear)

Dema: AMAZING. Please show me the sweater!!

Izzy: The culprit:

Dema: I love it. Thank you for chatting with me, Izzy!

[theonlyendersgamefan]

I hate that it takes 4 books for the bean saga to go from “guys it’s he’s just like ender I promise. Remember ender? You liked him right? He’s just like ender” to genuinely good well written political thriller.

Orson Scott card developed this chronic illness sometime in the early 1990s which rendered him unable to write more than one compelling story line in a book at a time. There were experimental treatments done while he was writting shadow of the giant but they had to stop due to funding issues. His books weren’t selling very well.

Best example of this is actually outside of the bean saga entirely. Children of the mind, universally considered to be the worst of the original quartet and I would argue that it’s one of his weakest books of all time. Children of the mind actually has several compelling premises. 4 to be exact. Way to many for any to be well developed enough as to be compelling. You have Jane trying to find a new body, and peter and wang-wu planet hoping to influence government, and ender trying to get back with novinha, and everyone else trying to find thé descoladorians.

Only the intergalactic odyssey feels like it was given any real care. The other story lines feel thrown together like they exist purely to finish up the series and put a bow on top and say “here publishing house I did the thing” which ofcourse, is the case. In the post script of the children of the mind audiobook there is an extra from orson Scott card, he says that xenocide and children of the mind were originally going to be one book but it ended up being too long. He offered his publishers to make it into two books and the publishing house seeing an opportunity to sell twice Samantha books, readily agreed. Now this is immediately visible in the actual book. For one children of the mind does not have a large time skip like the other two sequels do. The story takes place immediately after the end of the xenocide. For another thing, after a certain point about half way through the book you notice and realize that this is the end of the series, even if you haven’t already known, and your think to yourself “why is this still going on”. And the answer is because Scott card hasint bothered making this one story. He thought “what haven’t I wrapped up” and tossed it all together.

I liked all the “moments” in children of the mind. I don’t think there are any chapters you can point to and say “this was poorly written”. I cried at some parts there was no lack of passion and emotion in the moments problem is there’s no narrative for the moments to hang on to and so unlike Enders game and speaker for the dead and yes to some extent xenocide the moments don’t blend together to form a story but rather the story has to hold the moments up to cover all of its holes.

What was a talking about? Oh right SHADOW OF THE GIANT IS SO PEAK. The bean saga had the same issues children of the mind had. Yes, bean growing up and his experience with battle school is an interesting idea but so much of the book left me thinking “so what?” Too much of it exists purely to retroactively justify beans position in Enders game. Then the next two books consist of the characters just doing incredible things without any explanation. Peter keeps talking about “his contacts” and graffs resources are seemingly endless unless of course it deals with anything plot related in which case “minister of colonization” is an empty title.

I would much rather read the bean saga from Achilles or alai or hot soups perspective. Why? Because orson Scott car abuses the fact that they are not POV characters to totally disregard any semblance of plausibility. Sure s story of a bunch of child geniuses ruling the world won’t be realistic but Jesus he just pulls whatever to get Achilles out of trouble until suddenly he’s stupid enough to trust one guy, who has known been ten times longer than he has know Achilles, to actually be loyal. Achilles de flandre, the most paranoid boy on planet earth, shot dead because he invited bean to come in with a gun. I would pay good money for a book on Achilles but it would have the same issues as Enders shadow there’d be to much shifting as Orson Scott card tries to fit Achilles where he is supposed to be in Enders shadow. But still it would be worth it just to hear his internal monologue, we really only get 4-5 moments where Achilles is interacting with Petra and I need to know what he was thinking every time. Why did he bring her to the India Pakistan meeting? Why open the plane door? Ajirodndej

This problem goes away entirely in shadow of the giant even a bit before. In shadow puppets we actually get important internal monologue from a character which is not bean or Petra. It’s hot soup, navigating Chinese bureaucracy. It’s boring and clever and I love it. It’s the kind of stuff you saw in Enders game small but totally reasonable conclusion based on real relevant information that existed before this very moment. In the actual book shadow of the giant, we see that alai hadn’t actually maneuvered his way into ruling the entire Islamic world, he was being used as a figure head, presumably by one of the high rankers who had formed the original caliphate. We are shown that the Islamic countries had a loose alliance and that alai, when brought back from Russia, was a mediator between these countries, eventually his prestige as one of Enders gishe and also having proved his unbiasedness, was pronounced caliph. This back tracks on the vague insinuation that alai had done what Peter did but just in a couple of years. We also get to see the bridge goddess thing with virlomi play out and the people that hot soup rule over as emperor act differently than the people that virlomi rules over as goddess of India and they act differently than the people alai rules over as caliph. The fact that we get to seem more of other people help’s this book out so much. We get a wider view of the world and so it doesn’t feel out of nowhere when they world Changes. It feels like an intelligent move made by competent people and not characters who exist purely to get the last page as quickly as possible. It’s genuinely like a different person wrote this book. Or like orson Scott card sent the bean saga back in time 2 decades and let his 40yo self write it.

[justsomerandomplanet]

pls bestow upon us ur gems of wisdom (ur take on jjk ending and such)

I'm gonna start this with an upfront statement since this will be a long post and i don't think anyone wants to read most of the things i will say/I do not want to be misunderstood;

I like the jjk ending enough that it satisfies me, but still leaves me feeling a bit disappointed. Overall, as a series, I rate it a 17 out of 20 Sukuna fingers.

That being said, jjk is an extremely important manga to me on a personal level that will probably be formative for me moving forward. Regardless of the (valid) critiques on jjk, everything I will be saying in this post will end up being subjective, personal opinions that may be a bit biased.

And to akutami, thank you for making this manga and all your hard work; I look forward to whatever they have planned next!

[ read more to hear my more rambly thoughts of the story now ]

I think the last five chapters or so of jjk could have benefited from being 2-3 chapters longer, simply because it feels like a lot was packed into them.

In fact, jjk would probably benefit from having roughly an added 20 chapters or so in total, sprinkled between different story arcs here and there to really explore the lore, plot, and characters more. However, in real time, that would mean an added half a year for the work to be ongoing (more or less), and the reality of the situation is that I simply don't think akutami has the desire to do that. I am not going to claim akutami doesn't like the story they made, but I do think the exertion of weekly manga has clearly taken a toll on them in some way.

Nevertheless, I actually really enjoyed where we ended. JJK was never about "everyone dies and it sucks, despair!!!". In comparison to other stories I've read, JJK has always felt hopeful. Of course, there are plot points I Wish was explored, like:

Megumi's Domain Expansion - Never got to see it fully realise. A shame, really, since it would show his growth as a character. I understand why this never really happened, but considering the level of build up we did have of his character...a shame!

Yuuji's Domain Expansion Name - Not important enough in the grand scheme of things, but it is kinda disappointing. However, leaving it unnamed suits him, a boy who had no specific CT initially with a nameless domain (as far as we know)

New Shadow School clan lore - Kinda have a gripe about this simply because we didn't explore this early on. A very vague thing to leave for the last few chapters

Sukuna's Afterlife - As an endpoint, I like it! However, because we didn't get a lot of exploration on the backstory of Sukuna, Uraume, and that woman (his mother?), it leaves a sense of confusion. I don't really need a whole backstory for Sukuna cause as a character, he can stand without it, but because we've never really seen their whole dynamics really explored, it leaves me feeling disappointed we know so little.

The state of jujutsu society - It's very vague in that we aren't really sure what's happening now. We already know the higher ups and those behind the large political plays are out of the picture, and it seems the three big clans are on the verge of collapse, but the characters seem to still be conducting themselves in the old system. It ended how I did want it, in that the entire old system of jujutsu society is dismantled (aka the old guys are dead lol), and yet its not explored enough for there to be a clear picture (how does the reformation look like? how do we build a system that prevents what happened? we're still using tengen's foundations, how are you sure it would be beneficial? etcetc).

Heian - this is just a me thing but PLEASEEE I NEED HEIAN ARC

I could list down more and more points here, that range from personal disappointments to actual parts that actively hindered the story, but I'm really not here to talk about that. I want to take this time to appreciate the parts I really like, namely gojo's end and yuuji's character.

I speak this genuinely, but Gojo's death and character as a whole is one of the things I have always found to be good and consistent in this entire series. That last conversation he had with Yuuji really clarified how I've always seen Gojo. He is a teacher.

What really always bothered me about the Gojo revival theories (as much as they were fun) always boiled down to one question: "Why?" In the grand narrative of it all, what purpose would Gojo have coming back really? As per the theory, he would lose his powers upon the revival, and then what? Lead the students?

I understand his dream was to reset jujutsu society, and for that, he became a teacher. But more than that, with that last conversation, it shows that gojo wanted his students to reach their full potential more than anything. The world revolved around Gojo Satoru's birth, and he wanted the world to break from that ("Haven't we had enough Gojo Satoru?"). He trusted in his students that they could do it, and that it was okay for him to let them do it on their own. The idea this is self hatred talking feels weird because to me, its a realisation that Gojo believes in reform without himself in the picture. That he doesn't need to be "The Strongest" for the sake of others, but for himself to be like the rest, Gojo Satoru.

A teacher doesn't need to be the lead, for the students to be dependent on them; a teacher is someone that shows the path to where their students can reach their potential, and it is for the student to grab onto it.

The fact that we saw the strongests, Gojo and Sukuna, go in the complete opposite directions of what was initially thought makes this feel even more good. Gojo, who had his youth taken away from him and was entitled "the strongest" by destiny, went south because he was satisfied with what was his life and the dreams he left behind for others to pick up; Sukuna, who lived by his own values in a life purely for hedonistic pleasure and isolation and defied his destiny as a twin, went north because he realised such a life was not the only way you could live in. It is the marks we leave behind that decide whether it is worth staying as who we were (south), or to change and find a new path (north).

As for Yuuji, I love that he's still just Yuuji. His conversation with Sukuna, his empathy towards Megumi, his philosophy about life and the value of life, I love Yuuji so much because he is a boy who was born out of an experiment, who was lonely in childhood save for a grandfather who was there to guide him, who was forced in a situation that was unforgiving and cruel, in a world that did not reward kindness, and yet still chose a path of mercy and understanding.

It's easy to like characters that go off the rails, that do things for the sake of pleasure for themselves, and its Very easy to think it's boring for a character to be kind. But knowing that even in the path of hopeless despair, Yuuji still chose kindness, because that was the way he saw the value of life. And it was a realistic kindness, understanding that total optimism is impossible but still wanting to choose the harder, more unforgiving path because it is kindness that made him who he was. I love that, so much.

I could go off more on other things, but these were mainly my thoughts of the JJK ending! The things I've said here may be a bit of an over analysis, and could be interpreted differently in a different lens, but what I wanted to get out of this is that I genuinely love JJK. With the way things ended, there could be a part two of JJK and I wouldn't be surprised at all, but with where things are at, I like it!

Anyway, sorry for the rambles on that, I just had many thoughts on it

[richincolor]

Book Review: Liar's Test

Title: Liar’s Test

Author:  Ambling Kwaymullina

Genres:  Fantasy

Pages: 257

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Review Copy: ARC by publisher

Availability: Available May 21st

Summary: A gripping YA fantasy with a deadly contest to win a crown, a fierce heroine determined to right the wrongs done to her people, and a smoldering love story that could change everything...

I didn’t want to rule the Risen. Wreak a little havoc upon them, though? That was something else entirely.

Bell Silverleaf is a liar.

It’s how she’s survived. It’s how all Treesingers have survived, after they were invaded by the Risen and their gods. But now—thanks to some political maneuvering—Bell is in the Queen’s Test. She’s one of seven girls competing in deadly challenges to determine who rules for the next twenty-five years. If Bell wins, she’ll use the power to help her people and get her revenge on the Risen.

But Bell doesn’t know how much she’s been lied to. She’s part of a conspiracy stretching back generations, and she’s facing much bigger dangers than the Queen’s Test. She’s up against the gods themselves.

Getting hold of that crown might just be the least of her problems.

Aboriginal writer Ambelin Kwaymullina has created a fast-paced, twisty narrative and an unforgettable heroine inspired by the strength and power of Aboriginal women.

Review: If you’ve been around Rich in Color for a while you know that I love reading books from around the globe, so when the request to read a YA novel by an Aboriginal writer came, I jumped at the chance. The story sounded interesting and as a fan of fantasy I was looking forward to it. I was not disappointed. The story drew me in and with its fast paced storytelling kept me intrigued right up to the end. 

The highlight of the book, aside from an awesome and likable character in Bell, is the worldbuilding. It was very clear that Kwaymullina took her time creating Bell’s world as the rules of her society, the different religions, the mythologies, and even the supernatural aspects of the world was so clear that Risen society felt completely real. I fully understood Treesinger beliefs and their ways of life which gave Bell her strength to survive in such a hostile environment. What also was impressive to me was the complete history of the world that was slowly revealed through the story as Bell figured out the truth behind her own personal heritage. Each chapter was a mix of revealing more of this complex world while mixing it with a story that had political intrigue, a mystery that needed to be solved, and an overthrow the government type of thriller. 

The heart of the novel is Bell Silverleaf, who when we meet her is dying but is brought back to life through a supernatural power. We realize she is someone special but because she is trapped inside a temple, she has been oppressed for much of her childhood.  Bell survives by lying to who oppressors, pretending to share their religious beliefs, but by holding fast to the beliefs of her Treesinger people. She is courageous and thoughtful and really rises to the occasion when she is entered into the Queen’s Test against her will. Since she is such a survivor, she leans on those skills in the test but also discovers how much of a leader she can truly be and how much she actually really cares not just for her Treesinger people but for people as a whole. The growth that Bell went on as she learned to lean into her power was what really connected me to her. I enjoyed going on the journey with Bell and wanted to continue on her journey after the end of the novel (I don’t know if there is a sequel, but I hope there will be). 

I really enjoyed Liar’s Test as it was a fun, immersive read that allowed me to escape into to another complex world for a brief moment. The story was full of plot twists that kept me guessing and drew me deeper into the story. This novel was so different than so much other fantasy and it is a world that I would love to visit again and again. 

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 14 – AUTHOR WEEK

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: seventymilestobabylon

seventymilestobabylon is a jack of all trades. Whether it be angst, fluff, smut, action, humor, emotional highs and lows – they manage to be fantastic at all of it. Their writing style is wonderful, and I love the scenarios they come up with for their fics. Their dialogue especially makes me want to take a green pen to every fic and write 'Yes, yes, this!' next to every other sentence. They're an amazing author, and they deserve all the love they can get.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

should be a dream but I'm not sleepy

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: M Words: 4,592 Tags: Huddling for Warmth, Cabin Fic, Telepathy

Summary: Steve and Tony get hit with a telepathy spell and a magical blizzard, and they have to take shelter in a cabin with fresh milk but no working electricity. Even when they can sort of read each other's minds, they are still terrible at communicating.

Reasons why I love it: I love everything about this fic. Tony patching Steve up, drinking hot cocoa, Steve wearing a goddamn Hagrid coat, it's all great. I especially love how they manage to misconstrue everything about each other's intentions, even when they're telepathically linked. We stan a lovable train-wreck ship. This fic is amazing, and I really hope you give it a shot, if you haven't read it already!

Bring Him Home

Pairing: Steve/Tony, Sam/Bucky Rating: E Words: 13,769 Tags: Fix-it, Post-CA:CW, Flip Phone

Summary: Tony misses Steve very badly after the Accords. Some days he deals with it better than other days. (a fic featuring the booty call flip phone, minor kidnappings, and time jumps between chapters because the election has been happening and my brain has been too mush to make a proper plot)

Reasons why I love it: Steve just plays a whole fucking symphony on my heartstrings in this one. He's so vulnerable and sad and I just want to wrap him in a thousand blankets, Christ. Luckily Tony is there for him when he needs it the most. I love how this fic manages to wrap up the whole Civil War drama without any extensive focus on the politics, it's really refreshing. And the dialogue is amazing. I love this fic, and I bet you will too, so give it a shot!

Triskelion Crescent

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 26,949 Tags: Flower Shop, Neighborhood Associations, Epistolary

Summary: Steve Rogers runs a flower shop. Tony Stark owns a real estate company (eh, and it probably does other stuff too, like it's got "Industries" in the title) that's sniffing around Steve's neighborhood of Triskelion Crescent with an eye to building new developments. Triskelion Crescent fights back.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, Steve's merry band of Young Avengers are the cutest. Joyce Rumlow is such a genius idea as the neighborhood Karen, and I love how Steve sticks to his friendly demeanor always, committed to doing things the right way. Plus, the entire Stony plot going on parallel to the neighborhood drama is so fucking good, it makes me grin like an idiot. This fic is amazing, and I highly encourage you to read it!

Theory of Mind

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 28,497 Tags: Gift Giving, Getting Together, Avengers Family

Summary: Or, five things Steve didn't let Tony buy him, and one thing he did

Reasons why I love it: One of my favorite 5+1 fics. The way their relationship develops is really satisfying – angsty and cute and emotional in turns. I also love how the team is set up, their friendships feel incredibly real. Natasha and Clint especially just completely stole the show for me. And the banter between Steve and Tony is top notch. This fic is amazing, and I hope you give it a shot!

sambar and scaffolding

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 3,665 Tags: Cooking Class, Fluff, Humor

Summary: Steve ran away from SHIELD when they unfroze him and then accidentally ended up in the same cooking class as Tony Stark. 100% fluffy nonsense birthday fic for my lovely friend Renay.

Reasons why I love it: They're so fucking cute, they make me want to mash my face into a pillow. I love the mild identity porn going on, and Chitra is a wonderful OC who must be protected at all costs. That said, don't read this fic when you're hungry, because the descriptions of the recipe they're following will make your mouth water. This fic is wonderful, and I bet you'll love it just as much as I do!

[certfieddilusional]

It would kill you to try? Javier Peña x female reader part.2

pairing: Javier Peña x Female Reader

summary: You joined The DEA three months ago & after spending most of those days doing calm investigation work at the office, it’s time to face the real danger and go undercover along with Peña and Murphy to follow one of Escobar’s sicarios’ journey. But something unexpected happens that changes the work relationship you have with Javier. And that indifference you used to have between each other seems to unravel into fire,prejudice and something deeper.

chapter/content warning: swearing (like a lot of it), mentions of blood and guns, mentions of prostitution, injuries. Angst, a lot of anger and dramaaaaa. Not really that loyal to the plot of the show.

english is not my first language so, sorry if you find any mistakes.

Weeks have passed since your little first expedition and along with that, your first exchange of an actual conversation with Javier Peña, that didn’t include monosyllables or office talk. Adding also Murphy in the picture, you have grown fond of the pair, exchanging more interactions and actually getting to know them better with every little mission you had to go through by their side.

Obviously, after that, Javier never said anything to Murphy or anyone at the office. But you could tell he had his quiet ways to protect you of posible risks and dangerous things, result of the expeditions you were assigned to make with them. Like for example, always positioning himself in-front of you, covering you like some sort of shield. And if Murphy goes first, he covers your back. Or the way he explains everything to you in the car before facing the situation. Like, who are you probably going to face, what to do if actual danger happens and how he’ll act if you get blocked or fail a step of the plan. He knew that has happened to you very often in the past, with cases you were really nervous about. Sometimes he kinda over dones himself and that has lead to small fights between you the two of you. You don’t like to feel fragile, and his silly methods of protection create that illusion in your head. It feels like you need to ask for his permission to make the next step. But he’s aware of your abilities. And most of the time, him and Murphy get really impress with your knowledge on the field.

The rest of the office also noticed that new closeness you both started growing. And that has also shape-shift the entire way some of them treat you. The guys stopped being such assholes and the jokes weren’t there anymore, at least not as often. You weren’t the ghost of the office anymore. They started to respect you and you could tell even some of them were a little intimidating by your presence. It bothered you that it took two other men’s approval for them to consider you somebody worth of respect. But that, unfortunately, was a common thing on a job like this. Some of the girls, on the other side, were a little jealous. And the ones that weren’t used you as some sort of source of information to get to Javier’s dating life or biography. Many questions were asked: “Is he seeing someone?” “What is he like?” “Does he treat you right?” “Do you find him attractive?” “Is he as committed in his job as he is at…you know”. Hello? Most of them you didn’t have the answer for. I mean, you barely even knew the man apart from the big rumors and his nicotine addiction. And somehow he knew how to keep those details in private to keep that mysterious aura surrounding him. It kinda made you sick to your stomach.

But you liked the fact that you didn’t know shit. You did not want to get your hopes down. At the end of the day, the man was nice to you. Polite. Not as nice as Murphy but he played the part. The same Murphy that greeted you at your arrival and shoved at you a copy of the newspaper, for you to read the most recent story about Escobar’s up to not good actions.

“Are you ready for another expedition, Gomez? Don’t worry, this time you’re staying in the car so we won’t have to act like your personal bodyguards, again” he joked with a side smile staring at you with his shiny blue eyes.

He always managed to noticed. And that made you a little nervous for some reason.

“Very funny, Murphy. Dismissing my job, again” you continued with the joke “I was expecting more of you, to be honest, I thought you weren’t like the rest” you crossed your legs in a seductive way, along with your arms.

“Oh, come on, baby. You know I’m better than these pricks” he gestured towards the other guys at the office who used do the same to you just weeks ago.

“Hey, Murphy, quit it” said one of the agents from their desks.

You and Murphy exchanged a smile and Peña was the next to show up in the room. Causing his obvious effect.

“Well, look who’s surprisingly showing early after another fun night” mention the same agent from before as Peña approached.

“Morning” he said to you in a calm tone, he did the same to Murphy and completely ignored the dude.

“What do you think about having such a life of the party as a partner, miss Gomez?”

Of course you were the one the question was directed to. You debated internally if answering was a good idea, ignoring it sounded appealing.

But your ego was stonger.

“Honestly? I don’t really give a fuck, Henry” you responded looking behind you to the subject’s eyes “I just focus on my job, unlike you.”

The room went silent except for Murphy’s big laugh. And Javier looked at you with a smirk on his mouth while sitting down on his chair.

“Yeah you should work on that, Henry” reassured between laughs another agent in the room.

Javier couldn’t help but laugh a little too and Murphy quickly joined him again. You started fake reading the newspaper, avoiding their stares but they couldn’t take them away from you.

“Could you not? I’m reading.”

They both rapidly went back to focus on the papers in their desks and murmured a funny ‘sorry’ trying really hard to contain their laughter.

They wouldn’t shut up about it for the whole day, and you knew.

—

The sound of a phone ringing started to smash the back of your head, feeling even more prominent by the second. You adjusted your eyes to the darkness of the room and lifted one arm trying really hard to reach the switch from the closest lamp next to your bed.

“¿Hola?” you answered in almost a whisper with the thought of it maybe being your mom, who still didn’t fully control the timezone of Colombia.

“Gomez.”Murphy answered in his American accent and that woke you up entirely “Sorry to wake you. Something happened, I need you here as fast as you can…” he explained in an anxious tone “I don’t know who else to call.”

“What? What happened?” you stood up quickly from the bed, causing you to blackout a little from the speed “Where’s Javier?”

“Just be fast, okay?” he hanged up after that.

Still feeling like in a dream state. You rapidly got ready and approached the location Murphy told you. The taxi dropped you off in the same exact building you three were, two weeks ago to be exact, following one of Escobar’s man. And it suddenly hit you as you hit the car’s door to close it. Javier wasn’t there, just Murphy and Carillo, waiting outside the car, two meters away from the building. Talking. Almost screaming to each other.

You approached them and Murphy immediately went to you. But he didn’t say anything.

“What’s going on?”

You looked at him trying to find an answer, both agents couldn’t take their eyes of the ground.

“Is it Peña? It’s Peña, right?” Murphy ran his hands through his hair “Murphy!” you insisted in desperation.

“He fucked it up big this time” Carillo was the one to talk first. He looked really pissed and that almost took your breath away.

What the fuck did he do this time.

“Is he inside?” you tried again with Murphy, searching for his eyes. He looked like he was in some sort of trance and that made you even more nervous “Murphy! What the heck is wrong with you?!”

“Yes” Carillo talked for him again.

“They have him” Murphy finally gain the strength to talk “Escobar’s men.”

You couldn’t help but close your eyes and sigh.

“This motherfucker…” you murmured “What did he do? How the fuck is he inside?!”

You knew that wasn’t accidental. Nothing about Javier Peña seemed to be. He clearly put himself in that position and all of you knew that. What shocked you was that, he actually got caught this time. The DEA was gonna murder you if they found out. Worst. You could definitely get fired. That’s probably why you three were the only people there.

“Who called you?” you asked Carillo this time. You knew somebody have had to warned them about this. Some of the men Carrillo worked with had direct contact with these bastards. They probably called asking about some sort of reward in exchange for the information. That’s how fucked up everything was.

“They did” you took a step back “they say they’re willing to…negotiate.”

“We’re not doing that.”

“Gomez…” called you out Murphy.

“We’re not doing that! We could get fired. We’re entering this building and we’re getting him out of there. Like we were taught.”

“Well that’s a beautiful speech. But we can’t. We don’t have the resources. We couldn’t even go after that motherfucker that day, there’s no way we’re entering that building with who knows how many armed men inside and hookers.” Murphy was fast at pinching your bubble.

“Hookers?! There’s hookers inside?!”

So the rumors were true. Oh, this motherfucker was unbelievable.

“Yes, hookers. It’s Peña we’re talking about, of course there’s freaking hookers inside” responded Carillo with a furious tone “or should I say, informants.”

“We need to call the office, get back up, we cou-”

You cut Murphy off before he could continued spilling what sounded like bullshit to you out of his mouth.

“We are not doing that” you repeated firmly “I’m not gonna lose my job because you two, bastards, can’t keep it in your pants and do what you’re told to” Murphy looked at you with guilt in his eyes.

You took your gun out of the inside of your jacket and charged it.

“We’re getting in.”

Neither Carillo or Murphy had a clue of what got into you, to actually wanna risks your life for someone like Javier. But you knew it wasn’t entirely about honor, but more about pride. He wasn’t protecting you this time. It was your turn to actually act like the agent you always wanted to be. Like that role was actually yours. Start acting up. Over doing it if it was necessary.

“I don’t know, Gomez. Let’s think about this.”

“You’re being such a pussy right now, Murphy” you quoted him to him, earning a sight from the man “Carrillo” you called.

Carrillo looked at you firmly.

“Are you in?” you asked hopeful.

Carrillo looked at Murphy and then at you. And sighed.

“Yes.”

“Then cover my back” you said getting close to the entrance of the building. You turned your head towards Murphy “He’s never going to forgive you about this.”

You really didn’t want to say that to him. But you played all your cards in order to make him change his mind. You knew you were gonna need all the help you could get. You and Carrillo entered the building that looked like some sort of hotel. There was nobody there except for the receptionist who quickly gasped at you the second she spotted the guns you were holding.

“DEA” you explained, showing her your plaque and pressing one finger over your lips, indicating her to stay quiet.

She obeyed and kept silence. She didn’t look dangerous at all, you felt really sorry so many innocent people were involved in this bullshit. Slowly you turn into the stairs, making sure the coast was clear and gestured Carrillo to follow you up into the first floor of rooms.

“He’s really lucky to have you” whispered Carrillo referring to Peña in a sarcastic tone.

“If we get out of this, I’m changing partners.”

He tried not to laugh while following you down the corridor. You arrived to the first door, pressing your back to the wall, focusing on any sort of sound coming out of it. You didn’t hear anything. Before reaching for the doorknob, you noticed a thin thread of blood flowing out the room by the end of the door.

You swallowed. Suddenly the shaking of your hands became present.

“You want me to…?” started Carrillo noticing you were not moving.

“It’s okay.”

You opened the door slowly.

A body was laying next to the bed, mattress and sheets covered in red. A long browned haired and fully naked woman was lying on the ground. You rapidly got on your knees and checked her pulse. None.

“She’s dead.”

Your body was starting to lose the confidence of earlier. And it was starting to get hard to focus on your breath and ignoring the lack of oxygen entering your lungs. You freaking hated Peña for putting you through this. For putting this woman through this. For putting Carrillo through this and every single one of you. This wasn’t professional or brave of him. This was the most selfish act you’ve ever seen. Maybe he really was an asshole. Maybe he really didn’t deserve your respect. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be rescued.

“Gomez?” Carrillo called your name from the doorframe “Y/n” he repeated until you focused on him “I heard something, on the last room down the hall”.

You got out of the room trying really hard to not look back at the woman’s face. You focused on the noise. Sounded like someone complaining, someone wounded. A small ‘fuck’ coming out in a whisper.

“It’s him” you both said at the same time.

“Wait” Carrillo stopped you “let me go first.”

You looked at him with one eyebrow lifted.

“You’re loosing it, if he’s surrounded we gotta be quick” he explained.

“Shut up” you didn’t listen and walked past him, holding up your gun.

If someone had to accidentally shoot him, it was going to be you.

You two walked slowly making sure that if someone else was in the room with him, they wouldn’t hear you two coming. Once you were close you got ready, hands firmed on the gun, you looked at Carillo behind you and nodded.

One. Two. Three.

You two pointed with the gun at the inside of the room. Javier was tied, both hands and ankles next to the window close to the bed. Sitting down on the floor looking tiredly at you. He’s hair was messy and he had a black eye, along with some wounds on his neck. Blood dripping from his lip.

He had never look more defenseless. And suddenly your anger was replaced with concern.

“Gomez?” he spoke softly.

You couldn’t bring yourself to answer.

“The coast is clear. There’s nobody in the room” mention Carrillo coming out of the bathroom.

You dropped to your knees, next to him. Untying him in a fast way. He murmured some words to you but you weren’t able to hear any of them. You called Carrillo and asked him to help you. Javier kept talking to you but you didn’t answer any of his questions, so he eventually gave up trying. It was like you were in automatic mode. You both dragged him out of that place, gaining some looks from the previous and still, traumatized, receptionist. And met Murphy waiting for you at the entrance, holding up his gun. Once he saw you, he quickly ran to the car to get it closer to where you were. You rested Javier on the passenger’s seat, and you joined Carrillo on the backseat.

Nobody talked on your way to the hospital. Neither of you could believe what just happened.

—

“He wants to see you” Murphy joined you in the waiting room. Thirty minutes passed before they finally let someone visit him.

“Is he okay?” you asked without looking at him.

“Yeah, he had some wounds on his chest but he was smart enough to wear his bulletproof vest so, he’ll be okay. The black eye though, looks gross.”

“Then I’m going home” you finally spoke standing up.

“Oh, come on, Gomez. You saved his ass.”

“I don’t need flattery. I need some sleep.”

Murphy stopped you, grabbing you by your shoulder.

“Look, he is in fact an asshole…but he was really worried. And I think he feels really bad” you rolled your eyes “If you talk to him, he might actually let you punch him in the other eye.”

—

Javier was sitting down on the hospital bed, neck and chest cover with bandages under his blood stained shirt that was wide open. A swollen eye and puppy stare redirected towards you, while you entered the place. It felt almost illegal to see him like this. So vulnerable, so far away from his tough image. The image he tried to implant in everyone’s mind. The image of a smart man. He looked more broken that smart. And still he managed to stand up.

“You good?” he asked like the last time he saw you cry after your mom’s call. A question that maybe you should be asking him instead.

“You look like shit” you spilled instead. Because before anything, you were mad at him.

He smirked a little “Well, you can’t always look like a heartthrob.”

You didn’t react to his comment.

“I’m so-”

“So are you gonna still renting hookers after this?”

He froze. He looked at you making sure that those words did actually left your mouth.

“It’s not what you think” he stated “and besides I don’t think is none of your business If I do.”

You were starting to regret entering that room.

“It is when it risks lives.”

He looked down.

“I wasn’t trying to risks any lives. I was trying to helped her.”

You chuckled.

“You want a medal, Peña?”

“I’m being serious. What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?! What’s wrong with you?! You fucking idiot. You almost got us fired!” you exploited “When are you gonna start learning to cooperate, Peña? When are you gonna be responsible about your position?”

He sat back on the bed.

“You’re alive because of me. Because nobody wanted to enter that building, not even Murphy, let alone Carrillo. And I get it, I really get it, you don’t deserve someone risking their lives over you.”

He could tell that it was not only anger that was coming out if you, but raw honesty. Disappointment. He was used to causing that effect on people. He was the best at that. But he really hoped he wouldn’t cause that on you too.

So he really tried to change it.

“I’m sorry. But it’s really not what you think” he didn’t give up “She is one of my informants.”

You rolled your eyes remembering Carrillo’s words from before.

“Joder…I swear. I was there to rescued her, she called me. I know this woman. She’s a friend.”

“Oh yeah, a 'friend'. You frequent a lot of those.”

“She gave us the location of one of Escobar’s man.”

Your eyes widened.

“Did Murphy knew?” you asked containing your desires to strangle him.

“Of course not.” he answered whining a little from his position “But they did.”

Your hands flew immediately to your face.

“I was the only resource she had, so she call me & I came and I don’t regret it.”

You took a step back, your back facing him this time. You really couldn’t look at him right now. You kept thinking, in some way, that woman died thanks to you. Thanks to him. He felt the same way. And in the process of trying to stop that from happening, he almost got himself killed. Along with the rest of you.

“You’re unbelievable” your murmured, facing him “You put the princess at risks and then you go and rescue her. That’s how it works for you.”

“Well, sometimes it’s the only way.”

“Did you know you’re a part of the problem? You’re paying for the same service, abusing the same power. The only difference is that they are fucking narcos and you’re a fucking cop. You should do the right thing, shouldn’t you?”

He stood up, angry. Getting closer to you. Mentioning his job, it felt like a personal thing now.You knew how to push the right buttons to piss him off. And like he taught you, you acted up, pushed them harder.

“What are you gonna do? Treat me like one of your whores?”

He stoped himself.

“You don’t know shit” he spat furious. Almost not vocalizing the words.

“I respected you” you ended “I thought it was mutual.” you got ready to leave him alone, before closing the door, you checked on him one last time “By the way, you failed. She’s dead.”

[raccoonfallsharder]

Chapter 12/20+ Window Across the Galaxy (new 9/13)

girl falls first; raccoon falls harder.

“So, uh,” he starts quietly. “What’s up between you and Rocket?” She pauses. “Excuse me?” He clears his throat. “Well. You know. It’s clear you both care about each other a lot.” “Yeah,” she says blankly, and if she’s playing dumb, oh well. A girl’s allowed to have her secrets. “He’s my copilot. So what?” “Well,” Pete hedges, “there’s all the little affectionate touches, which he’ll only tolerate from you.” He coughs again, politely. “He calls you sweetheart and doll and princess - and it only sounds like he’s being a dick about it maybe, like, half the time.” She waits, sculpting the hair on the left side of his head. He pauses meaningfully. “And…okay, obviously, you guys share a bunk, even though it’s not - strictly necessary at this point. And…I know Rocket’s room here has the hammock, but Drax said the two of you shared a room on Xandar, even though you both had your own. And those rooms only had one bed apiece. So…” “Pete,” she says slowly. “Peter. Quill. Star-Lord. Brother-of-Mine. Are you asking me if I’m fucking my copilot?”

Chapter XII. So Much It Hurts. in which we try not to fuck up the vibes.

this is a beach episode without a beach (we're just getting from point A to point B here with some blah narrative) sorrryyy

General summary/notes + links to recently preceding chapters behind the cut. let me know via comment, message, or ask if you'd like to be added or removed from my fanfic/headcanon/doodle taglist ♡

General Summary~

Rocket is captured by a Ravager crew hoping to get rich off the excessively large bounty on his head. Throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans is the Terran girl they hired to do some freelance assessing on a recent haul of goods they’ve seized from a Xandaran luxury liner. Oops.

let me be real with you: this fic is really about wish-fulfillment. not just the eventual smut (but that too). mostly i just want someone to be nice to my best raccoon

Chapter I. A Delicacy. in which our reluctant heroes meet atop a crate of Sovereign porn in the bowels of a Ravager ship. Chapter II. Monster For A Pet. in which one hero wrestles with his inner Groot, and the other is quite possibly a moron. Chapter III. A Kindness.in which Rocket gets in his own damn way: not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. Chapter IV. Got There First. in which our heroes obtain an arsenal and street food. Chapter V. Things No-One Has Said Before. in which one hero refuses to babysit and the other refuses to leave. Chapter VI. Two and a Half Billion Units. in which we lean into the “they were roommates” trope. Jolie has misgivings, while Rocket has fantasies - about getting rich, of course. Chapter VII. I'm Here.in which we visit Knowhere. Chapter VIII. The Care & Feeding of Human Pets. in which our heroes practice breathing and we lean into a new trope: “there was (technically) one bed.” Chapter IX. Scrapmetal and a Dream. in which we redefine homemaking. Chapter X. Thin Fucking Ice. in which our heroes get fucked. Not in the good way. Chapter XI. Let It Be. in which Xandar is saved and good lives are lost. Chapter XII. So Much It Hurts. in which we try not to fuck up the vibes. Coming Soon: Chapter XIII. Don’t Wait. in which a lost sister is found and Drax grapples with the concept of sarcasm.

slight AU starting pre-GOTG volume 1 (but will hit most of the same major plot points). slooowww burn + eventual smut with a lot of pining in the middle. kinda enemies-to-lovers? (but only one of these idiots thinks they're enemies). elements of hurt/comfort because rocket is the saddest-angriest boy. rating will go up and tags will be added to as needed.

@evolvingchaoswitch ♡ @wren-phoenix ♡ @pretty-chips ♡ @suicidalshitstick