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illkickyourbass · 5 years

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henlo. have an expanded Shining Quest AU.

to release some steam from my kettle of stress, have some noodling about a Shining Quest AU that’s less April Fool’s, more high-stakes high-fantasy, but still every bit as tropey, stuffed with otome trappings, and Yay Music as we’ve come to expect from Utapri

As with the last venture into this AU: not explicitly romantic, non-gendered MC, SFW, and mild CW for arranged marriages. I don’t know HEAVENS (plus they didn’t get canon classes for Shining Quest), so we’ll just be covering STARISH and Quartet Night!

It’s a fairly typical setup -- there’s a fantasy kingdom, there’s a useless king, there’s a princess (Haruka) known for her talent for music composition, there’s a court of nobles and royals, all that usual hey. Magic is cast by mastery of the arts, whether that be visual, performing, musical, written, you name it.

There’s a looming threat of some sort of demon king or similar fantasy anime bullshit that the royals and nobles of the kingdom are tasked with keeping at bay. We’re also gonna shamelessly borrow a detail from the pinnacle of wasted potential, the movie Rock and Rule -- there’s a plot point about how a demon can only be forced back with “the magic of one voice, one heart, one song....but there is no one.” Here in this ‘verse, that’s a longstanding prophecy the status quo has taken to mean there’s no-one who’ll ever be able to defeat the demon king.

The solution that’s been in place for as long as anyone can remember is a royal or noble family offers one of their heirs as a sacrifice to be married off and sate the demon king for that generation-- the “devil’s bride” or “devil’s groom” or “devil’s betrothed.” This goes pretty badly for the heirs, of course, but it offers great prestige to the house that does it.

You, the player, would get to pick what RPG class you fill (which would affect some dialogue trees and the expertise you demonstrate) and what art you use to cast magic. You are a member of the royal guard tasked with Haruka’s protection, but you’ve stumbled into the knowledge before it goes public: she’s the next devil’s bride! You go to Tomochika, a hired hand to the royals who’s been dating Haru in secret, and you begin to hatch a plan to bust Haruka out of the arrangement.

Your route’s then determined by which of the boys you seek out as your other co-conspirator.

Otoya is a fellow member the Royal Guard on Haruka protection detail. He’s equally resented and well-liked for his dauntless optimism and natural talent with swordsmanship, but it’s no secret that he’s not someone you’ll be trusting for expert strategy. He’s had the chance to become friendly with Haruka, and he’s ready to fight tooth and nail for her freedom! He’s classed as a warrior, who casts light-element attacks and healing spells with his music.

Masato was raised from birth to become an ideal Devil’s Groom, since the Hijirikawa nobles are falling out of favor in the courts (spurred in part from their takedown of the Kurosakis backfiring on them). But Masato has rejected that he (or Mai) will ever go along with that plan, instead intently training in swordsmanship and fusing music and fiber arts to make enchanted fabrics that work like armor. Quietly, he has kept a very ambitious goal in mind: outright defeat the demon king and end the legacy of the devil’s betrothed.

Natsuki is a natural genius at using both his voice and viola to communicate with creatures and summoning the cutest ones to absolutely wreck house. Though a humble farmboy who’s kind of out-of-touch with the political goings-on of his land, his talent was too great to go unnoticed forever, and he was invited to live among the high court as an entertainer and summoner. He got to make so many new friends (like the princess and you!) and better provide for his family, so he’s thankful every day for the change, even if he misses his animal friends at home!

Tokiya came from a humble family that wanted to lead a quiet life, but Tokiya himself had ambitions that far outpace that. Though not a natural talent, he put unimaginable sweat into a field that creates potent spells and tools by the power of song. Eventually becoming estranged from his whole family, Tokiya finds it all worthwhile after struggling his way into being hired by the royals. Much of the court thinks of him as a weird mad scientist who sings to his books, but he’s found fast friends he’d go to the ends of the earth for, like Masato, the princess, and you!

Ren is the inverse of Masato in his circumstance. Like the Hijirikawa noble family, the Jinguujis helped orchestrate the fall of the Kurosaki nobles, but the blowback had them falling out of favor instead of rising in power. Ren was planned to be offered as a Devil’s Groom to restore some clout, but instead of being intently groomed, he was left to do whatever he wanted since he’s got such a foregone future. So Ren becomes a carefree playboy, eventually taking his talent for alchemy and becoming a for-hire adventurer to sate his boredom. He tells everyone his saxophone is his secret to brewing his one-of-a-kind love potions, but he’s actually devised some uniquely remarkable revival and buffing potions.

Syo comes from the same backwoods as Natsuki, but took less interest in working for the courts and instead trying to find a career emulating his childhood hero that kept his body’s limits in mind. But his twin left to pursue medical schooling, and eventually, between loneliness, worry, and the promise that the musical magic and medicine in the courts could help him safely push his limits, he follows Natsuki into the belly of the royals and nobles. His small stature and commitment to the movement arts made him a natural rogue, and he’s technically part of the Royal Guard’s special ops. But Syo’s brashness and burning spirit tends to best serve motivating the people around him -- what few spells he prefers to cast with his violin-playing are all buffs that lift the spirit and energize the body.

Cecil came to this land on essentially a study abroad program and came to love the friends he made so much he stuck around! A wildly talented sorcerer able to cast even without playing his flute, Cecil is held in high esteem by the whole kingdom for the knowledge and skill he has to offer. Prone to disappearing, however, since a curse has him transforming into a cat as an occasional side effect of casting magic. He’s found this useful, though -- something injust he won’t stand for is afoot in this kingdom, and nobody suspects a little black cat of eavesdropping!

Reiji is a court jester who loves, loves, loves nothing more than to make you smile! Much of the court takes his good cheer for granted, and even more underestimate his prowess in tough/delicate situations, but the most powerful folks know he’s just as sharp as he is goofy. When he’s not doing his job making people smile, he’s often helping or promoting his family’s pub or bugging his friends from outside the royal court. His flashy performances and maraca-shaking have been shaped into a great conduit for spells of transmutation, though he tends to use them to put on a great show more than beat ass.

Ranmaru is the eldest son of the disgraced Kurosaki nobles (whose power and legacy were ruined by the Jinguujis and Hijirikawas as per usual) but he decided to bear the brunt of the damage in wake of his father’s passing to spare the rest of his family. Shouldering massive debt, Ranmaru disappeared and re-emerged as the gambler prince of the underground, now incredibly powerful in his own right. Not-so-secretly a big softie, he’ll swindle and ruin the lives of those who take advantage of the helpless, even operating out of a pub owned by an old couple that needed some protecting from loan sharks. Ranmaru wears special runed gloves that store mana when he plays his bass, letting him cast a set number of fire evocation spells before his next recharge.

Ai lives in woods on the outskirts of the city. Most regard him as a hermit, but a couple know that Ai is actually a homunculus that has been refining his understanding and performance of humanity and needs frequent breaks to “recharge.” Nominally a ranger, Ai’s skills lie in his powerful patience and observation moreso than his bow and arrow, though he and Reiji have an arrangement where he helps hunt and forage ingredients for the Kotobuki pub. Ai is beginning to grasp his own unique sense of humanity and is ready to take grander action to realize it. He fights with arrows of a special alloy that react to an instrument at home; they are tempered by the sound and blessed by the wind to never miss their target should the wielder be skilled enough.

Camus is an assassin that lives in shadow. Nobody’s quite sure of his intentions or allegiances, but the few times someone does see him in the open, he’s as haughty and demanding as ever. Rumor has it that he lives in the royal castle -- certainly, their enormously increased sweets output would imply such, and it’s well-known in the castle that unexplained cello music is usually his doing -- but he’s such an evanescent and terrifying presence nobody’s quite sure (and is too scared to ask). His assassinations are almost impossible to track, as his blades of ice melt, disappear, and leave no trail to follow.

Typical route stuff goes as you’d expect -- you progress the plot, you get closer to your chosen boy, some political intrigue things probably happen, some heart-racing events etc. etc., and before you know it the two of you are very close and realize that your arts cast wildly powerful magic when put together. Slowly, you gather more friends (a selection of the other boys + Haru and Tomo) and find that together, your work amplifies in power to unprecedented degrees. It’ll vary from route to route how you get there, but eventually, you all come to the same conclusion: it’s time to kick some demon king ass. And you do!

The ends vary from angsty (like the player or the chosen boy is mortally wounded or dies) or fairytale fluffy (go off and spend a happy life together) or something more power fantasy-feeling (like you and chosen boy revolutionize the whole kingdom for the better in wake of the demon king’s defeat), etc. -- but no matter what you know that your art + your boy + the power of friendship kicked more ass than anything Shining Kingdom has ever seen!

#shining quest au #shining quest #uta no prince sama #utapri #headcanons

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lgbtqiahistoricalromance · 6 years

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LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels with Ghosts, Ghouls, and Gothic themes-October 2018

(Warning: Some books may have triggers such as abuse, questionable family morality, dub-con, and mentions of suicide attempts.)

James Eyre by Jade Astor

- A gender twisting adaptation of the classic Gothic romance Jane Eyre!

In Victorian England, 21-year-old James Eyre, frightened by his feeling for another man, decides to leave the boys’ school where he has spent ten years, first as a student and then as a teacher. He manages to secure a position as a private tutor for Axel Vance, the ward of a wealthy man who owns an estate in Yorkshire.

From the night of his arrival, James begins to sense that things are not as they should be at Thistleton Manor, the home of the enigmatic Edmond Manchester. Late at night, wild screams seem to echo through the house, and during the daytime objects disappear from James’s room and are replaced with sinister-looking voodoo dolls. Though his instincts tell him to flee, James stays on because he enjoys his duties and the company of his pupil—and even more so because he has begun to develop an attraction for his employer, Mr. Manchester.

To his surprise, Mr. Manchester seems to return his feelings. However, a jealous former lover and a phantomlike presence in the house seem determined to tear them apart. If he is to have any hope of a happy future with the man he loves, James must solve the mystery of Thistleton Manor and save Edmond’s life as well.

Resurrected Heart by Jade Astor

- Knowing that the kind of relationship his heart longs for is forbidden by the laws of Victorian England, college student Gray Langley fights his loneliness by throwing himself into his studies and his artwork. One gloomy afternoon, he is out sketching a graveyard when he meets Dr. Arthur Striker, a man who seems to share Gray’s scandalous desires. Though Gray is encouraged when Arthur seems to return his feelings, he is unnerved by the scientific experiments Arthur seems to be conducting in his home. Even more frightening is the strange and violent madman who appears and tries to kill him whenever he and Arthur get close. And why does his attacker look exactly like Arthur?

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles (I’ve read this one several times. Several short stories in one, with lots of creepy details, arguably the least romantic MC of all time, and wonderful erotic elements w/light D/s. Also, Charles joined forces with Jordan L Hawk to create a crossover with Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin series. The short story is called Remnant, and it’s free on the authors’ sites.)

- A story too secret, too terrifying—and too shockingly intimate—for Victorian eyes. A note to the Editor Dear Henry, I have been Simon Feximal’s companion, assistant and chronicler for twenty years now, and during that time my Casebooks of Feximal the Ghost-Hunter have spread the reputation of this most accomplished of ghost-hunters far and wide. You have asked me often for the tale of our first meeting, and how my association with Feximal came about. I have always declined, because it is a story too private to be truthfully recounted, and a memory too precious to be falsified. But none knows better than I that stories must be told. So here is it, Henry, a full and accurate account of how I met Simon Feximal, which I shall leave with my solicitor to pass to you after my death. I dare say it may not be quite what you expect. Robert Caldwell September 1914

An Unnatural Vice by KJ Charles (Few authors do the Enemies to Lovers trope as well as Charles does.)

- In the sordid streets of Victorian London, unwanted desire flares between two bitter enemies. Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn’t expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel—or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years.Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his séances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge. And as their battle of wills and wits heats up, Justin finds he can’t stop thinking about the man who’s determined to ruin him.But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family’s secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal. As killers, fanatics, and fog close in, Nathaniel is the only man Justin can trust—and, perhaps, the only man he could love.

Merrick & William (sequel) by Claire Cray (Merrick was a pleasant surprise, and William is on my TBR.)

- New York, 1799: the future looks bright for the charming young book dealer William Lacy, until a raucous night of drinking lands him in shackles. He narrowly avoids the brutal prison system thanks to his mother, who negotiates with the judge to secure him a five year apprenticeship in lieu of a prison sentence. And so William finds himself in a carriage bound for the remote woods upstate, where he'll spend the next years of his life learning a new trade under some old master. When he first sees Merrick, William thinks he's been dropped into a medieval horror story. Tall and gruff, dressed in a hooded robe that completely conceals his features, and riding a black mare, Merrick might as well be the Grim Reaper. But appearances are deceiving. An uncannily skilled apothecary and healer, Merrick proves to be a generous host and a gentle teacher, and William soon finds himself surprisingly comfortable in his new surroundings. Yet troubling mysteries abound: Why does Merrick never show his face or hands? Why do his movements seem so young and sure beneath his robes? What lies within the cave behind the stone cottage? Something unnatural is afoot. But most alarming by far is William's own reaction to his new master. For Merrick's strange charms are bewitching enough by day; but by night, in the darkness of the room and the bed they share, William finds himself entirely overwhelmed by desires he never imagined...

The Captain’s Ghostly Gamble (Seasonal novella from the Captivating Captains series. It’s actually modern day, but the ghosts dominate the story, so you hardly notice.) by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead

- When a ghostly dandy and his roguish companion try their hand at matchmaking, things definitely go bump in the night.

For centuries, foppish Captain Cornelius Sheridan and brooding John Rookwood have haunted the mansion they duelled and died for. Now these phantom foes must join forces to save both their home and their feuding descendents.But when Captain Sheridan sacrifices his afterlife for the sake of true love, will Rookwood risk everything to keep his companion by his side, or is it too late to say "I love you"?

The Medium by Bonnie Dee (This is one of her best, in my opinion, and I’ve read most of her material.)

- To win a heart, he must risk his soul… Cast out of his family for being a freak, psychic Justin Crump helps others find peace by using his ability. When he’s called upon to release a distressed soul from a haunted house, a child’s angry spirit draws him into a dark mystery. Equally intriguing is the skeptical homeowner, Albert, a man who has buried his sexuality deeper than the grave. Albert Henderson humors his mother’s wishes by inviting the medium for a visit. While he doubts Justin’s gifts, he can’t deny one truth: the man stirs desire in him that Albert has spent a lifetime denying. Slowly, the walls of his proper life crumble. And when Justin proposes some emotion-free experimentation, neither imagines it might lead to love…and danger. After learning the terrifying truth about the deceased child’s persecutor, the two men pursue a perpetrator of great evil. When they coax a confession from their quarry, the vengeful spirit unleashes power nearly beyond control. To free the earthbound ghost from the past that holds it shackled, Justin must risk his own soul. And Albert must find the courage to break free of the chains of doubt that will deny him and Justin the future of which they once only dreamed.

(Part of Victorian Holiday Hearts Boxed Set) by Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee

- Delaney and the Autumn Masque: Delaney, a member of the Andrews theater clan, performs magic tricks at a fancy dress ball where he's struck by the dramatic figure of the Grim Reaper. He follows Death to a quiet room for a glorious, lustful encounter. With his identity hidden, impoverished gentleman Bartholomew Bancroft dares to indulge in an impulsive liaison, but can he find love with the magician when the masks come off?

The Psychic and the Sleuth by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon

- Psychic and skeptic—how could their love affair go wrong? Inspector Robert Court’s relentless insistence the wrong man hanged for the murder of Court’s cousin has him on his superintendent’s bad side. Court is assigned lowly vice cases such as exposing a confidence man posing as a medium to fleece the wealthy. Down on his luck, Oliver Marsh learned he had an aptitude for conducting séances. He assuages his guilt by bringing comfort to the grieving and offering occasional insights coming from true psychic flashes. Marsh has tried to deny these flashes, but when he’s bowled over by a vivid memory of murder coming from the other side, he can no longer pretend he doesn’t possess a gift. Marsh reveals details about that night which only Court’s cousin would know, and the detective vows to track down the truth—by staying as close to the fake psychic as humanly possible. But close leads to closer and soon the pair is involved in not only a torrid affair but a hunt for a killer—before he strikes again.

The Bird by Eli Easton (Novella from the Dreamspinner Press anthology Bones. Excellent read, as long as you keep in mind it’s written from the perspective of an Englishman in 19th century Jamaica.)

- Third son Colin Hastings has subverted his desires for his entire life, intent now on bringing his family’s plantation back to its former state of solvency, and marrying his friend Elizabeth. But, when he helps save the life of one of the plantation workers, he’s gifted his passion back, and must come to terms with his love for his lifelong friend, Richard. What happens when nightmares are not what they seem, and horror is not as bad one fears?

A Brush with Darkness by Erestes

- Florence, 1875 After making a grisly discovery one night, I needed proof that there was still goodness in the world. I never dreamt it would come to me during my next commission—with a subject whose very name means light... Yuri was glorious in his otherworldly beauty, surrounded by a bright halo of iridescence, but I detected a fierce darkness lurking underneath the surface. Sketching all night, I could hardly wait to capture his likeness in a painting. For Yuri has stimulated not only my creative urges, but my sexual ones as well. His very presence infuses me with joy and passion, but what will happen if my patron should discover our trysts? Dependent on his good graces, I can't afford to lose his support. But I fear the time will soon come when I must choose between restoring my family's fortunes and obeying the temptation of the muse before me... Previously published as Chiaroscuro, newly revised by author.

The Gilda Stories: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition by Jewelle Gomez (This is not exactly romance per se, but does include a lesbian protagonist, and follows her world through all that comes with being a vampire, including romantic interests.)

- This remarkable novel begins in 1850s Louisiana, where Gilda escapes slavery and learns about freedom while working in a brothel. After being initiated into eternal life as one who "shares the blood" by two women there, Gilda spends the next two hundred years searching for a place to call home. An instant lesbian classic when it was first published in 1991, The Gilda Stories has endured as an auspiciously prescient book in its explorations of blackness, radical ecology, re-definitions of family, and yes, the erotic potential of the vampire story.

Unchained by Ainsley Gray Review

- If he takes their life, they can never truly leave. That's the mantra Noah Wilmington has lived by for years. He picks up whores and deviants from the local taverns, enjoys their company for an evening...and then hides their bodies in the woods. Edward Yorke has approached the same man in the same public house time and again, never deterred by the cool dismissal he receives. There's something about Noah that calls to him. A shared pain, a shared sadness... But Noah doesn't trust himself. It's too risky to permit someone too close, and Edward is the one person in the world whose life Noah wants to spare. So, every time Edward has asked to buy him a drink, Noah declines. Then one night, out of sheer loneliness, that "no" becomes a "yes." When Edward's night with him sheds light on some of Noah's dark secrets, Noah cannot simply let him walk out the door. But if he doesn't want Edward dead, and he cannot let him leave, only one option really remains...

Briarley by Astor Glenn Gray (This novel was so unique and it’s just a charming May/December romance.)

- An m/m World War II-era retelling of Beauty and the Beast. During a chance summer shower, an English country parson takes refuge in a country house. The house seems deserted, yet the table is laid with a sumptuous banquet such as the parson has not seen since before war rationing. Unnerved by the uncanny house, he flees, but stops to pluck a single perfect rose from the garden for his daughter - only for the master of the house to appear, breathing fire with rage. Literally. At first, the parson can't stand this dragon-man. But slowly, he begins to feel the injustice of the curse that holds the dragon captive. What can break this vengeful curse?

Lover’s Knot by Donald Hardy

- Jonathan Williams has inherited Trevaglan Farm from a distant relative. With his best friend, Alayne, in tow, Jonathan returns to the estate to take possession, meet the current staff, and generally learn what it’s like to live as the landed gentry now. He’d only been there once before, fourteen years earlier. But that was a different time, he’s a different person now, determined to put that experience out of his mind and his heart….The locals agree that Jonathan is indeed different from the lost young man he was that long ago summer, when he arrived at the farm for a stay after his mother died. Back then the hot summer days were filled with sunshine, the nearby ocean, and a new friend, Nat. Jonathan and the farmhand had quickly grown close, Jonathan needing comfort in the wake of his grief, and Nat basking in the peace and love he didn’t have at home. But that was also a summer of rumors and strange happenings in the surrounding countryside, romantic triangles and wronged lovers. Tempers would flare like a summer lightning storm, and ebb just as quickly. By the summer’s end, one young man was dead, and another haunted for life. Now Jonathan is determined to start anew. Until he starts seeing the ghost of his former friend everywhere he looks. Until mementos of that summer idyll reappear. Until Alayne’s life is in danger. Until the town’s resident witch tells Jonathan that ghosts are real. And this one is tied to Jonathan unto death…

Man & Monster (Book two of The Savage Land) by Michael Jensen

- A monster stalks the ancient forests... It’s 1799, and Cole Seavey is a trapper running from a guilty past, seeking refuge on the vast American frontier. Lost in a raging storm, he finds himself face to face with a terrifying, otherworldly creature that seems to have emerged from a nightmare. Cole is saved from certain death by a handsome Delaware Indian named Pakim. Together they learn that the monster is the fearsome Wendigo from native legends: a creature with a heart of ice, drawn to the evil of men. Soon the Wendigo is terrorizing the frontier — settler and Indian alike — and Cole and Pakim join together to defeat the mysterious monster. In the process, Cole finds himself falling for the strapping brave and the promise of a new life together. Unfortunately, the legends say that the Wendigo can only be killed by another creature with a heart of ice. But how can Cole hope to defeat the monster if it means denying the love he's finally allowed himself to feel?

Stoker & Bash by Selina Kray (Book two coming soon!)

- At Scotland Yard, DI Timothy Stoker is no better than a ghost. A master of arcane documents and niggling details who, unlike his celebrity-chasing colleagues, prefers hard work to headlines. But an invisible man is needed to unmask the city’s newest amateur detective, Hieronymus Bash. A bon vivant long on flash and style but short on personal history, Bash just may be a Cheapside rogue in Savile Row finery. When the four fangs of the Demon Cats of Scavo—trophies that protect the hunters who killed the two vicious beasts—disappear one by one, Stoker's forced to team with the very man he was sent to investigate to maintain his cover. He finds himself thrust into a world of wailing mediums, spiritualist societies, man-eating lions, and a consulting detective with more ambition than sense. Will this case be the end of his career, or the start of an unexpected liaison? Or will the mysterious forces at play be the death of them both? And just who is Hieronymus Bash?

Gothic Romance by LV Lloyd (Gothic light, but includes a trans side character.)

- When Jonathan Winters accepts a post as tutor to the only son of Lord D’Anvers, he looks forward to sharing his love of learning with his young pupil. Not even arriving at Castle Blackstone in the middle of a thunderstorm can dampen his enthusiasm, nor the fact that the wing above his head is forbidden. Absorbed with Evelyn’s education, Jonathan is completely unprepared to find himself the object of Lord D’Anvers’ attentions. Until D’Anvers kisses him...

Threadbare by Clare London (Beautifully written, but NOT HEA!)

- When Edward inherits the family textile mill from his deceased parents, he knows where his duty lies. As a young Victorian gentleman, he devotes himself to the family business and doing right by his customers and employees. What concern is it that he surrenders his own artistic ambitions and romantic passions? But a hideous accident at the mill one day brings him into close contact with Mori, one of his most productive workers, a beautiful yet seemingly delicate and vulnerable young man. Edward takes Mori under his protection, bringing him back to his house. At last, Edward has found a friend and companion. His fascination for Mori grows swiftly into love, and he’s drawn out of his quiet introspection into a world of delight and passion. Yet Mori has a private task that both baffles and concerns Edward: the completion of a stunningly beautiful, abstract tapestry. Edward doesn’t understand its significance, Mori’s devotion to it, or Mori’s strange behaviour when Edward tries to part the man from his mission. Mori loves him in return, he’s sure – but can that ever be enough? As Edward is tangled more deeply and irretrievably into the web of Mori’s love and mystery, what bittersweet price might he have to pay?

Precious Possession by Clare London (Ambiguous ending!)

- Lucas Fides has inherited his Victorian family’s auction house, good looks and a keen, passionate mind. But he has far less control over his body’s desires than his business, hiding an illicit and unspoken love for his boyhood friend and dependent, Valentine. As a result, Lucas suffers recurring, deeply erotic dreams, where a mystery lover demands and guides his sexual responses. When the auction house runs into financial difficulty, Valentine introduces a new client to Lucas. Gideon Arnaud is a mysterious and charismatic man who seems to scorn society’s restrictions. He offers Lucas a spectacular collection of jewels for auction and also his intense, seductive attention. He appears to know more about Lucas than any stranger should. Affronted by Gideon’s bold pursuit, Lucas puts up a spirited defence, despite being increasingly exhausted by his dreams. His heart is already committed to Valentine, even if he thinks it’s his secret alone. When Valentine announces his engagement to Lucas’s sister, Lucas’s pain and frustration are almost intolerable. Torn between his need for Valentine’s comfort and the determination to avoid Gideon Arnaud’s disturbing presence, Lucas becomes more vulnerable by the day, until his loneliness forces his desire out of his dreams and into the light of day. The consequences will change his life forever.

The Blue Ribbon by Katherine Marlowe (I love everything she’s written, but this is one my faves.)

- Theo Aylmer's perfectly satisfactory life as a chemistry professor at Cambridge is upended when he receives word of his father's illness. Forced to return to Cornwall, he is robbed for everything he's worth by a dashing young highwayman. When he finally reaches his father's stagecoach inn, he finds it dilapidated and the village around it groaning beneath the thumb of the hateful Earl of Glynn. All Theo wants to do is return to his life and work in Cambridge, but as he tries to recoup the funds necessary to travel, he finds himself plagued by brandy-smugglers and rumours of ghosts. And at the center of all Theo's problems is a certain handsome highwayman who has charmed his way into Theo's bed and heart. When the highwayman turns up shot, Theo can't turn him away, even though doing so risks bringing the wrath of the customs men, the law, and the Earl of Glynn upon them both.

The Possession of Lawrence Eugene Davis by EE Ottoman

- At the beginning of the Great Depression Lawrence Eugene Davis returns to his family's ranch to set his father's affairs in order. But the house stirs memories of his unhappy childhood and his miserable time in the trenches. Memories are not the only thing woken, however, and Lawrence finds himself hunted and eventually overcome by the sinister presence. Salvation comes at the eleventh hour in the form of a stranger who claims he can rid Lawrence of the demon threatening to possess him—but in exchange he wants Lawrence for himself.

To Serve the Count by Cassandra Pierce

- In 1815 Austria, Rupert is cast out of his village after he is caught kissing another man and seeks refuge in the mysterious Castle Blutstark. He soon realizes that this is no ordinary castle, and his new master, Count Kaspar, is far from an ordinary employer. In fact, he isn't even alive in the conventional sense, and he wastes no time informing Rupert of his unusual new duties. Everything Rupert has ever learned in life tells him to run for his life, but then again nothing has ever prepared him to deal with the undeniable allure of his enigmatic new employer.

The Master of Seacliff by Max Pierce (I barely finished this one, because I didn’t like what seemed to be an abusive relationship and a vapid MC, but it follows in the tradition of Holt and Varga, with overall great reviews.)

- Seacliff is a mansion enshrouded in near-eternal fog, dark mystery and suspicion - perhaps a reflection of the house's master. An imposing Blackbeard of a man, Duncan Stewart is both feared and admired by his business associates as well as the people he calls friends. And his home, in which young tutor and aspiring artist Andrew Wyndham now resides, holds terrible secrets - secrets that could destroy everyone within its walls.

Guardian Angel by Hayden Thorne

- When nineteen-year-old Dominic Coville’s parents die in an accident, leaving him not only alone but on the brink of poverty, he desperately searches for work and is thrilled when the post of secretary is awarded to him despite his obvious inexperience and ignorance. Mr. Wynyard Knight of Mandrake Abbey, however, gladly welcomes Dominic and earns the young man’s immediate sympathy for his fragile health as well as gratitude for the promising new life now awaiting Dominic. Inside rock and timber, hungry shadows seek... But unusual things soon happen and appear to focus solely on him, and Dominic begins to wonder about the true history of Mr. Knight, the strange young man haunting the third floor, and Mandrake Abbey. With the persistent and increasingly violent attempts at communication by an angry ghost shadowing his hours, Dominic struggles to unravel the mysteries of his new home. And even with the help of a handsome young gentleman who’s an aspiring supernaturalist as well as his clairvoyant sister, danger closes in far too quickly. Then it’s only a matter of time before carefully constructed façades fall away, and the sickly, decaying underbelly of Mandrake Abbey’s centuries-old collection of stone and timber will reveal itself. Set in an alternate England sometime before the mid-19th century, Guardian Angel weaves a tangled and dark tapestry of old magic, romance, and madness, a celebration of classic gothic fiction and its macabre sensibilities.

Cast From The Earth by Leandra Vane (poly romance)

- An epidemic that turns men into monsters has seized the nation. At first the disease only spreads in cities but soon cannibals are roaming the prairie, threatening the quiet little towns of the late 19th Century heartland. At an isolated poor farm in rural America, Sara Warren has survived a tumultuous life of loss and an accident that leaves her with one leg – but she is hopeless of any other future until a woman named Cordelia arrives at the farm and changes Sara's life forever. Along with Dan, a man who can't hear and Grace, a young woman who is more concerned with her sewing needles than people, they face the oncoming apocalypse with their wits and their bare hands. When it seems like all is lost, a man from Sara's past named Jack returns to her life and they all realize the only way to survive is together. A story of romance, violence, sex, and the wild prairie that proves broken bodies still feel pleasure and broken souls can find love – even at the end of the world.

Gaywyck by Victor Varga (Book one of trilogy)

- The first gothic romance featuring gay MCs.

Robert Whyte replaces the traditional damsel in distress in the household of Donough Gaylord. He’s young, beautiful, an introvert not wishing to follow in his father footsteps--he longs to be an artist. Family friend helps him to become the librarian of Gaywyck, a house teaming with strange characters, and artists of various sorts. The house is in New England, but due to the original Gaylord owners, was built in the style of an antebellum mansion.

Donough Gaylord lives a grand lifestyle, is rich beyond imagining, but tortured by memories of dead twin and secrets that have dominated his life since boyhood. He spoils those of his household constantly, especially young Robert, who is like a breath of fresh air.

Without giving anything crucial away, I will just say that the events that cause Donough such pain are far from ordinary, and familial love is tested to the breaking point. If you don’t mind your romances a bit twisted, and with a million references to literature, drama, music, and painting, you will love this novel.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Deanna Wadsworth (Thoroughly enjoyed this one. It’s erotic, but also has a the enemies to lovers is really well done, and there is a twist ending.)

- Ichabod Crane, town schoolmaster and self-proclaimed supernatural expert, wants to better his situation by marrying the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel. But, there is a rival for her attentions. Local hero, Brom Bones. Brom lives to torment and tease Ichabod, leaving the schoolmaster wondering if he is more interested in besting his rival than winning Katrina’s hand. Especially when each time Ichabod goes into the backroom of his favorite tavern – a place men can be men –his imagination conjures Brom's face on every lover. Late one night, Ichabod is chased by the legendary Headless Horseman. Terrified the ghost wants his head, he tries to outrun the specter. To his horror, he is taken captive by the evil spirit. Ichabod awakens, naked and tied to a bed, only to discover the Headless Horseman is none other than his rival Brom Bones! Brom confesses that Ichabod has been haunting his own fantasies and he vows to make Ichabod Crane his in every way. Ichabod wants to believe the pleasure Brom offers comes from his heart, but he is afraid it is another one of Brom’s tricks. Though surely an enemy's touch has never felt like this...

Affinity by Sarah Waters (f/f)

- An upper-class woman recovering from a suicide attempt, Margaret Prior has begun visiting the women’s ward of Millbank prison, Victorian London’s grimmest jail, as part of her rehabilitative charity work. Amongst Millbank’s murderers and common thieves, Margaret finds herself increasingly fascinated by one apparently innocent inmate, the enigmatic spiritualist Selina Dawes. Selina was imprisoned after a séance she was conducting went horribly awry, leaving an elderly matron dead and a young woman deeply disturbed. Although initially skeptical of Selina’s gifts, Margaret is soon drawn into a twilight world of ghosts and shadows, unruly spirits and unseemly passions, until she is at last driven to concoct a desperate plot to secure Selina’s freedom, and her own.

A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelley York and Rowan Altwood (Dark is the Night series book one)

- James Spencer is hardly the typical troubled youth who ends up at Whisperwood School for Boys. Instead of hating the strict schedules and tight oversight by staff, James blossoms, quickly making friends, indulging in his love of writing, and contemplating the merits of sneaking love poems to the elusive and aloof William Esher. The rumours about William’s sexuality and opium reliance are prime gossip material amongst the third years…rumours that only further pique James' curiosity to uncover what William is really like beneath all that emotional armor. And, when the normally collected William stumbles in one night, shaken and ranting of ghosts, James is the only one who believes him. James himself has heard the nails dragging down his bedroom door and the sobs echoing in the halls at night. He knows others have, too, even if no one will admit it. The staff refuses to entertain such ridiculous tales, and punishment awaits anyone who brings it up. Their fervent denial and the disappearance of students only furthers James’ determination to find out what secrets Whisperwood is hiding...especially if it prevents William and himself from becoming the next victims.content warning: violence, sexual/physical abuse, some sexual themes

Recommended series w/Mediums and Things That Go Bump in the Night beneath the cut...

Hexworld series by Jordan L Hawk (I cannot express how much I love this series, and another novel is on the way!! A different couple in each novel, but they all work together or are related.)

- Dominic Kopecky dreamed of becoming a member of New York’s Metropolitan Witch Police—a dream dashed when he failed the test for magical aptitude. Now he spends his days drawing the hexes the MWP relies on for their investigations. But when a murder by patent hex brings crow familiar Rook to his desk, Dominic can’t resist the chance to experience magic. And as the heat grows between Dominic and Rook, so does the danger. Because the case has been declared closed—and someone is willing to kill to keep it that way. The 13th Hex is the prequel short story to the all-new Hexworld series. If you like shifters, magic, and romance, you’ll love Jordan L. Hawk’s world of witch policemen and the familiars they bond with.

Spirits series by Jordan L Hawk (Such detail. This series is amazing, and features a Native American MC and trans supporting character that is so well done.)

- After losing the family fortune to a fraudulent psychic, inventor Henry Strauss is determined to bring the otherworld under control through the application of science. All he needs is a genuine haunting to prove his Electro-Séance will work. A letter from wealthy industrialist Dominic Gladfield seems the answer to his prayers. Gladfield’s proposition: a contest pitting science against spiritualism, with a hefty prize for the winner. The contest takes Henry to Reyhome Castle, the site of a series of brutal murders decades earlier. There he meets his rival for the prize, the dangerously appealing Vincent Night. Vincent is handsome, charming…and determined to get Henry into bed. Henry can’t afford to fall for a spirit medium, let alone the competition. But nothing in the haunted mansion is quite as it seems, and soon winning the contest is the least of Henry’s concerns. For the evil stalking the halls of Reyhome Castle wants to claim not just Henry and Vincent’s lives, but their very souls.

Whyborne & Griffin series by Jordan L Hawk (I’ve read this series three times, and Griffin is one of my favorite characters in any series.)

- A reclusive scholar. A private detective. And a book of spells that could destroy the world. Love is dangerous. Ever since the tragic death of the friend he adored, Percival Endicott Whyborne has ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. Instead, he spends his days studying dead languages at the museum where he works. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons after the death of his partner. Now in business for himself, he must investigate the murder of a wealthy young man. His only clue: an encrypted book that once belonged to the victim. As the investigation draws them closer, Griffin’s rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne’s iron control. But when they uncover evidence of a powerful cult determined to rule the world, Whyborne must choose: to remain safely alone, or to risk everything for the man he loves.

#gothic romance #historical romance #two men in love #m/m romance #f/f romance #poly romance #lgbt romance #kj charles #jordan l hawk #bonnie dee #summer devon #katherine marlowe #ee ottoman

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plotholetsi · 6 years

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Some DA4 Ideas

Me and @thealmightym got off on a HUUUUGE tangent this morning, upon the suggestion that the Inquisitor + love interest might show up in DA4 based on how the romance loads into game (assuming the Dragon Age Keep continues to function as well as it has so far:

Lavellan/Solas romance:

I can totally imagine a storyline where, if you import Solas-romance inquisitor, as the new DA4 hero, you have inquisitor tag along on occasion. If you fuck up at the missions with them, inquisitor joins Solas in trying to wreck the world. If you complete all the missions with them, they take your side in the end fight with solas.

Inquisitor+Cullen:

You can join them on their farm for a side mission or two. One of the side-plots is Inquisitor helping hide Cullen's younger sibling from the newly formed circle/templar/whatever as young sib is starting to have little magic bursts. It's equally fretful and adorable.

Inquisitor + Iron Bull

Inky and Bull have formed a new Bull's Chargers. If Inky wa Qunari, there's some of his/her old Tal Vashoth band joined up now as well. They show up as a random helpful encounter aiding you in world events. If you run into them enough times, they come to you asking for help on a diplomatic mission, Halamshiral style side event. It ends in the whole crew being chased out of the party for wrecking EVERYTHING and if you play your cards with, a menage’a’tois with your old Inquisitor+bull plus new MC.

Inquisitor + Sera

This one’s easy. Inquisitor and Sera are married GAY AF ladies who show up as random encounter in urban settings. Only instead of helping YOU, they drop you arrows with notes on them of missions that need your specific flavor of diplomatic aid. Missions like: having you seduce a noble lady/gent while they steal said noble’s unearned goods. Stabbing a few really shitty nobles in the junk in a painful but non-lethal way. Immediately lose missions if guards or innocents harmed in process. Poisoning the food at the banquet of a robber-baron so everyone in the party gets diarrea BAD. Oh, and their skin turns purple for a week. And bees follow them.

Inquisitor + Blackwall

You meet them at missions in Weisshapt if Blackwall was told to join. Inq has joined them there indefinitely, and the two of them are the only two allows to Orlais & Fereldan as diplomats after that whole Wardens-turning-kinda-evil SHITE. They send you on a variety of one-off 'kill this monster' type missions, culminating in another encounter with the Architect, who can either help you by giving you something to defeat Solas, or you can fight, or they paralyse you and walk away without giving you ANYTHING depending on your game choices.

If inquisitor pardoned Blackwall, you run across the two of them in a cabin in the woods somewhere, trying their best to keep under the radar as they raise a couple of boys as out-of-the-limelight as possible.

Inquisitor + Josephine

Her ending goes one of three separate ways. Either she's got the bandit fleet under her wing, or her family has kinda lost status by the end. Or she's kinda bloodthirsty and killed some peeps.

I'm seeing their ending influenced by Leliana. If Leliana NOT Divine: Leliana is stealthily traveling alongside Inky & Josie to continue acting as a spy/ pulling strings of various nobility. While the peasants don’t suspect anything, most of the nobles are bloody terrified anytime Inky+Josie (and the unseen Leliana) roll into town because it means a few shitty nobles are gonna just be snatched away without a word. Inky+Josie show up as a set of espionage missions on war-tabley thing, and you can also interact with the trio at parties/ open-world spots where nobles show up, etc. Inky will very dramatically foil an assassination attempt on MC in DA4, starting a mission that culminates in an odd scavenger-hunt/goose chase of missions, culminating in Leliana identifying a spy within (DA4 organization here) who is trying to corrupt MC with magic. This traitor is not found in any other storyline, but is present in all other storylines (finger waggling here).

Josie+Inky IF Leliana IS Divine: series of wartable missions where Josie is convincing (DA4 group) to aid the Divine on various missions. Culminates in Inky foiling assassination attempt on YOU, and then enlisting your help to foil an assassination attempt on the Divine. Meanwhile, Josephine has been kidnapped, the Divine attack a diversion.

You go on a goose-chase of missions to figure out where they're keeping her, and when you finally get there, Josephine has things well in hand, and has a group of thugs tied up, and is regaling them with stories so entertaining that they're fallen over laughing despite being tied up. She looks over at Inky, who looks back at her lovingly, and says, "What took you both so long?"

NO ONE DAMSELS JOSIE

Inquisitor + Cassandra:

Inky + Cassandra have put away (most of) their adventuring, and have opened a bookshop.

Cassandra very convincingly makes a good bookshop owner. She recommends a different book each time you come in, based on what events you've finished/ things you've decided in game. "I see you came back from Hamalshiral. Can I recommend 'My Lady's Coattails'? It's a VERY saucy period piece with a side of court intrigue."

At a later date, you find her in the midst of dealing with several unconscious people in the shop, half her battle gear on. Turns out she's been doing some do-goodery on the side, and doesn't want Inky to know. She enlists you to help deal with a local thug who has been threatening the shop and people in town.

You go and deal with the thug, and turns out it's WAY more than a local thug. It's a REGIONAL thug, and it turns into a whole long mission, halfway through, you run into Inky who was sent along by someone else in (DA4 group) because people heard DA4-MC and Cass got in over their heard. There's a whole scene of Cass being mortified that Inky found out, Inky being like, "Don't be. I'm missing and ARM and you're a bad-ass, why would I keep my wife from helping people?" And they kiss and it's equal parts adorable and awkward in front of you. They cough and you proceed to PUMMEL the lead bandit-dude.

When you return to the shop, you still get nod-to-game book recs for the rest of the game.

If you die more than a certain number of times on any one mission, Cass will sarcastically recommend, "Gennevive's Sword Primer". Inky interupts to ask why the non-fiction book. Cass sneeringly jokes, "Because our MC needs to work on fundaments."

Inquisitor + Dorian

I feel like his is the hardest, because he has such a FIXED position in the DAI wrap-up. And given that everyone assumes the new game will center on Tevinter, he'll probably be a central or pivotal role the story nods to or revolves around.... Hell, maybe it's just this...

MC has several encounters with the Magisterium. Dorian is actually one of the most consistent council members. Despite his distaste for the High magisters of Tevinter, once he was shoved into the role of leadership, he used red tape like a weapon, pissing off a LOT of other politicians who were perfectly happy with things being as easy for them to rule as possible. If Dorian was romanced by DAI Inky, there are several events where you can see him being uncharacteristically called away from a meeting, and if you follow, can see an event where he meets with his foreign lover for a small chat and a furtive kiss.

At this point an event occurs where another council member offers to aid (DA4group) financially or politically if they can get dirt on Dorian. You're lead down a series of espionage missions where you copy the communication crystal, and can either aid Dorian by re-tuning it to crush the other council member, netting you a series of side-quests lead by DAI Inky to disrupt more blood mages outside Tevinter, or you can hand over the communication crystal to Dorian's rival, and have an instant massive boost in faction points towards Tevinter Imperium/ who-the-fuck ever, cause let's face it it's the edgelord choice you gotta put in the game for people who insist on wanting to play shitty-evil person, ‘because reasons’.

#dragonage4 #dragon age theories #dragon age companions #dragon age inquisition #dragon age 4 #bioware theories #fanficition #hypothetical

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dissonants-13 · 6 years

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Unprofessional

In the firelight of his office after the feral attack and the almost-debriefing, Adrian finds his resolve to keep things strictly professional with Isabel wavering.

Story Notes: Adrian x MC, rated M-ish I guess for non-explicit descriptions of sexually charged situations. Enjoy my lovelies <3

Isabel’s tears – which were more the unexpected result of shock, rather than fear – subsided with a few little hiccups. She looked up to see Adrian, who had guided her onto the plush antique leather sofa in his office before slinking off a word, returning and cradling a bottle of something honey-brown in colour, with two crystal glasses cradled in his other hand.

“My secret stash,” he said with a wink, in response to Isabel’s questioning gaze. “It’s not every day that you survive a Feral and decline a debriefing – you’ve earned this.” Adrian poured them both a drink - including a second for Isabel after she downed the first one immediately, with no more judgement than a tiny, amused quirk of his eyebrow.

The pair silently chinked their glasses together and drank deeply to their silent toast; to making it through a long night, and not long in the way that either of them typically liked. Of course, the stroll through the archives had been lovely, as had Adrian’s startlingly sweet confessions about wishing they could drink coffee in the sun together. As a next best thing, Adrian lit a fire in the fireplace, before sitting next to Isabel on the couch.

They got distracted in idle conversation until an unexpectedly empty bottle lay forgotten on the floor, the firelight glinting off the glass merrily. Adrian and Isabel remained, side by side on the couch, nursing the last of their drinks. Their voices were a low murmur in the quiet office, until eventually the both slipped into silence, staring into the fire.

The silence was almost unbridgeable - Adrian wasn’t sure what to say at that point. Isabel was a total enigma to him; with that buttery blonde hair and big hazel eyes, at first glance she looked soft and fragile. And yet, in only a short time Adrian had caught many a glimpse of the iron inside her. For the millionth time in his few days of knowing her, he wished he could just hear her thoughts and cut straight through the mystery of her.

“I understand if you do still choose to walk away,” Adrian said eventually, swirling the scotch around his glass. Isabel was sitting with her head tipped against the back of the couch; she rolled her head to the left to look at him quizzically. “With your memories intact of course, as agreed,” he continued. “But if you wanted to seek a safer occupation and leave this whole…world. I would be supportive.” Adrian didn’t add that it would destroy him a little bit, partly because he didn’t even want to admit to himself that he’d gotten so attached to his assistant in such a short time.

Isabel looked at him for a long time. Adrian stayed silent; if Isabel wanted to respond then he would give her all the time in the world to do it. It was kind of funny, that they were so similar in so many little ways – there was always something more than words with both of them.

Adrian turned his head to meet her gaze, her intense, green-flecked hazel irises fathomless in the firelight. He saw in those eyes questions, but also acceptance and something a little dark and sinful.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice barely more than a raspy whisper. He searched her gaze. In between them, his knuckles were touching hers, both of them still holding their glasses.

“I will be,” Isabel murmured. “As long as I’ve still got a job tomorrow – given the unprofessionalism of drinking with the boss.” The corner of her mouth quirked in a tiny, teasing smile.

“Luckily I prefer to know my employees personally, as previously discussed,” Adrian said, unable to stop the little challenging edge his tone took. She could walk away now if she wanted, and he’d be fine with that, but God, he didn’t want her to. Isabel shuffled her shoulder closer, until it was touching his.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Her tone was husky too and it was sexy; goosebumps rose slowly on Adrian’s arms, thankfully hidden by the sleeves of his suit.

“A little brush with death doesn’t get me down, it happens to me nearly week.” Adrian grinned crookedly at Isabel and her answering smile was breathtaking.

Isabel tilted her head away from him momentarily to brush her golden-brown curls off the shoulder closest to him. “I think I fell on something in the park.” She drew the collar of her soft, silk blouse aside to show him. “Something hurts at the very least.”

Adrian could see; there was a deep bruise on her shoulder, at the junction of neck and scapula, but his sharp eyes saw more than that. His gaze traversed the curve of her collarbone, the cluster of freckles going further down below her shirt that looked remarkably like the Southern Cross constellation, and back up to the pulse at the base of her throat, in the soft hollow. His gaze took in the shape of her mouth, her lips slightly parted as she idly rubbed the aching spot. Her lashes, blacker than night as she closed her eyes and winced. Adrian was swept through with a wave of desire, a kind he had never experienced before. He’d desired girls before, certainly, and satisfied that desire as required: he had always thought of it ironically as hunger, a need for a sort of fuel that the body wanted. But he’d never felt these kind of longings for someone before.

He tore his gaze away from her before she turned those eyes of hers on him and undid him completely, forcing himself to look at his hands. “It’s late, do you want to call it?”

To his dismay and equal thrill, she shook her head, hair shining in the firelight. “I can’t sleep right now,” she murmured, looking off into space.

“Me either,” he said with a sigh, not adding why. He couldn’t tell her that if she left now, he’d probably just sit in the dark of his office, filled with thoughts about her and her eyes when she realised she’d saved his life in the park by handing him that branch, and her mouth and how he’d thought about it since the moment he’d met her. He couldn’t tell her that his bed was just another place where he noticed that she wasn’t there as acutely as a fresh wound.

He was looking at her again, he realised, when she rolled her head to look at him, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

“Is there something on my face?”

Adrian shook his head, his cheeks flushing involuntarily at having been caught staring. The blood of others kept his heart beating, and with that came the downside of being able to blush. It was a blessing and a curse, for sure. He reached up and pushed her forward a little, liberating her long hair from between the couch and her back. He ran his fingers through it until it was all soft and wild, wavier than normal. He said nothing in answer to her raised brow. Isabel shook her hair out and tilted her head back against the couch, still looking at him, still smiling that secret little smile that he wanted to believe was only for him. Centuries of life and this girl, that smile and those eyes were what he’d been dreaming of. He’d just never known, or never admitted it ‘til now.

Lightning forked outside, lighting up the windows of Adrian’s office and Isabel’s eyes widened in delight.

“A fan of storms?” Adrian asked, following her gaze to the windows.

“I love them,” Isabel breathed. They waited for the thunder, listening to the rain intensify. Isabel slid her shoulders a little closer once more, and Adrian tilted his head until it rested on hers.

“Do you want to know a secret?” Isabel murmured.

“Always,” Adrian answered, smiling a little. Their thighs were touching; he was tingling all the way up that side of his body because of that.

Isabel sighed. “I was terrified, when that Feral was attacking you. Not because it was scary, or the situation was scary, but because there was a chance you would get hurt. I’ve never been afraid of anything in my life, but in that park I was afraid of losing you. And that’s an entirely unprofessional way to feel about my boss.”

“But you know what the important thing is?” Adrian asked, reaching up to touch her face gently. His fingertips came alive against her skin. “It didn’t stop you. I needed your help and you came through for me.” He sat up, so he could look her in the eye. He could see her pulse beating in the hollow of her throat, and he dropped his hand to her thigh.

“What a good assistant,” Isabel said wryly, the corner of her lips curling slightly. “I didn’t-”

He didn’t let her finish whatever self-deprecating thing she was about to say. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear,” Adrian quoted, his index fingertip tracing patterns on the creamy skin of her leg. He was surprised to find goosebumps rising in the wake of his touches. Did she...feel it too?

“I feel like I’ve known you for a lifetime,” Isabel said with a shrug, meeting his eyes steadily. “I knew in the moment that I would have done anything to save you.”

As he had been down in the archives, Adrian was knocked off kilter by the stunning clarity with which Isabel could speak to her feelings when she desired it. How on earth she managed to maintain a softness with such a determined will truly baffled and intrigued him.

Adrian was leaning the elbow of the arm not tracing idle patterns on Isabel’s thigh on the back of the couch; he reached out with this hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. Isabel was still for a long moment, before leaning in to his touch a little.

“Iz,” he whispered. He didn’t know if she’d be okay with the nickname, but it felt right in the moment. Her lips were parted, soft-looking and enchanting, her eyes just hazel rings of iris around large pupils in the firelight. Her breathing - was it a little shallower than normal? Adrian thought it might be and he was quite sensitive to changes in the stasis of humans - her collarbones were rising and falling a little quicker than was usual for her. Lightning cracked past the window behind Isabel’s head, momentarily giving her a halo. Adrian laughed internally. Ironic. The fingers on her leg crept a little higher, beneath the hem of her skirt. He heard a soft little intake of breath pass between her lips as he tilted his head towards her, questioning with his gaze alone.

“Stop me now,” he said, fingers curling around her neck. Blood was singing in his ears, the nerves in his fingertips on fire. She hadn’t so much as moved to still the hand on her thigh. He pushed a little further, testing her; his lips ghosted along her jaw. The hand on her neck slid up to angle her chin better and he brushed his mouth chastely against hers. “Tell me to stop.”

His hand beneath her skirt had gone as high as the seam of her underwear; the skin of her inner thigh was impossibly soft and smooth as he traced that border, like silk beneath this fingertips. Isabel exhaled, a soft little ‘huh’ of air that nearly undid him completely; he was dizzy and breathless and hyper aware of every inch of her skin that he could reach.

She said nothing, and her eyes may have been challenge or a warning - there was only one way for him to know.

He crashed his mouth to hers, hard, but there was no carnage; her lips parted for him, their tongues meeting as if they were born to do this together, and all the while, lightning blazed outside the windows and rain thundered on the ceiling. Adrian kissed her harder, feverish, drinking in the heady slide of her lips and the taste of honey and scotch and the way her leg trembled as his fingertips dug into her thigh.

No one had ever made him feel the things he felt when he kissed her, the feelings of his nerves exploding and his skin melting and his lungs burning, all with pleasure and desire. If they were just stars on their own, then the two of them together were supernovas meeting. He was aware that she would need to breath; he pulled away barely an inch to suck in a ragged gasp. Isabel’s head fell back, exposing her white throat to him. Adrian buried his hand in her hair, tightening his grip to keep her still while he kissed his way down her neck and dragged his teeth across the ridge of her clavicle. The desire to break the skin simmered below the surface, but Adrian was practised enough to control that. His other hand was searching ever higher - she hadn’t stopped him, and he’d thought of nothing more than his need and his hunger for her since first laying eyes on her.

She bit her lip in answer to his silent question, his fingers hovering on the lace seam of her underwear, her pupils big and black and burning. She’d worked his suit jacket off him and her hands were on him under his shirt as he slid the material out of the way, her nails searching his skin for purchase. He couldn’t stand his lips being parted from hers; they kissed again, more fiercely than ever before.

It didn’t even register in Adrian’s mind that they were in danger of being caught if anyone happened to barge into his office. He was too focused on Isabel, on her kisses and her tiny moans at his touches. One of her hands tangled in his hair, tugging gently – though she’d have no way of knowing before she did it how much he liked that – and he couldn’t help the groan that burst forth from his lips. He knew now why the couples in action movies were always so amorous after near death experiences - there was no aphrodisiac like realising you might never get to touch the object of your desires the way you wanted.

Adrian needed to be closer to her, he wanted to push her down into the soft couch and let her feel his weight, feel every inch of their skin touching. He was burning up, like an exploding star; every so often he would pull back to take a breath and Isabel’s mouth would hang open slightly, and her eyes would widen to see the hunger raging in his gaze. He wouldn’t be able to stop, he felt, he needed to have her, to possess her, to make her feel all the things that were setting his own nerves on fire.

“Adrian,” Isabel gasped against his mouth - his touches were making her body shake and her breathing ragged. A pulse went through him at the sound of her moaning his name like that, and he stroked harder, wanting to hear it again.

It was only pure luck that Adrian heard heels clicking on the polished floor outside his office - he pushed Isabel down out of view with a growled “fuck.” He vaulted the back of the couch quickly, tucking his shirt in and gesturing for Isabel to stay down, before he folded his arms across his chest. A moment later, Nicole’s head poked around the door.

“Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Raines?” she asked. Adrian could hear the touch of suspicion in her tone as she took in his rumpled appearance.

“No, thank you, Nicole. You may go.”

She lingered a moment, before nodding and shutting the door with a heavy click. Adrian waited until the sound of Nicole’s heels had retreated across the landing, before he reached his hand down and pulled Isabel up into a sitting position. They were silent, staring each at each other for a moment before Isabel’s lips twitched and then she started to giggle, and Adrian couldn’t help but laugh too.

“That was so close,” she whispered, tucking her legs under her. He nodded, still smiling. Isabel stood and stretched luxuriously, smiling wryly as Adrian’s gaze traversed the length of her legs, her hips, and her crinkled silk blouse. “It’s definitely time for bed – for me at least. Perhaps you should send me an email regarding professionalism, Mr. Raines.” She was backing away, in the direction of the door, the corners of her lips still curved mischievously.

Adrian followed, like a lion stalking prey. “I do believe I was the one who was unprofessional first, Isabel. And while we’re both being unprofessional, don’t I get a goodnight kiss?”

“You didn’t get your fill?” Isabel asked cheekily, stepping backwards until her back met the door. Adrian’s mind was flood with images of pushing her up against that door. He suspected she didn’t mind a little domination.

It felt like a lifetime between first meeting and that kiss and Adrian wanted to tell her that he felt he would never have enough of her; he wanted all of her, all the time. His desire was still smouldering in the pit of his stomach, unsated.

“No,” he said simply. “Besides, there’s something I need to finish.” He touched the inside of her thigh to convey his meaning, and with his other hand he lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist; lingering, a kiss and a promise.

#bloodbound #choices bloodbound #adrian raines #adrian x mc #choices fanfiction #choices fanfic #guys look I wrote something NOT angst #are you so proud?#are you turned on?#brooklyn nine-nine reference in the tags asxbshasgjas

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