#the darkness outside us review

[the-lunar-explorer]

i finished the Darkness Outside Outside Us!!! (spoiler free post)

DUDEEEEEE what a lovely book! i LOVE books with a theme about human connection being the main purpose of life. my heart feels full💖

[no-foxx]

The Darkness Outside Us

by Eliot Schrefer

**Spoilers**

after the first death, reading the black page had me shook realising what was gonna happen.

when i realised what the black pages ment my heart DROPPED - seeing there was still so many left and how close some of them were together.

every time i thought "oh this must be the final pair they're getting old lol" BAM dead and my heart breaks all over again. i had so much hope for the characters only to be shattered and built up again.

this book was an absolute mind fuck in the best way, i loved it so much and i love how it was spilt into parts instead of chapters. i could not put it down and is on the ranks for one of my favourites books this year. 10/10 love love love

and yes, i have already preordered the second one.

plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

character: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[gaywriting]

The Brightness Between Us review

The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer (2024)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✖️

"It arrives. The brightness between us." (p. 387)

This is the continuation of the story of The Darkness Between Us and follows humanity's last hope; spacefarers Ambrose Cusk and Kodiak Celius and them trying to rebuild on their exoplanet named Minerva. Life on this unfamiliar planet haven't been kind and many of their children have perished, all but one son, Yarrow, and one daughter, Owl. Together the small family must find a way to survive and eventually find a connection from a far distant past to help in a horrible crisis threatening their lives.

I finished this book in january 2025. Apparently one of my favorite books had gotten a sequel and no one thought to tell me. the first book was also the first book i posted a review of (Link!) and the reason i wrote that post was to put focus on a LGBT+ book that i loved and that is out of the ordinary from the usual mlm stories that get attention in the online book community.

this is the story of a family trying to survive in a harsh environment and the loneliness that is with only having each other. Akin to the first book, it deals with hoplessness in a situation you can't control and the insanity of loneliness. It is, though, a very different book, as the first book mostly took place during Ambrose and Kodiaks travel through space and this sequel is 18 years after they landed and is mostly revolving around them and their children. In the first book the only pov character is Ambrose and we never hear Kodiaks inner thoughts at all, but this book had multiple povs. We mostly follow Owl's thoughts, their headstrong, adventure-hungry daughter, who longs to explore their homeplanet. But we also get a look into Kodiak's mind, as well as Yarrow, the older son with a gentle heart, but dark mind 🎆 it is a story of space survival and a family that loves each other, but how a tough situation puts that love to the test. in this sequel, Schrefer managed to answer the questions the first book left us with, build on the world further and round off the story where you're left emotional and in need of 30 chapters more to know "but what happens then??" 😱

If you read the first book, The Darkness Outside Us, then i can definitely recommend the sequel! Sci-fi is not my genre at all (i'm def more into dragons and magic) so the fact that i vouch for this should speak for itself. But if it interests you, who also likes LGBT+ literature, then this is a must read! 💫

[pagesandpothos]

The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer

Official Summary:

In this sequel to The Darkness Outside Us, a Stonewall Honor Book, New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer delivers another ambitious, genre-bending novel and epic love story that spans thousands of years and the far reaches of the galaxy. Seventeen years have gone by since the Coordinated Endeavor crashed on a distant exoplanet. Ambrose Cusk and Kodiak Celius are now the devoted parents of two teenage children, Owl and Yarrow, in a hardscrabble frontier home. Though life on Minerva is full of danger, the family’s bond is enough to make it all worth it—until they learn that the biggest threat to their survival might come from within. More than thirty thousand years in the past, Ambrose wakes on Earth to find that his mission to save his sister was a ruse. His mother betrayed him, and the truth of her plan—to send twenty clones of him to continue human civilization thousands of light-years away—sets Ambrose spiraling. When he discovers that another spacefarer is suffering his same fate, he will have to decide whether to risk crossing a world at war to reach him. Separated by time and space, a young family and two strangers learn that their lives are intimately intertwined. They race to uncover the unexpected connections that might save them all . . . and perhaps humanity as well.

My Thoughts:

This was a fantastic follow-up to a great book.

The story covers two different timelines from four different POVs. Two POVs come from a post-The Darkness Outside Us timeline that is set 17 years after the end of the previous book.

Ambrose and Kodiak tell the second timeline. Their POVs are set on Earth before The Darkness Outside Us.

Both storylines have sweet, emotional, tense, and shocking moments. I love Ambrose and Kodiak even more after reading this.

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘 (4.25/5 stars).

Tropes/Tags:  YA, queer, Achillean, romance, science fiction

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | EliotSchrefer.com

[ See Everything I’ve Read in 2025 ]

[i-reading-a-lot]

Okay, so, I just finished The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer, and HOLY SHIT!!!!!!

As a queer person, I love reading queer romances, and I saw this and thought ‘hmmm, two guys alone in space’ cuz that’s pretty much what was on the back, so I decided to read it and OH MY GOD THE MARKETING NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT

It was a gorgeous story about humanity and love, and I was reading it all throughout the school day and I finished it so fast and I had to stare at a wall for a while.

TW for violence, mental health issues (a little, one of the guys has a psychotic break which is reasonable in his situation at the time) and having your brain chemistry altered in the best possible way

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[ashes-reviews]

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

8/10

I'm a week away from graduating, and I need my favorite escapism. A good gay ya novel. So I head down to my little neighborhood library with absolutely no expectations. I see a cheesy title and two boys on the cover, I read the back and I'm promised enemies to lovers in space--I'm sold. The librarian confirms that this book has won many awards, I'm a little shocked that a cute little sci-fi romance novel was so critically acclaimed, but ah well time to start readin--OH MY GOD.

This BOOK, y'all!!! Absolutely nothing you could possibly expect. I was thrown for a loop in the absolute best way. At first I was pleasantly surprised by the usual sci-fi AI motifs, and then by page 50 I had given up that this was anything like the book I had thought it was.

The plot is astounding and kept me on the edge of my seat, truly suspending my disbelief. Clearly, Schrefer knows his way around science fiction! The characters were three dimensional, and ultimately memorable, but the emotions this book made me feel are truly what I will take with me. I laughed, I cried, but most of all I hugged a pillow sucking on my thumb rocking back and forth while staring into the middle distance. :)

This book blends utter existentialism and heartbreak with the solemn safety of a happy ending. It's like doom scrolling world news all day only for a loved one to walk in and greet you with a kiss atop the head. I gave it an eight simply because I am a harsh grader and I am saving the ten for a very special occasion, and I felt that even though I loved the characters and their relationship, the romance was lacking. Very "horny teens with no one else around" which, as a hesitant ace, I was a little taken aback by. While the romance didn't blow me away, this book was truly about love. Love for the world, love for yourself, and love for each other.

Definitely would recommend!

Ash

P.S. There's apparently going to be a sequel this October?? I am very excited and will be keeping a look out for it.

[squirrelcatisnotcat]

The Darkness Outside Us (04/30/23)

“He’s a stranger, a lover, and my life partner. We have lived and died lifetimes together, and it makes me shiver every time that odd truth comes over me.” -Eliot Schrefer

Disclaimer: I'm not a book reviewer? I guess. 🤷‍♀️ I don't normally post much about the books I'm reading, but this book absolutely made me fall in love with reading all over again. So I wanted to talk a little bit about it. These are just my thoughts about the book, but I'd love to hear yours if you want to share them.

*Mild spoilers for Darkness Outside Us*

Where to start?

My expectations of this book were completely subverted from the cover page alone. When this book first came out I assumed it was a cute little space rom com and put it on my TBR list for a future time when I just wanted something fluffy to read...I was wrong.

Without giving too much away, this story could be likened more to a psychological thriller than your normal space opera. I'm not sure if it was the way the book was marketed or just that the cover art gave "LoFi songs to fall asleep to in space", but it completely shocked me with its twists and had me crying throughout.

I absolutely loved the way that the author was able to explore Ambrose and Kodiak's character growth throughout the story in such a way that felt natural over the span of the book. (If you know you know)

There were a few parts that I feel the character's were lacking some polishing with the dialogue, but for the most part I think it could be overlooked with how well the author was able to draw the world and relationships surrounding the characters.

In the end, I honestly think it was kinda fun to discover the true genre of the story as I was reading it. It was unexpected and kept me invested in what was going to happen next since I was already thrown off guard.

Solid 9/10 on the "books I would recommend to friends who don't like sad endings but I would recommend anyway because its not a sad Ending scale"

[liz-thinks-too-much]

Can I be petty for a second?

So, I finished reading The Darkness Outside Us, and as I was looking for some video essays on it, I found one where someone didn't like a specific scene of the book, so here are my two cents about it.

The scene this video references is the one right after Ambrose and Kodiak have sex for the first time and they talk about top and bottom dynamics, and how they got into the ship thinking they were tops (because that's the only role they ever played), but now they're okay with the idea of being verse.

In this video the person says this scene is contraproductive, not normbreaking and fetishization. They're disappointed that both of them are tops and that Ambrose, which is the smaller, softer one, was the first one to bottom, saying that it falls into a norm. And honestly? I don't see a problem with that. The whole deal of having the freedom to express your sexuality is so that you can decide if you want to have vanilla sex or not, and if you end up falling into an unharmful stereotype, that's okay as long as it's safe and both you and your partner are okay with it.

I don't see people getting disappointed with straight romance because the woman didn't peg her partner to prove she's not lesser than him, so why are we expecting a queer author to make a statement out of queer sex? Ambrose and Kodiak entered the ship as two fuckboys who always topped, but as soon as they fall in love, have sex and open up to each other they both say that they're okay with bottoming sometimes, even Kodiak says so! You know, the super masculine guy who came from a very conservative place that would make fun of him for wanting to bottom? Yeah, even him is comfortable enough to explore new things with his boyfriend, so how can you say that this scene is not normbreaking?

And what if the softer one was exclusively a bottom and the muscular one was exclusively a top? Queer people don't need to make a revolutionary take on sex every time they fuck, existing in a queer relationship is already a political statement by itself!

I would have a problem with this scene if Kodiak or Ambrose made fun of/humiliated each other for wanting to bottom, but that never happens, they actually are very supportive and happy to discover these things together in the future.

The youtuber also say this scene is fetishization because it's only purpose it's to ease the mind of people who think they're entitled to know who is the top and bottom of the relationship, and though I agree this is disgusting behavior, I don't think this was the purpose of this scene. Through the whole book we see Ambrose talking about how horny he is for Kodiak, because he's a teenager, so it's no surprise for them to be open about their sexual history with each other after falling in love and realizing they're in danger. They use intimacy as a way to ground each other in this stressful situation.

The purpose is to show how comfortable they are to build intimacy, to communicate their needs and try to build a dynamic that works for them. It's about growth, love, and most of all, it's supposed to be funny. From Federation's stupid "donating" and "welcoming" terminology, to them turning their aftercare into a political debate about the power dynamics and heteronormativity of sex roles, to the "two tops go to space" joke, to Kodiak saying they should make a schedule so they could fuck five times a day: It was so fucking stupid and funny, and I absolutely loved it!

But honestly, that's just my personal take, so no hate to the youtuber or anyone who disagrees, you do you, babes!

[potato-sauce]

So I just finished reading this book and this is me telling all of you to read this book

Why? I hear you ask

Well

It's a space adventure with two hot guys on a ship to save one guys sister and there both low key gay for eachother

It's one of those "OH MY GOD KISS ALREADY PLEAAAAASE" sort of books

It's a bit less then 400 pages long and took me about a week to read through and it's so good it's incredibly well written and I would 1000000% recommend it if you like Sci fi space stuffs because this book is amazing

(By the way the book is called The Darkness Outside Us by Elliot schrefer)

[elenajohansenreads]

Books I Read in 2023

#31 - The Darkness Outside Us, by Eliot Schrefer

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

I barely remember adding this to my TBR, most likely because I did it on a whim when someone on Tumblr mentioned it and I thought it sounded vaguely interesting; I do that a lot with romances, especially queer ones. I'm pretty sure I read the blurb at some point but functionally I went into this blind, and I did not get what I expected, in a good way. The romance is probably the least developed part of the story, because for something I thought was going to be at least somewhat fluffy YA m/m, it's actually more concerned with its sci-fi plot, and the romance plays the supporting role tying the pieces of that together. I don't think any of the individual plot twists are particularly original or shocking in isolation, but taken altogether, they're woven into a reasonably new and interesting spin on... well, I can't really say without spoilers, but any sci-fi fan has experienced a version of this tale before, in some way. This time we're just looking at it through the lens of two queer teenage boys falling in love while things go wrong around them. It's definitely more interesting than the average teenage romance I was vaguely expecting, but it does lack the depth I've seen in adult sci-fi exploring similar themes, which is why I didn't rate it higher. I did very much enjoy it anyway.

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#24 - The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Science Fiction / LGBTQIA+ / 403 pages / published 2021 / Finished Feb. 18

One Sentence Review: Suspenseful, heartbreaking, romantic, beautiful, challenging, this book is a masterpiece that keeps the reader on their toes and subverts expectations at every turn - though utterly devastating at times, this book will make the reader laugh, think and reflect on life and love, and fall in love with these characters and their story.

Favorite Quotes

"We are meant to be extraordinary."

*

"Stop it right there, you bastard little toaster!"

*

"You love Kodiak. This is the hidden miracle of all this: you might be loving each other deeper than any humans have ever loved, have ever needed to love, have ever had the occasion to love."

*

"I don't want to die. I want to live. But I want my future self to have its best chance. And for that I must die."

*

"Emotions have their effects even after you try to bully them out of existence."

*

"Intimacy is the only shield against insanity. Intimacy, not knowledge. Intimacy, not power."

*

"That was the balm: hope."

*

"Well, we're hardwired not to accept our own demise. Daffodils are a lot more chill about it."

*

"'Scrumpkin' ... 'My fluffer skunk.'"

My rating: 5/5

A Few More Thoughts (Spoilers):

This book was phenomenal - I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I went into it thinking that it was going to be a fairly straightforward space romance, but it was so much more than that! Suspenseful, heartbreaking, mysterious, romantic, and beautiful, this book completely captured me, and the ending was wonderfully satisfying.

When our two main characters - our ONLY characters other than OS and Rover - died, I was flabbergasted. The fact that Ambrose and Kodiak were clones and not on a mission to save Minerva blew my mind, as well as the reveal that they were the last of humanity sent out to start again. Honestly, this book kept shocking me at every turn.

We humans can be so easily caught up in our "now" that we often don't think about those who will come after us. We need to live for future generations, more than just ourselves, to make their world better, just like Ambrose and Kodiak died again and again so that one version of themselves in the future might find happiness.

Also, never trust AI. Like, ever.

[tigger8900]

The Books I Didn't Review

I dropped the ball on book reviews in 2023. I'm not surprised. It was a rougher year than 2022, and I also dropped that particular ball then as well. It's hard for me to stay motivated, especially since when I get stressed out I simultaneously read more and want to write(including blogs) less. But this is a new year(I have realized, more than two weeks into it) and I can wipe this slate clean. Start with a book I'm very excited to review, and then...nothing! Empty pile!

So I'm going to do a very brief overview of some of the books I read in the last few months of 2023. Some stuff I read completely fell through the cracks, because it had to go back to the library and I just wasn't able to write up anything about it. Most of these are ones I'd tried to save though, because I was excited to make a record of them in the blog. So I'm disappointed in myself that I couldn't do as well as I'd hoped, but at the same time I recognize that I did as well as I could. Haven't ragequit my job. Still meeting the important bills. Am reading, and writing, and having weird-ass dreams about what if Beauty and the Beast were mutual beards. So it could be a lot worse. Let's see what happens when I give myself permission to start fresh.

Golden Boys, by Phil Stamper

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Young adult gen fic. This is Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but with less 00s-era weirdness. Brotherhood of the super gay boys, as I deemed it in a work e-mail. I didn't expect to like this one, but I actually found myself incredibly invested in these boys' lives. I especially appreciated how their friendships were centered above all else, even in the cases where romance was also taking place. I intend to read the sequel if I can find time, because y'all I have *got* to know where these boys go next.

The Darkness Outside Us, by Eliot Schrefer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Young adult science fiction. This is a love story, but not a traditional romance(even though it starts out looking like a straightforward enemies to lovers in space). High appeal to people who enjoy brainfucky sci-fi as well as gay romance, though if you come solely for the romance you're probably going to walk away disappointed, confused, and possibly vaguely traumatized. I'm so glad my coworker insisted I pick it up, because I never would have read this based on the cover.

Horse Barbie, by Geena Rocero

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adult memoir. This is about a Filipino trans woman's experience in the pageant circuit in the Philippines as well as her time modeling in the US. I wasn't really into the performance-oriented segments, but I found it illuminating how she contrasted the US's legal acceptance(but social hostility) of trans identity with the Philippines' social acceptance(but legal hostility). Someone who's more into glamour/fashion might get more out of it than I did, but it's still a solid trans memoir even if you're not into that stuff.

Never Whistle at Night, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Adult short stories. This is an anthology of "dark fiction," horror-adjacent, centering North American indigenous voices. Almost all of the two dozen~ stories were good or great, hitting a diverse selection of tones and content. I loved too many of them to list favorites. The stories might not be the type to make you check under the bed, but come prepared to be unsettled and disturbed.

Citadel, by C. M. Alongi

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Adult science fiction. Featuring a nonverbal autistic protagonist, who seems to have been researched very thoroughly, this is a story about uncovering the truth about what happened long ago. My main gripe is that it ends rather suddenly, leaving me feeling like there's meant to be a sequel, but as far as I can tell there's no plans for that. But the story it told was fantastic, I just wish I knew where some of the loose ends and teased bits were going. Probably has strong crossover appeal to an older YA audience.

Blackouts, by Justin Torres

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adult general fiction. Won the national book award this past year. Three and a half stars for the novel, bumped up to four for the excellent use of blackout poetry on found text throughout. It's about an inter-generational friendship between two gay men, one of whom is on his deathbed and gifts the other a selectively blacked-out copy of Sex Variants, a real publication from the 40s, as well as a selection of other photographs and artifacts. This is all characters and no plot. Highly recommend reading this in the print edition, as the best parts seem like they won't translate to audio.

Out There Screaming, edited by Jordan Peele

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adult short stories. Horror-adjacent "dark fiction"(to borrow a phrase from a previous book) centering Black voices working in a variety of formats and genres. Picked this up for the names included(Nnedi Okorafor, Tananarive Due, N.K. Jemisin, Rebecca Roanhorse, P. Djèlí Clark, Tochi Onyebuchi, and of course Jordan Peele himself), but was happy to enjoy some of the other stories as well. My favorite story by an anticipated author was Clark's Hide & Seek(though it had stiff competition), and my favorite story by a new-to-me author was Nicole D. Sconiers's A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree.

The Possibilities, by Yael Goldstein-Love

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Adult speculative fiction. A new mom struggles with contradictory memories of whether or not her child survived the birth. Then he disappears, as if he'd never been, and she has to go find him. I haven't read/seen Everything Everywhere All At Once, but people keep bringing it up when I describe this book to them, so it must be similar! Heavy content warning for baby-related trauma. This is not the book for you if you're going through an anxious time with a pregnancy or young child!

The Future, by Naomi Alderman

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Adult speculative fiction. In the near-future, tech bro CEOs have a plan for the end of the world. In the lead-up and as the plan deploys, we follow a survivalist blogger and a cult survivor who muses about the end of the world seen through the lens of god's wrath. A surprisingly hopeful pre-apocalyptic(the event itself happens roughly 3/4 of the way through) novel, with some sapphic shenanigans in the background. Funny coincidence: I finished this and handed it to my mom at the same time as she tried to hand me The Power by the same author. 😂

Us, by Sara Soler, translated by Silvia Perea Labayen

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Adult graphic novel memoir. Originally published in Spain, this is the story of Sara Soler's experience when her partner comes out as a trans woman. I read this hoping for more insight to their particular experience, especially when Soler mentioned early on that she discovered she was demisexual, but ultimately it reads as more of a primer to trans issues in general. No hate for that, it's just not what I was expecting. While this is marketed to adults, I think there's cross-appeal to teens who are interested in the subject matter. There was nothing that struck me as particularly scandalous, mostly a lot of swearing.

[comically-callous]

Can I request headcanons for Kurt, Remy, Logan, and Wade being stuck with his gender neutral crush in close proximity please?

Love this 👅👅👅

Wade, Logan, Remy, and Kurt with gn!Reader in close/forced proximity 💕

Warnings!!!: Mild language, tad bit suggestive in a few parts (nothing crazy, don’t get excited), Wade being semi aware that he’s in a fanfiction lol, forced proximity in smallish places

A/n: Hello, I’m back. I liked writing this one, it brought me joy even though I had a mental breakdown halfway through writing it for unrelated reasons. Anyways, requests are open 😛

Wade Wilson:

Wade drags you out to a casino after a successful mission together because you guys are in Vegas and he wants to celebrate!! and definitely not because he wants to spend more time with you

But, of course, as soon as you two exit the lobby area of the casino and enter an elevator, the thing comes to a sudden halt.

“Uh-oh. The good ol’ forced proximity trope. Better get comfortable, Y/n. I’ve read enough fanfiction to know we’re not getting out of here anytime soon.”

Obviously, you call the front desk. But, they tell you it’ll be a while till they can send someone over to get you guys out of here.

Despite the shitty situation, Wade is happy to be spending time with you.

The two of you sit on the floor after a while and even though it’s a pretty spacious elevator, Wade sits right next to you. Like, shoulder to shoulder.

He’s sure to keep you entertained while you wait to be rescued. And by keeping you entertained, I mean he won’t shut the fuck up.

And it’s really all fun and games for him until you show any signs of being genuinely upset or nervous about being stuck here.

That’s when he basically pries the doors open himself and somehow manages to climb through the elevator shaft and fixes the problem himself.

“How the hell did you manage to do that?”

“I can be useful when I want to, hot stuff.”

You guys leave a negative review on the Casino later.

Logan Howlett:

You two have to share a hotel room together while on a mission, and unexpectedly, (say it with me, now) there’s only one bed.

“I can sleep on the floor.”

“I don’t want you sleeping on the floor.”

“Do you wanna sleep on the floor?”

“The bed can easily fit two people. Besides, It’s just for one night.”

“…”

“Come on…. I don’t bite.”

So, now you two are sharing a bed. And to your surprise, he’s being very mindful about it.

He sets up a little wall of pillows between you and says it’s to protect you in case his claws come out while he’s sleeping.

And obviously, you don’t know about it, but he’s pretty nervous.

He knows it’s stupid and he knows he shouldn’t be nervous because it’s not like anything is going to happen between the two of you. But, still.

He gets up once or twice to leave the room to smoke and definitely not to go outside and contemplate every single thing he’s done tonight.

When he comes back, you apologize and he realizes that he’s probably made you think that he’s somehow uncomfortable by your presence.

“Don’t be sorry. I don’t mind this, honestly.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

And so, the two of you get into bed together. Don’t worry. He’s going to be a gentleman about it unless you don’t want him to be 😈

Remy LeBeau:

The two of you are tasked with grabbing some spare blankets from a closet after some of the children at the school ask to build a pillow fort.

Easy enough task, right? Wrong. Somehow the two of you get trapped in the blanket closet together.

One can only bang on a door and shout for help for so long before giving up.

“Don’t worry, Mon Ami. Gambit’ll keep you company.”

The two of you can’t really move too much, both settling for leaning against the walls opposite from one another.

He assures you he wouldn’t mind you getting closer. Which, of course, gets you flustered and you just have to hope he doesn’t notice in the dark.

He’s having a great time. He loves teasing you, and getting to see you get all nervous.

“You sure you don’t wanna get a little more comfortable?”

“It’s fine, really. Someone’s probably realized we’re gone by now. They’ll find us here any minute.”

“Shame. I was hoping we’d get a little more time alone together.”

Anyways, it turns out if there are people looking for you, they’re doing a pretty shitty job, because you haven’t even heard anyone walk by the closet and it’s been nearly 20 minutes.

And Remy knows he unfortunately can’t just stay in here with you forever. So, he’ll knock down the door the second you give him the word.

Kurt Wagner:

You, Kurt, and a couple of the other X-Men take a little road trip. Or are all driving to do a mission. It doesn’t really matter, you’re all in a car together.

You and Kurt end up drawing the short straws and are forced to be crammed into the small backseat together.

Now, could Kurt hypothetically just Bamf over to wherever you guys are going? Probably. But, why would he do that when this is the perfect excuse to spend time with the person he’s been pining after for…. Weeks? Months? Who knows.

It doesn’t matter! He’s happy to be here with you. But, also nervous.

He doesn’t wanna upset you, or weird you out, or make you uncomfortable at all! That’s the opposite of how he wants to make you feel!

So, he may or may not end up basically smushing himself against the car wall.

He chills out eventually and gets comfortable. But, fuck, those first 30 minutes were ROUGH.

You two get to talking and he’s just so happy to be spending time with you. So happy his tail subconsciously wraps around your ankle.

You either don’t notice or don’t say anything. Either way, the tail stays there.

After a couple hours, your eyelids start to feel heavy. And before you know it, you’re asleep. On Kurt’s shoulder. AND HE’S FREAKING OUT ‼️‼️

-Y/n? Y/n? Mein Gott….”

And that’s the last thing he manages to get out before going completely ghost and still. He wants you to get your rest.

Eventually he falls asleep too. Turns out the two of you get very good rest when sleeping together. Maybe you should do it more often.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Wicked Games 1

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Warnings: non/dubcon, cheating, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Steve Rogers

Summary: you had a one night stand. Or did you?

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

Your phone wakes you. The room tilts as you open your eyes. A dull hammering thrums in your temples. The morning light makes your brain rough as sand paper. 

Dregs of vodka stick to your dry tongue. The hangover weighs you down like an anchor. Just the thought of moving hurts. 

You reach blindly for your jittering phone. Bubbly music tinkles from the speaker. Shit. It's Barrett. What did he forget this time? 

You answer and put your clammy palm to your forehead. You squint at the ceiling then your eyes slowly round. Where the fuck are you?  

"Hey, babe. You at Wendy's?" Your husband asks. 

You gulp and peel your tongue off the roof of your mouth. This isn't Wendy's house. 

"Yep," you croak. Your eyes ping side to side. 

"Look, I'm sorry about last night. Things got heated and I know I was an ass--" 

You cough as you sit up in the strange bed. "Yeah, you were." 

"So why don't you come home and we can talk it out." 

You peer around the room and your lips curve in a frown. Where the hell would you go besides home your loyal best friend's? You scratch you scalp and turn your legs over the edge of the bed, "let me get myself together." 

"Babe. Please. I'm sorry." 

"When I get home." You hang up.  

It was a hell of fight. The minute he started yelling, you bailed. He knows better. You're not doing a ten hour day and coming home his nagging. So you left out your coffee mug. Big deal. You didn't say anything about the garbage bag he left out to be torn apart by raccoons. 

Whatever. Fighting over dishes. Not of it matters right now. 

Your clothes are on the floor. Someone's floor. Who it is is far from the point. You stand and stagger. You catch yourself on the nightstand. Your hand moves instinctively between your legs. 

You're naked and tender. Did you have sex? 

Think! You ran out with your purse. You went to Wendy's. She was up for a night out. A night to forget and body did you. First drink, second, third, then it gets blurry.  

Fuck! You didn't. You wouldn't. You're pissed at your husband but you wouldn't cheat on him. You're not that type of person. Right? 

You don't have time for that. You have to get out of here.  

You dress as you search the room. It's tidy. Half the bed is mad and the other half messed from your drunken slumber. 

You shake out your hands trying to shoo away the flurry of guilt and denial. Just get out. You'll think better with some coffee in your system.  

You push down the door handle slowly. You listen to the silence of the hall. You tiptoe out warily, checking left and right as you advance. It's a nice place. A condo. Much nicer than your cramped one bedroom. 

Not important! 

You come out into the spacious front room. It's as empry as the rest of the place. The kitchen too. The bathroom. No one. 

Your purse is by the door. Your shoes too. You grab both and let yourself out. You'd rather not face your mistake. 

No, you didn't do anything. You wouldn't. 

You hurry down the hallway to the elevators. You don't look back, just keep going. You don't think, just go. 

It isn't until you're outside the familiar cafe marquee that your let your mind settle. You enter and join the queue. Your order a black coffee and drink it at a stool by the window.  

You lean your elbows on the high table that stands inside the pane. You take a slow, savouring swig of coffee and let it trickle down your throat. You shield your face from the New York morning and put your hands over your ears. 

You can't remember anything but Wendy. Your anger had you ordering round after round, trying to drown out the bile. The thought makes your stomach lurch and you gulp thickly. 

You shake your head and groan. Your phone chirps. It's probably Barrett. Several messages from him and missed calls. All through the night. It's bad enough you betrayed him, you had him up worrying. 

No, you didn't! 

It can't have happened if you don't remember it. A generous stranger took you home so you didn't wake up on the curb. That's it. 

That's the story. Nothing happened. And you'll let Barret believe you were with Wendy. It won't make a difference. 

Your mind is set. Nothing happened. 

Nothing. Happened. 

Because you don't remember. Because you were too drunk to do that. Because you're married and it can't happen. 

You're going to finish your coffee and go home. Everything will be just like it was before... after you tell Barrett where to put that coffee mug if it's such a big deal. 

[randomhealer]

(L&D) When a hot scene comes

characters: Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Sylus, Luke & Kieran

warnings: Crack, don't take it seriously, not reviewed, GN reader, use of the word dick in Sylus' part only once, but really nothing explicit I think

n/a: did you see some parts cut? if so I'm sorry, this has been with me for a while and it was a big smut actually but I tried to redo it- sylus part was so big it was a whole one shot i cut off lmao, Happy bday Doktah zayne

Xavier

Xavier is watching attentively but not like a movie but like a documentary in his mind, he is using all his brain cells to remember important points of the scene. Do you like the scene in front of you? Do you like it when the man does those things? Okay, so he'll remember to be a little more dominant next time, the movements, some lines... he'll try to remember that if you find it hot...

Xavier is more attentive to observing you and your reactions than in the scene, he already has what he needs so he observes closely... your cute little smiles, your lip bites, your low giggles, sighs... he doesn't really like you giving such reactions to another guy, even if it's on TV, he'll still let it go this time since he'll use what he learned to his advantage

(If you look to the side you will see Xavier looking at you sideways while he has a pillow on his lap, he looks a little angry)

Zayne

He's fine with what you chose to watch, he won't blink because of you even if the movie is boring, although he's a little surprised by the kind of movie you like, he expected something more... innocent? romcom... something like that, not a dark romance full of whips, ropes, candles being used in unconventional situations... even fruits are in it?!

He is shocked... although still cold on the outside, looking at you, the little creature next to him, looking innocent, smiles at the scene unfolding on TV, he just sighs after all you are small but you are still a big box of surprises.

At the end he will be warning you about the risks of using items or anything unconventional for that type of thing.

Rafayel

"Oh you destroyed my innocence, you monster"

That's what he'll say at the end of the movie, even though he watched it all the way through and with a carefree smile on his lips, he seemed more used to all the heavy stuff in the movie. Of course, none of those fake scenes can beat the dirtiest thoughts he has about you. If that's what people like, then his thoughts about you would win four Oscars. He could make a movie with more than four hours in seven different settings with more than twenty hotter scenes than this one with you in a single day.

He is more interesting than a lame movie with bad acting performances and he will show you after the movie is over

Sylus

Sylus is judging the entire movie, laughing at how different things are from real life, and how bad the lead actor was, although the movie was a bit similar to your first meeting...

"Do you like watching this kind of stuff? I thought you were a well-behaved kitten..." Sylus murmurs softly in your ear pulling you closer as he tightens his arms around your waist as the two of you lie on the couch.

"My dick is way bigger than his, and who needs so many toys to make sure their partner come at least once?" He says with slight sarcasm, a chuckle almost like a light heavy purr echoes from him before you respond.

"but you have a room just like the one in the movie with some toys too"

Sylus just raises an eyebrow at this before sighing and replying while drawing circles on his waist with his thumb "No Kitten... those are not 'toys' they are items for real torture, the first thing you thought when you entered my work room was 'wow bdsm toys?' you are dirtier than I thought love."

Luke and Kieran

You got Luke, You got Kieran

and now you have one on each side sitting next to you while the three of you watch the movie together, even though it didn't go as planned.

The movie was more of a comedy to them than anything, it was almost like taking the boys to an amusement park, first they didn't like the male actor, they found him tacky or even compared him to Sylus a little to the point of choking on laughter, they were rooting for the girl in the movie to break up with the guy and have an independent life, saying lines from the movie to you and telling you how lucky you are to not have just one guy but two guys who could make a better dark romance and that you wouldn't need to call the police on them...

"Boss has a room just like this room in the movie... do you think Boss is actually a dom who likes BDSM?" Luke asks looking at you and his brother on the other side of the couch, both with their arms around your waist, Kieran just rolls his eyes slightly

"no, I still think Boss is a secret Wanderer, I'm sure he turns into one every night, that's why he doesn't sleep...Mc can confirm this"

[queenofwands89]

The Storm Within (Part Two)  Tyler Owens x fem!reader

Part 1

Summary: Following the events of the first part, a severely injured Y/N lies in a coma while a heartbroken Tyler waits by her side, wondering if she will ever wake up.

Warnings: Hospital, Reader is in a coma, Fluff, Sad Tyler, Slightly angsty.                                              

Notes: I didn't expect so many people to read the first part, let alone want a second, so thank you—it means a lot. I rushed to write this to avoid making you wait any longer, lol. I'm currently accepting writing prompts for Jake Seresin, Tyler Owens, and Glen Powell.

Enjoy byeeee!

Two weeks have slipped by in a blur of sterile hospital corridors and the endless hum of medical machines. Each passing day is a battle against time, unrelenting in its indifference, and Tyler's world has shrunk to the confines of your hospital room.

Tyler sits by your side, his eyes heavy with exhaustion but refusing to close. He's lost count of the hours he's spent watching the rise and fall of your chest, willing you to wake up. The constant beeping of the heart monitor and the rhythmic hiss of the ventilator are his only companions.

The rest of the storm-chasing team visits regularly, each holding onto hope in their own way. Boone leaves a fresh bouquet of wildflowers on the bedside table every other day, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the clinical white of the room. Dani brings her laptop, working quietly in the corner, refusing to leave until Tyler is forced to rest. Dexter makes sure Tyler eats, even if it means feeding him himself. And Lilly, with her unwavering optimism, often slips into the chair opposite Tyler, regaling him with stories and laughs to keep the darkness at bay.

One evening, as the crimson hues of the setting sun penetrate the blinds, Tyler is gently persuaded by Lilly to step outside the room, if only for a few minutes. The fresh air at the hospital's small garden is a reprieve he didn’t know he needed. He takes deep breaths, trying to shake off the weight that's settled on his shoulders.

As he walks back towards your room, he overhears a hushed conversation between two nurses. "It's been two weeks, and she's still fighting. It's remarkable," he hears one of them say. A glimmer of hope ignites in his chest. You're a fighter; you always have been.

Pushing open the door to your room, Tyler's heart skips a beat. One of the doctors, Dr. Emerson, is standing by your bed, reviewing the latest results. Tyler rushes in, anxiety and hope warring on his face.

"Any changes, Doc?" Tyler asks, his voice barely a whisper.

Dr. Emerson turns to him, a small, comforting smile on her face. "Her vitals are steadily improving. The brain activity shows promising signs. She's still in a coma, but these are good indicators. It’s just a matter of time."

With those reassuring words, Dr. Emerson gives Tyler a gentle nod before turning to leave the room, the other doctor following closely behind. The soft click of the closing door lingers in the air, marking the transition from clinical observation to personal vigil.

Tyler takes his seat beside you, gently holding your hand. "Hey, beautiful," he begins, his voice soft but steady. "I know you can hear me. I thought I'd share some stories, like old times."

He pauses for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Remember the first storm we chased together? God, we were terrified but so exhilarated," he chuckles. "The sky was this angry shade of gray, and the wind was howling like it was possessed. We had no idea what we were doing, but we felt invincible."

Tyler's eyes glisten with unshed tears as he continues. "You kept yelling at me to keep the camera steady while you took notes. I think I was too busy being amazed by how fearless you were. The tornado touched down so close, and we got caught in the downdraft. But you... you never lost your cool. You guided us out of there like it was just another day at the office."

He squeezes your hand gently, hoping for any sign of acknowledgment. "Then there was that time in Kansas. Do you remember? We were staying at that run-down motel, and the power went out during the middle of the night. We ended up sitting in the car, wrapped in blankets, watching the lightning storm. You said it was the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen. I couldn't take my eyes off you."

The corners of Tyler's lips lift into a sad smile as he recounts more memories. "You were always the brave one, Y/N. Like that time we drove into the eye of the storm. Literally. Everyone told us it was too dangerous, but you convinced us, and we did it. And I'll never forget the look on your face when we made it out in one piece."

A silence hangs in the air for a moment, the only sounds coming from the steady beeps and hums of the medical equipment.

"I'm not gonna lie, Y/N. These past two weeks have been the hardest of my life. Seeing you like this... it's killing me. But I know you're fighting. You always do," Tyler says, voice cracking with emotion.

Tyler leans closer, his head resting on the side of your bed. He speaks softly, almost to himself. "You know, Dani was telling me about how you kept her sane during her first storm chase. She said she wouldn't have made it if it weren't for you. And Boone, he's a mess without you bossing him around. Dexter too. None of us are the same without you."

He looks at your serene face, a fresh wave of determination washing over him. "But we all believe in you. We know you're coming back to us. And when you do, we'll be ready with stories and laughs and everything that's been missing."

As the sun sets outside, casting a warm glow over the room, Tyler continues to talk. He recounts every little detail of your adventures together, from the funniest moments to the most heart-stopping ones, painting a vivid picture with his words.

The world is a foggy blur as consciousness slowly begins to seep back into your mind. The silence in the room is broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the medical machines. Your eyelids feel heavy as you struggle to open them, a sense of disorientation clouding your thoughts.

As your eyes finally flutter open, the dim light of the room gradually sharpens into focus. The first thing you see is Tyler, slumped in the chair beside your hospital bed. His hand grips yours tightly, as if even in sleep, he cannot let go. His face is etched with lines of stress and fatigue, evidence of the nights he has spent by your side.

For a few moments, you simply watch him. Even in his exhausted state, there’s an undeniable tenderness in the way he holds your hand. You notice the dark circles under his eyes, the stubble that has grown from days of neglecting himself. Deep down, an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love wells up within you. You realize now more than ever just how much he means to you.

Gradually, you muster the strength to give his hand a weak squeeze, something to pull him from the depths of his weariness. His eyes flutter open slowly, confusion briefly crossing his features before they lock onto yours. Instantly, his face transforms—a mix of shock, awe, and profound relief.

"Y/N..." he breathes, his voice shaky and filled with emotion. Tears pool in his eyes, and you can see him fighting to hold them back, but it’s a losing battle. As the realization washes over him, that you’re finally awake, his tears begin to fall freely. "You’re... you’re awake. Thank God, you’re awake."

A lump forms in your throat, making it hard to speak, but you manage a small smile. "Tyler," you rasp, the single word carrying all the emotions you can't yet express.

He lifts your hand to his lips, pressing fervent kisses to your knuckles. "I love you, Y/N. I love you so much," he chokes out, his voice breaking with raw emotion. "I thought... I thought I’d lost you. I’m so sorry, Y/N. For everything. For the things I said. I was scared and I handled it all wrong."

You can feel the wetness of his tears on your hand, and it breaks your heart to see him in such pain. Gathering what strength you can, you shake your head slightly. "No, Tyler. We both did things we regret. I pushed you away when I should have let you in. But we can’t change the past. We can only move forward."

He nods, his teary eyes never leaving yours. "We’ll fix this. Together," he vows, his voice filled with a newfound determination.

Your smile grows a bit stronger, as you grip his hand with a bit more strength. "Together," you echo, the word binding the two of you in a promise of unity and hope.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Tyler repeats fervently, his tears now mingling with a relieved laugh.

You can't help but let out a light giggle, the sound so sweet to Tyler’s ears. "I love you, I love you, I love you," you reply, your heart feeling lighter for the first time in a long while.

Tyler chuckles softly, his expression softening as he looks at you. "I think the doctors are going to start charging me rent for how long I've been here."

You laugh weakly, the sound like music to his ears. "Well, as long as you don't start claiming squatter's rights. We might have to evict you."

His laughter mingles with yours, the room now filled with a warmth and happiness that seemed impossible just moments ago. "Deal. I'll leave when you do," he declares, his voice brimming with love and commitment.

The path to recovery will undoubtedly be long and arduous, but for now, the hardest part is over. The heavy cloud of uncertainty has lifted, replaced by a glimmering beacon of hope. The room, once cold and sterile, now feels warm, filled with the palpable power of your mutual love and commitment.

As the rhythmic beeping of the machines continues to fill the background, you and Tyler share a moment of silent understanding, knowing that whatever challenges lie ahead, you’ll face them hand in hand. "I love you," he whispers once more, the promise of these words a soothing balm to your soul.

"I love you," you whisper back, sealing the bond that will carry you through the days to come.