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duckprintspress · 10 days

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Did you know? So far this April, Duck Prints Press has put out 10, yes t.e.n., new short stories? Two to our website, and eight to our Patreon! Learn all about them now...

Website Releases

Title: Foundations Author: Johnathan Stern

F/F, Science Fiction, Meet Cute on Mars

Addison is browsing the stacks of the Valles Marineris Coprates Chasma University Memorial Library when she's shocked to find someone looking for the same obscure book about the history of space travel that is.

Title: Worlds Apart (but Still Close) Author: Sanne Burg

F/M and M/M to F/M/M, Urban Paranormal, Confessions of Mutual Attraction, When in Doubt Fuck it Out

Flo is consistently frustrated with how her boyfriend Arthur's bodyguard Kacen is always watching her suspiciously. But when she discovers Arthur and Kacen in bed together, it casts a whole new light on the relationships between the three of them, and Flo finds herself considering possibilities that had never dawned on her before.

Patreon Releases

Title: Coffee For My Valentine? Author: Cedar McCafferty-Svec

F/F, Contemporary Romance with a Splash of Magic, Bookshop-slash-Coffee-Shop Meet-Cute, Heat Resistance for the Win

Valentine's day is invariably a disaster for Nissa. And when she starts this Valentine's work day by spilling coffee all over a new customer?

Maybe she should have just stayed in bed this morning.

Title: Glass Slipper: A Dance Author: Cedar McCafferty-Svec

F/NB, Fantasy, Dating Royalty is Hard Even if Your Stepmother Isn't Evil, Attraction at First Sight, Getting to Know One Another

Going to the ball was Marienne's dream, but it still never occurred to her that she'd catch the eye of the Royal Heir Apparent. Their dance is a dream come true, and their walk around the gardens together helps demonstrate they could have a future together even putting perfect first-dances aside, but that doesn't mean things will be easy.

Title: Into the Wyvern's Lair Author: Mikki Madison

F/F (Pre-Relationship), Fantasy, the Inherent Eroticism of Being Competing Mercenaries After the Same Mark (and the Same Pay Day)

Usually, Kella wouldn't take a job from a tiny podunk town in exchange for the risks of facing wyvern, but they're offering 25 gold pieces, and that's too much to resist. She doesn't expect the job to be that hard - it's not her first time facing a wyvern - but she also doesn't expect competition, in the form of a stubborn mage who has been hired by the same town at the same rate. But what she really doesn't expect is the wyvern...

Title: Washer Wars: A Laundromat Feud Author: Samantha M. Piper

F/F, Contemporary Romance, Meet-Awkward, Sometimes the Only Difference Between Fighting and Flirting is Point of View

Every Saturday morning, before the crack of dawn, Dee goes to the laundromat to do her laundry alone and in the quiet, with her pick of the available machines.

Until the morning she's not alone anymore.

Truly, she doesn't know what's worse: the loss of her solitude, or that this intruder has taken the biggest washer.

Title: Fool's Gold Author: Eliot Lovell

M/M (Pre-Relationship), Fantasy, Dragon Hordes and Lifelong Dreams, Hurt/Comfort

When Tomas sets off to defeat a dragon, he does so despite the aches and pains of growing older and a bum hip. Little does he expect that his attempt to be a valiant hero will be derailed prematurely when he's set upon by wolves. After they leave him unconscious in the woods, the last thing he expects is to be rescued and nursed to help. But he has one burning question: who found him, and why?

Title: Escape Author: Sanne Burg

F/M + F/M Established Relationship with Partner Swapping, Contemporary Romance, Middle-Aged Characters, Friends with Benefits to Lovers

Anxiety means that it doesn't take much to push Liam into needing some quiet time to himself, and he's so appreciative of his wife Alice taking the initiative to get him that quiet time.

He's slightly less appreciative when their friends-with-benefits partner-swap married friends Dan and Lola show up, especially considering that it was finding RPF fanart of him and Dan having sex that triggered Liam's anxiety in the first place...

Title: Old Kings and New Author: Lyonel Loy

M/M, Fantasy, Omega/Omega, Middle-Aged Characters, Bonding Over Shared Favorite (Rape Fantasy) Books

No one in their right mind would name Isemund king, but he's the only heir left, and so the council names him and then flees before the conqueror Caith can seize the castle.

Isemund is prepared to die at the hands of the invader.

Caith has other plans in mind.

Title: Georgia Rain Author: R. L. Houck This is a sequel to the Patreon-exclusive story "Pretty 7 Days a Week"

F/NB, Contemporary Suspense, Reunion after a Long Separation, They Work Hard for the Money, You'll Never Guess How This Sex Romp Gets Interrupted...

Four years after the events of Pretty 7 Days a Week, Tomas, who has changed their name to Aster, has built themself a new, better life no longer working on the streets.

The last thing they expect is for Lydia to come sweeping back into their life. It's also the last thing they want...or so they keep trying to tell themself...

So, Looking for New Queer Short Stories to Read? Visit Our Webstore and Become a Patreon Backer Now!

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everythingisblue-if · 2 years

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“Everything Is Blue” is a modern fantasy set in an alternate universe. The game revolves around a fantastical world and romance. This game is currently in development (wip).

CONTENT WARNINGS: The game includes mild language, depiction of war, sexual themes, death, blood, minor gore. The current age rating is intended for players 17+.

Ending a war is not the easiest way out of this.

New Hampshire—your home, where everything you love resides. However, everything is going to have to wait, when you’re suddenly plunged into the middle of a forest by a hotdog vendor who might’ve hurried along your future death.

The forest is not one that you can trek out of so easily; known as the Cursed Forest, there are no willing participants to help you from your doom unless they’re the soldiers who are fighting to have you. Two opposing Kingdoms of this new world you were pushed into see you as a gift from their absent Gods. You wouldn’t have believed it until you realize that they were fighting over the all-powerful ring on your finger, and not you alone.

Figures. You were never one for being special.

Found by the Kingdom of Blue, they’re all too happy to claim their prize and end an ongoing war with their enemies: The Monarchy. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be that easy, as you play a major role in that future that might or might not come. But you have to try, as it’s your only way home.

FEATURES

Customize your character; choose your gender (female, male, and non-binary, pronouns (she/her, he/him, they/them, xe/xem, ey/em, zie/zem), and appearance.

Your choices will shape your personality, friendship, and love life, leading to different and expanding scenes.

Learn about the Kingdom that claimed you, and the land that’s drastically different from you.

Strategize with your new peers on how to end the violence before everything turns for the worst.

Use your chosen one status to gain an upper hand during the war, so you’re able to return to your world.

ROMANCE OPTIONS

There are six romancable characters who will either stand by your side or you will stand alone. Romance The Sovereign, The Hunter, The Prince, The Commander, The Noble, The Protector, and The General.

“The Sovereign”

Lane is the Sovereign (King) of the Kingdom of Blue. Appointed Sovereign after his father had passed, he had to grow up quickly and assume responsibility. He has no extended time for any relationships, and often finds himself alone with his thoughts, with no one but himself to rely on. Ensuring the safety of his home is his utmost responsibility. He's labeled as broody and serious, and this war has amplified his reasons for no nonsense.

male; he/him

“The Hunter”

Henery is the designated hunter for the Kingdom of Blue. His role includes being an unofficial member of the Blue Army, targeting certain enemies-and with his quick agility, he's valuable during the war. A former mercenary in the Kingdom of Black, he finds himself being the topic of discussion, on whether or not he's trustworthy. He has to prove himself, but at a cost? He's insulting and withdrawn, but always calculating. He's not going to let anyone destroy the home he's come to love.

male; he/him

“The Prince”

Simon is Lane's younger (half) brother, the Prince of the Kingdom of Blue. Stepping up into the spotlight, he's no longer a rowdy teenager, but now, a rowdy young adult. His fun and flirty personality makes him a popular royal, but also an unreliable one. He's living his best life with no regards to the war, even though it might end his lavish lifestyle.

male; he/him

“The Commander”

B is the Head Commander for the Kingdom of Blue's army and the right-hand of Lane. They’re on edge from the current conflict, and it will only get worse as the war progresses. A hard commander, but a soft person, they will not stop until their land is free from tyrants. Discouragement will not show through their cracks, but all they need is reassurance and they will claim their victory.

male, female; he/him, she/her

“The Noble”

Samara is a noble from the Kingdom of Red, and she's known for her diligence and blunt honesty. Because of her traits, she's a front-runner to become the new queen of the Kingdom of Red, seeing as the present queen has not produced an heir. She will do anything to claim that title, knowing that she will bring Red to become a prosperous kingdom, as it once was. Traveling to the Kingdom of Blue, she plans to assist in the war efforts, hoping something comes from it.

female; she/her

“The Protector”

M made their name by becoming the youngest knight to join the Blue Army, and their skills brought them up the ranks. Second in command to Ben (now former), they're appointed to become your Knightly Protector by Lane. Similar to Simon, they're always quick to flirt, as it's the only way to distract you both from the impending doom they're always in. A good fighter, but a loyal friend, M protects, especially when it's their duty.

male, female, non-binary; he/him, she/her, they/them

“The General”

Knox is the General of the Black Army in the Kingdom of Black—The Monarchy. They are seen as dangerous to outsiders, as they’re a ruthless leader. However, their credibility goes head-to-head with Blue’s Commander, due to their tactical and strategic abilities. Even though their exterior is hard and nothing to undermine, their heart flourishes with love for the people of their kingdom. They have done whatever it took to claim the power they needed to make their home a better place, and they won’t stop now.

male, non-binary; he/him, they/them

RO's Appearance

Knox's Appearance

Alpha Build

Last Updated: July 3, 2023

Demo Content: Prologue, Chapter One

Word Count: 36,000+

Availability: Patreon

Public Build

Last Updated: July 19, 2023

Demo Content: Prologue, Chapter One

Word Count: 36,000+

Demo

Patreon

I will accept and answer asks if you’re interested. Thank you!

#everything is blue #interactive #interactive fiction #fiction #if wip #twine wip #romance #fantasy #upcoming #ro #if #interactive novel #novel #wip

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crownofmirrors · 2 years

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Crown Of Mirrors is an interactive high-fantasy story where you get to choose how your own adventure unfolds. The story is set in a medieval and dystopian world where several magical races populate the sphere of men. It is entirely text-based, use your imagination to help shape and build the main character's individuality and abilities, and influence their relationship with a vast array of distinct characters.

General content warnings: Injury to major characters, gore, body horror, trauma and PTSD, death and sexual content. Rated +18. More specific content warnings will be provided at the start of each chapter.

Bonus content, like detailed character sheets (+18), exclusive maps, and different P.O.Vs, will be posted on my patreon. Be sure to follow me there if you are interested. Patreon

During ages uncounted the three main races of the world of Ada have battled against each other over the control of reality itself. The merging of the celestial spheres happened more then millennia ago, an apocalyptic event that fused the world of men with the magical races of the elves and the monsters.

The prophesied return of the Mirror Shard is whispered among few, no one dares to bring it up the events that let to the signing of the luminous concordat, and yet, this mysterious individual may be the world's only hope.

You assume the role of the Royal Mage. Considered by many the most powerful magic wielder in the world, you are feared across the continents, you answer only to the ruler of Hoasir and their wishes are the clay you shall mold into a masterpiece.

Don the crown of mirrors, but beware for the burden is heavy and its shards piercing.

Play as male, female, or non-gender specific, along with transgender choices;

Customize your appearance, race, background, personality;

Romance any of seven different gender-selectable love interests, featuring three distinct poly routes;

Choose one of five magical specialties, they are divided in five major Schools of Magic—Elementari, Vectorix, Witherblossom, Shadowbright and Mirage;

Pick between five magical races, each with entirely unique backgrounds and different obstacles for you to surpass—Human, Half-ork, Elf, Duwende and Giant;

The gift of magic is followed by a terrible bane, struggle against the shackles of madness trying to take hold of your psyche, find out who is behind the mysterious voice that caused your tragic awakening;

Save the Emperor/Empress and their empire from certain doom, or don the crown of mirrors, accepting your true calling and bend the spheres to your will.

Maëdhredonor “leaf-licker”

Maëdhredonor, or simply Maë, is well known not only across Elsyum but the world of Ada for their role during the merging of the celestial spheres. As all elves go they tend to be arrogant and spiteful of other races, particularly the race of monsters.

Also extremely notable for their title, Lord/Lady of the Shimmering Waters, Maë is solely responsible for the well-being of everyone residing in the ethereal city of Maia Galadon. They have long icy white hair, deep blue eyes, and among the elves they are considered to be one of the tallest, standing at 6'8''.

If you choose the Elf path you will be able to able to meet them early on.

Nassir / Nassira “keeper of the mirror shard”

The first to be granted the title of "Keeper of the Mirror Shard", Nassir/Nassira have trained their whole life, shaping their body through endless training sessions until they became a living weapon—shield—for the sole purpose of safeguarding Ada's only hope of salvation, you.

The Keeper, for the most part, remains a distant but reliable shadow that you can always count on. Their devotion comes with great respect towards everything you do, your safety is not only the most essential part of their life but the reason why the world keeps spinning.

They stand taller than most humans, with deep black skin and bright amber colored eyes.

If you choose the Duwende path you will be able to able to meet them early on.

Emperor Ulysses / Empress Ulyssa “child of the gods”

The de facto ruler of the continent of Alma, also known as the main continent. Legends say the blood of the ancient gods runs through their veins, if this is actually true or not remains to be seen. You could actually run some tests to confirm their divine ancestry but would the world of men be ready for the results?

After their mothers were struck with a terrible kind of bane curse the empire fell into despair, the fear of magic grew once again, fed by the death of the Empress and the terrible fate set upon her wife.

Faced with impossible odds the child of the gods then rose to power, will you help them douse the fire of fear forever?

Sun and Mun “filthy traitors”

Half-ork twins who were sentenced to die for crimes they may or may not have committed in their homeland, the monstrous continent of Mun-Dol. Fortunately for them they were able to escape the unforgiving clutches of death thanks to “divine intervention”—if that is what truly went on remains to be seen.

For some time now they were left with only one option, to live among humans. With their monstrous appearance, light green skin, superior height and tusks slightly smaller than their full-ork ancestors, they are sure to attract the attention of the humans by their outlandish looks and odd behavior.

If you choose the half-ork path you will be able to able to meet them early on.

Knight / Dame Commander Dandelion “the lion’s teeth”

As Hoasir’s army leader, they are responsible for all the kingdom’s divisions and troops. Dandelion rose through the ranks of the army during a period of intense conflict between the kingdoms of Alma and the Free Cities of Aiya. Exploiting this time of unrest, they’ve earned the complete loyalty of their men through fantastical displays of bravery and aspiring devotion to their homeland.

Their distrust and fierce animosity towards mages are notorious as it is well-founded, and they won’t hold back on their criticism of your role as a Royal Mage. With arms the size of tree trunks, many suspect they carry ork blood through their veins a possibility which is quickly dismissed by the alabaster tone of their skin and the thick mane of flaming red hair.

If you choose the human path you will be able to able to meet them early on.

Kassian / Kalliope “the slave”

The first slave to be gifted to the king/queen of Hoasir as one of many olive branches by the Matriarch and Slave Master of Lysorno, the Emerald City. Captured at a young age, and harboring a tragic past—like most of the slaves enduring life long servitude in the free cities—they were trained and punished accordingly to their ancestry alone, in a cruel attempt to draw the primal need for defiance out and instill unwavering obedience.

Their kind yet defiant demeanor is a clear example of the sort of monstrosity humans are capable of specially to one of their own. They have a well built, muscular body, bronze skin ravaged by endless hours under the unforgiving sun and merciless whippings. With dark-brown curls cut just above the ears, and the mellow glint on their coffee-colored eyes, their ancestry are distinctly Aiyan.

LINKS

DEMO | FORUM | PATREON | KO-FI

#cog #choice of games #if #wip #cyoa #interactive fiction #choice script #hosted games #if game #crown of mirrors #CoM #interactive novel

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bookishtalkswithlii · 5 months

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Hey Pookies💕, Welcome backkk!! To lighten up the atmosphere a bit from last week’s review, today we have a fantasy book by the name of, A Court of Thorn and Roses. This book was plastered all over booktok so I’m sure many of you may have heard about it or even read it. But let’s act like this is the first time you’re seeing it🤭.

Mini-Summary

A Court of Thorns and Roses follows Feyre, a skilled hunteress, who is the main provider for her impoverished family. On one of her hunts, she kills a wolf, which unbeknownst to her, was a magical creature. To atone for her doing she is taken prisoner by a High Fae Lord. Feyre soon learns that this realm is not what she thought it to be. What is this realm? Does Feyre survive? Find out by giving this book a read :)

Likes and Dislikes

-Despite not being a regular fantasy reader because of the complexity of most worldbuilding and the overall complexity of some fantasy books (I also just prefer romance or psychological type books🤭), I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. What particularly stood out to me was the book's simplicity, both in terms of language and worldbuilding. The inclusion of a visual map at the beginning was also a nice touch to break down the worldbuilding and give readers a better understanding. One of the best parts of this book was how the writer wrote the characters. She delved into their pasts and their traumas and added layers of depth that resonated throughout the entire story (and from what I’ve been told, throughout other books). Aside from a slow pacing at its start(which is relatively normal for the first book in a book series), the ending of the book was quite appealing.

-Though most of the characters were really well written, I would’ve loved to see more perspectives of the other characters because including different points of view, in my opinion, would’ve made the storytelling a lot better. However, since I've just started this book series, I'm curious to see if this changes throughout the other books. Another thing that didn’t really appeal to me was some of the development of the main character. Initially, she was portrayed as a strong huntress and provider for her family however, her choices throughout the story deviated from her established characterization and while I won't talk about specific instances (as to not give any spoilers), this inconsistency in her behavior kind of dropped the quality for me personally.

Aside from the initial slow pacing and some character choices, the author’s ability to world-build and write really complex yet understandable characters really made this an overall enjoyable read.

Age rating- 17+

Genres- Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, Novel

Do I recommend?-Yes, I recommend you give it a read and don’t let the initial slow pace deter you.

Trigger Warnings- Ab*se, Violence, Death, Gore

-Set the atmosphere with the playlist below and enjoy-

youtube

#book recs 2023 #youtube #gmmtv #book review #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #sarah j maas #bookblr #booktok #booktour #Youtube

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hannahshattuck · 5 months

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Subs Only $6.66

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers

Rating: E

Art by: @mxaether (view the amazing art here)

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cam Boy Steve Rogers, Trans Steve Rogers, Trans Character, Beefy Bucky Barnes, Professor Bucky Barnes, Professor/Student, College Student Steve Rogers, Mean Dom Bucky, Dildos, Sex Toys, Age Difference, Shrinkyclinks

Summary: "The hand wrapped around his dick stroked with every move of Steve’s hips. He saw the signs of Steve about to come but could tell on his face that none of the fantasies people have sent would send him over that edge. Bucky smirked as he hit send that his response would be the one to send Steve over that edge."

Written for @buckybarnesevents ShrinkyClinks Double Bang 2023

“Hi my little bunnies!” Bucky smiled at his computer screen as the live stream from his favorite cam boy started and the blond twink showed up on his laptop. Bucky couldn’t help but palm his dick through his sweats. Just seeing the twink’s face never failed to make Bucky’s dick stir.

“I hope you all have had a great day. I know I did.” The cam boy, who goes by Grant, giggled. “I was sent a gift from one of you lovely people and I decided that we could try it together.”

Grant leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed whatever gift he was sent. When it appeared on screen, Bucky couldn’t help the smirk that graced his face. The icy blue tentacle grinder was attached to a pillow with the provided straps. It was the top item on Grant’s wishlist and he’s talked about it so much on his socials that Bucky decided to buy it.

“Now, I know who it’s from and, before you all ask, no I will not be sharing their name. That’s for me to know and me only.” Grant laid back and slid his lacy, wine red panties down his legs revealing the other star of the show. “As you can see, I’ve been very excited to try this toy. I think I’ve soaked through three pairs of panties since I’ve received it.” Grant rubbed his fingers through the wetness that was leaking out of him. “Now I can’t wait anymore. Enjoy the show, my little bunnies.”

Bucky groaned as Grant slid two fingers in his pussy with little resistance. Bucky slides the waistband of his sweats under his balls and grip his dick tightly. He didn’t want to bust his load before he saw Grant get off. Grant pulled his fingers out and shifted so he was kneeling on the bed and grabbed the pillow with the tentacle grinder attached to it. He placed it between his legs and settled on the grinder. The cam boy rolled his hips experimentally and he let out a loud moan when his dick rubbed against the bumps of the grinder.

“Oh, god.” Grant moaned with his head thrown back. He gripped the pillow tightly, his pale knuckled turn as white as the pillow. He rolled his hips faster and with each brush of his dick against the grinder, his moans got louder and louder. Grant lifted his head up and looked directly into the camera. Bucky groaned and stroked his dick faster. The blissed out look on Grant’s face made him wish he was the cause of the cam boy’s pleasure. Although, in a way he was since he gifted Grant the toy.

“I’m gonna come.” Grant moaned as his hips moved faster. He looked like he was riding a dick and Bucky wished Grant was riding his dick. Grant’s moans became louder and his body hunched over as his hips stuttered with his climax. Bucky came not long after and his release coated his hand and some landed on his sweatpants. It’s a good thing Bucky didn’t have anything to do after this because there was no way he’d be able to focus after the show he just witnessed.

“Oh. My. God.” Grant took a deep breath as he collapsed on his side. His chest rose and fell with each panting breath. Bucky could tell that orgasm took a lot out of Grant and the dom side of Bucky wished he was there to provide the man the aftercare he deserved.

“That…was amazing.” Grant giggled as he rolled onto his stomach and kicked his feet in the air. The smile on his face proved that Bucky picked the right item to gift him with. “I’m going to get cleaned up now but I hope you came as hard as I did and enjoyed the show. I’ll see you all again, my bunnies!” Grant blew a kiss at the camera before he ended the stream. Bucky closed the web browser and shut his laptop. He cleaned himself up with a tissue since he wasn’t leaving his apartment today. After a show like that, Bucky would cancel all plans just so he could recover.

_________________

“Welcome to Literature 101. I’m Professor Barnes but you can call me whatever as long as it’s respectful. The syllabus is being passed out and in it, you will see the books we will be reading. You do not need to get all of them right now, unless you want, but make sure you have them at least a week before the start date. Now, if you’d turn to page-”

The door to Bucky’s classroom slammed open as a blond hair student stumbled in. The student pushed his glasses up his nose and Bucky’s heart stopped when he made contact with the blue eyes that fill his every thought.

“I’m sorry, Professor. I got lost and-” Grant started.

“It’s fine, just find a seat please.” Bucky luck must have run out because the only available seat was front and center. Grant slid into the seat and Bucky placed a syllabus on his desk with a small smile. Grant looked up at Bucky through his long eyelashes and mumbled a thank you as he took the syllabus. “Now, turn to the second page…” Bucky continued going through the syllabus and then had the students take turns saying their name, their major, and what they hope to do when they graduate. When it got to Grant’s turn, Bucky was interested to see what he’d say.

“Hi, my name is Steve. Right now I’m undecided but, um, I like art so I’m thinking of maybe going into art therapy or something for kids that are in the hospital for treatment. So…yeah.” Grant’s, well Steve’s, shoulders came up to his ears as red colored his cheeks. For someone so confident on his Only Fans, Bucky was almost shocked to see how shy Steve is in person.

“Thank you, Steve. I’m sure if you want to do art therapy, you would help many kids.” Bucky gestured to the next student to go but saw Steve out of the corner of his eye blush more with a smile on his face. Almost as if Bucky’s praise hit something within Steve. Bucky smirked internally knowing he could use that to his advantage.

_________________

“So one of my professors is so hot, you guys!” Steve, now that Bucky knows his name, says as he lazily works a dildo in and out of his pussy. “No, I’m not going to say what class, brock7894. Besides, it doesn’t matter anyway.”

DaddyDom41: i bet its anatomy. can show youre professor that pussy

sitonmahface: nah its pe

faeboy: is there even pe in college?

Bucky chuckles at the chat when they start talking about if colleges have P.E. as a class. Which, technically no, but Bucky won’t burst their bubble. He keeps switching his gaze between the dildo Steve has and the chat begging him to say what class. Seeing Steve so carefree on his streams, makes Bucky want to keep him forever but logistically he can’t let Steve know who he is since Bucky could possibly get fired for sexual misconduct.

“Alright, you guys. Enough guessing about my classes. What should I do for this stream? I’m already soaking as you can see.” Steve pulled out the dildo which was shiny with his juices. “I didn’t have a plan since I’ve been busy with classes.”

user23468234: you should ride that grinder again. you came so hard.

Steve grinned like a cat who caught the canary. “Oh, that’s a great idea. And I did come hard. Probably the hardest I ever came.” Steve pulled the dildo all the way out and gave it a lick before setting it aside. Steve leaned over out of the camera’s view and then quickly came back into frame with a wolfish grin on his face. “What if we made this even more interesting? I’ll hold off as long as possible and you all try to make me come by telling me what fantasies you have.”

Bucky shifted in his chair when Steve said that. The fantasies he has almost always involve Steve. Bucky bending Steve over his lap and spanking that pale ass until it turns a beautiful shade of red. Pushing Steve on his knees and forcing him to take Bucky’s dick deep in his throat. Throwing Steve on to his bed and eating out his cunt and sucking on his dick until the blond is quivering and begging Bucky to fuck him. There’s no way he could type out his fantasies and send them in the chat without making himself look like a creep. Although, compared to others in the chat, based on what “fantasies” they’ve already sent, Bucky’s probably tame.

“Oh my goodness!” Steve giggled. “I haven’t even gotten the grinder set up and you all are already sending in stuff.”

daddysbitchboi: i’d like to tie nyou up and watch as you get fucked by every dildo i have

SameulWilliamBenjaminJames3: I would ask you what you wanted to do. I’d be at your mercy for you to use my body however you pleased.

Bucky rolled his eyes at that comment. Has this guy never seen one of Steve’s videos? The twink is exclusively a pillow princess who wants to be used.

Bucky groaned as he saw Steve pull the icy blue tentacle grinder into view and attached it to a round pillow Steve always kept on his bed. When Stev straddled the pillow, Bucky’s hand shot straight into his pants. He tightened his grip at the base of his cock to stave off his climax. He needed to see Steve reach the end before he did.

“Alright, fuck,” Steve took his bottom lip between his teeth as his hips moved over the bumpy grinder. “I forgot how good this feels. Hng.” Steve threw his head back as his hips moved faster. He then slowed down with a blissed out look at the camera. “C’mon. Send me those fantasies. The one who’s fantasy makes me come might get a special treat.”

Bucky knew then he’d resign from his teaching position. He’d risk it all for Steve. With one hand, Bucky typed his response but waited to send it. With all the videos he’s seen of Steve’s, Bucky knows when the blond is about to come. The way a red flush makes its way across Steve’s cheeks and down his chest. The tendon in his neck bulges out as Steve clenches his jaw to stave off his climax.

brock7894: i’d tie you up and attach you to my fucking machine. youd take the biggest fake dick that could fit in that pussy

Bucky growled at that brock7894 ass. Trying to steal his boy. Not…that…Steve was his actually. The hand wrapped around his dick stroked with every move of Steve’s hips. He saw the signs of Steve about to come but could tell on his face that none of the fantasies people have sent would send him over that edge. Bucky smirked as he hit send that his response would be the one to send Steve over that edge.

_________________

“Remember that your final essays are due next Thursday. They count for half of your grade to please make sure to work on them with ample time.” Bucky dismissed his students and sat behind his desk and started closing the powerpoint on his computer. When the last student, or who he thought was the last student, left the door was slammed shut and Bucky heard the faint click of the lock. He turned his head and smirked when he saw Steve stalk over with a glare across his pretty face. “Mister Rogers. What can I do for you?”

Steve slammed a piece of paper on the desk and pointed at Bucky with an accusatory finger, “You knew who I was the moment I stepped into your class.”

Bucky looked down at the paper and smirked when he saw it was his chat response.

jbb32557038: if you were my boy i’d take you over my knee and spank that ass red. you’d be on your knees so quick that you wouldn’t know up from down. i’d force your jaw open, shove my dick down your throat and make you choke until you start begging for my cum. or maybe you’d be bent over my desk while i teach. every time a student fails there your sweet ass would be ready to take my frustrations

Bucky looked up at Steve with a shiteating grin, “Hey, you came harder than you ever did before.”

Steve’s glare deepend. “Isn’t there something in the rules about engaging with one of your students sexually? I’ll go to the dean.”

Bucky stood up from his chair and towered over Steve. The way the shorter man took a step back made Bucky grin more menacing, “And tell them what, sweetheart? That you’re a cam boy? That one of your professors watches your videos and did before you were his student?” Bucky stepped closer to Steve which caused the shorter man to back up. When Steve’s back hit the door, Bucky knew he had him in his grasps. “Or would you tell them that you came so hard from your professor’s fantasies? That your little dick twitched as your pussy exploded. That you soaked the pillow you had your grinder on. The same grinder your professor bought you. I was watching your videos before you were my student. Should I have stopped when you walked in that first day? Probably, but with the way you’re reacting I made the right choice of not stopping.”

Bucky gripped Steve’s throat and the blond’s eyes rolled back. The professor leaned in close so Steve could feel his breath on his lips. He gently squeezed the sides of Steve’s neck to get his attention. Crystal blue eyes met Bucky’s own storm cloud gray. “Now, if you’re done being a brat I’d very much like to kiss you and fulfill all my fantasies and yours. What do you say?”

#shrinkyclinksdoublebang2023 #hannahshattuck writings #bucky barnes #steve rogers #stucky #stevebucky #steve rogers x bucky barnes #shrinkyclinks

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room-surprise · 11 months

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Delicious in Dungeon Fanworks Master Post

I run this KabruxMithrun sideblog for recs and following the AO3 feed. My Dungeon Meshi Memes | DM anime episode reviews

My Dungeon Meshi Theories/Headcanons

How to calculate comparative ages between races in DM

Fake Adventurer’s Guide Profile for Mithrun’s older brother “A (Fairy) Phone Call Between Brothers” (10,300 words) Gen, no ships Rating: General Audiences Spoilers: Chapters 94 & 96 Content Warnings: Ableism, mental health issues, mentions of cousins marrying. Summary: Mithrun's older brother Malthus is woken in the middle of the night when an alarm goes off, alerting him to a problem with some of his family's property. Realizing that Mithrun is near the source of the alarm, he calls him up... And learns [SPOILERS]! While that's shocking enough, it turns out equally tectonic changes have occurred with Mithrun… “Show Me How to Get Off the Ground” (4 chapters, 49,447 words) Kabru/Mithrun modern college AU, still set in the Dungeon Meshi fantasy world, WIP Rating: Mature, will eventually have Explicit chapters. Spoilers: Includes content from all parts of the manga up to Chapter 95 Content Warnings: Fantasy racism, ableism, drug use, mental health issues Summary: When a delirious and desperate Mithrun posts on a dating app to find someone that can help him sleep, Kabru gets involved, thinking it’s a cruel joke at the expense of one of his classmates. But Mithrun’s insomnia is real, and as a person and a medical student, Kabru feels compelled to help him no matter how strange and off putting the elven art student turns out to be. They have a lot in common, Mithrun is a war veteran, Kabru is a war orphan, but can they really help each other when they’re also so different? “Some Things Keep Best in the Cellar” (15,317 words) Kabru’s Landlord/Kabru (Not a ship, they don’t stay together) Rating: Explicit Spoilers: Vague references to the end of the manga Content Warnings: Fantasy racism, m/m sex, older man/younger man pairing Summary: Kabru's party members assume he must have some love-sick girl that cleans his room, does his laundry (and who knows what else!), but actually it's just his landlord. Even though Kabru doesn't pay him for the extra work, and tells him not to bother, he takes care of Kabru anyway. What is the relationship between Kabru and his landlord? A character study of Kabru, told through the eyes of his landlord. (This fic is 100% consensual the landlord is a nice guy.)

#dungeon meshi #kabumisu #kabru #mithrun #my stuff #delicious in dungeon #fanfic #mithrun's brother #malthus

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mxtxfanatic · 17 days

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Book of the Week: The Times Spent in Pretense

Author: Butterfly's Shadow Beneath the Moon/Yue Xia Die Ying (月下蝶影)

Genre: ancient setting, court politics, josei

Rating: T

My Synopsis: Hua Liuli, only daughter of two famed generals, wants to be known as the most beautiful sickly beauty in the empire. Crown Prince Ji Yuansu wants to put off working himself to death on the throne for a few more years. Emperor Changlong just wants people to stop treating him like he's stupid while he celebrates the return of his two closest friends and their family to the capital. When you have your priorities straight, who cares about the petty schemes of those convinced they live in a dogblood drama?

My Actual Review: Unlike a lot of the other books under this author, this novel is not a revenge fantasy and, as such, it is actually lighter than the others on suspense and drama (lighter, not completely absent, as this still involves court politics.) The fact that this book satirizes the genre by subverting expectations (no, the emperor isn't paranoid enough to betray his most loyal subjects, no the crown prince won't be dethroned, no the famous general won't be sent to his death) is a breath of fresh air. And the comedy is fantastic, I found myself smiling and laughing almost every chapter, which made the parts where the story gets unexpectedly somber all the more poignant. The characters in all their different positions and goals work so well together. I never really felt like the cast was too big or that anyone was extraneous. Also on that note, pretty sure like half the princes are autistic but present in completely different ways. Wild. As per this author's MO, there are content warnings for the usual underage marriage, age gap, and such.

Translation: complete

#human promotes #the times spent in pretense #this novel is like 95% comedy #but those somber moments? they be hitting #this is something i’d maybe liveblog at some point idk #i just read it so if i did it would be like next year or something #sometime far off when I’ve forgotten chunks of the text #so i can get a nice little surprise on a reread

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firespirited · 1 month

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hot take but I think the fantasy Event Horizon director's cut should have less gore and more of the character building moments. Less is more.

The more ambiguity about whether it was a mass hallucination, the more left to the imagination and conveyed by the actors reactions to what they saw off-screen, the better the film.

The set design, the lighting, the incredible acting speak for themselves - I think those things are so strong you could have a PG-13 rated cut with a single f-bomb (Fishburne's "Fuck this ship!" of course) that still leaves you sleepless.

-------------------------------

9/10 film. Would have been 10/10 without the extra gore.

As Anderson himself says, after a certain amount the viewer's imagination is stretched too far and you start to rationalize the rubber props and fake blood. The anatomy is off for PJ's death, the fire's effects are off even for different gravity, the carefully acted distress of the crew isn't present in the shock imagery. That's the one point against it, that and the prevailing belief that it's about a literal hell when that's refuted in the text.

==== I love this film ====

It is breathtakingly beautiful. the sets, the effects, the lighting, the filters, subliminal symbology everywhere. The acting, the way the world is lived in and their relationships are shown to us by the way the actors touch each other and move around their ship.

Within the first five minutes we have everything we need to know: Weir is a self-absorbed "genius" who hesitates over his jugular while shaving, Miller is an efficient and empathetic search and rescue lifeguard captain with full devotion to his crew which is fully returned.

Each member of the crew has their backstory in their mannerisms and design: we have a superstitious pilot with an ankh back tattoo, the sun-starved surgeon has scalpels on a utility vest and encourages you to smoke, the women are "one of the boys" facing the same ol' sexist banter from lovable rogue Cooper, but also respected in their fields. That's show not tell in impeccable detail.

We get a quick meet and greet verbal introduction to the crew at the 10-minute mark. We're introduced to the ship and its gothic, unholy geometries at 25. The design elements invoke a hybrid between the awe of a cathedral and the disgust of an intricate medieval torture device. The technology is robust and, except for an optical drive disk, future-proof.

This ship is a twisted Passion Play in design form with an evil seraphim of eyes within eyes, wheels within wheels as a beating heart engine. You don't have to be told that this thing demands worship and sacrifice, it is in your cultural subconscious.

It is in every jagged tooth and violence invoking shape engraved into the various panels and walls. The designers working on creating future warnings about nuclear waste would be pointing at different elements and yelling "Yes! That's it! Universal, visceral, primal signs of danger! Colours of disease!"

We're in a psychological thriller: the first real violence is a full 50 minutes into a 1h30 runtime and it's a plausible hazard of the job, shown with an unflinching camera with real time tension.

We spend the next ten minutes being gaslit by Weir into believing the ramping violence of the 'haunted house' might just be in our heads until the captain and crew subvert the horror trope and GET OUT. Fantastic story telling, very smart.

We now switch genres. again. to an ultra violent possession and slasher movie with a switch in tone for the ending: rewritten to be just open-ended enough to wonder if it was a shared psychotic frenzy, something supernatural or something natural but beyond humanity's understanding. A nice bookend to that almost campy over the top blood fest of a last half hour where Fishburne is the grounding force to Sam Neill's insane monster.

The CGI is in service to the practical effects and near seamless despite the age, it's mostly composite work on miniature sets and for zero gravity liquids. I honestly don't know how Mortal Kombat guy managed to get this kind of acting and photography talent to work on a space horror.

It feels a lot like the glitch that was Hannibal the TV show, art that wouldn't get made if the money men had known exactly what was involved and art that is bordering on schlocky but toeing a line that makes it brilliant. A kind of art that is achieved with a lot of talent and dedication but also the enforced limitation of The Edit.

I really think that the multiple test screenings and edits made this film better: it's like Robocop vs Showgirls*, Event Horizon vs Resident Evil*: the edits saved us from a movie that went too far and came out silly.

It's a film that feels rare.

*you already know I like both.

#long post #saf #movie reviews #event horizon

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vermillioncourt-if · 3 months

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FAQ

(will be updated as time goes on)

What is this being written on?

ChoiceScript. I would try Twine, but my other game has a nice steady base on ChoiceScript, and I'd rather not move it over.

Can I make fanfic/art/etc? Can I show you my MC/fanfic/art/etc?

Yes! Please do! I welcome it wholeheartedly!

Do you have a patreon or ko-fi?

No, not as of right now. This will change later.

Is the rating 18+?

Yes. I'd say I believe the minimum age would be 17+, due to sexual content that can be fade to black.

Note: All sex scenes will be fade to black on the public demo. A private demo will be available for patreon or ko-fi donators when we get there which will include the explicit scene option (think ao3) and the "lite" version (think published smut).

How is the story formatted?

It will play out similarly to a dating sim/otome game. There will be 1-2 common starting chapters and then it will branch out into 6 routes for the ROs. All routes will have the same 6 key plot events, but will be different in how they're approached.

How many endings are there?

At least 6?

The endings will scale off of how many main events you succeeded in and the selected RO's relationship towards you. That means if you have a high relationship with your RO but have done poorly with the main events, you can still achieve a good ending.

Are there any poly routes?

Not as of right now. The coding for poly relationships is a bit too complicated for me to do right now. This may change as I get more comfortable with it.

Does MC have to romance someone?

Yes, that's the point of the whole game/story.

What are the characters ethnicities? Are they Chinese?

The world of Nian is heavily inspired by China and the Tang Dynasty, so the characters would be Chinese, but I don't assign real ethnicities onto them.

This isn't historically accurate!

I know. That's why I said it's inspired by China, fantasy period C-Dramas, fantasy period pieces, and romance manhwa/manhua.

How does magic work in this world?

As of right now, I don't have a lore post about magic, so here's a quick breakdown.

Everyone can use magic. Some people have Magic Aptitude, which means they have more ability than most people. Magic is classified into Elemental Type and Class.

Will XYZ be in the story?

Maybe. This is a WIP so it's possible.

How are WLW/MLM/Queer relationships viewed/treated in the story?

They're fine. No one is homophobic.

How are women viewed/treated in the story?

Everything is mostly viewed about the same, as in it's pretty much equal for a majority of people. But a few things have lingered on from tradition (i.e boys inherit over girls, etc).

Help! I can't pronounce the names!

I provide helpful pronunciations for the characters' names on the Side Characters page. There will also be pronunciations listed in the stat page of the game.

How are the names written?

All names are written in the LastName FirstName format.

If I write something like "Consort Huo", it's the equivalent of "Mr Smith". For those who understand, the last names are monosyllabic while the first names are disyllabic.

Does MC have a set name?

MC has a set last name (Nan), but not a first name. You can name your MC whatever you'd like.

I encourage using a disyllabic name, for immersion and the fact that it would be the most "accurate". I provide 3 examples of disyllabic names in the game, but you can ultimately name your MC whatever you want!

Can you help me pick a name?

I certainly can! Just send me a private message (not an ask) with the name of your MC, and I'll find a name similar in meaning or pronunciation. Please be sure to tell me which you want, similar meaning or similar pronunciation.

Does MC have a set personality?

A bit, although it's more traits, as of right now. They will never want the throne, they are a good sibling to their siblings, they enjoy social events, and they are well-educated and a little bit naive from their position.

Does MC have a set appearance?

No. MC's appearance is up to you.

Can MC be trans?

I'm planning on it. There won't be any references made to a transition, though, and it won't affect anything besides the sex scenes. You'll have an option at the first sex scene to set what your MC has.

Will MC become the ruler? Can MC overthrow their father/brother? Can MC hurt *insert person here*?

No. Male MC is 4th in the line of succession and Female MC is 14th in the line of succession. MC loves their family and would do nothing to hurt them. MC will not perpetrate any kind of excessive violence against anyone.

Does MC have magic? Can MC do magic?

As mentioned before, everyone has magic. MC does not have Magic Aptitude, however, so their magic is on a normal level.

#the vermillion court #faq

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aurorawest · 1 year

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Reading update!

So as you'll see below I've read a lot of books since the last time I did one of these. I'm not going to write a little blurb for all of them, only the ones I feel strongly about. But I'm going to start including my ratings.

Arctic Sun by Annabeth Albert. 4.25/5 stars

Where We Left Off by Roan Parrish. 5/5 stars

Peter Cabot Gets Lost by Cat Sebastian. 5/5 stars

This book was just. So lovely. Short and fast-paced, but I loved Peter and Caleb so much. I love the time period too. I know this is me being toxic and problematic and showing my internalized homophobia or whatever but I actually really like books set in places and time periods where homophobia is a real and present danger. I think it's because I'm totally a Love Conquers All romantic, so the fact that people dgaf and make a go of being together anyway scratches that itch.

Anyway, good book. I picked up the other two in the series but haven't read them yet.

Let's Get Back to the Party by Zak Salih. 4/5 stars

Literature. Good but pretty sad.

No Gods For Drowning by Hailey Piper. 3/5 stars

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas. DNF

I got 50 pages in before I gave into my hate and DNFed this.

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley. 5/5 stars

I find it genuinely upsetting that Natasha Pulley isn't a household name, because she writes the most beautiful, gutting books that I have maybe ever read. I don't understand how she's able to write what is, on the surface, a completely mundane sentence, and yet there's this roiling sea of heartbreak underneath it.

This is the sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, easily one of the best books I've ever read, and this one is at least as good.

Natural Enemies by Roan Parrish. 4/5 stars

Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. 3.75/5 stars

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh. 5/5 stars

Lovely little novella that read like a fairy tale.

The Prince's Poisoned Vow by Hailey Turner. 4.25/5 stars

At first I despaired of ever learning who all the characters were in this book because the first like, 10 chapters were all from a different POV, but I got a handle on all of them and liked it a lot.

Spectred Isle by KJ Charles. 4.75/5 stars

Un Lun Dun by China Miéville. DNF

This is the book that made me realize I hate whimsical books.

Here the Whole Time by Vitor Martins. 4/5 stars

The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune. 3/5 stars

I ranted about this one already but Jesus, Klune. This straight up reads like the kind of stuff I wrote when I was like, 14, and I don't mean that as a compliment to my 14 year old self.

Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery. 5/5 stars

!!!!! This book was so good!!!! I picked it up way back when it came out but it only surfaced in the TBR pile in March, and it did not let me down. Thom and Clay are SO unlikable, but you start to like them in a way that's practically insidious because you don't see it coming. By the end, I was totally rooting for them and loved them both. And this is a romcom with a truly great villain, too, which definitely isn't standard in romances.

Red Skies Falling by Alex London. 5/5 stars

Second book in a series that revolves around a culture where falconry is hugely important. If you want fantasy that doesn't take place in fantasy England, check this series out. It has an A+ sibling relationship, a lovely romance, and high stakes. But this one was saaaaad ugh so sad.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer. 3.75/5 stars

I hated this book until about 80% through, and then it subverted all my expectations and I ended up liking it okay. I thought it was just about a pathetic middle aged gay white man (I know I know, that's my type, what's the problem?) feeling sorry for himself, but it was deeper than that. And it had a nice ending.

Invitation to the Blues by Roan Parrish. 4/5 stars

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. 5/5 stars (reread)

Bought this edition for the bonus chapter from Henry's POV and for @vkelleyart's end pages. Totally worth it. I love this book just as much as I did the first time.

Threshold by Jordan L Hawk. 4.25/5 stars

So this is a series with like, 11 books? I read the first one and was kind of eh on it. Good enough to buy the second, not enough to buy all 11 or whatever. But the second one was substantially better, so now I've acquired like 5 more of them. I continue to be a sucker for late 19th century/early 20th century settings.

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen. 4.5/5 stars

Is gay noir a thing? Because that's what I'm calling this book. Gay noir. I loved the main character and I'm really excited this is going to be a series (I've already preordered the second one). The only reason I knocked off half a star is because some of the side characters were irritating. And as a mystery, it wasn't great, so I wouldn't read this one if you're looking for a really good mystery. It's definitely more about the character development and the relationships.

Though possibly one reason I didn't think the mystery was that good is because it got spoiled for me on tumblr by someone who imo had a pretty shallow read on the book. Honestly not sure if they actually read it or they just skimmed it.

Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly. 5/5 stars

AHHH. THIS BOOK!! This book was so good. So I've been making fun of it for a while because if you look at the cover, it looks like a Stucky AU. And you know what, maybe it was, but at least it didn't read that way, lol. It was really lovely and I'll be using it as a comp for the manuscript I finished last week.

The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley. 5/5 stars

I don't even have anything else to say except that you need to read Natasha Pulley's books. Please. If you're reading this post, go get her books. Buy them, take them out of the library, whatever. Do it.

Work for It by Talia Hibbert. 4.25/5 stars

A Tree of Bones by Gemma Files. 4.5/5 stars

Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles. 5/5 stars

Something happened in this book that made me close it and stare into the middle distance, then put it aside until I could process.

Anyway you should definitely read it.

Farview by Kim Fielding. 4/5 stars

Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen. 4.25/5 stars

Currently reading The Restless Dark by Erica Waters

Which I'm enjoying more than I thought I would!

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intersexbookclub · 23 days

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Summary: Power to Yield (Feb 2024)

We assembled on 2024-03-01 to talk about our February book pick: Power To Yield and Other Stories by intersex author Bogi Takács. The book is a collection of science fiction & fantasy short stories.

This was a first for our book club in that we spent the whole session gushing about the book. Everybody loved it. We haven’t been giving books ratings thus far but this one would get a 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.

Overall takes:

vic: I loved it, I loved it so much. The stories all felt so different. Disability and intersex were very normalized and not shoehorned, it just felt so good.

Michelle: the worlds in this book felt so richly crafted. This book reminded me that short stories can be the bomb! I got gender euphoria from seeing characters use neopronouns!!! So refreshing and exciting to see them in text. That was how I got started with them, I wrote characters like that and then I was like.... moi? It’s just so joyfully affirming.

Bnuuy: I only read “Folded into tendril and leaf” and started "The 1st interspecies solidarity fair and parade" but it deeply impressed me.

Elizabeth: I'm not really a short story person. I find I take a while to get immersed in a book, and I don't like the switching from story to story so much. And as someone who does not like the short story genre, I liked this collection, which I feel says a lot.

Intersex themes:

Intersex representation throughout the book that feels both casual and important at the same time. It’s normalized in a way that feels tremendously validating. Takács also importantly depicts a variety of intersex characters in terms of gender (binary vs genderqueer), type of variation, and age. Folded into tendril and leaf depicts a romance with an intersex character that does not sexualize or fetishize being intersex. ❤️

Intersex sea creatures, always a classic 🦑 - clear example in the Good Friday story.

Plants as intersex. 🍃 A bunch of stories throughout the book involved somebody turning into a plant. We talked about how this turned out to be a fruitful (lol) metaphor since so many plants are cosexual or dichogamous, there’s so much variety and difference in plant reproduction and it disrupts our ideas of what sex is. Bnuuy pointed out that botany can also just be an affirming thing for intersex people to learn about, e.g. a flower with both male and female reproductive parts is called a “perfect flower”! It’s valued rather than described as a deficiency.

In the fantasy story Power To Yield, the doctor feels the pain of his patients as he treats them, which per Elizabeth: “feels like such an intersex and/or disability fantasy”. Pain may not always be avoided but having doctors feel and be aware of our pain would change the patient-doctor dynamic so much.

Neopronouns: there are a lot of neopronouns used in a variety of settings for a variety of characters, disrupting ideas of gender and sex in ways that felt joyfully inclusive and affirming. As Michelle put it: “we get a glimpse of the world outside the binary in a kind of ecstatic way. Like, hey, you don't have to be male or female. You can be intersex and something else. And you can be trans. Like, it's just so, like, joyfully affirming. Genuinely like a rainbow-colored feeling.” 🌈 (also, reading neopronouns in context is a great way to learn how to use them!)

Other themes:

System change happens through people relating to each other differently. As vic put it: “Bogi really showed that the people are the system and the system is made of people”. Such as in the Spy-Turns-Into-A-Plant story the ways that Hasidic people were combining old and new cultural practices to include intersex & genderqueer people, in the Solidarity Fair story everybody noticed the trader was missing, and in Power To Yield there’s a need for all of the possible neurotypes.

Mentorship: the book defies the conventions of the mentorship trope. A lot of times in media, mentors are marked for death once their apprentice has learnt what they need, but here the mentors stick around and continue to be in their apprentices’ lives in different ways.

Survival stories that were communal in mindset rather than rugged individuals. We see characters putting the pieces back together after catastrophic events such as wars and invasions. There’s an optimism that we can survive catastrophe. We liked the depictions of joy and competence. Michelle identified a Talmudic theme of "You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it”, throughout the book.

Other things we liked:

The prose. Michelle praised it as approachable. Xe also commented: “Bogi has an authorial voice that feels well read. People who don't read so much have a particular style and it can be hard to read, they have a hard time expressing themselves... and this was the opposite of that!”

Disability representation that felt realistic. For example, a character being constantly exhausted due to being drained of blood, and a character worried about breaking an ankle while walking through uneven terrain. Disability wasn’t skimmed over nor was it romanticized, just treated with good humour as a quotidian kind of limitation.

Representation of old people. There’s a big range of characters’ life stages. Old characters are active and given things to do, and got to have personalities beyond “old”. For example, the old sociologist in the solidarity fair story was open-minded and competent. She didn’t want to sit around and be a granny.

Not being US-centric: in speculative fiction there’s a way of talking about or relating to things that can feel very American (vic: “even though they’re in space, they act as though they’re in California”) and Takács doesn’t do this, which we appreciated. As Michelle put it: “There’s a definite immigrant vibe to the book.”

Representation of Jewish characters. Not everybody could relate to the Orthodox Jews but not every story needs to be relatable.

All these forms of representation come together. As vic put it: “the disability politics, intersex, the trans stuff… It all felt so normal and was incorporated in a way that felt so seamless. It felt really good reading it, didn't feel like any of it was shoehorned in.. Just like, yep, normal people living their normal lives and we're not making anyone feel weird about their differences. Usually with books that have people that are different from the mainstream in some way it's kind of clunky: even if it's #OwnVoices, it still reads as self-conscious and apologetic. But this book all read very un-self-conscious and very comfortable.”

What we didn’t like:

Elizabeth doesn’t like the order in which the stories were presented. Ze felt the first few stories were fine but didn’t showcase what the book has to offer. Ze recommended to the group to start with:

"Folded into tendril and leaf" (medium length)

"The 1st interspecies solidarity fair and parade" (medium length)

"The ladybug, in flight" (very short)

"Power to yield" (novelette)

Bnuuy and vic started reading with Elizabeth’s recommended stories, and this may have influenced the conversation.

After the book discussion, vic went back and re-read the stories in order, and mentioned they also didn’t vibe with the order of the stories as presented in the book.

Stories of note:

“Folded into Tendril And Leaf”: we liked the water caltrop description and visualization. It was Elizabeth’s favourite: “The reason I put that on my list of recommendations is it was just such a big, warm hug of fiction. It's such a tender story, but at the same time it grapples with really serious stuff. I've brought it up before that I'm a sucker for any sort of intersex at puberty story because that's the kind of intersex I am. But also the intersex people as plants theme really landed here.” Elizabeth also praised how there was a character who realized their privilege that they didn't have to follow the news.

“The 1st interspecies solidarity fair and parade”: we liked the realism of the organizing, and we all wanted stories from this setting, especially about the aliens that were genocide survivors. It was Bnuuy’s favourite, enjoying its comedy and how it flips stereotypes of Gen Z/Alpha by having them be the older generation in this future. The depiction of an alien who presents as though she is a cat was amusing; vic described it as: “Yeah, the image of a gigantic, floating metallic orb meowing so that it can be more relatable to humans is, I think, a huge non-binary mood.”

“Power to Yield”: we appreciated the depiction of autistic special interest (and it has its own word: abuwen!) that is realistic without either romanticizing or spectacularizing it. It shows how a special interest can happen suddenly, it can be overpowering, it can sometimes be inappropriate, it can be unpleasant for the person as they neglect other parts of their life. We could all relate. The depiction of asexual BDSM also stood out; per vic: “oh, I guess it can not be a sex thing!”

“The Ladybug, in Flight”: Michelle was horrified (in a good way) by the slow consensual cannibalism. Whereas vic read that one as practical and utilitarian in an autistic way, like sometimes autistic people will horrify others for practical things.

“Volatile Patterns”: Michelle is very crafty and this was xer favourite: “the story talks about reappropriating motifs and being like, no, you're doing it wrong. We can show you how to do it right. It's fine. Just stop doing it the wrong way. Like, especially clothing attacking people was very funny to me because it reminded me of a game called Fall in London, where in certain areas of the world, everything is sentient.”

“A Technical Term, Like Privilege”: This one vic highlighted as a favourite: “I often feel sad about the place where I live, because it is a rental and it's not getting cared for the way it deserves to be. So the metaphor of the house needing your blood was apt. I've read a few rental horror metaphors, and they were all bad. So I was really happy to read this one.” Also, the disability representation: “when the character in the house story came up with a good, reasonable solution and then was SHOT DOWN it was so real”.

Overall: out of all the books we’ve read thus far for the book club, this is the one everybody was most positive about. It was a joy to read and we recommend it! 💜

#intersex book club #intersex books #intersex literature #intersex fiction #queer books #queer fiction #queer scifi #intersex #actually intersex #ownvoices #book review #book reviews #book summary #book summaries #book club

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brandstifter-sys · 10 months

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These Dreams

Chapter 3: Amarante and Berylus (Ao3) (must be signed in)

For @dukexietyweek 2023 Day 3 - Mythology

Word Count: 1178

Rating: T

Characters: Remus, Virgil

Warnings: Genderfluid!Virgil, mtf Virgil, ftm Remus, death mention, fake mythology, dreams

Vi has a strange dream in which she is the god(dess) of storms and she needs help. How many places is she going to see the same person she’s never met?

---

Vi was not exactly thrilled about this. The deity of storms was used to getting visitors begging for rain. She was not a fan of coming to the ground to seek out help.

As her bare feet grazed the sand, she thought about why she was even at the beach. It was a desperate plea. A prayer for one of her most devout followers.

The frail old woman was weak with age, burdened and weighed down with the life she carried in her. She had one son who was still alive. One grandson who still visited. And that young man was expecting a child. He was going on a long trip to trade goods in a foreign land.

For days on end she stayed in the temple, praying and begging for her grandson's safe passage across the sea. She did not eat, she refused to sleep, not until her desperate pleas reached Vi.

Vi had personally gone to her to assure her that her grandson would see no storms. He would be safe. She needed to eat and rest.

But Vi knew that reassurance was far from enough. To keep anyone safe on the sea, the sky could only do so much. She had to find him and ask for his help. Just the thought of seeing him made her heart race.

She looked up at the stars, breaking through her clouds, wishing she could go back and sleep instead of dealing with an influx of feelings. But the tides licked at her ankles, reminding her that she had a mission.

She descended into the depths, letting her purple aura glow around her. The currents rustled her loose flowing gown, but not her long dark hair or her hood.

Despite the vast expanse of the sea, Vi knew she wouldn't have to travel far to bump into the mysterious god of the depths.

It was strangely beautiful in the deep darkness. The odd creatures that flitted past her were misshapen and some could glow in the dark.

They were a distraction.

Vi jolted when she suddenly appeared before a large cave. A green glow emanated from it, setting her on edge.

Then a pair of glowing green eyes opened and landed on her. Slick tentacles curled and crept out of the cave, bringing a strange man into view. His torso was human, though his chest suggested he was a little different from the average man. His lower half was a mass of tentacles. And then his face came into view.

He was grinning wildly, showing off his sharp, jagged teeth from under his curly mustache. But there was something almost childish about his expression, something sweet that was more than endearing.

"Hello gorgeous!" the being cooed and winked at her, "What brings a beauty like you from the clouds?"

"I need your help," Vi bristled.

"Me?" he gasped and rolled onto his back, "Only one goddess ever needs my help! And you don't look like Death!"

"You don't recognize me?"

"I would remember someone as enchanting as you!" he had the nerve to giggle, "But I would love to remember you and all of your curves!"

One of his tentacles snuck around her and latched onto her hip. Vi growled low in her throat and zapped the tentacle with enough electricity to kill a human.

"Yeowch!" the sea god yelped and pulled his tentacle back to nurse it. He pouted at Vi for a split second before his grin returned.

"Stormy!" he cheered and flipped over, holding his head in his hands, "I didn't know you switch! You're too hot as a man and too hot as a woman! How do you expect me to survive?!"

"You can't die," Vi scoffed and crossed her arms, "And I still need your help."

"What do you need? I'm more than happy to provide a tentacle fantasy! Or if you just want to—"

"I need to guarantee that a mortal doesn't die at sea. And that's your thing."

"Again? How desperate was the person praying?" he pouted.

"No food or sleep for four days, and she was elderly and frail."

"Damn! Okay, okay, I'll keep the meat sack safe—for a price!"

"What price?"

"Take me to the clouds and marry me."

"Are you insane?"

"A little bit! But that has nothing to do with my price!" he giggled, "Think about it, if we're married, you don't have to make the trip to ask me to protect mortals. You can just come here directly! It's a good deal for you!"

"And what do you get out of it?" she pressed suspiciously.

"A beautiful wife, a handsome husband, and I can pretend that you love me!" the sea god hummed and blinked at her innocently.

"Why would you want to pretend that?"

"Because you're one of the few people who keeps coming by and lingering. Because you're so kind and understanding even with me, even if you aren't always patient. Because I love you," he shrugged and floated up to her, to be at eye level.

He was so open and vulnerable. Vi could see it in his eyes, the hope, the longing, the adoration.

"Get rid of the tentacles and get dressed," she ordered with a little smirk, "You don't have to pretend."

“Really?!” the sea god gasped. Before she had time to react, Vi was trapped by his tentacles in a tight hug and he was holding onto her with his other arms. He was so giddy and giggly, she couldn’t stay mad at him.

“Really, really. But, seriously, lose the tentacles when we go. They won’t work well on the clouds and I’m not carrying you.”

“Aw, but you’re so strong and pretty and I want you to cradle me like a dead lover on the battlefield! Pretty please?” he pouted. Vi shook her head and sighed fondly.

“I’ll carry you some of the way. But you still need to lose the tentacles if you want me to balance.”

“I think you just want to see my naked lower half so you can get ideas for later!” he teased and wiggled his eyebrows.

“If I say ‘yes’ will you do it?”

“I was going to either way!” he laughed, “But it’s nice to hear you admit it!”

Vi woke up and groaned. She knew she should have had another coffee. She peeled her face off of the book she was reading and rubbed her eyes. She could research for her novel later. The tale of Amarante and Berylus really didn't fit the vibe she was going for, and it just led to yet another strange dream.

"I'm not admitting to anything," she jeered and set off into the darkness to return home to the clouds with her new husband to be.

---

She was getting tired of wondering who she kept seeing in her sleep. If she could bring herself to focus on anything other than that mustachioed bastard. She was going to have to do a little more research if she wanted to figure out why he kept showing up.

#dukexiety #remus sanders #virgil sanders #sanders sides #genderfluid!virgil #ftm!remus #mtf!virgil #dukexietyweek2023 #day 3 #death mention tw #fake mythology cw

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libertyreads · 10 months

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Book Review #88 of 2023--

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Rating: 5 stars.

Read from July 8th to 10th.

Am I really giving a Fantasy Romance a 5 star rating right now?? Well, hopefully you’ve seen me live blogging my reactions to this one over the past few days so you know how this book was making me feel. Do I realize this is probably not the next great American novel? Of course. Was I a giddy school girl the entire time I was reading this one? Yes. This was so fast paced (and done well) and I just wanted to keep reading. Yesterday, I read 290 pages in one day (and I would have read more if I had the time) because I had to keep reading. It’s such a compelling story. Let me back up and give you a quick synopsis: We follow Violet who is entering the war college at the age of 20, but instead of going to the scribes like she always thought she would, this disabled young woman is forced to enter the quadrant for the dragon riders. The most physically and mentally demanding quadrant at the school. But when your mother is the general of the war college you do what she demands. While in her first year, Violet must overcome the physical challenges her disability and the school put in front of her. She uses her daily pain as a beacon to light her way and uses every advantage she has to survive.

I don’t know where to start. I loved the world building and felt like it was done in a way that made sense. I could see not only the setting that this was taking place in, but also the magic and the way it worked. I could picture all the different magic types and how their magic worked with the connection between dragon and rider. I could also picture all of the dragons and the way they moved in flight and in battle. I absolutely LOVE Tairn and Andarna. I cannot tell you how quickly these two dragons wormed their way into my heart. A magical companion will always, always become a favorite character. Another character I basically adopted as one of my children immediately is Xaden. Look, morally grey is my favorite color and I have to adopt all of the morally grey characters. It’s practically a law at this point. He is such the dark and brooding villain hero, but at the same time, when you hold him up in comparison to Dain (Violet’s best friend at the start of the novel), he is just the better person when it comes to how he treats Violet. Well, as long as we ignore the first part where he’s threatening to kill her. But you can’t have an excellent enemies to lovers without the enemies first. And that is what this novel has as the Romance part of Fantasy Romance. There were some solid romantic moments in this novel for me. It starts with Knife Flirting--the sharpest and most elegant of flirting styles in Fantasy. There’s also Hand-to-Hand Combat Flirting which I didn’t know was a thing but now want in every. single. Fantasy I read that has even a moment of a romance. Two of the other big, non-sexual, moments for me were when he had daggers made for her and when he had a saddle made for her dragon (and then just approached the most deadly dragon in the quadrant to ask if it wouldn’t mind acting like a fucking horse). But speaking of sex scenes, there are a few which would normally bother me as someone who is asexual and has a lot of trouble with how specific sex scenes get with what the characters like and how uncomfortable that makes me. But these were some good, and still spicy, sex scenes that I actually enjoyed reading. And if you can make me like a sex scene then that alone almost deserves 5 stars.

And that was a long paragraph. Okay, I also could note how the book had a few moments of not 100% great writing, but I had such a good time with this one. I really enjoyed it and I hate that I don’t have a copy. And I also hate that I can’t read this for the first time again. Overall, this is great for someone who likes Fantasy, likes Romance, likes the combo of the two. If you’re looking for something that just hits all the right beats in a magical world with dragons, a deadly war college, and political machinations, pick this one up and thank me later.

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prince-of-undreaming · 1 month

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Beta Readers? I barely know 'er!

Hi, hello! My name is Vena and I am a queer and Enby writer who is looking for beta readers for my Monster Romance manuscript, Your Bleeding Heart. It is an Eros and Psyche retelling set in a regency Era Fantasy world with Fae, Humans, Elves, Tieflings, etc.

Rates: 21+ for graphic violence, explicit sexual scenes, and potentially triggering material Word Count: 86k Genre: Monster Romance/Romantasy Due Date: Late June

If you have any interest to learn more, feel free to read on!

A brief summary;

Ninette Marin spent almost her life knowing she was cursed to be kidnapped by a monster one day. Even as her family attempted to avoid her fate by marrying her off as soon as they could, their efforts are in vain when she is stolen from her wedding. She finds her monster is actually one of the Fae High Lords, Emir. Emir’s own curse gives him only one chance at love. Their curses leave them twisted into a fate they could have never avoided…

Content Warnings: Blood/Gore, Violence, Injury, Death, Child Death, Graphic Language, Casual Nudity, Explicit and Sexual Scenes, Blood Drinking, Cannibalism, Consumption of Organs (hearts), Discussions of Childhood Sexual Assault (Applicable to a main character and a side character), Slut Shaming (Parent to Main Character), Inappropriate age gaps, Kidnapping, Power imbalances, Out of touch conversations about said power imbalances, references to human beings as pets, Bugs (Butterflies, moths), Child Abuse, Transphobia, Paternal abuse (Applicable to both main characters), Controlling Parent, Regency Era Misogyny/Gender Roles, Pregnancy

A list of Kinks/Sexual contents: Explicit sexual scenes, Mating Bonds, sensory deprivation, Biting, Pinning, Masturbation, Pillow Humping, Unrealistic size difference, Size Kink, It shouldn’t fit but it does and we won’t question it, inappropriate use of Fae bargains, Edging, Teratophilia (Monster Kink), Breeding, Pregnancy, Rut/Heat Cycles, Thigh job, Clothes ripping, Neither of them know where the clit is but they make it work, fingering, exhibitionism, squirting, Oral Sex, Semi Public, Interchangeable Genitals (Trans Male Character)

Please review the trigger warnings and sexual content list very carefully because deciding if this story is for you. I know some of the tags are very triggering for some, myself included, so please take it slow when those things come up.

If you are interested in beta reading, my dms are open! As is my discord _vena if you'd like to reach out. If you have any questions, I'd love to answer and we talk about anything you need; I will also provide a doc that had this information + some extra, along with the beta copy of the manuscript!

Thank you very much for considering :)

#writers on tumblr #beta reader #beta request #novel #romance novels #queer #queer novel #monster romance #trans #lgbtq #my art #eros and psyche #romantasy #manuscript #Less nervous new #fuck it we ball

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cupids-chronicles · 7 months

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Hades X Persephone Saga: A Touch of Ruin #2

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology

My Rating: ⭐⭐/5.

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Goodreads rating: 3.8/5

Pages: ‎‎448

Published: 22 April 2020

A Touch of ruin Review

Note: This book is intended for mature audiences over the age of 18 due to explicit content (steamy chapters).

Sequels. They're a tricky business, aren’t they? To quote an entirely different universe: with great power comes great responsibility. After finishing the first book one would assume that the sequel would carry the same electricity. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

If you ever imagined the powerful Queen of the Underworld, Persephone, being chased by paparazzi in high heels and a toxic taste in relationships, then "A Touch of Ruin" is just the novel for you. At 448 pages, Scarlett St. Clair presents us with the much-awaited sequel to "A Touch of Darkness", and I’ll be frank: I have some feelings.

To start with the positive, Scarlett St. Clair's writing is, as always, engrossing. Whether you love or hate the story, you can't deny that she has a way with words that just pulls you in. I was captivated, even as I rolled my eyes. My favourite line, “Create the life you want, Persephone, and stop listening to everyone else,” echoes throughout the book as Persephone struggles with external and internal pressures.

However, it seems like our Protagonist, Persephone took a detour through Teen Angst Town and stayed there. Throughout the novel, her behavior is erratic, impulsive, and well, very human. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but for someone who's on the way to becoming the Queen of the Underworld, one would hope for a bit more maturity.

Hades, on the other hand, while alluring with his mysterious persona in the first novel, now seems more like a puzzled lover than the powerful god of the dead. Their relationship seems to rely more on makeup sex than actual communication. And this tragic lack of communication results in some utterly avoidable drama.

The plot, if we can find it between the lustful gazes and angst-filled outbursts, seemed lost. There were several subplots that felt more like distractions than genuine additions to the story. This series had such potential to delve deep into Greek mythology, but instead, it often felt like it was skimming the surface, using familiar names without embodying the weight they carry.

However, not everything is a miss in this book. The secondary characters shine bright, providing some much-needed humor and depth. Hermes, with his sass, was a much-needed palette cleanser, and Apollo, once you warm up to him, offers layers that make you question your initial judgments. It's these characters, alongside the hints of a more enticing plot for the upcoming book, that will likely have me (somewhat masochistically) coming back for more.

In conclusion, while "A Touch of Ruin" does justice to its title with the chaos it presents, it does remind readers of the pitfalls of love, the weight of insecurity, and the importance of, well, good communication.

If you're here for the drama, angst, and a sprinkling of Greek gods in modern settings, dive in. Just maybe keep a stress ball handy. And for those looking for a deep dive into Greek mythology, perhaps look elsewhere, or at least manage your expectations. For now, I'll be waiting to see if Persephone finds her way in the next installment or if we'll be plunged further into ruin.

P.S. Scarlett, if you ever wanted to write this series in Hermes' POV let me know because I am HERE for it. Maybe some of the humor and sass will bring some light into the dark (pun intended) story that you've woven.

Please note that this book is part of a series and can not be read as a stand alone. Lucky for you this can be your little weekend binge as almost all the books in the series has already been released !

Wait a minute boys and girls, check out these trigger warnings first:

Kidnapping

Mental illness

Sexual Assault

Suicide (off page)

Death

Getting Drugged

Alcohol use

Torture

Prostitution

Romance Tropes, you ask ?

Miscommunication

Retelling

Marriage

Who do we meet in this book ?

Hades

Persephone (Perri)