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trulybetty · 5 months

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dec' 12 x mulled wine

Prompt: mulled wine Pairing: joel miller x f!Reader Word Count: 2,635 Warnings: barely beta'd, all mistakes my own, this is au and way off the plot of anything to do with TLOU, mentions of coffee, wine and festive fluff ☕ Summary: maplewood, a small town nestled in northern bc where people flock to see the festive decorations of main street and enjoy the festive traditions. finding yourself back home and working for the family business, you strike up a friendship with the town's local contractor. AO3: Linked

x. masterlist

A/N: apologies for the delay, no one has slept in the Truly house the last two nights and I somehow have messed up my shoulder. Currently drowning in coffee and painkillers - so if this doesn't make sense you know why 😆

The Little Coffee Shop Around the Corner Part II

It had been a week since you had talked to Joel about working on the coffee shop. The two of you went back and forth over email, and that was between his early morning stops for coffee. You'd have his drink already prepared by the time the bell jingled at 7:50 am signifying his arrival. Tossing your apron aside and grabbing your own drink you'd go and meet him at the table in front of the window to discuss the latest update of his ideas for the shop.

It was early evening when the bell rang at the door and you looked up to see Joel step in and lock the door behind him.

“You should have that locked past closing.”

You laughed as you rounded the bar to start a drink for the two of you, “Joel, this is Maplewood. The only crime that's been worth reporting was when Bill found gnomes in his yard.”

Joel shrugged off his plaid jacket and hung it on the back of his chair before he sat down.

“Did they ever figure out who did it?”

You laughed as you brought over your drinks and a selection of sugar cookies Marcus had dropped by for tomorrow's display case.

A grin spread across your face as you leaned in closer, speaking in a hushed tone, “Off the record, and between you and I? I have my suspicions.”

“That so? Who do you think it is?”

“Ellie,” you responded with a roll of your eyes.

His eyebrows raised in recognition, “She’s your niece, right? Lives with you?”

You nodded, “My sister Anna's kid yeah, with my mom and I.”

“I remember hearing about your sister, I'm sorry.”

“It's okay, it's been fourteen years now - Ellie reminds me of her a lot.”

Joel chuckled, “So she inherited the family tradition of placing gnomes in people's yards?”

A joyful laugh escaped your lips, the kind that brought tears to your eyes. It was refreshing to share stories and memories of your sister with someone who didn't give you a pitying look when inevitably it was mentioned how she had passed away during childbirth with Ellie. You knew people meant well, but it was nice to focus on the happy moments and remember just how amazing Anna truly was.

You wiped a tear from your eye, “No, but she was usually the one causing trouble wherever she went. Dragging me along with her into the thick of it.”

Joel smiled, “So what makes you think it was Ellie?”

“Aside from finding a random gnome in the laundry room? Well that and the fact Bill pissed her off the week before,” you took a bite of your cookie, brushing the crumbs from your hands, “Bill teaches music, right? So Ellie had been taking guitar lessons from him. She's got a real talent for it, but Bill, well, he's a bit of a stickler for the rules. He told her she needed to focus more on the basics before trying to play the songs she actually likes. Ellie didn't take too kindly to that.”

Joel chuckled, clearly amused, “So, she waged a gnome war as payback?”

You nodded, a small smile still playing on your lips. “I don't necessarily outwardly support it, but out of all the ways to get revenge, this was definitely a unique form of protest,” you admitted. “Though now, well Ellie's out of a guitar teacher.”

Joel's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. “Maybe I could offer her a lesson or two. I play guitar, not professionally, but I’ve been strumming since my teenage years. It might be good for Ellie to learn from someone who’s a bit more... let’s say, flexible with the rules.”

You raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised. “You play guitar? I had no idea. That would be amazing, Joel. Ellie’s really passionate about it, but she's definitely got her own style. She’d love to learn from someone who'd encourage that.”

As you chatted, the conversation carried on smoothly until it finally circled back to the purpose of Joel's visit.

He unrolled his first set of plans, “After our last conversation, I got to thinking about this place. Its history, its importance to Maplewood. So, I did some digging.”

He spread out an array of photos and documents across the table. The first thing that caught your eye was a black-and-white photo of the coffee shop from its early days, with your grandmother proudly standing in front.

“I found these at the library,” Joel explained. “I wanted to understand the roots of this place, to see it through the eyes of your grandmother when she first opened it.”

You were touched by his thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Each photo, each document, told a story of a different era of the coffee shop, of community and warmth.

“And this,” Joel continued, pointing to the plans, “is what I've been working on. I was thinking we could expose the original brick on this wall. It'll give the shop a rustic feel while adding a modern flair.”

The plans were detailed and considerate, blending the old with the new. Joel had thought of everything, from preserving the original woodwork to incorporating energy-efficient lighting. It was clear he had put a lot of time and effort into this.

You leaned in to examine the sketches, impressed by Joel's vision. “It's amazing, Joel. I... I don't know what to say,” you managed, your emotions swirling.

Joel looked at you earnestly, “I know how much this place means to you and your family, and to Maplewood. I wanted to honour its past. And I think we can do it in a way that's cost-effective and true to the spirit of True North Brews.”

You took a moment, absorbing the plans, the pictures, the possibilities. “This is more than I ever expected. You've captured the essence of what my grandmother wanted this place to be.”

As you both leaned over the table, examining the renovation plans, your hands brushed against each other. The brief contact sent a jolt of electricity through both of you, lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

Joel cleared his throat, a hint of colour rising to his cheeks. “So, um, the Jingle Bell Movie Night is coming up,” he began, trying to sound casual. “I was thinking of taking Sarah there. Maybe... you'd like to join us? I mean, if you're not too busy with the event.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the invitation. You had been so focused on setting up the drinks station for the event that the idea of actually enjoying the evening hadn't crossed your mind.

“I'd love to,” you replied with a smile. “I do have to help set up, but there's help there to handle things. It'd be nice to actually enjoy the event for a change.”

Joel's smile widened, a look of surprise and happiness mingling in his expression. It was clear that asking you was a step outside his comfort zone.

As the evening drew to a close, Joel carefully rolled up the renovation plans, he glanced at his watch and sighed. “I should get going. Sarah's probably wondering where I am,” he said, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

You nodded, a little reluctant for the evening to end too.

You walked him to the door, the warmth of the coffee shop wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. “Thank you, Joel, for tonight. For everything,” you said, genuinely touched by his efforts, “these plans and your ideas, they're more than I ever could have imagined.”

Joel paused at the door, turning to face you. “You're welcome, it's been fun getting back to doing a project like this, it's been a long time since the bakery reno.”

With a final smile and a promise to see each other at the Jingle Bell Movie Night, Joel stepped out into the crisp Maplewood night, leaving you full of anticipation and a sense of wonder at the unexpected turns life could take.

Your thoughts lingered as you locked the door behind him, but part of you remained guarded, reminding yourself of the reasons you were in Maplewood in the first place. You were here for your mother, for the legacy of True North Brews, not to settle down.

Right?

The week leading up to the Jingle Bell Movie Night was a flurry of activity. Joel's daily visits became a cherished routine, each morning bringing a new discussion or a shared laugh over plans for the coffee shop. His drink was always ready by the time the bell jingled at 7:50 am, a small gesture that didn't go unnoticed by him.

The Jingle Bell Movie Night had transformed the community hall into a winter wonderland. Twinkling lights adorned the walls, and the air was filled with the scents of mulled wine courtesy of Frank and Bill, the sweet treats Marcus had baked and the hot drinks you had arranged from True North Brews.

Slipping off your apron you turned to Ellie who was helping with the concessions, “Now please, I don't want to hear about any theatrics tomorrow,” Ellie opened her mouth to object and you cut her off before she could say any more, “nor do I want to hear that someone spiked Bill's drink with salt instead of sugar.”

Ellie rolled her eyes and you didn't miss the salt packets that slipped from her fingers into the pocket of her apron, “Jeeze, you just take the fun out of everything.”

“I also pay very well, so if you don't want your pay cheque docked, then I suggest you keep things above board.”

Ellie grinned as she gave a mock salute, “Ey, ey captain!”

It was your turn to roll your eyes, “Be good.”

Joel had sent you a message that he was at the back of the hall, so you grabbed two plastic cups of mulled wine and managed to pick up two of the oversized, and very decadent profiteroles Marcus had made especially. They were dusted with powdered sugar, and decorated with tiny edible gingerbread men. The scent of the gingerbread-flavoured cream filled your nose.

Joel had found a cozy spot at the back, a perfect vantage point for both the movie and quiet conversation.

“No Sarah?” you remarked as you dropped into the seat next to him.

Joel laughed, “No, she ditched me as soon as we arrived.”

You handed Joel a plastic cup of wine and one of the profiteroles you'd picked up, “Here, I managed to snag one of these before they all disappeared.”

Joel's eyes lit up at the sight of the dessert taking it gratefully from your hand. He took a bite and closed his eyes, savouring the rich flavours.

“Mmm, this is amazing,” he murmured, his voice laced with genuine pleasure.

Conversation between the two of you fell into the easy pattern that had grown between the two of you the past couple of weeks. Discussions moved from the plans for the coffee shop to your life growing up in Maplewood and what had taken you away.

As the movie played on the big screen in front of you, the sound of laughter and conversation filled the hall, but it felt as if it were just the two of you in your own little world.

When the conversation shifted to Joel, he spoke about his life in Maplewood, his contracting business, and the challenges and joys of raising Sarah. You couldn't help but notice the way his eyes sparkled under the dim lights, the way his lips curved into a smile when he shared a particularly funny story about his brother or Sarah.

However, he hesitated when it came to discussing his past in Austin. There was a tiny shadow of pain that crossed his eyes, but before you could question it, it was gone, replaced with one of Joel's trademark warm smiles. He'd mentioned briefly before what had brought him to Maplewood, Sarah's scholarship and he'd briefly mentioned the passing of his wife, but he never elaborated any further than that. And you respected his need for privacy, knowing that some wounds ran deep and were not easily shared.

“So, what do you think of the movie choice?” you asked, looking back to the projector screen playing 'The Santa Clause'

Joel laughed, “When Sarah was younger, this was on repeat from the moment Thanksgiving was over to when we packed the decorations away in January.”

You laughed before you finally took a bite of your profiterole, your taste buds were bombarded with the decadent flavours. The flaky pastry melted in your mouth, while the creamy gingerbread spiced filling added a cozy festive warmth to the whole sensation.

With closed eyes, you savoured another mouthful of the delicious dessert. A small dollop of cream escaped and landed on your chin, but you were too lost in the pleasure to care. “This is amazing,” you moaned in appreciation.

Joel's laughter mingled with the sound of the movie, and you opened your eyes to find him staring at you with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. The air between you crackled with a newfound tension, and suddenly, the cozy winter wonderland around you seemed to fade into the background.

The air felt heavy with anticipation as he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper. “You have a little something there,” he murmured.

Joel reached over and taking his thumb swept the fallen cream from your chin and you found yourself holding your breath as he took his thumb to his mouth.

The sight sent a shiver down your spine, and you couldn't help but imagine what it would feel like if his lips were on yours instead. The warmth from the mulled wine seemed to travel through your veins.

“Thanks,” you managed to say, still not able to look away from his lips.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you leaned in, unable to resist the magnetic pull between you. Before you could register it his lips were on yours, his hand finding home at the small of your back as you turned into the embrace, the feeling of the warmth of his body so close to yours, his

The soft touch of his lips against yours sent shockwaves through your body. The taste of mulled wine and sweet cream lingered on his lips.

But as quickly as it happened, Joel pulled away, a look of confusion and guilt washing over his face. He stammered an apology, “Sorry, I shouldn't have…” Joel's voice trailed off, his eyes looking lost, confusion and guilt etched his face.

The two of you looked at one another, neither knowing what to say next. You were still reeling from the whiplash of the kiss followed by Joel's abruptness when he suddenly stood, patting his pockets until he found the one that had his car keys in them.

“I need to get going,” he said, looking everywhere but you leaving you confused and unable to figure out what was happening.

“Okay,” was all you managed to squeak out.

“I erm, sorry–” he rubbed at the back of his neck nervously, “I need to get Sarah home, she has a soccer game tomorrow morning.”

Joel hurriedly gathered his things, his eyes avoiding yours as he mumbled a quick goodbye. You watched him leave, the festive atmosphere of the movie night suddenly feeling bittersweet.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. You stuck around to help with the cleanup, half listening to Ellie in her complaint that for the third year in a row, the town council had rejected her suggestion of playing ‘Die Hard’, but your thoughts were elsewhere, replaying the kiss and Joel's sudden departure.

#december x 500 #the little coffee shop around the corner #maplewood au #joel miller x you #joel miller x reader #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x female reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fanfic

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the-knucklesverse · 2 months

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Dark Deception

So a lot of what we do in the server is toss out any ol' idea that pops into our head and spitball the ramifications of it.

Dark is what's left of Dark Enerjak from the alternate Archie timeline, and he's always trying to reclaim that power, always trying to trick the other Knuckleses into drawing on the power of the Master Emerald so he can then have it for himself. (We're not sure how, those are details we don't bother with when we're knee deep in angst heaven.😆)

This bit was written a while before the other one I posted (Deep Thoughts) and introduced the idea of Boom being upset that he was so stupid on his world. I think he has some really deep resentment that he's viewed so poorly in his world, and he may fall for Dark if he's told he could be so much more respected if he shows his true power.

Dark gets to Boom after a particularly bad day where everyone makes fun of him or shows annoyance at him because of his 'stupidity'. He goes to the Sanctuary to cheer up, or at least take his mind off it, and Dark's the only one there, and the old crank sidles up to him, and is all "What's wrong, boy?" and Boom tells him because Boom doesn't think much of it, and Dark starts poking.

~~~~~

"Why do you think they see you like that?"

Boom shrugs. "Because in my world I am kinda dumb. Wachowski said it's probably because there's no Master Emerald, and something something chaos energy. I dunno. I didn't really understand it."

"But you think more clearly here, yes?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't really last when I get back home. Again, no Master Emerald there."

A smile curled Dark's lips. "But you have access to that energy. That power. You could pull from it and use it whenever you wish. Even in your world."

Boom quieted as he thought. He wasn't supposed to. It was pretty common knowledge among Knux's that they were only meant to be guardians, and not actually use that power.

"But the others always say that power's not meant for us," he said, brow furrowed. "We're just guarding it."

"But why not? I never understood that line of thinking. We are meant to simply stand nearby and look at it? We are the only creatures capable of harnessing and controlling chaos energy on that level. Why shouldn't we use it? If it's not meant for us, who is it meant for?"

Boom furrowed his brow. "I dunno . . ."

"Look at it this way," Dark said, inching closer. His voice had taken on a more eager tone. "Chaos energy is like a river. Flowing and moving freely around everything. If you could control that river, use it to make yourself healthy, or stronger, or . . . smarter, who would it hurt?"

Boom chewed his lip as he thought. He wasn't supposed to listen to Dark. None of them were. Because he was some evil Knux, from a different dimension—a different timeline? It was confusing—who'd done a lot of bad things with the power he'd had.

But . . . he kinda made some sense. So what if Boom used some of that power, if only to make himself think more clearly in his own world. That wasn't bad, right? It wouldn't hurt anyone, right? And he was a Knuckles--they were all good deep down, so even if he did use some of that power, he wouldn't do anything bad with it, so maybe it was okay?

He shook his head. This was confusing.

~~~~~

Dark eventually convinces him that tapping into the ME's power isn't so bad, and Boom's starts doing so. Just little bits here and there, mostly to make himself not so damn dumb on his world, but he doesn't know how to control that flow into himself. More importantly, doesn't know how to turn it off.

So it's flowing and becoming more and more powerful the longer he's linked to it, but it's too much, it's so much more than he's capable of handling.

His emotions are starting to cause problems back on his world - storms, earth tremors, killing vegetation near him, etc. No one has any idea what's going on, and he starts to panic, which is causing even more destruction.

He runs to the Sanctuary, but being in essentially ground zero of ME power makes things so much worse.

The Knux's who are there immediately feel the drain, and are shocked to see Boom of all people being the cause. Boom has no idea how to handle chaos energy in the first place, and being in a panicked state is making him unintentionally draw more.

The others are trying so hard to counter it, to balance it, but it's not working.

~~~~~

Boom fell to his knees, overcome with the sheer power flowing through him. Every nerve felt on fire. His muscles tense and thrumming with energy. He opened his mouth, trying to call to his friends, ask them to help him, but the only sound that came out was a strained scream.

The others stood back in shock. And maybe a little fear. They could feel the chaos running through him. There was so much. If they couldn't get it out of him, if he couldn't control it, it would tear him apart before their eyes.

Modern and X exchanged glances. Wachowski barely held himself back from rushing forward to help. Dread growled, his feet seeming glued to the floor as he watched his best friend struggle.

"We have t' do something!" he cried, looking from one set of fearful violet eyes to another. "Ye all know much more 'bout this Master Emerald. What c'n we do??"

"We . . . we don't know," Modern said, his eyes glued to Boom as the tall echidna struggled. "I've never seen anything like this before. No one's ever had this amount of power and lived."

"I have," a voice called from the shadows, and Dark moved into the light. A small smile curled his lips. "Oh, you poor foolish children. I have held just as much power before."

He turned to them, to Dread, that smile turning to a smirk. "I can help him."

The pirate's knee jerk reaction, honestly, was to launch himself forward and slice Dark's throat. The older version of themselves was never anyone's favorite, but now, when Boom's life hung in the balance, this wrinkled echidna's words seemed especially mocking.

"And I'm sure ye would do this outta the goodness of yer shriveled black heart," Dread snarled, showing fang. "And I'm also sure ye had nothing t' do with Boom even usin' that energy in the first place."

Dark moved closer, that smirk never fading. "We can stand here all day and point fingers, cast blame, but do you really think he has that kind of time?"

Dread looked back to his friend. Boom was on his hands and knees, waves of what he assumed was chaos energy flowing over him. The air around his body seemed to shimmer, and the Sanctuary around him . . . twisted. It was changing, as though melting and shifting into something different.

No time. Dark was right about one thing—there was absolutely no time to argue about this. Dread turned back to him, his snarl more pronounced.

"What can ye do?"

Dark uttered a soft laugh. "I can take the energy from him."

Of course he could. That's what he'd wanted all along. Using Boom's insecurities and fears to make him do something he ordinarily wouldn't. To tap into that power that Dark so desperately wanted, a power Boom had no hope to control himself.

Dark knew this would happen.

Dread's hand itched to take hold of his blade. He should have ended that shriveled pile of nastiness a long time ago.

Boom screamed again, and everyone in the Sanctuary covered their ears. It did little good. The sound came from inside their heads.

Dread uttered a loud growl, turning back to Dark.

There was no other choice.

"Help him, ye damned demon."

The smile on Dark's face widened, and Dread almost took a step back. He'd never seen the older echidna actually smile. Not like that.

"Gladly," he said, and moved with a speed Dread would not have expected. Dark stopped before Boom, going to one knee before the downed echidna. He didn't seem affected by the energy coming off Boom at all.

"You did well, son," Dark said, his voice low and dark. "You did just want I wanted."

Boom managed to lift his head, looking up at Dark. Tears ran down his muzzle, and his body trembled. "Wh-what?"

"Give me your hand." Dark held his own out. "I will take it from here."

Despite his current state, Boom hesitated. Questions, concern, fears, and doubts flittered through his mind.

This was wrong. He shouldn't. Dark was bad.

But the agony he currently experienced couldn't be ignored. The terror.

Lifting a trembling arm, Boom took Dark's offered hand.

The response was immediate. All that energy coursing through Boom, instilling every cell, every nerve, every fiber of his being with this unimaginable power, flowed into Dark.

No. That was the wrong word. It didn't flow as much as it was pulled into the older echidna. Every last ounce of the power Boom had tapped into was sucked away, along with whatever small amount he'd had to begin with. Boom uttered a strangled cry as Dark drained him, and fell to the floor, weak as a kitten when the older echidna finally released his hand.

Dark stood tall, his frail, weak body infused with that familiar power once more. He turned, offering the rest of the echidna present a wide, malevolent smile.

"Now," he said, his voice stronger than they'd ever heard it. "Oh, now the fun will truly begin."

~~ Qwerty

#knucklesverse #knuckles the dread #knuckles the echidna #qwerty writing #knucklesverse writing #boom knuckles #sonic boom #sonic prime #dark enerjak #dark knuckles

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goneahead · 4 months

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I was tagged by @radiowrites and @stephmcx thank you♥️!!

Hi! I am @goneahead on tumblr. I am also goneahead on A03 and goneahead over on dreamwidth (see links in my pinned post - my internet has gone wonky again)

So, this was definitely not one of my better years. I have three WIPs and while I plodded away at all three, I was never happy enough to post new chapters.

What’s really sad is I finally hit 1 million words posted on dreamwidth—and then I pretty much struck out this year. I’m mostly posting this cuz I think its good for newer writers to realize that yes, even experienced writers have years where things just go all pear-shaped.

My grand total for fanfic was: 1,513😳

I don’t keep track of my poetry word count, but I started the year writing poem #926 and ended the year writing poem #947

Total Number of Fanfics: about 150

Total Number Of Completed Works: this year? 0

Total Number of WIPS worked on this year: 3

How Many WIPs do you still have: 4

Looking back, did you write more than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? Much less. In fact, this year was pretty much a bust.

Did you take any writing risks this year? Well considering I spent all year writing three fics and wasnt happy enough to post anything….

Biggest Surprise: I would love to say I was surprised at how little I posted, but I am a disorganized idjit and—yeah. nobody is shocked.

Biggest Disappointment: see above😆

Do you have any writing goals for the new year? Finish Home verse. Let’s see how that goes….

Fanfiction Questions Below! (if you don’t write fanfiction feel free to skip or rework the questions for your original works.)

Fandoms I’ve written in this year? Hawaii Five-0

Your most popular story of the year? sadly, I didn’t post a new story, just a poem and a tiny addition to another verse.

The story that was easiest/or most fun to write? Still enjoying my MIB AU. Now if I could actually finish it…

Hardest story to write: Lead Me Through the Fire from 2022 was one of those fics where all the different pieces of the plot had to fit together just so. I spent more time than I’d like to admit second-guessing myself on how I arranged the chapters.

Your sweetest funniest story: I have a soft spot for Hawaii Five-0’s Eric Russo. The character is very funny and often wildly inappropriate. I wrote a scene in one of my WIPs where Eric is just soooo Eric

Your saddest scene: I didn’t write anything sad this year.

The sexiest moment you’ve written this year? again, nada.

Your favorite tag: diplomatic javelining😆

Most unintentionally telling story: hmmm. I can’t think of anything too revealing in my fic? Except a tendency to write too many AUs?

Are any of your fics named after/heavily inspired by music? Yes. A lot of my fics have their own playlists and that music definitely influenced those fics. I don’t usually share these songs—or name my fics after songs—because I listen to a lot of obscure stuff most people have never heard of.

What’s your own favorite story of the year? I continued to get a lot of interesting and thought-provoking comments on Care and Feeding of a Super SEAL this year. There are many amazing fix-it fics for S10xE22 written by insanely talented writers—so its crazy and humbling that people are continuing to read and comment on mine.

Fanfiction risks you took this year? sadly, none.

My favorite part of fandom this year: We had new people join our fandom!

You know, I really don’t get what has happened to fandoms these last few years. It used to be that fans just shrugged and continued to write, create, and have fun—even their fandom didn’t have any new content being made. Am I the only one who thinks its weird that most fans now book it for the nearest exit as soon as a show is canceled or a movie series is over?

letsee, tagging um, @cowandcalf @bennyokelly @itwoodbeprefect @stellagioia @redgoldblue

#answered #h50 #a03

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cellard0ors · 2 years

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Fic: Just A Lil' Squeeze

For @lovelyrhink. This was written to cheer her up...and then time and life got away from me! 😆 Regardless, a THOUSAND years later, this will still hopefully bring her some joy as well as anyone else who reads this!

Rating: Explicit (as in sexy times)

Good Mythical Evening: Take Two was a go!

After the sucess of the first Good Mythical Evening, Link and Rhett had pitched the idea of doing it again this year...albeit with less drinking on Link's part.

The crew had already come up with a couple of fun ideas. Shuffleboard game for when certain cocktails were invented, a look at unique sex toys, a how-fast-can-you-blow-up-this-blow-up-doll game - all things they were sure would create the kind of content older viewers who paid to see this event would enjoy.

Tonight, Rhett and Link were testing out a few - seeing what they liked and didn't. Normally the crew would be with them, but the friends really wanted to try them out solo first. Which is probably what led to the trouble in the first place...

Honestly, any time Link decided to give a 'fantastic pitch', Rhett knew it was time to start worrying. This time is no different as Link's eyes sparkle with mirth, "Unusual erogenous zones."

Rhett looks at him with his brows furrowed, "Wait...what?"

"Unusual erogenous zones, brother," Link smacks his arm. They're sitting at the Good Mythical Morning desk, shooting things back and forth and then this comes up, something Rhett can't even begin to understand.

Link decides to enlighten him, "Everybody knows about the nipples, the wiener - stuff like that. But there are a lot of other parts of the body that are reportedly able to get a person going."

"And how're we going to show that, exactly?"

Link's bottom lip sticks out and he just shrugs, "We'll just try 'em on out each other."

"...do you actually listen to the stuff you say, Neal?"

"Hmm?"

"You want us to touch one another's erogenous zones!"

Link rolls his eyes, "Not the serious ones."

Rhett just scoffs and Link just rolls his chair closer, "Look, give me your wrist."

"Which one?"

"Doesn't matter."

Rhett, not seeing the harm in this and also curious enough to give it at least a shot, proffers his right wrist. Link makes sure to hold it from the back, making Rhett's hand turn palm up, his lifeline clearly visible.

Link trails his fingers along it and Rhett bursts into giggles, unable to help himself, "That tickles, man!"

Link beams, "Yeah? And what else?"

"I don't know," Rhett wiggles in his seat, "It feels kinda...weird. LIke...tingly. Don't know if I like it or not."

Link stops moving his fingers and looks up at him, "See? That's one of them."

"One of what?"

Link huffs and draws away, "Here you are - giving me a hard time 'bout the stuff I say and you can't even listen! It's an erogenous zone, Rhett."

Rhett looks at his wrist and then to Link, "My wrist?"

"Anybody's inner wrists. Found this article where there are over thirty-one unusual erogenous zones."

"No shit?" Rhett responds and Link shoots him a look, but he just shrugs, "Going to be cursing a blue streak when we shoot the Evening. Might as well get used to it now."

"Hey, I'm more used to it than I used to be, but, mean..." Link trails off, looking put out and Rhett gets it.

For most of their lives they've avoided using 'potty language', and, even now with their more educated views, it's still a hard pill to swallow.

After all, there are plenty of other words in the English language that have less bite to them. But Rhett knows they'll both have to ramp up it sooner or later, so he doesn't see the harm in starting now.

Regardless, he looks at his wrist again, "Thirty-one, huh?"

Link looks pleased at his pal's interest, "Yeah. You wanna try one on me?"

Rhett gives a little nod and Link beams, turning around until his back faces Rhett, "Then how's about you touch the nape of my neck, McLaughlin?"

Shrugging, Rhett does as asked, trailing his fingers along Link's nape. Link shivers and lets out a little giggle, "Feels purdy darn good. Not puttin' the zinger in my dinger, though."

Rhett laughs loudly and stops, "Alright, what else we got?"

"Scalp." Link turns back, waggling his fingers but Rhett pushes them away, "Already knows that works for me. What else?"

"Oh, I got a goodun'," Link says as he swiftly falls into a crouch at Rhett's feet. Considering his current position, Rhett feels the need to point out that Link said 'unusual' erogenous zones.

He knows well and dandy that what's between his thighs is a great zone and he's about to shy away and voice that when Link's hands tuck neatly beneath Rhett's knees.

He rubs there, the denim of Rhett's jeans doing little to mask the touch and Rhett just goes for what he hopes comes across as a disinterested hum.

Because, okay, this is...good. Rhett can definitely see the appeal here. More so when Link's hands move up to...just run along his upper thighs, to give them just a little squeeze.

And that. Is. VERY. Good.

The warmth of Link's full hands...palms flush against the length of Rhett's thighs, rubbing up and down and up and down and then giving the occasional little squeeze and whoa, hey, did it just get hotter in here?

Rhett's pretty sure the studios' temperature has amped up a couple of degrees, because his face feels...flushed.

And Link, eyes on his task, speaks, "Yeah, so, the article said behind the knees and along the inner thighs, so - wonderin' if the tops are any good too."

The tops are good, Rhett's thoughts sigh (sigh - not moan, gosh darn it) And he's supposed to curse more - even if it's internally, but it's a hard habit to break and Link is still squeezing and that's what's really grabbing ahold of Rhett's unmentionables.

Those intermittent strokes and squeezes from Link's hands. So sure, so confident and it makes Rhett want to squirm, makes him want to ask for Link to dovetail his hands inwards and dance along his inner thighs, but he knows that's a big no, no.

Just as he's thinking about asking Link to move on to save himself any embarrassment, Link's hands move even more northward, finding his hip bones and squeezing there. Squeezing hard.

It takes all of Rhett's willpower not to jut his hips upward into the feeling, essentially pumping his lower half upwards as if they're-! Yeah, this needs to stop.

Rhett opens his mouth only for a choked sound to escape as Link's squeezing hands move down to the tops of his thighs again and then just...slide inward.

Link's hands grace his inner thighs now. Squeezing and rubbing and if Link isn't careful he's going to notice that Rhett's growing the beginnings of a pretty healthy hard-on.

Instead of voicing his inner warning thoughts aloud though, Rhett's open mouth lets out a couple of harsh, panting breaths.

His lanky body begins to bend inward, pleasure spiraling up and down his spine and his head lowers enough that Link can surge up a bit, enough to whisper into his right ear, "How's about you ease your drawers down?"

The question comes out bathed in the honeyed syrup of their natural southern drawl and Rhett finally admits to a moan, one he releases at that request.

He knows what Link's asking for, knows they're moving beyond the unusual erogenous zones and into the very usual ones and he knows he should probably object.

But then Link's face manages to skirt beneath the mass of long curls covering Rhett's face as Link licks at the bottom of his earlobe, sucks at it and Rhett just moans again, nodding weakly.

It doesn't take much for him to rise up and unzip his pants, to tug them low and well past his knees. He keeps his boxer briefs on, although they do little to disguise his interest.

Link doesn't seem to mind, instead going for the sensitive skin beneath the hollow of Rhett's knees again and hoo boy howdy, the difference. One would think the vast array of spry leg hair covering Rhett's body would turn Link off.

But if anything, it seems to reenergize his efforts, fingertips and palms working with more deftness than before. And when they shift up to the tops again, still squeezing and working upwards, Rhett's head tilts back, Adam's apple working.

He lets out a huff and, even through his glazed vision, he catches Link smirking. Saucy lil minx. Rhett would show him place, but, to be honest it's been a long time since he's just given himself over to his own pleasure, his own needs.

As such, he sweeps all of his tumbling hair back with one hand swipe, remarking dryly, "Anywhere else you wanna test?"

Link just hums and his hands swoop up quickly, thumbs pressing on either side of Rhett's bellybutton before pushing down, teasing along the elastic waistband of his underwear before moving back up again.

"Sonuvabitch," Rhett hisses and part of him wants to take Link and toss him over his knees, leaving that backside of his open to the good ol' spanking it clearly deserves. Man's a goddamn tease.

More so when, on the next rotation, one of his thumb's lights over the very sensitive tip of Rhett's dick. It's an unmistakable move, the play of the pad of his thumb circling the protruding head straining against the cotton of his boxer briefs.

Another curse and Rhett's done with playing games, jerking away from Link's touch just enough to rise up and finally remove his underwear as well, to push it down to join his pants around his ankles.

His erection is a thick beast. Now freed from its confines, it bobs a little, the pulse of his strong blood flow through it making it curve up towards his bellybutton, balls drawn tight beneath. They've seen one another naked before, but never like this and one would expect words or snarky remarks or something.

Anything.

But there's nothing past hushed panting and Link's hungry eyes and (while Rhett is one hundred percent positive Link's never done this before) the other man lowers his head and goes at Rhett's length with gusto.

Perhaps too much gusto as he gags at first, taking far too much in. Rhett offers soft sounds of comfort, but it seems as if Link doesn't need them, instead trying again.

He swipes his full tongue around the head of Rhett's cock, tip of his tongue flickering against the slit and its inelegant but probably the most fucking sexy thing Rhett's experienced in his life.

Double when Link draws Rhett's girth into the wide, hot cavern of his mouth once more, doing it a little more smoothly this time. He doesn't jab it down deep as ineffectually as he did the last time, instead working along it as if he's sucking on a popsicle in an obscene manner and Rhett's hands go to Link's hair.

They curl and they tighten and he does his god's-honest-best not to try and control Link's movements, tries not make him go faster or take more, but it's difficult with the sounds Link is making around him. Link just sounds so...slutty.

There's no other word for it. He sounds desperate and he's mewling, and his hands are going for the parts of Rhett he can't fit in and he's working with such enthusiasm that Rhett can't help but groan his name, his hands flexing and unflexing in the salt and pepper mass of Link's hair as he feels his entire body grow taunt, like a bowstring pulled back too far.

His nervous system thrums with need, his belly filled with an anxious excitement and when Link looks up at him, blue eyes wide and with such adoration, Rhett can't help himself. He loses it entirely, cumming with a loud shocked cry.

Normally Rhett is better about warning someone before he-! But it can't be helped. Link's rattled him down to his bones and he erupts. Link, clearly not expecting it, gags again and Rhett's pretty sure he makes a face of disgust as he gets a mouthful of Rhett's spunk, but he's much too lost in the euphoria of his orgasm to care.

He draws air into his lungs raggedly, does his best to come down and he can lightly hear Link complaining through the fuzz of his afterglow. Things like 'tastes gross' and 'like baking soda' and Rhett just breathes in deeply through his nose, awash in pleasure.

He can hear Link scrambling around, no doubt getting some water and by the time he's back in full view Rhett just looks up at him lazily, "Wuz this some kinda plan to seduce me?"

Link is gulping the water and finishes it with a little smack of his lips before he asks, "It work?"

Rhett gestures down to his slowly softening member, "I dunno, you tell me."

"Might'a been," Link returns cheekily and Rhett just huffs out a laugh, before saying softly, "Don't think this is a segment we'll do."

"Which one?" Link asks and he's so cute when he's befuddled, but considering what literally just happened, Rhett can't understand it, "The unusual erogenous zones, man. Don't think you want to blow me in front of a live audience on the internet!"

"Oh, well, we're still doing the segment," Link sips some more water, eyebrows waggling, "Just not here."

"Oh yeah?" Rhett asks and Link just beams, "Toldja, there are thirty-one zones. Got plenty more to go."

Rhett just blinks at him and, without a doubt, he knows he's excited to try every single one of them.

#rhink #my writing #this took faaaaaaaaaaar too long to write #sorry about that lovelyrhink #i pray the wait was worth it

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