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fandomsonrequests · 3 years

Text

tv trope

fandom: be more chill

characters: michael mell

reader: gn!

word count: 1.5k+

summary: To him, you were the walking definition of those television tropes of the denim-clad, badass person who practically oozes confidence. The people wanted to date or be with you when they got to know you. And he was whipped. Like so whipped, not even Jeremy’s pining over Christine matched up to it. And that alone is saying something.

a/n: AHHHHH i love Michael mell (and george salazar cos why the hell not) so much ;^; he’s such a dork i just wanna hug him

Michael Mell always thought you were so cool— like The Matrix kind of cool. You weren’t really popular but you had a reputation around the school for being this tough kid who always stood up for themselves and didn’t take any shit being thrown at them. And, when circumstances permit it, you rode your freaking motorcycle to school. Not only that, you didn’t really flaunt anything off and spoke up when you needed to.

To him, you were the walking definition of those television tropes of the denim-clad, badass person who practically oozes confidence. The people wanted to date or be with you when they got to know you.

And he was whipped. Like so whipped, not even Jeremy’s pining over Christine matched up to it. And that alone is saying something.

But at the same time, he was scared. He wanted to talk to you so badly, to get to know you past the television trope he saw you as. He wanted to get to know you for you. And he probably would’ve done so already if all his insecurities and anxious thoughts wouldn’t come crashing down against him like a violent wave.

For example, in Chemistry class. You were situated in the seat right in front of him and when Mrs. Clarke requested the students to pick a partner for the lab activity, Michael hesitated in reaching out towards you. His heart was all in for it but his head was telling him otherwise.

What if they could smell the weed on you? What if they find your Pac-Man pin collection on your bag childish? What if they think you’re weird? What if they don’t like you?

The poor boy would retract his hand and shrivel away as he watches you get whisked away by one of his other classmates. Now he understood what Jeremy felt before he got with Christine— talking to your crush was much easier said than done.

And the cycle repeats daily. He works up the courage, getting some hype from his best bud, which slowly crumbles the second he comes within a five feet radius from you. He turns on his heel and runs away back to his locker, scolding himself for chickening out.

But fate was getting tired of this beating around the bush and decided to take matters in its own hands.

Michael decided to go to the library to pick up some books he needed for school while he waited for Christine and Jeremy to finish up with drama. So imagine his surprise when he saw you in the corner of the library in the “reading nook”, a very familiar comic in your hands. His favorite video game had released a few issues of their new comic, a spin-off to the main plot in the game. Of course, he bought all of them— out of impulse— and was already halfway through the first half of the series. So when he spotted the bright cover of the comic amongst the warm, monotone colors of the library, he couldn’t help but be intrigued.

Before he knew it, his feet were dragging him towards you. He took note of the faded Mötley Crüe shirt you wore along with a pair of acid-washed ripped jeans and your scuffed sneakers. A pair of earbuds were plugged into your ears, your head bopping along to whatever music you were listening to as you read your comic.

He fiddles with the frayed sleeves of his red hoodie covered in those iron-on patches, thoughts of what he was going to say to you running through his head. He eventually ended up just backing out and settling with pining for you from afar but his movement had caught your attention, making you look up from your comic book.

Michael freezes up as his nerves took over him- eyes wide behind his dark-rimmed glasses. You quirk a curious brow, plucking out one of your earbuds before offering a small smile. “Hey Mell,” You greet cooly. “What’s up?”

You knew his name???

“Wh- wha- wait you know me??” The boy stammers as he nervously meets your gaze.

You let out a soft chuckle and he couldn’t help but fall in love with the sound. “Yeah, you’re in a few of my classes. Of course I’d know you.” You uncross your legs and close your comic book to entertain him.

“Oh, wow.. Uhm, it just seems l-like, uhm,” Michael continued, voice shaky while his hands grew clammy. “It, I mean you, you just s-seem like the type to not r-really know others.”

You nod in understanding at his defense. “It’s the vibes I give off isn’t it?” You sigh and shake your head. You look up at him again and scoot over to the other side of the couch situated in the reading nook to offer him some space to sit on. “Well, I hope you believe me when I say that I’m not really scary.”

He looks over to space you had made from him and back to you before going back to the space. It goes on for a couple of moments before he decides to sit down- but on the opposite side of the couch. You two say nothing for a while, just observing one another before you speak up again.

“Anyway, is there anything you need?” You tilt your head curiously, the small smile returning to your lips.

“Ah, no not really,” Michael admitted and scratches the back of his head. “I just saw that you were reading Apocalypse of The Damned: The Laboratorium and I kinda just… gravitated towards you.”

Your smile morphs into a bright grin and the speckled boy decided right there and then, there was nothing brighter than that rare, million-dollar-smile of yours. “You know Apocalypse of The Damned?” You ask excitedly and clutch the comic book to your chest.

“Like the back of my hand,” He replies as confidence starts to flood his system. “I practically bought the whole series.”

Your hands fly to your mouth to muffle your excitement, shifting in your spot to look at him properly. “Have you finished it?”

“Halfway through it. But don’t worry, I’ll try not to give out any spoilers.”

You let out some kind of excited squawk, red coating your cheeks at how stupid you sounded. This was definitely something Michael hadn’t expected. He expected you to be cold, aloof, maybe even a bit grouchy like Jade from Victorious but your personality was quite the opposite. And he couldn’t help but grow more enamored by that.

“I wish I had friends that geeked out with me about these kinds of things,” You huff after your small laughing fit. “They always make fun of me for it.”

“What?? Are they crazy? They’re assholes for doing that to you.”

“No, no. They aren’t really mean but they think it’s too dorky.”

“Well,” He motioned to you. “They’re clearly missing out on things.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that, bashfully looking down at your hands while toying with the loose end of your earbuds. You nibble at the inside of your cheek before piping up again. “You’re pretty cool, Mell. We should hang out more often.”

Michael’s jaw almost drops at that. Not only did you invite him to hang out with you, but you had actually found him interesting. That you didn’t find him or any of his quirks weird. It was such an elating feeling, one that spurred his confidence even more.

“Does this weekend sound okay for you? We could go out, grab some sushi and maybe binge read the comics together at the old drive-in.” He offers, a bit sheepish, and you nod beaming from ear to ear.

“Sounds great,” You fish out your phone and hand it over to him. “If you don’t mind, can I get your number? So we can coordinate this whole… I guess date later in the week.”

Michael’s face turns a deep shade of red and you couldn’t help but giggle at that, your own cheeks flushing the same color. He was so damn adorable, you wondered why you hadn’t spoken to him sooner. He types in his number and hands you back your phone, smiling uncontrollably at what was happening.

You glance down at the time on your device, seeing that you had to go home soon. “Well, I better head out. Keep in touch will you?”

“Y-yeah, roger that.”

You stood up and gathered your things, turning back to him as you flashed him one last smile. “I’ll see you around, Mell.”

He waved goodbye as you walked to the exit for the library, the lovestruck expression never leaving his face. He sighs dreamily, knowing full well that if his friends saw him now they’d tease him for being so whipped for you. He didn’t mind though because at least, he had something to look forward to this weekend.

Michael gave himself a mental pat on the shoulder for working up the courage to get to know the real you as he picked up the textbooks he needed. At least he knew now that you weren’t some tv trope but someone so much more.

#be more chill #michael mell #michael mell x reader #michael x reader #george salazar

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alltheselights · 5 years

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Snippet

Someone on Twitter asked me for this and since I suck, I’m posting it. This is for my fic Secret’s Safe With Me and it probably won’t make much sense unless you’ve read this snippet I already posted.

On Monday morning, Louis wakes up early and puts extra effort into his outfit, even taking the time to dig the iron out of the back of the hall closet so his pants will be properly creased and his sweater won’t look like he just slept in it. He may be fired today, but at least he’ll look neat and professional doing it.

Zayn’s only half awake when Louis leaves, but he gives Louis a sleepy kiss on the cheek and wishes him luck.

Louis times his arrival at work so he’ll be walking in around 9AM alongside most of his coworkers, hoping that he can slip in largely unnoticed. Brad’s already been texting Louis for an hour telling him to keep him updated on what happens, which is only worsening Louis’ anxiety.

His plan works for the most part, though Louis still acts with extra caution by taking the eight flights of stairs up to his floor rather than risk being packed into the elevator with coworkers who might ask questions he’s never going to be ready to answer. Louis is sweating and panting by the time he makes it up all those stairs, but when he manages to get to his cubicle unnoticed, he knows he made the right call.

Louis immediately collapses into his chair, taking a moment to catch his breath. He sits there with his back tensed as he turns on his laptop, convinced that Simon or one of the other higher ups will round on him at any moment and chew him out in front of the entire floor.

After about ten minutes pass with nobody approaching Louis’ cubicle, however, he breathes a sigh of relief as he realizes everyone is too busy running around and preparing for Harry Styles’ arrival to worry about him or last week’s meeting. Louis knows this distraction will pass once Styles arrives and has been introduced to everyone, but for now, he takes the win for what it is and allows himself to relax slightly.

He’s responding to some pressing emails and adding scheduled meetings to his calendar — not that he’ll have the chance to attend them since he’ll probably be unemployed by then — when he realizes that his coworkers are still running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Everyone is frantically dusting desktops, shoving stacks of documents into drawers, triple checking that there’s paper in every printer, and restocking every type of coffee and tea you can imagine in the kitchen.

Louis glances around his own cubicle. He isn’t exactly known for his tidiness — admittedly, he’s actually better known for the tornado of a mess that he leaves behind him wherever he goes. Thankfully, his desk space is minimal considering he has both a desktop computer and a laptop, but Louis figures the least he could do while he’s still employed is make his work space look presentable for when young Mr. Styles arrives.

Louis hides his cigarettes in his desk drawer, which he should actually be doing daily since they keep going missing. Louis suspects it’s Liam who’s stealing them ever since he stopped buying them himself, trying to convince himself and everyone around him that he’s quitting any day now.

Then Louis rounds up all of his pens, shoving them carelessly into the Doncaster Rovers mug he uses to organize them, and flips his calendar to the correct month since he’s a quarter of a year behind in doing that.

There are also a ton of papers in three different tall stacks around Louis’ cubicle, including one on the floor in front of his rubbish bin, so he begins doing the quickest sort through them possible. He gets so into the task that he fails to realize when the noise and bustle all around him finally slows down. If he stopped for a moment, he would probably realize that Mr. Harry Styles has finally arrived and all of his coworkers have now transitioned into doing everything in their power to look hard at work.

It’s only when Louis hears Oli, the guy two cubicles away from him, introduce himself to someone that Louis finally stops what he’s doing long enough to recognize that he’s moments away from meeting the new CEO of Kiwi Corporation and the person who will likely decide his fate later today.

Louis wants nothing more than to lean back in his spinning chair and peek around the side of the cubicle wall to see what the new CEO looks like, but he’s an adult and doesn’t want to embarrass himself, so he resists.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Louis hears a deep voice say. Louis freezes. It’s obviously the Styles kid’s voice and he sounds genuine enough in his pleasure at meeting Louis’ co-worker, but that’s not what catches Louis off-guard. Instead, it’s the eerie familiarity of that voice that sends a cold chill down his’ spine. Louis only heard that voice very briefly, but he’s heard echos of it in his head all weekend. He would recognize it anywhere.

Louis refuses to believe it. Sure, they have the name in common, but it’s not like Harry is an uncommon name, particularly in the UK. Louis would’ve sooner expected Prince Harry himself to show up as the new CEO of Kiwi Corp than a random man he encountered during one flight to London.

Louis takes a deep breath and counts to ten in his head, completely blocking out the conversation between Harry and Louis’ immediate cubicle neighbor after Harry moves on from Oli.

When Louis finally hears his own name, it’s not by that deep voice. Instead, it’s Simon Cowell’s annoyingly condescending tone that tries to capture his attention.

Louis inhales and exhales again slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose before finally turning his chair around. If Louis were less dramatic, he would admit that it only takes him a second to spin around and face Simon and Harry, but in the moment, it feels like it takes forever for them to meet face to face.

And of course, that’s when Louis can no longer deny the nightmare unfolding before him — a nightmare worse than one Louis’ brain could ever conjure by itself because it would seem too unrealistic.

Harry Styles, the new CEO of Kiwi Corporation and Louis’s new boss, is none other than the handsome Harry that Louis spilled all his secrets to on the plane.

An expression of surprise immediately overtakes over Harry’s face, immediately followed by an expression that’s difficult to place. The closest description of it that Louis can offer is that it’s an infuriating combination of delight and self-satisfaction.

“Louis, this is our new CEO, Mr. Harry Styles. And Mr. Styles, this is Louis Tomlinson, our marketing assistant,” Simon says snidely, looking at Louis like a bug that he’s about to crush under his shoe. Knowing Simon, that’s probably not far off from what’s about to happen. “He’s the one we’ll need to have a conversation about later.”

Louis refuses to wince at that. Instead, he gets to his feet for a proper greeting, though he avoids eye contact with Harry as he does so. He takes the opportunity to take in Harry’s outfit, which consists of a black suit that appears to have sequins on it. It’s a unique vibe for a CEO, Louis will admit, and it’s certainly worlds away from the horribly fitted and bland suits always worn by the elder Mr. Styles, but Harry pulls it off.

Once Louis is on his feet, he reaches out to shake Harry’s hand. He hopes his hand isn’t sweaty, but he figures at this point, there’s not much more he could do to embarrass himself in front of this man.

When their hands meet in a firm clasp, Louis finally looks up at Harry’s face again. Harry is giving him a smile with dimples, which makes Louis feel like someone who’s brought a butter knife to a gunfight. It’s unfair.

“Louis Tomlinson,” Louis says, his voice impressively steady considering the butterflies tearing through his gut. He also opens his mouth to say “nice to meet you” as part of the natural progression of an introduction, but since it is very much not their first meeting, Louis snaps his jaw closed.

“So nice to meet you, Louis Tomlinson,” Harry says smoothly, letting go of his hand. Louis wets his bottom lip and meets Harry’s eyes again just in time to see him wink.

Okay, so that’s how they’re going to be playing it. For now, at least. Harry is clearly not keen on making anyone else aware of the incident on the plane, though perhaps that’s only because he’s planning on using it against Louis privately or bringing it up at an opportunity for prime embarrassment later. Regardless, Louis is grateful that their previous encounter is not being called out in front of Simon right now.

“Simon,” Louis says then, nodding in the man’s direction.

“So good to see you, even after what happened Friday,” Simon says, sticking out his own hand, clearly intent on exchanging a handshake with Louis as well. Louis grits his teeth and forces a smile.

He takes a step toward Simon as he accepts the handshake, intentionally pressing his foot down on the toe of Simon’s boot in the process. Immediately, Louis’ smile widens into something more genuine.

“Only four days without me and you missed me this much,” Louis says, just as Simon cries out in pain from his toe being crushed under Louis’ foot. “Oh, sorry, Si,” Louis adds, glancing down at their feet.

“Well, I don’t want to hold you up when you have so many people to meet,” Louis says without giving Simon the chance to complain, stepping back again. When he looks back at their new CEO, Harry is biting his lip like he’s trying not to laugh. Louis’ heart thumps in his chest. “See you around, Mr. Styles.”

#feel free to ignore this #ik nobody cares and i would've posted it on cc #but it's too long #boo #also soz for any typos #drabbles #my writing

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hjertetssunnegalskap1 · 5 years

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I love your fics so much. Could you maybe do number 5 from the drabble challenge for davenzi? 💕

Hi! Thank you for your kind words!! 💕And yes, I can. I’m not sure this is what you expected, but it’s what my mind ended up with.

I should warn that there are some vague/ non-graphic sexy times towards the end of this drabble/ ficlet thing.

Btw you can also read it here, on AO3.

“I’m not here to make friends.”

“Do you want to dance?”

“You really wanna dance, Matteo?” David asks, eyebrow raised. Matteo has never struck him as a guy who likes to shake it on the dance floor. Matteo mostly has this ‘hot and sulky pothead’-look going on.

Matteo shrugs and looks at David from under his unruly hair. “We’re at a club. That’s what people do here.”

David takes a sip from his drink, and tries to think. It’s hard to think with Matteo’s blue eyes fixed on him. “Right. So that’s why you’re here, then?”

“I’m not here to make friends,” Matteo deadpans. ”Yeah, I’m here to dance. And if I’m lucky, uhm, flirt a little.”

“Flirt, huh?” David repeats. He can’t help that Matteo’s words make something tingle inside, something he has squashed down for a long time.

Shit, and he almost didn’t come tonight. David mostly prefers more quiet settings than clubs like this. He doesn’t mind being social, but preferably in small doses. Most days when his friends are partying, he’ll rather stay in the calm of his home.

Not tonight, though.

David loves to dance, after all. He loves it when the music fills him up and he gets to shake loose. And Matteo… He had hoped to see Matteo tonight, he must admit it.

The thought of dancing with him makes David’s heart flutter. It’s just that the two of them has a kinda strained relationship. Awkward, in many ways. It has been like that for years, since back when they almost happened but never really happened (since David chickened out).

Matteo doesn’t quite answer his question.

“Isn’t dancing and flirting a way to make friends?” David asks, teasing a little.

“Depends on what it leads to,” Matteo answers, locking him with his blue gaze. Then he downs his drink. He looks strangely determined.

A sly smile spreads across David’s face, his eyes tracking the curve of Matteo’s neck as he tilts his head back, and then moving slowly up and down Matteo’s body in appreciation. “Well, Matteo, when you put it that way, I can’t really say no.”

Matteo shines up in a happy smile that just seems so genuinely sweet, that unexpected warmth rushes through David. “Cool.” Matteo stretches out his hand, “Shall we?”

David nods, a sudden bite of anxiety crawling over his skin even as he puts on a brave face, and stands up from the table, taking Matteo’s hand as he leads them out onto the crowded dance floor. Is he really doing this? Dancing with Matteo? Dancing with the crush he’s tried to forget for years?

It seems like he is doing just that. Fuck.

The dance floor is full of people, and the music plays over the dance floor as if it has fused with the bodies. David’s heart is pounding to the beat of the bass as music blasts through the club. Matteo’s hand is warm in his grasp.

Once they’re on the dance floor, the tension eases out of David, and he suddenly feels at home. He carves a path through the hoard of people until they are at the center of the dance floor. Then he places Matteo’s hands low on his hips, curving his own arms around Matteo’s back until they rest just above Matteo’s bum.

“Nervous, Mister Florenzi?”

Matteo swallows roughly as he gazes into David’s eyes.

David notices just how beautiful Matteo looks in the low lighting of the club, the shadows making the curve of his jaw stand out, his lips drawing David in like a moth to a flame.

He leans in, eyes falling closed as their lips barely brush against one another, and that’s when Matteo whispers, “You seem pretty anxious yourself, Mister Schreibner.” Matteo lets out a low chuckle, one that sends a fiery shiver down the knots of David’s spine.

And it’s such a silly thing. But David didn’t realize that Matteo knew his full name. It’s not so strange, really, they’re in the same friend group, of course, but it still surprises him enough that he doesn’t know how to answer.

They dance instead, and beneath the dry-ice smoke swirls an array of blues, acid greens, hot pinks, and gold. Matteo dances like no-one is watching; like he just doesn’t care. David doesn’t care, either, and he follows Matteo’s movements as he boogies to the rave. David loves how Matteo moves. The pair of them spends the next hour grinding into one another on the dance floor, bodies fitting into one another perfectly, each space filled by the other. They’re all grins, they probably look like idiots and they don’t care.

David feels the part of him that’s really him come out to play, to feel the vibe of the music and let his body go free. One moment, one brilliant feeling of togetherness suspended in time. David loves the quiet life but he relishes the wild fun times. Each brush of their bodies against each other, and skim of hands beneath the waist of trousers, sends electricity skittering out over David’s skin, a fire growing larger with every touch.

“Is this what you wanted?” David asks, breathing out unsteadily, not sure if he’s exhilarated or terrified by feeling Matteo so close. He curls a tongue over the shell of Matteo’s ear and making Matteo’s neck arch back

“Yeah,” Matteo speaks into David’s neck. He reaches back to run his hands over David’s body as they press against each other. David pulls him close, letting the music blasting through the room guide his body.

David’s hands move up, tracing over Matteo’s neck until they cup his chin, fingers running delicately over Matteo’s soft lips.

“Kiss me?” David asks, his warm breath ghosting over Matteo’s lips.

Matteo does.

His lips are warm, and soft, and David feels the kiss deep in his bones, the sensation echoing through his body like a prayer.

Damn, he has wanted this for so long…

They dance, and they kiss, and David wants it to last forever. A small maybe starts to grow inside. Maybe they still can happen? If nothing else, they might at least have a flirt?

At the end of the night, they burst through the doors out into the fresh air and the golden street-lamps, staggering, failing to hail a taxi. In the almost-dawn they arrive at David’s apartment and fall into bed; kissing and groping each other but falling asleep before they have time to get frisky.

In the morning, David wakes up with Matteo next to him, and he can’t quite believe it.

“I don’t really dance that much,” Matteo mutters, buried in his pillow. “but dancing with you was damn hot.”

“Yeah, it was,” David agrees. He looks at Matteo, and part of him is surprised that he’s still here, and that he hasn’t run away already. Like he ran, all those years ago. David knows that he was scared back then, and that was why he withdrew. He guesses this is recovery, when he can see the people who are good people, and helping, and ask them to come closer, or staying quiet when the urges to push them away returns.

David reaches for Matteo, and pulls him closer. As Matteo lies over him, all David sees is his face, the ceiling above and the morning light from the window. Their breaths rise in visible puffs and though there is a soft breeze from the window, they are warm with one another. It’s probably too early in the morning for this; they both have morning breaths, and they’re still sticky with sweat from dancing, but David doesn’t care and neither does Matteo, he’s sure of that. They’ve waited long enough.

In the half-lit room, their fingers caress each other’s skin as if afraid a heavier touch would break the heady magic. They become one, one mind with one goal and purpose. David is utterly drunk with love for Matteo, and hopes Matteo feels the same.

Touching Matteo is like his heart is mended even though he never knew it was broken. Matteo’s the only man on earth for David, the only one who can breathe fire into him when he’s cold.

They go achingly slow, touching and teasing each other until David feels like he’s about to jump out of his skin. David has wanted this for so long, craved Matteo’s body, his tongue tasting his breath. They are both caught up in the moment, it’s like they’ve always been this close, like they never left each other alone. David feels for Matteo, Matteo reaches for him, pulls him up, they twist and turn and chase their pleasure.

“Please, David,” Matteo mutters, and David gives Matteo what he needs, just like Matteo gives everything to him.

Their bodies move in unison, so much heat building between them until David feels like he can melt into the bed. Matteo comes, groaning David’s name and clinging onto him. When David follows, it’s like a hot wave rushing through him from the tips of his ears down to the curl of his toes, body burning with pleasure as he groans out, hips still moving against Matteo’s.

Afterwards, David holds Matteo in his arms, fighting how his eyelids are growing heavy and his limbs are molding into the sheets. “You really weren’t there to make friends, huh,” he mutters against Matteo’s skin.

“Mm. I have all the friends I need,” Matteo smiles. “And now I have you, too.”

David scoffs, feeling something old stir inside. “I’m my own, you know.”

“Yeah, I know that, don’t worry,” Matteo grins.

They look at each other, and David pauses. “What made you ask me to dance?” he asks. “You seemed so determined.”

A soft blush grows in Matteo’s cheeks. “I just think I reached this point where I needed to know. I mean, if you wanted to dance with me, or not.”

David smiles. “Are we still talking about dancing, or something else?”

Matteo laughs. “I don’t know, are we?”

“I just know that I’ll always dance with you,” David sighs.

“Good.”

David hugs Matteo tighter, knowing deep down that a love like this is to be cherished for life. In Matteo’s embrace, the world is silent and there’s no time, no hassle. David’s mind is at peace. How has he not seen Matteo’s love for what it is before? Free. Undemanding. David feels his body press in, soft and warm. This is the love he’s waited for, and whatever comes next, they’ll figure it out when it comes.

#druck #davenzi #drabble #not really a drabble - I guess it's a ficlet #the drabble challenge #writing prompts #friends to lovers AU #dancing at the club #canon divergence #Anonymous

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thisheartofminex · 5 years

Text

adrenaline rush : one

She makes it all of five steps before there’s a hand gently clasping around her right wrist. Instinct has Phe pulling away from the owner of the rather large hand, it fits around her wrist too easily. Her head turns so quickly she’s not sure that she didn’t whip them with her hair.

When she sees it’s Harry, her heart rate doesn’t go down but instead continues to pump at a mile a minute.

“Yes?” Phe asks, trying to sound like she wasn’t spooked by him at all. Hates giving off any other impression that she was cool, calm, and collected.

“What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.”

“Which historical region of Greece includes the capital, Athens?”

Phe’s not really paying attention to the pub quiz as much as she normally would have, considering she enjoyed it when her friends made comments about how bright she was (although they were said in a teasing matter it stroked her ego nevertheless). But tonight, she wasn’t feeling like her usual self. The Shamrock wasn’t a pub that she would choose to frequent in her spare time, especially because she knew that it was her brothers' friends and associates local. Phe was under no influence of the type of people that flocked to her brother like a child to a sweet shop, and it was made clear to her a long time ago that she was to keep those people at an arm's length.

So, to say she was a little on the edge tonight would be accurate. She’d only come because there was a promise of leaving right after the quiz but where they’d go after would depend on if they won or not. Before she left, they’d all go to Adam’s after whatever house party they’d been at and carry on with their night there. But Adam’s parents had sold their house and moved to Wales seven months ago and quite frankly nobody else’s place, or parent's, could even compare.

“G’wan Phe, you should know this one.”

Zayn gives her a nudge to her arm, softly encouraging her to participate. One glance at his face and she knows exactly what he’s thinking. He can see she’s not being her normal self and he knows that she didn’t want to come here. He’s the one who promised they’d shoot off after the quiz, with a promise of getting a McFlurry after.

“What’s the question?” She chirps at Natalie, moving to place her elbows on the table across from Adam’s. Her mother’s mantra of ‘elbows of the table’ echo’s through her head briefly but she ignores it, focusing on answering Natalie’s question as Adam rolls his eyes at her. It was typically the three of them that banded together and won quiz night, since if one of them missing and the success rate dropped significantly, no matter who else was there. The others like to tease them about it, but they laughed it off and drank the winning booze.

Taking a swig of her drink, she makes eye contact with Lauren, who gestures in the direction of the door leading upstairs. Phe knows exactly what she’s getting at and nods, making sure to leave her jacket on the chair next to Zayn, in hopes of nobody trying to steal her spot.

On their way back down from the toilet, they bump into a friend of Ronan’s, Kieran, who coincidentally happened to be leaving the toilets the same time as them and takes it upon himself to come sit with their circle of friends. He’s telling them about some sort of low-key boxing match that’s happening in town tonight, in a couple hours to be precise.

“Is Ronan here?” She asks, looking in the direction Kieran came from. He’s holding a fresh pint in his hand, with it almost spilling over the edge. Phe makes sure not to be in range of it as she starts walking back to the table.

“No, he’s already at the fight with Jimmy and Fat Boy. We’re gonna go meet up with them in ‘bout half hour though.”

“Meet who?” Zayn asks as the girls take their places from before and Kieran pulls a chair up for himself. He starts telling Zayn about the local match, telling him that it’s so and so’s cousin up against somebody else’s nephew. Adam starts to join in the conversation, all three of them discussing it amongst them whilst Phe, Natalie, and Lauren work on the last three quiz questions.

When the boys go outside for a smoke it’s announced that cheez is the winning team, with a total of twenty correct answers out of thirty. The group win a free bottle of wine and Lauren’s the one who goes to the bar to collect it with their sheet of answers. Natalie and Phe are discussing if it’d even worth sharing the prize or if one of them should take it home, since they did most of the work, as per usual.

It’s Kieran’s loud voice that startles them out of their conversation as he announces that they’re all going to see this boxing match. Phe just looks to Zayn to gauge his reaction but instead of dismissing it and reassuring her with one look, she’s moderately surprised when he comes to the defense of the man besides him.

“Why not? Pretty dead here, might as well.”

That’s unlike Zayn, Phe thinks. The Zayn she knows would go grab a six-piece chicken nugget meal from McDonald’s before going home and smoking a spliff in bed. Zayn didn’t do clubbing, although he had been quite a few times between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, when Phe wasn’t even legally allowed to drink, let alone drive. Since then he’d got into a routine of going to work, coming home with the occasional pub visit here and there. On an especially exciting week, he’d join Phe and Natalie for lunch on a Tuesday. Maybe even see his other friends on the weekend.

Lauren comes back from the bar, carrying their prize in both hands proudly before she’s asked if she’d wish to go and see this fight. With her agreement, it seems settled that the five of them are now joining her brothers' friends in their abnormal Wednesday night. Typical of Ronan and his friends to be doing reckless things without much thought put behind it. Phe wasn’t one to shy away from most things but even she had to question that it was a little shady that some unofficial boxing match was taking place in the middle of the week.

Before she knows it, they’re being joined by two men she recognizes from her elder brothers' school friends and they’re being squished into a mini bus. With her and Lauren being the smallest, the candy floss pink head of hers ends up practically sitting in an Adam’s lap and Phe’s able to squish between them and Zayn.

They arrive at some shifty looking warehouse type after being in the van roughly twenty-five minutes, since the roads were rather clear. Phe has a rough idea of where she is but isn’t too sure, makes a point of finding Ronan and sticking to his side for the remainder of the night (unless he was with a girl – then she’d keep her distance enough, since last time she saw Ronan out with a girl he ended up snapping at her for being there, as if she were some stupid teenager). Hopefully they’d make it home early enough not to wake their parents.

It must have been getting on a bit when they turned up, since the place seemed to be harboring more people than she expected. Phe notices a very distinct vibe immediately, with the air smelling of cheap beer and sweaty bodies. Clearly the spectators had been here quite some time before they showed up, for the floor was sticky enough to indicate they had been. So, when Natalie says she’s getting a call from her boyfriend (he lived a good forty-five-minute drive on a good day), Phe says she’ll join her outside.

“Don’t be long you two, it’s ‘bout to be startin’ soon, yeah?” Kieran tells the pair enthusiastically, with a smile and a wink from Zayn as they promise so come find them in ten minutes give or take.

“Not want anything from the bar?” Nat asks her, to which Phe tells her that she’s not really feeling that shit booze vibe tonight. The girls laugh in agreement, standing to the left of the double doors outside. As her friend lifts the phone to her ear, Phe makes herself busy by pulling out a cig and lighting it up. She doesn’t want to eavesdrop on their conversation so stands with her back leant against the brick wall, not looking in Nat’s direction in hopes of giving her some privacy.

There’s a small group stood just a few feet away from the pair, consisting of three guys and two blonde girls. The girls seem to be pretty cozied up with the men they’re stood closest to, both leaning towards them as a source of heat presumably, by the way they're dressed. Phe can understand, it’d been almost twenty-five degree’s today, so a dress was an obvious choice. Although, everyone seems to forget that once the sun gets down it’s still eligible to reach at least fifteen degrees, so Phe made sure to bring her denim jacket. Since it had so many pockets, it’d also made bringing a bag to quiz night seem pointless.

The third man, unlike the other two, smartly chose to wear a long sleeve CK jumper. He’s stood with his side profile to her, holding a plastic cup full of beer in his right hand, which seems to have a couple of rings on. Phe tries her best not to stare too much in the group's direction, but she can’t help but people watch. They seem to be happy to joke between one another, although she can tell that the two girls are regretting their choice of no jacket. So are the guys, probably damning their t shirts.

Phe hears Natalie say something along the lines of ‘train station’ and she glances over at her friend, who’s stood facing the ugly brick wall that she’s leant against, taking drags of her cigarette lazily. Not five seconds after the phone conversation’s coming to an end.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna spend the night at Aaron’s.” She tells her friend, “the train stations literally just ‘round the corner and he’s gonna pick me up from his station.”

Phe asks again if everything’s alright, to which Nat assures her that it is but she wasn’t really feeling like staying in this dungy warehouse too longer, would rather spend the night at her boyfriend’s. The next train is in ten minutes, so Phe offers to walk her to the station. Natalie’s lucky because the train station was a ten-minute walk down the road and she just makes it on time, giving her friend a hug goodbye and a promise of a text when she was safe.

When she makes it back, she spots Zayn stood outside, chatting with the group outside from a distance. Brown eyes spot her and shout a thanks in their direction before turning his attention towards her, reaching out to grab her arm gently.

“Where you run off to, huh? It’s startin!” He says, gorgeous face frowning softly, “Where’s Nat gone?”

Phe lets him know the situation, as he puts his arm around her shoulders and guides her towards where the rest of their group are sat inside. One glance back behind her and she makes eye contact with the dark-haired man in the jumper. She expects him to divert his eyes, ashamed for being caught staring, but if anything, he does the opposite. Has the nerve to drop his left eye into a wink as he takes a swig from his cup of what she presumes is cider.

Phe doesn’t falter once, just gives him a once over before looking inside, seeing the overhead lights have dimmed significantly. The small crowd, if you could even call it that since there were maximum of fifty people, had turned their attention towards the center where a boxing ring seemed to be conveniently placed.

Her stomach does a summer salt when she see’s this, and when she see’s the two men in the middle. Especially when she clocks on that they both seem to lack the proper fighting equipment for the sport, supporting bare knuckles.

Oh Ronan, she can’t help but think to herself when the first punch is thrown.

There weren’t much these days that she didn’t expect her brother to have some part in. She understood he liked to have his hand in somebody’s pie, whether it was good for him or not. Especially when it came to the drug kind.

But this? This was new, even for him. Glancing over at said elder brother, stood next to his new ‘friend’, she can only hope that this was only a mild fascination for the sport. There was only so much that their parents could handle, too, and she didn’t want them having to worry about him more than they already did.

Phe tries, she really does, but when the second match starts, she can feel her patience running thin. The girl attached to Ronan’s side was getting on her nerves, from the way she was shooting dirty looks in Phe and Lauren’s direction, to the way she kept batting her real mink eyelash extensions up at her brother. She’d sobered up a while ago, whilst they were in the cab over since she’d only had a couple of drinks at The Shamrock, so the house music overhead was only jumbling her thoughts up.

She makes sure to let Lauren know that she’s just going to the toilet, shooting a wink up at Zayn as he looks at her brush past him. She knows him like the back of her hand and could speak to one another with just a look. Natalie was also like that, she’d known her for almost as long as she knew Zayn, since he was originally her brothers' friend first.

In the toilets, it’s not so loud and allows Phe a moment to herself to think. She thinks about work tomorrow and how thankful she was that she had a later start. Even goes as far to check the time, 10:18, and calculate how much longer they’d be here and how many hours of sleep she’d be able to get.

Taking the time to wipe her hands dry, she throws the paper towels into the nearby bin before giving her auburn locks a quick smooth down. When she makes her way back to her friends and brother, it’s clear that it’s some sort of half time, probably to give the crowd time to go buy more drinks. Phe’s blue eyes land on the broad back stood talking to not only Zayn, but Ronan and his friends too. Lauren doesn’t seem to be particularly listening, from the way she’s stood, but the men seems to be very interested in what he’s saying.

“Phe-” Zayn starts as his hazel eyes lock with hers, Lauren perking up also, “stayin’ at mine tonight, yeah?” He puts his arm around her shoulders, guiding her to stand facing Lauren, not the strange man.

But she gets a glance up at him, and recognizes him from the guy outside in the CK jumper. Pink lips are parted as he seems to be saying something to Ronan, too quiet for her to hear even though she’s less than three feet away. Sure, the spectators around them had quieted down since there wasn’t currently two guys trying to kill each other in the ring, but they were making enough noise for her have to strain just to her the two people closest to her.

“Who’s that?” Instead of acknowledging Zayn’s question, or Lauren’s unsure look, she makes sure to not stare too hard and just does a small nod in the man's direction to indicate who’s she’s asking about.

“Harry, a mate of Ronan’s.” He whispers back, removing his arm from her small frame before repeating his previous question.

She just nods, sneaking a glance towards Harry again, only for his eyes to wander down to her. A small smirk appears on his lips as jade green eyes look her up and down, body turning ever so slightly in her direction. Phe thinks he’s about to say something but his attention is taken away by a familiar blond from before. Said blond whispers something in Harry’s ear, who just nods and utters a ‘see you later’ to the men stood around him, dares to throw a wink in Phe’s direction, then makes his way towards where she assumes the fighters are waiting.

For a moment she’s a little thrown off by the handsome stranger, from his brown curls seeming to be effortless styled off of his face, to the air of confidence that he gave off. Not to mention the wink? Some part of her is saying that they’ve met before, but they can’t have even as much as glanced at each other, otherwise she’d remember.

Phe could tell he was the type of man that you can’t forget about, wouldn’t let you forget about. From the peeks of tattoos at his collarbones she could tell that he was the type who could ruin a girl's life without a second thought.

It was almost as if that wink was some sort of promise.

***

After the last fight ended, everyone was quick to leave and continue their night somewhere else. Nobody seemed too keen on sticking around since the bar wasn’t open for much longer after the bell rang and the winner’s name was called out. So, since Lauren had to use the toilet, herself and Zayn chose to wait inside for her instead of risk being bulldozed over, whilst the rest made their way outside for a smoke.

They’d open the all two fire escape doors, which helped a little, but also not really. By the time Lauren comes out, pink hair visible from a mile away, it’s cleared out enough to Phe’s liking.

The three of them step outside, Phe wanting to say a goodnight to her brother before they all head off to Zayn’s for the night. Lauren’s folks are out of town this week, seeing some relative’s, so she’s crashing along with Phe. They’d most likely end up sharing Zayn’s bed together, with him either on the sofa or in bed with his roommate, Niall, depending on if he was home and what mood he was in. The Irishman had declined coming along tonight because he wasn’t feeling too ill and didn’t want to make himself any worse.

Lauren spotted Ronan first, pointing him out to Phe. He was stood with the girl from earlier, thinks her names Ava but doesn’t remember being formally introduced to her, who’s stood as if they were joined at the hip. Kieran’s talking to him, cigarette in hand matching her brother’s, whilst the girl just leans against him like a human post.

Phe manages to say goodbye and goodnight to her brother whilst ignoring his ‘friend’ completely. Even goes as far to say a bye to Kieran, before she’s making her way over to where Zayn and Lauren are stood waiting besides an uber that just pulled up.

When she sees it’s Harry, her heartrate doesn’t go down but instead continues to pump at a mile a minute.

“Yes?” Phe asks, trying to sound like she wasn’t spooked by him at all. Hates giving off any other impression that she was cool, calm, and collected.

“What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.” Very aware of his hand still holding her arm, she glances down at where they’re connected. Green eyes follow and let go, making sure to brush her fingers as they do. Phe expects him to backdown at her brashness but he just smiles.

“Your Thorns sister, ain’t you?” He doesn’t move, continues to stand in her circle of space without a care in the world. Even places his hands in the front pocket of his jeans, which are jet black and have holes in at the knees, like her own.

“Whatever gave it away.” She says dryly, dark brows raising slightly as she takes a glance in her brothers' direction.

Although he chose to keep his hair cropped short, you could still tell that he was a natural ginger, albeit a darker shade than her own. The freckles on his nose gave it away, too. Ronan had been the lucky one who was blessed with a light dusting of them paired with the ability to tan nicely. Whereas Phe had been cursed to be fair skinned forever, with the absence of any prominent freckles.

“I’m Harry.” He holds his hand out between them this time, letting Phe get a good look at the Rolex on his wrist. Her father always said that watches weren’t for telling the time, but simply just for show.

“Phe.”

“Phe.�� He repeats, almost satisfyingly, like a child finally getting the answer they’d been dying to know. Since she’d barely placed her hand in his, she’d expected his hand not to engulf her hand so easily. A quick glance down at their still connected hands and Harry starts to let go, making sure his fingers brush the length of hers.

“You’re slipping through my fingers.”

At first, she doesn’t realise that he’s making a joke, albeit a rather poor one, and can just about manage a blink in his direction through her confusion. It’s only when he sends her another wink paired with a little wave of his fingers as he walks off does it click in her head.

With an eye roll and a sigh she makes her way over to her friends.

#1dff #1dff au #harry styles #harry styles fanfic #au #thisheartofminex #gang au #dark #ar #one direction fanfic #one direction fanfiction #one direction imagine #harry styles au

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jessahmewren · 5 years

Text

“Birthday Boy Seeking Party Guests” / Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody Fan Fiction

Summary: Tired of spending birthday’s alone, John posts an ad on Craigslist hoping to spice things up. Set in the 2000′s.

Rating E for Everyone be aware here be smut.

Pairing: Poly

Word count: 7,556

Also on Ao3

-0-0-0-

John erased what he’d written for what seemed like the tenth time, squinting at the screen on his laptop. He cracked his knuckles, taking another sip of wine. The bottle was more than half gone, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. It was the weekend, and he was spending it, like every other weekend, alone in his flat browsing the internet.

The wine settled in his bones, making him feel warm and heavy and a bit giddy. He opened up the Word document where the Craigslist Personal’s ad he’d been fumbling over for the past half hour sat half written.

“I am a single male seeking three men for a one night stand at my flat. I have no other preferences other than that you be reasonably good looking and clean. I will send a headshot and directions when you send one.”

Wait. The fuck? That sounded really off and vain. No way should he be writing this while drunk. Or, he thought miserably, writing this period. But anyway.

“I am a single male seeking three men for a one night stand at my flat. I am fit and disease free; please be the same. Details to be follow.”

Was that better, he wondered? Worse?

“I’ve never done this before; I’m not weird or even kinky…just a normal guy wanting to have a good time for once on his birthday.”

There, he thought. That sounded nice and normal, not scary like some of the other ads (seriously, the one asking for the fart buddy was a little out there…). He copied the ad and, before he could chicken out, pasted it into the text box.

He titled the ad “Birthday Boy Seeking Party Guests” and hit submit before he could talk himself out of it.

John checked his Myspace briefly before closing the laptop. His cat, Gwyneth, coiled around his legs. He reached down to stroke her ginger fur. “Again, lovely? You’ve already had your dinner,” he cooed fondly. He reached for a bit of chicken from the fridge, leftovers from his own meal. “Just a snack, now.” The cat was an absolute unit, and he couldn’t afford her getting any fatter.

He put the wine glass in the sink, nodding off slightly as the water ran. Gwyneth waddled off to her cat bed, sniffing it delicately before she sank into the pillowy softness. John smiled at her as he switched off the light and shuffled off to his bedroom.

As he lay down beneath the covers, he thought of his little Craigslist ad, and smiled.

Freddie woke up early for once, silencing his alarm on his phone and stumbling to the teapot. He put the kettle on and grabbed a lemon strudel before settling on the couch and opening his laptop.

Craigslist was still open from the night before where he had entertained himself with reading the personal ads. It was one of his favorite past times late at night…sitting with a bag of crisps with his legs crossed reading some of those wacky adds. As his kettle hummed, he decided to scroll further down the page.

He landed on John’s ad, and something made him smile. “I’m not weird or even kinky…” Freddie laughed at that. Why yes you are darling, you’re asking for a foursome for your birthday! Still, his smile never faltered. He clicked on the user name and opened up his email program.

“Hi John, I’m Freddie. I AM weird and VERY kinky, and would love to come to your birthday party ;). I have attached a headshot. Cheers.”

He hit send and closed the laptop. His kettle was boiling by now and he poured himself a cuppa. He thought about the email he’d just sent and sighed. It wasn’t likely he was going to get a reply, and if he did, he was up for it. He hooked up regularly with no problems. This time was likely to be any different.

Brian cursed to himself. He was late and the computer labs at the university were always nearly full around lunch. He had a paper due in two hours. Maybe he could swing it.

He found one open kiosk in the corner and settled in front of it, plugging in his flashdrive. After an hour of typing, Brian closed the document and submitted it to his professor. One more paper, one more assignment closer to his PhD. He took a moment to relax and opened up his Hotmail.

After a few moments of aimless clicking and deleting, he opened one of his Craigslist notifications. Unfortunately, the amp he had wanted for his guitar was already sold. He clicked the link anyway, the website opening in a new window. He browsed the website a bit, eventually landing on the Personals section.

He entertained himself for a while, admittedly enjoying the sexier ads. And then he read John’s.

Something about it struck him as honest, and Brian could respect that. Brian considered the prospect of fucking three other guys, a little thrill running through him. What would that even be like?

He decided, like a good doctoral researcher, that he needed more information. He emailed John.

Roger was drunk (and maybe something else). His limbs were loose, and he couldn’t feel his lips. An easy euphoria fell over him, throbbing in his skull in time with the pulsing music and the girl riding his lap. The friends he’d come over with were somewhere else, but there were others here. So many people just walking around him as this girl fucked him right here on the sofa.

“Lay back baby,” She said as she rode him, steadily lifting herself off of him, the wet squelch of her tight heat lost to the music and the chaos of the open room. She was pretty in an odd way, Roger thought. His body felt like it was on fire, and he felt the involuntary response of his orgasm winding its way to completion.

He gasped, coming inside the condom as she giggled and contracted around him. He was panting hard, his heart racing. Whatever he had taken was too much, he thought, too much this time. He felt sick. He pawed at the girl as she chased her own climax, pushing her off just as she came, nibbling at his sweat-slick skin.

“Thanks for the fuck,” she said as she slid off him. She pulled up her panties under her skirt and wobbled away.

He sagged back against the couch where no one seemed to pay attention to him, feeling used. Tears stung his eyes, and then someone called his name.

“Hey Roger, you done fucking around? Come play this game with us.”

He raised his head, the whole room swimming. Gingerly, he made his way over to the small gathering. There were shots set up in front of a laptop. Greg, the leader of the group, pushed Roger down in a chair.

“It’s youngest against oldest, and Rog, you’re the youngest. Whoever does the least amount of shots has to answer one of these Craigslist Personals ads. I’ve put them all in a random name generator so it’s totally fair.”

Roger felt sick. He knew he’d had too much to drink already, and there was no way he would win. He stared the other man down anyway.

Greg counted them out. “On your mark, get set, go!”

Roger started downing shots until he declared he’d had enough. He was nearly blackout drunk when they pulled the virtual lever on the random name generator. The ad title that came up was “Birthday Boy Seeking Party Guests.”

Roger was passed out on the couch when Greg sent the email to John along with a fetching photo of Roger smiling with friends while wearing his favorite sunglasses. Greg was sure to add, “you can’t tell, but my eyes are blue ;).”

John forgot about his little ad until the following evening, when he was coming home from the repair shop and remembered that he should probably check his email. He picked up dinner, fed Gwyneth and did just that, deleting the spam and adverts and noticing, to his surprise, several emails from Craigslist users.

He omitted some right away…not on a superficial bases, but just based on how they sounded. Bossy, arrogant, or their emails gave out a creepy vibe. The next one he clicked on was a bloke named Freddie.

“I AM weird AND kinky…” John laughed at that. That was mild compared to some of the other things he’d been told. It was rather endearing, actually. As the pic took forever to load, he thought Freddie might be interesting to get to know.

Then the pic finally opened and John’s mouth flew open.

Black, lustrous, shoulder-length hair framing the most stunning face…tan skin stretched over sharp cheekbones and jawline and those piercing brown kohl-lined eyes. He was easily the most exotic person John had ever laid eyes on. He was immediately attracted to him.

John hit reply and began typing. “I love your headshot. This may be a little forward, but would you like to come celebrate my birthday with me? You would be my first guest :).”

He gave him the time and place, included a headshot, and hit send, hoping for the best.

The next email was a bit longer and more thoughtful but just as intriguing.

“Hi there. My name is Brian. I am a college student getting my PhD. I saw your ad on Craigslist and I must say I am intrigued. I have never done anything like this, either. I would be interested in helping you celebrate your birthday if you provide a safe, clean environment in which to do so. Please provide photos of your flat.” Thanks –Bri”

John smiled. How considerate to think of a safe environment. Bri was definitely getting an email. He replied to Brian and included photos of his living room, kitchen, and bedroom (he left the bathroom out for reasons). Thankfully he had just tidied up. He also included a headshot.

The next email that caught his eye was from Roger. When the pic loaded, he was stunned to find a beautiful blond man with a winning smile standing in a group of friends.

“Hi! My name is Roger. I saw your ad on Craigslist. You can count me in! Just send me the time and place. Also, you can’t tell, but my eyes are blue ;).”

John smiled at his enthusiasm. He attached a headshot, gave him the details and hoped he would hear a little more from him.

John switched over to his Myspace and made a post for the first time in a long time. “Happy for new adventures,” it said with a sticker. And for the first time in a long time, he was.

Freddie was late, and he had just enough time for tea and maybe to check his email before he was needed at Splash, the high-end fashion boutique where he worked. He scrolled through his messages on his phone, reading a few replies, when one from Craigslist user John caught his eye.

“I love your headshot. This may be a little forward…”

Freddie smiled at that.

The pic finally loaded, and Freddie’s mouth watered at the sweet sight. A young man, early twenties, long brown hair, lovely green eyes, and the sweetest smile stared back at him. There were secrets in that smile, he thought, and Freddie wanted to find them out.

So Freddie had a date with not one but three other gents. He better get to work so he could find himself something new to wear.

“I want a double mocha latte, no whip, no drizzle, but soy sub on the milk,” the customer spouted off dryly, and Brian just nodded. He’d been working as a barista at Starbucks to help pay his way through college, and while things could get a little crazy, he mostly liked it. “No problem,” he said as he tried to smile. “Name please?”

The teenage girl grinned. “Princess of the Universe.” Brian’s face fell. “Alright miss I’ll try to fit that on the cup,” he muttered as he turned to make her coffee.

At his next break, he sat in the back and played Angry Birds on his phone until his email notifications pinged. John from Craigslist had written him back.

“Hi Bri! This is John. I really enjoyed your email and appreciate you thinking to ask about a safe environment. That is really important and is honestly something I would do. I have included the requested pictures of my flat. Thankfully I had just tidied up (haha).

The flat was neat and clean. Very homey. There was a fat orange cat nestled on the couch in one of the pics, and it made Brian smile. The headshot John had sent was of John in profile, looking out a window. His green eyes were luminous in the sunlight, and his long brown hair was pulled back over his shoulder. There was a slight smile on his face.

Brian hummed as he looked at it, eyes going over the smooth skin of the young man’s neck and where that skin stretched over the juncture of his jaw and cheek. He was lovely.

“Brian! You’ve got customers!”

Brian muttered a curse to himself.

“I’d very much like to attend,” Brian found himself typing. “Send me the details.”

His head was pounding, and the afternoon light of his bedroom hurt his eyes. Those were Roger’s first cognizant thoughts as he gradually returned to wakefulness after coming home last night and passing out on top of his sheets.

He doesn’t remember coming home, really, or how he got home. But he assumed Greg and his friends dumped him off here after he woke up on their couch.

It didn’t matter, not really. He stumbled home like this a few times a week and he invariably always recovered.

Roger peeled himself off the mattress, dragging himself into the bathroom to splash some water on his face. He endured the light so he wouldn’t miss the toilet, and when he passed the mirror, he paused.

There were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. His face was puffy, his hair in disarray. He looked older somehow, and he swore under his breath. Shit had to get better than this.

He peeled off last night’s clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the hot spray wash off the filth and sketchy memories. Stepping out of the shower, he toweled off and put on a pair of sweats. He had a few hours before he had to be at his bartending job at a local nightclub, so he decided to forego the tea and head straight for the coffee.

He settled into the couch, letting the weariness leech from his boned into the cushions. Sipping his coffee, he checked his email, frowning when he got a notification from Craigslist.

“What the hell,” he muttered to himself, opening the email to find the top half of a picture loading.

It was a young man with soft green eyes crinkled at the edges, a wide smile and long brown hair. Something caught in his chest, something warm and fluttery, as he looked at it.

The email was underneath.

“Hello Roger! I’m John. I’m excited that you want to attend my birthday party. You’re my third guest, so that makes four of us, lol ;). I’m sending you the date and time below along with directions to my flat. I can’t wait to meet you in person. :).”

What the actual FUCK.

And suddenly it all came flooding back. The shot game, the lost bet. Roger’s heart sped up. Was he going to a foursome? Were they all dudes? His mouth went dry. While Roger had always been attracted to men, he had never actually slept with one. He swallowed. Could he actually do this?

FUCK.

There was no Emily Post etiquette guide for hosting a foursome, so John decided to wing it.

As he stared down into the homemade pasta sauce, he reasoned that food was a good move. Food brought people together, and togetherness brought sex. John smiled, satisfied with his ingenious if rather simplistic reasoning. He stirred the sauce, pausing before adding the browned ground beef. What were the odds that one of them was a vegetarian? He shrugged and dumped it in. Not too high.

The doorbell rang and John nearly jumped out of his skin. It was 6:05, and his guests weren’t due until 6:30. He frowned, turning the burner on low and moving to the peephole.

There, on the other side, was the same face he’d viewed in the email, only in living color. The sharp cheek bones, the elegant nose, the kohl lined eyes. John couldn’t get the door open fast enough.

“Freddie,” he almost breathed. His heart was beating fast and he self-consciously smoothed the hair around his face.

Freddie’s eyes flicked down to his chest, then back up to his face before he smiled, stepped into his space and smoothly kissed him, steadying his chin with the tips of his fingers.

John returned the kiss before breaking away, sputtering a little before getting his bearings. “Do you…do you always greet strangers like that?”

Freddie laughed smoothly. “No, silly.” He looked down, then back up at him, one neatly trimmed eyebrow cocked slightly. “But I’m excellent at following instructions.”

John flushed, remembering his ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron, and ushered him inside. “Um, can I get you something to drink?”

“I dunno, can you?” Freddie said smoothly as he walked through the living room of John’s flat, taking in every detail. He was impeccably dressed, John thought as he tracked him through the space. He stirred the sauce, leaving it to simmer and reached for a bottle of red wine, pouring Freddie a glass.

He handed it to the man who took it gratefully. “Something smells yummy. You didn’t have to cook, darling.”

John smiled, flushing at the epithet. “It’s just pasta. It’s nothing.”

Freddie settled on the couch, balancing the wine glass on his knee. “I hope you don’t mind that I arrived a little early. I always arrive early to these sorts of things. It keeps me safe.”

John nodded. “That’s smart actually. I don’t mind at all. I’m just glad you came.”

Freddie waggled his eyebrows over his wine glass. “I always come.”

John’s blush deepened, and Freddie laughed.

“I can’t help myself, darling, you’re just so damn cute when you do that.”

John lowered his glass. “Do what?”

“Blush like that. It’s precious.”

The two of them sat there for a few moments when Gwyneth took that opportunity to rub against Freddie’s leg.

“What a baby!”

John laughed as Gwyneth stretched and meowed, looking up at Freddie with affection. “I think she likes you.”

Freddie cooed and scratched her head. “I think I’m in love.”

When Brian arrived, John was busy straining the pasta, so Freddie got the door.

“Hello, darling,” he said brightly.

Brian looked at Freddie blankly. “You’re not John.”

“Come on in!” John called from the kitchen, and Brian side-stepped the man at the door a little nervously to meet the man in the kitchen.

“Um, sorry darling, but as I was about to say, “I’m Freddie.”

Brian looked down at the enigmatic man who had a delicate hand stuck out for him to shake. He took it.

Brian pressed his lips together. “Sorry about that earlier. I uh…I was just expecting John.”

Freddie patted his arm. “It’s alright love. We’re all a little jumpy. Just meeting and all that. But John is lovely. He even cooked.”

John appeared behind Brian, a dish towel over his shoulder. “Hello,” he said. “I’m John.”

Brian shook his hand, noticing the calloused fingers. The young man was trim in figure-hugging jeans and a crisp blue shirt that brought out the green in his eyes. Brian swallowed hard.

“Brian,” he said a little thinly.

John smiled, and it went straight to his gut. “I hope you like pasta Brian.” He walked to the counter and poured him a glass of wine.

Brian took it from him. “I do actually. Just no meat sauce. I’m a vegetarian.”

John looked horrified. “Fuckity fuck,” John he said allowed. “How about a salad?”

Freddie howled with laughter, the outburst so loud it scared Gwyneth under the couch. Brian just smiled softly, laying a hand on John’s shoulder. “That actually sounds lovely John.”

Brian made his way to the couch, followed closely by Freddie. The other man was observing him very keenly, taking in the softly curling hair and the sharp nose framing the delicate face. Brian was dressed very casually compared to Freddie, but he was no slouch. His neat jeans and tan blazer suited his slim physique very well.

John stared at the clock. It was crowding seven now, and Roger was nowhere to be found. A little pang of worry stabbed at his heart. It was possible that he might not show, and that was fine, but he was certainly looking forward to meeting him. He thought of the blue eyes the photo had hidden that he would never get to see.

Instead of worrying, he busied himself with plating the pasta and salads. Brian met him in the kitchen, setting his wine glass down. “Let me give you a hand, John.” His smile was genuine and warm, and John found that he liked it very much.

With two working it took half the time, and everyone had their food. Freddie looked around at the empty place setting and frowned. “Where’s number four?”

John worried his lip. “I don’t really know,” he said honestly. “I’m sure he’ll make it.”

Freddie smiled sympathetically. “Sometimes they don’t love. Nerves and all.”

Almost on cue, there came a tentative knock at the door. John stood a little too fast before settling himself down enough to answer it. He knew before looking through the peephole who it was.

Roger was dressed in a fashionable leather jacket and matching pants that hugged his figure. His trademark sunglasses were in the collar of his frayed t-shirt, no doubt purchased that way. His hair was messy-chic. John couldn’t stop staring at him until those blue eyes popped up to meet his. “You’re John?”

“Y-yeah,” he stammered out. “Nice to meet you Roger.” Roger shook it rather limply as he breezed into the living room, not giving John more than a glance. He stiffened when he heard voices from the kitchen.

“There you are!” Freddie called out to him. “Thought this was going to be a threesome. And while that’s still lovely, I do hate it when plans change,” he pouted.

Roger turned rather haltingly to face the other two men who had been eating and chatting, getting to know one another. Brian pointed to the open seat at the table, and Roger took it.

“Mind if I smoke John?”

John liked his voice…soft but still masculine. It made his stomach flutter. And while he smoked, he usually didn’t smoke inside because of Gwyneth. But he supposed—

“That’s fine,” John finally said. He watched as the fire from the lighter illuminated his fine features; he was certainly very beautiful, this Roger.

“I made dinner,” John offered, hoping to start a conversation with the man who had said very little since he arrived.

“Not hungry mate. Thanks though.”

John frowned a little, and Freddie cleared his throat.

“Well I’m Freddie, and this is Brian,” the ever talkative Freddie began with the introductions.

“Roger,” the newcomer mumbled around his cigarette.

They resumed eating and things grew quiet and bit awkward as Roger sat there smoking while everyone ate. He was very closed off, like he didn’t want to be there. John would need to get to the bottom of it if things progressed.

“Now that we’re all here, I’m a true bottom,” Freddie said matter-of-factly, “so I hope there are some tops among us.”

John nearly choked on his penne, and Brian had to pat him on the back, a fond smile on his face. “It doesn’t matter to me either way,” Brian said, his face growing hot.

“Me neither,” John said quietly.

Roger took a bored drag on his cigarette. “Top,” he muttered.

Freddie’s eyes grew wide. “Really…”

Roger snapped his gaze Freddie’s way. “Yeah, that’s right. Is that so hard to believe, you wanker?”

Freddie put his hands up in defense. “No reason to be nasty, love. Just took me by surprise is all. You just give off…bottomy vibes.”

Roger stubbed out his cigarette in his empty plate. “What the FUCK is that supposed to mean?”

Freddie rolled his eyes. “Nothing darling. Forget it.”

Roger had stood, fists balled at his hips, and he was gyrating with anger. John and Brian were looking on, wide-eyed, wondering where all of this would go.

Until Freddie stood and hugged the man.

Roger relaxed into his grip, his head dropping to his shoulder. He sighed, arms relaxing at his sides.

“Darling, it’s alright,” Freddie soothed against him. “It’s all alright now.”

And when Freddie pulled away, he kissed him softly on the lips.

Roger hummed in surprise before relenting into the kiss, letting his mouth go pliant against the other man’s and enjoying the faint hint of tomato sauce and chapstick on his tongue. When Freddie released him, he sighed.

“Why—why did you do that?”

Freddie reached up to thumb at his chin. “Darling, you looked like you needed it. When’s the last time someone hugged you?”

Roger’s eyes stung with oncoming tears, but he willed them back down. His lack of an answer was enough for Freddie.

“Let us take care of you tonight,” he said sweetly. “Show you true affection. Make you feel good.”

“Yeah,” Roger found himself saying. It sounded so nice, after all, to be truly wanted and cared for, if only for the night.

Brian and John were beside them now, and John leaned in and lay a hand on Roger’s arm. “Are we ok?”

Roger nodded, feeling much more at ease. “Yeah, everything is fine.”

John smiled. “Let’s clean up, yeah? Then maybe we can move this into the bedroom.”

“You uh…You mind if I just watch for a while?”

Roger had gotten his shirt off, and then nerves had taken over. Freddie was on all fours, moaning into John’s talented fingers as he opened him up, his heavy cock straining with need.

John shot him a smile. “Sure love. Do what you’re comfortable with,” he said as he punched another moan out of Freddie, twisting those fingers inside of his tight walls.

Roger eased off the bed before a hand grabbed him. “Hey,” Brian said, hazel eyes soft with lust.

Roger swallowed, the tall man’s kind smile making him feel instantly at ease.

He smiled, his heartrate going down a bit.

“Where are you off to?” Brian answered innocently. He was crowding his space, the bare skin of his chest now flush with his as he bent his head to nose at his hair.

“That chair in the corner,” Roger said softly. “I was gonna watch.”

Brian placed a little kiss to his hair. “Not gonna play?”

Roger’s throat was dry, and he was straining in his trousers. “Not right now,” he trailed off.

Brian kissed further down the side of his face. “Pity,” he said as his hands traveled over Rogers bum.

“You ever had a really good blowjob, Roger? One that makes you feel like you’re exploding into a billion stars?” Brian finally reached his mouth and locked lips with him, his tongue curling around his, kissing him so deeply it stole Roger’s breath.

Roger moaned in spite of himself, leaning into Brian’s touch. Brian released him, never breaking eye-contact. “Well, have you?”

He answered him truthfully. “I guess not,” he said a little breathlessly.

Brian smiled. “That’s what I was hoping you would say.”

“Can you take a fourth finger baby?” Freddie just moaned, gripping the sheets as he tossed his head back. John slid it in, delighting in the way Freddie just fluttered around him, drawing him in like he was born to take it. He worked his fingers in and out of him, hitting his prostate to make him moan. The sound of Brian going down on Roger was in his ears and it home to John that this foursome dream of his was really happening, this little birthday fantasy of his was real.

John pressed kisses into Freddie’s neck, making sure his fingers kept up a steady pressure. Freddie just moaned—he was so vocal—and thrust his hips up to meet his fingers.

“Need your cock,” he finally breathed. “Give it to me John.”

Roger shivered as Brian circled the head of his cock with his tongue, licking the slit before descending on him again. Brian took him all the way to the base, his nose buried in the dark blond hair there, Roger’s hot length stretching his throat with every bob of his head.

Above him, Roger was coming undone. He was making little keening sounds as Brian played with his balls while sucking him off, moaning and sputtering that he wouldn’t last long. It didn’t matter to Brian. He loved this.

The man grabbed a handful of his hair just before coming hot and full down his throat, his back arching prettily. Brian swallowed him down, finally pulling off him when he was sure he was finished.

Brian dabbed at his mouth as Roger looked at him with a little bit of awe.

“You good?” he asked Roger as he sat back on his knees, smiling up at him.

“Incredible,” Roger sighed. “That was better than X.”

Brian frowned. “X?”

“Ecstasy? The party drug?” Roger looked perplexed that the man had never heard of it.

He dug in his pocket and produced a little baggie and handed it to Brian, who pushed it away.

“Sorry mate, but I’m not down for that. Brian looked nervously over his shoulder. John doesn’t look the type either, so I’d put that away if I were you.”

Roger stuffed the baggie of pills back into his pocket. “Do I look like the type?” he said as he zipped up his fly.

Brian just sat there, thinking.

Freddie had one hand on his leaking cock, stroking it in rhythm to John’s thrusts. His head was pressed into the mattress, and he was having the time of his life.

“Harder John. Fuck me harder babe. Like you mean it!”

John loved how vocal Freddie had been to begin with, but now he was being outright bratty. John hitched Freddie’s hips higher, angling them so he could aim directly at his prostate. Freddie’s body was slicked with sweat as was his own, so maneuvering them was no easy feat. He pulled out of Freddie and then slammed back down again.

“God yes that’s it lover,” Freddie mumbled into the sheets as he set up a blistering pace, wet flesh slapping against each other as he John chased his release. Freddie was furiously stroking himself, so it wouldn’t be long for him. Through Freddie’s plaintive, sharp moans, he could feel the crest of his orgasm stop right at the edge. He tightened his grip on Freddie, emptying into the condom as wave after wave of pleasure gripped him. Somewhere through the fog he heard Freddie come right after.

Brian followed Roger into living room, where he was trying to collect his things. “You’re leaving?”

Roger turned on Brian, his hands on his hips. “I don’t have much choice, now do I?”

Brian shrugged. “You always have a choice.”

“I don’t belong here,” Roger said, shaking his head. “I’m not even gay.”

Brian’s eyes widened. “Are you sure about that?”

Roger shook his head, withdrawing the little baggie of pills. “Ah fuck it,” he said as he poured a few in his hand.

Brian approached him slowly. “I can’t let you do that, Roger. Take those pills. Not on my watch.”

Roger clutched the pills in his hand tightly to his chest. “What the fuck do you care, Brian? You’re just some guy who blew me off. You don’t know me?” He was vibrating with rage, his eyes wide. “You don’t own me!”

Brian shook his head. “Listen to yourself. You sound like a child. We’re talking about drugs, here, Roger. You could seriously hurt yourself.”

“Yeah well, I hope I do,” He spat.

Brian had no choice. “John! Freddie! I need you in here!”

The two of them came rushing in, John in a robe and Freddie struggling into pants. “Brian, what’s wrong?”

“Roger has drugs,” Brian got out quickly. “Ecstasy. He’s about to take some.”

Freddie stepped forward between them. “Oh darling that shit is hell on you. You don’t want to do that. Tell me what’s up.”

Roger relaxed a little. “Nothing,” he whispered. The pills were sweating and melting in his hand. “I just needed to get out of my head for a little while.”

John was watching the proceedings, trying not to panic. No way did he want drugs in his house, but he also didn’t want to see Roger hurt.

Freddie nodded. “I so understand that love. That’s why I hook up a lot. Sex helps me forget some nasty things in my past and some things that are going on in my daily you know? It’s a nice escape. Plus it’s legal and it doesn’t hurt me as long as I’m safe.”

Roger’s hand relaxed a little on the pills. “Yeah that makes sense,” he conceded. “I’m glad you have that.”

Freddie nodded again, getting close enough to Roger to smooth some of the hair that hung around his face behind his ear. Roger seemed to lean into his touch. “Did you enjoy your time with Brian, him? Freddie couldn’t keep the wicked smile from his face. “Sure sounded liked you did.”

Roger smiled then. “Yeah it was really nice.”

“I bet. Might have to see how nice it is, huh Brian?” Freddie said as he threw a wink over his shoulder at Brian who just laughed at him, shaking his head.

Freddie grabbed Roger’s hand. “Give me these darling…they’re all melted now, anyway. Come have some fun with us instead.”

Roger’s lips were dry as Freddie pried the pills from his grip. “I’ve never…I’ve never been with a man,” he admitted.

“A virgin?!” Freddie gasped, “Oh our boy’s a virgin…we’ll have to take extra special care of him won’t we boys?”

Freddie discreetly handed off the baggie of pills and the few tablets to John who promptly went into the bathroom to flush them.

“Yes,” he said as he stroked his face. “We’ll take extra good care of you love. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”

Brian stroked the young man’s face as John worked on the fly of his dark jeans, easing them down his hips. His cock sprung free…no pants underneath, and John smiled, stroking him lightly. Freddie hummed, squeezing Brian’s buttocks as he wrapped an arm around his waist.

“You sure you’re ok with this Roger?” John’s voice was husky with want, his eyes flicking up briefly from the young man’s cock to his blue eyes where they looked down at him expectantly.

“Yes,” Roger said, leaning into Brian’s hand on his face, his eyes fluttering closed. “I want this.”

Freddie smiled, tightening his arms around Brian. They walked Roger back until his legs touched the bed. He sat down, easing onto the soft comforter while they helped him scoot back. Brian was between his legs in an instant, easing between his thighs to skate his hands along his chest and arms while Freddie cradled his head in his lap. Roger’s eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted in a pretty bow, and John bent to kiss them, unable to help himself.

Roger sighed, giving himself over to the kiss, letting his tongue dart out to meet John’s as his arms strained against Freddie hands. At some point, the dark-haired man had pressed his arms down into the mattress.

Roger panicked for a split second, then the thrill of the restraint sank into his bones, and he truly felt free.

“That’s it baby,” Freddie soothed, “Just let go and let us take over.” Roger stared up into the man’s soft brown eyes, feeling a strange sense of peace.

Brian was making slow circles on his hip, thumbing the sensitive skin there. “Roger,” he said softly. “Do you want to top?” His hazel eyes bore into his. “It’s your first time. It’s easier that way.”

Roger worried his lip. “No,” he said firmly. “I want to do it like Freddie did.”

Freddie smirked a little, still stroking his hair. “I knew it. He’s a natural bottom.”

John giggled a little, tossing Brian the lube. “Open him up nice and slow Brian. Your fingers are slender.”

John crawled over to Freddie, pulling his head up and kissing him firmly. Freddie groaned into John’s mouth, letting his hand slide up his chest. “Up for round two love?”

John just hummed. “Maybe. Maybe not. On your knees, True Bottom.” John pushed Freddie down on his knees, smacking his bum on the way down. Freddie fell forward, grunting as he hit the mattress, landing on all fours.

He shivered as John climbed up behind him. He could feel his warm breath on the back of his thigh, whispering over his bum as John’s hands settled there. He parted his cheeks, and Freddie hardly had time to catch his breath before John had licked a hot strip up the cleft of his buttocks.

“Fuck!” Freddie cried out, his whole body jerking under John’s mouth. John smiled against him, and Freddie felt the wry grin against his skin.

Brian eased a pillow beneath Roger’s hips, watching Roger for any sign of discomfort. He betrayed none; he seemed as relaxed as he did when Freddie was cradling his head. Indeed, Freddie had now clasped the blond’s hand while being eaten out, a look of sheet bliss on his face, and Roger gripped it tightly.

“We’re going to do this very slowly, Roger. It will feel different at first, but then it will feel good, ok?”

Roger nodded his head, taking in a breath.

Brian tutted. “Don’t hold your breath love. Blow it out for me. Just try to relax, ok? I’m not going to hurt you.”

Brian smiled at him, and Roger returned it. Brian had the sweetest, most genuine smile, and while he didn’t really know the man, he knew instinctively that he could trust him.

He warmed the lube in is fingers before circling Roger’s entrance with smooth, calculated movements, relaxing the tight muscle. He pushed one in, and Roger jumped a little.

“How does that feel Roger? Talk to me.”

“Different,” he breathed. “Not bad.”

Brian smiled. He began working the finger in and out of Roger rhythmically until he felt Roger relax around him, then he added a second.

Roger jerked, a little half-moan escaping his lips. Brian cocked an eyebrow. “Is that better?”

“Y-yeah,” Roger stammered. “It’s ok.”

Brian aimed for his prostate, finding the little bundle of nerves in moments, and Roger nearly folded in half. “Just ok?”

Roger was panting, a fine sweat on his brow, and he unconsciously thrust onto Brian’s fingers. “So good,” he said, his grip on Freddie’s hand tightening.

Freddie preened. “Look at you baby boy—ahh—taking those fingers so well. I knew you could do it.”

Freddie looked ruined, very near coming, and the sounds coming from John were bordering on obscene. Roger couldn’t see him, but whatever he was doing to Freddie it sounded like he was enjoying it.

Brian twisted the fingers against him, making him writhe and squirm, until he added a third.

Roger winced at the sting, the stretch of a third finger, but Brian was gentle in coaxing him open. He was leaned over him, planting little kisses on his collarbone, his throat, and finally smothering his moans with his own mouth. It all felt so intimate, not at all like his drug-fueled shags. Tears began to spring in his eyes.

Brian noticed immediately. “Roger, am I hurting you? He lost the fingers immediately. “Talk to me, Roger.”

“No,” Roger choked out. “Give me more please.”

John laughed as he was helping Freddie clean up. “You’ve got him begging Brian. So beautiful for us.”

The fingers returned, a little rougher this time, a little more insistent. Roger’s legs were open wide and he was almost swallowing Brian’s hand.

“You’re ready, gorgeous. I think my work here is done.” Brian withdrew his hand, wiping it on his thigh, and met John in the middle of the bed. He kissed him deeply. “You have him nice and open for me?” Brian murmured softly.

John nodded. “He’s all yours. I bet you can get him to come again.”

Brian squeezed John’s arm, locking eyes with him. “Be gentle with Roger.”

John blinked up at him. “Of course Bri,” he said, using his sign off from his email. “I wouldn’t dream of hurting him.”

Brian smiled. “I know.”

John crawled over to Roger, who was still red-faced, his chest heaving. He leaned over him, giving him a tender kiss. “Hello love. Don’t you look ravishing like this?”

John cradled his face in his hand, then trailed it down his chest to tease at a nipple. “I’m going to take good care of you, yeah?”

Roger only nodded, his eyes half-lidded, lips kiss-swollen and irresistible.

John slid on a condom, coating it with lube. He pressed against Roger’s open entrance, letting his cockhead push at the rim. He looked up at Roger. “We don’t have to do this. It’s up to you.”

Roger shook his head. “I want it,” he said throwing his back into the pillow. “Give it to me.”

John pushed gently inside, watching Roger’s intake of breath, is fluttering eyelids at the sudden onslaught of being filled. He gave him a moment to adjust, the vice-like grip of him around him, hot and incredibly tight driving him mad with the need to move.

“I’m ok,” Roger said finally. “Go ahead.”

He had one arm over his face and his lip between his teeth, but for his first time he was taking cock so well. John basically made love to him…slow, measured strokes, his face buried in his shoulder and his hips undulating over his. He had one hand on Roger’s cock, slowly stroking it in time with his thrusts.

Then Roger started kissing him…hungry, desperate kisses that made the fire rise in his blood. That, coupled with the feeling of how bloody close they were, their bodies nearly fused together, made John want to give it to him just a little harder.

“Hitch your legs around me baby. Come on, that’s it.” John increased his pace, and little whines started coming from the back of Roger’s throat.

“You doing ok?”

Roger nodded furiously. “Gonna come,” he managed.

Freddie and Brian rolled over close to the couple, Freddie taking over for John by working Roger’s cock, and Brian sweeping the hair back from John’s neck and placing an encouraging kiss there.

John could feel his own orgasm building, a tightly packed explosion of euphoria ready to burst at any moment. It was finally punched out of him when Roger looked up at him with those blue eyes and said “Just let go…” He had been the one who had been so careful with him, but it finally took permission from Roger for him to get release.

With Freddie’s help, Roger came right after.

The four of them lay beautifully spent, bodies sweating and coming down from their highs. Roger lit a cigarette and shared it with Freddie.

“We never cut the birthday cake,” John mused.

Brian laughed. “What time is it?”

Someone looked at their phone. “10:20.”

Roger smiled. “Well, it’s still your birthday.”

John laughed. “Indeed it is. Who’s up for some post-coital cake?”

Freddie grimaced. “That does not sound right.”

They all tumbled out of bed toward the kitchen where John dished up the plates and began serving cake.

John flushed. “Um, before you go, you’re free to use the shower. Freshen up a bit if you like. Or, you could stay over…”

Something flashed in their eyes, and they all shared a look.

“I’m actually off tomorrow,” Freddie said.

“I don’t work until nighttime,” Roger added.

“My shift at the coffee shop doesn’t start until ten,” Brian replied.

John brightened. “Well, that’s great! I mean, I wouldn’t want you traveling so late and all. Let’s take our cake back to bed, shall we?”

John gathered up the plates and began to traipse back to the bedroom, but as soon as he got out of sight, Freddie grabbed a piece of paper and put his phone number on it, then gave it to Brian and then Roger and let them do the same. At the bottom, he wrote “Happy Birthday” with a heart and stuck it on the fridge for John to find later. Then, all three of them followed John back into the bedroom to finish their cake.

-0-0-0-

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blacktribbles · 5 years

Text

Peaches 🍑 &

Anime Dreams ⭐️

I don’t think many people dream of growing up and living in the same city their entire life. Not being able to see different things outside their own world and limiting their world view. Unfortunately it happens, maybe far too often to count. I hoped and prayed that would never happen to me; as I got older and began to travel a bit more I began to realize how much I love the area I’m in, how much I love the Greater Philadelphia area. However, I promised myself that there are a few cities in the US that I MUST travel to and get a feel for, for when I eventually do leave the area that raised me (inevitable due to future career wants). One of those cities was Atlanta Georgia, and what better reason to go to the state where the players play, and people ride out like everyday, than to go to Momocon and celebrate a special birthday with some friends.

The crew that was riding with me were My homie Mike (aka the Wizard Tribble), his girlfriend Gabe (Director, Producer, and 1 half of the horror podcast “The Ghouls Next Door) and my girlfriend Kat (Producer and the other half of “The Ghouls Next Door). We flew in early Friday morning and hit the ground running when we landed in Atlanta. Things moved quickly in the airport. It was wide open, thoroughly organized with no real confusion, which I was not used to from the Philadelphia airport where pigeons would just sit and claim their spot to a seat right beside you in the airport. There was also this air of safety that honestly rubbed my Philadelphian grit in an odd way but I was very appreciative it was noticed. First time in a new city, the first thing anyone wants is some confirmation of safety.

Once we stepped outside, leaving the comfort of the ATL airport that safeguarded us with AC, we were blessed by the loving and excessive sun. Back home in PA the weather consistently flip flops, unsure of what season it wants to be throughout the day let alone the week. Here in Georgia though, in the city of Atlanta, it was bright and sunny all day and week long with a high of 95 and low of about 63 at night. It felt wonderful knowing that there was going to be a steady weather condition to prepare for. The sun was kissing my skin, invoking the power of my melanin–while burning some of my friends. They enjoyed it all the same luckily.

We arrived early to ATL, early enough to call a ride to the nearby diner to get some good southern breakfast in our systems. From the airport to the diner it felt like we were being taken on a small ATL tour. Passing by us was beautiful scenery, birds chirping, healthy, luscious green trees–adding a perfect amount of nature to the populated urban jungle. The letters GT were everywhere for Georgia Tech. A university that seemed to just keep expanding its territory wherever we roamed. The architecture of the city was sleek, not overly futuristic but reminiscent of Philly. It was modern with some buildings taking a design chance on aesthetics; adding in solar panels, wide open glass roof structures, inverted and curved buildings, the chances taken weren’t over the top and did just enough to stand out. Definitely caught my eye.

We finally arrived at a diner close to where we stayed—Silver Skillet Diner, a place that has hosted the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, and Dave Chappelle to name a few. It’s here that my friends and I are able to take Atlanta in more and notice that yep, this may not be Texas but things sure are thiccer (Yes with 2 C’s) down here in the south. We ordered our meals, with everyone of us making sure to get a bowl of grits–mine as a side to my chicken and waffles. Which, were so crispy yet tender. Only made better by the soft waffles and the sticky sweet syrup to combo it all together perfectly. We finish up and pay our bill. Finally we head to our Airbnb.

We get there and are blown away at the place. Nice balcony, modern furniture with a TV in every room, kitchen is dope and has a beautiful island for us to eat at and lean on. The bathrooms are HUGE and the bedrooms are perfectly fitted for 2. To top it off we had access to a summer lounge area that led to a nice pool and fitness center. Place was so good we had to take a instagram video of it. We were in prime location. Downtown Atlanta, right next to the expressway, walking distance from markets and other restaurants, clothing chains and if we didn’t want to walk we could scooter around wherever we wanted to. Yes, I said scooter around. Not like kick push scooter but motorized. Rideshare companies like Lyft & Uber have motorized scooters you can take by going through the same process as you would by ordering a driver except it’s cheaper and you scan a QRcode to activate the scooter. When you’re finished using it, you hop off, pay and just leave it. Drivers come around later in the day and pick up said scooters and recharge them for later use. It was the strangest but coolest thing to see. Definitely had too much fun bending coroners whipping the scooters like I was in rocket power.

After unpacking and taking more IG photos of our Airbnb, it was time to hit the scene and check out the hype around Momocon. What started out as just a “pick up my badge and go” operation turned into a full storm of fun and adventure. When we arrived at Momocon we took it like any other convention and didn’t pay it much attention, the jaded-ness of being a frequent convention goer showing. That is until we got our badges. We got them, so finally we had access to everything the convention had to offer. We rushed the escalators and slid down the rails to do so again until we reached the convention floor. The choices laid out before were the vendors alley, or the gaming hall. We chose the gaming hall for day one.

A concert of echoing laser sounds, dance taps, sirens, alarms, and winning shouts filled the floor and us with it, enveloped in its energy joined the fray. Game after game we played. Putting our bid to even win some the next day. New friends were made, cosplays were stellar, and I got to chill with one of my favorite Pokémon–Blastoise.

We caught wind of a very rare concert happening that night. One my close friend and I have been dying to see. It was the Bytes & Beats Nujabes Tribute concert featuring the NPC Collective, Richie Branson, Asheru, And our favorites–Substantial and Shing02. If you know anything about great anime then you know about Samurai Champloo. An anime that still stylistically, artistically, and musically, holds up and stands the test of time. Those who watched Samurai Champloo leave with a spirit of hypeness and angsty rebellion. That is if they’re the Mugen type. Those like myself who align more like Jin, feel the counter balance energy of flow. The subtle and instinctual vibrations of being in one's element–just riding the current. One of the biggest things to enjoy about Samurai Champloo is its music. Samurai Champloo had a lot of its music crafted by a Japanese DJ named Nujabes. In my eyes, Nujabes is a god among DJ’s. Shoot, a whole generation of young adults and older can thank him for all the music that inspired if not created the genre of chill-hop & lo-fi.

It was the type of music that could soothe the savage beast, could bring you to this place of perfect concentration like you took the limitless pill. The Beats Nujabes crafted was the type of music that makes you think of the perfect weekend drive by sunset cruising the city blocks or mountain roads or the plains of the countryside–windows down with your one arm doing the free flowing roller coaster motion. That feel good–I’m alive vibe. Then topped with the lyrical stylings of artists like Substantial and Shing02, enhanced everything passed the stratosphere and takes the listener to this otherworldly plain of profound worldly views and humbleness. Even with the uptempo joints it felt like every artist that blessed the track, and Nujabes blessing the beat, it just spoke humble confidence. In short, Nujabes was that dude!

Nujabes collaborated with many artists, but the two that he collaborated with and stood out the most were Substantial and Shing02. He worked on joint albums with both (that are historic for chill-hop culture and must listens) but it was with Shing02 specifically that the two together blessed anime fans worldwide as they collaborated on the intro theme song to Samurai Champloo–Battle Cry. A song so enigmatic that just the utterance of its name begins to make my head bop in rhythmic hip hop fashion. Needless to say, we were going to that damn concert!

It was Friday night, we were in Atlanta, we were looking fly, it’s our first time ever at Momocon and quite possibly our first and only time at this Nujabes tribute concert. We were gonna make sure we had a great fucking time. We did everything possible to make sure we got up close and personal to the stage. I may have stuff-armed a person or two….We made sure to take in all the ambience and to not miss a single beat nor lyric felt or heard. We expected greatness and would be damned if we didn’t have a chance to bear witness to it up close and personal.

The concert began and we were taken to a land of hip hop joy, geek excellence, and a dream fulfilled. The concert started at 11pm and didn’t end till about 3am. For those who waited and held out to the very end like my friends and I were treated to a very special rendition of Battle Cry. A new version with verses from every artist that graced the stage prior, and instrumental solos. This shit was absolutely BONKERS and I LOVED every single moment of it. I’ll add, it was made even better that after the show, the artists came out and interacted with the fans. A humble group of men for sure.

Friday was a blockbuster hit in our books. What happened on Saturday though put everything over the top.

Saturday was special. It was Kat’s birthday and all of us were doing our first ever group cosplay. We decided a while back that we’d do the teen titans in casual attire. This was based off the popular artwork of Gabriel Picolo. So, for me that meant I got to embody a character that I along with many others believe I emulate–Cyborg. I dawned the cybernetic blue and steel grey and white face paint, put on a DC Comics Cyborg shirt to rep him even harder, and topped it off with a colorful playstation jacket. Your man was looking fresh out here. To round out our cast of titans was Kat as Raven, Mike as Robin/Nightwing and Gabe as Starfire. Our rule was if we see a Beast Boy, we adopt him for a family photo; and sure enough we did.

We bursted into Momocon towards the backend of a DC vs Marvel Photoshoot. We got a couple pictures taken there then dispersed to get our own in front of the Momocon banner. That’s when it began to happen. It started off quietly by a singular person, then it built into a loud murmur from everyone I see, then it finally erupts into a loud “DOPE COSPLAY CYBORG” from groups of people. Wherever we went I was getting noticed, our team and group cosplay was getting noticed. I don’t think we ever knew it would become such a big deal. I know I didn’t at the time until it was pointed out to me that, every teen titans cosplay done by a group is ALWAYS lacking a Cyborg; everyone but ours. It was a moment that really struck home for me. It began to make more sense as the day progressed. Little kids were coming up to me saying “BOOYAH!” and singing the teen titans theme song. People loved us, they wanted our pictures, put us in videos, stopped what they were doing just to chat with us. It was major. It without a shadow of a doubt drove home the message to me that representation matters. I know some out there will say it’s not super important but after Momocon, after seeing little black boys and girls smile with joy and sing teen titans with me, after they get excited by the utterance of the word booyah by another black character, that families start showing me off to their kid cosplayers and other adult cosplayers of color pause everything because they NEED to take a photo with you...you just can’t ignore how important that is. To be able to see yourself as a hero. To see oneself as greater than for once, when most of–if not all of society says you can only fit into these certain boxes. To see someone else that looks like you in a positive light; that’s all it takes to break a negative cycle, that’s all it takes to create another hero. For a small moment in time, I was inspiring to those around me; and I hope that the sliver of inspiration that I sparked stays ignited in those I met. I know it surely will with me.

But I digress.

Beyond the massive success of our group cosplay, beyond the elation and fun had for Kat’s birthday, the icing on the cake was being able to meet a famous cosplayer by the name of KieraPlease. This was after an intense dance dance revolution session in which I sat and recorded video and got exhausted looking at everyone else go. It was pure happenstance, which resulted into pure happiness when we finally met. I don’t get starstruck often but I must say, words failed me for our brief interaction. I saw her, saw my friends, and shot my shot at a possible chat and photo opportunity for us all. I took the shot and it went in (KOBE!!). After the picture she hugged us all and had a nice conversation with the Ghouls (Kat & Gabe) which I’m sure made their day if the hug didn’t already. It’s great to note that as a team, we have this cosplay thing down well. When a pro says you got it, you freaking got it! More so, it was better to finally meet someone your used to seeing on a cellphone or laptop screen. A living breathing tangible person, who quite honestly is living her best life fully and truly can be looked at as a symbol of positivity; a role model even. Just like that, day two was in the books.

So, I think I brought you along far enough on my experience in ATL. Detailing 2 key days. Now let me change things up on you a bit and give you my overall thoughts of Atlanta and Momocon as a whole.

Atlanta itself is a hotbed of culture. On the weekend we went, that weekend alone had a bevy of major events happening all weekend long. There was Momocon, Caribbean festival and parade, a food festival, and Stone Mountain fireworks and light show to name a few. As one of our lyft drivers said, ATL is a hotbed of culture because it is made up of a lot of different cultures and people from around the US. Atlanta has its own swagger but it is the culmination of others that has shaped the way it is today. Atlanta is a Transplant City. Many people are moving to Atlanta because of the opportunities that present itself. From music, TV, movies, overall entertainment and broadcasting, the warm weather, the great food, the architecture, the various modes of transportation (ONE TIME FOR THE SCOOTERS), the cheaper housing, and generally you get more out of your earned dollar; why people move there makes sense. And like all major cities Atlanta has its issues, shoot the state of Georgia alone is a bit problematic depending on where you slide politically. But my time spent there will be one for the history books. It’s definitely a place worth traveling to again. Next time I go, I’ll be sure to do more exploring. I didn’t get a chance to travel the halls of Cartoon Network (IF ANYONE ONE IN THE HR DEPARTMENT IS READING THIS, HIRE ME PLEASE) so that’s reason enough for me to go back. That and I didn’t get to try some of Hattie B’s Nashville hot chicken or the slutty vegan sandwich. There’s always next time though.

As for Momocon….IN-FREAKING-CREDIBLE! Momocon has that extra something. That nudge to taking it up one more notch to make it great. No, it is not as big as DragonCon and maybe it won’t get the same recognition or acclaim but Momocon is a phenomenal con. Momocon brought me back to 2014, when I first started going to conventions. My first one at the time was Otakon and to this day I don’t think any other con will hold as special of a spot in my heart as Otakon. But Momocon, Momocon was dangerously close to taking that spot. Which lets me know and hopefully you, the reader, now that it’s just that damn good! The crowd size of the convention is comparable to say the Greater Philadelphia comic con. Meaning there’s a large crowd and over a thousand things to do but you never have to fear about missing out on something. You can and will get to everything you want if you have patience. The event staff from security to the PR and press team were absolutely amazing. All were easy to talk to and informative, helpful and never overbearing. What truly made Momocon as great as it is in my eyes, is that it at its core it remained an anime and gaming convention. It wasn’t a comic convention with anime sections, it was an anime and gaming convention that accepted comic lovers just as much as it did its anime and gaming fans. Anime and gaming is my bread and butter, it’s what got me into this geeky, blerd, pop-culture world I exist in currently. Momocon stayed true to that core value. The sheer fact they had Substantial and Shing02 performing live in concert said more than enough for me. Momocon you are in fact, a real one.

Atlanta….I’ll be back in the future. Whether that be for work or pleasure, or hell maybe to be a transplant myself and live there. All this kid from the burbs of Philly has to say left is…

Peace up, A-Town down.

Much love,

– Isaiah Luck aka Broku

Assistant Producer

Black Tribbles

#blacktribbles #tribblenation #geekculture #entertainment #anime #popculture #comics #blerds #tribbledelphia #marvel #dc comics #momocon2019 #momocon #atlanta #blog #blog post

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lizzybeth1986 · 6 years

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Quick Thoughts on DD Book 1 Chapter 4

• Jesus, this book is expensive.

• Like I assumed Chapter 3's one accomplishment-one-or-two-LIs-or-a-family-member thing would be a one-off, just to introduce us into the system/ease us into the story, but no...they've (sort of) repeated it this chapter. I was hoping they would spread out the accomplishments at least, but perhaps they want us to have at least most of the accomplishments worked out before we leave for London.

• I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing because it will only cause players to lose interest in the books for lack of affordability, in the long run. As it is the book largely caters to a niche audience...alienating that audience by having them lose of on half the story won't bode well for the book.

• Title: Best Foot Forward. Man, this one is easy. Of course it refers to dancing. And quite a lot of dancing is done this chapter, that's for sure!

• Sooo...the Earl has decided to introduce us into society in Edgewater with a garden party. Lots of hobnobbing, some dancing, a few games and you meet at least one 'suitor'.

• Did You Know: According to writer and garderner Kim Wilson, who wrote a book titled In the Garden with Jane Austen, gardens were viewed as markers of social status. In an interview with The Scotsman, she says, "each family's garden reflected not only their needs but, if they had enough money, their social aspirations". The poor cottagers of the time were mostly concerned with growing food and having a place to keep their chickens whereas wealthier families would have had kitchen gardens, but also often extensive pleasure grounds, which were places to display their wealth and taste. (from an article about Jane Austen's love for gardens in The Scotsman).

• Last chapter had us learning (optionally) the art of the fan from our Lady Grandmother, so it makes sense that what happens in this chapter is this:

Lololol just kidding.

• So the chapter begins with the MC and Briar talking. Briar is excited about the fact that a Duke (who, she reminds us, is "one step below a Prince Regent"), and the MC can either choose to be excited or very confident. Interestingly, if you're excited, she reminds you to "not forget your roots", which I think is a recurring theme in this book. After all, that was the last thing the MC's mother told her on her deathbed.

• Dominique enters the room and both she and Briar present us with a pretty pink lace dress that is sure to improve both our social standing and catch everyone's eye at this introductory garden party.

• It looks quite pretty, actually. But that's because I love lace.

• We head downwards, finding Annabelle performing for herself in the foyer and having a thoroughly good time.

• I'm wondering if I should have a tally for the number of times she says "a thousand pardons" (and for the record, I think her way of saying "fiddlesticks" is adorable xD).

• Our third "accomplishment" (and our second paid one) is presented to us here: dancing. It's not like the MC doesn't know dancing - she does - it's that the country dances (this might be a reference to the English Country Dances that were popular among all classes) are different from the ones Annabelle has learned, and indeed the popular ones for the aristocracy that are coming in from other places, like France.

• Annabelle mentions a couple of dances that were popular for its time: the cotillion (originated from France), the Quadrille (also from France), and La Boulanger (also French). If we choose the shoes the Lady Grandmother got made for us, Annabelle wastes no time in teaching us the last one.

• Annabelle speaks to us about the Quadrille being new. She isn't lying. The Quadrille became fashionable in England around 1815.

• Again, the good thing about the accomplishment scenes is that they're meant only for learning the skill, and Annabelle can develop in her individual scenes independent of this. Though I'm not sure if cramming both her individual scenes and her accomplishment scenes in the same chapter, two chapters in a row is a very good idea.

• Another marker of how new the MC is, lies in her interaction with Mr Woods (who is perhaps the only member of the housing staff we see at the party. Briar disappears completely after she's done her work of getting the MC ready, and Luke doesn't appear either). Mr Woods is surprised the MC deigns to speak to him in public, and Henrietta uses her interaction with him to point out how little she fits in, what with talk of the MC's "roots".

• Lol the exchange with the Earl if you bought the scene with the Lady Grandmother is quite funny haha. He speaks about Dominique drilling him into learning the names of all the families and the MC - saucy little shit that she is 😄 - looks at her fan and says "oddly enough, I know exactly what you mean".

• Ernest Sincliare makes his appearance after two chapters, and there's some banter about compliments if you're wearing the pretty lace dress I think. She teases him about it and he retorts that since he passes compliments so rarely, you can be sure that when he does he means every word. I can see that logic in that, Sinclair, but must you look like a child who has accidentally sucked on a particularly sour lemon when you do? 😂

• Throughout the chapter, you get references to the Season in London, and each time the MC by default takes it for granted that she will not be going there. Sinclaire hosts parties in London, Annabelle Parsons will be going there for the Season. Up until the end of the chapter, the vibe given overall is that she won't be seeing the two for a while now that they will be leaving Edgewater, and she won't.

• Did You Know: The London Season was developed to coincide with the sitting of parliament. During the months when parliament was in session, members of both Houses needed to be in attendance in London and came to the capital bringing their families with them. The London season grew up in response to this influx of upper class people who needed to be entertained.

Amanda Foreman, in her biography on Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, stated: "the aristocratic "season" came into existence not only to further the marriage market but to entertain the upper classes while they carried out their political duties. The season followed the rhythm of Parliament: it began in late October with the opening of the new session, and ended in June with the summer recess.” of course, later on this period of time gradually began to shift.

There also seems to be something called the "little season", but that seems more a fixture of the Victorian age than the Regency one (as mentioned in the article on the London Season from the Regency History website).

• The Earl and Mr Sinclaire share a more than cordial relationship: the Earl treats him with considerable warmth and Sinclaire shows a genuine respect and regard for him. You have a choice of asking him whether it is the Earl - or you - he has respect for (and the second option leads to a romantic moment), but it is what he says about the Earl, and his later interaction with Duke Richards that intrigues me:

What happened to Ledford Park that the Sinclaires almost lost it? Why does his statement towards the Duke about Ledford sound so accusatory? Why is there such a strong undercurrent within the latter interaction? I want to know what the story behind Ledford Park is, and how the Earl helped save it.

• One of my favourite Sinclaire-related sequences is an additional scene featuring the fan, as taught to us by the Dowager Countess the previous chapter. I tried the last two with Florence, the MC who has no interest in Sinclaire:

(the first four screenshots are from the "friends" option, and the next four from the "go away u suck" option)

Meanwhile, Marianne just goes in for the kill, fam. Homegirl didn't learn all those thot moves from Grandma for nothing 😄

I do like that extra bit of sexual tension in this scene. I'm not very into Sinclaire yet, but I can see the appeal he'd have for someone who would want the Mr Darcy type of Regency male LI character. You also see a fair bit of it in the scene where the MC asks him if it is her he respects:

• Sinclaire, dude, what is it with you and Italics??

• We now interrupt our regular programme with a game of Skittles. I'm not sure how many of you assumed Regency-era aristocrats were going to start passing around fruit-flavoured candy but I sure did 😂

• So this is skittles, played with nine pins. Very much one of the precursors to present day bowling from what I've read. Playing this game, and beating a champion like Mr Sinclaire at it will not only allow you to spend time alone with him, but also increase your social standing.

• It's simple enough: hit the red pin in the centre, and if you want you can distract the hell out of Sinclaire after he's fired his first shot.

• Twice this chapter, you see our resident comic relief for the day: Miss Theresa Oh-My-Smelling-Salts Sutton, and Mr Edmund Do-I-Look-Like-I-Care Malcaster, and I've decided I like them both (I wanted to add screenshots, but tumblr mobile sucks and won't let me put up more than ten images 😒)

• So we meet the "handsome", "titled" eligible bachelor our Lady Grandmother wanted us so badly to marry and...

...um. lol. ok.

Handsome? Charming? When was the last time you looked in the mirror dude, 20 years ago?

• You have a choice of how to respond after Duke Richards insults Mr. Sinclaire. You can either choose the Manners option, or you can choose to outright sass the man. If you don't sass him? The Lady Grandmother will do it for you.

• With the Manners option we find out that the Duke is 51 years old.

• With the non-manners option we find out that the dude likes saucy little minxes.

• @ the last panel in Florence's playthrough, Grandma even you can't deal with this dude for two minutes without nodding off. Why are you dumping him on my head then? (don't tell me. I know the answer 😐). See, this is why Florence will eventually kiss her inheritance goodbye lol.

• Jesus can this man just...speak two words without touching me??

• FINALLY. Miss Parsons. We choose a hiding place to get away from the Duke and then she offers to show us a new part of the estate: the lakefront. The great thing about gardens, esp in the writing of the time, was that it provided privacy for people at the time and allowed them to interact in ways they couldn't in public.

• Did you know: Austen herself used gardens pretty extensively in her writing. Mr Knightley confesses his love to Emma close to a shrubbery. Elizabeth jokes to her aunt about deciding to marry Mr Darcy after seeing the grounds in Pemberley. Fanny Price of Mansfield Park remarks, “To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment.” Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey falls in love with hyacinths, Marianne Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility has a passion for fallen leaves in an autumnal garden, while Anne Elliot of Persuasion is always inspired to think of poetry when enjoying the beauties of nature.

Susannah Fullerton in her essay "Jane Austen and her gardens" (for the website Garden Drum) says: "Many proposals [in Austen's novels] take place out of doors where lovers can find some privacy amongst the gravel walks and flower beds; garden improvements are planned by some of the characters; and her heroines all enjoy going into a garden to think".

• Makes sense then that one of the special scenes of this largely "forbidden" relationship (if you choose for that to happen) would take place in greenery, close to a lake. If you notice, it's quite in keeping with the times that most of the romantic moments this chapter happen either in an isolated section of the gardens or while dancing, both of which allow for some measure of interaction between people interested in each other.

• Miss Parsons, the legendary hero of a Duck Prophecy xD

• I love her in this scene. Sure she gets shy when she receives attention she's not used to from us, and she's kind and educative and sweet, but she's also boisterous and passionate and not afraid to pull punches when she needs to (case in point: the shade she immediately throws Henrietta's way regarding her "tutelage"). This scene has her stealing cake from the party to feed the ducks, getting exhilarated from the race and her new friendship with the MC, and feeling extremely confused by her feelings if you speak to her romantically.

• The first half of this scene is pure fun, but the second inevitably shows the two women experiencing a sense of loss that their connection will be cut short - whether they are friends or whether this is a budding romance.

• What I do love about both the romance scenes are the extra touches added to both in the coding. In the skittles scene with Ernest, Marianne is spoken of by default as brushing her hand against his before giving him the ball, whereas Florence simply passes it to him.

• Even with Annabelle, if you acquire romance points with her, the ending of that scene is written quite differently:

I absolutely love this part of the scene. And given that very often the female LI is treated like just the default best friend with some stray romance options attached, it really does feel good to have that sexual tension acknowledged.

• Florence, babe, what is it with you and Italics??

• TIME TO PUT ON OUR DANCING SHOES GUYS (if we bought them).

• So we're doing a dance called La Boulanger...which kinda looks like this:

You dance in a circle, then keep switching partners.

• Did You Know: that the Boulanger was one of the very few dances mentioned by name in Jane Austen's novels? (Pride and Prejudice Chapter 3. I think the reel is mentioned in another).

• I have two left feet unless someone is heavily choreographing a flash mob and spends ages teaching me the steps lol so this looks pretty complicated to me 😂

• You have an option of choosing between Mr Sinclaire, Miss Parsons and Duke Richards. The first two are the usual you'd expect from romantic dance scenes if you choose either of the first two, impressing them with your dance moves and then catching their eye when you're dancing with Edmund, your stepbrother. With Miss Parsons there is an additional show of boldness in that there is a danger of making their affections public.

• The Duke Richards option, which I managed to see thanks to @i-dream-so-i-write ...seems pretty okay actually. He doesn't seem as handsy and creepy as he does in our first meeting (there is a moment where his "hands skim your waist" though, and he tells us we've been apart too long [a couple seconds, tops]), but he's also still talking our ears off. If anyone is interested in seeing it, I can attach the screenshots!

• This man is so freaking extra I can't even.

• The chapter ends with the Earl announcing that he is changing his will, and that the MC is heiress to Edgewater Estate now, which makes it essential for her, then, to make her debut at the London Season, and begin searching for prospective bridegrooms.

• There is a catch though. You get the inheritance if you marry someone of suitable rank. In short...at this point in the story, Marianne is doing alright, but Florence is well and truly screwed until there is a twist somewhere (and surely there will be at some point). Sorry Florence.

• Henrietta has something up her sleeve, and Edmund, who was expecting to inherit, is sad and tells the MC so. You get a relationship point with him if you tell him you understand how it must feel, but he reiterates that you probably won't. We have time, we can still get this dude (and his palpitating fiancée) on our side. Maybe.

• Looks like we'll be starting our journey to London straightaway, and making our debut in London at Mr Sinclaire's party by Chapter 6. Alsooo from the spoilery chapter descriptions it looks like Mr. Marlcaster will try tripping us up at least once, or more than once. Also looks like we have two more skills on our accomplishment board to learn. So far we've gotten needlework, music and dancing - we now need to see what the other two are. I THINK one of them is painting.

General Thoughts:

• Good chapter. It's a little slow which is fine, because I think all the action will actually happen during the London Season instead. We meet only two suitors, one of whom we have already met in the first chapter.

• I feel like the extra scenes that we'll get with the unlocked accomplishments will include other styles of the same art. We initially learn the piano, but I feel like unlocking it will lead to extra scenes with other instruments, and unlocking the dancing shoes will show us extra scenes of Annabelle teaching us other dances (the waltzes, the reel, etc). I'm not entirely sure about this, it's just a theory I have. I mean, once we're in London we'll need to learn waltzes and the minuet and stuff.

• Luke doesn't make an appearance this chapter, but then again nor does Briar as soon as the MC gets ready. I think we'll see more of him now that we will be traveling to London.

• Donna Hatch's (who writes a ton of historical romances, esp Regency) essay on the London Season lists the months active in each year for it, and in 1816 it was from February to July. In the story it's now the beginning of April. Usually it's best to go at the very start if you're looking for marriage prospects, but given the MC's particular circumstances this time of the season isn't too bad either I'd reckon.

• Remember how I told you guys last chapter about the inclusion of Mary Brunton's Self Control? And how she criticizes the popular "rake" figure in Regency fiction? I'm not sure Duke Richards adheres completely to how rakes were depicted at the time, but he definitely does seem to be channeling Colonel Hargrave a little here.

• I wonder what the Duke seems to be hiding. Besides of course the truth of his equation with Sinclaire. Why is he so focused on this new woman? I think there might be more to this. I also can't wait to see the other suitors, like the viscount and Mr Chambers.

• I do like how we learn more about Sinclaire and Annabelle here. Annabelle largely has the role that Hana had in TRR, and there are some similarities - but she also has a lot more wiggle-room and seems to be bolder and a little more outgoing. She has grown up with the limitations placed on women at the time, but unlike Hana, hasn't faced as many restrictions in her upbringing.

• As I've mentioned before, I love Annabelle and I love that they're trying to do a better job of her. But I'm not entirely sure if cramming two separate scenes of hers in single chapters of an already expensive book is a wise choice, or if it will harm her development in the long run because people find it too expensive to spend on her. IMO the accomplishment scenes should be a little further spread out in the books.

• Now that the MC is going to be a future Countess, what is in store for her? In her rightful home Edgewater, she has a limited audience and not as much expectation to live up to...what will become of her now that she will be participating in the Season in London? Guess we'll find out today, or in the coming weeks xD

• Tagging: @boneandfur @liamraines @thespiritpanda @alanakusumastan @ernestsinclairs @mrsthomashunt @private-investigator-nazario @bcdollplace @queenodysseia @mcbangle

If you'd like to be tagged in one of the QTs, please let me know!

#desire and decorum #long post #ernest sinclaire #annabelle parsons #ernest x mc #annabelle x mc #dnd quick thoughts #quick thoughts #edgewater estate

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