#wyndham’s whispers

[cambion-companion]

Hair

Part 2 of the anthology series

Linked in my Masterlist #2

Lyrics to "My Love Will Never Die" by Claire Wyndham

Aemond x fem!reader |Aemond sleeping in reader's lap as she brushes his hair and sings| domestic bliss

His long hair pooled in your lap, fanning out across your dress.

Silver moonlight illuminated half of Aemond's peaceful face, pillowed by your thighs, his lilac eye closed in slumber.

You continued carding your fingers through his loose tresses, combing up a handful before letting it tumble slowly out of your grasp.

The fire was mere embers, casting the dimmest of orange glow about the room. You picked up the brush once more and ran it through Aemond's already pristine hair.

He made a soft pleased sound at your administrations, shifting every so slightly in your lap. His curved lips you loved to caress tilted in a contented smile.

You continued brushing, languid and slow, enjoying the silken feeling of his hair slipping through your fingers. Almost subconsciously you began to hum, a low lullaby your mother had lulled you to sleep with. You hoped to one day do the same with your own children, fathered by the man whose argent hair you carefully stroked.

If dragons were claimed by the Targaryens what then of those who, in turn, claimed their riders?

You mused, continuing your lilting lullaby, feeling Aemond's breathing deepen even more.

He trusted you.

This cunning prince. Who, at all times, kept his cards so close to his chest. He had let you in, had fallen in love with you.

Your silver moon. Your sapphire dragon.

You smiled to yourself, twisting a lock of his lustrous hair around the finger that bore your wedding band. It shone almost as bright as the metal adorning your finger, reflecting the lovely night sky.

The lullaby ended, silence fell, broken only by the soft snoring occasionally falling from Aemond's parted lips.

Your eyes found the glowing embers of the fire, fondly remembering Aemond's favorite pet name for you. His ember.

Your fingers still working through his smooth hair, words from a song sprung into your mind. You whispered them softly, reverently, as you caressed Aemond's scalp.

My love, my love, my fearless love. I will not say goodbye. Seas may rise, sky may fall. My love will never die.

#aemond targaryen #house of the dragon #aemond stannies #aemond one eye #aemond fanfic #aemond imagine #aemond x reader #game of thrones #hotd #aemond drabble #hotd x reader #aemond fluff #aemond x fem!reader #aemond targaryen fanfiction #aemond targaryen x you #aemond x you #hotd aemond x you #aemond x y/n #prince aemond x reader #hotd aemond x reader #aemond targaryen x reader #house of the dragon aemond #prince aemond #aemond fic #aemond #pro aemond targaryen #pro team green #aemond targaryen drabble #aemond targaryen fluff #aemond targaryen scenarios

[raccoonfallsharder]

꧁･:☁︎⋆. cicatrix .⋆☁︎:･꧂ masterlist

18+ only | rocket x f!oc | 6/25+ | wip | word count: pending.

a story about scars. two survivors learn about themselves, each other, hope, and the universe.

a freakish little monster visits the high evolutionary’s bride on her wedding night. an adventure of intergalactic proportions ensues. aka raccoons make plans; the universe laughs.

back to main masterlist

inspired by mary shelley’s frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus. enemies-to-lovers (as per frickin’ usual, only one of these idiots think they’re enemies.) while the beginning of this fic is dark and fast-burn, we move to like… slow-burn with intense growing intimacy & healing almost right away. expect a fair amount of action starting around chapter thirteen. and remember: we always get happy endings here.

WARNINGS - please pay attention to all ao3 warnings/tags for every chapter as there are some dark elements (but we will have a happy ending!). enemies-to-lovers (as per frickin’ usual, only one of these idiots think they’re enemies, and tbh the enemy part is pretty short-lived.) this fic is a longform expansion on wyndham; or, the galactic prometheus (day 31) of °˖✧♡kinktober 2023.

if you’d like to join my fanfiction taglist, please comment or send me a message or ask! ♡

꧁･:☁︎⋆. all chapters collected behind the cut.

RATING KEY some explicit statements or references ✩ abbreviated explicit sequences ❤︎ detailed/prolonged explicit sequences ❤︎❤︎

chapter one. nemotia.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ wyndham’s bride lands on counterearth just in time to prepare for her wedding. an unexpected guest arrives. ✩ warnings: discussion of non-sexual child abuse and grooming. brief mentions of suicidal ideations. animal/pet death. canon-typical violence.

chapter two. ambedo.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ the monster makes his intentions known. wyndham’s bride proposes an addendum. ❤︎❤︎ warnings: arguably one of the darkest chapters. things will get better before the chapter’s end. dubcon (wyndham’s bride is very into it but there’s definitely an argument for coercion here), lots of non-affectionate degradation and name-calling (slut, whore, etc), bad dom/sub dynamics, choking, hair pulling, pussy slapping, spanking, overstimulation. single, brief threat of mutilation. use of claws. continued references to non-sexual child abuse and grooming. animal/pet death. canon-typical violence.

chapter three. rasque.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ a daring escape. ❤︎ warnings: references to the last chapter’s violence. big regrets. sexual fantasies. cutting (to remove a tracking device). some aftercare.

chapter four. anthrodynia. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ the monster regrets. ❤︎ warnings: aftercare. references to chapter two’s violence. regret. sexual fantasies and general horniness. references to food restriction/dieting.

chapter five. o'erpine. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ a conflict arises. a series of truths come out. ✩ warnings: a few descriptions of physical nausea/pre-vomiting. it’s been less than a day since chapter two so we’ve still got a lot of regret to process. descriptions of leftover physical pain and references to some of the rough/hate-sex from chapter two. discussion of non-sexual child abuse and controlling behaviors/manipulation. discussion of pet death and intentionally self-inflicted allergic reactions. brief flashbacks to lylla’s execution.

chapter six. lockhearted.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl and the monster get to know one another. a little bit. ✩ warnings: leftover regret. descriptions of child abuse/grooming (specifically gaslighting, blaming, and pet/animal death).

chapter seven. starlorn. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl pleads her case. ✩ [NEW 4/22] warnings: self-injury (biting), continued references to grooming and confinement. rocket’s explicit running commentary and the faintest whisper of d/s vibes. brief mention of bondage.

chapter eight. keep. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ the monster dreams. pearl makes a den. ✩ [est 5/2] warnings: references to canonical medical trauma. as usual, rocket’s a degenerate.

chapter nine. mal de coucou.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl and the monster make landing-plans. pearl gets a massage from her survivor. ❤︎ [est 5/9] warnings: description of hand surgery/butchery. massages and the resulting fantasies. 

chapter ten. querinous.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ rocket and pearl go shopping on cyxlore. ✩ [est 5/16] warnings: just rocket's anxiety.

chapter eleven. hailbound.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl adopts a stray. rocket falls for a sovereign. ✩ [est 5/23] warnings: still just rocket's anxiety.

chapter twelve. ochisia. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ rocket decides to make sure pearl doesn't think she can replace him. ❤︎ [est 5/30] warnings: guided masturbation. mild exhibitionism/voyeruism. praise. light d/s vibes.

chapter thirteen. heartspur.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ rocket and pearl get into a fight. rocket shares a secret. ✩ [6/4] warnings: brief mention of rocket's past.

chapter fourteen. ghough.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl teaches rocket and groot about abilisks. rocket helps her relieve some stress. ❤︎❤︎ [6/11] warnings: grinding, dirty talk, praise. talk of genocide and wyndham’s other experiments.

chapter fifteen. soufrise.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl plans. rocket begins to speak groot. [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter sixteen. keyframe.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ rocket, pearl, and groot make new allies. [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter seventeen. rubatosis.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ pearl learns about a lie. [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter eighteen. falesia.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ the crew stops on knowhere to make some extra units. rocket finds himself increasingly infatuated. [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter ninteen. la gaudière.⋆☁︎ :･꧂ someone steals from the collector. pearl has a near-miss. [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty-one. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty-two. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty-three. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty-four. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

chapter twenty-five. .⋆☁︎ :･꧂ [rating tbd] [date tbd] warnings:

#rocket raccoon smut #rocket smut #rocket raccoon x reader #gotg rocket #rocket raccoon lemons #gotg x oc #rocket raccoon x oc #rocket x oc #rocket raccoon #cicatrix #guardians of the galaxy #rocket raccoon fanfiction #gotg fanfiction #rfh fanfic #rocket raccoon x reader smut #rfh smut #angst with a happy ending #rocket gotg #gotg smut #gotg rocket x oc #gotg oc #original character #guardians of the galaxy smut #rocket raccoon fanfic #rocketraccoon #rocket raccoon x original character #gotg original character #oc x rocket raccoon #smut

[bookishlilcorner]

Dark Witch Nesta Archeron moodboard

Feared and revered, but most of all misunderstood. “The dark witch of death”, they whisper to the void, “The healer of our souls.”

“My heart, my heart, my drowning heart

Oh all the tears I’ve cried

Oh I may weep forevermore

My love will never die.”

My love will never die — AG, Claire Wyndham

@nestaarcheronweek day 3: Witch

#nestaweek2022 #nesta archeron #pro nesta #nesta supremacy #nessian #nesta x cassian #nesta moodboard #nesta archeron moodboard #acotar moodboard #acotaredit #acotar #acosf #a court of thorns and roses #a court of silver flames #my posts

[whitedragoncoranth]

Vengeful Soul

He heard the sound of the pistol he used to shoot the failed Otter. Her final breath, her final word. "Sky..."

He heard the utterly anguished scream of Subject 89P13 as the experiment mourned. The High Evolutionary rolled his eyes "Aaahhh! Aaahhh! Aaahhh! ALL RIGHT, P-1-3! You win the crying contest! Now back in the cage!" he commanded.

... But that was where it all went horribly wrong.

The screams of Subject 89P13 continued, but they turned from one to many, as if a thousand, thousand, thousand souls were crying through him...

The High Evolutionary smelt the rank foulness of brimstone...

And then Subject 89P13 - Rocket - burst into hellfire, his skin and fur sloughing off his skeletal body, his clothing transforming from simple garb into black leather biker wear adorned with studs and spiked shoulder pads.

A steel chain wrapped about Herbert Wyndham's throat, razor blade links digging deep into his neck, forcefully making him kneel. Then, it was all over...

The final thing the man heard... was the screams of the damned as the Arete Laboratories complex-ship, and all within, burned...

The final thing the man saw... was the flaming skull of 89P13; cold crimson points of light glaring back at him from sockets where eyes should have been...

A voice akin to a rattle of death spoke a final word. "GUILTY..."

Then, the High Evolutionary's world became one of pain as his soul was burned from within. As his comatose body fell to the floor, with a metallic whisper the living chain returned to its place about the skeletal raccoon's jacket; then there was heard the roar of a powerful engine as the terran motorcycle Rocket had built (sire had called it a worthless, primitive toy), came to meet him, its wheels blazing with Hellfire.

~We will need to modify your ship~ the newborn spirit of vengeance stated telepathically.

~Already did~ Rocket replied as he/they climbed aboard. ~And... thanks.~

~You are most welcome~ the spirit replied. ~Lylla was INNOCENT, the shedding of her blood demanded vengeance!~

THE GHOST RIDER revved the engine, and then they raced away to Rocket's ship. Together they would fly free into the forever sky... but wherever innocent blood was spilled... VENGEANCE would be taken.

#rocket raccoon #ghost rider #gotg #vengeance for lylla otter!

[theladyragnell]

I’m sorry about the shitshow week! <3

For the specific music requests, how about “following a beloved leader who is Too Into Revenge and starting to worry about it and also them”

Ooh, intriguing! This is a little more the arc of the beloved leader, but I think it at least implies the right story in the negative space!

Kingdom Fall // Claire Wyndham

I want it all or not at all

Good in Red // The Midnight

if you make it out alive / hold that bloody head up high

Yellow Flicker Beat // Lorde

they used to shout my name / now they whisper it

#answered asks #scribescribe #i really love this incredibly specific song genre #which is part of the reason i focused more on the leader than the friends #but i hope it helps! #also i feel like a lot of times when you give me playlist prompts it's vibes from your D&D game #and let me just say i am INTRIGUED

[bughead-in-the-comics]

Riverdale Characters: Townsfolk

Terry “Pop” Tate - owner of the chock’lit shoppe

Hubert Smithers - butler of the Lodge family

Lydia Wyndham - author of Blooming Blossoms; Betty’s neighbor

Pierre Gaston - chef of the Lodge family

Scott Pansky - owner of the costume shop

Dr. Sara Bellum - psychiatrist of Jughead

Chef Segarini - owner of Segarini’s Pizzeria; Pop Tate’s rival

Cromwell - the Lodge family chauffeur

Mindy Munowitz - Jughead’s crush who works as a dental assistant

Dexter Howard - WPBJ TV cameraman who dated Betty

Steve Moleback - Betty’s crush who works at a father’s plant nursery

DeDe Cruz - temporary PEP Comics employee who likes Jughead

Unca Paulo - owner of a pizzeria; Archie’s boss

Mayor Fodsnik - mayor of Riverdale

Barbara Bentley - new neighbor of Veronica

Eaton Grubb - famous food critic who loves Pop Tate’s burgers

Al the Caterer - owner of Al’s Catering; Jughead and Archie’s boss

Brenda Lin - reporter at WRIV TV 

Mr. Elm - owner of the flower shop

Mr. Davis - manager of the Tea Room; Betty’s boss

Fifi - personal maid of Veronica Lodge

Mr. Spif - trainer of aspiring models

Dr. Jester - pediatric dentist who likes to dress up as a clown

Ms. Molar - receptionist at Dr. Acherman’s dental clinic

Mr. Plyer - contractor who usually works for the Lodge Family

Mr. Milkweed - steadiest customer of Pop’s chock’lit shoppe

Madam Velda - the self-proclaimed best psychic in town

Godfrey Ghecko - real estate impresario who hates history

H.M. Bugg - business tycoon who hates Christmas

Miss Brissy - expert in compulsive shopping therapy

Tony Weatherbee - owner of Weatherbee’s Wheels; Waldo’s brother

Bruno Beazley - owner of Beazley’s Better Bodies; Bernice’s husband

Seta Upenbeg - dog whisperer who tries to “train” Hot Dog

Mozart Myers - rhythm doctor hired to teach The Archies about harmony

Mr. Moleback - owner of the plant nursery; Steve’s father

Mrs. Turner - mother of the Turner twins; Betty’s babysitting client

The Riverdale Chief of Police with his twin boys

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson with their daughter Emily - Betty’s clients

Pat and Tim Kennedy - Betty’s regular babysitting clients

Eddie and Freddie Turner - Betty’s regular babysitting clients

#bughead #bughead characters

[idabbleincrazy]

Secretly Submissive ~ Ch.6

<--- Previous Chapter

Fandom: Angel (Buffyverse)

Series Rating: E

Series Pairings: Spike/Angel(Liam/William), Angel/Lindsey, Spike/Lindsey, Spike/Lindsey/Angel

Series Characters: Angel (Liam Devlin), Spike (William Pratt), Lindsey McDonald, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, others tbd

Word Count: 3054

Chapter Warnings: fluff, smut, dirty talk, d/s, minor pain kink, nipple play, necking, minor exhibition kink, oral, anal fingering, anal, first time bottoming, bottom!Liam, edging, orgasm denial, aftercare

Series Warnings: human au, fluff, angst, Dom/sub, submissive!Angel, smut, bondage…more to be added as series progresses

Chapter Summary: Liam thought Will just wanted his submission, turns out he was wrong about the blonde once again.

Series Summary: Liam Devlin, hardworking investor and businessman, receives an unexpected awakening in the form of William Pratt, the unassuming bookstore owner he met online.

Squares Filled: "just breathe" ( @mfbingo ), edge play ( @kinky-things-happen )

William groaned and kissed Liam, deeper than the one he had initiated, Will's tongue stroking over his, coaxing it into play, and Liam followed his lead, seeking it out as it retreated, licking into Will's mouth. He moaned softly as Will sucked at the wet muscle, the blonde completely in control of the kiss even as he seemed to be giving it up. He felt Will's fingers slide through his hair and let his eyes fall shut.

Liam whimpered at the loss of William's mouth when Will broke the kiss, the sound breaking on a gasping moan, his eyes flying open, as Will tugged harshly at his hair, pulling his head back against the pillows, his neck arched up, exposed. William attacked, his mouth trailing a path of heated kisses down the line of his throat. Reaching the curve of his neck, Will sucked at the skin, hard enough to bruise, and he tilted his further to the side to give him better access, the realization that he was being marked, sending a zing of arousal down his spine.

Just before Liam could become overwhelmed by the sensation, Will released his hold on his head, his hands pushing flat against the bed to support the weight of his upper body as his mouth continued its path, over his collarbone, and down one side of his heaving chest, to hover over his pec.

"Fuck, such a cute pair o' tits you got, pet." Quick as a flash, Will licked over the dusky nipple, breathing his warm breath over it and pulling away to watch the bud tauten in the cooler air. "And so responsive, too, just like the rest of you. So bloody perfect, Angel."

"Spike, please, I need more."

"Oh, baby, gonna give you everything. Just hold on for me, okay, Angel? Can you do that for me? Can feel how hard you are, know you must be achin' for it, just be patient…gonna make you see bloody stars, pet."

"Yes, Master."

"Color?"

"Green, Master, very fucking green. Oh, God!"

As they had been talking in ragged whispers, Will's hand stealthily grabbed the bottle of lube from beside Liam, and the brunette cried out in surprise at the feel of William's slick fingers trailing down his perineum. He lifted his hips slightly, his legs instinctively spreading further apart as those slim digits circled around the hidden pucker.

"You ever play with yourself down here, pet?" Will tapped against Liam's asshole with the pad of his finger as he spoke. "Ever finger yourself while you wank?"

“Ah. Y-yes, Master. Not often…but, yeah, sometimes.”

“Fuck, gonna have to see that sometime, pet. Have you put on a show for me. What a sight you must make, those thick fingers of yours disappearin’ inside you while you jerk that gorgeous cock.”

William knelt up, tossing the other condom onto Liam's chest as he sat back on his heels, his pupils so blown with lust there was only a faint ring of blue still visible as Liam looked up at him.

"Put that on, pet. Wanna watch you touch yourself."

Liam groaned at the command, hips bucking down as Will's finger pressed more urgently at his clenching pucker. He ripped open the foil packet and took the condom out, sliding the rubber down his shaft, his eyes rolling back in his head briefly as he fought back the release he could feel building up from within. He stroked his cock slowly, carefully, his legs drawing up higher in blatant invitation, needing Will to do something, anything, before he lost his control before the blonde had even prepped him.

"Please, Master…wanna feel you. Wanna…oh, God, wanna feel your fingers, stretching me, working me open for your cock…please!"

"Begging me, already? Christ, you're lovely. Bloody natural at this, you are. So beautiful, spread out for me like this, needy li'l slut who just can't wait for my cock. So perfect."

His cock throbbed in his hand at the dirty praise, and he clamped his fingers tightly around the base of it until the fierce wave of desire settled. Had he known Will had intended to edge him like this, he would have asked him to use a cock ring. He'd never had to draw his pleasure out this intensely before, and he feared letting William down by cumming before he was allowed.

"Oh…God…please, Spike…Master, need it, please."

Will took pity on the brunette, not wanting to push him too far, too soon. Knocking Liam’s hand out of the way, William bent over him, taking the head of his cock in his mouth as he eased the tip of his forefinger past the tight ring of muscle.

"Oh, Jesus…fuck, Master!" Liam didn't know if he wanted to buck up into Will's mouth or push back on his slick finger, the dual sensations threatening to tip him over the edge. William suckled at the tip of his cock and pushed his finger in deeper, twisting his hand to rub his thumb over the smooth skin of Liam's perineum, and Liam clenched around the long digit, pulling a groan from the blonde. "Shit, yeah, Spike, fuck, Spike, please…God, please, touch me."

William slid his mouth down Liam's thick shaft, until he felt the fat head pressing against the back of his throat, his tongue pressed against the vein along the underside of the cock. Deciding to acquiesce to the brunette's pleading, he slid his free hand up Liam's torso, stretching up until his fingers could pluck at one perky nipple. Mouth working at Liam’s cock, fingers teasing and tugging at a taut nipple, Will slowly thrust his finger in and out of the twitching hole, feeling it loosen around him. His ears were filled with moans and soft whimpers as Liam let himself get lost in the pleasure he was wringing out of him, and he felt his own neglected cock throb between his legs. Needing to see Liam's face, he released his cock with a lewd, wet pop, and lifted his head.

"God, I could cum just watching you like this, Angel. Ready for two, pet? Bloody hell, suckin’ on this perfect, fat cock o’ yours…Christ, I can’t wait to taste you properly. Fuck, need to be in you, soon, luv, 'fore I fuckin' blow."

"Unghh...yes. Master, please, more, oh, gimme more." Liam arched up into the hand toying with his nipple, hips thrusting down to meet Will's pumping finger. "God, feels so good, not sure I can last. Fuck, how do you feel so good?"

"Shh, relax, luv. Do you need a minute?" Will slowed his thrusts, his hand moving from Liam's pec to soothe down his side. "Still green, Angel? You wanna stop?"

"No! Still green!” Liam’s hands clutched at the bedsheets, desperate to reach out and touch Will, hold him in place, pull him closer. “Don't stop, please, Spike, don't stop! Faster, more, Master, wanna feel you…need you in me."

William growled at the wanton begging, his cock hard enough to cut glass as he resumed his thrusts, pressing a second finger into Liam on an instroke. Liam let out a grateful sound, his hips undulating to push down on Will's fingers. As the ring of muscle loosened, Will switched it up, scissoring his fingers to help the stretch.

"Better, pet? Christ, you look so pretty, fucking yourself on my fingers, taking 'em so well. You ready for more? Need to get you to three, at least, luv, don't wanna hurt you."

Liam nodded his head frantically.

"Yes, Master. Please."

Will slid his fingers out and quickly applied more lube, his eyes boring into Liam's as he slowly pushed three slick digits into the waiting hole. Liam's lust-blown eyes widened fractionally as he was stretched further, his mouth falling open on a grunted curse. Wanting to distract the brunette from the burning stretch without bringing him too close to the brink of orgasm again, Will leaned back over Liam and covered his mouth with his, muffling the moans that rose from his throat.

Making sure to avoid Liam's prostate, William thrust his fingers in and out of the clenching hole, his tongue matching their pace as he worked him open. His free hand slid up Liam's side to stroke over his throat, nails digging into the mark he'd made, just enough to cause the younger man to gasp into his mouth in pleasure at the slight sting. When Will felt that Liam was as ready as he was ever going to be, he broke the kiss, smirking sultrily down at the wild-eyed, panting brunette, and eased his fingers from the slick, gaping hole, and sat back on his heels.

"Need you to turn over, Angel. Hands and knees, it'll be easier for you that way."

Liam pulled himself out of the desire-laden fog that clouded his mind long enough to flip over, bracing himself on his arms as he pulled his knees, spreading his legs as wide as he could. He hated the thought of not being able to see Will's face, and craned his neck to watch as the blonde quickly lubed himself up. William disappeared from his line of sight as he settled back between his legs, and he startled slightly when he felt his warm hand soothing over his skin, caressing one smooth ass cheek as he shuffled closer. Lining his cock up at the rim of Liam's twitching hole, Will paused.

"When I push, bear down on me, okay, Angel?"

"Yes, Master."

Will pressed forward slowly, and grunted out a deep sound of pleasure as the head of his cock pushed past the tight ring of muscle. Liam let out a moan at the feeling of William's cock stretching him open, and pushed back against him, his back bowing as he canted his hips down, his forehead pressing against the pillow, fingers fisting the sheets as Will filled him. As William bottomed out, thighs flush against Liam's ass, the blonde soothed a hand up his spine, sensing the tension vibrating through him as he fought to relax against the intrusion and resist the insistent need to cum.

"Just breathe, luv." Will's other hand clutched at Liam's hip as the brunette tried to pull forward, stilling him with a strained groan. "Not yet, Angel, don't move. Christ, gonna cum if you move, pet. So bloody tight - fuck! You're doing that on purpose. Do it again without permission, and I will bloody thump you, Liam, unclench."

Liam whimpered softly at the threat, more in arousal than in fear, and did as was bidden, relaxing his internal muscles.

"Sorry, Master. Please, just…need to move, need to cum."

"'S ok, Angel, 's alright, you can do this, luv, you can, jus' need to breathe, jus' feel it. Relax for me, pet. Relax, Angel. Been so good for me, so far, fuck, baby, so good...just hold on. Don't move, Angel." William collected himself, letting his eyes fall shut for a moment until the impending climax subsided, then leaned over Liam's back, nuzzling into the curve of his neck, the short, sweat-damp strands of hair tickling his nose. He could feel a tremor working through the larger man as he restrained himself from moving, and he was in awe at the inner strength of the man beneath him, wondering if he would have done as well if he were the one submitting himself after being the dominant one for so long. Shifting slightly, he felt around until he found Liam's hands and laced his fingers through his, Liam clutching tightly at him with a soft keening whine of need. "Slowly, Angel. You can move, but slowly. You still green, luv? You want out, wanna take it back, just say so. I'll still make you cum, even if you do, pet, won't leave you achin', but just say, an' we'll do this your way."

"No…no, I'm green, Master", Liam groaned out the epithet and moved forward, Will's cock dragging through him, agonizingly slowly, "so fucking green, Spike, just, please, lemme feel you."

Liam rocked back again, taking the hard shaft back inside his relaxing hole, his head straining back to nuzzle against Will's.

"Fuck me, Spike, take me. Make me yours, Master, make me your Angel."

"You are, luv, you are my Angel." Will pulled his hips back, his aching cock sliding through the tight, warm channel, Liam's muscles clenching briefly in reaction, trying to keep him inside. "Oh, God, you are mine, my perfect Angel."

Liam moaned, pushing back to meet him as Will thrust forward, tilting his head to reach Will's lips, capturing them in a feverish kiss. Will angled his hips on the next thrust, seeking out Liam's prostate, the tip of his cock prodding harshly at the bundle of nerves.

"Oh, God!" Liam yelped at the unexpected jolt of pleasure, breaking the kiss to press his head back to the mattress, fingers tightening around Will's. "Yes, right there, God, don't stop, Master, please! Feels so good, so fucking good. Oh, Jesus, fuck, Spike, never thought…oh, God, ah, fuck, Master, please, lemme cum, need to…can't…"

William growled at the rambling pleas falling from the brunette's lips, his own pulsing cock throbbing as his balls tightened, and he sped his thrusts. He wrenched one hand from Liam's grasp and reached under him, grasping the thick cock, stroking it in rhythm with his thrusting.

"Such a good pet, Angel, my good, sweet boy. I'm right there with you, baby. Cum for me now, Angel. Oh, Christ, lemme feel this sweet arse squeezin' my cock as you shoot. Let go, luv, cum for me, Angel."

"Spike!"

Liam cried out and his body went rigid as he came, Will's hand still stroking him, his cock pressed against his prostate as the blonde stilled his thrusts, his own climax rushing through him as Liam clenched around him.

"Ohh, tha's it, baby, squeeze me tight. Shite, so fuckin' tight, luv. God, you're perfect."

Will stroked Liam through his orgasm as he rode out his own in stuttered thrusts, making sure to avoid his prostate. As Liam went lax beneath him, the thick cock softening in his hand, he untangled his other hand from Liam's and knelt up. His own spent cock slipped from the snug hole, and Liam let out a soft moan of disappointment. He removed the condom from Liam's cock and knotted it before removing his own.

"Can you turn over, luv?"

Liam clumsily maneuvered himself onto his back, and Will bit his lip to hold back a chuckle at the dopey look of contentment on his face as he climbed off the bed. Liam reached for him in confusion, a worried glint forming in his lust-glazed eyes.

"I'll be right back, pet." Will dangled the used condoms in the air by way of explanation, smirking. "Just poppin' into the loo."

In the bathroom, William dropped the condoms into the wastebasket, and hurriedly wiped himself down. Looking briefly in the mirror, he was surprised to see the peaceful look on his own face, nearly mirroring Liam's. Shaking his head at himself, he quickly removed his contacts, wetted a washcloth and returned to the bedroom.

Stepping back into the room, Will flicked off the main light, turning on the lamp on the nightstand as he climbed into the bed next to Liam. Wiping away beads of sweat from Liam's chest, Will kissed the sleepy brunette as his hand swiped lower.

"Color?"

"Mmm, green. Spike, that was…amazing doesn't do it justice. I can't believe how unbelievably good it felt. Not, not just the sex, all of it. Letting go, giving up my control, I had no idea it could feel like that.” Liam let out a soft sigh and wriggled under Will’s hand as the blonde gently wiped the cloth over his cock. He looked up at Will, a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks. "Was it…y'know, good for you?"

"Angel, pet, you were incredible. Seriously, I've never seen someone take to submission so easily. You're a bleedin' marvel. And, the sex…God, I haven't cum like that in ages." Will tossed the washcloth on top of his clothes and wiped Liam's sweat-matted bangs from his forehead. "You need water or anything? That had to 'ave taken it out of you."

"No, I-I'm fine. Which room is the playroom?"

Liam started to get up, easing out of William's light hold.

"Angel, wha-?"

"Subs don't sleep in your bed, right?"

"Angel, wait." Will sat up, taking Liam's hands in his. "Ang - Liam, I wasn't including you when I said that. Look, I get it, in the dark of night, trying something new and exciting can be thrilling, you get swept up and go along for the ride; but, even if, in the morning, in the harsh light of day, you decide you don't wanna be my sub, that it's just not for you, I was…I was hoping you could at least, bemyboyfriend?"

"Didn't quite catch that last bit." Liam's lips were twisted with a small smirk, but his eyes were serious. "Wanna run that by me again, Will?"

William frowned at Liam, uneasy at the realization that he was actually embarrassed. He was never embarrassed.

"Bloody cheek, again. Liam, would you be my boyfriend?"

"Will, I don't think my answer was going to change over the next few hours. I meant it when I said I want to be yours, but yes, beyond the whole dom/sub stuff, I'll be your boyfriend." Liam eased his hands from William's and laid back down on the bed. "You know, you're pretty cute when you're shy."

Will growled and cast a dark look at Liam.

"Y'know, I think you're arse is gonna be pretty cute when it's ten shades of red from the smackin' you're rackin' up, Angel. Now, it's two-thirty in the morning, I've jus' cum my bloody brains out, and I need at least eight hours of shut-eye 'fore I'm useful, so get under the covers already, yeah?"

Liam chuckled, and shuffled around until he was under the sheets. Will turned off the lamp and climbed in after him and Liam didn't resist when he pulled him into his arms. He felt a smile tugging at his lips as he let himself drift off into a more restful sleep than he'd had in a long time.

Next Chapter --->

~~~~~

All Things Spike: @leatafanfiction @captain-peroxid3​ 

Other: @countblucas​

#mfbingo #kinky-things-happen bingo #spangel #human au #a:ts fanfic #buffyverse fanfic #lemon

[the-king-andthe-lionheart]

So I was reading “Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain” by Michael Farquhar, and something caught my attention.  I was reading the section on Charles Stuart, the future King Charles II and I found a couple parallels between him and Arya.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with Charles, he was the heir to King Charles I, who was executed by Parliament in 1649.  In 1651, Charles returned to England, from exile, to reclaim his crown, but was defeated at the Battle of Worcester.  Following that defeat, Charles made a perilous escape to France, but before he could board a ship heading to France, he spent six weeks as a fugitive in his own kingdom, with an extraordinary bounty on his head.  During these six weeks, Charles shredded his feet from all the walking he did, became fatigued and slightly ill from his drastic change in diet (lack of proteins) and he disguised himself, even pretending to be a peasant servant.  He also found that many of the places he set out to go became futile endeavors, destinations he couldn’t reach.  And while he finally found a ship to take him into exile in France, it was bittersweet, and he wasn’t able to return home for eight and a half years.  Furthermore, there is a famous oak tree associated with Charles II.

This sounds really familiar when applied to Arya’s story (Also to Dany’s), and while I wouldn’t necessarily say that these parallels were done on purpose (most likely they weren’t) I still found this paralleling situation pretty interesting:

Approaching Bridport, Charles and Wyndham were horrified to find the town crawling with government troops gathered to subdue the last Royalist stronghold of Jersey.  Wyndham begged the king to turn around, but that would mean they would miss the planned rendezvous with the rest of the group, who had gone in search of Limbry.  Charles decided that the best option was the boldest.  “We found the yard very full of soldiers,” the king recalled.  “I alighted, and taking the horses thought it best way to go blundering in amongst them, and led them through the middle of the soldiers into the stable: which I did, and they were very angry with me for my rudeness.” (“Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain” by Michael Farquhar)

She had never seen so many men on the walls. Gold cloaks, most of them, armed with spears. Some of them knew her by sight. What would they do if they saw her running across the yard? She'd look so small from up there, would they be able to tell who she was? Would they care?

She had to leave now, she told herself, but when the moment came, she was too frightened to move.

Calm as still water, a small voice whispered in her ear. Arya was so startled she almost dropped her bundle. She looked around wildly, but there was no one in the stable but her, and the horses, and the dead men.

Quiet as a shadow, she heard. Was it her own voice, or Syrio's? She could not tell, yet somehow it calmed her fears.

She stepped out of the stable.

It was the scariest thing she'd ever done. She wanted to run and hide, but she made herself walk across the yard, slowly, putting one foot in front of the other as if she had all the time in the world and no reason to be afraid of anyone. She thought she could feel their eyes, like bugs crawling on her skin under her clothes. Arya never looked up. If she saw them watching, all her courage would desert her, she knew, and she would drop the bundle of clothes and run and cry like a baby, and then they would have her. She kept her gaze on the ground. By the time she reached the shadow of the royal sept on the far side of the yard, Arya was cold with sweat, but no one had raised the hue and cry. (Arya IV AGOT)

#arya stark #canonarya #asoiaf #parallels

[an-aura-about-you]

August 11th, 1997

Crossing the Bridge

Somewhere Else Under the King

In the first of today's entries, Jon and Martin are reunited, and Trilby likewise meets an old friend:

Martin regrets the suit.

Okay, not completely. It was his idea, after all, and one that Jackson wholeheartedly agreed with to boot. (“You’re going to a meeting with a government agent AND being reunited with your love?” he had said as he helped straighten his waistcoat and tie. “You have to look like you mean business.”) It gave him an air of confidence to fall back on, and he can already tell he’ll need it. But even with the coat left back at Jackson’s place, the August heat is still stifling. Thank god the STP offices are air conditioned.

The floor is relatively small, a few offices set in a hallway which leads to a bullpen not unlike the one from the archives. Maybe Jon was onto something with his reference. Won’t Get Fooled Again would be a suitable warning. But the good news is the layout means it doesn’t take long to find Miss Wyndham’s office, her name set in a little plaque by the open door. He knocks on the door frame.

“Come in,” Claire calls. She gives him a polite smile when he steps inside. “Mister Blackwood, good to see you. And glad to see the sling’s gone. How do you feel?”

“Getting better,” he answers.

Claire gets to her feet and picks up a folder from her desk. “My coworker Trilby is taking your case when he comes in today. His office is just across from mine. If you’ll follow me, please?”

He moves to the side to clear the way, allowing her to take the lead and falling in place behind her.

“He should be in shortly,” she says, crossing to the opposite door. But just as she reaches for the doorknob, she abruptly stops. She arches slightly with a gasp, as if just hit in the back, and the folder and its files slip from her hand and litter the floor.

“Miss Wyndham?” Martin asks, only just stopping in time to keep from colliding with her.

Claire wrenches around, her wide eyes staring at him from behind her glasses and her face flushed. Her hands are curled up towards her chest as though she doesn’t know what to do with them. “Martin,” she softly says, her voice strained.

Martin pulls back just a little, wondering where whatever this is came from all of a sudden. Then he hears the footfalls of someone running down the hall.

“Martin!”

Martin turns as soon as he hears Jon call his name. Reality slams into him, pushing him to move before he can even think about it. He can see Jon running to him, a hand on his side.

“Jon!” he gasps, lunging forward the last few steps to meet him.

The two collide, Jon throwing himself at Martin. Martin manages to keep his balance as Jon’s feet leave the floor. He moves his arms to mainly support Jon with his right but unable to hide a quiet gasp of pain from the impact on his left shoulder. He hears a similar gasp from Jon and double-checks that he hasn't accidentally touched his injury before pressing him close.

Jon clings tightly to Martin, burying his face in his shoulder with a shudder. The too tight embrace somehow isn’t tight enough. He tangles a shaking hand into Martin’s hair, cradling the back of his head and loosening the band that had neatly tied it back before.

The two just stand there for some time, trembling and laughing and crying and finally trying to catch their breaths.

Eventually, Jon pulls his head back to look at Martin, who lowers his feet back to the floor. He cups his cheek, brushing a tear away with his thumb, and says, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there with you.”

Martin shakes his head against Jon’s hand with a breathy laugh, reaching to cradle his face. “No, Jon, you couldn’t help that,” he says, tilting his head to meet Jon’s lips in a kiss. God, it feels so much better than the damning burn of the last one. They’re both alive and they’ve found each other and it’s better than Martin dreamed. The hope that had hurt before floods his heart with warmth and love, whispering again and again that this is real, that he has Jon and he can keep Jon.

Jon smiles against Martin’s mouth, winding his fingers in his hair again and just staying in the moment with him. He only just pulls away to break for air and say, “Your hair’s gotten so long.”

Martin laughs again and says, “And you’ve cut yours. God, it almost makes you look like you did when we started in the archives.”

Jon scoffs. “You don’t look a thing like you did in the archives,” he replies. Then, slipping his hand down to toy with the collar of Martin’s shirt, he adds, “I like the suit.”

“Seriously?” Martin asks, stunned by the compliment now of all times. Shit, is he going to have to wear suits on the regular now? Now it’s his turn to scoff before saying, “If I had known that a few years earlier...”

Jon laughs this time, turning his head so he’s not just laughing loudly in Martin’s face. Martin just takes the opportunity to pepper Jon’s cheek with kisses.

Both reasonably satisfied that neither one is going anywhere anytime soon, Jon and Martin calm down their affections to the point of just holding hands. Martin runs his thumbs over Jon’s knuckles, in no hurry to let their surroundings come back to them.

-

Trilby lets Jon run off once they reach the office. However much they might joke about it, Trilby isn’t his babysitter nor is he technically responsible if Jon pops all his stitches open. If he wants to reopen his wound for the sake of a mushy reunion with his boyfriend, that’s his business. Trilby has his own business.

He takes his time walking down the halls, his grolly in hand and protectively resting on his shoulders, but he still gets a good look at the scene. Apparently, Jon had flung himself at Martin, and the two are so wrapped up in their reunion embrace that he passes by unnoticed. There’s a pile of papers by his door, being picked up by-

“Jim?!” Trilby nearly shouts.

Jim looks up from his spot, one knee on the floor and the newly restored folder in his hand. He smiles, gets to his feet, and says, “Long time no see, Trilby.”

“What are you doing here?” Trilby asks before he can stop himself, unable to hide his concern.

“I work here,” Jim answers, offering the folder to him. “At least temporarily.”

“No.”

Jim frowns, still holding the folder. “What?”

Trilby considers what, if anything, he should say. There’s so much that could be said, but all of it too late. Maybe. He’s not sure.

“I mean, it’s not like a lot of places are hiring dropouts,” Jim elaborates. He then opens the door to Trilby’s office and sets the folder on his desk.

“There’s a difference between dropping out and-”

“Yeah, and it’s not great,” Jim interrupts before he can say it.

Trilby stares at Jim, an unusual sort of failure weighing him down. They might as well be strangers, but the sad truth of the matter is James Fowler, this young man he knew for five days of waking nightmare when Jim was just shy of sixteen, probably knows Trilby better than anyone else in this entire office building. Possibly better than anyone in the entire UK. And every fruitless act he’s done to distance himself from DeFoe Manor has only been an exercise in neglecting the peculiar responsibilities of being one of the only adults to share a living hell with someone who was technically a child. A child who was disgracefully expelled from school for a situation that grew wildly beyond his control. A child who is now a young man that had to go into hiding just about a month ago because it looked every bit like someone wanted both of them dead. A young man who is now not only one of the two remaining survivors of DeFoe Manor but the only one of the original three who hasn’t been stabbed to death. It’s the first time since waking up at the hospital that Trilby is actually glad he somehow defied his own death and came back from it, if only to try to make amends with Jim.

“I’m sorry, Jim,” Trilby says, knowing that there will have to be more but also that he must start somewhere.

Jim shrugs and says, “It’s not so bad. Better than the Ministry of Occultism.”

“Not by much, but yes,” Trilby agrees, setting his grolly just inside his office door. “By the way, what happened with the folder?”

Just then, Martin makes a little noise of surprise and turns to look behind him, drawing everyone’s attention.

“What is it?” Jon asks, his voice less concerned and more mildly curious.

“Someone’s shoe,” Martin answers, lifting his foot from where he accidentally stepped back on the black pump.

“Yeah, that was weird,” Jim cuts in, walking around and bending over to pick up the abandoned pair of pumps. “See, Claire was walking him-” He thumbs towards Martin. “-to your office when she just stopped dead and dropped the folder. I went over to ask what was wrong, but she excused herself and ran back to her office.”

“I see,” Trilby says, looking from Claire’s now-closed door to Martin. “Mister Blackwood, right?”

“Yes,” Martin answers.

“Do you know what happened?”

“No clue. I don’t think I did anything to make her upset, but she looked like she was about to cry?”

Jim knocks on Claire’s door. “Hey, Cinderella, I got your slippers.”

“Not now, Jim,” Claire calls from behind the door, her voice pitched with panic.

“Claire?” Jim asks.

There’s a heavy breath, and her voice is still keyed up when she follows it with, “I’m fine. Or better, anyway. And very busy, so please, not now.”

“Just leave her shoes by the door,�� Trilby says. “I have to get to my appointment.”

Jim does so but stops in front of Trilby on his way to the bullpen. “Are you sure you’re good to work? Didn’t you just get out of the hospital?”

“Yes, but I know how to follow doctor’s orders, unlike some,” Trilby answers, eyeing Jon.

“Yes, yes, needlessly taxing my delicate constitution, whatever,” Jon grumbles.

“Jon,” Martin gently protests.

“I’m okay, Martin,” Jon quietly says, turning to him and placing his free hand on their joined ones. “Best I’ve felt in a long time, actually.”

Martin just gives him a brief, skeptical look but drops it for now.

Well, Trilby had already guessed that dynamic. He gestures to his office and goes, “If we can get started? I’d like to sit down, please.”

Trilby finds a message on his computer once he takes his seat:

c wyndham: please give mr. sims a magenta test asap

Trilby nods to himself and checks the paperwork in the folder. He types up a quick reply:

trilby: will do. testing mr. blackwood as well.

He picks up his bag, taking out his gloves and pulling them on. “It looks like Claire’s got most of the mundane parts of your case done already, Mister Blackwood. Finishing that is probably most of what we’ll be doing for you today, Jon, but I’ve been asked to go ahead and do your magenta test now.”

“My what now?” Jon asks.

“A magenta test,” Trilby says, retrieving his case. “We have found that the stone magenta has a thermal reaction to the presence of the Ethereal Realm. Both of the sites where you were found tested positive, hence the investigation. I’m going to test if the stone reacts to you specifically, Jon.” He opens the case, palms the little vial holding the stone, and looks to Martin. “Mister Blackwood, to ensure an accurate reading, could you please step out of the office for just a moment?”

Martin looks at Jon before letting go of his hand and stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Trilby opens the vial and drops the small piece of magenta into his gloved palm. It heats up almost immediately to a painful degree, even with the protective gloves, and he accidentally shakes it off his hand on reflex.

“Shit!” he hisses, trying to pick it up from his desk before it can do too much damage. Fortunately, all it did was singe a bit of paperwork. He drops it back into its vial and stoppers it up again, saying, “Well, I’m confident in calling that a positive result. Could you please step out of the room and send Mister Blackwood back in?”

Jon doesn’t get up, instead asking, “What does a positive result mean for this, exactly?”

This is fine. It’ll give Trilby some time to let the magenta cool off again. “It means that it’s highly likely you are a person, either by birth or circumstance, that is part of both the World of Technology and the World of Magick, of both the Scientific Realm and the Ethereal Realm. That might be relevant to this investigation, but it is by no means unique. The one thing I’m sure about is you’ll likely get a job offer from the Ministry of Occultism.” He checks the magenta, which is no longer glowing with heat. “Could you please send in Mister Blackwood, Jon? And be sure to close the door once he’s in.”

Jon sighs through his nose, but he gets up and opens the door. “Your turn,” he says on his way out.

Martin steps back in, and Jon closes the door behind him.

Trilby nods. “All right, Mister Blackwood, I’ll-”

“Sorry, could you please call me Martin?” Martin interrupts.

Trilby turns his attention away from the vial to him.

Martin softly huffs and says, “I mean, it’s weird how you keep going from my last name to Jon’s first name.”

“That’s different; I still respect you,” Trilby says. “Anyway, Martin, I will now test to see if the magenta reacts to you.”

“Oh. Do I have to do anything?”

“No.” Trilby removes the magenta from the vial again, easily able to hold it this time. He changes it to his other hand to make sure he’s not reading things wrong from the memory of heat. He gives it a moment longer before saying, “Looks like negative with you. Please don’t let Jon back into the room until I’ve put the magenta away.”

That business done and everyone back in the office, Trilby notes down his findings and starts the process of making sure Jon is a person again according to the government. Just as he promised, Jon answers all of Trilby’s run of the mill questions. Even when the answers prove to be a bit unexpected.

“Date of birth?” he asks.

Jon answers, and Trilby takes a moment to stare at him.

Apparently, he’s not the only one, Martin turning to him with a start and going, “Jon!”

Jon looks to him, their hands joined once more, and gives Martin’s hand a squeeze. “I made a deal with Trilby to cooperate with the investigation. He held up his end, so I’m pretty sure that means I have to answer honestly.”

Trilby clucks his tongue and goes, “Okay, that explains some things. Different question: age?”

“33?” Jon guesses.

“You’re not sure?” Trilby asks.

“Between regularly lying about my age and what we will eventually discuss, I think you can cut me a little slack.”

“If that’s the case, are you fine with being 33?”

Jon nods.

“Then you’re 33,” Trilby says, filling out his forms and adjusting the date of birth to match. “You should be getting new legal documents soon, and I got a message from housing about a flat for you. It’s the same building as me, so that gives you some idea what to expect. Just go to their main office before the end of business hours today for your keys.”

“That works,” Jon says.

An alarm goes off with a beep, and Trilby tugs his sleeve down to get to his watch. “I think that’s good for now,” he says, turning the alarm off. “I need to take my medication. You two are free to go.”

-

The rest of the day, thankfully, is peaceful compared to the morning. Deceptively peaceful.

Jon gets his keys just as promised, and he and Martin go up to his flat. Their flat. His flat? He’d like it to be their flat. Martin leaves to retrieve his things and finish up work, which, he’s living with his boss? Apparently, some things never change. He has a landline in his flat, and it startles him from a nap on the sofa when he gets a call from Trilby letting him know he’s back from the office and Jon can likewise retrieve his things. Martin comes back (comes home?) with his bag and some takeaway for dinner and greets him with a kiss.

And all day they haven’t talked about it. Jon has been staring up at the Sword of Damocles, but he and Martin haven’t said a word about the thread.

Jon wrestles with the weight of familiarity when he and Martin go to bed, Martin pulling him up against his chest to spoon him the same way they would sleep in the safehouse. It feels like an entire lifetime ago, and in a way it is. Yet here they are, going to bed as if it’s just another night before the end of the world.

He instinctively leans into Martin’s touch, only just able to hold on to his mind and not completely surrender to the comforting warmth of his affection. The fight is harder, being so much more human now than he was before and able to feel it in a way he couldn’t when he was so much of the Eye. He has to seek the knowledge of it out himself, and he aches to do so, but he still holds back just a bit. He wonders if Martin resting his hand on his shoulder, his thumb gently stroking, is a choice borne out of the still-healing injury on his exposed side or an attempt to work out the tension there. He carefully leans his head back, stopping when Martin meets him the rest of the way by nestling his face in his hair.

“Martin?” he asks.

Martin hums to indicate he’s listening, kissing the crown of his head.

“Is-” He licks his lips. “Is this really okay?”

Martin sighs hard enough to ruffle Jon’s hair a bit and tilts his head so that he can speak unmuffled. “Jonathan.”

Jon can’t remember the last time Martin called him by his full first name, the last time anyone had, actually. He can hear the exasperation, but his name is still so warm and soft when Martin says it. His heartbeat picks up slightly as the feeling spreads through him, the knowledge that his name will always be safe with Martin.

“I know we have to talk about it,” Martin says. “What happened in the Panopticon. But… the feelings haven’t caught up yet?” He slides his arm over Jon’s chest, keeping him close. “But right now, I don’t think it’s wrong to feel relief.” He nuzzles his way into Jon’s neck. “And I do. God, I never thought I’d have this again. ‘Course the first thing I feel is relief.”

Jon places his hand on top of Martin’s, wondering how aware they both are of his heart. He laces their fingers together. “This?” he asks.

Martin holds him tighter. “You. Do you think I’m going to throw away the chance for you to finally be mine?”

Jon slowly pulls away, just enough to turn in the embrace so his back’s on the bed, looking him in the eyes. He’s heard Martin being jealous before, but this is a new tone, one that could burn, one that Jon wouldn’t mind burning him. “Bit of a possessive streak.” He doesn’t give Martin a chance to say anything in immediate response, giving him a kiss instead.

“Jon?” he asks when they part.

“I like it,” Jon tells him. “I am yours. I want to be yours. And I want you to be mine.” He punctuates this with another kiss, reaching to pull Martin close.

Martin shivers against him and says, “I’ve always been yours.”

But when they move closer together, Jon breaks their kisses with a ragged gasp of pain, head tilted down as if trying to look at his injury.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Martin whispers, moving away.

Jon shakes his head and tries to pull Martin to him again. “I don’t care.”

“Okay, but I do?” he says, gently guiding Jon to turn on his side again. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jon lets his thoughts drift away one by one when Martin pulls him into his hold once more, this time wrapping his arms completely around his chest and smoothing his left palm on the shoulder against the mattress. Jon holds Martin’s arms, pressing his head down a bit into the pillow. It’s like Martin’s read his mind but answered his urgent desire to be close to him in a completely different way than Jon would have attempted to meet it left to his own devices. It’s the same sensation as just moments before when he called him by his full first name.

He takes Martin’s right hand, wanting to give him something, anything, in return, and places a kiss into his palm before nuzzling his face there. “Love you,” he breathes against Martin’s skin.

Martin presses his face into Jon’s shoulder. “Love you, too,” he says there.

Jon suddenly understands everything Martin said before, relief fully washing over him. It’s true, there’s work they have to do, and Jon knows he has the lion’s share of that. They might have a row ahead of them, but Jon knows they’ll be able to see the shore on the other side of that argument. That they both want to look for that shore. This thought in particular helps lull him to sleep, the most restful one he can remember.

#tma #chzo mythos #aura's fanfiction #on this day in aura's tma/chzo mythos fanfiction

[sinceileftyoublog]

Cassandra Jenkins Live Stream Review: 5/17, Mandolin

Photo by Wyndham Boylan-Garnett

BY JORDAN MAINZER

“I drove in L.A. for the first time today...it was fucking terrifying.” Those words were spoken by Cassandra Jenkins back in February at The Troubadour in Los Angeles during a stop on her tour opening for The Weather Station. Full circle, a victory lap, whatever you want to call it: Hearing that statement during last night’s livestream of the show on Mandolin, I couldn’t help but think of it as a fitting connection to Jenkins’ declaration that “I finally got my license when I was 35″ from “Hard Drive”, the standout track from last year’s stellar An Overview on Phenomenal Nature (Ba Da Bing!). Jenkins has been relentlessly touring her breakout record, both as a headliner and opening in larger venues for artists like Andy Shauf and Courtney Barnett. Her friend she stayed with in L.A. had left her his car keys in case she wanted to use the car. “Haven’t you heard the song?” she joked to him. “It’s a public disclaimer set to music.” Jokes aside, it’s that type of self-awareness and humor in overcoming anxiety and trauma that makes Jenkins such a powerful songwriter who resonates with so many people.

Playing for the first time with her excellent band that night, Jenkins’ clarity certainly stood out. Her simultaneous vibrato and whisper in singing, “What is it you’re looking for?” on “Crosshairs” contained infinite seeming meaning in its quietude, as did any mere sigh on the hopeful “New Bikini”. But even if she was the prominent figure in the performance, the band--guitarist Lilah Larson, drummer Sheridan Riley, bassist Abbey Blackwell, and saxophonist Levi Gillis--had amble space to breathe. As on the studio version, Larson’s raw guitar solo centralized “Michelangelo”. Gillis’ fluttery saxophone gave “New Bikini” its unequivocal sense of renewal. Overall, the band conjured the emotional ebbs and flows of Jenkins’ songs that other bands like Explosions in the Sky or even Talk Talk usually do with more volume or sonic layers. In impressive contrast, “Hard Drive” took the shape of a Velvet Underground-like krautrock chugger instead of the album version’s iconic shuffle. If Jenkins was ever worried that, in combination with her songs’ dreamy instrumentation, her music might be interpreted as naïve new age mantras--from “the water, it cures everything,” to “1, 2, 3, count with me”--she put such thoughts to bed by showing that the songs can be fun crunchy rock and roll tunes.

In fact, the one new song Jenkins snuck into her opening set was the similarly minimal, concise and biting “Pygmalion”, originally recorded at Abbey Road and released in March as a standalone single via Secretly Canadian. If An Overview on Phenomenal Nature concentrated on the infinite, “Pygmalion”, a song born out of relationship frustrations that uses the Greek myth who falls in love with a statue of himself as a commentary on our own self-absorption, gets right to the point. “Say it to my face,” Jenkins sung in a deep vocal register, giving us an actionable clue as to where she might go next.

#live music #cassandra jenkins #mandolin #ba da bing! #abbey road #secretly canadian #an overview on phenomenal nature #wyndham boylan-garnett #the troubadour #the weather station #andy shauf #courtney barnett #lilah larson #sheridan riley #abbey blackwell #levi gillis #explosions in the sky #talk talk #velvet underground

[ramada123]

From Royal Retreats to Rustic Delights: Ramada Alleppey, Where Every Wish Blooms

Where emerald waters dance with swaying coconut palms and whispers of the wind carry the secrets of ancient spices, a sanctuary awaits. Enter the Ramada by Wyndham Alleppey, a haven where luxury melts into the vibrant soul of Kerala, weaving a tapestry of experiences as rich as the colors of a sunset over Punnamada Lake. Here, your days unfurl like lotus blossoms on the backwaters. Sunrise paints the presidential suite in golden hues, beckoning you to a balcony where mist mingles with the scent of jasmine. A houseboat beckons, promising an odyssey through sun-dappled canals, past emerald rice fields, and villages untouched by time. The gentle lapping of water against the hull becomes a lullaby as you lose yourself in the rhythm of Alleppey. Adventure whispers in the breeze. Cast your line for silver treasures hidden in the depths, or pedal along palm-fringed lanes; the laughter of children is your soundtrack. Yoga stretches towards the rising sun, finding harmony in the gentle sway of the palm fronds. As dusk descends, a traditional Kathakali performance ignites your senses with vibrant costumes and evocative gestures, telling tales of gods and demons under a star-studded sky. As the largest hotel in Alleppey, Ramada stands as a testament to luxury and hospitality. Its majestic facade beckons travelers to explore a world within, where every need is met with grace and every desire is fulfilled. Venture inside, and the charm of this sanctuary unfolds—a realm that transcends the ordinary, inviting you to indulge in a symphony of comforts. Hunger finds solace in a symphony of flavors. In "World in the Pot," international delights pirouette with Kerala's fiery passion. The rooftop grill sizzles with exotic aromas and Caribbean beats intertwined with the gentle gurgle of the lake. Indulge in sweet surrender at Heavens Cake, where pastries as light as the clouds whisper promises of paradise. Rejuvenation blooms in the Ayurveda & Wellness Spa. The ancient rhythms of the earth resonate in holistic therapies, a tapestry woven with fragrant oils and the touch of expert hands. Let stress melt away in "Sea Scape," your body lulled by the rhythm of the waves. Royal treatments whisper the secrets of forgotten dynasties, leaving you reborn and invigorated. For those who dance to the beat of commerce, Ramada becomes a haven of productivity. Conference halls bathed in natural light hum with the energy of ideas, while boardrooms become chessboards for strategic minds. Impeccable service and state-of-the-art amenities ensure every business moment flows like the backwaters themselves, serene yet full of potential. As the final embers of the day paint the sky, find solace in "Pegs 'n' Pints," where laughter mingles with clinking glasses and live music sets your soul ablaze. Later, under the velvet curtain of night, a private houseboat becomes your oasis, the gentle sway of water serenading you into a dream woven with memories of Alleppey. This is the Ramada symphony, a crescendo of experiences where nature's grace intertwines with luxurious comfort. It is a canvas where you paint your own adventure, a kaleidoscope of moments as unique as the vibrant tapestry of Kerala itself. So, close your eyes, inhale the scent of spices, and let Ramada guide you on a journey to where serenity and spice dance a timeless waltz.

#Resorts in Alleppey #Best resorts in Alleppey #Best luxury resorts in Alleppey #5 star Hotels in Alleppey #Best honeymoon resorts in Alleppey #Best family resorts in Alleppey #Wedding resorts in Alleppey #Family resorts in Alleppey #Luxury family resorts in Alleppey #Premium resorts in Alleppey #Best backwater resorts in Alleppey #Premium houseboats in Alleppey #5 star resorts in Alleppey #Resorts in Alleppey with swimming pool #Wedding venues in Alleppey

[raccoonfallsharder]

starlorn .⋆☁︎:･꧂

[anticipated 4/22]

18+ only | rocket x f!oc | 6/25+ | wip | wordcount: pending.

pearl pleads her case. warnings below.

It had been obvious, even to those morons — someone had made massive changes to the system. Had improved it — made it better than ever. A couple idiots tried to claim credit but Tullk and the Captain had looked at them with dubious sneers on their faces, eyes half-squinted in disbelief. A few hours later, when the Captain had been alone in his quarters — that’s when the Monster had taken the risk.  Had talked to him. Now the monster sighs and scrubs his hands over his face. No use lamenting that particular tragedy. The summary of it is that he’d been searching for the same thing with Lylla, he knows. He’d escaped the Eclector and spent years in and out of prisons, making and losing money, hating the universe more and more. Until, blinded by his own greed — wanting someone, anyone to accept him, someone to be his, someone he could belong to — he’d had the idea to stalk Wyndham. To extort him. To demand a companion of his very own. The Monster had been reckless in his want for a friend, a partner, an ally — thinking he needed it, thinking he could have it — as if everything he was didn’t fly in the face of the natural order of things. As if there could be anything in this universe suited for him, when he himself had never been suited for anything but an incinerator. And his selfishness had resulted in another innocent lifeform being tortured and murdered. He can’t keep the pearl. He can’t take care of her out here, not the way she needs. Not the way she deserves. How could he be trusted to? He’d brutalized her when she was vulnerable, trapped in her gilded cage — gotten her all tied up in her pretty skirts and smashed her lovely face into the ground, like some kind of goddamn villain. He’s a selfish bastard but there’s a reason he stays solo these days.  Tying someone to himself is a guarantee that, at best, they’ll be miserable. Or worse:  they’ll be dead.  No, he tells himself sleepily, leaning back in his chair. The best thing he can do is drop her somewhere safe. Somewhere nice, and comfortable, and welcoming. Somewhere that’s suited to her, far better than he is. But — he should’ve cleaned her injuries tonight, he thinks hazily as his eyelids weigh themselves down over his blurring stare. The tangle of cables and buttons and switches on the ceiling slowly shadow away with every blink. He should’ve rebandaged her. He should’ve made sure she’d eaten; he should’ve— He jolts awake. It’s still the middle of the sleep shift, but he’s awake now, and he’s hungry. Maybe a snack, and he can dick around with the leftovers of the dismantled Hadron Enforcer, see if he can fashion anything smaller but equally devastating and destructive from the remnants— Except Wyndham’s pearl is gone.

from chapter seven. starlorn. ✩ cicatrix masterlist.⋆☁︎:･꧂

a story about scars. two survivors learn about themselves, each other, hope, and the universe. a freakish little monster visits the high evolutionary’s bride on her wedding night. an adventure of intergalactic proportions ensues. aka raccoons make plans; the universe laughs.

WARNINGS for this chapter: self-injury (biting), continued references to grooming and confinement. rocket’s explicit running commentary and the faintest whisper of d/s vibes. brief mention of bondage.

fluff ✮ | spice ✩ | some smut ❤︎‬ | much smut ❤︎‬❤︎‬

#cicatrix #fanfiction preview #rocket raccoon smut #rocket smut #gotg rocket #rocket raccoon lemons #gotg x oc #rocket raccoon x oc #angst with a happy ending #rocket raccoon #guardians of the galaxy #rocket raccoon fanfiction #gotg fanfiction #rocket gotg #gotg rocket x oc #rocket raccoon fanfic #rocketraccoon #rocket raccoon x original character #oc x rocket raccoon

[teachingmycattoread]

Things We've Yelled About This Episode #3.14

The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (any page references are to the Reader's Digest edition, which is the only physical copy we have in the house)

Does the dog die (website)

Scooby Doo

The Hound of the Baskervilles wikipedia article

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983)

Basil Rathbone (imdb)

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

Doctor Who (1963-1989, 2005-?)

Stranger Things (2016-?)

"Dr Mortimer looked strangely at us for an instant, and his voice sank almost to a whisper as he answered:

'Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!'" p. 153, The Hound of the Baskervilles

Looking into the camera like you're on The Office (meme)

The Locked Tomb series, Tamsyn Muir

Sherlock (2010-2017)

Sherlock is Garbage and Here's Why, hbomberguy (youtube)

Moon's haunted (meme)

"One of Sherlock Holmes’s defects—if, indeed, one may call it a defect—was that he was exceedingly loath to communicate his full plans to any other person until the instant of their fulfilment. Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature, which loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him. Partly also from his professional caution, which urged him never to take any chances. The result, however, was very trying for those who were acting as his agents and assistants. " p. 273, The Hound of the Baskervilles

Conan Doyle's belief in fairies (wiki)

Grimspound, Dartmoor (wiki)

Beowulf (our episode here)

Yeth-hound (wiki)

Buckfastleigh (wiki)

Bond Boys/Girls (wiki)

Piers Morgan

"I would have got away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids" (wiki)

a surprise tool that will help us later (meme)

Spiritualism (wiki)

Harry Houdini is an actual wizard (this post, wiki)

A Study in Scarlet, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (our episode here)

Miss Marple; Agatha Christie

Miss Marple parlour scene (this trope)

Found footage (wiki)

Dracula, Bram Stoker (our episodes here and here)

As far as I can tell, the G. K. Chesterton Afterword for the Reader's Digest edition of A Study in Scarlet and The Hound of the Baskervilles is an amalgamation of the essay "A Defence of Detective Stories" from his book The Defendant, and an essay simply called "Sherlock Holmes" that can be found in G. K. Chesterton: An Anthology, ed. D. B. Wyndham Lewis.

Steven Moffat (imdb)

Mark Gatiss (imdb)

Jeremy Brett (imdb)

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1988)

Ian Richardson (imdb)

Donald Churchill (imdb)

Brian Blessed (imdb)

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1981) (youtube)

Elementary (2012-2019)

Elementary Season 2 Episode 18, "The Hound of the Cancer Cells"; Season 4 Episode 16, "Hounded"

Buzzfeed Unsolved (youtube)

Hamlet, William Shakespeare (our episode here)

Benoit Blanc; Knives Out (2019), The Glass Onion (2022)

Eugenics (wiki)

Phrenology (wiki)

" 'It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull.' " p. 142, The Hound of the Baskervilles

Knives Out (2019)

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet, William Shakespeare; Act I Scene 5

Benny Hill theme tune (youtube)

Benoit Blanc in the no-smoking zone (youtube)

Rian Johnson (imdb)

Leverage (2008-2012)

This moment from Leverage Season 5 Episode 10, "The Frame Up Job"

" 'Funny weather we're having, isn't it?' he said, lamely.

'Is it?' said Crowley. 'I honestly hadn't noticed.' And he reversed back down the country lane in his burning car.'

'That's probably because your car is on fire," said R. P. Tyler, sharply." p.338, Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (2006 paperback)

Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (our episode here)

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (our episode here)

Cat Rating: 7/10

What Else Are We Reading?

The Locked Tomb series, Tamsyn Muir

Wheel of Time (2021-?)

Bernadette Banner on Wheel of Time (youtube)

Anno Dracula, Kim Newman (our episode here)

Next Time on Teaching My Cat To Read

Q&A

#tmctr #tmctr ref

[thebusinesspress]

Lucas Glover Hopes for Ryder Cup Redemption Following Back-to-Back Victories

Lucas Glover, the PGA Tour’s only golf player to secure consecutive wins this season, is now setting his sights on earning a place in the prestigious Ryder Cup competition. Glover’s recent triumphs at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship have thrust him into the spotlight and ignited whispered discussions about his possible inclusion in the American team. Over the past two…

View On WordPress

#featured

[acculock]

Come out this week to the #AAHOA Tri State Regional Conference in Mississippi! #RFID #mobilekey #hospitality #AAHOA #hotel #motel #RESORT #AIRBNB #ACCULOCK #HospitalityIndustry #HotelManagement #Onity #ilco #ving #ALS1 #Wyndham #choicehotels #hotelier #travel #hotels #resort #doorlocksystem #hospitality #businesstravel #smarthotel #smarthospitality #technology (at Whispering Woods Hotel) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoYLIMrpPRc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#aahoa #rfid #mobilekey #hospitality #hotel #motel #resort #airbnb #acculock #hospitalityindustry #hotelmanagement #onity #ilco #ving #als1 #wyndham #choicehotels #hotelier #travel #hotels #doorlocksystem #businesstravel #smarthotel #smarthospitality #technology

[gasstationb]

“But let me have silence always, in the centre of the shouting—that is essential! Let me have silence so that no pin may drop and not be heard, and not a whisper escape us for all our spouting, nor the needle's scratching upon this gramophone of a circular cosmic spot. Hear me! Mark me! Learn me! Throw the mind's ear open—shut up the mind's eye—all will be music!” ―Wyndham Lewis 📚 #gsbauthorquotes #gsbquoteswyndhamlewis #gasstationburrito #books #bookish #booksofinstagram #Bookporn bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #bookaholic #booklove #bookquotes #authorquotes #quotes #wyndhamlewis #silence #mindfulness #mindseye #mindsear #listen #whisper https://www.instagram.com/p/ClIZnQeutx5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#gsbauthorquotes #gsbquoteswyndhamlewis #gasstationburrito #books #bookish #booksofinstagram #bookporn #bookworm #booknerd #bookaholic #booklove #bookquotes #authorquotes #quotes #wyndhamlewis #silence #mindfulness #mindseye #mindsear #listen #whisper