#and one of the two becomes very boring and unimaginative for readers very fast

[non-un-topo]

The trick to writing about stuff you don't 100% know (which is everything) is to do it anyway, and leave plenty of things to the reader's imagination

[wooyunhwa2]

𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆 | 𝑱𝑾

Genre: smut

part 1 | part 2

Pairing: Wooyoung x fem reader

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: dom!wooyoung, biting, hair pulling, light psychological sadism, spanking (once), oral (giving and receiving), name calling (whore, slut), possessiveness 

Synopsis: The neighbor boy hits you with his motorcycle and invites you in for dinner, but he turns out to be a bit more trouble than he seems.

You had just moved in a week ago, but he’d already caught your eye. 

The neighbor boy. He was dark and mysterious, and unimaginably gorgeous, even from afar. Completely your type. He almost looked like a celebrity. You had gotten into a routine of watching him come home every day around the same time -- you could see him from your kitchen window, and made a point to wash the dishes and wait for the revving of his motorcycle as he pulled in. Obsessed? Hardly. Intrigued? Completely. You didn’t really know anyone in town yet, let alone your own neighbors. You weren’t usually one to get caught up in guys, in fact, it was usually the opposite. But on this day in particular, he didn’t pull in at his usual time. Eventually, you ran out of dishes to scrub and let it go, bored of waiting. It wasn’t very important to you to see him, but it had become a part of your routine to watch him get home. Oh well, you thought, tomorrow maybe. You noticed the trash was starting to overfill a bit. Maybe it was finally time to venture out and find the dumpster. Cinching up the trash bag from your kitchen, you headed out the door and onto the sidewalk. I wonder which way-

The next thing you knew, you were on the ground, taking the trash bag with you. Something had knocked the wind out of you, but it all had happened so fast. Your head spinning, vision a bit fuzzy, you tried to pull yourself to your feet. 

“Hey hey hey, whoa! Not so fast.” You looked up, your head still spinning, to a figure standing over you.  Leather jacket… black jeans… motorcycle helmet… the neighbor. Panic washed over you. The last way you wanted to make your introduction was in a clumsy accident involving a big bag of trash. You blinked slowly, trying to compose yourself and make sense of what had happened. “Stay down, okay? Are you alright? You came out of nowhere!” The neighbor boy knelt down to where you sat on the concrete. His voice was smooth, his tone caring, but a bit too loud for your current state.

“Wh-What happened?” You asked, your voice shaky. 

“Well, I was just pulling into my driveway... I guess I didn’t see you... and I think I hit you with my bike.” He pulled his motorcycle helmet off to reveal his jet black hair, cascading in gentle waves on either side of his face. You couldn’t help but notice that he was even more stunning up close, if that was even possible. His eyes showed concern for your current condition, but something about them was also piercing, intimidating. “It’s a good thing I was going slow. Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” You shook your head no. Maybe a scrape or two, but you felt okay. He extended his hand to help pull you up to your feet. 

“Do you make a habit of hitting girls with your bike, or is this a first?” you jested.

“This would be a first,” he said, a smirk dancing up on his lips. For a second, you thought he may have been checking you out, his eyes glancing up and down at you. Maybe he was just checking to make sure you were okay. “I feel really bad about hitting you. Really, even if you’re okay… look, I was just going inside to cook some pasta.” He gestured to a side pouch on his motorcycle. “I was just picking up some ingredients.” “You want me to come have dinner with you?” That came out harsher than intended. You were just taken aback by his sudden invitation. You weren’t dressed for a dinner date, especially with someone as handsome as him. “It’s the least I could do,” he continued. You were trying to be subtle, taking in his beauty as you watched him talk. “Come on. You just moved in right? We should get to know each other.”

“I guess I haven’t eaten yet…” His face lit up immediately. “Great! You head inside and get cleaned up. There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom on the left if you have any scrapes. I’ll take this for you.” He slung the trash bag you had dropped earlier over his shoulder. “By the way, I’m Wooyoung.” --

The whole time you were watching him cook dinner, you were entranced. He seemed to really know what he was doing in the kitchen. You didn’t expect him to be very good at cooking when he had invited you in to make you dinner. Perhaps it was the bad-boy persona, the motorcycle, the slightly cocky aura, but the man in the kitchen handling the food with such grace and care couldn’t possibly be the same Wooyoung who had hit you with his motorcycle not even 30 minutes ago. It wasn’t just his technique in the kitchen -- the pasta he made was heavenly. Maybe you were just starving, but you could have sworn this was the best pasta you had tasted in your life. You couldn’t believe he had made this.

As you ate dinner together, you made conversation, mostly small talk, introductions, flirtatious banter, everything you might talk about on a first date. But this wasn’t a first date… was it? You wondered if you might be misreading his signals. Clearly, this is a boy who could get any girl he wanted. He was just being nice for hitting you with his bike. However, the chemistry between the two of you was palpable, whether or not you believed he had any interest in you. He offered you a drink, a small glass of wine, which you accepted happily. It wasn’t much, but supplied some much needed courage. As you built up some confidence, you made a point to tuck your hair behind your ears, expose your collarbone a bit and visibly cross your legs, exposing some of your thigh from beneath your skirt. 

When you were both done eating, you helped him clean up, clearing the plates and dishes and bringing them into the kitchen. All of a sudden, he pushed you up against the counter, leaning in and pressing his lips close to your ear. His kind and flirtatious demeanor quickly turned darker.  “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. You’re not gonna get away with teasing me like that,” he whispered in a low voice, sending chills down your spine. Your whole body tensed at his sudden words. He pushed away from the counter, his eyes immediately brightening back into his formerly hospitable self. Flashing a sweet smile, he turned back towards the sink to finish washing your plates.

After dinner, he invited you to watch a movie with him. His earlier comment still echoed in your mind as you debated if you should stay, but you finally gave in to a sweet display of puppy dog eyes. He was charming, and he knew exactly how to work it to get what he wanted. You didn’t even last 15 minutes into the film before he initiated the first kiss. And god, he tasted good. Your lips entangled for several minutes, growing more passionate by the second. His fingers traced along your jaw, lacing through your hair before tugging your head back, peppering kisses and nibbles along the sensitive skin on your neck. You felt his teeth dig a little too hard into your neck and you let out an involuntary yelp. He didn’t even react, just moved back up to your lips, biting and pulling at them as you made out. He had you pinned against the arm of the couch you were both sitting on, his hands grabbing desperately at your waist, kneading at your skin through your skirt.

“Take it off,” he mumbled through kisses. You kept your lips pressed to his, ignoring him. He pulled away, his voice lowering into a deeper growl. “I said take it off.” Before you could react, he started undressing you himself, first your shirt, then your bra, then your skirt, until you were left in only your panties. His tone of voice scared you, calling you back to the unsettling moment in the kitchen.

He made his way from your lips down your neck, biting and marking as he moved his way down, marking and sucking your breasts, nibbling at your stomach and kissing your hip bones as he tugged your panties down your legs. 

“Be a good girl and stay still for me,” he cooed, from between your legs, holding both hands firmly down on your hips to keep them from bucking. His soft lips made his way from your thighs to between your legs, working his magic with his tongue. He was confident, and experienced, and immediately you knew you weren’t going to last very long. You threaded your fingers through his hair, guiding him, tugging and pulling at his dark locks to stabilize yourself. In just a few minutes he had you over the edge, releasing into pure bliss for a moment before snapping back to reality. 

“So quick,” He teased, with a smirk. “I bet I could get another.”

You were already overstimulated and sensitive, you couldn’t take another right now... “No, no…” you protested breathlessly. A dark smile pulled across his face, reveling in your current state. He toyed his fingers through your folds and watched you squirm and moan every time he reached somewhere sensitive. 

“If just my tongue did this to you imagine what my dick could do,” he said, a cocky grin plastered his face. He flipped you over on to your stomach, your arms and breasts draped over the arm of the couch. Without warning, he thrust into you fully, hollowing you out. You let out a deep yelp of surprise, nearly a scream. “Wooyoung, oh my God,” you cried. It hurt, and I’m sure he knew that. You sensed a pattern. He liked to watch how you reacted when he hurt you. He took your hair in one hand, tugging and pulling back on your head as he thrust. Slow, slow, fast. Fast, fast, faster. Slow. He was fucking with you. 

You let out several frustrated moans, a mix of pleasure and frustration.

“Shh. I know you like it,” he cooed. “You’re soaking wet for me.” “I do like it- you just- you don’t have to be so sud- ah--” Your words were cut off as he made another deep, hard thrust into you, tugging at your hair. He delivered a hard smack to your ass. There was no way that wasn’t going to bruise. 

He let up his games for a few minutes, finally pushing in and out of you at a steady pace. “Fuck-- ah-- please don’t stop--” you moaned out. 

Wrong move. Right then, he pulled out of you entirely. He tugged your hair back and leaned down to your ear, “What was that? You wanted me to stop?”

You gritted your teeth. His sadism was so apparent now. He loved watching you squirm under his control. You decided to appeal to him, act submissive, speak to his dominant side. “Wooyoung, please… I need you to fuck me.”

His voice deepened into a low growl in your ear. “I don’t care what you need. I’m going to do exactly what I want to you, and you’re gonna be a good girl for me.” His voice, his words, sent shivers down your spine. You didn’t know where this side of him came from. He went from hitting you with his motorcycle, to his caring and flirtatious introduction, his elegant cooking, his sweet and charming demeanor at the dinner table, his threats in the kitchen, now his taunting, sadistic grin. He was a rollercoaster ride… and you didn’t want to get off. 

He flipped you over so you were facing him now, tipping your chin up to meet his eyes. Drawing closer, his voice got deep again. Scary. “This is for teasing me earlier.”

“I don’t know what I-” 

“You know what you did. You know exactly what you did at the dinner table. Now you’re gonna be a good whore, okay?” 

You stared at him wide eyed, not sure what to say. You didn’t realize your light teasing at the dinner table was going to evoke such a strong reaction. The hand that was tipping your chin up to meet his hooded gaze suddenly moved to your lips. His thumb hooked on your lower lip, forcing your mouth open, before shoving his dick through the opening he made. You took his cock well into your mouth, sucking, licking, pumping, obeying his wish. He somehow got you exactly where he wanted you: submissive and at his will. He pulled out just at the right moment to release himself on your exposed chest, painting your breasts with his cum. His expression softened as he brought his hand down to stroke your hair softly. “You were so good for me.” He leaned in closer, placing a soft kiss on your forehead before whispering, “Don’t make me show you what I’m capable of if you tease me like that again.”

Suddenly, you had the urge to tease him. The two of you got dressed. There was something calming, and surprisingly not awkward, about the silence as you slipped your clothes back on. Finally, you exchanged goodbyes, not even addressing what just happened between the two of you. As you left out the door, there was a dark, sadistic glimmer in his eye, as he waved.  “Bye, neighbor.”

[risottoneroo]

Between His Fingers, Chapter Two

a/n: so it looks like i’ll be updating weekly! this one is longer, and i hope u guys like it!

tags: @kakyoins-bang​ @i-mean-i--guess​ @spaceeballs​ @casketjuice​

warnings: minors in a strip club, reader is disguised as a cocktail waitress, some very mild sexual content, mentions of Dio grooming(?) reader, stand fights, canon typical violence

chapter one

one year later

“Find the Joestars, huh?” You muttered under your breath. “Seems easy.”

You looked around the Saudi Arabian strip club you were currently disguised as a cocktail waitress for. The disguise was a leather tube dress, accentuating your curves and showing a little window between your tits. It didn’t disguise the scars high on your back, covering your shoulders in a crude impression of wings. Your Stand, in materializing, had seared its wings onto your back forever. Your scars didn’t bother you. 

You were still more than pretty, and decidedly more confident. In just one year, you’d gotten very good at seduction and deception. Dio was a good teacher. You’d practiced in clubs just like this, finding men and making them buy you pretty things, before leaving without so much as a phone number. You were well known in Cairo for this trick.  Dio knew how to get his way, and now, so did you. He’d been reluctant to let you leave his mansion, but it was necessary to get rid of the Joestars. 

He didn’t like you smoking, and only let you do it in the bars you frequented to make money off stupid men. Your loyalty to Dio was such that you were even trying to stop that habit, but in this dark, hazy club, it was hard to not want a fucking cigarette. You took a deep breath and scanned the crowd.

Dio had said they’d be the tallest and worst dressed people there. You held back a snort. Like Dio had room to pass judgement on who was worst dressed. Regardless, the group you were focused on was definitely the tallest. Worst dressed? Debatable. Highly so. It wasn’t well lit in here, and they were a few yards away, but the biggest one was wearing some kind of school uniform. It looked tight, but he also looked very good in it. He looked bored, a cigarette dangling from his lips and surrounding them in smoke. Fuck. 

The next one was a redhead, with long, messy hair. His outfit was far from messy, being a much tidier school uniform. He looked uptight, but he was still pretty cute. He looked as if he was trying to communicate to the other man there that he didn’t want to be there. It was too loud for you to hear anything, the bass pounding in your chest. 

The last man was definitely the worst dressed. Even compared to Dio. A black shirt with one strap, slicked up hair, and white pants with boots? Wow. There was a lot of bad taste in that package. He looked drunk to top it off, and was laughing at the redhead. 

You started to make your way over. As you came closer, their conversation became audible over the bass. 

“Come on, Kakyoin, lighten up! Have a little fun!”

“We shouldn’t be here. It’s too public. Especially with the blood bond, Dio definitely tracked us here.”

You stifled a laugh, coming up to sit on their table. You put on a bubbly, airheaded front and said, “Who’s Dio, handsome?”

The redhead glowered. “Nobody.”

The biggest one snorted and flicked his cigarette ash behind the seat. You smiled charmingly. “Well, can I get you any drinks, boys?”

The one with slicked up hair nodded, already staring at your legs. The redhead seemed to be trying not to look at your tits, but failing miserably. He was blushing madly. The tall, dark haired one was impassive. He glanced you up and down. “A beer for me. I don’t care what kind. The drooling one gets water. Eh! Polnareff!”

The worst dressed of the bunch managed to tear himself away from your legs and look at the tall one. “Oui, JoJo?”

“Jojo” sighed and pulled his hat over his eyes. “Yare yare daze.”

You perked up. “Are you Japanese?”

He nodded. The redhead nodded with him, and said, “We both are. Japanese students.”

Time to gush. You gasped. “That’s so cool! What’s your names?”

The redhead glanced at his friends and smiled at you. He seemed to be warming up to you, which was good. “I’m Noriaki Kakyoin, that’s Jotaro Kujo, and the drunk one over there is Jean Pierre Polnareff.”

You had identified them from Dio’s descriptions by now, but he was cute. Kujo was the one with the most dangerous Stand, though they were all very powerful, and Kakyoin and Polnareff were both deserters from Dio. That couldn’t stand.

 You opened your mouth to say something else, and Jotaro got tired of it. “Eh, woman. Get us our drinks already.”

You smiled and stood up, walking over to him and straddling his lap. He averted his eyes, grumbling. Polnareff whooped. “Get it, Jojo!”

Kakyoin chuckled at him. Your smile turned to a smirk. “Now, is that any way to speak…”

You ground down on his lap and whispered in his ear, “To a fellow Stand user?”

Jotaro stiffened against you, becoming a wall of flexed muscle. His hands closed on your neck, and you smirked. “First mistake, Kujo… My Stand isn’t limited by me.”

A wing flicked out from your back. It threw Kakyoin and Polnareff against the wall. Kakyoin hit with a grunt and crumpled, and Polnareff went limp on impact. Your Stand’s hands materialized around Jotaro’s throat, burning through his skin. Its other pair of arms materialized around his wrists, searing skin and burning into his flesh. He cried out, not expecting the heat of your Stand. His grip slackened, and you pushed off him and jumped a few yards away. The music had stopped and people were fleeing the club at the first sign of trouble. You smirked. “You might be fast, but nothing can stop the holy light of my Stand, Angel of Judgement. It suggests the Judgement card in the tarot deck, and it will not rule in your favor, Kujo. My name is Y/N. You’d better remember that when you’re begging for mercy.”

His hand was on his neck, feeling the burns. “How is your Stand tangible, woman?”

You said, “It’s not. My Stand has harnessed ultraviolet light and radiation. It radiates the light of Heaven, and that light is still intangible, even if it sears your flesh, Kujo.”

It materialized behind you, and Jotaro squinted. It didn’t make any sense. It was almost as humanoid as Star Platinum, but much more graceful and angelic in appearance. It… No. She had four arms, three heads, and uncountable wings, pinwheeling around it like a halo. Her body was covered in countless eyes, opening, closing, blinking, glowing. It shone with an unimaginable radiance, lighting up the dingy club and setting the tables close to it aflame. Staring at it was giving him a headache. He shook his head and looked away. The moment it saw him turn away, it attacked. Your Stand grabbed his jaw and slammed him into the wall. He slumped to the floor, hand shaped burns littered on his body and his head bleeding onto the floor. You licked your lips. “Damn, Kujo. I’d hoped for more. Where’s that famous Stand of yours?”

He looked up and coughed. “As the old man says, ‘The moment an enemy starts to gloat about victory, they have already lost.’ Where is my Stand, you ask? Behind you, bitch.”

You gasped and whipped your Stand around, but Star Platinum was already there. Its fist crashed into your Stand’s jaw, and your vision went black.

You woke up in a hotel bed, with warm sheets over you. You sighed and stretched before remembering what had happened last night. Shit. Where were you? You got up and looked around.  It was a hotel room with two large beds, one of which was made neatly and one of which you had just gotten out of. You heard something faintly. Muffled conversation was happening outside. You crept to the door to listen. The redheaded one was talking. Kakyoin? Yeah. “You removed it?”

Jotaro spoke. “Of course I did.”

Kakyoin breathed a sigh. “Good. She’s no longer a threat?”

Jotaro must have shrugged. Kakyoin spoke again. “Her name again?”

Jotaro huffed an irritated breath. “Y/N. I told you. She told you. Yare yare daze...”

Kakyoin must have nodded.

You noticed you felt different, and immediately touched your forehead. No flesh bud, only a bandage. You sighed, then noticed you were in a long shirt, your bra, and underwear. You shrieked. Someone had seen you naked. Your scream brought in the two inhabitants of the room, Jotaro and Kakyoin. Kakyoin looked frazzled. “What’s wrong?”

You stood up. Oh. Fuck, they were tall. Standing tall, you reached Kakyoin’s shoulder, and Jotaro was at least half a foot taller than him. 

It didn’t matter. You mustered up your courage. “Where are my clothes?”

Kakyoin glared at Jotaro, who looked even more stoic. “I told you she wouldn’t be happy about us undressing her.”

Jotaro glanced at you, pulling his hat down. “Yare yare. We thought you’d be more comfortable like this.”

You glared at him. “Where are my clothes?”

Kakyoin pointed to the armoire. You pulled out your clothes and your bag, which you supposed someone else had grabbed. You went into the bathroom, feeling considerably irritated. You pulled on a pair of shorts, and a tank top from your bag. You stared in the mirror. You looked decent, except for the bruise on your jaw from Jotaro. 

Fuck, you wanted a cigarette. You took a deep breath. Stay calm. 

You went back out, carrying your bag and the shirt they’d dressed you in. “Whoever owns this shirt can have it back.”

Jotaro reached and took it. You shook your head and chuckled a bit. Kakyoin looked confused. “What’s funny?”

You smiled. “You two are hopeless with women, huh?”

Kakyoin flushed. “Uh.…well.”

He scratched the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. “Yeah.”

You walked to him and craned your neck up to see him. “It’s okay.”

You put your hands on his shoulder to pull him down, and kissed his cheek, then did the same to Jotaro. Kakyoin flushed bright red. Jotaro grumbled. “Yare yare daze.”

He pulled his hat down to hide his blush. You laughed at him. He glared at you through his flushed cheeks. “Watch it, woman.”

Kakyoin hid a smile. Jotaro turned away and walked out the door. Before he left, he turned back, refusing to look directly at you. “The old man wants to talk to you.”

He slammed the door behind him. Kakyoin smiled at you and mussed your hair. “I think he likes you.”

You glared at him. “Don’t be dumb, Kakyoin.”

Kakyoin laughed. “Call me Noriaki. Nobody else does.”

You frowned at him. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Kakyoin blushed. “Well, I…”

You cocked your head. “Whatever you say, Noriaki.”

You walked after Jotaro. Kakyoin stared after you. He’d been joking about Jojo, but he was starting to realize that he himself really liked you.

[multific]

Witch of the Forest

Tom Holland x Reader

Witch AU! 17th Century AU!

Summary: You always knew that no one would accept you for who and what you are, but when you meet a strange man in the woods, everything changes.

Warnings: Mentions of smut, blood

Being all alone all the time had taken a toll on you.

It’s not like you chose this way of life anyway. You were forced to run away from your village due to the fact that people thought you are a witch.

Which you are, but that’s not the point.

You never knew who your parents were, you were an orphan, always alone, but at least in the village, you had friends. And even a crush on the blacksmith’s handsome son.

Sure, you were in possession of powers that others found scary, but you never used it to harm others, if anything, you helped a lot of people. You had a happy life.

But then, the unimaginable happened.

A group of young girls claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. You watched many people die, part of you felt guilty, since they were killed because they were accused of something that you are.

It didn’t matter if the women made sense or not, in the eyes of the men, all of their words were true. They believed them anyway. It felt like you were the only one who didn’t believe them. You knew they were doing this out of jealousy or boredom.

Then trials started. Every woman was suspicious, and you knew, if you won’t run, you’d die like the others. And probably even exposed.

So, you ran.

Far far away from that place with the little stuff you had.

You heard tales about a witch living in the forbidden forest. You went there and found her. Fortunately for you, she didn’t have bad intentions. She lived alone because she was afraid that she would be killed because of her powers. So, she decided to live in the woods and because people were afraid of that place, no one ever came around.

She taught everything that she knew. She had many books and she taught you how to read. She was beautiful, intelligent and nothing like what you heard from people. People talk, and they say that she baths in blood to keep her skin tight and young, that’s a lie, she uses a special cream that she made from herbs. People say that she seduces men and drowns them in the lake, but that’s a lie also, she only leaves her house for herbs and to do the washing. People say that she dances around fire and worships Satan while naked, that’s also a lie because she wears clothes while she dances.

Yes, she sold her soul to the devil, yes, she can do stuff that others cannot, yes, she can seduce all the men that’s out there. Yes, she’s a witch and so are you.

But she was like a mother to you.

One day, she said she would leave to collect herbs but she never came back.

You were never able to figure out if she was killed, kidnapped or she just simply left, because she had enough of you.

But that was two years ago.

And now, you were the Witch of the forest. The scary murderer who bathes in blood and dances around fire, or at least that’s what people thought.

Your days were rather normal actually. And selling yourself to Satan had its perks. For example, you could use magic to grow things, to heal things and to protect your home.

But, you started to get more and more bored as time went on.

You needed something to happen, something or someone to keep you entertained. Even if demons often visited your place, looking for a soul or body to take, but they weren’t lucky with you, to say the least. They always left or died, so they weren1t good companions.

You thought about going back to your old village and revenge those who were killed, but it seemed to be too much effort. Even if you could burn the whole place down with only a flick of your finger, you didn’t want to harm the innocent.

You thought that may be another pet would do it. A dog or a cat. But in the middle of the forest, it would be difficult to find such animals. All you ever saw was deer, rabbits, and boars.

And one day, you found a white rabbit sitting in front of your door. You knew that it was no ordinary animal. Your spells were too strong for the demon in bunny form, but instead of killing it, you let it go. You told it to leave and never attack you ever again. Then, the strangest thing happened, it decided to stay with you. It said that because you speared its life, it will serve you. It said that its name was Zurak.

And that’s how you got a demon as a pet. The fearful witch of the forbidden forest and it’s white fluffy demon bunny. Sounds intimidating, right?

But that was your life now.

Out of boredom on a nice sunny day, you went for a walk with Zurak. Since you put a spell on your home, even if you’d wander very far, you’d find a way back to it.

So, off you went, with your bunny friend. Although you saw his true form, you were never afraid of demon nor ghosts, she taught you how to deal with them and you got used to them rather fast.

You went to your usual spot, the river. It was a small river splitting the forest into two, with a beautiful waterfall not far from where you were.

You sat down to your spot and started reading. Meanwhile, Zurak was wandering off, making sure its master won’t get attacked.

You were reading your book when a sudden feeling overcame you. You looked up to the sky.

“Oh, it will rain soon.”

And soon enough, the sunny day turned into a storm. You always loved the rain, the smell, and the noise calmed you. The forest was usually silent, but with the rain, it finally had something going on.

Suddenly a ramble came from the other side of the river, since the bushes were thick, you couldn’t see what made the noise. But your senses were on high alert, so, it must be a human.

Zurak was also on high alert, right in front of your sitting form, but you pulled its ears and said.

“Stay here, only attack if I tell you.” it nodded and you placed your book next to it. You walked out of the shelter of the tree and into the rain, you easily walked over the water and stopped in front of the bushes.

“Who’s there?” you called out not even an ounce of fear in your voice.

“Please.” called a weak voice.

“I won’t fall for your trap, either come out, or I’ll burn you where you are.” you heard noises and you saw a figure struggling to stand.

“I have been attacked. Don’t hurt me, I’m not here to harm you.” said the figure at it stood up, well, as best as he could. You noticed that it was a male, probably a bit younger than you, and he stood funny, which indicated that his left leg was injured, or he pretended that it was.

But then the smell of blood hit you. You had to make a quick decision. Trust the person and treat his injury and you might get hurt or exposed, or leave him there.

You quickly turned to Zurak.

“Scan the area, check if he’s alone.” the man looked at the white bunny, who ran off with a strange expression.

“I’m alone. A-are you the witch?” he started to back off, obviously scared. Even if you had never hurt another human in your entire life, people just assume you did, because of the fact that you had magic.

“I am. So then you don’t need my help? I can tell just by the smell of your wound that if you leave now, you’ll either lose your leg or your life. You chose.”

“W-why would I die? It’s just a cut.”

“Hmm. Yes a deep cut. Infection, bacteria, or you can even bleed to death. Your chose boy. Do you want the help of the witch who can actually help you or stay here?”

Before he could answer Zurak came back.

“Clear.” it said.

Now, the boy was terrified. His leg hurt, he needed help and to his luck he met the witch and a rabbit that talked.

“D-did that rabbit just….”

“HEY. I don’t have much time. Either me or death chose!” you started to become impatient. Maybe he just came to the forest because he heard the rumors and wanted to see a witch for himself, maybe he was running for something, at any event you didn’t care. You were willing to help, but your patience was running out.

“P-please.” he finally said, his eyes never leaving the white rabbit.

***

One question lingered in your mind as you sat in front of the fireplace in your home while the storm outside got worse.

Why did you bring the boy home?

You could have just gave him the cream that would heal him and leave. But no, being the lonely human that you were, you brought him to your house.

You never imagined that you’d do such a thing.

But as soon as you put the treatment on his wound, he got worse. He started to have a high fever and he fainted.

The worst part was that you had to place him in your bed, and the fact that he was a heavy man didn’t help at all.

***

Tom woke up he felt a slight pain shoot across his whole body.

Where am I? was his first thought.

He remembered that his village was under attack by others. He wanted to defend his home, save his family, but he miserably failed.

After he watched his whole family getting slaughtered, he got shot by an arrow on the leg. He remembered running. As far as his legs would take him, then he fell and passed out. When he woke up, it was sunny, he heard noises behind him and out of fear he started running again, but his leg got worse, it caused him to fall which only cause further problems. He remembered all the blood that run down his leg, he remembered the cut that was caused by a rock. Then, it started raining. He remembers hiding in a bush. Then a voice. A woman. You.

His eyes shot open as he suddenly sat up on the bed. He observed the small house that he was in. He was all the different bottles and herbs and a strange symbol was on the wall. When his eyes wandered he saw that a bunny was sitting at his leg on the bed.

Tom was too afraid to move, even to look away. He was sure that the thing would kill him if he moved an inch. But the bunny stood up and walked out of the house.

I need to get out of here.

But when he moved to stand, his left leg was… missing?

WHAT? Did she?

“You are finally up, you were out for three days. Lucky you, your fever went down, but sadly, I couldn’t save your leg. Who thought that sleeping in mud with an open bleeding would cause harm, right, boy?”

“What did you do to me?” Tom was now angry. Very angry.

“Saved your life? And I would appreciate if you didn’t yell. I’m not used to others talking let alone yelling.”

“You took my leg off so I couldn’t run? What kind of sick bitch are you-“ Tom was stopped when you were at his throat with a knife, you slightly pushed the blade into his skin, making it bleed just a little.

“Listen here you little brat! No one calls me that especially not after I SAVED their life! Show some respect, I could have just left you there, but NO, I dragged you here and helped. So, I’d appreciate if you’d stop yelling, accusing and think for a minute damn it! Just because I’m a witch it doesn’t mean that I’m bad!” you were looking dead into his widened eyes.

A minute later, you pulled back and sat down at the table next to the bed. You started cutting up some vegetables and placed a pot over the fire. You started making lunch while your guest moved back, with his back against the wall, Tom watched you move, his mind blank.

“S-sorry.” he finally muttered, he knew you heard him since you stopped moving for a millisecond.

You really weren’t used to people anymore. Maybe you were a bit harsh to him.

“Zurak go find some meat for lunch.” the rabbit nodded and took off running.

You walked sat back in your chair and looked at the boy.

“My name is Y/N.” soon the boy lifted his head and looked at you.

“Tom. My name is Tom Holland. I’m sorry. I gave into the assumptions to easy and accused you when you helped me. Thank you for saving me.” he finally said.

“Y-you’re welcome. Say, how old are you?”

“Twenty-two.” so he was two years younger than you.

”Why do you speak so funny? Can’t you speak normally?”

“I-My family, we came from a place far from here. We settled down in a village near the forest. But one day the village got attacked. I tried to help and save my family, but it was no use. I watched my mother getting stabbed, my father got torn apart and my brothers… killed, all of them. And then, I got hurt, I ran, and that’s how we… met.”

“I only asked why you spoke funny, I didn’t need your life-time story, boy.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Don’t look so sad. At least you are alive, that’s something.” he looked down at his hands and moved the blanket to take a look at his missing leg, at least what was left of it.

“What did you do with it?”

“Well… Zurak ate it of course. Why? Do you need it?” you looked out the window, watching as the wind blew the leaves. “Sorry, bad joke.” you needed to work on the way you spoke with him.

“No, it’s okay. I just… How will I walk?” you looked back at him as he was asking you.

“Don’t know. Figure out something. But you can stay. I mean, I never had a guest.”

“Never? What about the bunny?”

“It doesn’t count. Demons are not humans.”

“So, it’s a… demon.”

“It’s a lot to take in, huh?”

“I think… I want to hear more, I mean it’s not like I will be able to leave, so might as well know more about you. I never imagined that I would speak to the Witch of the forest. I heard many stories about you.” Tom felt all these weird emotions. At first, he was angry but now, you were the first person besides his family to speak to him and care for him without any other intentions.

“You know. I never met a man like you. I lived in a village before, and since I moved here, I was alone after the woman who lived here before I left but, aren’t you scared?” he looked scared. And maybe he was, but Tom was curious in nature.

“A bit. But I’m more scared of your pet than of you.”

“That might be a mistake, since I’m its master, so I’m more powerful. So, what would you like to know? OH, no tell me first, what stories do they tell in the village about me?”

“O-okay. There is one that you came to the village on night and seduced ten men, and when you killed them, you drank their blood.”

“Eww.” you made a disgusted face. “First of all, I haven’t left the forest for the last five years, and drinking blood? Disgusting. Tell me another.” Tom moved a little, but he couldn’t help and notice that you were interested. You didn’t have anyone to talk to, did you?

“Umm, let’s see. I heard from a woman that she was you dancing around a fire naked while singing a song. She said that you tried to make her become a witch. But that must be a lie too right? I mean, you said that you never met anyone besides the woman who lived here.”

“Well, certain parts are true, surprisingly. I do dance around fire to honor my lord, but I’m never naked. And I do sing a song, but that’s about it.”

Silence took over in the house. You just looked at Tom as he processed everything.

“Meat.” came the voice of Zurak. Lucky for you, the demon broke the awkwardness.

***

The following month went like that. Tom asked questions, you answered and you also asked questions.

He slowly got used to the fact that he lived with someone who worshiped Satan, danced around a fire while singing a song. He got used to Zurak, but he never wanted to see the true form of it. Tom got used to the symbol on the wall, which you explained was a protector of the home. Tom got used to the fact that he lost his leg, he only had half of his thigh. He tried to think of ways to help him. A stool that had a long “leg” part was what he tried and it worked in a way, but he couldn’t take more than a few steps before collapsing. Well, at least he could walk from bed to the table. And it was all thanks to you, he got a new chance for life which he decided, he will live fully.

Tom slowly but surely got used to the fact that he was living with a powerful witch. It only took him a full year to fully settle with the loss he suffered.

“You should shave.” you told him. You were currently having dinner on a winter evening. Exactly a year and a month after you met him.

“Why? I like the beard!” he pouted.

“Well, I don’t. It makes you look old.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know how to shave.” he finally admitted after he took a spoonful of his stew and swallowed it.

“You don’t?” you looked at him confused.

“No. My father showed me once, but I always ended up cutting myself, so my mum helped me.”

“Then, after dinner, I’ll cut it for you.”

“I don’t want to trouble you. You still need to finish that spell up.”

“Right. But your hairy face is distracting. So, I’ll do it.”

After dinner, you washed the dishes and helped Tom back to his bed. Right, you ended up making another bed for him to sleep in instead of yours. You placed his bed to the foot of yours. It fitted there perfectly.

You got a bowl of water and your blade.

“Which way?”

“I know the technique.” you placed the blade in his hand and let him show you the motion in front of his face.

You took your time, making sure not to hurt him as you shaved his beard off. When you were done, you placed the bowl and blade down and grabbed a cloth to clean his face.

“There is the handsome face. I haven’t seen it in over a year.” Tom’s eyes shot up at you.

“Handsome? You think I’m handsome?” your face flushed as you blushed.

“W-well, you are not ugly that’s for sure.”

“What parts do you find handsome?” he asked, you thought that you never saw him being this serious before, only when he talked about his family.

“Maybe…Your cheeks.” you never felt like this before. As the light of the fire illuminated his face, you didn’t notice that your fingers traced his face as you spoke. It was like a spell that he used on you. “Than your eyes. So pretty. Even your eyebrows, they are masculine and your forehead, your wrinkles and your jawline, sharp.” your finger moved from his jaw to his chin up to his lips. “And you lips. Thin but they are so… inviting.” you didn’t know when the two of you got so close, you only noticed it when he kissed you. Your eyes closed as you melted into the kiss. He placed his hand on the bed to help himself sit up while the other went into your hair. You placed your on his chest. Even if his movements were limited. He somehow still found things to do, which ended up helping his muscles and he gained a rather nice body figure. The hard muscle of his chest under your palm was a proof of that.

What was this feeling?

Was it…

Love?

Suddenly you opened your eyes and pushed him back.

“Sorry.” said both of you at the same time.

***

After that, everything was awkward for the rest of the night. You went to bed, but all you could hear was the overwhelming beating of your heart and the fire crackling.

Even Zurak felt the heavy atmosphere and decided to leave for the night with your permission of course.

Both of you, pretending to be asleep.

Tom got tired of it and spoke up.

“Are you asleep, Y/N?” but you didn’t answer. “It doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you anyway. If you are up, please listen if not…I’ll just have to tell you this again tomorrow.” you could hear him taking a long breath and he started to talk.

“I think have fallen in love with you. In the beginning, I was so so scared of you, but that was my judgmental side. Since I heard people talk about this mythical being that kills for fun, but you are not like that. Sure, you have weird habits, like the dancing and the demons that come here, but I learned to adore you for those too. I think you are caring, you can be funny even if some of your jokes are rather dark, you are the most intelligent person that I ever knew, your smile literally brightens the whole world up. I’m not asking for you to feel the same way towards me, I could never, how could I? I’m not even a whole man, I can’t do anything besides sitting and crawling, and those jumping movements don’t count. I-I just, I’m hopelessly in love.” Tom looked at your figure, he believed that you were asleep, so he moved to lay down himself, but he noticed you sitting up and you moved towards him, you sat down in front of him. And to his surprise, you slapped him in the face. All he heard was a loud slap and he was facing the wall the next second with a burning cheek.

“Don’t ever say that again!” he looked back at you with a shocked expression. You were calm. “You ARE a man. You helped me so much not just physically, but spiritually. I wasn’t alone finally. Sure, we had a bumpy beginning, but now… I never told you this, but remember that I said that the village I lived in, where I had to run from, there was a boy?” he nodded.

“You said he was your friend.”

“Which he was, but I wanted more. I thought I loved him. He was handsome, intelligent a hard worker and a kind soul. But when the girls started accusing others of witchcraft, he was the first to jump to conclusions. He never thought anything through. So, I was finally able to see his true side.”

“He was really handsome huh?” you looked into his eyes.

“That’s all you got from that? Never mind. My point is, I thought it was love, but now I know, it wasn’t because what I feel for you is so much more. Passion, affection. I want to protect you, hug you and love you. And I wanted you to love me. And now that you said it. I’m so happy.” you smiled at him which he reciprocated.

“So, can I… kiss you?” you gave him a nod and without hesitation, he captured your lips with his own.

His tongue danced with yours as you melted into his touch once again, but this time, you let yourself fully relax.

He slowly laid back on the bed with you on top of him, your lips never once broke the passionate kiss.

A few heated moments passed and Tom had to pull back to get air back into his lungs, meanwhile you started kissing his neck.

“Am I too fast?” you asked when you pulled back to look at him.

“No.” was his answer, and he started kissing your neck. When he finally found that sweet spot, you let out a moan.

It was the best sound he ever heard. So, Tom made it to be his mission to make you moan as much as you can.

And after that, on that cold winter night, you let out more and more moans as your bodies became one.

You could tell that Tom was ashamed that you had to do all the work. But once you showed him a position that would make him be the top, he really got into it, literally.

And now, after your long lovemaking session, you were sleeping on his chest, listening to his heartbeat in his ribcage.

“I love you.” you told him, his hand stopped stroking your back and pulled you close to him.

“I love you too.”

***

You were finally happy.

You had a man who loved you cared for you and accepted you the way you are. You knew, he would never leave you and would always be there for you.

After a few days he figured out a way to help him walk. He made a weird contraption using fur and wood. He ended up with a weird looking product. And people called you a witch when he just made that.

The thing helped him walk for longer distances and he was finally able to walk to the river and to the nearby field with you. He also started spending more and more time outside, helping with the plants.

The two of you started having more serious conversations. Mostly about the future. A future, together.

Tom often talked about having children. Or even just one. He often said that he always wanted a big family and a home.

Now, he had a home, and woman who he truly loved and she loved him.

But you just weren’t sure about kids. You weren’t against the idea. But the fact that you lived isolated was a big factor, a child will need friends and others to be around. It wouldn’t be fair to bring a child into this world and not let them explore.

To this, Tom said.

“I know you are scared of that, but didn’t you just said that people are building a house near here? How about we befriend them?”

“It’s a couple. And I sensed an aura coming from them, one of them is certainly a witch.”

“Then there shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s greet them, and we will see where it takes us.”

And that you did.

The couple built a simple home for themselves on the other side of the river. They were welcoming, the female was called Amber and the male’s name was Harrison.

You quickly became friends. They moved for the same reason that you did and as you found out, the male was the witch. They were married and Amber was already pregnant, in fear of losing their baby, they moved out here. They heard about the witch that lived there but never believed in it until they met you, but one thing they did find suspicious, the bunny following you around. But you never actually explained it to them.

So now, you not only had someone you loved, but friends too.

“How about marriage?” Tom said one night as you were getting ready for bed. He was already laying down. Zurak was in front of the fireplace, watching the fire crack and burn.

“You have been around Harrison too much. Imagine this. A witch, who worships the devil, goes into a church wearing a white dress that supposedly represents her pureness, which we both know, you took. She stands in front of a huge cross that has Jesus on it and a priest comes in and makes her married in the eye of God. Yeah sounds like a party.”

“Not like that. How about we have it our own way? You can wear a dark dress all I care about is that I want to vow my life to you.” you stared at him for a minute.

“Zurak. Say, if I tell you, will you wed me to this man?”

“I can repeat meaningless words that mean something to you, if that’s what you meant, Master Y/N.”

“Then let’s do it.” you stood in front of the bed and waited for Tom to move.

“Wait, now?”

“Why not? Are you busy?”

“No, but shouldn’t we do it…like outside, in a nice place… you know romance?”

“Okay, then tomorrow?”

“That should be fine.” he said with the biggest smile on his face.

The next day came faster than ever, you found yourself wearing a simple dress as you and Tom walked into the forest and stopped under the cherry blossom tree. And since it was spring, the tree was in bloom, giving your ‘wedding’ a rather nice feeling.

Zurak made an excellent job at being a “priest”. Even if he freaked Tom out when Zurak turned into its true, dark, gloomy, shadowy, tall self. Even if it gave off a dark, depressing atmosphere, nothing could have ruined that day for the two of you.

On that day, under that pink tree, you became the happiest woman alive.

You “married” the love of your life. Shared your thoughts and vows with each other. And as you kissed under that tree, with petals falling around you, with his arms holding you to him, you knew, the Witch of the forest had found true and pure happiness.

“I love you Tom.” you told him as he hugged you.

“I love you too, my little witch.”

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[wittystarkk]

The Last Five Years || Bucky Barnes || Part Seven

author: wittystark

word count: 2.8k

relationship: James “Bucky” Barnes/Reader

chapter title: A Summer In Ohio

A/N: Reader is in Ohio for the production of a script she'd written, and she misses her new husband.

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(Y/N) groaned when her phone reflected her own face at her, Bucky’s name in white font set across her forehead and “Dialing…” in smaller white font underneath that. She was sat on the uncomfortable mattress in her rundown apartment for the summer, exhaustion setting in after two miserable days of poor sleep and too much work. Her legs ached from swimming across the lake the day before, attempting to relieve (or rather, escape) her stress from the director of the play forcing her to rewrite the entirety of the second act. She wanted to brain the director to death with her laptop, and the fact that she was unable to talk to Bucky for two consecutive days wasn’t helping the problem. 

The moment he told her he was free she’d pressed the “FaceTime” button on her screen so fast she had hardly been aware she’d actually done it. Now she was sitting in jittery anticipation, listening to the dull dings of the ringer. 

When her phone changed from “Dialing…” to “Connecting…” her entire body tensed, her bottom lip tucking between her teeth. Bucky’s handsome face finally appearing on her screen made her heart ache with longing underneath her ribs. “Hi, baby.”

He gave her a wide smile, his whole face lighting up. “Hi,” He shifted a bit on the bed he was lying in, reaching across his body to pull the string to turn on the lamp. She smiled, being able to see him better. She’d struggled with having to leave him back home in New York, had hardly been able to part with her newly betrothed but the knowledge that he was now only a phone call away was comforting her just a tad. 

“How was your press yesterday?” She wondered, standing up from the mattress on legs that ached in protest. It took a considerable amount of effort to keep herself from letting him become aware of her sore muscles. 

“It was nothing special. I was bored most of the day, being shuffled from room to room. I wish you were here,” he added on as an afterthought. She frowned a little at his comment, slipping her feet into the tattered old Toms that were discarded beside the front door to her apartment. 

“I wish I were there with you too, babe. But instead I’m here in Ohio, withering away.” She put the back of her hand to her forehead, melodramatically acting as if she were going to die. 

“Hey, babe. Remember I’m the actor here, don’t come for my job.” He teased with a wink, watching his wife closely through the screen of his cell phone. “Where’re you right now?” He wondered, noticing the background behind her changing. 

“I’m walking out of my little apartment on the edge of camp. Though, really, it should be called a fucking hut the thing is so run down.” She sighed, walking past someone she knew, carefully angling the camera so that Bucky could see the man behind her. “That’s Carl, one of the other adults here. Has dwarfism.  He’s playing a role because he fits in with the children so easily. He’s kind of a grump and I am certain he hates me,” She informed Bucky who laughed. 

“(Y/N), c’mon. I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.” 

She panned the camera back to herself, nodding her head confidently. “No, he does. If it were up to him I’d be off of this stupid thing and they’d be using his play.”

“He’s a writer too?”

She nodded, “yes. In the most liberal of senses. I don’t think Carl is very literate.” 

He let out a howl of a laugh, shaking his head a little. “(Y/N),” he admonished. “Be nice.”

She rolled her eyes, making a mocking face at him. “I’m being nice,” she defended as she continued walking towards the camp. 

“So,” Bucky smirked. “How are you really liking the camp?”

She sighed, taking a moment to think. “It’s wonderful. I don’t think that there is anything that would beat being here. I mean, let me think. I could have a whole mansion on some hill in a remote country, and I’d be less content than I am here. I could have a satchel full of dollar bills, and I’d be like ‘pft. I shall not leave Ohio.” 

He rolled his eyes, smiling amusedly at his wife. “You’re something else.”

She shrugged, “I would certainly hope so. Who would want to be normal?” She wondered. She continued on her walk, gasping loudly when a thought crossed her mind. “Oh, shit. I didn’t tell you about the stripper, did I?”

Bucky widened his eyes in shock, “what stripper? You’re at a summer camp for children.” He reminded her, as if that weren’t painfully obvious already. She rolled her eyes, lowering her hand as she passed by a group of the children of the camp, not wanting them to see her talking to her phone. When they were a safe distance away, she raised her hand again, getting an odd look from her screen. 

“Why was I staring at your hip?” 

She shrugged, “kids were walking by.” She skipped a few feet, stopping near the dock. “So right, anyway. Her name is Alexis, right? She lives in Columbus but apparently is trying to get herself brownie points with the judge over some custody hearing thing with her kid. I don't know the whole story. Regardless, she used to be a stripper in Columbus before she got knocked up. You can tell, too. Just in the way she carries herself and dresses. She’s pretty great, honestly. Oh!” Her lips curled in a big smile as she kicked her shoes off, settling down on the edge of the dock, dangling her feet into the water. “She has a snake too. Guess it’s name?”

“Snake?” He ventured, unimaginatively.

“Wayne,” she supplied, resting her elbow on her thigh to support her arm. “He’s kinda gross, because he’s shedding right now. And you know how gross snakes are when they shed,” he nodded his head in agreement. He was smiling an almost lazy smile, just happy to be watching his wife and listening to her ramble on about the ongoings of camp and about the snake he would never meet. “Anyway. We share a room, whenever she actually bothers to come back for the night. I think she’s sleeping with the director of the camp, but. Who’s to say for certain?” 

“Who knew a children’s summer camp would have so much drama?”

Her smile was big, warming up her entire face. Bucky’s heart panged with longing, he missed her. Missed her more than he would care to let on. “How’s it apart from the stripper, and the illiterate dwarf?” Bucky wondered, shifting on his bed to get more comfortable. 

“Oh, it’s just horrible.” She groaned, rubbing her forehead tiredly. “I mean. Let me count all the things I would like more than being in Ohio for the summer.” She took a second to think before rattling things off. “Let’s see. Okay, I could literally shove an ice pick in my eye. This one.” She brought the phone a little closer to her eye, letting him get a good look at it before pulling the phone back to show her full face. “And it’d be better than this here state.” She grumbled. 

Bucky laughed, “really?”

She nodded, “yep!”

He rolled his eyes, “you’re really a drama queen you know that? I love you, I do. But c’mon. It can’t be that bad.” 

“No! It really is, Bucky. I swear to God. It’s horrible. I have no cable, no hot water - you know how much I hate having cold showers. I have no vietnamese food, which. How terrible, I miss our takeout joint. Whenever I have a bad day at rehearsal with the kids, all I want to do is cuddle up on the couch with a box of takeout. And the worst part. The very worst part is.. I don’t have you, Bucky.” 

Her frown was enough to make him feel sad too. For him to want to rush to Ohio on the first plane and pull her into his arms. To kiss her and rub her back and tell her how much he loved her. It was torture being away from her. It was torture for her to be away from him. It was all nonsense and if she never went back to Ohio, it would be too soon for the both of them. 

She sighed heavily, trying to figure out a way to lighten the mood. She came up with nothing and he had nothing either. He could smile at her, in that award winning way of his. Her heart melted. “Baby, I love you.” He said in a soothing way. She beamed a smile back at him, the smile reaching all the way to her eyes. 

“I love you too,” she responded, blowing a kiss at her phone. He grabbed at his chest, pretending like the kiss was a bullet to his heart. She rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the giggle that escaped her lips. He was too much for her, and she was too much for him. They were under each other's spell, and marriage proved to only worsen it. 

His hand came up to rub tiredly at his eyes and she saw the glint of the simple gold band around his fourth finger. She knew that it was her ring on his finger. Her possession of him. She smiled big, “I love seeing your ring.” 

He chuckled, spinning it absently with his thumb and pinky. “I’m pretty fond of it myself,” he acknowledged. The two sat there for a moment in silence, both wishing they were together before she perked up.

“So, I forgot to tell you. The other day, the other adults and I took a quick drive to Kentucky, right?” He nodded, showing that he was listening. “And we stopped at Target because we needed to get some things. Anyway, I walked in and the entertainment section was directly to the right. Which was convenient because I have to solely rely on watching DVD’s for entertainment. And I looked over and guess who the hell I saw?”

His eyebrows raised in surprise, smiling. “Who?”

“You! You were on this like, big poster thing advertising your movie. Of course I walked over immediately and grabbed a copy. Richard followed me and he was like -” She changed her voice to be snarky, “‘All things considered I guess you don’t have to buy that’. Which, first of all? How offensive is that? Like, just because you’re my husband doesn’t mean I don’t have to buy your movie? Second of all, him being snarky about it made me want it even more. So, I smiled like Mona Lisa, walked over to check out, and bought that DVD before we even started our shopping trip.” 

Bucky laughed loudly, rubbing his hand down his face. “(Y/N),” he sighed. “You really didn’t have to do that. I know you were being petty and proving a point but you didn’t have to buy a copy of my DVD.” 

She shrugged, “like I said. We don’t have cable so I needed DVD’s to watch on my computer. It’s a good movie, baby. Like, really good.. You did such a good job in it. I’ve seen it a handful of times and every single time I’m still in awe of you, babe. I really am lucky being your wife.”

The blush on his cheek was so obvious it almost made her giggle. “You really are too flattering, babe.” She winked at him and the two dropped the conversation of flattery. 

“So, Richard. Don’t like him?” Bucky asked, bringing the subject off of himself. 

She laughed, nodding her head, her hair falling in front of her face. “No, I don’t, not really. But, God. He wants me, he really wants me. He flirts with me every single chance he can get and he doesn’t make it subtle at all. He just does everything he can to get time with me. And he’s the assistant director of this camp, so it’s not hard for him to get his way.” She shrugged nonchalantly, “it’s fine. He isn’t gonna get me. I’m kind of spoken for. I have a pretty great guy, you should meet him sometime.” 

He rolled his eyes at his wife, “yeah. I’ll make that a priority.” He rolled over onto his other side, placing the phone against a pillow to prop it up and free his tired arm. “Damn right he isn’t going to get you, though. You’re all mine.” He winked at the camera. 

She took a moment to look his face over, sighing dramatically. “God, look at you. I mean, look at me, and then look at you. Sonovabitch, I must be doin’ somethin’ right to have landed you.” She shook her head. “Hell we aren't perfect but. We’re pretty damn close, don’t you think?”

“Damn right,” he whisper cheered. 

Her head snapped to the side when she heard noises, seeing a gaggle of children running towards the lake in their bathing suits. She groaned, looking back at her phone. “I gotta go baby. I do, I’m sorry.” She sighed heavily, standing up from the dock, letting her feet dry for a moment. “Hurry up and get your ass out here to Ohio, you schmuck. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, baby.” He sat up in the bed. “I love you and I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you too,” she replied. “I gotta go though, babe. I’ll talk to you soon.” She pressed her thumb against the red ‘end’ button and turned just in time. The children all ran past her shouting ‘Hi Mrs. Barnes’ as they made their way into the lake, Richard following behind them.

“Interesting call?” He asked, raising his eyebrows at her, seeing her phone gripped tightly in her hand. 

She shrugged, “guess so. Anyway, I should probably get back and finish those last little edits to the script. I’ll uh, see you around. Good luck with them.” 

Richard’s jaw was set tight, nodding as he watched her leave. She was already missing Bucky. 

~~~

Two weeks later, she was drying her sweaty hands on her skirt clad thighs, watching the children all run around backstage, screaming and giggling while waiting for the cue that the show was going to be starting soon. To say she was nervous would be an understatement of the century. It was the first time that one of her scripts were to be performed in front of an audience. She’d helped with scripts in the past at the summer camp, editing here and there. Helping with dialogue occasionally. But never once was it solely her work. Never was it something that she had created and crafted all on her own.

She felt like she was on the verge of vomiting. Her hair had begun to come out of it’s neat bun, falling around her face and if she hadn’t just gotten her nails done she would have been anxiously picking at them. She didn’t know how people did this so often. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to it. 

Alexis noticed her legs nervous twitching, shaking her head a little at the bundle of nerves that was her roommate. “Listen,” Alexis said, walking over to (Y/N) with a pageant smile on her lips. “You’re not going out there to perform it, so there’s no reason to be nervous, okay?” She gripped (Y/N)’s shoulders tightly, rubbing them to calm her friend. “The kids all know their lines, and with any luck they’ll be half decent. Besides, they’re just playing to a bunch of elderly people. They won’t be the harshest of critics. Just breathe, and know your play is good.” 

She wanted to smile, but all that came out was a shaky laugh. “Thanks, Alexis.” 

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s wonderful. I’m excited to see it,” said a voice from behind her. Her entire face lit up as she shook Alexis’s hands off of her shoulders and spun on her heels, running to the source of the voice. She jumped into Bucky’s arms without a moment’s hesitation, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist while peppering his face with kisses. “Baby!” She shrieked between kisses. “I didn’t know you were coming.” 

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her against him. “I wanted to surprise you, babe. I wanted to be here for your opening night and your first performance of your first play ever.” 

She giggled, kissing him again. “You’re a wonderful husband, you know that?” 

He smirked, “so I’ve been told.”

~

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@petlaufeyson​, @lovely-geek

[rhetoricandlogic]

Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds

I first posted a review of Alastair Reynolds' fearlessly ambitious Revelation Space, what was to become the first book in a trilogy, in 2002. And while I acknowledged most heartily that Reynolds "has more imagination in two brain cells than perhaps the entire populations of several small towns," I was, in the end, disappointed, giving the book two stars and labeling it "a colossal bore." Reynolds' adventure, I thought at the time, was simply crushed under the weight of his verbose, detail-obsessed prose.

But something kept nagging at me in subsequent years, in a way that I am almost never nagged after disliking a novel. No, it had nothing to do with the fact that mine was a minority opinion among critics, most of whom were tossing out "Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year" clichés as fast as their fingers could type. I try never to let either popular or critical opinion influence me if I can help it. My thinking is that going into a book as cold as possible will result in the most honest opinion.

What was nagging me was that, despite my disappointment, images and bits and pieces of the novel simply would not get out of my head. This is saying something, since, with the volume of SF and fantasy I read, I do not exactly retain an eidetic memory of everything I've read that I can call up in a second or two unless the book literally bowled me over. But in the case of Revelation Space, two and three years later I still could remember the opening scene in the archaeological dig on the lonely planet of Resurgam with remarkable clarity. The dark, eerie corridors of the vast starship Nostalgia for Infinity still brought haunting images to mind. Had I just missed something? Perhaps I had read Revelation Space at a time that I was not very receptive to epic SF. (I suspect that having since gone on to read the work of Peter F. Hamilton and Dan Simmons, SF of this monumental scale has become more appealing to me now that I've seen it done well.) Or was this all just wishful thinking, and the book truly a soporific snoozefest?

There was only one thing to do: re-read the book. And while re-evaluating something you've originally panned isn't a common practice among critics, we should be open-minded to doing so when the occasion warrants. (And it doesn't always, so don't expect a new review of The Eye of the World.) Often works of art are released before their time, like Blade Runner. Or their qualities are only evident to some audiences right away, while other audiences have to warm to the work over time.

Well, upon re-reading Revelation Space, I will say that to a large extent I maintain some of my original opinion. This is an often ponderous epic. Reynolds has so many Big Ideas to communicate to his readers that he falls into the hard SF writer's most commonplace trap: the infodump. Passages go on at g-r-e-a-t length to elucidate some aspect of Reynolds' extravagant future. But there's nothing anywhere that could be called bad writing. The complaint is more akin to that hilarious line from Amadeus: "Too many notes!" Clearly Reynolds' universe is more important to him than his characters. So not only does the cast never fully reach the point of perfect reader identification/empathy, it seems that Reynolds knows it and couldn't care less. It's the big picture that matters to him. But if, in a manner of speaking, Reynolds can't see the trees for the forest, you can't deny that it's an astonishing forest.

The story revolves around the quest to discover what led to the extinction of the Amarantin, a pre-technological race that once inhabited the bleak world of Resurgam, orbiting Delta Pavonis. Resurgam is now a human colony wracked by political upheaval. Dan Sylveste is the son of one of Resurgam's founders, the infamous leader of the Eighty, the unwitting victims of a bungled immortality experiment. Sylveste is on the cusp of a crucial discovery — an Amarantin obelisk with engravings that hint at technologies this species should never have had — when he is unseated from power in a coup. He is only released after 20 years when his former rival, Nils Girardieau, requires his help in understanding the dazzling discovery that the obelisk has led to: a buried Amarantin city, encased two kilometers beneath the surface of Resurgam in a black sphere.

Two other groups of players enter the stage. From the rather Ridley Scott-ish Chasm City, on a planet in the Epsilon Eridani system, we meet assassin-for-hire (this seems to be the job du jour of hot chicks in the far future) Ana Khouri, who is hired — well, conscripted, actually — by a mysterious wealthy dowager named the Mademoiselle to travel to Resurgam and, for reasons cloaked in obscurity, take out Sylveste. Through plot machinations that, it must be said, are a bit clunky, the Mademoiselle forces Khouri to work for her with the aid of a rather implausible twist concerning Khouri's long-lost husband. Then, Khouri infiltrates the crew of the Nostalgia for Infinity, an unimaginably massive ship ("unimaginably massive" seems to be the only level at which Reynolds will even deign to consider an idea) whose skeleton crew of cybernetically enhanced human "Ultras" are journeying to Resurgam also to find Sylveste. But they aren't looking to kill him; they believe Sylveste can help combat a mysterious viral plague attacking the ship's systems and endangering their captain, Brannigan, who's been in suspended animation at near absolute zero at little better than "brain in a jar" status. But why, Khouri wonders, is the ship looking for a gunnery officer? And where did it get all its gargantuan WMD's, some of which could probably take out whole stars?

Before the characters all come together, Reynolds shows a deft hand at building cosmic mystery while slowly weaving thematic threads together. The Nostalgia's previous gunnery officer went mad, raving to Ilia Volyova (one of the ship's triumvirate of commanders), before she was forced to kill him, about some being he calls the Sun Stealer. And Sun Stealer appears to be the name attached to the sculpture of an enigmatic winged deity, not previously known to be part of Amarantin religious traditions, found within the buried city.

Tied into all of this is an even more bizarre enigma, that of the unspeakably alien Shrouders, who maintain areas of distorted spacetime — the Revelation Space of the title — which are rumored to protect vast repositories of wildly advanced technologies. Dan Sylveste is the only human to have ventured into Revelation Space and returned alive. And what he learned there is a key mystery of the plot.

All of these riddles wrapped in mysteries inside enigmas sometimes, not surprisingly, overwhelm the narrative. It will be the patient, not easily daunted reader who will find Revelation Space most rewarding. (For one thing, we're nearly 200 pages into the book before we get anything resembling action.) The narrative is non-linear in a way that sometimes lacks clarity, popping forward then back again over gaps of decades, and there are odd hiccups in plausibility such as the one I mentioned before. Most readers who choose to tackle this book may find it's best read in small chunks. The meticulous, nearly obsessive attention to detail in this huge narrative results in a story that can be as daunting and difficult as it is compelling.

Still, you'll find a lot to like in those details, including hints at Reynolds' disparate influences. Khouri's career choice in Chasm City — she stalks clients who pay to be stalked, and it's all captured by the media — has echoes of Robert Sheckley's The 10th Victim. And there's something about that buried city (not to mention the Shrouders themselves) that's more than a little Lovecraftian.

Finally, the reason this book satisfies where similarly overwritten epics don't is that Revelation Space does have a focused storyline that Reynolds is driving towards a climax. (And what a climax!) Too many books like this commonly leave several unresolved plot threads gaily swinging in the breeze, leaving readers with the forlorn hope that all will be tied together in some distant future sequel. Revelation Space leaves plenty open for its sequel, too, but it doesn't do so in such a way that it's a letdown in its own right.

Given that this trilogy's second and third novels are even longer than Revelation Space, I don't get the impression that Reynolds' self-indulgence is a thing he's felt any particular compunction to rein in. But I have confidence he knows how to smooth his rough edges. And as writers like Simmons, Martin, and Hamilton have proved, there are ways to do Bigness well. This debut reveals a powerful imagination straining at the leash to explore the Biggest Ideas it can tackle. And as we all hopefully would agree that SF ought to be, at the best of times, a literature of Big Ideas, to criticize a novel too harshly for attempting to excel at what this genre is all about — as opposed to falling back on the same overworked tropes — seems churlish. As Reynolds' career evolves, I suspect it's more likely that, rather than make his stories more accessible to readers who've long cut their teeth on undemanding work, he'll expect readers to evolve to his level, just to keep up. That's not a bad thing, and it might even prove a revelation.

Followed in the trilogy by Redemption Ark, as well as Chasm City, a stand-alone novel set in the same future.

The Nostalgia for Infinity

[giveuselife-blog]

Spy Gadgets for Cell Phones And Kids

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/spy-gadgets-for-cell-phones-and-kids/

Spy Gadgets for Cell Phones And Kids

Do you want to live out your secret fantasy of being a spy with the help of gadgets for your cell phones, or do you just want to keep an eye on your partner? Whatever your reason, these spy gadgets can definitely heighten the fun.

As a child, I always dreamed of becoming a spy. Judge and persecute me if you want to, but the fact remains that most of us dream of a life in the fast lane, with experiences that give us a head rush. Everyone wants access to gadgets that are so futuristic that you feel like you are in a different millennium. But since that dream remained a dream, I opted for the second best option; becoming a writer. The inspiration came from something that British novelist Graham Greene once said, “The great advantage of being a writer is that you can spy on people. Everything is useful to a writer, you see; every scrap, even the longest and most boring of luncheon parties.” Okay, so maybe being a writer does not allow you to be in the most exciting of situations, but you can create them and write about them. Like this article, which allows me to tell you about those spy gadgets for cell phones that are a reality and allow you to spy on people, regardless of whether you are a special agent for MI5 or a suspicious spouse.

Cell Phone Spy Gadgets

While on the silver screen a phone may morph into several different gadgets, in reality (or at least the reality that is available to us mere mortals), the gadgets are a little less futuristic. Sure there are technologies available to us that were unimaginable till a couple of years ago, but they may not be as awe-inspiring as you want them to be. In this article, we give you a roundup of gadgets that you can purchase from the market. The first gadget that popped up during our research has gained quite a lot of popularity, especially amongst people who have been looking for something that can help you detect infidelity. The cell phone SIM card spy, which is available for a hole in the pocket price of USD 149, allows you to copy dialed numbers and deleted texts. All you need to do is procure the SIM card you want to spy on, and insert it into the USB reader. It allows you to save all the date on the SIM card on your PC. What an inventive way of spying on your loved one!

Another gadget quite popular with spy story aficionados is the cell phone that is worn as a watch. It disguised a watch, which is manufactured by a Chinese company is called Galactus and features a touchscreen LCD with a virtual keypad and a Bluetooth headset. This tiny master-spy gadget also has photography and videography abilities with a spy camera located at the 3 o’clock position on the watch. It also plays audio and video files. Imagine having all that literally in the palm of your hands. There are also spy phones in the market that come with motion detectors, and calls up a number that you have to feed in if it detects motion. This facility allows you to check for intruders and lets you listen to any noise they make for almost 30 seconds. The detection range of this spy gadget is about 30 feet x 20 feet.

The next gadget may not exactly be appropriate on this list, but we cannot resist having it here anyway. There is a gun available in the market which resembles a cell phone, but has a .22 caliber pistol inside that allows the arms bearer to fire four successive rounds. In order to load the phone, all you need to do is twist it.

Many mobile operating systems have applications that allow you to convert normal phones into spy cell phones. For example, there are applications that allow you to intercept calls, messages, access photographs on the phone, monitor calls, etc. These are used by many parents to keep an eye on their kids and also people who want to make sure that their partner is not cheating on them.

These gadgets may not be the miracles of technology that allow you to do exactly what your favorite fictional spy does, but it still allows you access to some pretty cool spy and surveillance equipment. Try it out to believe us.

For all those aspiring kids who want to grow up to become a real spy, there are a few handy spy gadgets which you must have to have in order to fulfill your dream in future.

The hi-tech spy and surveillance equipment used by the spy kids in the Spy Kids Trilogy drove every kid crazy. Though they knew that every gadget used by Carmen and Juni were just fantasy items, it didn’t stop them from longing for these gizmos. If there are secrets to keep in the world, there are going to be spies who seek this hidden information. Espionage or in simpler terms spying has certain charm and intrigue that attracts both kids and adults. No wonder, kids love to enact undercover agents who risk their lives to get hold of a secret which is dear to their country or solve a mystery that has left everyone stumped with the help of intriguing clues and cool gadgets. In fact, the gadgets used by a spy are very important to him and can make all the difference in his line of work. So, if you are planning to form a spy group of your own, then you need to collect an essential spy gear that will aid you in winning these games of spying.

Spy Gear for Kids

Invisible Ink

This is the most common and oldest spy gadget that you may need for sending secret messages to your group mates. Whenever you want to call a meeting of your fellow spies or convey some secret information regarding someone or some facts, invisible ink can come to your rescue. To write an invisible message, dip a toothpick or any other sharp object in lemon, milk, white wine, vinegar, apple juice or orange juice and write on the paper. Let it dry completely. To see the message, just hold it in front of a light bulb or candle flame (not too close). The heat of the bulb will make the message appear in brown color. You can also use sweat or saliva to write a secret message. Since all body fluids are fluorescent by nature, they can be detected under UV light. So, the person who has to read the message should have a UV light source.

This is a very famous war-time method of sending invisible messages. It adds thrill to the whole of the game of hiding a secret and protecting it from your foes. Periscope

This is a very useful device for a spy when he does the actual spy work. It can be used to peep through the windows and doors without being seen. The periscope is kind of a Z-shaped device that can be made from simple cardboard pieces. However, over the years this device has undergone a few minor changes. They are: central vertically slanting line is straight in a periscope and two mirrors are to be fitted firmly at the two joints where the slanting and horizontal lines meet at the top and at the bottom. The angle of both the mirrors inside the periscope should be exactly 45 degrees, with the reflecting sides facing each other, such that the upper mirror reflects the image, seen from the upper hole to the lower mirror, which we can see through the lower hole.

Make the periscope as thin as possible so that no one can spot it while you are holding it up. Periscopes are used in submarines to spy on enemies. Magnifying Glass

Let us step back in time and cherish the mystery solving skills of the bygone days. Forget super-gadgets that tell you the exact location of a suspect through GPS, get hold of a magnifying glass and solve the ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ of a puzzling mystery through the old-fashioned way. Put on the garb of the greatest detective ever known – Sherlock Homes and find out where did your father forgot his favorite watch or some other little puzzles of your home and school through the good old art of detection.

Magnifying glass provides detail vision of clues left behind by the culprit. More than just cloak and dagger stuff, it takes the diligence of a focused spy to get to the end of an otherwise baffling secret. You can also embrace the spirit of an unrelenting spy and find evidence which are hidden in plain sight. Walkie-talkie

A walkie-talkie set is very essential for a spy to keep in contact with his fellow spies. A ready-made walkie-talkie set is easily available in toy shops or you can make one using plastic or paper cups. The paper/plastic walkie-talkie will work for a limited distance since it is made by attaching the two cups with a single continuous string.

To make this walkie-talkie, make a small hole in both the cups at the bottom and insert a string through it. Pull out the string and make a big enough knot so that it gets stuck in the cup. This is the best spy gadget for teams which will help your fellow spies to communicate with each other. With the help of this device, you can pair up with your partner-in-sleuth and fool your enemies with elaborate schemes. Hollow Books

If you want to carry some object very secretly without letting anyone know, the best place to hide it is in a book. You need a thick book like a dictionary. Keep in mind that the book has to have the hardcover. Open one-third of the book and lay it flat on a table. With a sharp knife, cut a rectangular hole in the thicker side of the book. The hole can be as deep as you want. A very thick layer of pages cannot be cut. So, cut out a few pages at a time. Binoculars

Feel like walking on the footsteps of an old-fashioned spy? Then find a pair of binoculars and get your mission rolling. Carrying binoculars on the neck comes with the job description of a secret agent. Satisfy your curiosity with fine binoculars and explore the world around you. These binoculars can also be used for multiple activities like birdwatching, stargazing, fishing, exploring new places, traveling or playing other games like pirates. Fingerprint Powder

To get the actual feel of a spy, you need to carry fingerprint equipment with you to determine the true identity of a criminal. To make fingerprint powder, use black chalk, graphite from a pencil or charcoal and grind it to a very fine powder. Or, you can collect soot from the chimney directly. You will need a brush to dust away from the powder from the crime scene and reveal the fingerprints. Clean and thin plastic sheets in small pieces are needed for storing the fingerprints in the database and comparing them with the suspect’s fingerprints. So, get moving to dust some fingerprints from cookie jars to catch the late-night snacker in your house.

Night Vision Goggles

You are not truly a spy unless you do a stake out in the night, keeping a vigilant eye on things! For such a night, while prowling the rooms of your house or camp and doing your ‘secret mission’ work, you need a perfect pair of night vision goggles that will enable you to find out what’s going on even in pitch darkness. While some might frown upon kids using such high-tech gear, we know that such items actually come handy for some night-time adventures. Be it cookie hunt or a game of cops and robbers in your garden after the sunset, you can use your imagination and your night vision goggles to win from your competition.

A spy costume is the most important thing that any spy should always have at his disposal. Have a spy theme party and invite all your friends for playing a game full of stealth and shadowing around. Use your wit and come up with ploys to get hold of a ‘confidential document’ from your enemy camp. To all my little aspiring secret agent friends, go out there and prove that you are indeed the next James Bond!