#and you get another more than half day to explore a city on the way

[patrice-bergerons]

I follow a few railway enthusiasts on twitter and I hate it because thanks to them I currently can't stop thinking about traveling from London to Istanbul by train 😭😭😭

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent game related things .. hrmm...

[bountydroid]

Darlin' pt 7

pt 1 / pt 2 / pt 3 / pt 4 / pt 5 / pt 6 / pt8

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x f!reader (SMUT)

Description: After a close call Cooper gives in to his feelings for Reader.

Notes: This chapter is half smut. For those who don’t want that I don’t think you’d miss anything of importance in the story if you skip it.

TW: p in v, unprotected sex, irradiated cream pie, pretty vanilla (sorry pervs lol love you I'm just not good at smut).

His scarred lips were rough against mine, one of his hands on my hip the other tangled in my hair. This was a moment I dreamed about my entire life. Someone who cares about me was never something I thought I’d have. While having a couple of fleeting flings here and there with my brother's friends, I never had a true romance. This feeling? It was straight out of one of my novels. When he finally pulled away, I couldn't help but let out a breathy sound of dissatisfaction. He gave me a teasing smile before taking the vials from my hand and shoving them into his bag.

"Let's go find you some Radaway, Darlin'. We’ll have ya feelin' better in no time." He said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the building.

"Thank god Lucy left the door open." I thought to myself as we made our way inside. 

The place was huge and felt like a relic of the past. The rundown storefronts and flickering lights left much to be desired. I pushed my body against Cooper's back as an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Noticing my discomfort, he gave my hand a small reassuring squeeze. He was still in bad shape, clear as day, as he stumbled through the building.

After some exploration, we came across a room full of bodies. "Didn't know Lucy was capable of this." I gasped.

"I imagine these fellas did most of it." He said, kicking the boot of one of the men on the ground. He was holding a gun, but it didn't seem to have done him much good. While Cooper scanned the bodies, looking for anything of value, I started to wander over to some of the other rooms. One room in particular caught my eye, some of the things inside reminding me of the medical center we found Roger in.

"Don't go far," Cooper said as he huffed another vial before rummaging through the men's pockets.

"I won't," I mumbled as I looked back at him one more time before entering the room. I swallowed nervously as I looked around the room before setting my sights on some drawers in a cabinet. After some searching, I could some syringes with the word "Radaway" written on the side. 

"Found some!" I said happily as I made my way back to Cooper to find him shoving vials of Jet into his hat. “That's so much!" I yelled in shock.

The happiness radiating from the two of us could have probably lit up a city. He looked up at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen on him before his eyes flitted to the syringe in my hand. He dropped his hat on the ground as he held out his hand expectantly. 

"Let me help you with that." He stated.

I was perfectly capable of injecting myself, but I liked the idea of Cooper taking care of me, so after a moment of hesitation I passed it to him. While he was looking over the syringe, almost like he was making sure it wasn't fake, I took the time to look over his face. REALLY look it over. His leathery tan skin and his beautiful hazel eyes. I knew that many people looked at him with disgust, but I don't think that after getting to know him I could ever think of him as anything other than beautiful. I was so lost in thought I barely registered the needle going into my arm.

"There," He said with a satisfied tone. "All better."

"Thanks, Coop." I beamed up at him. I had some Radaway, Cooper had a lot of Jet, and he finally kissed me. Everything felt perfect. 

Cooper knelt down to pick back up his hat when something caught his eye. A rectangular black box with glass on the front. 

"What is that?" I asked curiously.

"That, darlin'." He responded, a look of shock on his face, "That is a television."

I ruminated on the word, trying to figure out if I knew it from anywhere as he grabbed something and inserted it into the television. He slowly made his way to the couch and plopped down. The expression on his face was something I couldn't recognize. Amazement? I sat down next to him as I looked at the television curiously, whatever it was it was affecting Cooper. The box sprang to life, lighting up as he pressed a button on the controller he was holding. The television played a video. "Of course!" I thought to myself as I remembered the stories of moving pictures. The man on the video reminded me a lot of Cooper. The western attire, the confidence, and of course the gun he was holding. 

"Reminds me of you," I said innocently, not realizing the weight of my words.

"Nah, He ain't nothin' like me." He said quietly before looking over at me to scan my face before looking back at the video.

The man in the video was talking and I was trying to pay attention, I really was, but It was so long since I had sat anywhere but the ground, and while under normal circumstances I would call the couch uncomfortable, it felt like the most comfortable thing in that moment. I put my head on Cooper's shoulder and yawned. 

"Tired already, sugar?" Cooper teased.

"Maybe a lil' bit," I admitted. "I could stay up a bit longer, though."

"For what?" He mused, almost like he knew what I was thinking. 

I giggled, blush coating my cheeks as I whispered, "Maybe some more kissing?"

He hummed happily before pulling me onto his lap. I yelped in surprise at his sudden movement, grasping at his shoulders. “Now why would you want to kiss lil’ old me?” He was mostly joking, but an undertone of seriousness hung in the air.

“A better question is why wouldn’t I want to kiss you, Cooper? You are strong, you take care of me, you are handsome-“ I started to explain.

He scoffed, interrupting me. “I ain’t handsome.”

“You are!” I try to explain, “You have pretty eyes.” I said like I did days ago, back when he barely tolerated me. “And the way ya hold yourself is very… sexy.”

His eyes snapped up to mine, they were darkening, hungry. The embarrassment coursed through me and I could hardly stand it, so I buried my face in his neck.

“Awww getting shy, sugar?” He mocked. Before I could respond I felt his lips on my cheek. He stayed there for a moment before he started trailing down my neck, leaving tiny kisses in his wake.

I sighed happily as I pushed myself closer to him. I could’ve stayed that way forever, but Cooper had other plans. His hands were still on my hips from when he pulled me onto him. He slowly started to massage them before pressing me harder down on his lap. I let out a sound that was a mixture between a yelp and a moan.

“You like that?” He whispered in my ear.

I shook my head yes, my face still hidden in his neck.

“I wanna see you, darlin’.” He stated, his southern drawl slurred. He wasn’t demanding it, the tone in his voice was soft and hesitant, like he was worried he was going to scare me off.

Holding my breath I slowly pushed myself up. I was sure my face was red as a tomato as I made eye contact with him. When our eyes met, it felt like a damn had been released, lust flowing through me. “Coop,” I whisper before I start moving my hips on my own.

He let out a growl as he squeezed at my plush hips. “So soft.” He said.

“All for you, I’m all for you,” I say before crashing my lips into his.

The kiss was heady and passionate, I felt like I was drowning in him.

“Too many clothes,” I mumble against his mouth. Before I started to tug at his tattered duster jacket.

“I agree,” he sighed. Instead of helping me with his jacket, he ripped my hands from him and quickly tugged off my shirt, almost tearing it in the process. He sucked in a breath as he took in my bare chest. It was a sight to behold. Hair messy, half naked, and pupils blown. There was no way he could question if I wanted him, not anymore.

“God damn.” He groaned before leaning forward to kiss my chest. It’s like he wanted to kiss every inch of my body and I was starting to get impatient.

“Stop your teasin’,” I grumbled out, tugging at his jacket again.

This time, he obliged, quickly shucking it off before his hands started fumbling at his vest buttons. I cursed at him for wearing so many layers. I took this time to slide off his lap to take off my boots and pants, leaving me in nothing but my underwear. His hands stuttered as he threw off his vest and pulled off his shirt, distracted by the view in front of him.

“You, sugar, are way too good for me.” He muttered, his hands reaching out to pull me back onto his lap.

I moaned at the feeling of his rough jeans rubbing against me through my underwear. I could feel myself getting wetter, smearing my arousal on his pants. I rubbed my hands down his scarred chest before finding myself fiddling with his buckle.

“You want me?” I asked as I bit my lip. “Then take me.”

This seemed to flip a switch in him as he quickly spun me around so my back was on the couch. He hovered over me before kissing me fervidly. I undid his belt before popping open the button on his pants. He briefly pulled away from me to pull on his pants completely before slotting himself back on top of me.

“Darlin’,” he moaned as he rubbed his erection against my core.

I was so lost in the feeling I could barely respond, “Yeah?” I moaned out.

“There was more Radaway, right?” He asked. It was sweet that even in his lustful state he was still worried about me.

“Yes, Coop.” I responded, “Now fuck me already.”

He chuckled before mocking me, “So eager.”

He continued to tease me as he slowly pulled down my underwear, kissing down my legs as he went. I started to get dizzy, the arousal was becoming too much to bear. Finally, he pulled my panties off completely, kissing his way back up my body. I widened my legs as far as they could go, silently beckoning him inside of me. I heard him curse under his breath before slowly pushing himself into me. We let out moans in tandem, reveling in the feeling.

I put my hand on the back of his head and pulled him down so our foreheads were knocking against each other. I looked deeply into his eyes before I started to plead, “Fuck me, Cooper. Make me feel good. Please!”

“I could never say no to you.” He whispered before sheathing himself completely, his head brushing against that sweet spot inside of me.

He gave me a peck on the lips before trailing down my neck again, sucking as he went. The idea of having marks on me that everyone would see made me moan loudly. He was claiming me as his. I started to wiggle, silently begging him to move. After a few moments, he gave in, starting slow. It was intimate, sweet even. He wasn’t fucking me he was making love to me. He had barely started but I was already a babbling mess. Repeating his name like a prayer I begged for him to go faster. It didn’t take long for him to oblige, picking up his pace. The sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the room. The bodies on the floor were long forgotten as we got lost in each other.

“Y/n,” he groaned my name, causing me to squeeze around him. “Sugar, you keep feeling this good I’m not gonna last long.”

I was feeling too good to respond, letting out soft squeaks and moans as he pistoned in and out of me. He snaked his hand down my body to start rubbing at my clit, causing my body to tremble. I was close and he knew it, trying to get me to the edge before he arrived there himself.

“Cooper!” I cried out as I convulsed underneath him, succumbing to the pleasure. I could hear him swearing above me before he stilled, letting out one last moan as he came inside of me.

The both of us were breathing heavily. Saying we were exhausted would have been an understatement. He took a moment before starting to pull out of me. I let out a sad whimper at the lack of contact, grasping at his arms. He let out a breathy laugh at my actions. “I’ll be back.” He said, reassuring me. I watched him with half-lidded eyes as he went into the medical room for a moment before coming back to me with another syringe of Radaway.

I snorted, “That could have waited.”

He didn’t respond, instead opting to give me a smirk before sinking the needle into my arm. Once he was done he grabbed ahold of me, rolling us over so he was underneath me on the couch.

As he was rubbing reassuring circles on my back he told me, “Sleep, darlin’.”

I hummed happily into his chest before giving way to his request.

Tag list: @bruhidkjustwannaread @msrawog @valdemarismynonbinarylove @whizbang-cap @topiramateagreeable @sitkafay @lightan117 @eykismyfav @ajeff855 @madelinealexandra @justme12200 @sihlaryn @raviolisenpai @ellabellabunny123 @impossessedbyjeongyeon @leviathanleva @v3lv3tf0x @fallout-girl219 @savanahc @booksbabes @gauky76 @green--beanie @fanfictiongirly23 @gobbodoggo @erissco @helveticabold @katgirl05 @tfamidoingwithmylife @miketastic25 @alex-does-art-things

[seraphdreams]

DREAMIN' — underground racing miniseries.

“being a pretty flag girl is more than waving around banners and wearing cute skirts.”

WARNINGS. this series contains an ungodly amount of smut. reader discretion is advised. topics explored are: gangbanging, drugs, gang activities, semi-dark content, weapons, dub/noncon. each fic will be tagged with its own warnings. 18+ only.

NOTE. finally putting out this series that i’ve been thinking about for a while now. i hope you all enjoy it. each fic is inspired by a song so listen to them!

— STARTING LINE UP.

PART I — NO PHOTOS.

SHIBUYA CITY CHAMPION, BAJI KEISUKE GOES HEAD TO HEAD WITH KAZUTORA HANEMIYA.

PART II — BLINDING LIGHTS.

BRAHMAN’S PRINCESS RACES AGAINST BONTEN’S MASTERMIND, MANJIROU SANO.

PART III — P POWER.

DRAKEN V. HANMA SHUJI.

PART IV — TASTE.

IZANA KUROKAWA FLIES ALL THE WAY FROM MANILA TO RACE AGAINST BEST FRIEND, KAKUCHO HITTO!

PART V — TO BE ANNOUNCED.

Bonten had somewhat of a ritual. It wasn’t anything too crazy like pentagrams or summoning the dead relatives of their victims, but something that made them, them. It was the driving force of all their operations, the sole source that kept the organization afloat. When things went awry they knew they could always count on this one thing, something minor yet major.

Money.

Money granted them connections to criminal organizations around the world. Allies established, and enemies gained. The issue here was that Bonten was bored. All the money in the world couldn’t snatch them from their odd day to day realities of being glorified hitmen, they needed excitement. Something new.

“Any ideas?” All 8 of the men sat around the large lacquered oak table with a particular noble at the forefront. He wore a black suit with a white tie that complimented the strands atop his head. His gaze was empty, as if the light had died out ages ago. There’s two standing beside him, one with a blond skunk strip and slick back hair, the other with the same style except it was platinum all around and a short beard adorned the lower half of his face.

If you didn’t know them, you’d steer clear—They looked intimidating, terrifying almost. You knew Bonten too well though; under all that hardened criminalism were just regular salarymen.

You stood next to where Koko sat. A snarky young man with low patience. It’s hard for you to get under his skin like the others do, and though he’d never admit it, he did have a thing for his little assistant. “We already do so much, I doubt taking on other projects would benefit us financially.” Koko retorts to Mikey’s query. His hands are folded under his chin, propping his head up as if he was bored of the conversation that only lasted two minutes so far.

“Look at you only thinkin’ ‘bout a quick buck. Ya never change, do ya?” It was Sanzu who spoke. Eccentric as he is, when Mikey was in the room he was loyal like a dog. He was one of the many variables that contributed to Kokonoi’s premature graying. Never have they ever gotten along.

“It’s not always about profit. We could expand territory and utilize it for something bigger like weapon trade, or women.” The eldest Haitani spoke. You favored something about him, possibly the eyes or his charismatic nature. He was a caring soul as well, he put his brother above his own life whether Rindou liked it or not. “Bouncing off Ran’s idea, what about Okinawa?” Kakucho uttered.

Usually you tuned out business talk, it wasn’t important to your job. All you were paid to do was look pretty and occasionally pass out paperwork, but the topic at hand piqued your interest. Hitto continues, “We own land in Okinawa, we could build another headquarters there, a casino maybe?”

It seemed as though Manjiro finally took his children into consideration, nodding along with the conversation. “A casino is for idiots, let’s do underground racing.” Sanzu adds. There’s silence and judgmental stares before Mikey finally allows himself to speak once more. “I like it.”

“You can’t be serious, Boss?” Takeomi asks from his spot behind. “How can we even—”

It’s Hajime who interjects this time, the wheels seemingly turning in his head. “If we combine both Hitto and his idea, we could host bets and call in racers. I’m thinking motorcycles over cars. We can’t risk importing illegal vehicles overseas.”

That was just it. The very proposal that’ll put words to action. With a seance of agreeances, Mikey turns to Rindou for finalization. “Make it happen, Haitani.” Rin nods before taking a quick glance at you and back to his leader. “A flag girl’ll be nice too, preferably a hot bimbo.”

You were too fixated on checking your fresh manicure to feel the stares of all the men burning into your frame. The clearing of Kakucho’s throat pulls you from your focus and you finally make the realization. “Hm?”

Mikey tunes his attention back to Rindou, the one notorious for his connections with about any and everyone. “Call up your best racers and fly them to Okinawa. Set up a hotel and headquarters while you’re at it. Let’s take a little business trip.”

With the meeting adjourned, the plan sets in motion.

[steddieasitgoes]

Detours & Second Chances

written for @steddie-week Day 5 prompt: Reunion / Getting Back Together Rating: T | wc: 3545 | no cw Another big thank you to @sidekickjoey and @thefreakandthehair for giving this a beta read for me! Read on ao3

Steve had high hopes for this road trip. 

Just him, the twins, and the wide open roads with the promise of the beach and Disneyland on the horizon. He knew better than to plan it down to the second, especially when traveling with Mabel and Ollie, but he did hope to keep to some kind of schedule. A few nights here, a couple of nights there, a handful of free time hours carved into nearly every day so the kids could pick which tacky roadside attraction they could visit and then gloat to Aunt Robin about seeing. 

What Steve hadn’t planned for was the Winnebago going up in smoke four and a half hours from Disneyland on I-15. 

The good news is that it happened just as they entered Las Vegas, Nevada, and not thirty minutes later in the middle of the Nevada-California desert. The bad news is that it happened just as they entered Las Vegas, Nevada on a Sunday afternoon when everyone was trying to leave. 

Steve expects the drivers around him to curse and flip him off. At the very least, he imagines them shaking their heads in disapproval as they slowly inch past the smoking Winnebago broken down in the middle of the three-lane highway. And there is some of that, honking horns and judgmental gazes, enough that he has to explain to Mabel and Ollie that showing someone your middle finger is not nice and no you shouldn’t do it to each other. But there’s also a handful of Sunday travelers who take pity on him. 

Two truck drivers manage to get their rigs off onto the shoulder and then mosey their way over to see if they can help Steve identify why the RV is smoking. A woman in a mini-van full of preteens in sports jerseys offers him an entire ice chest full of snacks for Mabel and Ollie. Some good Samaritan even makes the half-mile hike to the nearest pay phone to call for a tow truck so Steve doesn’t have to leave the kids or make the track himself with them following behind him. 

Forty-five minutes later, they all climb into a yellow taxi while Winnie the Winnebago gets towed away. For a moment, he thinks he’s ruined the entire vacation, but listening to Mabel and Ollie talk about how cool it was to watch the “toe man” do his job eases the guilt. 

Unfortunately, the repair shop is nowhere near as exciting as standing in the middle of I-15 — at least, that’s what Ollie tells Steve five minutes after they’ve walked into the garage. Steve tries his best to keep everyone’s spirits up in between filing out paperwork and bargaining with the mechanic over the price of the repairs. He lets the kid raid the vending machine and spread it all out on the worn plastic chairs in the makeshift lobby like some kind of five-star buffet. It’s mainly cookies and chips, a few candy bars, and a granola bar Mabel even generously spent $1.10 on for him. 

It’s not the worst meal they’ve had on the trip — that honor goes to the gas station in Kearney, Nebraska, and the hot dogs he knew were a bad idea — but it’s definitely the least nutritious. And, in hindsight, it’s not the best idea now that Mabel and Ollie are hyped up on sugar in a small space with no central air conditioning. He gets it. He’s almost at his wit’s end, too, and he has several decades of patience over them. 

He’s hot and tired and so frustrated, he’d break down and cry if he could, but he doesn’t want to upset the kids or ruin the day more than it’s already been ruined. Instead, he puts on his brave Dad Face™, leaves his pager number with the mechanic’s receptionist, and takes the kids to explore Las Vegas. 

The city wasn’t on their list. It’s not kid-friendly, and the July heat is anything but welcoming, but thankfully, they luck out and stumble across a hybrid game and music store a few blocks away from the repair shop.

The bell above their door announces their entrance to the quiet storefront as the sweet, sweet relief of the AC hits them. Steve closes his eyes, soaking in the cool air for a moment before Mabel and Ollie are tugging on his hands, trying to drag him in different directions. 

Steve knows he should put an end to their bickering that borders on full-on sibling bullying, especially judging by the way they’ve dropped his hand in favor of pinching each other’s arms, but he gets distracted when a figure emerges from the back of the shop. 

The footsteps are uneven, which makes sense when an ornate cane enters Steve’s line of sight. He studies it, taking in the impressive woodwork and paint job — Max’s own can is pretty spectacular, but this one is a close second. Soon, his eyes drift from the cane to the hand holding it, a ring on each finger. Silver and gaudy and eerily similar to—

“Holy shit,” the voice says. “Are my eyes giving out on me too, or is Steve Harrington really standing in my shop right now?” 

Steve’s eyes shoot up to meet the man’s face — to meet Eddie’s face. It’s been years, shit, almost a decade he thinks, but Eddie looks the same. Older, sure. A few wrinkles around his eyes and a softer belly. But he’s still him. Unruly curls barely contained in a bun at the base of his neck, mischievous eyes, and a smile that makes Steve’s stomach flip in a way it hasn’t done in too long. Yup, definitely him.

“Eddie?”

Eddie laughs, throwing his head back with the same carelessness as he had at twenty years old. Only this time, when he rights himself, he has to reach a hand up to his neck to massage the ache. “Man, this is some cosmic, universe shit!” 

“At least it’s the good kind this time,” Steve jokes. 

Eddie goes for a full-on hug, Steve an awkward side one, and as a result, they end up with their bodies smushed against each other, arms pinned between each other in the world’s worst hug of all time. But it’s also the greatest, as far as Steve’s concerned. 

When they separate, Eddie gives Steve a quick once-over before shaking his head again. “So, what brings you all the way to Sin City?” 

“A family road trip.” 

“Ah, so the six nuggets and a Winnebago dream came true, then?” Eddie muses. 

“More like two nuggets, a piece of shit rental that’s in a repair shop after crapping out on me on I-15, and a co-pilot that doubles as my son’s emotional support stuffed animal,” Steve says, then smiles. “But I can’t complain.” 

“Wheeler never jumped on the Harrington Express?” 

Steve’s interrupted by Ollie running at him with a vinyl record thrust above his head. Mabel appears a moment later, holding a giant box in her arms that’s clearly too heavy for her. She passes it to Steve, who hands it over to Eddie, who has taken refuge behind the glass counter. As soon as the kids appear, they’re gone again. Steve shouts after them to stay together and not to touch anything. It goes in one ear and out the other if the loud crash that follows a moment later is anything to go off of. Steve winces and looks at Eddie apologetically. 

“I promise I’ll pay for whatever they break. They’re a little stir-crazy from being stuck at the repair shop all day.” 

Eddie doesn’t look worried about it in the slightest. In fact, Steve’s willing to bet he didn’t even hear the crash, judging by the fond look on his face. It’s a soft smile, almost bittersweet if he had to put a name to it. It looks out of place on his face — almost too earnest, which makes no sense because Eddie is the most earnest guy Steve’s ever known. 

“Eddie?” 

“Huh, what?” Eddie blinks himself back to the present. When he shakes his head, the elastic holding his hair back snaps, sending his curls cascading down to his shoulders. It’s easy now to see the hints of gray peppered into the locks that used to keep Steve up at night — occasionally still keeps him up. 

Steve gestures toward the row where Mabel and Ollie are frantically trying to restack things on the shelves. This time, Eddie snorts and meets Steve's gaze with that familiar crooked smile. 

“Don’t worry about them. S’just boxes and shit.” 

Steve nods and then grabs a pen out of the cup on the glass counter. He twirls it between his fingers, something about the rhythmic motion calming the silly nerves running wild in his body right now. 

It’s just Eddie. 

“Nance would kill you for even thinking she’s a part of this circus,” Steve says, then panics. “To answer your question from before. No misses at all actually. Or misters either,” Steve says before he chickens out. 

Eddie left before he realized that little fun fact about himself. It was ironic (and tragic), considering he’s the reason Steve even realized it to begin with. Chalk it up to cosmic, universe shit — the bad kind that time. 

“Cause that could be an option to, you know. Obviously you know, but it’s an option for me too in case you didn’t know and—“

“Woah, breathe, Steve.” 

Steve takes a slow, deep inhale. His exhale is strong enough to send a few of Eddie’s stray curls fluttering before settling back amongst the rest. “Sorry.” 

“Stop apologizing!” Eddie throws his hand across the counter, squeezing Steve’s wrist, 

It’s silly, but something about the simple touch relaxes the nervous energy that’s taken over him ever since Eddie emerged from the back. A part of Steve wants to blame the relief on the touch, but he knows better. Knows it has everything to do with finally telling Eddie about this part of him he helped him discover. 

Steve’s been out to just about everyone he cares about, and now he’s certain he’s told them all. 

“So no misses or misters,” Eddie says, before hiding his growing smile behind a curl. “What about Buckley? Is she on the great American family road trip with you?” 

“Robin refuses to get into Winnebagos after, well, you know.” 

“Can’t say I blame her for that one.” 

“It’s just me and the kids. Mabel and Ollie. They’re my kids…I mean, well, obviously, they’re mine, and anyone who says they’re not are fucking idiots, but they’re not blood mine or whatever people say.” Christ, he’s rambling again. “I adopted them. Actually, I was supposed to be their temporary foster parent. I was in my second year as a social worker, and they were two and six months old when they came in the middle of a Saturday night and we had no one on standby. They came home with me, and then they just never left.” 

Somewhere in his rambling, Eddie made himself comfortable, pillowing his chin on his hands, elbows sinking into the giant mouse pad that’s stretched out on top of the glass counter. He’s dropped the curl, his bright smile on full display, dimple, and everything when he looks at Steve now. 

“I love a good foster fail story,” he cooed. “I have a few myself. Fosters that turned into full-on adoptions. I mean not human kids, cats. And a few dogs. Even a bird. But they’re my kids, you know. I mean, not that what you did is the same thing as me or anything, but I… I’m just going to stop talking now.”

This time, it’s Steve's hand that breaks the barrier between them, reaching out to pat Eddie on the shoulder. A reassuring thing that he hopes conveys that he’s not offended. Just in case, he spells it out for him verbally too. 

“I get it. Kids mean a lot of things to different people. If you say they’re your kids, they’re your kids,” he says, smiling. “Robin has a plant, Ferguson. When she first got it she carried it around in Ollie’s baby bjorn because she needed to ‘bond’ with it.” 

Eddie laughs, this time hard enough that the case between them vibrates. “Lesbians, and their plants, man.” 

“She rescued it from her ex, who was drowning it.” 

“We’re just all patron saints of lost things, aren’t we?” 

“Guess so.” Steve smiles, then adjusts his own stance so he’s leaning against the counter. Something pops in his back, and for once, he doesn’t make an excuse. Eddie knows all about their aches and pains — the way their bodies are thirty years older than they should be, thanks to their teenage years. He runs a steady hand through his hair, hoping beyond hope that it’s not as greasy as it feels and then turns his attention to Eddie. “What about you? Game and record store sounds like a pretty sweet deal.” 

Eddie blows out air in a whoosh and reaches for another curl. “I mean, yeah, it’s pretty cool. Closest I could get to being a rockstar, I guess.” 

“Do you still play?” 

“Occasionally. There’s a dive bar a few streets over that I perform sometimes. No band, though. At least, not yet. I’m giving myself a few more years; let the gray really come in,” Eddie says, fluffing his curls. “And then I’ll join one of those mid-life crisis dad bands.” 

“Solid plan.” He fiddles with the pen again, contemplating if he should ask what he wants, too. Screw it. Who knows when he’s going to see Eddie again — if it’ll ever happen again. It’s best not to leave anything on the table. “What about a partner?” 

“Me?” Eddie asks, pointing to himself before laughing. “Nope. No partner. No lovers either, really. It’s just me and the petting zoo. And Wayne, when the old man makes the trip out to visit me.” 

Eddie being alone all these years shouldn’t make Steve happy. He should want him to be settled by now, grossly in love with someone who makes him feel special like he deserves. But Steve’s heart is a traitor, and his brain is no better, already imagining ten different ways he could change that. 

Had he known Eddie’s been in Vegas alone all this time, he would have visited a lot sooner. Hell, he would have made this their final destination — he’s sure he could find something family-friendly here for Mabel and Ollie. There’s a lake around here or some shit, right? They could have—

“Shit,” Steve says, reaching for his beeping pager. The repair shop number appears on the small screen. “Could I borrow your phone? This is the repair shop.” 

“I suppose I could make an exception on my no-customers rule,” Eddie teases. “Phones in my office, straight back there.” 

Steve nods and rounds the counter towards the backroom but stops short. The kids. He almost forgot about the kids. “Do you mind keeping an eye on them?” Steve asks, tilting his head to Mabel and Ollie who have finally picked up the mess they created. 

“Of course! Don’t worry about them. I’m great with kids.” 

“I remember.” 

___

Eddie’s office isn’t unlike his teenage bedroom Steve spent many nights in. It has his typical brand of messiness but with an added layer of professionalism. Like, there’s an honest-to-God filing cabinet in the corner, but next to it is a three-foot-tall Yoda statue.  Papers lay haphazardly on the desk beside a calculator. 

There are posters all over the walls — some Steve recognizes, some he doesn’t — and endless photographs in mismatched frames. At least three wallet-sized frames with pictures of his pets — kids — sit on the desk. There’s one of Wayne and Eddie on his graduation day on the bookshelfnbeside photos of him with Dustin and some of the other kids over the years. 

He even spots himself amongst the familiar faces — a polaroid they took one summer in Hawkins. It feels like a lifetime ago, but a part of Steve remembers what it was like to have Eddie’s arm slung around him like that with the sun beating down their faces, causing them to squint in the photo because Jonathan refused to shoot directly into the sunlight. 

Steve gives himself another second to soak in Eddie’s office, searching for any other details he can find to fill in the years he’s missed — a pride flag draped over a chair, his business license framed on the wall, packs of half-used nicotine gum instead of cartons of cigarettes. Finally, he makes it to the phone and punches in the number of the repair shop. 

___

When Steve resurfaced twenty minutes later, the neon “open” sign that flickered in the window had been shut off. Eddie’s abandoned his post behind the counter, taking up space at a table in the game section of the store. Mabel and Ollie are sitting on either side of him, listening intently with wide eyes as he moves two figures across a board toward a hoard of waiting miniature figures. 

“I leave you for twenty minutes, and you’re already corrupting them with your nerd games?” Steve teases, ruffling both Mabel and Ollie’s hair in the process. 

Eddie scoffs. “You expect me to believe Dustin hasn’t put them through D&D boot camp yet? Please.” 

“Your stories are nothing like Dustin’s,” Ollie says, voice full of awe. 

“Yeah, he always wants to skip the fun adventure stuff and get straight to the battles,” Mabel chimes in. “That's why we like it when Daddy gets to be in charge.” 

Eddie’s head swivels so fast that the irrational part of Steve’s brain fears it’s going to fly right off. “You DM for them?” 

 “I wouldn’t call it Dungeon Master-ing,” Steve says, grabbing the back of his neck. The room feels ten times hotter all of a sudden. The AC must have shut off, he reasons. There’s no other explanation for his sudden flush. Not at all. “I really just make sh— stuff up.” 

“He’s the best make-believer! You should play with us sometime. Like tonight!” 

“Mabel, Eddie’s busy running this store; he can’t just stop to play with you. And besides, we have to get going soon.” 

“They fixed Winnie?” Ollie asks, jumping up from his seat. 

Steve sighs. “Not yet. That’s why we have to leave. I need to find somewhere for us to sleep tonight that’s—

“—I have a guest room.”

Steve blinks. Is Eddie offering his place to them? His hearing may be spotty lately, but he’s never imagined entire phrases before. Which means—

“I mean if you want,” Eddie says sheepishly this time. “I have a hoard of kittens running around right now, so if you’re allergic, it might not be the best place but—“

“Kittens!” Mabel squeals before rapidly asking Eddie a hundred questions about them, but he doesn’t stand a chance of answering. 

“Can’t we stay at his house, Daddy?” 

“I really do have a spare bedroom and bathroom. Plus, a couch and a semi-stocked fridge. And I wouldn’t charge you. The hotels around here are going to sense your need and charge you an arm and a leg, trust me.”

Steve would be stupid to turn it down. A free stay in an actual house. A meal he can cook with his own two hands that don’t involve a shitty stove that gives out after a few minutes. Not to mention, a shower with actual hot water. 

Plus, it comes with the added bonus of a few more hours with Eddie. Yeah, there’s not a chance in hell he’s turning that down. Not again. 

“Alright, yeah. Let’s do it.” Mabel and Ollie shout in excitement, spinning around the table. Eddie might not have the same energy level as them to join them, but his smile says it all. 

“It’ll be just like old times.” 

“Wait! You guys know each other?”

Steve laughs first, but soon Eddie’s cackle joins him and it really does feel like old times again. “Of course, I know him. What? You think I would let us stay in a stranger’s house? Don’t you know me at all?” 

___

Three days later, Steve finds himself behind the wheel of Winnie the Winnebago as she makes her grand return to I-15. When he glances over his shoulder as the traffic crawls for miles in front of him, he spots Mabel and Ollie throwing Fruit Loops at each other to see who can catch the most in their mouth. And when he looks to his right, Eddie’s there — feet up on the dash, hands protectively clutching Ollie’s teddy bear as if he’s hoping it offers him the same comfort it does for the six-year-old — handsome as ever.

“Didn’t think I’d ever be back in one of these,” he says fondly. “Especially not with you behind the wheel.” 

“Really?” Steve lets the corners of his lips twitch upward. Doesn’t try to fight the blush he knows is creeping across his cheeks. “‘Cause this is all I’ve thought about for years.” 

[127rkives]

</3 hotline bling || j. jaehyun </3

about? jaehyun misses her, but she’s on to bigger better things. (world’s worst synopsis but it’s the best i got bro) warnings? angst!!! fwb? non idol au. fem reader. mentions of sex, alcohol use, drug use (weed). i think that's all. wc? 1.7k notes? another old repost👹

you used to call me on my cellphone late-night when you need my love

************************************************ 3 months, 1 week, and 4 days. that’s how long it had been since jaehyun last saw you. but, hey, who's counting? if he had been, he would have succumbed to that void feeling in his chest by now. the one created by you but ultimately worsened by his own actions. his own actions ruined the best thing he ever had. but it was your fault too, right? 

if you didn't have such an illuminating smile, such a feather-light yet addicting touch, such an effervescent personality, such a radiant aura, then he the both of you wouldn't be in this situation. no. if you hadn't wanted something more and jaehyun hadn't been too scared of ruining a good thing even though he knew you deserved more—deserved better. he knew you deserved the world and the stars along with it, but he was so afraid he couldn't give it to you. so he cowered behind his thoughts; he dismissed the relationship you had, shutting you out in the process. 

thankfully, you had a mind of your own. you knew better than to remain where you weren't wanted. you knew your worth. that's probably why jaehyun had that constant ache in his chest, that pang in his heart. the void. 

he was expecting you to dismiss the fact that he couldn't come to terms with himself you and continue with the late-night phone calls. sneaking out of the apartment at 1 and 2 in the morning—when he thought everyone was asleep—to spend hours at your place. half naked smoke sessions with deeply thought out conversations lingering in the air with every puff. or hot nights in your room that always seemed to end with clothes scattered here and there, fluffy comforter somehow still clinging to a corner of the bed, and the sheets tangled around only you because he was never there when you woke up. ’he had better, more important things to do.’ you would convince yourself. but when you finally stopped gaslighting yourself with that excuse, you realized he couldn't face his own music.

************************************************ ever since i left the city, yougot a reputation for yourself noweverybody knows and i feel left outgirl, you got me down, you got me stressed out'cause ever since i left the city, youstarted wearing less and goin' out moreglasses of champagne out on the dance floorhangin' with some girls i've never seen before

************************************************ guilt. jealousy. anger. sadness. utter outrage. one of these emotions—possibly even a mixture—was grasping at jaehyun's heart and yanking at the strings right now. even so, he couldn’t stop rewatching the clip on his phone in front of him. it wasn’t like he meant to find you. he just happened to be scrolling through the explore page on instagram and much to his sudden disbelief you were the thumbnail on some video. against his better judgment (of course) he clicks the video, watching you hold a cup of God-knows-what in the air as your body hazily sways in a sea of people inside of what looks to be a club. jaehyun’s face is still one of shock as the girl recording yells something cringey about all of her friends being ‘badies’ and ‘hot girls’ and continues to survey each of her friends, including you, while everyone gets more excited with the new song’s change of pace.

it could’ve been all in his head but that video seemed way longer than the allotted one minute. jaehyun doesn’t know how many times he watches the video before he decides to click on the girl’s profile (a bad decision on behalf of his 2 functioning brain cells). his thumbs seemed to move on their own as he scrolled down her page and searched through countless posts of herself, her with her family, and her with her friends. jaehyun couldn’t pry his eyes from the screen as he clicked on a picture with you in it, hoping you would be tagged. you were, of course, so he clicked. another mistake on his part.

your username and bio were both different. even though jaehyun hadn’t visited your profile in a while, he did remember the main details of it. jaehyun repeated his earlier actions and examined your page this time. there were posts of yourself. you and your dog. you and your family. you and this new group of friends he had never seen until now. you and some man? you and this man hugging, holding hands, kissing, traveling, eating out together? you and jaehyun used to tell each other about everything, and you had certainly never mentioned him before. you people aren’t supposed to move on this fast. hell, jaehyun hadn’t even moved on. he still listened to the playlist you two had created together. he still dreamed about you. he still woke up with the lingering touches of you on his body as if you had been beside him moments before. he still had late-night venting sessions with taeyong as he sniffled and wiped his teary face after genuinely expressing what he was never able to tell you face-to-face.

but, here you were. you had completely evolved from the person jaehyun knew almost 6 months ago. you weren’t the same girl who posted simple photos of herself in cute, comfortable outfits captioned with inspirational quotes, or wholesome reviews of the new greek mythology book you had bought at your favorite, cozy bookstore. this was some girl who had grown to almost a 80,000 followers in just 6 months. this was some girl who posted pointless photos of her newest hermes purse; some girl whose wardrobe would alternate between burberry pantsuits and louboutin heels, to nike tracksuits and air force ones, to what could very well be some bundle of strings fashion nova tries to pass off as a dress. this new girl—this new you—was copacetic, thriving, and glowing. you were happy with this seemingly very outgoing group of people who the old you would’ve never thought about fraternizing with. worst of all, the new you appeared to be enjoying life with some guy that wasn’t jaehyun. jaehyun’s a complete mess without you laying next to him at 2 in the morning and you were supposed to be the same. he was supposed to have the same crippling effect on you as you did on him. 

apparently, jaehyun had been sitting in his whirlwind of thoughts long enough for his phone to lock. he pulled himself out of his trance and made his only decent decision of the day. he went to find taeyong, knowing he would still be awake and available to examine whatever emotional baggage jaehyun had this time. he told taeyong about his earlier revelations (leaving out the part about your apparent love interest). “why don’t you just talk to her? tell her how you actually feel.” weren't the words he expected to hear. he didn't know what to expect, honestly. 

as jaehyun laid in his bed he picked up his phone with shaky hands. when he unlocked it, he felt another tug at his heartstrings, forgetting that his phone had locked on a gorgeous post of your beaming smile while he was in a daze earlier. the time on his phone read 1:46 A.M. he didn't want to call you. you might not pick up. but he wanted an immediate response. jaehyun needed validation right now. he silently prayed that your number hadn't changed along with everything else during your productive time away from him. he opened his messages and clicked on your name; ’y/n💛’. jaehyun smiled to himself as he looked at the last messages sent between the two of you. you had been sending memes back and forth, with the last message before the hiatus being three emojis expressing your laughter. 

jaehyun pondered for a few moments on what to type. ’yo y/n it's me.’ ’hey it's me, jaehyun.’ ’hey y/n we haven't talked in a while.’ he wasted a good twenty minutes overthinking, typing, and erasing potential conversation starters. then he just decided to pour out what was left of his heart. fuck it.

he didn't expect you to reply quickly, but he wanted you to, so jaehyun kept his phone unlocked and open to your messages as he waited. he had peeked two minutes after hitting send, but he didn't notice it then. jaehyun let five more anxious minutes pass before checking again. he almost didn't notice it that time, but somehow he managed to spot it.

the small subscript under his message. ’read’

jaehyun didn't know if it was him being delirious with fatigue or the actual fact of you acknowledging but ignoring him, but his breathing got short and shaky and his tears started to roll. it was finally happening. that void feeling in his chest—in his heart—that place where special memories of you were kept, had finally drawn him in and suffocated him with the realization that you didn't want him anymore, didn’t need him anymore. you no longer needed jaehyun to bring you the pleasures of life. for all he knows now, you never really did.

likes and reblogs are appreciated :)

this work is property of me, 127rkives! no copying, reposting, translating, etc.!

[sexyandcringe]

Hopeless romantic

Part 1 ◇ Part 2 ◇ Part 3

Warnings: none

Content: osamu x reader, Angst (to fluff in the next chapters), hurt/comfort

A/n: Guess the Song of Achilles reference! :)

It has been around three weeks since you last saw Osamu that day: you took your chance to scurry away when he went back into the kitchen briefly, leaving your payment to Tsumoto.

The memory of his embrace with another woman still lingered in your mind, but you were able to distract yourself with the hundreds of books on your shelf and the dogs in the shelter.

You took this time to explore other places in the city, from the cozy Indian restaurant near your workplace, where the taste of salty chapati mixed with matar paneer melted in your mouth like butter, to the Mexican fast food spot at the corner of the library, where you savoured the taste of chiles en nogada followed by elotes. Yet,  nothing compared to Osamu’s handmade onigiris, the taste of his love surpassed any food you’ve ever tried.

You don’t believe he didn’t notice your absence, but it wouldn’t bother him that much, you assume, since you’re nothing more than a friendly regular. 

Or at least, you used to be a regular.

Now you are just a girl who spends her days between work and shelter,  occasionally going out to drink with the few friends you have. You know it’s wrong to use alcohol to dull the suffering, but sometimes it’s the only way to remind yourself that life still holds meaning, and that happiness, however fleeting, can be found.

But not going to Osamu’s restaurant has its consequences, like going to the grocery store to buy all the necessities to make a healthy meal and right now you are not exactly having fun doing all this.

When you were a child, your mother always told you to learn how to cook and clean because “someday you’ll have to do it for your future husband”, so, as an act of rebellion, you refused to learn anything other than the most basic dishes of your culture; this act of rebellion ended up biting your ass now because you are tired of eating the same basic things over and over again and you miss Osamu’s food.

You wander through the aisles, searching for the ingredients of the recipe you want to try.

it has been at least half an hour now and you’re meticulously selecting each item, trying to get the correct amount of food. You always tend to buy more than necessary, which ends up with you never using that specific product again and making it go to waste—like the honey syrup you bought for your pre-made pancakes that now sits untouched. You don’t even have time to eat breakfast most of the time. 

You are trying to understand which vegetables are less decayed than others when someone approaches you slowly. 

“That one will go bad in like 2 days.” 

You startle at first, but you freeze completely the second you meet his eyes.

“Hey.” he smiles.

Oh my god oh my god oh my god, please why did he have to come here out of all the grocery stores in the city?

You tried to forget about him like an unwanted pest, avoiding all the places he could be at, you even chose a longer path home so you wouldn’t bump into him while he closed the restaurant. You are old and tired and so is your heart, it can scarcely bear the burden of yet another heartbreak.

You drew in a slow, steadying breath before replying.

“Hi Osamu, long time no see.” you try your best to beam at him, like nothing has touched you, like you don’t want to run away this instant, like you don’t want to scream at him and hurl all these vegetables at him because you hate him for shattering the last remnants of hope you had left in you.

Like you don’t love him at all.

You tend to buy more than necessary, just like you tend to let your feelings grow more than necessary, and then, then they stay there, growing and decaying at the same time, festering with pests and resentment.

“Yeah, because someone hasn’t been coming to my restaurant lately.” He remarked with a petty edge to his voice.

Well, you jumped into that one.

A nervous laugh leaves your lips, “I was just … busy. We got a few more dogs in the shelter and it’s been a little hectic.” your voice is barely a whisper, laden with the weight of your lies.

Coward, liar, ugly.

He nods in quiet understanding, picking a zucchini with a pristine surface, a stark contrast to your rotten life. “Take this one. What’re ya making?.”

You take the vegetable from his hands and place it in your bag, his kindness pressing against the walls you've erected around your fragile heart “I don’t know,” you sigh, “I'm trying to make some vegetarian lasagna, but I already know it's going to suck. I’m a terrible cook.”

“You can always learn, you know.” he counters, a playful smirk gracing his lips “I wasn’t born with a knife in my hand.”

You roll your eyes, pushing your cart forward. “I’m lazy. And I don’t have anyone to teach me in a fun way.”

“I could teach you. Although I'm not sure if I can do it ‘in a fun way’” he signs with his fingers, “you won't die of boredom, I guess?”

“I’m always having fun with you, Osamu.”  And it’s true.

“That’s crazy considering that you haven’t come to meet me in three weeks.”

“Oh god, you’re so petty!” 

“Hell yeah, I am!”

You stare at each other before bursting into loud giggles; his eyes crinkle as he looks at you and you try so hard to ignore the warmth of your cheeks.

(and the warmth in your chest).

You are not used to being loved but you are used to love, and you can’t help wanting to stay around those you love, can’t ignore the tugs of your heartstrings. You know it will only end up in heartache and you are already regretting what’s coming out of your mouth, but you can’t stop it.

“Well? Will you teach me then?”

He smiles, and his face is like the sun.

Reblogs are really appreciated!

Tag: @lees-chaotic-brain

[brucewaynehater101]

Oh my god, I love that so much. Tim's heart beat was only for Kon, so when Kon went away so did his heart beat. It's still gone because Tim hasn't even come *close* to recovering from Kon and Bart and Steph's deaths, even if all three of them are back they still deeply effect him. Also Tim being the heart of the team so so <3 to me.

Tim 100% will use this incident against not just Bruce, but the entire family. Dick suggests he cuts back on the caffeine and Tim replies, "the only time I do is when I'm Relaxing on a trip and last time I went on a trip you nearly killed Ivy because you were to stressed to think straight." and when Jason comments he should take a rest, Tim says, "I only rest on trains but last time I got on one, you nearly made another duffel bag of heads."

Turning back time a bit though, can you imagine when they get to the train car that Tim is on, expecting it to be some grand show down with all of them in costume? And then they hear... music? coming from the train car that the tracker says Tim is in?? They all swing into the car while Tim's back is to them, yelling along to Shakira and when he turns around it's literally, "WHENEVER, WHEREVER, WE'RE MEANT TO- AAAAAAAAA" And he jumps a solid foot in the air while chucking his MP3 at the closest Bat, Bruce, and hitting them square in the forehead with it. Tim is death glaring them as he says, "what the fuck are you doing here, I'm on vacation. I'll be home tomorrow, what the *fuck* is so important that you tracked me down on my day off???"

Yes! Exactly. There's so much angst to be explored with Tim's missing heartbeat, how that reflects his current mindset/relationships with people, and how that affects Kon. I like to hc that Kon listens to various YJ members' heartbeats as a calming measure and reassurance. His inability to hear Tim's causes him stress and heartbreak (your choice on whether that's platonic or not).

Tim is a chaos gremlin who uses guilt tripping (in lighthearted measures) with a vicious lack of mercy. It only works half the time on his family members anyways and is a healthier form of airing out grievances (than trying to attack anyone).

Tim most definitely is swaying and dancing to the music when the Bats find him. He refuses to be embarrassed by this. If they want to make fun of him for dancing and singing alone on a train, they can suck it.

Tim: "What the fuck is so important that you tracked me down on my day off??? The world better be ending."

Bruce: "Tim... you weren't answering your phone and no one knew where you were."

Tim: "I'm on my vacation like always? You know this!"

Bruce: "No. No we didn't."

Tim: ".... Is this another case of me assuming you know about something that's been happening for years?"

Bruce: *nods with pursed lips*

Tim: *sighs heavily*

Jason: "Wait.... your vacation is riding cargo carts for days?"

Tim: *points a finger at Jason* "I don't want to hear judgment from you, Mr. Red Helmet."

Also, the reveal of them finding out why he developed this de-stress mechanism is going to be great. Just Tim refusing to make eye contact as he tries to nonchalantly explain being abandoned in another state/city and having to make his way home before he was even a teenager. Then he turned this very messed up form of neglect into a semi healthy form of decompression due to the same incident happening more than once to Tim.

The Bats obvious go fucking ballistic

[aspoonofsugar]

Netflix Decameron: Love's Got Long Claws

I have watched Netflix Decameron together with @hamliet and I loved it a lot! I did not have high expectations, but the series was fun, entertaining and had a very strong thematic heart. So strong, in fact, that it is wonderful to explore!

So, here comes this meta, which shares a very similar thesis to hamliet's own analysis: Netflix Decameron is a story about love.

IN THE NAME OF LOVE (AND CLASSISM)

The Netflix series is loosely inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron, a masterpiece of Italian literature. It is a collection of 100 short stories, told by 3 noble boys and 7 noble girls during the time of the pestilence in Florence (1348). The group runs away from the city and finds a refuge in the countryside. There they spend ten days (aka decameron) telling each other stories on different topics. The main theme is how the group keeps society alive through their shared rules, even in a time of suffering and chaos. The 100 short stories (the real focus of the work) showcase a world that is getting lost through the pandemic. They also bring to the table many other themes, like religion and love.

Netflix takes this premise and explores the same themes in a different way. Specifically, it imagines new plots and adventures for the members of the group, who are named after some of the original protagonists, but are given new characterizations.

To be precise:

Licisca, Tindaro, Stratilia, Misia and Sirisco are called after the nobles' servants. Here, they all become protagonists.

Filomena, Neifile, Panfilo, Pampinea and Dioneo are called after five of the protagonists of Boccaccio's Decameron.

Two things are interesting about this.

First of all, in the series, like in the original, we have 10 protagonists. However, the original has all the group made of nobles. The series instead chooses to have 5 nobles and 5 servants, so that it can tackle the theme of classism.

Secondly, the names of the 10 protagonists of the Decameron are all meaningful. They describe the characters' personality and the kind of stories they are gonna tell. Well, all the (noble) names the series chooses to keep do the same:

Pampinea means "flourishing" - that is a comical inversion as Pampinea is old and fears her age will ruin her chances to get married

Neifile means "new lover" - that fits with Neifile being sexually inexperienced and repressed

Dioneo means dissolute - this ties with the character's love for sex and edonism

Filomena means "lover of songs" or "the one who is loved"

Panfilo means "lover of all"

Isn't there an interesting pattern? All the names tie one way or another with love. That is perfect for a story whose main topic is, in fact, love. Not only that, but especially Filomena and Panfilo's names turn out to be pretty meaningful for the thematic role of the two characters (we'll see it through this analysis).

In synthesis, the series explores love and classism. Let's see how.

LOVE HAS MORE THAN ONE DIMENSION

Love has many dimensions. There is romantic love, platonic love, familial love and even toxic love. The series explores all these different relationships. In particular, it focuses on five bonds:

Licisca and Filomena's sisterhood

Neifile and Panfilo's sexless marriage

Pampinea and Misia's toxic relationship

Tindaro's unrequired love for Stratilia

Filomena and Misia's romantic love

The first three are platonic and they get consistent spotlight throughout the series. The last two are romantic and they develop in the second part of the story. I would say the first three are the key dynamics, but the other two are relevant, as well. Let's go deeper.

FILOMENA AND LICISCA: FAMILIAL LOVE

Filomena: What's the point in having family if you can't have their unconditional love?

Filomena and Licisca are master and servant, but they also share a strong bond of sisterhood, which is later revealed to be not only spiritual, but biological, as well. Licisca, thus, is Filomena's father daughter, hence they are half-sisters. The problem is that this bond of mutual love is made complicated by their different social classes. This is shown in their introduction:

Filomena: But you and I could've snuck off together to, I don't know, hug goats, or whatever they do in the countryside. Or at night, if I couldn't sleep, you'd have told me stories in the kitchen. Or rubbed my feet.

Filomena clearly enjoys Licisca's company to the point she can't imagine a happy future without her. In a sense, she thinks of herself and Licisca as a unit, always together. However, she is also self-centered and shows Licisca no appreciation nor consideration for her suffering.

Things start changing after Licisca accidentally pushes Filomena off a bridge. This results in a chain of events that ends with the two sisters exchanging roles. Now Licisca is the master and Filomena is the servant. This experience helps Filomena reflect on herself, so that she can become less selfish:

Filomena: I'm terrible, but... I'm getting better, aren't I? And I'm your sister. Okay, okay, I know that didn't use to mean anything, but it does now. Just... give me a chance.

Specifically, she starts being more honest with Licisca. She revelas Licisca's origin and that their father forced her to hide it. She also confesses that she lied to Licisca about their father's death, so that they could leave Florence and save themselves. Licisca doesn't take these revelations well and lashes out at Filomena:

Licisca: I have had, in my whole life, two days away from you. The day when I pushed you off a bridge, and the next day when I came here, and... and boys liked me, and I did what I wanted, and everybody treated me like a human being. And then, there you are at the door, dragging me back into servitude. I should not have pushed you off that bridge. I should have cut off your fucking head.

Licisca wants to free herself not only from servitude, but from all bonds:

Licisca: When the sun breaks, I'm gonna walk away from the bonds of it all. I'm going at all this alone. Independence is the greatest luxury. I'm gonna take it all for myself. Doesn't that sound divine?

But she is called out on this mentality:

Tindaro: The most divine thing in the world is having someone worth loving.

In the end, Licisca realizes she still loves Filomena and saves her. The two sisters survive and start a new chapter together, as equals and family. Their last interaction seals their newfound love and conveys the main theme:

Licisca: I love you, in spite of myself. Filomena: I love you more, in spite of nothing.

A love, which is mutual and unconditional. A love that withstands the person's flaws. A love that lets nothing, not even the world, get in the way.

NEIFILE AND PANFILO: SPIRITUAL LOVE

Neifile: Don't you love me as I am? Panfilo: Of course I love you. You're my partner... and my friend... and my wife.

Panfilo and Neifile share unconditional love. They love each other, as they are. Neifile loves Panfilo, even if he is a homosexual and a liar. Panfilo loves Neifile, despite her oddities that often put her in trouble. They are life partners, but they are so platonically. For both the sexual dimension is important. Neifile's repressed sexual desire consumes her and makes her suffer. Panfilo finds outlets to his sexuality through different lovers. However, they find in each other something that makes their marriage worth it. They do not regret it:

Neifile: I bet you could have had him. I think he enjoys men. Panfilo: You could have had my brother too, if you'd wanted. Neifile: Guidotto was a little skinny for me, but I would have wanted. Panfilo: So, what shall we do today? Neifile: I just want to talk... about everything.

Theirs is a spiritual love, which is the purest and most beautiful in the series. They complement each other:

Neifile is heart, as she has a fervent faith and a pure and childlike approach to things

Panfilo is mind, as he is smart, deceitful and good at navigating society and at coming up with plans

Neifile shares her heart and sense of wonder with Panfilo, while Panfilo takes care of Neifile. As the story progresses, though, their complementarity grows deeper. This ties with their religious motif:

Neifile: I'm testing God. If he really has not abandoned me, he will not let me perish in a well. He will rescue me somehow, and that will be a sign. Panfilo: Darling... What if I'm the sign? Neifile: Come on, you're not the sign. You're my husband and you love me. Of course you would try to save me. That wouldn't prove anything.

Neifile falls into a well and wants God to save her to prove his love for her. That is why, she refuses Panfilo's help. Panfilo, however, ends up paying Dioneo to save her. He rescues her, but he also tricks her.

This lie kickstarts Neifile's crisis of faith, which is mirrored in her relationship with her husband getting strained. It all culminates in a fight with Panfilo and in Neifile choosing to spend the night with Ruggiero. In this way, Neifile is finally able to satiate her sexual desires, but she also ends up falling ill with the plague. Before her death, she reconciles with Panfilo and shares with him her newfound faith:

Panfilo: Well, I guess I never really believed in God. Neifile: I've not always been entirely sure of the fellow myself. Panfilo: Really? Neifile: I never found the answers, exactly. I tried so hard. I searched everywhere. But I've come to believe that finding the answers was never really the point. I got to ask the questions with you by my side.

Neifile reaches the conclusion that God lives in the people she loves and that love her back. So, it turns out the love of God Neifile has been looking for is nothing, but Panfilo's love. Panfilo is indeed the sign. His love for Neifile is an extension of God's love.

Panfilo: Father, I know I said I wasn't sure about you... but I will take any mercy you can bestow. Any meager crumb. I can't... bear this grief... this anger... this guilt. Help me. Neifile, help me.

Panfilo isn't sure God exists, but when Neifile dies, he prays. His prayer starts with him speaking with God and it ends with him asking Neifile for help. The meaning is clear. Neifile is Panfilo's true faith. She is his link to the spiritual and to the best version of himself:

Panfilo: I think I'm some sharp mind. Clever. But I'm not, I'm nothing. I'm nothing without you. Neifile: My Panfilo, you are as clever as you think. You see with eyes so clear. Trust them. Trust yourself.

Panfilo's arc is about discarding the mask he wears to fit into society and to find his real self:

Andreoli: Whatever you desired before, whoever you were, I'd wager that it doesn't much matter anymore. I've seen 1000 doorsteps, watched high-born women carry children to unmarked graves, peasants sieging whole castles. If the pestilence has shown us anything, it's that we're to choose the parts of ourselves we wish to keep and the parts we wish to throw away.

He must give up his lies and his illusions to face the truth of life:

Panfilo: I lied to her at the end and she could tell. And we had just promised no more lies. And it made her so scared. And she went so scared. Andreoli: What do you want me to tell ya? Panfilo: The truth. Andreoli: Panfilo, it's awful and you will never recover. Panfilo: This is awful and I'll never recover. Yes. Yes. That's the truth of it.

And in the end, the part of himself Panfilo doesn't want to discard, the truest truth about life turns out to be his love for Neifile.

Neifile and Panfilo start the series loving each other, but also living in lies. They end it by realizing their love for each other is the only truth they need.

PAMPINEA AND MISIA: SUFFOCATING LOVE

Pampinea: Misia, the way you love me... you... you love me no matter what I do. That's the greatest gift I've ever known.

Pampinea and Misia are another example of unconditional love. It is just that theirs is negative. That is not only because it is not mutual, but also because one side takes advantage of the other:

Filomena: Misia! This woman cares only about herself and how you can advance her interests. When you fail in any way, she pretends you have fallen out of her heart. Then she smiles and allows you to, just this once, earn your way back in. And for a while she's gleeful. And you're gleeful because she's gleeful. But she is only gleeful because she knows her system works.

Pampinea is Misia's master and she uses Misia as a weapon to further her interests. Her abuse starts with Pampinea ignoring Misia's grief for her lover Parmena and it culminates in her weaponizing this grief to manipulate Misia into killing a person.

As a result of this constant mistreatment, Misia ends up growing more and more desperate to free herself until this desire turns into a refusal to help Pampinea and an attempt to switch sides. And yet, Pampinea is so rooted in Misia's mind that she falters:

Filomena: She is so deep in your brain. You will never stop loving her, will you?

And finds herself with no other option, but to kill Pampinea to free herself:

Pampinea: I will never let you go as long as I live. Misia: I've come to know that that's the truest truth.

Misia starts her arc by smuggling her ill girlfriend by using a barrell. She ends it, but putting Pampinea into a barrell and burning her alive. She buries two loves, so that she can start anew.

The choice of fire as the cause of Pampinea's death isn't by chance. As a matter of fact early on Sirisco tries to burn Pampinea by accusing her of witchcraft. This happens after Pampinea accuses Stratilia of the same thing. Well, Sirisco fails, but Misia succeeds, reiterating that Pampinea's final demise is a consequence of the woman's inability to love.

Her bond with Misia is, in fact, a foil to:

Licisca and Filomena's bond

Tindaro and Dioneo's bond

In all three relationships, the servant has to put up with their master's tantrums, until they explode and try to kill them. Still, Licisca and Filomena eventually work things out and start anew. Dioneo and Tindaro do not, as Dioneo dies. However, Tindaro forgives his servant and properly grieves him. They do reconcile in death. Pampinea and Misia never reconcile. Not only that, but Misia is the only servant that successfully kills her master.

That is because Pampinea is loveless:

Ruggiero: All you crave is love. But you've nevet gotten it, and you'll never get it.

She is loveless, not because she can't find love, but because she doesn't give it nor understand it. She is in fact given love multiple times:

Misia is loyal and loves her deeply (platonic love)

Sirisco is attracted to her and falls for her (romantic love)

Still, Pampinea mistreats and pushes both away because she pursues an idealized love that doesn't exist:

Pampinea: Misia! Leonardo is my one true love. He's the only thing that matters to me. I thought you might understand that, since you had to leave that girl behind. Misia: Her name was Parmena. Pampinea: Oh, Misia. I understand your pain now. That must indeed be what's clouding your judgement. Now, don't show your face to me until you've found the Misia that I need.

She falls for an imaginary husband, who loves her perfectly. Still, love isn't perfect. It is complicated, contradictory and has claws. You can't experience it, if you do not accept imperfection. You can't experience it, if you yourself do not love selflessly.

TINDARO AND STRATILIA: UNREQUITED LOVE

Tindaro is a foil to Pampinea, in how they are both men-children, who want love, but they are so insufferable they find themselves alone. Specifically, Tindaro is a third son who inherited a fortune after his siblings' death. So, he finds himself surrounded by flatterers he despises. At the same time, he is a hypochondriac buffoon who alienates everyone with his arrogance and stupidity. Still, Tindaro gets called out:

Stratilia: Your life is unfair? You've never wanted for anything excepts the affections of anyone, any person, since spending time with you is exhausting and boring all at once. Being near you is hell. No wonder Dioneo poisoned you.

Licisca: You loved her well, but you loved her wrong.

Both Stratilia and Licisca point out his flaws and he starts improving. This growth shows in his devotion to Stratilia, the character, who manages to heal him both physically and pshychologically:

She is the one who realizes Dioneo has been poisoning him and the one who gives him real medicine for once

She is the one Tindaro falls for and through her love for her he realizes his own privilege and becomes more selfless

Tindaro starts the story as a coward, forever scared for his own health. A loser, who wishes glory, but has no skill nor bravery to gain it. He ends the series by fighting despite a severe wound to protect Stratilia and her son Jacopo. By doing so he becomes the best version of himself.

His ending is in stark contrast with Pampinea's one. He dies as an adult protecting a child. She dies as a child, with Misia singing her a lullabye. The main difference between them, however, is rooted in their different takes on love. Pampinea wants love without loving. Tindaro instead accepts to love without being loved back:

Tindaro: You don't love me. Your love is not required by my love. I know that you have been given little and had much taken away. Is that true? I only ask that you let me give you what I can, what I have. It isn't much now, but do me the honor.

Tindaro's love for Stratilia is one-sided, but his love doesn't really require Stratilia's. It is perfect as it is because it lets Tindaro grow and experience life to its fullest.

FILOMENA AND MISIA: ROMANTIC LOVE

Filomena is another important foil to Pampinea. She is a selfish noble woman, who deep down resents societal rules that force her into an unhappy marriage in exchange for her safety. She is also lonely and craving for love:

Filomena: I meet an eligible noble, he buys me a castle, I'm never alone again.

But she is so self-centered she doesn't notice the love Licisca offers her:

Licisca: Me! You had me! We were friends until our twelfth year, when for some unknown reason, you cut off my hair in the third feast of Michaelmas.

Still, she is able to see and to appreciate the bond she forges with Misia:

Filomena: I have a real friend there. Misia. My one friend that I finally made. My very first friend.

Thanks to this bond, she is able to reflect on her privilege:

Filomena: When the pestilence ends, you can come and live with me in Firenze.

Misia: As your servant? Filomena: As my... friend. I don't think I wans servants anymore.

And herself:

Filomena: Yes, Misia, yes! I know this (the way Paminea manipulates Misia) because I am this! (Looking at Licisca) Or I was this.

Through her relationship with Misia, Filomena is saved and saves:

She initially wants Pampinea's help to reclaim her identity and gain the love of Ruggiero, a family member. She believes the people she belongs to are the nobles, but she is soon let down. Pampinea ignores her and Ruggiero almost kills her. She is saved only thanks to Misia's plead and Licisca admitting the truth about her identity. Misia is her true friend and Licisca is her true family.

She symbolically helps Misia, another version of Licisca, and saves her from Pampinea, a darkest version of herself.

Despite this progress, Filomena still misses what love is really about:

Filomena: Licisca hates me. You should hate Pampinea. Why don't you hate Pampinea?

She believes Licisca hates her and thinks Misia can escape years of toxic love easily. She has a simplistic vision of how relationships work and is called out by both Misia and Licisca:

Misia: You've spent about a month as a servant and you think you are so changed. Yet, no. You only see one side of a person at a time. No history baked in. Love has more than one dimension. Love has long claws. But I guess that you wouldn't understand anything about that, would you?

Licisca: I'd like to see you love anyone that isn't you.

As a result, she finds herself alone and scared. Loveless. Until Licisca comes and saves her:

Filomena: Licisca, you saved me again. Licisca: Yeah, you dumb bitch. Love's got long claws.

She repeats Misia's words. Love got long claws and it isn't as easily broken. Immediately after, Misia appears and confirms to Filomena she has finally fred herself. She is choosing Filomena over Pampinea.

Thanks to Misia, Filomena manages to relate to Licisca and works to repair their bond. Thanks to Licisca, Filomena understands Misia better and finally realizes what love is about. As a result, Filomena becomes the only survivor, who gets both familial (Licisca) and romantic (Misia) love. A perfect ending for a character, whose name means "the one who is loved". By the end she is truly beloved.

RUGGIERO: CHAOS AND FREEDOM

Love is the primary theme of the series, whereas classism is its secondary theme. The characters have to free themselves from classism and social rules, if they want to grow. That is why the character of Ruggiero appears. He embodies both chaos and freedom. He is violent and a brute. However, he also brings to light the characters' flaws:

Ruggiero: Oh, what a fascinating little assemblage this is. Liars, impostors, poisoners, flatterers. A gang of miscreants hiding out in my cousin's house in his absence.

Moreover, in his short screentime, he changes everything. He destroys all the barriers, transforms everyone's dynamics and brings both death and freedom. In a sense, he is the perfect embodyment of the pestilence itself. Something that destroys. Something that brings the chance for a new beginning.

Because of him:

Filomena and Licisca reveal their identities and the sisters are forced to work on their bond

Panfilo's family being ruined comes out

Leonardo's death comes to light

Tindaro is laughed at and ends up looking for some comfort in Stratilia, which kickstarts his arc

Neifile is fred from her sexual desires and is finally able to satisfy them

Dioneo dies marking the first casualty among the main characters

Most importantly, Ruggiero conveys this idea:

Ruggiero: My fate is the same as yours, which is the same as Stecchi's and Bruno's, Lorenzo's, all my friends, all my enemies.

He highlights how death can come for anybody, servant or noble alike. So, one should try to live their life to the fullest. The two characters that are challenged the most by this revelation are Pampinea and Panfilo.

Both go to Villa Santa to escape reality:

Pampinea: Let us make a rule, shall we? We are here to eat and drink and move into a bright new future. We shall have no more of this pestilence talk. It does not suit our time here.

Panfilo: We've all suffered great loss at the hands of the pestilence, but that is why we deserve this respite in an idyllic safe heaven. We're on holiday! Remember?

They live in lies. Pampinea finds comfort in her imaginary version of Eduardo, while Panfilo hides his sexuality from Neifile and his economical condition from the other guests. Both are scheming and try to obtain the villa by making use of societal rules. Pampinea stages a fake marriage. Panfilo tries to dethrone her by calling Ruggiero. Except that the world around them is changing. They can't rely on the same philosophy from the past. That is why their rivalry to ingratiate themselves to Ruggiero and claim the villa isn't solved by them offering him money. It is solved through a test.

Ruggiero forces both to face the truth about themselves.

He tells Pampinea point-blank everyone hates her. Not because of her age, nor her body, but because of her personality:

Ruggiero: Look at how everyone in the villa despises you. And I'm sure much was the same in Firenze. Every man that met you saw instantly what a slim-hipped, clenching little shrew you are and ran.

He forces Panfilo to address his problems with Neifile:

Ruggiero: You know I had sex with her, right? Does that not bother you?

After being told the truth, Pampinea spirals. She has the chance to show love for the only person who selflessly cares about her, that is Misia. Initially, she appears to do so, by finally showing empathy for Parmena's death. However, it turns out it is all a scheme to manipulate Misia into killing Ruggiero for her.

When Panfilo is forced to express his true feelings to Neifile, he manages to convey how much he cares for her. This impresses Ruggiero, who accepts to give the couple the villa. After this, Panfilo promises Neifile never to lie again. He fails, but he still learns the importance of truth and makes a step towards who he wants to be.

Pampinea fails to grow and stays attached to her schemes and to material goods. That is why by the end she finds herself alone and forced to eat her own jewels.

Panfilo grows and lets go of material attachmens. That is why by the end he finds comfort in comraderie and dies as a hero.

SIRISCO AND STRATILIA: SOCIAL CLIMBING

After Ruggiero comes to the villa, the equilibrium shatters and new power dynamics have the chance to impose themselves. Among these, there are two attempts of social climbing:

Sirisco chooses to lead a group of peasants to the villa, so that they can all find food and rule the villa together, as a community.

Stratilia decides to claim the ownership of the villa, as her son Jacopo is the only heir of Eduardo. In this way, she wants to give her son a better future.

Both Sirisco and Stratilia start with noble intentions, but they quickly spiral into parodies of the despotic Pampinea.

Sirisco is so focused on his idea to give humble people power, that he fails to notice his comrades do not really want it. All the countrymen want is some food, so that they can survive. They are not interested in noble games, nor into killing Pampinea nor into owning a villa. However, Sirisco keeps ordering them around and becomes just as controlling and obessive as his ex-lover.

Stratilia is tired of being mistreated and wants justice for her and Jacopo. However, things have changed and her authority in the villa amounts to nothing in the face of the mercenaries' violence. So, all she can do is really steal some of Pampinea's clothes and loosely imitate her mannerisms.

The message is clear. By the end of the story any social obligation is hopelessly destroyed. So, all that's left are love-made bonds. Because love ties. Love has long claws.

LICISCA AND PANFILO: LOVE IS A BURDEN

Licisca and Panfilo have parallels and inverted arcs, which are highlighted by comparing the first episode with the last one.

In the first episode, Licisca kills Cardinal Agnolo and tells Panfilo they are all going to die, so she will do as she pleases:

Licisca: You know we're all gonna die, right? I assure you we are, and sooner than you think. So I appreciate your concern, but I'm gonna do what I like in the time I have left.

In the last episode, Panfilo kills Eric in a similar way and tells Licisca she should do as she wants:

Panfilo: You wanna leave this place, right? Free yourself of her. Go be a lady. Or a whore. Or a street clown. Or anybody you want. In the end, love is burden.

Their behaviors are the result of grief:

Filomena: You act with such freedom, detached from earth. Aren't you afraid of death? Licisca: Ever since Eduardo died, I'm not afraid. I loved him, but as such, was bound to him. And when he was gone, so were the bindings. And now, it's... I feel like I can see... the other side of everything. The stillness and the peace in death. And this side... this is hell. And if I left this side, what would I even be leaving behind?

Licisca: Is this grief? Panfilo: Either freedom or insanity. Either way, it is something profoundly felt by me. We're about to die. Makes you want to lean your chin in for that final punch. Licisca: Do you wanna die? Panfilo: Don't you wanna be free? What's here for you anyway?

Both Licisca and Panfilo have lost their family and feel at the same time free and desperate. They are not binded anymore, but this also means they have no reason to truly live. That is why they help each other find some meaning again.

Panfilo acts as a dark mirror to Licisca. By talking with him, she confronts the part of herself, who wishes to burn everything and die. She realizes that isn't the right path and that she still has family in Filomena. So, she chooses to save her with Panfilo's help:

Licisca: I'm going to save her. Panfilo: I understand.

Licisca inspires Panfilo to take one final stand, by pointing out what they should all fight for:

Licisca: Besides, you know, each other... what is actually worth fighting for here?

Panfilo has embraced nihilism, but Licisca's words and the view of so many people loving each other and wanting to live lead him to choose his love for Neifile one last time:

Panfilo: Darling... I need your help. I can't seem to die without you.

Both Licisca and Panfilo choose bonds and lover over freedom and nichilism. It is just that Licisca does so by living, whereas Panfilo does so by dying.

PANFILO, THE ONE WHO LOVES ALL

Panfilo's final sacrifice is the conclusion to his and Neifile's arc, his final celebration of his wife and a beautiful exploration of the theme of love in its selfless and purest form. It is the perfect final for the climax and it is prepared since episode one. As a matter of fact the first episode foreshadows the last one. There a small group of criminals guided by a disgraced cardinal invades the villa. Here an army of mercenary led by a corrupted cult assaults the protagonists. There, Cardinal Agnolo brings the pestilence in and is welcomed by fear and eventually killed by Licisca. Here, Neifile's buttered body is used by Panfilo as a weapon to let the others escape.

More importantly, Cardinal Agnolo sets up Neifile's role in the finale:

Cardinal Agnolo: After the horrors I have seen, I now know the truth. God, he has abandoned us. Neifile, you were always such a pure child. A holy child.

Cardinal Agnolo's speech is important for two reasons:

After witnessing the horrors of the pestilence he loses his faith and gives in to violence and criminality. He embodies the idea God has abandoned humanity.

He calls Neifile a holy child.

Well, in the end Neifile is a holy child, in the sense she is symbolic of Christian love. She dies, but through her death she saves the others. As a matter of fact Panfilo uses her body against the members of the fake cult. Neifile's death brings life. Once again, this happens thanks to her and Panfilo's strong bond, which confirms itself as symbolic of God's love for humanity.

Neifile has a crisis of faith like Agnolo and even dies full of doubts and fear. However, she never gives up love and what she can't accomplish alone, Panfilo does for her. She dreams of witnessing a miracle. Well, she eventually becomes the miracle as she is the only reason a bunch of innocents survive. Panfilo's love for her is so strong that not only he chooses to die with her, but he gives her death meaning in a final celebration of her life.

Panfilo himself is able to save everybody else because of his strong feelings for Neifile, which opened his eyes to the truth:

Andreoli: She is dead. And your loss does not make you unique. We have all suffered. I have delivered the message of death a hundred times. And I am, but one handsome messanger.

Panfilo's loss is terrible, but it does not make him unique. He is told so by Andreoli and is shown so when everyone gathers together to grieve Neifile. Panfilo shares his feelings of pain and loss and is met with empathy and understanding. Neifile is the channel through whom everyone can grieve their loved ones. Because everyone suffered and because Neifile herself embodies love. Through this moment Panfilo is shown that everyone is the same, both in death and in life. This is why in the end he chooses to make one final big gesture, so that everyone can survive. In this way, he makes one final act of selfless pure love. Not only towards Neifile, but towards all of humanity. That is why Panfilo's name means "the one who loves all".

AN INVERSED DECAMERON

Boccaccio's Decameron has a group of nobles telling each other short stories in a country villa. Netflix Decameron has that same group of nobles try to escape in a fantasy world and being forced to confront reality. By the end, the nobles all die (with the exception of Filomena) and the story ends with a group of servants telling each other short stories in a cave. Not only that, but each character embodies a different kind of love:

Sirisca and Filomena (sisterhood)

Stratilia and Jacopo (parent and child)

Filomena and Misia (romantic)

Sirisco (community)

These characters start the story having nothing and they end it having freedom and each other. And somehow that is the only thing that matters.

[writingforstraykids]

Lost

Pairing: Chanlix x femReader

Word Count: 898

Summary: Felix gets lost once again. Only this time it's not on stage but in a foreign city.

Warnings/Tags: angst, fluff,

A/N: Hope you like it @miuracha 💕

do not repost, translate, or plagiarize my works in any way here or on other platforms. ©️writingforstraykids 2024 -

In the bustling city center, Chan, Felix, and you found yourself in a whirlwind of new sights, sounds, and experiences. The air was heavy with the scent of street food and traffic. You were excited to explore some more over the following days.

On your second day, you decided to visit a famous market known for its labyrinth-like layout. The market was a vibrant mix of colors and activities, with vendors selling everything from exotic spices to handmade crafts. Felix's eyes seemed to grow wider with every new thing you spotted, which was such a typical thing for him.

As you wandered through the crowded alleys, you stopped to examine a stall selling jewelry. Chan noticed a nearby café and suggested you'd grab a coffee. Felix, however, was distracted by a stall in the distance and nodded absentmindedly, his attention already elsewhere.

"I'll catch up in a minute," Felix called out, not waiting for a response before disappearing into the crowd.

Chan and you shrugged, making your way to the café. You talked happily, sipping your coffee, confident that Felix would find you easily. However, your conversation grew silent as minutes turned into half an hour.

"He should have been here by now," Chan said, his brows furrowed with worry.

You checked your phone, but there were no messages. "Maybe he got distracted," you suggested, but your voice betrayed you, laced with concern.

You decided to go back to the market, retracing your steps in search of Felix. The market, however, seemed to have transformed into an entirely different maze, with each turn leading you further into the city.

Anxiety spread through Chan’s chest as he called out Felix's name, his voice lost in the buzzing noise of the market. You felt a growing sense of panic, the unfamiliar surroundings making you feel lost.

Chan’s mind raced with worst-case scenarios, each more frightening than the last. He tried to focus, to remember any detail that could lead you to Felix, but the panic clouded his thoughts. Where the hell was he? "Don't let go of my hand," Chan said for the fifth time as you walked down an alley.

You fought back tears as you searched. The thought of Felix getting lost all alone in this city was terrifying. He didn't pick up his phone either, going straight to voicemail.

After an hour, the realization that Felix was truly lost hit you like a physical blow. Chan contacted the local authorities, his voice shaking as he filed a missing person's report.

As the day turned into evening, with no word from Felix, you returned to your hotel. Chan couldn’t stop pacing, his mind racing with guilt. "I should have noticed he wasn't with us sooner," he muttered, his voice laced with self-hatred and guilt.

You sat on the bed, clutching your phone tightly in your hand, hoping for a sign of Felix. "This is my fault. I should have made sure he was following," you whispered.

After another hour, Chan and you decided to search for him again, and you both flinched when Chan's phone rang. It was Felix. "Baby, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

Felix explained how he had gotten lost, his phone battery dead, and his attempts to find his way back useless in the city's confusing streets. He eventually got help from the police.

The relief that washed over Chan and you was overwhelming. You rushed to the station, your steps quickening. When you finally saw him sitting in the waiting area looking exhausted but unharmed, Chan ran over, wrapping him in a tight hug. You were right behind him, your eyes shining with tears.

"I'm so sorry," Felix whispered, his voice breaking. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Chan shook his head, pulling him into his arms. "Don't apologize. We're just glad you're safe."

The ride back to the hotel was quiet. The joy of finding Felix was mixed with the realization of how quickly things could go wrong.

Back in your room, the tension that had built up over the night slowly began to fade. You all sat together, cuddled up, and tried to calm down.

Chan broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was so scared. The thought of losing you..." he trailed off, choking on his words.

Felix reached out for him, taking his hand in his. "I was scared, too. I felt so alone out there. I should have been more careful."

You shook your head, tears glistening in your eyes. "No, Lix, it's not your fault. We all agreed. It was just a shitty situation."

You all sat in silence for a while, and Felix, who always found comfort in physical touch, leaned into Chan, his head resting on his shoulder. Chan wrapped an arm around him, pulling you closer with his other arm.

"We're okay. That's all that matters," Chan said, his voice steady but still filled with anxiety.

The sun began to rise, casting a soft light into the room. You decided to spend the rest of your trip together, Chan's hands never leaving yours and Felix's. The previous night's experience had changed you, making you realize how much they meant to you. You knew now that no matter where life took you, you would always find your way back to each other. You'd never get lost with them right by your side.

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[fic-heaven]

All for a pair of tits (Ghost x witty! Reader)

Part 1 / pt 2 "where we left off."

Not edited/ Nsfw/ Kyle likes reader/ a bit of jealous Ghost/ tourism stuff.

🐥omg I made a part 2 as requested 😩 👐???

🐥I hope you guys like it because the first part rocked my page xd I won't stop receiving notifications and someone asked for a second part on the comments so here we go again.

.

The mission finished faster than Ghost had predicted with the objective captured and the whole building (and most of his other businesses and properties) sealed and under close investigation.

Price had taken it upon himself to finish all the paperwork that same night and urged you all to do the same, so in compensation you'd have two free days to enjoy Prague. And what a tempting plan that was.

When you arrived here, none of you got overly excited of coming to the beautiful, artsy capital of the Czech Republic, thinking you only came here to accomplish the mission and leave, but the moment John offered two days to unwind and explore the city, none of you protested and eagerly obliged. In consequence, your group didn't get more than three hours of sleep before Price woke you all at seven in the morning to leave the hotel and move to another different one.

"Y'guys gotta pay for your own rooms, this isn't part of the work trip no more, so until we head back to England whatever we buy will come outta our pockets."

All of you groggily grunted, nodded or hummed in reply tiredly carrying everything to the taxies. Of course your group was used to getting little to no sleep, but the flight here and the whole acting, acrobatics and paperwork regarding the mission made your tired bodies melt at the mention of a well-deserved two-day vacation.

"Show me the hotel again, cap." You huffed struggling to get accommodated on your seat as you were squished between Soap and your cases.

"Say that again, (y/n)."

"Jesus. Could you, my sweet dear captain, pretty please show me again the hotel we're staying over?" You rephrased in a sickenly sweet voice.

John chuckled handing you his phone from the copilot seat when Soap quickly snatched it before you could take it. You two started throwing hands at one another with curses and giggles and you swore the driver bit down his tongue trying to stay quiet and professional. Mostly because of how intimidating you all looked. But you were sure this guy was more relieved to drive your group of three, feeling luckier than the woman driver assigned to carry one sleep deprived Ghost and Gaz with the rest of the cases.

Talking about the lieutenant. Ghost missed you.

After the mission, the ball, the persecution, the whole talk with Laswell and the CIA, clearing the misunderstanding with the Czech police, the long hours of paperwork, the short breakfast and finally, the taxies' distribution, you didn't do much than groggily muster a good morning his way. Simon was never sure about what was going through your head because you can be very unpredictable at times, but he couldn't get the intense intimate moment you two shared on Soap's room out of his head and hoped you did as well. Of course Simon couldn't also forget the stench of the monster shit that came out of Johnny's anal rectum and cooked for over half an hour in that small bathroom. But fuck, he only had to remember your tits bouncing Infront of the the vanity's mirror and the nightmare would go away fast. Exactly for that reason, he didn't complain when he was paired up with Gaz because he didn't want to be in between you (the boobies' dream) and Soap (the farting nightmare), at least until you guys arrived to the new hotel.

The place was nice, it had an interior pool and even a small Japanese garden Ghost was sure Johnny would love to visit at night to draw and write on his journal, it also seemed like an amazing place to enjoy breaking his two week rate of not smoking after he also broke his two month rate of not masturbating. Yes, you were too impactful for him and also worth falling back to his additions.

The hotel held just a speck of many art styles Prague was known for. You and Gaz were so eager to explore the city that once all of you were inside, as Price had already booked five rooms, you took your keys quickly, planned to take a very quick nap and meet at the reception to eat out. Soap whined that you two weren't including him so you comforted him and apologized telling him about the plan, John also tagged along offering Ghost to do so as well but he was PISSED and none of you knew exactly why.

How dare you leave him out of the plan? Of course you seemed too tired to explain everything to everyone and Gaz was the one who first offered you to make this trip with him, but didn't you notice Simon's intense stare? Didn't you crave to continue where you two left off? Wait, is Gaz looking at you funny? Maybe he was trying to get closer to you, maybe the young lad misunderstood the dance you two had as you managed to get into the criminal's private party and tried to pursue you. Fuck, Ghost has gone nuts. He can't go around behaving like a jealous teenager with a crush.

"Whatever... Just lead the way." Ghost grunted when you all pressed him to join you instead of closing himself on the hotel's room.

Simon was hoping that after you all took the keys and left to your rooms, he could get a word with you alone. But to his dismay, Gaz had you trapped in the hall eagerly monologuing about multiple topics all from the marvelous places you would visit, your tired brain couldn't keep up with everything so you nodded at anything he said with this cute, sleepy face, struggling to keep your pretty eyes open and your sweet smile breaking from time to time to yawn. Simon decided to take mercy on you putting his steel armor on, marching your way to rescue the sleepy beauty from the sharp claws of the talkative dragon. Ghost didn't say a word just threw his cases inside his room, walked your way, picked you up bridal style breaking Gaz from his monologue and took you to your room's door, you lazily opened it when he let you down slowly.

"Nighty-night..." You yawned before Ghost abruptly closed your door, he had already left your case on the wardrobe next to the door before he left you to rest. You'd thank him properly once you have taken an hour of sleep.

______

When Gaz knocked on your door you were already dressed with civilian clothes, less tactical, more casual. Price wasn't feeling too sure about leaving part of the gear on the hotel but as it turns out, most of the hotel staff knew the captain as they were Laswell's old friends and longtime contacts, it was Laswell who offered Price this hotel and made it all the more cheaper due to her connection with your unit so all your gear and important stuff was safe and closely watched over.

Prague was beautiful.

Gaz had told you about this strange feeling of wholesomeness and wonder one feels when they travel and you didn't understand it up until now. Of course you had traveled before... But only for work stuff. So getting to explore the Prague had made you giddy to feel such thing.

As you two went to the lobby you met Price and Soap wandering about on the hotel's tiny souvenirs shop. There, you also found Ghost, he was wearing a dark blue, cozy hoody with the England's flag in it under an old black and grey jacket, some jeans and a white surgical mask. You approached him from behind, his dirty blonde hair seemed gold near the old lamp's light that was situated on his left side, his brown eyes were inspecting the beautiful postals displayed on the front wall. He seemed bored but you knew the big lieutenant was as curious about this city as all of you. He was so handsome.

"You're awake." Simon simply said, eyes switching from postal to postal.

"Are you excited we're scaping work for two days?" You purred nudging his shoulder with your head as you faced the same wall.

Ghost looked down your way, a small smile under his surgical mask. He can't stay mad at you when you lean to him this way. It's like you suck up all the anger you make him feel with your mere presence and touch.

"It's... Good."

"Just good, huh?"

"Prague is nice."

Ghost was so dry, but even that was endearing for you.

"But...? You rather stay in the land of tea n' biscuits-"

"I'd rather stay in my hotel room with you." He bluntly interrupted you.

You were expecting a comment like this but to actually hear it from your lieutenant was arousing as hell.

"I thought we weren't supposed to fraternize." You smirked teasingly.

But that seemed to dry the arousal from your lieutenant who now stared blankly at you before he moved away as Johnny called you two from the door announcing you were all leaving the hotel.

Well shit. Fuck. Wrong line.

______

The autumn foliage made Prague look otherworldly, specks of orange here and there sparkled the city and accompanied your group as your eyes marveled on every store you visited and every building you got to see. Gothic, Art Nouveau, Cubism, and Surrealism were the main artistic styles that influenced the architecture and street art of this gorgeous city.

Gaz and Soap had made a list of all the most remarkable places in Prague: Franz Kafka's museum, Tyn cathedral, Prague's Castle, the Spanish Synagogue, the tragic Jewish Museum... Overall, gigantic castles and impressive cathedrals, very interesting museums and street art, it was very hard to pick where to start. You obviously couldn't see it all in two days, but the little time you had was enough to visit some of those places.

You guys spent an hour marveling over anything and everything and were enjoying a second breakfast on a cafe near the very famous Astronomical Clock listening to Gaz fawning over the beauty of Prague saying things like: "Did you know Mozart lived here?", "The second ugliest building in the whole world is in Prague, we must visit it!" Or "Petrin Tower has the best view of the whole city, captain. We'll take amazing pics from there!" Kyle looked so adorable, his young features lighting up in excitement and wonder.

As the clock marked 9:00 the twelve apostles appeared on the clock's building making a show for the tourists to gawk at. Your group included. Gaz almost fell out of his chair trying to capture every second of the show with his new phone (he accidentally carried his old one to this mission and when he got shot, the bloody bullet impacted right on the screen destroying the device but saving his life. Lucky bastard.), Soap also tried to film the show but the dumbass forgot to charge his phone and it died on him just when he opened the camera so you gave him yours instead and he, like a happy kid with a new toy, took it with a grin and begun inflating your gallery with pictures and videos. Price chuckled picking up a new conversation you eagerly joined. The topic? Who was the laziest of you all.

"Soap." Ghost accused running an arm around the back of your chair. You smiled up at him and Ghost gave you a short, soft glance. He didn't seem angry or annoyed anymore, Prague's beauty seemed to work it's magic on calming the Manchester beast.

"ME!?" Soap almost dropped your phone and you smacked his arm so hard his tattoo could have very well left his skin.

"You know why I favor lazy soldiers on hard jobs? Because the muppets always find creative ways to finish shit faster." John smirked behind his cup seeing how that last wip of his made Gaz and Soap actually compete on who of them two was the laziest just to impress Price. The idiots... You loved them.

And your endearment for the two Sargeants you considered little brothers, was evident in your light chuckles and giggles at each story they told about their laziness. Ghost found himself staring so deeply into you enamoured by your light laughter that everything muffled around him. Price shot your way a teasing wink when he noticed Simon's trance, to his surprise, you winked back and looked back at your lieutenant with the same affection, and instead of showing you any embarrassment Ghost simply gave your arm a soft squeeze with the hand that previously gripped the back of your chair and redirected his attention to the conversation as if you two hadn't just shared an intense staring competition.

Back to the OTHER competition of who was the laziest: Gaz won just by sharing the dumbest anecdote of how a few months back when he was flying to visit his parents, he had downloaded a clapping sound on his phone so when people started clapping as the plane landed he just played the sound at full volume.

You all resumed your trip and kept exploring the city before enjoying lunch at a beautiful restaurant and at the very last minute Price offered to take the Big Bus which would take you on a tour around the city and for an extra amount of money you could go on a river cruise across the Vltava River. To your absolute surprise it was Ghost who offered to buy your ticket and so, all of you enjoyed the guided tour until your team stood up to leave the bus at a certain stop. All of them but Ghost. Price shot you two a knowing look before you parted ways with a rushed goodbye just when Ghost gripped the hem of your hoodie to stop you.

"We are not... Joining the others?" You asked a bit baffled and confused, Simon smiled under the plain white surgical mask, urged you to sit down with him and you accommodated yourself by him with his arm firmly wrapped around your shoulders.

"I thought you'd like to see the river with me." He purred and you shot him a bright toothy smile, your eyes widening.

"We're taking the river cruise!'' You exclaimed.

"...Surprise." He lowly said in a sing-song tone, his cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment enjoying the delight in your eyes.

"Simon Riley, I never thought you'd be the romantic type." You teased. God forbid you from ruining the moment with your teases once more.

"I can be romantic." Ghost said looking away as if seeking a reaction out of you, name it surprise or amusement or whatever. But instead you huffed, nudged the underside of his chin with your head and nuzzled closer surprising the Lieutenant.

"I'm sure you can, Si." And you said it so softly, with no mocking tone or sarcasm or anything. It squeezed his heart in ways he couldn't imagine possible. That nickname you just called him... You were so adorable, this couldn't get more perfect.

______

The cruise was surprisingly emptier than he had expected, perhaps it was because of the date, the weather or how expensive it was, but Ghost was in bliss.

You two were cuddling on the spot you had chosen with Ghost resting his chin on your shoulder as you two enjoyed the view of the river, an earplug on your right ear and the other on his left while you listened to a gentle (very romantic and fitting) playlist Ghost shared from his phone, the boat swings slowly as if lulling you, Prague was breathtaking and the multiple orange leaves that rained down from the nearby trees decorated the surface of the river in such way that entranced you two.

Do you know this feeling you get when you instantly think "This is totally going to be a core memory."? Well, that's how you were feeling. And Ghost? He was so at peace with you on his arms on this beautiful scenery right on his favorite season of the year. His favorite person on his arms in a foreign country just after capturing a mafia boss, this must be a dream. Simon craved to say that he loves you right then and there, the fantasy playing on his head of your warm embrace and your lips against his made him feel lightheaded nuzzling his face closer pressing his cheek firmly on yours. His heart skipped a beat when you quickly moved to place a short peck that landed on his surgical mask above the side of his nose. He leaned back and you cursed lowly thinking you messed up until your lieutenant's scarred hands went to take his mask off. Simon looks at you softly, his thin lips spread into a soft timid smile as some leaves from a nearby tree landed on his hair and jacket. He looked beautiful, and he thought the exact same thing about you.

"I..." You whisper breathless at the sight, and for once in your life you couldn't find your words as they were lost at the beautiful view of Simon with that beautiful stern but softened gaze. He looked angelic even, the memories of his enraged bloodied form during battle were lost and forgotten momentarily to make place for a new memory of this handsome man staring at you with so much love and devotion your eyes begun tearing up. Ghost shivered a bit, his smile lightly widening, he could feel the love overwhelming you so much your tears slid down and his heart beat faster. He knew what you wanted to say. He knew his (y/n).

"I do too." Simon said.

He leaned the slightest bit then and you did as well, suddenly too nervous to say anything until-

"Mister! A rose for the wife?" Said an old man that happened to pass by your seats with a bouquet of gorgeous white roses.

"W-wife?" It's the first time you ever heard Simon stutter but you knew better than to tease him about it.

"Sure!" You chirped buying him a rose and he was so stunned his big beautiful chestnut eyes followed every move you made until the old man left and you were placing the rose on his chest.

"A beautiful rose for my beautiful wife~" You snicker.

"I don't think he meant me, love."

"Why! He was looking at me while he said that!"

"Maybe's cuz' the old man's sight was fucked."

"He didn't correct me though!"

Ghost sighs, his shoulders shagging as he sneakily sniffs the beautiful rose on his chest and he couldn't get more pretty. Your hand shot to your pocket trying to find your phone but couldn't. Soap must have kept it when you two stayed behind.

"Shit-..." You cursed, and Ghost's smile widened again handing you his phone but snatching it back when you were about to take it.

"One picture. But only if you're in it too." He said lowly and you complied.

You two posed for Ghost's cracked camera with a sweet smile holding the rose together as the Charles Bridge came to view from behind you and the orange leaves picked height with the chilly, wet breeze of the season. Simon almost strangled you when after snapping the picture you added a small text that said: "Prague's cruise with my wifey~" with an orange leaf emoji and a white heart. Now he has a new lock screen.

______

Hours passed and after reuniting with the other three at the gates of the hotel, you all agreed it was best to enjoy dinner at the hotel because you had drained your wallets enough for the day. Ghost smirked under his surgical mask when he noted Gaz's bitterness at the sight of your hands tangled and how you were pressing your body against his lieutenant's every chance you had. This really had to be the best break Ghost has ever had.

The buffett from the hotel was pretty nice, although Johnny was so excited of showing you the multiple pictures and selfies he had taken with your phone he sat right in between you and Ghost not noticing the chastising look Price was giving him or the murderous glare from the other broody Brit. Gaz also joined the conversation further separating your attention from Ghost but he'd give you the space, after all, this wasn't a two-people trip.

Price and Ghost ended up chatting together about serious matters implying the CIA and Ghost's worry of being recognized by other gang members if they felt vengeful about the guy they captured during the mission. Ghost was a stern man that took his job very seriously and feared nothing for his life but if something happend to you, specially now that his bond with you had deepened and strengthened, he'd loose his god-damned mind, still, it was a weakness he embraced. To his relief, Price reassured him that everything would be alright and it was them who should fear if they got recognized, that he should leave the matter of the mission be, at least until tomorrow when they left Prague to go back to the base in England. Price's confidence was a huge comfort for Ghost, so he then decided to take his word and enjoy what was left of the trip to focus on you and himself instead.

After dinner, you felt a pang on the chest at the realization that you didn't want this trip to ever be over. Of course there was still work to do and you missed your crappy neighbours and the stripped stray cat you used to feed on your porch each morning and night during deployment.

You sat on the patterned emerald carpet next to the large window that overlooked the city at the beginning of the hall where all your rooms were. It was eleven in the night and you didn't want to sleep, so after some tossing and turning you decided that pondering over your current situation with Ghost near the window like an angsty teenager wearing your cozy pajamas was the best option to kill the time until you felt tired enough to sleep. The others had gone to their own separate rooms half an hour ago, all of them but Ghost, who had left the dining place the first, you thought he was on his room but when you knocked there was no reply. You guessed he needed some space, maybe you had overwhelmed him a bit.

Shit...

You stared at the night sky from the slightly damp window, looked back and when you saw you were alone you cracked an unholy sneeze that could have woken up the whole building.

"Fuckin' hell. God-fucking-bless you, the hell was that?" You heard someone growl coming from the stairs.

"Woops... Sorry n' thank you. It's fuckin' freezing in here. You know? I should tie you a bell of something, LT. You caught me sneezing now but next time who knows."

You heard Ghost sigh lowly as he finished the rest of the way upstairs joining you on the window. He was still wearing his street wear, you picked a slight smell of smoke on his jacket. He must have gone to enjoy his nightly cig break on the beautiful Japanese garden near the hotel's parking lot after dinner.

"What are y' doing here?" Ghost asked and you slowly turned to give him a side glance that spoke volumes of your turbulent mind. He understood.

He wordlessly sat down near you, heavy arms supporting his weight behind his back. Brown eyes looked across the window and lastly, to you. You noticed how relaxed he had gotten every time you were on his eyesight, it made the pang in your chest worsen.

"Shit... I really don't wanna go home." You sighed mindlessly with a bitter, forced smile. Ghost stares at you again, big, wide eyes picking every detail of your face illuminated by the moonlight coming from the window. "You know, I think that... for me, you are the best part of this trip, Si." He hanged his head low a little baffled by your words but quickly lift his chin to look back at you again. "Today was really fun. Excluding the part when we got lost on our way to the hotel and had to use Google's translator to ask our way here." You spoke lowly with a smile on your lips and a barely noticeable lump in your throat.

Ghost brushed it off with a dry chuckle and shook his head swiftly removing his facemask. "That was one of my three favorite parts."

"Three? Do tell, Lt."

Ghost took some time to reply, seemingly gathering the courage to speak again. "First was the cruise."

"When I called ya my wifey?" You jested.

"Don't push it." He growled but you two knew the real truth. "Second was when we got lost." When you asked why he quickly responded as if it was the most obvious thing "Why. 'cuz I got to spend more alone time with you."

Your heart beats faster in sync with his, you leaned forwards sitting a bit closer with your legs crossed and a loving smile lifting your cheeks, your hands went forwards and Ghost didn't waste a second softly squeezing them with his calloused palms.

"What's your third favorite moment?" It came out as a whisper, your features softening, both yours and his cheeks were lightly dusted in red.

"When Johnny fell downstairs after dinner."

You bursted out laughing breaking contact from his hands to cover your mouth and trying to lower the volume of your laughter. It surely had woken up some hosts because you could hear some bangs on distant walls and doors.

"Really? He fell!?"

"Landed on his butt, he looked like a kid. Now that I think 'bout it, I may have a fourth favorite moment..."

You were about to ask when did he see this if he was supposedly on the garden all this time, but instead you nodded urging him to continue. Ghost was silent then, he seemed to be staring deep into your soul like a toddler on the line of the grocery store, you giggled sweetly at this missing the light tremble on his hand when he reached to pick both your hands with his left one as the other went backwards to his pocket. He pulled out a postal of Carlos bridge, on the corner of it was taped a dry leaf, Simon lowly commented that he picked it from your hair when you two arrived to the hotel. Your eyes were tearing up as you took the postal, an ugly sob scaping your lips as you tried to dumbly smile up at him with a pathetic "For me!?" Ghost smirked at your reaction trying to hide his embarrassment. This explains why he left so soon after dinner, he wanted to rush to the souvenir shop before it closed to gift you a tiny piece of Prague, something to remember the beautiful moment your hearts touched.

"When we were at Johnny's room before the mission, when we were about to..." He coughed a little awkward "That's not how I wanted it to go. That wasn't how I wanted this to start." Simon explained motioning a hand between you two.

You smiled softly inspecting the postal and letting out a chuckle filled with affection when you saw that in the back was scribbled: "Prague made me your wifey, and you my white rose." With a tiny doodle of a skull with a rose on its eye socket.

"I love you." Simon blurted and your eyes snapped up to see him smiling at you so softly you felt like you'd faint right then.

"I love you too... Shit I... Wow." You laughed once more perplexed by how deep and emotional this was getting, you shook your shoulders trying to compose yourself "But I didn't get you nothing back..."

Simon stood up and offered you his hand, you took it without hesitation. "You gave me this." He murmured pressing a finger to your chest.

"My tits?"

"Idiot... Your heart. Come on, (y/n)..." He growled annoyed and you snorted.

"I also gave you a rose." You reminded him and that brought his smile back quickly. Ghost mauled at his cheek with a nervous smile looking down the carpet between you two, his hands were now on your waist and yours rested on his shoulders.

"Wanna... Pick up where we left off?" You offered and Simon squinted his eyes a bit confused until he realized what you meant. "This time without Johnny's shit n' the way." You mused.

"By all means..." He joked as well. And you two smiled softly at each other, relief clouding your senses as if a weight had lifted from your shoulders.

His lips were on yours quickly, it startled you at first as your arms went to his neck, one of your hands deliciously tugging at the hair from his nape. He growls in your mouth, tongue licking at the line of your lips demanding you to open it for him and you comply engaging your tongues into a beautiful slow dance.

You two kissed and moaned into each other's mouths as Ghost blindly guided you to his room, one of his hands pawing at every part of your body as the other froze to firmly grip at your right breast squeezing with enough force that you hissed, but then your own moan broke your complains when he bit your lower lip, fingers pinching at your nipple, his right hand abandoned your ass to quickly unlock the door. It was a tedious task when your hands were feeling everywhere they could. With little struggle you opened the door with a kick and rushed inside, both of you taking your clothes off with each step you took closer to the bed as giddy laughs followed scaping your mouths involuntarily. You looked crazed as if what you were doing was a first, as if you both hadn't gotten mistaken for a married couple a few hours back, as if what happened in the other hotel before the mission was nothing but a beautiful fantasy you had made up while getting ready and waiting for Soap to finish his business. How silly but how heartwarming it felt when the moment you turned back fully bare to look at Simon, your naked lieutenant hurried to lift you by your ass and tackled you to the bed bouncing together at the abrupt drop, loud chuckles erupted from your smiling faces. Simon looks at you from above, golden locks ruffled with a smile so wide it shapes his eyes crescent, soft pants followed the rhythm of your own heaving chest.

"You are so beautiful..." You don't know who said it, as this moment felt so surreal your bodies went autopilot.

He caged your body with his then, hard shoulders lowering so he could press a loving much slower kiss to your mouth, your eyes flutter closed, the atmosphere turning more sensual and heavy. The darkness of the room hid your bare, battle-marked bodies from the world, only a speck of moonlight that came from the window to your left badly covered by the curtains, it helped you see a little of Simon's blissed, flushed face as he kissed every inch of skin from your higher half until his face was right above your breasts, his kisses went slightly longer tasting your skin, his warm tongue lick at your chest as if you had poured sweet honey over your nipples. You arched your back bucking your chest to his mouth with a moan when you felt his teeth brush the delicate surface of your hard nipples. He went feral then, big hands massaging your sides, he nudged his head from side to side switching from tit to tit kissing and licking feverishly at every inch of skin he reached. You gasped loudly when his hands shot to grab both your breasts to sandwich his face compleatly, he loudly growled with a "Jesus fuck..." when your legs tangled with his and your wet cunt kissed the underside of his hard cock.

You two were so excited and lost on the foreplay that you missed one crucial detail, Gaz's room was right behind you. So when Simon slid inside you (easily with how wet you were), the gasp that left your lips and the loud grunt that scaped his startled Kyle while the Sargeant was reading his ebook while listening to music. His new music now consisted on a rhythmic thudding on the wall, the headboard of his lieutenant's bed quickly picking pace mashing against the paper wall that separated the two rooms, your sweet moans turning desperate and high pitched when he heard a loud curse coming from the other male.

Simon lifted his chest from yours leaning his whole torso backwards with the support of his left arm, his right hand groped and massaged your thigh while his hips feverishly snap up to hit at your sweet spot. You two were already panting as if you had been at it for hours and not minutes the intensity of the shared feelings (and Kyle's ear pressed against the wall as his hand went under his pants). Your chest heaves, you struggle to contain your sweet moans as Ghost pistons his hips against yours, loud claps and curses fill the room, Simon's enormous sex pulsates inside of you feeling the way your walls squeeze him painfully hard.

"Fuck you feel amazin'... Keep squeezing me, baby... That's it-"

And you wanted to do it, you really did, but you knew that if you did, this would end up quickly. You two were already sweaty, lust-filled eyes fixed on one another until you slightly moved your thigh out of his field of view and quickly his eyes shot to your bouncing breasts and Simon no longer cared of you weren't squeezing his cock, his pace picked up and deepen, the head of his cock punching a whole on your stomach. You squirmed, loving moans turning urgent seeking more and more of the delicious pain his giant cock was giving you. It was a struggle to move your waist closer to his while he was shaking the whole bed with the force of his thrusts, Ghost launched forwards, both hands gripping at the headboard with delicious growls and moans of his own, his pace slowed when he felt your legs wrapping around his waist and your nails dig on his back. He saw heaven in your eyes while you bit on your lower lip, your hips moving upwards milking him for your life, the sweet gasps and groans that he graced you with as he allowed you to do the job caused your cunt to squeeze his cock so hard you managed to push it out.

"S-shit..."

"Fuuuuckin'-..." He groaned out halting you with his hands roughly gripping at your hips and bullying his cock inside you. "-Hell.....!"

You yelled when he picked up a violent pace, the smacks against the wall stopped abruptly making Kyle groan, Ghost had smacked a hand on the surface and pushed the whole bed a few inches backwards because he swore that the way the forniture was hitting the wall with your lovemaking was making a hole.

Lucky for Gaz, he could still hear pretty well the bed bending and fucking breaking as well as your sweet voice singing a song only dedicated to Ghost who was smashing your cunt so hard, squelching and slapping noises could be heard with clarity. A few moments later, with Simon pining you into a breeding position pushing his hips downwards rubbing his balls on the underside of your sex and his hot mouth firmly pressed on your left breast muffling the loud moans he tried and failed to contain, you panted out you were about to cum, so Simon, with few slow but hard and calculated thrusts, managed to find your end before he quickly lifted himself from you and rushed to your upper half stroking his red cock with angry fast strokes. Beads of cum covered your chest and hit your tongue when you opened up your mouth expectantly. "Jesus... Shit... You vixen..."

You giggle breathlessly swallowing down his cum and try and help guide him back into the bed when the poor lieutenant winced and almost fell backwards when he tried to take a step back.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow... Might as well recover quickly, Lt. The night is long." You whisper on his ear when Ghost tucks you on his chest. "I need your cock inside me again as soon as you can get it up again." That earned you a shiver from the behemoth of a man who, with a quick peck to your temple moved to hover up your body.

"You are one insatiable bitch with a whimsy kitty..."

"Tell me you don't love it." You say licking his ear.

"I love it, and I love you." He said with finality, his thumbs brushing your cheeks lightly and you sighed softly.

________

The night went on quicker than you'd have liked. By the morning, poor Ghost had to put cream on his whole genitalia with how far you two had gone. Still, he had the best few hours of sleep he has ever had, with your bare body spooned by him, head on his arm and his other hand cupping your tits. You didn't know, but he had taken a selfie with you gently snoring a few seconds before you had awoken and instantly rolled to face him and cuddle properly with a groggy "mornin'..."

Ghost loved this. He imagined himself awakening every night on with you on his arms and he felt a kind of peace and tranquility he never thought he'd be able to feel. Sadly good things don't last, and it was Johnny who had awoken you two by the door to have breakfast and leave to the airport.

All of them were a little surprised but played it nice when they saw you freshly showered and with Ghost's oversized clothes rushing to get dressed in your own room. Price had this look of amusement that never seemed to leave him, Johnny was confused as hell and Gaz had this big bags under his eyes that said enough about his restlessness the night prior.

Some hours later, your group was flying to England where Nikolai claimed he'd wait in the airport to take you all to the base.

Now, If you remember the long conversation about who out the lot of you was the most lazy, it was Gaz.

So when the plane was reaching London and the passengers started clapping and congratulating the pilot, you all turned to Garrick who lazily rolled his head your way with this bored look, lift his phone and pressed a finger on the screen without even looking, instantly, a clapping sound came from it and your team started laughing, classic Gaz. Though Ghost's low chuckles died slowly when he got to see a tiny glimpse of the screen, the clapping came from a video that showed total darkness until he managed to make out the shape of Gaz's hotel room wall. That same wall that connected to his room. So the clapping came from behind the wall, when Ghost was balls deep inside you.

The Sargeant noted the sudden lack of laughter from his lieutenant so his eyes pointed his way, face still bored and slightly exhausted from the flight, the kill shot was when Gaz made this casual shrug that made Ghost remind himself of the oath he made to always be loyal to his team so he wouldn't strangle Garrick right then and there.

"Guess I was also too lazily not to clap my own hands on the video, y'two made me the favor." He winked and Ghost launched his way. Fuck his oath.

[arbiterlexultionis]

Instant Eternity Pt. 2

So, Danny has the infi-map and uses it to go on vacations and the like to enjoy his now eternal life. The infinite realms are Infinite, really and truly. But locations within the realms correlate to spaces in the “real” world, so what happens when you travel beyond what should be the ends of the “real” universe in the realms? You find other universes. All universes, realities, multi and Omni verses connect with the Infinite Realms, hence the name kind of implying the existence of infinite realms. With the infimap Danny’s able to visit and explore these other planes of existence to his hearts content, and over the course of his travels makes a number of close friends.

He can’t just say goodbye forever, can’t leave them with no way to call for aid or call for small talk so, he comes up with a bit of a crazy plan to make sure all his new friends can meet each other and stay in contact. A combination of the infi-map, Fenton portal technology, time medallions/assistance from clockwork, help from the yeti’s and maybe even some help from Dr. Strange or Dr. Fate all come together to make a private club that connects to who knows how many dimensions. In a Ghost King AU his royal palace has all the normal palace stuff but surrounding Phantom’s Keep is a whole town for inter-dimensional travelers. The portals themselves are all in a massive tower, either leaning tower of Pisa style or a massive clock tower because of how much Clockwork helped out, arranged kind of like how all the statues of the avatars are arranged in the air temple in ATLA.

Danny’s sitting at his desk in his office while 7 Gokus, 13 Vegitas, 4 Beeruses(Beerusi? A pod of Beerus? Flock?) 10 Piccolos and 1 Gohan crowd the rest of his office. “Two Hundred and Forty. 2-4-fucking-0. That is the number of of Territories that have lodged official complaints about the ruckus your fights have been causing! Queen Patet sent a fifty seven page long letter asking me to give every single one of your dimensions eternal travel bans to all of your dimensions and every dimension where even one of you exist. Because the shockwaves from your fights were still strong enough to shatter glass when they reached her Territory. The territory of Vitrum, which makes Fucking Everything from glass! Including the Goddamn Buildings! They build their cities in massive glass orbs! More than thirteen hundred buildings torn down in one day. Including every single hospital they had. You fought for nine days straight. Get out. Get the crap baskets out of my office. Now. Go home. Let the Bulmas know that they’re paying the reparations.” They all file out of the office, Vegitas and the flock of Beerus mumbling about how they shouldn’t have made their buildings out of glass if they didn’t want them to get broken. The one(1) brain cell the group had, otherwise known as Gohan, was apparently the only one with manners, profusely apologizing and offering to help with the clean up even as he got shooed out of the office.

More then a dozen Quirckless!Izuku vigilantes come together to form a great big club to share intel that match’s across their various worlds, analyze quirks, train and give each other therapy. It’s all going well. Then the Batmen stop developing contingency plans for literally all the beings they meet here juuust long enough for their adoption senses to start tingling. The Dad Mights, Dadzawas and Dad for Ones put aside their differences to combat this new threat. The Spider-men are sitting in a corner grateful that their spider senses and Peter tingles helped them avoid all that nonsense. Until the Iron Dads show up. Then they’re all to busy running and cursing their Parker luck to be grateful.

Passing through a gateway to another universe that isn’t yours require approval from no less then half the visitors from that verse and/or Danny himself. Same thing goes for leaving the compound to explore the Realms.

All the adoption addicts from across the multiverse take one look at Danny, listen to all the rumors about his parents and go “Mine!”. Luckily for Danny he doesn’t really have to to worry to much, doesn’t even notice really, because 2.3 seconds after they did that they all turned to each other and went “No! Not yours, Mine!” The infighting has kept them busy ever sense. However, according to an ancient, sacred prophecy(something that Clockwork mentioned in passing 2 months ago) they will eventually all decide that Danny having a proper support network is more important then who his favorite supporter is. So he’s going to get parented so hard by all three hundred and eighty of them. More moms, dads, ma’s, pa’s aunts and uncles then he’ll know what to do with.

[lanitalay]

Before I Say Goodnight

Introduction

Reader insert ACOTAR fanfic, pairing tbd

Premise: 21st century fem!reader gets transported to the world of ACOTAR after a freak incident.

warnings: none, maybe a lil angsty

A/n: Hello! This is my first fic and an idea I have been wanting to see portrayed for a while. As of now the pairing could literally be anyone but personally I am partial to Eris or Cassian. Let me know if there are any tropes you'd like to see. I wanna make this a fun space so enjoy!!

Other chapters

It was colder than you had expected it to be. The Highlands were known for being cold and rainy but since summer began you had half hoped half prayed for a warm sunny day. The skies were obstructed by heavy looking clouds. It would rain soon and the end of the hike was nowhere in sight. Maybe this is why people shouldn't travel alone, you thought as thunder roared from above. If I was with someone I'm sure they would have checked the weather. But this was why you'd flown half way across the world by yourself. "I want to get lost in new cities" you had said to your parents who never thought this was a good idea to begin with. "I want to explore the world" how hopeful you were when it was just an idea. Now though, now you had to find shelter unless you wanted to get soaked. "This is so not worth it" you grumbled to yourself while looking around for some type of cover. There hadn't been a trace of civilization for a few hours now and according to the map the lodge was still a few miles away. Groaning, you go off the path and into the thick forest hoping to find a tree, a cave, a cabin, anything that could protect you from the weather. You walk in a straight line, careful not to get lost. Lightning strikes and thunder rattles you as you start to increase your pace a bit. The forest is dark and the wind sounds like a voice telling you to run. Run. Run. You start to jog a little, constantly looking back to make sure the path is still visible. To your horror, thick fog has rolled in from the mountains making it impossible to see more that twenty feet in front of you. Shit. Shit. Shit. You hadn't prepared for this. Hiking was always something you enjoyed, but you had no real survival skills. Other than a bit of information gleaned from your grandparents' stories or survival reality shows. I should stay here. That was the logical thing to do, avoid getting even more lost, once the fog clears make your way back. But another gust of wind urged you. Run. Run. Run. You looked around but there was nothing, absolutely nothing there except the trees, the wind and the ever encroaching rain. Nothing, not even an animal, not even an insect. Fuck. With a jump you start running in the opposite direction of the path. Something is wrong. Something feels off and wrong and you need to get away. There's a clearing coming up and a bit of sun is slipping through the break in the forest canopy. You stop dead in your tracks as you take in what's in front of you. Boulders the size of refrigerators are lined up in what seemed to be a perfectly symmetrical circle. Chills climb up your back. You walk slowly towards it, careful not to touch anything. The space feels sacred here. As you get closer you see that there are smaller and smaller boulders until they become tiny little rocks lined up exactly the same. Sweat runs cold. They seem to circle around nothing. In the center is a small round patch of grass lined with small mushrooms. Run. Run. Run. You don't know where to go, being here feels wrong but there seems to be an invisible wall that won't let you run back to the forest. The only way out was through. You walked slowly, as if someone was surveilling you, waiting, hoping for you to mess up. Avoiding any branches or roots that might make you trip, you get to the patch of grass. Thunder roared all around you. It shook the whole forest and left a ringing in your ears. Stepping over the mushrooms you place you right foot first and then the left. Only the floor is gone and you're falling. Falling. Falling. There's an immense pressure all around you, it feels like you're being pushed by the darkness itself and you're falling.

Just as it started it's over.

Shaking, you try to take a breath. What the fuck just happened? It's the only thing you can think. You take another breath and look up from the ground you just fell on. It's the forest. You realize you are lying in the middle of the same clearing. Well, it looks like the forest except the boulders and rocks are gone, the space barren. I'm gonna throw up. Run. Run. Run. You try to get up and manage to stand on wobbly legs as you feel for any injuries from the fall. There's no blood anywhere and the only pain seems to be the growing headache from trying to grasp what's happening. Then you hear them. Steps. Someone or something is close. You take off running back to where the path should be not willing to risk getting attacked by an animal. You're panting as you run and you look back for a second to make sure no one is chasing you when you run straight into a tree and blackness takes over.

You wince as you open your eyes and feel the thumping pain coming from your forehead, you touch it and feel a lump forming. Great. The fire crackles beside you and you freeze. Looking to the side you are terrified in place as you see an ethereal looking man with long red hair and a scar down his face looking back at you. "Hello", his tone is bored. "Who are you and what are you doing in this court?" You open your mouth to answer but close it again as you look closer. His ears are pointed and his eye seems to be mechanical. I've got to be hallucinating. Uncertain, you answer "I'm y/n and I have no idea where I am or how I got here." Did I eat one of those mushrooms? This has to be the worst trip ever. You swallow and more quietly say "Am I in danger?" He pokes at the fire and says "I'm not going to hurt you, but this isn't a safe place for a human". "What's your name?" he sighs, like he's tired of answering that question.

"Lucien".

[bgthree]

Imagine Tav breaking things off with Astarion post-game because they’re worried he’s just with them because it’s what he thinks he wants.

For 200 years Astarion hasn’t had the freedom to make his own choices, and he gained that freedom while he was already involved with Tav. Tav is worried they’re preventing him from being able to explore and find out who he is, and what he wants.

Tav wants him to have the space to figure that out, without a shadow of a doubt and without any influence on their part. If Astarion wants a future involving a romantic relationship with Tav, wonderful. That’s what Tav wants too. But if that’s ultimately not what Astarion realizes he wants, true Tav would be heartbroken, but above all else Tav just wants him to happy.

Tav encourages Astarion to take some time to experience life (or un-life) free from Cazador’s control without any expectations from anyone. If he comes back, Tav will most assuredly be waiting with open arms.

Of course, Astarion hates the suggestion initially, feeling as though he’s being cast aside or abandoned. He accuses Tav of trying to get rid of him, of wanting to get rid of him so they can be with one of the other party members instead. Gods knew he hadn’t been the only one to take an interest in Tav. Probably Wyll, or Gale, he sneers.

He’s terrified, for more than a few reasons. He’s grown attached to Tav, come to trust them. He cares about them, doesn’t think he has the capacity to feel the way he feels about anyone else. He’s never faced such uncertainty about the future before and it unsettles him, as if he’s been thrown into a deep body of water.

He’s angry when he leaves, doesn’t tell Tav or any of the others where he’s going.

Tav tries to focus on other things: rebuilding the city, settling back into a life that doesn’t involve the tadpole or the constant threat of being turned into a mind flayer.

It’s late, and nearly a year to the day when someone knocks on the door to Tav’s lodgings. Tav half expects it to be Karlach, who’d mentioned coming for a visit soon, though the hour is a curious one for entertaining friends.

When Tav answers the door Astarion still braces himself for there to be someone else there, rumpled from sleep or annoyed at the interruption. One of their companions, perhaps, or someone unknown to him. That would be worse, he thinks. Because it would mean Tav had given up on him coming back, if Tav had ever even wanted him to.

But the look on Tav’s face when they see him, and the happy tears in Tav’s eyes are all he needs. Tav lets him in, almost convinced they’ve fallen asleep at their desk and the Astarion suddenly standing in the middle of their lodgings is merely a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time.

He stalks towards them though, and Tav’s pulse races as he suddenly invades their space, backing them up against the opposite wall.

“Don’t ever ask me to do that again,” and it almost sounds angry, like a command. But Tav sees the hurt there, the same longing they see every time they look in a mirror. Astarion isn’t angry, he’s pleading with them.

“Not if you want me here,” he whispers.

“I do,” Tav nods. Nothing has changed. “I love you.”

And the sound he makes before he kisses them makes Tav realize they could never send him away again, even if they wanted to.

It’s a couple days later when Karlach shows up, and Astarion answers the door. She’s surprised to see him, so much that she nearly misses the disheveled appearance and unruly hair.

“Go away,” he smiles, and slams the door in her face.

Karlach laughs, and is so happy for them that she doesn’t even mind having to come back another time.

[ladamedusoif]

Gentleman Cowboy

Jack “Whiskey” Daniels x F!Reader

Pairing: Jack “Whiskey” Daniels x F!Reader

Word count: 3500

Summary: A solo getaway. A fateful glass of whiskey. And a very charming cowboy, ready to explore the big city.

Rating: Explicit; 18+ MDNI

Warnings: Alcohol references and consumption; non-canon compliant as is right and proper because that man deserved better; oral sex (F receiving); safe PiV sex; little bit of strong language; no physical descriptions of Reader other than her blue dress and red lipstick; fluff; Jack-typical pet names (sugar, sweetheart, darlin’).

A/N: A belated birthday fic for @agentjackdaniels, who deserves all the nice things - including a certain, irresistible, (retired) secret agent turned ranch owner.

Follow my writing blog, @ladameecrit, and turn on notifications to keep up with my writing.

Charisma.

The jury’s out on whether you’re born with it or can acquire it. For some people, it’s just there. Natural, easy, instantaneous. Doesn’t mean they’re more attractive, necessarily, or more successful. Just… charismatic. 

Hard to explain, but you know it when you see it. And you’d seen it today, checking into the hotel for your solo birthday getaway. A staycation, of sorts - this is your home city, after all - but an escape nonetheless, a break from work, from stress, and a chance to mark another turn around the sun.

He was in the lobby while you were queuing to check in, sitting on one of the hotel’s chi-chi armchairs leafing through a city guidebook. By chance, you glanced in his direction at just the moment he raised his head.

He was all brown eyes, bright smile, dimple set in a tanned handsome face. More than that: he exuded charisma. 

He nodded. You nodded back. By the time you’d checked in and secured your room key, he was gone.

***

He’s been to this city many times before, but always for work. Never any time for sightseeing or getting to know the place. In retirement, he made it his business to return to those old stomping grounds he wished he’d seen more of, joyfully embracing the life of a tourist for a few days before returning to the horse-breeding ranch he owned and ran back home in Kentucky.

The hotel bar is elegant and modern, wooden accents and brushed metal fittings perfectly in line with his own taste. He’s settled in a cosy corner alone, whiskey tumbler in hand, when he sees her again. 

Her casual outfit from earlier has been replaced by a diaphanous, layered dress in midnight blue, printed with a pattern reminiscent of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. He half-expects to see a companion, joining her for a post-prandial nightcap. But she’s on her own.

Just like him.

The bar is quiet. He can’t help but overhear her at the bar. “It’s my birthday,” she tells the bartender, grinning happily. “They said I could have a complimentary drink.”

The bartender smiles and nods. “Sure thing, ma’am. What would you like?”

Jack watches as she peruses the gleaming shelves of liquor bottles behind the bar, noting the adorable way she chews on her lower lip while she’s thinking. 

“I’ll make it a whiskey. A Gentleman Jack, please.”

His ears perk up in spite of himself.

Thing is, Jack’s pretty good at reading other human beings. Part of the job, after all, and pretty hard to let something like that slide when you’re no longer an active agent in the field. 

He knows, then, that it might be a bit much for him to launch a typical come-on attempt at the bar. You seem like the type to find that too heavy-handed, disconcerting - cheesy, even.

Not that Jack minds cheesy, as required.

He returns to his book and when he looks up again, you’re taking your Gentleman Jack over to a small table in the other part of the bar. He taps his glass to get your attention. 

“Hope you don’t mind me overhearing, miss, but I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday,” he says, Southern drawl as warm and as authentic as the Bourbon in his glass. He raises the tumbler to you, and you reciprocate. 

”Enjoy that whiskey, now. Fine choice, if I may say.”

***

He’s definitely not flirting with you. Right? Right. Just a Southern gentleman of the kind that’s all “manners maketh man” and “yes ma’am” and opening doors for ladies. Probably illegal for him not to wish you a happy birthday. 

Just a gorgeous man with the twinkliest, kindest eyes you’ve ever seen in your life, dressed in a beautifully-tailored western-style shirt and perfect dark denims, wishing you a happy birthday. Move along, nothing to see here. 

You settle in with your birthday drink and your copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude, immersing yourself back in the world of the Buendia clan. Occasionally, you glance back in his direction, and sometimes, he’s looking over at you, too.

Coincidence. 

As the alcohol hits you, you adopt a more cliched “mysterious woman” approach, as befits the slick of vintage-style dark red lipstick you’re wearing for the occasion. Let’s see what happens. No more looking over again, just you, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Gentleman Jack. A good time to be had by all - handsome guy or not.

He’s gone the next time you raise your head. Empty seat. Empty glass. And your heart sinks, against your better judgment. 

“Fuck it. Another whiskey’s in order - for the room.”

You nod over to the bartender, ordering another of the same and asking for it to be put on your room bill. 

He returns swiftly with another crystal tumbler of the amber liquid and what looks like a business card. “Ma’am, the gentleman that was just here asked if he could pay for your next drink. Seeing as it’s your birthday. He just had one condition - that we pass this on.”

He hands you the business card, and it’s embossed on one side with a name:

Jack Daniels, Esq.

Some promotional thing, you assume, connected to the whiskey in your glass. But there’s something written in a clear, determined print on the rear of the card. 

A number - a room extension number - and a message.

Happy birthday, miss. If you want to say howdy, this is where you’ll find me - J.D.

You quirk an eyebrow. This seems…insane. Like a set-up waiting to be revealed. But you take the card and head to your room with the whiskey, half-expecting that the next time you look at the little business card it’ll be blank - the note gone, imagined, the product of your own febrile brain and the power of Gentleman Jack.

Still there. Still metaphorically winking at you, daring you to call.

***

One finger of whiskey down. Enough to give you the courage to dial that number. 

If it’s him, and he’s not a creep, just say thank you. That’s all you want, right? And he wouldn’t possibly want anything else.

He picks up almost immediately. “Well, hello there. Glad that barkeep gave you the card, miss.” His voice is low and honeyed over the line. 

You clench your thighs together involuntarily.

”I, uh…I wanted to say thank you. For the drink.”

He chuckles. Oh, fuck. That voice.

”Wouldn’t be any kind of gentleman if I didn’t buy a lady a birthday drink. Specially when she’s drinking one that bears his name.”

You pause for a second. This is…weird. Pinch yourself, once, twice.

”So that’s your actual name? Jack Daniels?”

”The one and same, at your service.”

The whiskey has emboldened you. “Ah, but are you a gentleman, Jack?”

You swear you can hear him inhale sharply. “Well, well. Guess you’d have to get to know me to find out.”

”Birthday or no birthday, Mr Daniels, I’m not in the business of inviting strange men into my hotel room.”

”Fine by me, sweet girl. How’s about I meet you in the lobby in five minutes? Might be cold but it’s a nice night for a walk. You know the city?”

”Lived here my whole life.”

He chuckles again. Oh, girl. You are in trouble.

”Now, ain’t that something. Perfect person to show a lonesome cowboy around. Grab your coat, sugar.”

***

He’s already waiting in the lobby when you walk out of the lift, wearing a black leather jacket with a corduroy-trimmed collar and a dark brown, felt broad-brimmed hat. Not quite a Stetson, but still perfect for a cowboy visiting the big city. His dark brown boots are impeccably polished, you notice.

”Well, hi there, birthday girl!” He grins, laughter lines around his eyes crinkling and emphasising the handsome contours of his face. “Guess we should introduce ourselves properly.” He extends his hand. “Jack Daniels.”

You introduce yourself and find yourself chuckling at the strange coincidence of his name. “Are you anything to the whiskey brand? I feel like I should know, just in case this is some insane promotional stunt.”

He laughs, a bright, genuine chuckle that makes your heart sing. “Sadly, I’m not the JD. But Whiskey was my…nickname. Once upon a time.”

”Makes sense,” you say, as he holds open the hotel door for you and you step out into the night. “Now, Jack Whiskey Daniels, where to?”

“I’ll leave that up to you, birthday girl. You’re the native and the expert. Happy to surrender myself to your capable hands. Only thing is…” He pauses, looking a little sheepish. “I’m hungry enough to eat a stable door. Mind if we pick up a little something on the way?”

You giggle, noticing the little flecks of grey among the dark hairs of his perfectly-trimmed moustache. “I’ve got just the thing, Jack. Come with me.”

***

”I cannot believe that delicious slice was two dollars. Two dollars! And they always say this city’s expensive.”

You swallow the last bite of your own pizza slice and laugh. “It is expensive, but the dollar slice still reigns supreme. Even if it’s two bucks these days.”

You wander companionably in the direction of the elevated garden walkway, your chosen destination for this stroll through your home city. “So this your first time here?”

Jack shakes his head. “Not quite. Been here a few times over the years, but…never got to see much. Always workin’, in and out of our headquarters. No time for just getting to know a place.”

You nod sympathetically. “If it’s any consolation, sometimes it’s harder to see the good in a city when you’re there all the time. So it’s nice for me to get to be a tourist tonight, too.” The two of you climb the stairs and emerge on the walkway, you pointing out key landmarks to Jack as you stroll along together.

”So are you on a break from work this time?”

He looks at you with a soft smile. “Retired. These days I spend my time on the ranch, down home in Kentucky.”

You clap your hands excitedly when he explains that it’s a horse-breeding ranch. “Oh, wow. I just love horses - truth be told, I think there’s a cowgirl streak in me somewhere. City girl or no city girl.”

He laughs that gorgeous, warm laugh, and you feel your heart skip a beat. “Always happy to welcome a city slicker cowgirl on a tour, sweet girl. You just say the word.”

***

As you walk, you realise just how attentively Jack is listening to you. He takes in every detail, every word that leaves your lips, whether it be about the city or about you. 

With a pang you realise that it had been a very long time since someone really and truly seemed to listen. To see you. 

Or maybe he’s just like that with everyone. You are equally rapt, revelling in the melodious rhythm and comforting timbre of his baritone as he tells you about his ranch, his favourite horses, his fascination with the city. 

You’d always assumed that you might be too overwhelmed in the presence of a man so incredibly handsome and charming to do more than just gape at his beautiful form. With Jack, though, you’d never felt more at ease. 

And, dare you say it - he seems pretty darn comfortable, too.

The wardens on the garden walkway announce that it’s about to close, and you find the nearest exit and return to street level. It’s almost imperceptible, but for an instant you swear you can feel his broad hand on your back as you cross the street, heading back to the hotel. 

“Now I’ve got a confession to make, Jack.”

He turns and raises his eyebrows.

”I’m hungry again. You want another slice?”

His smile feels bright enough to power half the city. “A two-buck pizza slice with the prettiest girl in town? Count me in, sugar.”

***

Your whole life, you’d assumed it was safer to wait until they made the first move. Helped avoid any embarrassing moments where you’d read the vibe wrong. Easier, too, to assume you would want someone more than they wanted you.

The electrical charge that’s crackling between you and Jack Daniels as you stand side by side in the hotel lift is a little too powerful for the “wait and see” approach. You look at him again, in side profile this time. 

Fuck. That is a beautiful man.

”Jack?”

He turns his head and smiles. Your hands find first his shoulders, then the light stubble on his jaw. He closes his eyes as you caress his face, dark lashes resting on his cheeks. You move closer, feeling his breath on your face, tilt your head, and lean in to find his lips in a slow, gentle kiss.

The lift pings as he pulls you tight to him, tongue seeking entrance to your mouth. His floor.

”I sure hope this ain’t too forward, sugar, but… would you like to come to my room?” 

You’re already walking out of the lift, holding his hand as you pull him down the corridor that leads to the guest rooms. 

“Thought you’d never ask, cowboy.”

***

No sooner have you got to the room than he’s pushing you against the wall, your hands hastily unbuttoning his shirt and jeans while his broad hands grope your tits through your favourite dress. 

“Goddammit, sweetheart, these are damn gorgeous,” he murmurs, fingers tracing the outline of your hard nipples under the light fabric. “You are damn gorgeous.”

”So are you, cowboy,” you purr, slipping your hand gently inside his boxer briefs as he moves you away from the wall and over to the king-size bed. Even half-hard, you are impressed by the feel of his cock in your hand - thick, heavy, and velvet-soft around the head.

He lays you down on the bed and quickly peels off his shirt, revealing a broad, tanned body clad in a white undervest that clings lasciviously to the muscles of his chest and back as well as the softness of his tummy. It’s a tantalising sight: Jack, his dark, silver-streaked hair slightly mussed and falling forward over his brow, propped up above you on the bed. You trace your fingertips over the pattern of freckles that peeks over the neckline of his vest.

”Can I taste you, pretty girl?”

You nod, throwing your head back and whining with pleasure as he gets to his knees at the edge of the bed and lifts up the skirts of your dress. He hums and moans contentedly as he buries his nose and mouth against your aching pussy, still wearing your panties.

”God-fuckin’-dammit. You’re gonna taste so sweet.”

With a swift tug your panties are off and his head is between your legs, stubble tickling deliciously over the sensitive skin on your inner thighs as his moustache presses against your wet folds.

”Taste me, Jack, please.”

The first long, slow, lick of his tongue up your slit is enough to have you moaning. 

“Fuck, sugar suits you. Sweet as fuckin’ sugar down here.”

Another long, slow lick, tongue flat against you, and then the tip finds your pussy, flicking over the hole and dipping in and out until you feel like he’s fucking you with it. His nose rubs against your swollen clit in time with the thrust of his tongue.

”You’re gonna make me come, Jack…keep doing that, that’s it.”

You focus on the sensation, the sounds that fill the hotel room: your gentle moans, Jack grunting against your pussy while his hand works his own cock, the lewd wetness of your soaking cunt as he brings you closer and closer to orgasm.

”C’mon, sweetheart, come for me - c’mon, good girl. Got you so nice and wet, darlin’, I know you’re close.”

He rests a hand on your tummy as your hips start to buck upwards, the orgasm building and building inside of you until, with a scream of his name, you come hard on his face.

”Think you enjoyed that, sweetheart.”

”Fuck, Jack, that was…fuck.” You sit up and he helps you out of your dress, eyes roaming over your body and settling on the curves of your tits inside the dark blue lace of your bra.

”Can I take this off, sugar?”

You nod, reaching for the hem of his undervest. “Sure, cowboy. But you have to be naked too.”

He is only too happy to oblige. Undervest discarded and boxers on the floor, Jack climbs onto the bed beside you and sits you up. He takes his time with your breasts, unhooking your bra and tossing it to one side before bringing his mouth to each nipple and lovingly kissing and sucking and caressing them in turn. 

“What do you want, baby?”

It’s a rhetorical question. You both know what you want. He breaks away and you lie back on the bed, spreading your legs, moaning delightedly as you feel his gorgeous weight settling on top of you. 

“Want you, Jack. Want you to fuck me until this whole city knows who’s having me.”

He flushes visibly and chuckles, standing up to retrieve his wash bag and returning with a packet of condoms in hand. “And there I was thinkin’ you were a shy little thing, sweet girl.” 

You laugh. “I’m shy until you get to know me, Jack Daniels. Shy, until…”

He positions himself back between your thighs, carefully rolling the condom over his impressively thick cock. 

“Until?” 

You pause for a moment to look into his eyes. “Until I feel like I’m safe with someone.”

He melts a little, leaning down to kiss you softly and slowly.

”That’s a heck of a compliment, sugar. A nice thing, to know you feel so safe with me.”

You smile and look up at him from under your lashes. “I think it’s your charm, cowboy. Not bad for two people who were strangers until a few hours ago.”

He hums happily and kisses you again. ”Not bad at all. Can I have you, sweetheart?”

”Yes fuckin’ please, Jack.” 

He takes you slowly, carefully, stretching you steadily until he’s fully sheathed inside you. He takes a moment, squeezing his eyes closed as he fights the urge to go straight to fucking you as hard as he wishes.

”Feel good, Jack?”

”Feels out of this world, baby. Perfect tight, wet pussy, perfect pretty girl.”

He pulls his hips back slowly before snapping back into position and you whine, wrapping your hands around his shoulders. 

“That feel good for you, baby?”

You nod frantically. “The best. Fuck me, Jack. Want to feel you.”

He builds up the pace slowly, steadily, taking you deeper and deeper before moving to take you harder and faster. Instinctively you hitch up your legs, finding your calves wrapping around his lower back as he starts to fuck you at just the right angle.

He babbles as he fucks you, praising you, promising you things you remind yourself not to see as anything more than sex talk. How he’ll bring you home with him someday, come back up to see you here, make you all his, how he wants to be all yours.

With a swift shift of his hand he finds your clit again. You come harder, again, crying out his name as he fucks and talks you through it. 

“Good, good girl, my good girl,” he murmurs, eyes locked on the place your bodies are joined as he watches you ride out your orgasm. “You’re so beautiful, you know that? Prettiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”

His long fingers press hard into your hips and you can tell he’s about to come. For a brief, sudden, vivid instant you fantasise about throwing all caution to the wind and letting him finish inside you: filling you, claiming you for his, all his.

Jack comes hard, groaning and crying out your name. He rests on your shoulder for a moment, catching his breath, before pulling out and nuzzling in beside you. You turn to face him, fingers trailing through the dark, damp strands of wavy hair clinging to his brow.

”Good, darlin’?”

You kiss him. “Very, very, very good, Jack Daniels.”

He chuckles against your kiss. “And do you think I’m a gentleman now?”

You pull back and flit your eyes over his face, as if making an assessment. 

“Let’s see. Gentleman cowboy on the streets, gentlemanly demon in the sheets. Sounds perfect to me.”

***

You sleep soundly that night, nestled safely against Jack’s warm body. He wakes you with the gentlest of kisses to your forehead, and for a moment you can’t remember. 

And then those coffee-brown eyes, that smile, and you know you’re right where you’re meant to be.

[https-harlow]

It Was Always You

Summary- Despite Jack's marriage to Amber, you and Jack make confessions to each other that you probably shouldn't.

Warnings- Cheating

Amber scowled at you and Jack from the side of the stage. Jack had just gotten done with soundcheck, and you and Jack were dancing in the middle of the stage, Jack was twirling you around as you both laughed. 

You and Jack were childhood best friends, you were inseparable from the day you met. Through elementary school, middle school, high school, and even after, it was you and Jack against the world. Urban was there too, but you and Jack just connected in a way that was extra special.

Jack met Amber through his record label, in fact her parents were high up in the company. They hit it off, and it wasn’t long before they started dating. At the beginning of their relationship, Amber didn’t like you. In fact, you could go as far as saying she hated you. She was jealous of your relationship with Jack and how close you two were. There were still times she wasn’t the biggest fan of your relationship, like right now. She thought that instead of you and Jack dancing together, it should be her and Jack. Maybe she was right though, she was his wife after all.

Jack loved Amber, but their relationship was complicated to say the least. The fact that her parents had so much control of the company that had power over his career, was stressful for Jack. As much as he did love Amber, he probably wouldn’t have married her. He knew they didn’t have the power to actually mess with his career, they didn’t have that much power, but it still created a dynamic of their relationship that was difficult to manage.

Jack also loved you, more than he loved Amber. He had loved you as long as he could remember, but he didn’t realize it until he moved to Atlanta. You stayed in Louisville, and the time apart was what he needed to realize he loved you. You would FaceTime every night, until one of you fell asleep. You two did that for months, over that time, you also realized you loved Jack.

Neither of you wanted to take the chance of ruining your relationship, so neither of you acted on your new-found love. Jack met Amber while he was in Atlanta, and they moved back to Louisville together. Jack proposed after about a year and a half of him and Amber dating. 

It wasn’t until Urban through Jack a bachelor that your relationship with Jack went further. You both got a little bit too drunk, you ended up in the same hotel room, alone, and one thing led to another, and you woke up in the same bed.

It wasn’t that Jack didn’t feel guilty, he did. He didn’t want to cheat on Amber, but he did. Jack did love Amber, but he loved you more. He never had the intention to cheat on her, but the two of you had explored other sides of your relationship, it was difficult to stop. So you didn’t, even years later.

Amber caught Jack’s eye as his laughing stopped. 

“Hey, I’ll see you later, okay? I promised Amber after sound check we’d go get food and walk around the city a little bit,” Jack told you and you nodded.

“If I don’t see you before the show, good luck, you’re going to do amazing like you always do. I’ll see you after the show for sure.” 

Jack nodded, hugging you for a second longer than two people who were just friends would hug. Jack let you go before walking over to Amber.

You saw Jack briefly before the show, but everyone was around and Amber was right by Jack’s side all night. You, Urban, Jack, and a couple other people went out after the show, but Amber didn’t want to go, so she went back to the hotel. 

You all stayed out longer than you planned, so when it was time to go back to the hotel, Jack didn’t want to wake Amber up, so he texted her to tell her he was staying in Urban’s room since he had two beds. Instead, Jack ended up in your room. 

You were both exhausted, so you almost immediately ended up in bed.

“Did I tell you what happened earlier?” Jack asked.

“No, what happened?” You asked, turning to your side to face Jack.

“Amber and I got in a stupid fucking fight and I couldn’t even tell you what it was about because I’m honestly not sure if there was a reason,” Jack said, playing with the ends of your hair as he talked.

“Again? Really? I feel like she just picks fights sometimes just to do it.”

“I’m glad it’s not just me who thinks that. I don’t know, we never used to fight, I don’t know why it’s gotten so much worse recently.”

“I’m sorry, she hasn’t said anything to me recently about your relationship.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Jack said, pulling you closer to his side.

“It’s probably just the stress of the tour, I’m sure it will get better once we are all home.” 

“If we make it that long,” Jack muttered.

“What makes you think that your marriage won’t last until the end of tour?”

“I don’t know,” Jack sighed, pulling the blanket over you two. “I just, our relationship feels different.” Before you could respond, your phone rang.

“It’s Amber,” You said, signaling Jack to be quiet before you answered. “Hey, what’s up.”

“I just woke up, and I wanted to make sure everyone got back safe, Jack wasn’t answering the phone, so I thought I’d call you,” Amber said.

“Yeah, I think Jack’s phone died, but we all got back about 30 minutes ago,” You said.

“Oh okay,” Amber hesitated. “Jack’s with Urban, right?”

“Yeah, he is,” You lied, Jack buried his head into your neck.

“Okay. I don’t know, something just feels off, not only tonight, but for a while now. I’m probably just overthinking. I’ll let you go to sleep, and I’m going to go back to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” You said before hanging up. “I think she knows something’s up.”

“I mean, does it fucking matter anymore,” Jack muttered.

“I thought you loved Amber?” You asked.

“I did love her. Over time, I’ve just fallen out of love with her. She’s a nice person, but I’ve realized it’s always been you. I’ve always been in love with you. Since we were teenagers. I was just always too scared to tell you. I’ve always regretted that.” Jack admitted. He wasn’t sure why he was admitting it now, in a hotel room with his wife a few rooms over. 

“I’ve always been in love with you too.”

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