#demand and wheedle and beg and whine and moan and so on then like

[lighthouseborna]

is henry. a little bit spoiled, actually? is that where all the Audacity comes from?

[trashscenariihxh]

Morel x Reader

This was a commission! Just a reminder, when someone commissions something from me, I make the reader as specific as they want.  Names, appearance, age... anything!  But if the person commissioning it consents for me to post it on the blog, all of that is removed and reader becomes nameless and faceless again.  Just an FYI to all would-be commissioners.

Morel had always been incredibly transparent with you about the nature of his job; you’d always accepted and supported his decisions, no matter how uneasy they made you feel at times. No, you’d never said a word against his missions and extended leaves… until now.

“You’re going where?”

Morel smiled apologetically. “Come on, Baby, don’t be angry.”

You shook your head in disbelief.  “It’s not the fact that you’re leaving again.” You sighed loudly and slumped against the arm of the sofa.  “It’s the fact that you’re leaving so soon.  Morel…”  You pinched the bridge of your nose and sighed again.  “You were in the hospital.  For weeks.”  You’d never seen him look as weak as he had when you’d visited him in the hospital after he returned from the NGL.  The journey had taken so much out of him.  Too much.

To your annoyance, Morel smiled again.  “I’m okay, though.  Really.” He reached out for you only to have his hand swatted away.

“And that’s another thing!” you continued, determinedly staring at the floor, “you’re leaving tomorrow. And you only just told me now. Don’t you realize how… disrespectful that is?”

Morel fell silent for a moment.  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, slowly reaching over to you again and resting a large hand on your shoulder.  “I should have mentioned it earlier.  But I promise you, everything was up in the air until just yesterday.”  When you didn’t respond, he wrapped an arm around your shoulder and drew you into him.  “Hey,” he murmured softly, leaning down to kiss your forehead, “don’t be too mad, yeah?” His hand began to trail down your arm as he drew you in even closer; when you rolled your eyes and huffed, he changed gears: wheedling became flattery.

“You look gorgeous tonight.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”  You glared halfheartedly at him, only to be met with a soft smile.

“No, really.” A long finger trailed along your cheek.  “You’re absolutely stunning, _____.” His grin broadened.  “How am I doing?  Am I getting anywhere yet?”

A snort of laughter erupted from you as you struggled to maintain the glare.  “A little bit,” you conceded. Your face softened as you allowed yourself the tiniest hint of a smile. Getting angry at Morel was easy; staying angry with him was quite another matter.  Morel seemed to be acutely aware of this.

“So…” he turned his body to face you.  “Since I’m leaving tomorrow…”

You arched an eyebrow. “You think you deserve special treatment?”

“Maybe a little bit.” Morel shrugged, his smile not faltering.

You sighed, slumping forward. “Morel…” You trailed off as you choked on your words.

“Hey…”  Strong arms pulled you into his chest as Morel held you close.  “Don’t worry, _____.  It’ll be okay.  I’ll be fine.”

“Will you?”  You rested your head against his massive chest and breathed in his scent; vaguely smokey. Warm.  

“Yeah.”  He rubbed soothing circles over your back.  “Yeah, I will.”

“That’s what you said last time.”

“And I was right.  I’m fine.”

“Hmph.” You fell silent for a moment, content with enjoying the closeness and being soothed by the thrum of his heartbeat.  The warmth of his body flowed through you; you could have stayed like this forever. A forever you didn’t have. “Morel?”  You pulled back and looked up at him.

“Hm?”

“I’ll miss you.”

A large hand cupped your cheek.  “I’ll miss you too, Baby.”  His thumb affectionately rubbed against your skin.

A wave of desperate tenderness flooded your core, and for a brief moment you felt tears begin to prick your eyes. You fought them away.  “You need to promise me you’ll come back.”

A deep roll of laughter rumbled within Morel’s chest as he leaned down to press soft kisses to your mouth and cheeks.  “I promise,” he said between kisses, still cradling your face in his hands, “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Really?”  Your eyes swept over his face, searching for traces of insincerity.  They found none; only the warm, broad, honest face of the man whose long absences you’d borne for years.  He always came back.  With trembling hands, you reached out to stroke along his jawline.  There was a very particular kind of warmth about Morel’s face. Perma-tanned from countless years at sea, his face was marked with tiny creases around his eyes and thin crescents at the corners of his mouth; the face of a man who smiled easily and often.  Lately, the creases seemed deeper than usual.

“Don’t get sad on me now,” Morel chuckled, turning to kiss your palm.  “Or else you’ll make me sad too.”

You began to protest that no, you weren’t sad, but were cut off by Morel picking you up and literally throwing you over his shoulder as he rose from the couch. “Hey!” You halfheartedly swatted at his back.  “What the hell?”

“Things were getting a little too melancholy for my liking.”  A large, warm hand softly squeezed your thigh.  “How about I cheer you up a bit?”

You squealed in lukewarm indignation when Morel carried you into the bedroom and laid you down onto the bed but melted into his touch when he crawled on top of you.  Large hands ran over your body, skimming lightly up your sides and eliciting a giggle from you.

“A-ha!”  Morel smiled triumphantly as he dipped to kiss your neck. “Success already.”

Surrendering to his infectious mirth, you pulled him closer and grinned into the coarse fabric of his shirt. “Hey,” you wrapped your legs around his waist and gave a gentle squeeze, “if you want to lighten the mood, hurry it up.”

“Someone’s eager.” Morel gave your earlobe a playful nip before drawing back to unbutton his shirt. Far too slowly for your liking. You were about to spur him onward, but Morel clicked his tongue preemptively.  “Now, now, Baby, no need to get impatient.”  He undid another button.  “No need to rush.” Another button.

You bit your lower lip as you watched him reveal his broad, muscled chest.  A tingling warmth was begging to pool in the pit of your stomach; your earlier irritation had been replaced by longing, an urgent need to be touched.  You desperately needed him to speed things up.

“Slowing down, Old Man?” you teased, hastily removing your clothes and tossing them to the bedroom floor. Reclining on the bed again, you shot him a wicked smirk.

Morel shook his head, shrugging off his shirt with an infuriating slowness that had to have been deliberate.  “If you’re trying to goad me, ____, it won’t work.”

You pouted.  “Damn it, Morel, we don’t have all night.”  Really, you didn’t.  

“Still doesn’t mean we have to rush.”  Morel was on you again; his fingers running up and down your now-exposed waist. “Besides,” he pressed a deceptively chaste kiss to your mouth before kissing trail down your chest, “the faster we take things, the sooner it will end.”  He stopped kissing you right as he reached your navel to smile cheekily up at you. “I’m an old man, as you say.  I only have one round in me.”

“Well, better make it a good one.”  You groaned and let your head fall back onto the pillows as Morel chuckled and resumed kissing down the length of your body.  When he dipped between your legs, you hummed and let your body relax, ready for what was sure to come.  When it didn’t, you propped yourself up on your elbows and gave Morel a questioning look. “Problem?”

“Never.”  Morel kissed your thigh.  “Just savoring the moment.”

“Well, can you savor it a little bit fast-oh!” You collapsed back onto the bed with a groan when you felt his tongue drag along your entrance in one long, hot, exquisite lick. “Oh…”

You’d been with Morel for years and yet you were continually surprised by just how good he was with his tongue.  The way he was licking, no, devouring you now, made heat and tension coil in the pit of your stomach.  A whimper of frustrated pleasure escaped your throat when his tongue skated over the sensitive nerve endings that demanded his attention; instead of focusing on that one spot where you needed him the most, Morel’s tongue lapped at your entrance and slipped inside.

You whined, reaching down to tangle your fingers in his hair in hopes of redirecting him.  Your need was white-hot now, the teasing jolts of pleasure that were coursing through your lower half were on the verge of being painful.  As to be expected, Morel ignored your demands, opting instead to explore your entrance with languid enthusiasm.

“Come on, Morel,” you insisted, squeezing your eyes shut and feeling your cheeks burn when you heard the obscenely loud slurp of him withdrawing his tongue. This time he listened and focused his attention right where you needed him to; his tongue swirled over the bundle of nerves in tight little circles while he slipped two thick fingers inside of you.  Your vision blurred.

“Right there,” you gasped out, bucking your hips in an effort to get more of that delicious direct stimulation.

Morel obliged, eager to draw more of those lewd noises from you.  His fingers curled within you, stroking that one spot of yours that he knew so well.  When he crooked his fingers again and pressed against it, you moaned and began to grind against his face.

It didn’t take long for Morel to draw your orgasm out of you; you came with a choked sob, clenching around his fingers and trembling around him.  As you came down from your high Morel withdrew, quickly shedding the rest of his clothing before climbing on top of you and capturing your lips with a searing, open-mouthed kiss.  You melted into this touch, not caring that you could taste yourself on him.

Fueled by the desire for even more closeness, you wrapped your legs around Morel’s waist.  His painfully hard arousal pressed against your thigh; you shifted, hoping to line your entrance up with his cock.

“Still eager?” Morel’s lips grazed your throat as he pressed you into the mattress.  He smiled against your skin when you hummed impatiently, then shifted to run the head of his cock against your entrance.  “You want this?”

“Uh-huh!” You dug your fingers into his shoulders in an attempt to spur him onward.  

“Hm…” Morel continued to rub his cock against you, letting the head teasingly slip inside then out again. “Since I’ve been nice and gotten you so nicely warmed up…” In an instant he seized your hips, rolling onto his back and bringing you with him, holding you in place astride his hips.  He smiled warmly up at you.  “How about you return the favor a little?”  Large hands gripped your waist and lifted you onto his cock.

A series of sighs escaped your lips as you sank down onto him.

Morel’s hands caressed your hips and thighs as you rode him, occasionally giving your ass a squeeze whenever you clenched around his cock.  His eyes swept lovingly over your body, content to watch you as you took your pleasure from him.

“That’s it.”  He ran his hands up your sides.  “Just like that.”

You tightened around him again and his hips jerked upwards.  “Gods, ____,” he groaned, taking your hands in his so you could brace yourself against them, “do you want to finish me off so soon?”

You absolutely did. The sight of Morel’s blown pupils and the thin sheen of sweat on his forehead was enough of an incentive to keep going, to make him lose himself inside of you.  You tightened your grip on his hands as you continued to ride him, lifting your hips and sinking back down onto him in an increasingly erratic rhythm.

Your breaths were ragged, coming in hoarse pants as your vision tunneled.  For a moment there was nothing else: only Morel and the ever-increasing heat between your legs.

When Morel disentangled one hand from yours and began to stroke you, you cried out; it was all you could take.  Waves of heat and pressure crashed into you as you trembled around him for the second time that evening.

It was the feeling of your body spasming around him that finally broke Morel’s self-control.  He grunted through tightly-clenched teeth and slammed up into you hard enough to make you close your eyes and arch back almost painfully.  He thrust into you a few more times before reaching his own orgasm, finishing inside you with a grunt.

With a satisfied sigh, Morel squeezed your hand and gently tugged you towards him, pulling you down onto his chest.  Feeling the warmth of his chest and the soothing touch of his fingers running over your back was enough to send you into a sleepy haze.  There was just something so comforting about being near him like this… you want to stay that way forever.

“Morel,” you mumbled sleepily into his chest as your eyelids grew still heavier.

“Hm?”

“Don’t be gone for long this time.”

“I’ll try.”  

You didn’t like the noncommittal answer but accepted it all the same.  What choice did you have?  Besides, no matter how long he’d be away for, you’d wait for him.  Always.

[thingswhatareawesome]

title: sharp teeth (the tiger is out) fandom: Tiger and Bunny pairing: Barnaby/Kotetsu word count: 2298 summary: taken captive by a sorcerer NEXT, Kotetsu and Barnaby have to break out (a weretiger!Kotetsu and vampire!Barnaby AU)

For the March Flash fiction tenth prompt: Breaking the Rules

Kotetsu growled, the sound bestial, echoing against the dank basement’s walls as he surged against the chains holding him. He felt the metal of the manacles digging into his flesh as he strained against his restraints again and again until veins stood out on his neck and sweat and blood trailed from his wrists. “Bunny!” he yelled, then bellowed again, even louder, “Bunny!!”

They’d been hunting down the sorcerer NEXT that had been terrorizing the city’s Bronze Stage for the last few weeks, following a trail that’d been frustratingly faint while the other Heroes investigated other leads. All but at the point of deciding they were at a dead end, he and Barnaby had stumbled into the criminal’s abandoned lair in an old mansion—and right into a trap. The NEXT had been waiting, with swarms of minions, overwhelming them almost immediately with surprise and sheer numbers of summoned creatures.

Then Barnaby’s frantic shouted alert to the other Heroes over his communicator cut off into a scream as the NEXT gestured, and the entire roof above them peeled away and sunlight flooded the great hall. The sun didn’t kill Barnaby—but it hurt, and Kotetsu saw red, roaring as he heard his partner in pain, even as the minions dogpiled him, pinning him to the ground and shackling him with something that drained his power instantly and forced him out of his shift. The last he’d seen was Barnaby being dragged away, before a sharp blow to his head and unconsciousness.

And he’d woken here, in the dimness and the damp, alone, fettered by the same magicked metal that sucked away his power as fast as he could generate it, slipping through his grasp like sand through his fingers. Kotetsu sagged against the chains with a low moan. Bunny, what had they done with Bunny?

Then, a sound—a rustle, the sibilant hiss of something sliding against something, and…footsteps? Kotetsu peered into the dimness, cursing being limited to human senses in the low light. “Who’s there?” he shouted.

A whisper of a low laugh, pained, but oh god, so welcome. “Could you be any louder, old man? I think they heard you up on the Gold Stage.”

“Bunny!” His chains gave a rattle and a creak as Kotetsu leaped against them with excitement and joy, even as relief nearly brought him to his knees. Ahead of him, he could see the faintest hint of a pale form in the darkness that was growing larger ever so slowly, until finally it barely resolved into the form of Barnaby. “Are you okay? What’d they do to you? How’d you get away?”

“If you want questions answered, you generally need to stop asking more,” Barnaby snarked, but there was amusement in his voice, and god, Kotetsu wanted to hug him so much right now. The younger man groaned quietly, finally shuffling close enough that Kotetsu could see him clearly—and fuck, Barnaby looked wretched.

The sound of something sliding against something was Barnaby’s hand pressed against the cinderblock wall, leaning so heavily against it as he walked it was obviously the only thing keeping his partner upright. His skin was flushed—no, burned—pink and red and…and worse, one eye swollen shut fully and the other very nearly there, and he looked so weakened, a limp husk of himself, like if Kotetsu gave one puff of breath, Barnaby would dissipate entirely. A whine, low and plaintive, stuck in Kotetsu’s throat, “Bunny.”

“I’m fine. No, I am.,” he interrupted Kotetsu’s grumbled protest. “I will be.” Pushing away from the wall, staggering a bit, he ran his hands over the chains imprisoning Kotetsu, making a displeased, worried noise as he found the blood and mangled skin below the cuffs around Kotetsu’s wrists. “The NEXT is clueless about vampires. They knocked me out and left me outside in the sun with barely more than human grade handcuffs on and a small group of those creatures guarding me. I don’t know why he thought I would just helplessly lay there and die.”

Testing his strength against the chains, Barnaby yanked against where they were anchored into the walls, growling, building to a full-out shout as he strained. The links and bolts groaned, creaking, but held fast, and Barnaby sagged against the wall again, panting. ”The creatures return to the plane they were summoned from if you slay them,” he continued after a moment. “And the NEXT sent most of the rest of his forces out against the others now that they’re close. He’s underestimating us since he has us captured, so we’ll have the element of surprise on our side when we take him on again.”

Kotetsu hummed. “The guy may not know anything about vampires, but he knows about were creatures. Whatever these chains are made of, they’re draining me. And they’re stronger than even you are.”  He paused, giving Barnaby a loaded look. “You’re gonna have to bite me, Bunny.” Steamrolling over Barnaby’s response even before the younger man could start to protest, “You have to. It’s the only way you’ll be able to break the chains and let me get my power back. And, most of all, you’ll heal.”

But Barnaby was still shaking his head. “You know the laws. It’s even in our contracts. Both of our contracts.”

“Fuck it,” Kotetsu snarled, “break the laws, break the rules, who cares. If it makes you better, it’s worth it. And it’ll mean we can kick that asshole’s ass and finally stop him for sure. C’mon,” he wheedled, then outright begged, “let me help you. Please.”

Barnaby stared at him, then reached out and softly ran a finger over Kotetsu’s cheek, down to his jaw,  gently raising the older man’s chin and turning his face slowly one direction, then the other. “You’re sure?” he asked, quietly. “This could get us in a lot of trouble.”

“I’m all about trouble. Kaburagi T. Kotetsu, the t stands for trouble, you know that,” Kotetsu grinned at Barnaby’s snort, then his expression softened. “And come on, you know I’d do anything for you. You’re my partner. You’re my lover. You’re everything.”

Now both of Barnaby’s hands were on Kotetsu’s face, cradling it like he were delicate glass. Even in the dimness, he could see moisture beneath his partner’s eyes shimmering. “Foolish old man,” he whispered, and his lips against Kotetsu’s were cool and smooth. “Foolish, big-hearted old man,” he said again, after the kiss. The words were a breath against his face. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

His face still cradled against Barnaby’s one palm, Kotetsu let his partner tilt his head, felt him trace the fingers of his other hand down his neck—tracking his veins, no doubt, but also caressing, and Kotetsu shivered.  There was the brush of a kiss pressed against his neck, then another, then the tickle of Barnaby’s tongue against his skin, tasting, and Kotetsu couldn’t help the low, shuddery moan that gasped from his lips. Finally Barnaby crowded him abruptly back against the wall, Kotetsu’s chains rattling as his arms wrapped around the younger man in a reflexive embrace, and bit down hard.

The sharp, piercing ache from Barnaby’s teeth curled heat and want through Kotetsu’s body, all the way from his neck to his groin, and the burning, bruising throb as he began to suck left Kotetsu clutching at him, one arm wrapped around the young vampire’s waist, the other buried in Barnaby’s long curls. His eyes fluttered. Distantly, he could hear is own voice hoarsely keening, “Please, please, please,” as he clung to Barnaby, trying to press impossibly closer.

Then the ache and the burning in his neck disappeared as Barnaby pulled away, Kotetsu whimpering at the loss and trying to pull him back again. But Barnaby only leaned against him, resting his forehead against Kotetsu’s, breathing hard and fast. The swelling around them gone, his eyes cracked open as he finally caught his breath, glowing a brilliant blue from behind his glasses and suffusing them both in soft light. “Kotetsu,” he breathed. His teeth were glistening red, shining in the glow from his eyes, and so were his lips. Kotetsu watched a drop of his blood trail slowly from Barnaby’s lower lip down to his chin.

He snapped his gaze away, taking in the rest of the younger man’s face—smooth, unburned, unmarred skin, a blush dusting his cheeks—and a weight lifted from his shoulders to see Barnaby healed again. “Thank fucking god,” he muttered. Then his eyes drifted back to the shine on his partner’s lips, and this time he couldn’t look away, fixated, until finally he gave in and dove forward to kiss Barnaby forcefully, not caring about the slick of his blood on the his lover’s lips or the taste of it in his mouth as Barnaby all but tried to devour him in return with a ragged, wanting groan.

Eventually Barnaby pulled away with a sharp inhale, muttering a curse under his breath. “Later,” he panted, voice becoming brusque when Kotetsu tried to lean in again. “Focus,” he demanded, though his expression gentled when Kotetsu, snapping back to himself, shook his head roughly to clear it. Grasping Kotetsu’s arms, he stepped out of his embrace with obvious regret. “Later,” he repeated, “I promise.”

“Yeah,” Kotetsu nodded, looking down, though he licked his lips to catch the taste of blood and Barnaby just once more, then caught Barnaby’s gaze again with a smirk. “I’ll hold you to it.” He watched then as Barnaby ran his hands over the chains yet again, this time breaking the links with ease, snapping first one length with a tug, then the other. Then he did the same with the manacles around Kotetsu’s wrists—supporting each of Kotetsu’s hands in his, he peeled the thick metal away as if he were simply removing the peel from a piece of fruit.

Watching Barnaby frown down at the bloodied mess of his wrists where the metal had dug in while Kotetsu struggled, he thought about the laws forbidding vampires from drinking were-creatures’ blood. People feared how powerful vampires were when boosted like that, how strong, how fast, how fantastically super human they became. Barnaby lifted each of Kotetsu’s hands, kissing the insides of his wrists so carefully, so tenderly, Kotetsu could barely even feel the touch of it. People feared—but Kotetsu didn’t. He’d never feared Barnaby, not even once. Not even that time when Barnaby forgot him because of that asshole Maverick.

Suddenly a rush of power slammed into Kotetsu, staggering him and nearly sending him stumbling to his knees, only saved from falling by Barnaby grabbing at his shirt and keeping him upright until he could find his footing again. “Wow. Okay,” he said dazedly. “My power’s back.” It filled him like a buzz, a rumble like approaching thunder, potential energy a living thing coiled right beneath his skin, “God, that feels so much better,” he purred.

“You’re good to change, then?”

“Yep, should be.” Reaching inside himself to where the shift always lurked, lying in wait, he found it easily, ready and eager to be released.  Removing his vest, he unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide from his shoulders to drape from where it was tucked into his waistband. Rolling his shoulders, he inhaled deep—and let the change loose.

Instantly it crashed through him, surged over him like a wave—his bones, body expanding, broadening, muscles bulking, claws sprouting from his fingers, teeth sharpening, becoming jagged, feral. Opening a tiger’s eyes in a man’s body, Kotetsu roared.

“What the fucking hell?!” A shout came from the darkness, and lights suddenly flooded the basement.

Barnaby swore. “A patrol.” He spun, flew forward so fast, even Kotetsu’s were-sight could barely track him. It was as if he teleported, instantly appearing next to the guard and launching into a powerful roundhouse kick that caught the guy under the chin and slammed him hard against the wall, his body slumping to the floor. Then Barnaby was immediately next to him again, hand pressed against a spot on the guard’s neck. “He’s alive,” he called back, sounding relieved. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure i held back enough. He’s just human.”

“’s’okay, Bunny,” Kotetsu’s voice was a gravelly growl, and he smiled with a predator’s teeth, “I didn’t doubt you would.” His partner knew how Kotetsu felt about killing, and even now Kotetsu didn’t have a single worry that Barnaby would go too far.

“Then let’s find the NEXT before word gets out and ruins our chance for surprise.” His partner gave Kotetsu a flat look out of the corner of his eye. “If someone being loud again didn’t already alert him.”

Scratching at the back of his head, Kotetsu shrugged, only a little abashed. “I can’t help it, Bunny. When I’m Wild Tiger, it’s time to let out a wild roar!”

Barnaby rolled his eyes in response, but Kotetsu could see the curl almost but not quite hidden at the corner of his still red-stained lips. Then, with one last glance at each other as if to reassure themselves that the other truly was all right, they both took off into the mansion in pursuit of the NEXT.

[valdomarx]

There are many things Stevens likes about Potts. He likes how Potts is always full of ideas and how he can create marvellous devices out of the strangest collections of components. He likes how Potts calls him out on his bullshit but is always loyal when it counts. And he likes how when Potts looks at him he sees the very best version of him he could be.

He also very much likes the way Potts tastes. He particularly likes Potts' ass, likes spreading him open and diving in face first. He likes how Potts is so responsive, the way he moans when Stevens licks him in broad stripes and gasps when Stevens flicks his tongue in teasing little swipes. He likes the noises Potts makes and he likes it when Potts lets himself be loud because he knows it turns Stevens on to hear him.

He like how Potts is always up for it, whether they're out on a mission or down in the research lab, even (especially) when they're arguing. He likes how one minute they'll be yelling at each other and getting in each other's faces and the next they'll both have hands everywhere, frantically shoving clothing aside and until they're skin to skin and Stevens can push Potts face down onto his work bench and gets his hands on his ass and whatever it was they were arguing about is long forgotten.

He likes getting two fingers into Potts, how he's so warm and tight and how he feels like velvet inside. He likes the way Potts gets all needy when he's fingered, wheedling and demanding more and eventually begging Stevens to fuck him. He likes the way Potts shudders with anticipation when he hears Stevens unzip his uniform pants, the sound of his zipper practically Pavlovian at this point.

He likes teasing Potts sometimes, likes making him wait and hearing him whine, and he likes jerking himself off nice and light while he watches Potts getting increasingly desperate. And he most of all likes it when he gives in to what they both want and slides inside him, slow and deep and perfect.

There are many things Stevens likes about Potts. But he thinks Potts' ass might be at the very top of the list.

[archiveforwriting]

550 Alternative Words for 'Said'

[source]

Is it your dream, your fantasy to write a bestseller? Do you have a book in your head, but the word "said" keeps getting in the way? If we write, then somewhere along the line we'll run into the word "said," one of the most common dialogue tags. But what is a dialogue tag, you ask?

What Is a Dialogue Tag?

In writing, a dialogue tag is a group of words that follow a line of speech. They provide information about the words between the beginning and end quotation marks such as

Who is speaking (i.e. he, she, they, Danny, Lucy)

Volume (i.e. shouted, yelled, whispered)

Tone (i.e. moaned, babbled, howled)

By using dialogue tags, writers are able to explain to readers the way in which their characters are speaking and the emotions that should be inferred from the inflection of their words.

Other Words for "Said" by Emotion

Repeating "he said, she said," can get annoying, but is it smart to use a different verb? There are abundant words to use instead, yet purists believe you're probably best not using them, since readers pay such little attention to "said" it effectively becomes invisible.

A good practice to follow is that when it’s understandable who is speaking the line of dialogue, you can remove the verb completely. It's surprising how much more professional your work will look if you do. In fact, let's make a rule: if it's obvious who's speaking, don't use anything.

You should only substitute "said" if the line of dialogue needs accentuation or verbalization to convey the way the words are expressed. Gorging your story with alternative words for "said" makes your work look amateurish, so be sure to se alternatives with moderation.

But sometimes you need to indicate who's speaking, and sometimes the word "said" doesn't quite do the job. That being said, if you’re struggling to find that elusive and perfect substitute, here’s a list of words (categorized by emotion) that might help.

Acceptance

Accepted, acknowledged, admitted, affirmed, agreed, assumed, conferred, confessed, confirmed, justified, settled, understood, undertook, verified.

Anger

Accused, barked, bellowed, bossed, carped, censured, condemned, criticized, demanded, fumed, gawped, glowered, growled, grumbled, hissed ordered, raged, remonstrated, reprimanded, retorted, scoffed, scolded, seethed, snapped, snarled, ticked off, told off, upbraided.

Contemplation

Contemplated, mused, pondered.

Conviction

Addressed, advertised, articulated, bragged, commanded, confided, decided, dictated, ended, exacted, finished, informed, made known, maintained, necessitated, pointed out, promised, reassured, remarked, repeated, reported, specified, stated, told.

Desire

Attracted, requested, wanted.

Excitement

Babbled, beamed, blurted, broadcasted, burst, cheered, chortled, chuckled, cried out, crooned, crowed, declared, emitted, exclaimed, giggled, hollered, howled, interjected, jabbered, laughed, praised, preached, presented, proclaimed, professed, promulgated, quaked, ranted, rejoiced, roared, screamed, shouted, shrieked, swore, thundered, trilled, trumpeted, vociferated, wailed, yawped, yelled, yelped, yowled.

Fear

Cautioned, shuddered, trembled, warned.

Generosity

Comforted, consoled, empathized, invited, offered, proffered, released, volunteered.

Persuasion

Advised, alleged, appealed, asserted, assured, avered, avowed, beckoned, begged, beseeched, cajoled, claimed, conceded, concluded, concurred, contended, defended, disposed, encouraged, entreated, held, hinted, implied, implored, importuned, inclined, indicated, insisted, pleaded, postulated, premised, presupposed, protested, stressed, suggested, touted, urged, vouched for, wheedled.

Pride

Chimed in, circulated, disseminated, distributed, expressed, grinned, made public, passed on, publicized, published, put forth, put out, quipped, quizzed, quoted, reckoned that, required, requisitioned, taunted, teased.

Provocation

Exposed, imitated, joked, leered, lied, mimicked, mocked, provoked.

Sadness

Agonized, bawled, blubbered, grieved, groaned, lamented, mewled, mourned, puled, sobbed, wept.

Storytelling

Announced, answered, began, called, commented, continued, denoted, disclosed, divulged, explained, imparted, noted, observed, proposed, rejoined, replied, revealed, shared, solicited, sought, testified, transferred, transmitted, went on.

Uncertainty

Asked, doubted, faltered, fretted, guessed, hesitated, hypothesized, inquired, lilted, quavered, queried, questioned, shrugged, speculated, stammered, stuttered, supposed, trailed off, wondered.

Words That Indicate Sound

Breathed, choked, croaked, drawled, echoed, grunted, keened, moaned, mumbled, murmured, panted, sang, sniffled, sniveled, snorted, spluttered, squeaked, uttered, voiced, whimpered, whined, whispered.

Other Words for "Asked"

When writing an inquisitive character, sometimes the standard "asked" can become a bit stale. Try using these alternatives when you want to add some variety to your dialogue.

Appealed Begged Beseeched

Contended Entreated Inclined

Insisted Pleaded Probed

Prodded Protested Cajoled

Stressed Doubted Faltered

Guessed Hesitated Hypothesized

Inquired Lilted Quavered

Queried Questioned Wondered

Other Words for "Stated"

Instead of repeatedly using stated to express the way in which a character delivers their words, try using one of these more descriptive alternatives.

Asserted Concluded Explained Noted

Remarked Reported Specified Told

Adverbs and Phrases to Explain How Something Was Said

Okay, so despite the warning, you’ve decided you really need to use one of the words above for "said." In order to make your writing absolutely zing, you might want to go whole hog and add an adverb or a phrase to convey or emphasize exactly how the line of dialogue was said.

An adverb is a word ending in -ly and modifies a verb.

The way it works is you choose whichever word for "said" you fancy from the list above, then add a adverb or phrase after it from the list below. For example, "She promised, with a controlled smile," or "He remarked, with a gloomy sigh." But do not overdo it. Be very careful not to end up sounding amateurish.

List of Adverbs for Dialogue

Abruptly, Absently, Acidly, Angrily, Apologetically, Approvingly, Artfully

Bemusedly

Calmly, Caustically, Cheerfully, Complacently, Crossly

Depressingly, Dryly

Earnestly, Enthusiastically

Gently, Gruffly

Happily, Hotly

Impatiently, Indulgently, Informed sassily, Innocently, Inquired doubtfully, Irritably

Loftily, Loudly

Mentally shrugged

Naturally, Nodded agreeably, Not wanting to sound pushy, Noncommittally

Offhandedly, Optimistically

Pleasantly, Politely, Politely smooth, Promised in a motherly/fatherly way, Prompted gently Promptly,

Quietly

Reflectively, Roughly

Sadly, Sympathetically, Sarcastically, Sincerely, Smiled faintly, Smugly, Soberly, Softly, Sparingly, Sternly,

Tartly, Tautly, Teased softly, Tightly, Truthfully, Thoughtfully,

Uncertainly, Unexpectedly, Urgently

Vaguely

Went on loyally, Wilfully misunderstood, Without sounding unduly curious, Wryly

Xenophobically

Yearningly

Zealously

List of Phrases for Dialogue

"She said in a..."

Casual tone, chiding tone, courteous manner, curious tone, dry tone, flirtatious way, level tone, level way, perpetually tired voice, rasping tone, small panicky voice, soothing tone, voice soft with affection.

"She said with a..."

Controlled smile, fond look, gloomy sigh, note of relief, sad grimace, sad smile, sense of guilt, sigh of irritation, burgeoning excitement.

"She said with..."

Conviction, determination, fire, firm persistence, gentle remonstrance, graceful simplicity, mock astonishment, pleasure, quiet empathy, simple directness.

Other Phrases to Modify "Said"

After a moment's reflection

False cheerfulness

Friendly fashion

In quiet amazement

Made the effort to sound reassuring

Meaning the words more seriously than they sounded

Sounded slightly brittle

Stephen King on Adverbs for Dialogue Attribution

Below is Stephen King's take on the use of adverbs. His advice is to use adverbs very conservatively in order to keep the integrity of your writing intact.

"Someone out there is now accusing me of being tiresome and anal-retentive. I deny it. I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops. To put it another way, they’re like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day . . . fifty the day after that . . . and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it’s — GASP!! — too late.

I can be a good sport about adverbs, though. Yes I can. With one exception: dialogue attribution. I insist that you use the adverb in dialogue attribution only in the rarest and most special of occasions ... and not even then, if you can avoid it. Just to make sure we all know what we’re talking about, examine these three sentences:

‘Put it down!’ she shouted. ‘Give it back,’ he pleaded, ‘it’s mine.’ ‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said.

In these sentences, shouted, pleaded, and said are verbs of dialogue attribution. Now look at these dubious revisions:

‘Put it down! she shouted menacingly. ‘Give it back,’ he pleaded abjectly, ‘it’s mine.’ ‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said contemptuously.

The three latter sentences are all weaker than the three former ones, and most readers will see why immediately."

— Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir on the Craft

How to Show Emotion Through Actions Instead of Adverbs

Since the use of adverbs can often make a writer look amateurish, many choose to use actions instead of adverbs to express emotion. Take, for example, the scenario below, in which a man is feeling frustrated and angry upon learning that his girlfriend has been unfaithful. In the first example, adverbs are used. In the second, actions.

"Where were you all night?" he asked.

"I was with someone else," she mumbled nervously.

"Someone else?" he boomed violently. "Someone else?"

or

"Where were you all night?" he asked.

"I was with someone else," she replied with her eyes downcast. She was fiddling with her fingernails.

"Someone else?" he said, slamming the table with his fist. "Someone else?"

It's easy to see that in most exchanges of dialogue, less is more. Let your reader imagine the actions the characters are making and infer the emotions those actions suggest, rather than telling them the emotion outright.