#leonard mccoy western au

[440mxs-wife]

Mail Order Bride, Part 6: A Close Call

Pairing: Sheriff!McCoy x Paige Stone (OFC). Other characters: Nyota Uhura, Deputy Jim Kirk, Eleanora McCoy, Donna McCoy, Riley, Sarah, and Olivia Campbell (OCs)

Word Count: 4690

General warnings:  As the title implies, mail-order bride arrangement, parent’s illness, outlaws, overprotective sister, Wild West-level violence but some fluff as well. Each chapter will have individual warnings as needed.

Chapter warning: Angst, destruction by fire, deaths of minor characters, danger, character injury, probably some medical inaccuracy, but still a little bit of fluff, talk of pregnancy.

A/N: This is set around the 1930′s in the Western U.S. I will endeavor to remain as true to the historical timeline as I can. There may be some....bending of history to fit the narrative, but hopefully nothing major. This is, after all, a work of fiction. :) Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future chapters!

As always, thank you for reading. Enjoy!

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Nothing could've prepared them for the level of destruction that greeted them upon their arrival at the farm.

Although it took only twenty minutes to drive to the Campbell farm, it felt like an eternity had passed since they left the McCoy homestead. Once at their destination, it was gut-wrenching to see how much destruction had been wrought in such a short time.

Fortunately, the animals in the barn had been able to escape through an unlatched door. There wasn't much left of the structure where they were kept, except the charred remains of the framing walls. The trees in the far corner of the property were stripped of their leaves. The remaining branches looking like blackened skeletons clawing their way towards the sky.

Embers from the barn had landed on the roof of the house and some of the trees surrounding the home. With the extraordinarily dry conditions, the top floor of the rear of the house was becoming engulfed in flames. The Fire Department was having a hard time controlling it, even with the bucket brigade set up by the neighbors.

Nyota noticed the arrival of the sheriff, his deputy, and Paige, and rushed over to them. Paige met her halfway and the two women embraced. When asked about Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, Nyota sadly shook her head. She gestured over to where two bodies lay covered by a sheet, not moving, under a tree far from the dangerous and growing fire.

"Wait a minute, what about Olivia? Has anyone seen her?" Paige asked in a panic. She frantically scanned the property for the Campbells' daughter. When she couldn't locate the girl, Paige rushed over to where Leonard was standing. "Len, did the fire crews check inside the house? The Campbells have a 7-year-old daughter, and I don't seen her out here," she pleaded.

Leonard turned to his wife and put his hands on her arms. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I promise we'll find her. Go and stand by Nyota, so that way I know you're not in danger, okay?" he implored.

"But Leonard--" Paige persisted.

"Paige, please," Leonard replied sternly then softened a bit. "Darlin', I can't effectively do my job if I'm worried about you too. Remember what I said back at home, but you still insisted on coming with me?" he asked and she nodded her assent. "Sugar, I need you to do as I ask and stay out of the way," he explained.

Paige tore herself out of Leonard's grasp and backed up for a few steps before turning on her heel and marching away from him. As much as his words stung her, she knew that he had a job to do, which he couldn't if he was also distracted by her presence. She would do as he asked, but if she were granted a chance to help Olivia, she would not hesitate to act.

As she walked the short distance to where Uhura was waiting, Paige continued to scan the area for Olivia. The fire was starting to spread to not only the front of the house, but also the ground floor. The tops of two large trees flanking the house were also on fire, the flames destroying the branches as they inched down the trunk.

A small figure, clad in a pink nightgown, appeared in the doorway clutching a tattered blanket and stuffed teddy bear with a red bow tie. Tears were rolling down the child's cheeks, creating clean tracks in a smoke-stained face. "Mama?" a voice tinged with fear called out.

The sound of a child's voice caught Paige's attention, and her eyes finally landed on the figure now standing on the porch. "Olivia," she whispered. Without hesitation, Paige took off at a run towards the house. Unfortunately, she didn't notice that a couple of the surrounding trees were starting to sway and could break and fall at any moment.

 Paige was halfway to the front porch when Nyota saw her friend running head-on into danger. "PAIGE?? NOOO!!" she screamed, but the young woman did not appear to hear her.

At hearing his wife's name shouted in Nyota's panic-filled voice, Leonard's head whipped around to see that she had reached the house. Paige's arms were thrown around a child's figure, no doubt the missing Olivia Campbell she had tried to tell him about.

"Oh my God," he breathed as a creaking, groaning sound from the trees on either side of the house caught his attention. It wouldn't be long before the flame-weakened trunks gave way and fell. Depending on which way they broke, it could cut off Paige and Olivia's escape route, leaving them surrounded by flames. The possibility of losing his young wife pushed Leonard's brain into overdrive to figure out how to save them.

Paige dropped to her knees when she reached Olivia and threw her arms around the child. "Come on, sweetie, we need to get out of here. Hold onto me and don't let go, okay?" she begged as she quickly picked up the child. Olivia wrapped her arms around Paige's neck and tucked her head into Paige's chest. "Ready?" she felt Olivia nod her head. "All right, let's go, kid!" she exclaimed and the two of them ran away from the house.

When Paige and Olivia were nearly halfway to being out of reach of the fire, there was a loud cracking noise, followed by a whoosh of air. One of the tree trunks had snapped, made vulnerable from the licking flames that had consumed the outer bark and dry, inner flesh of the wood. It fell across Paige and Olivia's path, causing them to stop short in their run to safety.

"PAIGE?!? Sweetheart, if you can hear me, you have to go the other way," Leonard shouted. His shoulders sagged in relief when he heard her call back to him. "The tree that fell is blocking your path," he explained. Please hurry, darlin', he silently pleaded. I can't lose you. 

Leonard could see Paige frantically searching for another way out. He moved to intercept his wife and the Campbells' child to bring them to safety. As he lunged forward, he was forcibly held back by Deputy Kirk and the Fire Chief, as it was deemed too dangerous. For the moment, all Leonard could do was to wait in agony for Paige and Olivia to get close enough for him to rescue.

"It's okay, Olivia," Paige tried to assure the child, who was whimpering in fear. "Here, climb onto my back and we'll go this way," she declared, switching Olivia around behind her and turning them in another direction. The smoke had become thicker after the tree fell, and started to affect their breathing. Olivia began coughing, then Paige produced a handkerchief from her pocket. "Hold this in front of your nose, honey. It should help with your breathing," she remarked, coughing a bit herself.

With the smoke becoming more concentrated, Paige's steps grew slower and slower, and she felt like she was trudging through mud. But she had to get Olivia out of harm's way, no matter what it took. With a burst of energy, her pace picked up to close the distance to safety. However, the renewed sense of strength didn't last long, and it was proving increasingly more difficult for her to breathe.

While Deputy Kirk and the Fire Chief were formulating a rescue plan, Leonard's concern for his young wife and the Campbells' daughter continued to grow. As they were talking, the sheriff was only half-listening as he watched for signs of imminent breakage in the second tree. If it snapped, Paige and Olivia's only escape route would disappear. They would be trapped behind a wall of flames.

Leonard's eyes remained locked on his wife and Olivia. They were still making slow but steady progress, but were not yet out of danger. Before he could ask about the rescue plan, he heard a snapping noise from the other burning tree. Leonard wasted no time in rushing towards Paige, who dropped to her knees in a coughing fit as soon as he caught up to her. 

"Paige, darlin', can you hear me?" Leonard pleaded, and was relieved when she nodded, but she was still coughing. "C'mon, baby, we have to get out of here, before that other tree comes down," he explained. He helped his wife to her feet and scooped Olivia up into his arms. "Hang on, sweetheart, we'll get you and Olivia out of here, okay?" he promised.

"Okay," Paige croaked, which sent her into another coughing spell. Leonard reached into his pocket and gave her his handkerchief, then pulled his neck scarf up to cover his mouth and nose. He carried Olivia, while Paige held onto his arm with one hand as they raced to a safer position. "Almost there, you're doing great," he assured them. "Just a few more feet and we'll be home free."

When they were around ten feet from safety, Paige's hand was ripped from Leonard's arm when she stumbled over a rock buried in the ground. Deputy Kirk ran forward and plucked Olivia from Leonard's grasp and kept her by his side. At that moment, crashing and snapping sounds were heard, which caused Paige and Leonard to both look up in horror. The other tree was falling, and its trajectory would place it squarely in their escape route.

Leonard grabbed his wife by the hand and elbow to steady her, then they both ran the rest of the way to shelter. However, when the tree came down, a branch broke off and flew through the air. Its flames caught on Paige's sleeve and licked along her forearm, causing her to cry out in pain. Leonard quickly wrapped her arm in a blanket to smother any flames, grimacing as she whimpered and tears rolled down her face.

When he was sure the flames were out, he removed the covering to inspect her injury. Leonard tore back the singed fabric and gingerly probed the area with his fingers around the burn area. "Only want to take a closer look, sugar," he explained softly. He needed to determine the extent of the injury to her arm, but her breathing was still a top concern. He was worried about the level of Paige's smoke inhalation that occurred during the rescue of the Campbells' daughter.

"Olivia!" Paige rasped out in alarm, frantically scanning the property for her.

"Relax, sweetheart, I've got Jim lookin' after her," Leonard soothed. Of course she would be concerned about someone else's well-being before her own, he thought. It was one of the many reasons why he loved her. "And I think Doc Anderson is almost done getting her checked out. From the looks of things, she'll be just fine, then it'll be your turn, m'kay?"

Paige nodded, then her gaze dropped to her feet. She allowed Leonard to lead her over to be examined by Dr. Anderson, the physician attached to the Fire Department. The burn on her arm needed to be treated, as it was pulsing with pain wherever the air hit it. It was also still a little difficult to breathe normally without dissolving into a coughing episode.

Once she got to the makeshift ambulance, Doc Anderson appeared and gave her a thorough check-up. He confirmed her condition as consistent with smoke inhalation, and had a second-degree burn on her arm. She also had mild abrasions on the heels of her palms and her knees from the fall. "Don't you worry, Mrs. McCoy, we'll get you right as rain in no time," the doctor soothed, patting her shoulder. But before he could fix an oxygen mask over her face, she again croaked out a plea for Olivia.

Leonard gently grasped her elbows and locked eyes with Paige. "Olivia is all right, she's safe, darlin'. Her breathing is just fine now. She didn't inhale as much smoke as you did, thanks to your quick thinking with that handkerchief," he explained.

Paige nodded and allowed the doctor to fasten the mask over her face. He adjusted the knobs on the machine until he had properly regulated the flow of oxygen. When he was satisfied that everything was working as it should, he applied some salve and bandaged her arm. After the wound was dressed, the doctor left to attend to some other minor injuries.

Once she felt Leonard's hand in hers, she began to relax and her breathing improved. "I'm so sorry, Len," she remarked. Her voice was muffled by the mask, but he heard every word and he could see the tears brimming in her eyes.

"Oh my love, I know you are," Leonard replied softly, squeezing her hand. "I don't mind tellin' ya though, I was so scared when I saw you runnin' towards that house and that fire. My heart was near up into my throat. Don't think I've ever been that afraid of anything in all my life," he shared.

Paige blinked, causing the tears that were at her lash line to fall. "I wasn't even thinking about the danger to myself. All I knew was that I had to get to Olivia and bring her to safety. I surely didn't mean to frighten the daylights out of you. I'm so sorry," she repeated, her eyes cast downward.

Leonard carefully took Paige into his arms, and with his hand on the back of her head, he held her close to his chest. He gently rocked her back and forth as he murmured assurances into her hair and pressed kisses to her temple. "Sweetheart, it's all right, now that I know you're gonna be okay. Soon as Doc Anderson gives you the all-clear, we'll get you home so you can rest. You've had a busy night," he chuckled lightly.

Paige lazily smiled and nodded at his observation, then her eyelids began to droop. Leonard felt the shift in her breathing when it evened out and he could tell she had finally succumbed to the exhaustion. After Dr. Anderson made his final round and declared her well enough to travel, she was carefully disconnected from the machines.

The doctor gave strict orders that Paige was to be on bedrest for a minimum of three days and he provided wound care instructions for her arm. Leonard imagined it would be unlikely for his wife to last the full three days in bed. For this reason, he sent his deputy over to his mother's house to gather reinforcements. Eleanora and Donna agreed without hesitation to pitch in and help keep Paige out of trouble while he was at work.

***

When the McCoys arrived home, Deputy Kirk was waiting on the front porch, along with Eleanora and Donna. Leonard carefully helped Paige out of the car and walked her slowly up the front steps. Once there, his mother and sister each took an arm and assisted her into the house. The men glanced at each other and shrugged, having no choice but to follow.

Leonard helped his mother guide his wife to their shared bedroom, while Donna put the kettle on for some chamomile tea. Eleanora asked where Paige kept her sleeping attire to help her daughter-in-law on her way to feeling more comfortable, but Leonard wasn't having it. "Ma, Paige is my wife, and I will help her into her nightgown and make sure she's comfortable," he declared.

Eleanora held up her hands, as she was a bit taken aback at her son's insistence, though she quickly recovered. With her arms crossed over her chest, she stepped closer until she stood toe-to-toe with him, ignoring his height advantage. "Very well, Leonard, I'll leave you alone to take care of things. But, if you're not downstairs in fifteen minutes, I'm coming back up here. Poor girl's been through enough tonight without you tryin' any hanky-panky up here," she grumbled.

Leonard hung his head and groaned in mortification at his mother's suggestion, then called for his sister to collect their mother. Donna obliged and ushered Eleanora to the living room, but not without throwing an amused smirk over her shoulder at him. His gaze stayed glued to the floor as he shook his head and sighed deeply in exasperation. Though his annoyance was short-lived when he heard Paige giggle softly from where she sat on the end of their bed. 

"I'm so sorry for her comment, sweetheart," he remarked sheepishly. "Let's get you out of that dress and into something more comfy, hmm?" 

Paige gave her husband a sly, sideways glance with her lips twitching at the corners, attempting to fight a smile. "Why, Sheriff Leonard McCoy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me," she observed playfully.

Leonard stopped in his tracks, halfway between their bed and her dresser, surprised by Paige's teasing comment. He turned to gaze at his wife, one eyebrow arched as a mischievous smile slowly crept across his face. Slowly he retraced his steps until he was directly in front of her then he dropped to the floor. He knelt in front of her, placed his large hands on her legs, just above her knees and locked his eyes on her. "Hmm, perhaps I am. Would this be such a bad thing, darlin'?"

An intense blush flashed in her cheeks as she realized she was out of her depth at flirting in this manner, even with her husband. "N-no, not as such, b-but I think your ma is about ten minutes away from marching back up here. Hardly enough time, my love," she added, batting her eyelashes.

A couple of heartbeats passed before Leonard threw his head back and laughed. "Unfortunately, you're right about it not being enough time. Well, that, and you are supposed to be resting and recuperating," he gently chided. "Come on, let's get you changed into something more comfortable before Ma decides to 'check up' on us."

Paige sighed then nodded as she stood up from the bed to allow her husband to help her out of her ruined dress. He took great care to slide her bandaged arm out of her dress, then tenderly slip it back through the short sleeve of her nightgown. He untied her boots and removed them along with her stockings. He then pulled back the covers for her and watched as she slipped beneath the sheets. Leonard tucked them around her, taking care not to disturb her injured arm.

He brushed the hair out of his wife's eyes, his thumb caressing her cheek. He bent over to press a kiss to her temple, then pulled up a chair next to her. Leonard smiled to himself at seeing Paige's eyes already closed, which was understandable after what she'd been through that night. If his mother and sister weren't downstairs, he wouldn't have hesitated before climbing into bed next to his wife.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing his sister with a tray arranged with tea service for two. "Relax, I told Ma nothing was going on up here, and volunteered to bring up your tea," Donna smirked. "Looks like she's out for the night," she remarked, gesturing towards Paige.

"Yeah, soon as her pretty head hit the pillow, she was out," he replied fondly. "Scared me half to death tonight, though. Runnin' into danger like that to rescue a kid, without any regard to her own safety." He ran a hand down his face and grimaced when he noticed the sweat and dirt that came with it. He gently released his hold on Paige's hand and stepped into the bathroom to wash his face and hands.

When he came back into the bedroom, he observed his sister held his wife's hand and was studying her face. Donna must have felt his eyes on her, because she turned and gave him a small, tired smile. "I remember being so rude to her when we first met," she murmured. "All I could think was that you were going to fall for her and get your heart broken again."

Leonard hummed in response and waited for her to continue. "Then I saw how the two of you acted together before and on your wedding day. Leonard....I can feel the love you have for each other. That once-in-a-lifetime happiness that you didn't have with your ex-wife. I've never been so glad to be so wrong about someone. By the way, I heard she met Jocelyn at the market. Also heard Paige gave her a verbal what-for," Donna grinned.

A soft chuckle escaped Leonard's lips. "Yeah, she sure did. She's young and sweet, but fearless, in her own way. My strong, independent, fierce, loving wife," he whispered as he brushed the hair away from her face.

"She's good for you, Leonard. I mean, you're definitely meant to be together," Donna remarked as she rose from her position next to Paige. "Come on, let's get out of here and let your wife get some rest." She retrieved the tray and started back downstairs with it.

Leonard leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to Paige's forehead. "Goodnight, my love," he mumbled against her skin. He paused in the doorway for one last look at her before he dimmed the light and pulled the door almost closed.

***

In the days and weeks following the fire at the Campbell farm, Donna and Eleanora kept Paige company during her recovery. Leonard, on the other hand, was busy in his office collecting and filing paperwork on the matter. There were forms to be completed by anyone who responded, law enforcement, the Fire Department, and the Emergency Medical Team.

A more pressing matter was that of young Olivia Campbell, whose parents, Riley and Sarah, perished in the fire. They had left their families behind in Virginia for a fresh start out West, a journey that occurred before Olivia was born. They'd heard of the rugged beauty of Colorado and the mining job opportunities for Riley, and their decision was made.

Through the Campbells' friends in Boulder, Leonard sent telegrams to a few potential relatives back East, informing them of the situation. Fortunately, Sarah's sister, Hannah Rogers, responded to his request. She explained that she and her husband, Philip would travel by train to bring Olivia home to Virginia.

When Leonard told Paige the news about Olivia, he could tell she was happy but at the same time she was disappointed. Some time ago, they had discussed how each of them felt about having children, and were relieved to know they were in agreement. Though their efforts in that area of their marriage had increased, the timing had not yet worked out for them. Eleanora assured them that when it was meant to happen, it would, which seemed to set their minds at ease.

***

Summer eased its way into fall, which left Paige busy with harvesting, canning, and preserving the fruits and vegetables from her garden. Luckily, she received assistance from Nyota, Eleanora, and Donna, in exchange for taking home some of the finished product. The kitchen pantry was well-stocked with onions, potatoes, and carrots in burlap sacks. Jars of peaches, pickles, jams, and tomatoes in multiple forms lined the shelves as well.

One morning, Paige was in the kitchen making breakfast for her husband, and had just started brewing a pot of coffee. For some reason, the aroma of the coffee beans smelled differently to her and caused her stomach to start churning. She rushed outside behind the house and promptly lost the contents of her stomach.

Leonard came downstairs in time to see Paige re-enter the house and he cast a questioning look in her direction. "Everything okay, sweetheart?" he asked.

Paige cleared her throat before answering. "Not sure. Been feeling a little queasy lately, but nothing too serious until this morning," she replied with a hand to her midsection.

In an instant, Leonard was at her side, carefully guiding her to a chair at the kitchen table. "Now, when you say 'serious', what level are we talkin', sugar?"

"Well, it's little things. For instance, all of a sudden I can't stand the smell of coffee. The mere sight of strawberries is causing flip-flops in my tummy. And you know how much I love those," she pouted.

Leonard chuckled quietly at his wife's last comment, because he did know how much she loved strawberries. Once he thought about it, he noticed she had stopped eating a lot of her favorite foods as well. "We can call Doc Anderson or Doc Parker if you want," he offered.

Paige reached out and grabbed his hands. "No!" she exclaimed. "I-I mean, no sense in bothering them. It's likely just some stomach bug that'll probably run its course in a couple of days," she clarified.

He frowned, wanting to convince his wife to consult a physician, but at the same time, he understood her fear of doctors. Back home in Ohio, her mother was battling a chronic condition, for which its treatment is expensive. It's also what led to her parents' decision to offer Paige as a mail order bride.

Leonard cupped her cheek with his large hand, gently caressing it with his thumb. "All right, sweetheart," he replied softly. "No doctors. For now," he sternly added. Paige nodded and promised to consult a physician if her condition didn't clear up soon.

A couple of weeks went by, and Paige's bouts of nausea became less frequent and slightly more manageable. She learned which individual foods sent her running for the toilet, which allowed her to avoid them. However, she'd noticed a sort of longing for certain foods, ones she hated as a a child or combinations she would never have considered before. She decided to keep quiet about it for the moment, as she didn't want to worry Leonard with something that seemed so trivial.

***

Paige and Uhura greeted Mr. Sulu as they walked into the supermarket and each grabbed a cart. The ladies chatted while they rolled their carts, up one aisle and down another, marking items off of their list as they picked them from the shelves. Paige felt lucky to have a friend to spend time with, even for something as trivial as grocery shopping.

They turned the corner and found themselves in the aisles containing peanut butter, jams and jellies, and other condiments. "Ooh good, there it is. I'm almost out of honey," Paige remarked.

"Why, have you recently been doing a lot of baking, or plan to in the future?" Uhura asked.

"No, the honey isn't for baking. Lately, for some reason, I can't seem to get enough of it drizzled over my dill pickles. Yesterday, I broke out a new jar of pickles and before I knew it, half of the pickles in it were gone!" Paige exclaimed.

"What?!? That's crazy! I've never heard of drizzling honey over dill pickles, though," Uhura replied, scrunching up her nose. "How long has this been going on?"

"Mmm, not long," Paige responded. "And no, I haven't told Leonard yet. He's got enough to worry about with his job. He doesn't need me adding 'weird food combinations' to his list," she muttered.

"There's more?" Uhura wondered as she grabbed Paige's cart to pause its movement.

"Y-yes, but nothing like the pickles and honey. I've been loving the taste of chips and marshmallows, cheese puffs with chocolate....peanut butter and pasta," she admitted sheepishly. 

Uhura giggled. "Those combinations aren't too exotic. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were--" she gasped.

"What? You'd say I was what?" Paige implored.

Uhura quickly shook her head. "Never mind, it's probably not that," she hastily replied. At the pleading look on Paige's face, she relented and took a step closer to her friend. "Is there a possibility you could be pregnant?" she whispered.

Pregnant? Paige thought. From what she remembered about what her mother went through with her siblings, the symptoms seemed to fit the diagnosis. It was certainly possible, especially because it had been more than a month since she'd had her regular monthly cycle. Then there was the nausea and the issues with certain foods.

The idea that she could be having a baby warmed her heart but also presented a mixture of feelings. First, joy at having a child with Leonard but also apprehension at how he might react.

All at once, Paige's heart started to pick up speed, her breathing became erratic. She could hear someone calling her name, but it sounded far away. Black spots appeared at the edge of her vision, growing larger until they consumed her sight and she felt herself falling to the floor.

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Tags:

@marvelouslytrekking​ @writercole​ @spacedancer1701​ @anna-phora​ @hlabounty96 @darkestfireee​​  @rooweighton​​  @phoenixisred @xspacedemonx

[dustykneed]

WOMEN 😩

oh ABSOLUTELY.

(based on this f!bones dedicated to @muirmarie in spirit :3333 🩵💙💛)

[busterkeatonholic]

lil scones sketches because i can't get this idea out of my brain

[dairi89]

Peek at a StarTrek Old West fic...

For the AOS Movie Trek 'verse, but it's AU anyway so. It's taken me a long while in getting this off the ground, but I think I'm finally in a good head space to give this more attention. The first couple of scenes at least will be heavily inspired by the M7 1990's movie series pilot ep, Ghosts of the Confederacy. You don't need to know anything about that to enjoy this, tho. I'm still working on this fic and it is nowhere near complete, but here's a teaser for any who might be interested:

I can’t die yet though, there’s still too much to do.

“Did he just insult us?”One man asked, training his pistol on McCoy. Leonard actually chuckled a dark laugh.

Still. The day he curbed his tongue would likely be the day of his death, anyway. When he was this angry, it just kinda came out and there’s no stopping it.

“If you have to ask, then I failed. Allow me to try again. You were too stupid to bring your friend in soon enough, so really, you’re the ones that killed him.” McCoy ground out, leaning forwards towards the gunman despite his aching ribs and head.

“Horace, gag him.” The leader said, eying McCoy distastefully. With the gun aimed on him, he didn’t try much, but he was so sorely tempted to try and bite the hand that came close to his face to pull up the black bandana he wore around his neck and stuff the front of it into his mouth, leaving it tied around his neck as it was. Hey, at least he was dressed for the occasion. And yet. If he had a preference in mode of death he’d have chosen a gun or better yet a knife fight over death by hanging. Not only would the black he wore from head to toe cover the blood stains, but…well. He really didn’t wanna die by hanging, all right?

[simmeons]

seventh story for @badthingshappenbingo bingo :)

words; 3,448 (CRAZYYY)

characters; Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James T Kirk and Spock (some dai characters mentioned- not entirely important)

warnings; death/murder, near death experience, swearing, mentions of possession (?), somewhat graphic written fighting, decapitation (only talked about once)

prompt; near death experience

FYI; this is for the DAI!AOS au (dragon age inquisition)

The Griffon Wing Keep had been an absolute pain to take over. The amount of Venatori tossing themselves at the party was almost absurd. But thankfully, the small group of four were able to hang the Inquisition flag and claim the keep as their own. It was a great pitstop, and it gave the Inquisition a leg up in the Western Approach. Scotty was busy tying up the flag on the pole while the rest of his friends took the time to get a look at what their enemies had on them.

“Lots of gold.” Leonard spoke up as he pickpocketed one of the Venatori who had attacked them. Spock gave a hum in agreement from where he was seeing what the Venatori’s leader- Macrinus- had.

When inspecting the dead body of the hooded figure, the elven mage’s brows quirked up in confusion as he pulled a collar out of the leather bag the man had strapped to his belt underneath the heavy black robes. It was quite literally a collar. Something you'd put on a pet.

“It seems Macrinus had a pet.” Spock stated aloud as he stood up, showing the rest of the party his find. Jim snickered a bit as Scotty made his way over to Spock, taking the worn leather collar from him.

The rogue human held the collar in his right hand, the Anchor simmering a bit with a green hue as Scotty got an understanding on it. Clearly, it had some magical ability if the mark was responding. Without much trouble, Scotty willingly made the Anchor flair up a bit more- faint green text floating up from the collar for him to read aloud.

“Kitty’s Collar,” Scotty stated the name of the item before he turned it in his hand. “A narrow leather band embossed with a design popular in Honnleath some years ago. A tuft of orange fur is caught in the buckle. Spirits whisper across the Veil, but their voices are unclear. Briefly, they conjure the memory of a little girl.” He finished, reading to the party what the Anchor was informing.

Jim crossed his arms from where he stood, now besides Scotty. “Sooo… It's a possessed collar. By a little girl.”

The Scotsman shrugged. “It would appear so.”

“Honnleath?” McCoy repeated, dusting off the sand that had accumulated on his armor. “Wasn't that the place that was run by darkspawn during the Fifth Blight?”

“Before the Warden’s saved them, yes.” Spock answered before Scotty could even formulate a response.

The party stood around for a moment- unsure what to do about the collar. They could simply just leave it, but they all knew that since it had some sort of magical aspect, something should be done with it. They all took a moment to look amongst themselves, silently asking; “Do you want this?”

Jim was the one who eventually took it from Scotty’s hand, huffing a bit. “Alright, I'll take the thing. I'll hang out with the little girl.” Before anyone else could object, the warrior already had the collar around his neck and fastened on. “See? I'm fine. We'll become best friends. Maybe she'll whisper to me while I sleep.”

“Great, now Jim is going to have a little girl possessing him next. Just what we need!” McCoy complained.

Jim, however, wasn't too worried. “Don't worry, Bones! I can always just take it off.”

That carefree attitude almost dissolved immediately when Jim quickly found out the collar in fact didn't come off. He tugged at the buckle, but it didn't budge. Spock was quick to reach out and try to help, but the result stayed the same. McCoy simply face palmed as Scotty just tried to accept the fact that their friend had just attached some magical collar around his neck.

--------------------------

“Those White Claw idiots have no idea how to lure a dragon!” Frederic of Serault, a dragon enthusiast, groaned. “Will you please go and fix their mess?”

The party has been helping this Frederic man with his fascination with draconology, which had soon led them on some wild goose chase to do several tasks to help the man. Find hints of a hunting ground, get back his research he had lost, get phoenix tail feathers and quillback intestines- it was a whole mess. But, Scotty couldn't just not help the man.

“Of course, we'll see what we can do.” Scotty promised, giving Fredric a polite nod before turning on his heel and leading the party away from the man’s small camp.

The group dragged their feet through the sand, their bodies sore and tired from an entire week of running around. Despite that, there was a task at hand that needed to be taken care of. So, with their enthusiasm a bit watered down, they all walked their way to the small ruined monument where the White Claw had previously been trying- and failing- to lure a dragon.

With combined effort, the party got rid of the faulty bait in the bear traps and instead replaced it with the bait Fredric had given them.

“Who thinks a bear trap is going to stop a dragon?” McCoy grumbled, hating the feeling of the sticky and mushy bait against his hands. Scotty- who was near his side, simply chuckled a bit.

“I'm sure Fredric knows what he's doing.”

McCoy wasn't convinced. “Sure, sure. We'll see about that.”

The sound of shouting grabbed the party’s attention, making the four of them look to see a small group of White Claw people swearing at them. Like second nature, each wielded their weapons and braced for a fight that Scotty hoped he could maybe avoid.

"Who do you think you are, messing with our traps?" one of the White Claw men snarled, brandishing a crude spear.

Scotty stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We're here on behalf of Frederic of Serault. Yer methods weren't working, so we had to make some adjustments."

The leader of the White Claw group, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, spat on the ground. "Frederic? That pompous fool knows nothing about hunting dragons. We'll show you real dragon hunters!”

The man held up both his arms, wielding a huge ax that he brought down with intense force. Jim easily slid himself between Scotty and the White Claw, bearing his shield without wavering.

The ax cried against the shield- metal colliding into metal with a harsh noise. Jim groaned as he held his place, using his weight to push back against the leader- shoving the man back. As the leader stumbled, the rest of the party scattered- Spock and McCoy in the rear as Scotty held middle, and Jim raged in the front lines.

Spock chanted an incantation- a shard of straight ice erupted from the sand, clinging to another assailant, rendering him completely frozen. Easy pickings for Jim, who made quick work of the frozen man with ease. McCoy followed suit, casting a barrier spell around Jim, fortifying his defenses.

"Keep them at bay!" Scotty called out, knocking another arrow. He aimed for another henchman, his arrows striking with precision and taking down opponents one by one. Despite their exhaustion, the party moved with practiced coordination, each member playing their role seamlessly.

Jim swung his sword with controlled fury, every strike powerful and precise. He moved from foe to foe, his shield deflecting blows that came his way. The White Claw leader, recovering from his earlier stumble, roared and charged at Jim again, but this time Jim was ready. With a deft sidestep and a powerful upward slash, Jim’s sword sliced right through one of the man’s hands.

With the leader crumbling to his knees from such a devastating blow, Jim spared him anymore suffering with a quick slice to the neck. The rest of the White Claw who were still alive quickly turned a heel and fled when they saw their leader being killed in front of them.

“Good job, Jim!” McCoy shouted from the back lines, giving the blonde a thumbs up that was met with a big smile. Their celebration was cut short however when a gigantic shadow swept over them overhead.

Eyes immediately darted to look up in the sky- seeing exactly what the shadow came from.

A high dragon.

The roar it bellowed out quickly made the party realize the White Claw probably weren't running from them, but the dragon. Which was completely understandable.

“Go! Get inside the monument!” Scotty cried out to his party. They all quickly scrambled to run through the sand, their boots kicking up dust as they ran like hell.

The ground trembled as the dragon descended, landing with a thunderous crash that sent a wave of sand billowing outward. Its scales shimmered in the harsh sunlight, a mosaic of deep red and fiery orange. The beast's eyes, burning like molten gold, locked onto the fleeing party. It let out a high screech just in time for the party to duck into the small sandstorm crumbling structure to get away.

They all huddled into a corner that seemed the most secured as the large beast outside continued to roar with anger.

“Well… That answers your question, Leonard.” Spock mumbled, getting Leonard's attention.

“What do you mean?” The human mage frowned.

“You wanted to know if the traps would lure a dragon.” The Dalish elf responded. “It did.”

McCoy let out a loud and frustrated groan as he felt the irritation rise in him. Before the two mages could start bickering, Scotty spoke up.

“Alright, calm down ye two. We can't start fighting when there's a dragon with its snout up our arses.”

Jim nodded in agreement. "What's the plan, Scotty? We can't stay here forever."

Scotty’s hands fidgeted with his bow, his mind racing. "We need a way to either drive the dragon off or make a run for it without getting roasted. Spock, McCoy, any spells that could help?"

Spock considered for a moment. "I have a few spells that might distract it, maybe even wound it.”

Scotty nodded before turning to look at McCoy, awaiting his response.

McCoy shook his head, frustrated. "Most of my spells are for healing or defense. I could maybe slow it down or fortify our position, but that’s about it. Either way, there's no way we can outrun a dragon of all things.”

They all simultaneously nodded in agreement. That was a fact.

Spock's eyes narrowed as he considered their options. "Dragons are vulnerable in the joints of their wings and around the eyes. If we can distract it, we might be able to get a few good shots in. But we need to be strategic about this.”

Jim hefted his sword and shield, glancing at his companions. "I'll be the bait. I'll draw its attention while you three get into position.”

“Are you sure?” Scotty asked, wanting to make sure Jim was really ready to be face to face with a dragon. The blonde smiled.

“I'm positive. Kitty will protect me.” He joked, tugging the collar that still remained around his neck even after an entire week.

“Don't joke like that!” McCoy barked back.

“Enough!” The Scottish Inquisitor shouted, getting the other 3 to go silent and just listen. The silence after Scotty's command was filled with the heavy breathing of the party, the tension hanging thick in the air. Scotty took a deep breath, formulating the plan.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," He began, his voice steady. "Jim, you go out first and draw the dragon's attention. Use your shield to deflect its attacks as much as you can. Spock, I need you to hit its wings and joints with everything you've got. Leonard, keep a barrier up around Jim and be ready to heal him if needed. I'll find some high ground.”

The group nodded in agreement, determination replacing the fear in their eyes. Jim gave Scotty a firm pat on the shoulder before stepping out of their hiding spot, his shield raised high.

As soon as Jim stepped into the open, the dragon's head snapped toward him. It let out another ear-splitting roar, its golden eyes narrowing on its new target. Jim took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Come on, you oversized lizard!" He shouted, banging his sword against his shield to create as much noise as possible.

The dragon's nostrils flared, and it lunged forward, massive jaws snapping. Jim darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp teeth. He kept moving, staying just out of reach while trying to keep the dragon's focus on him.

Jim made the massive creature do a circle, effectively making it look away from the sandstone structure so the other 3 could dart out and really get to working. With Jim keeping the dragon somewhat stationary- McCoy, Spock, and Scotty all moved to form a triangular formation around the beast.

Scotty climbed up on a higher rock, McCoy kept himself close to some of the sandstone pillars in case he needed protection, and Spock did the same.

The dragon seemed overwhelmed with 3 people attacking from afar, and one pesky human whacking its arms and legs. It roared out, its right front arm stomping down on the ground next to Jim, making the warrior stumble a bit. Before the dragon could attack again, an arrow to the cheek made it cry out- shaking its head, trying to get the arrow free from its scales.

The dragon, enraged and annoyed, reared up on its hind legs, preparing to unleash a torrent of fire. "Get ready!" Scotty shouted, drawing another arrow and aiming for the dragon's throat.

Jim braced himself behind his shield as the dragon's chest heaved, flames building up in its throat. At the last second, Spock launched a powerful blast of wind, aimed directly at the dragon's head. The blast hit just as the dragon exhaled, causing the fire to scatter and dissipate harmlessly.

McCoy kept protecting Jim as much as he could as the other two kept firing from a distance, but after so many close calls and several minutes, it didn't seem like the dragon was being affected much besides the harsh damage it had taken on its wings, rendering the beast flightless for the fight.

Exhaustion was setting in fast- they were already tired, but now fighting a dragon was a nail in their coffin. Not to mention the dragon took to stomping around, making giant leaps as it tried to put distance between itself and the party.

After a particularly hard slash to one of the dragon's rear legs, it cried out in an ear splitting noise. Everyone in the party couldn't help but reach up and cover their ears as the sound felt like their skulls were being crushed from inside out.

With the opening, the dragon didn't hesitate to lash out, its claws ripping through Jim's armor and into his flesh. The blonde let out a painful cry that anyone could recognize.

McCoy's heart clenched in his chest as he watched his friend go down, especially since he was supposed to be protecting him. He readied his staff to help Jim back up, but the dragon leapt again and slammed itself into the ground right next to McCoy. The human mage was forced to the ground.

When McCoy opened his eyes he could see as the dragon lunged down, mouth open and teeth ready to eat him alive. He closed his eyes and put his arms over his head- but the bite didn't come. He hears the familiar sound of the sky crackling- almost like the sound of a whip. He peaked open his eyes to see the dragon almost frozen in time, but it was moving backwards like it was being dragged.

He scrambled to sit up, seeing as Scotty and Spock were both by Jim's injured body. The Scotsmans right hand was ablaze with the Anchor, its powerful green venom crawling up the man’s arm, all up to his shoulder. He had willingly opened his own Rift. The dragon was being dragged towards the Rift! It was completely vulnerable!

As the Rift grew in size, it let out its own shrill noise as if the demons on the other side of the Rift let out a greeting. McCoy couldn't believe it- there was absolutely no way a whole dragon could be dragged into the Fade!

Spock was busy looking over Jim’s wounds behind Scotty, the roaring green light of the Anchor making the deep gashes stand out more on the warrior’s body. Being a Dalish elf, Spock always tried to seem under control- but now he was panicking. Sincerely panicking.

“Jim!” He shouted, shaking the limp man in his arms. The elf tried his best healing spells, but they weren't working. It was like there was nothing to work on- the wounded was far too gone to be helped. “Jim!”

Scotty could hear Spock’s cries of fear and it only made his jaw clench more. His entire arm was burning with a pain he's never felt before” but he needed to get the dragon taken care of or they'd all die. Tears of pain prickled in his eyes as his body tensed up, another surge of blinding white pain flowing through his arm as the Rift cackled- ripping and tearing more into the air. As the Rift got larger, the sand around them swirled like a hurricane- all centered around the Rift.

As Spock continued to hold Jim’s lifeless body, he heard the sound of a little girl giggling in his ears. He couldn't tell where it was coming from- it was like it was from inside his own head. He was only pulled away from the giggling when there was a soft yellow glow near Jim, making the elf look at the warrior.

Beneath the glow and the giggling, the collar around Jim’s neck suddenly snapped- falling off the man's neck, completely dissolving before it even touched the sand. Spock watched with wide eyes as Jim suddenly gasped, air filling his lungs like magic.

“Wh-” Spock started, but he was cut off when Jim miraculously got up without trouble, even with his wounds still being open. It was like the man was possessed, or some undead warrior fighting even after death.

Jim grabbed his sword with both his hands before charging to the dragon and the Rift- no amount of whipping sand stopped him. Scotty was stunned as he saw Jim somehow alive again, but he didn't have the time to ask when he watched as the blonde man placed himself underneath the dragon without hesitation.

McCoy watched from afar- still frozen in place as he witnessed Jim lodge his sword directly into the dragon’s chest. Pressing, shoving- Jim screamed out in effort as he kept digging his sword into the dragon- presumably where it's heart was located. At the same time, Scotty couldn't hold up the Rift anymore, and the Rift dispersed. The wind calmed down as the green lighting vanished, letting the dragon free from its grasp.

Thankfully, the large beast couldn't go anywhere anymore. With its newfound freedom, all it could do was let out one last roar of pain as it fell to the ground- slain.

Spock aided Scotty as McCoy ran to Jim, almost tripping over the sand a few times. “Jim! Jim, damn it! You're alive!”

Jim left his sword in the dragon, instead turning around in time to get tackled by McCoy with a hug. “Jesus, Bones! I just died!”

That point was correct, so the mage pulled away from Jim. “You idiot! How are you still alive?!” McCoy barked.

“It would seem that the collar saved him.�� Spock answered, helping Scotty walk over to the dragon and his friends.

Jim let out a huff, his chest puffing out with pride. “I told you! Kitty and I are best friends.”

McCoy was still recovering from the scare of Jim almost dying, so he didn't laugh. Scotty did let out a little chuckle however. “I'm glad yer okay, Jim.”

The party all agreed on that. McCoy made quick work of Jim’s wounds before helping Scotty, leaving Spock and Jim to loot what they could from the dragon.

“I hope Fredric isn't too mad at us for killing his prized pupil.” Scotty mumbled as McCoy looked at his arm.

“I could give less about what he thinks. All I care about is that you and Jim are alive.” The mage replied.

Scotty smiled at that. “Well? Do I look good, doc?”

McCoy frowned a bit, but inside he was blushing at the little nickname. “Yes. You're fine. Just… Don't do that again.”

“Aye, aye, captain.”

[phantombrushy]

Commission for Randy!

[rocproductions]

I apparently write fic in one of two ways:

Marathon writing until finishing or burning out

or

Poking at fic for years on end, getting it done at some point

This one was definitely the former, and I actually finished the damn thing WOOO I wrote this in 13 days what the hell I suspect my occasional insomnia was not helped by this xD

Unfortunately, this is #7 in a fic series where #6 has been unfinished since 2011, so I can’t post it until I get my ass in gear and get the previous one doooooone

Wish me luckkk

(Read the rest here! Western Skies)

[hailbop1701]

Star Trek Prompt/Story Idea:

Type: Gen, Hurt/comfort, BAMF characters, 21st century western au, friendship, found family

Who: Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Jim Kirk, Spock, Nyota Uhura, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu, Gaila (?)

The Prompt/Story Idea: I'm going to leave most of this open for your own imaginations buuuut let's start here. Leonard McCoy (as he always does) leaves Georgia to get away from a bad past. Whether it's his divorce, death, or anything else. Buys an old farm in (please select state)from his uncle and has the hopes to start his own clinic. And as he always does without question is save folks and apparently collects outcasts. Letting misfits and runways stay on the farm was a good idea because...

There are old dangerous ties to his newly acquired land and his family and McCoy is going to need all the help he can get to keep his land...and continue living.

Must Include:

McCoys truck explodes in the town

And...

"Why would anyone try to kill me?! I'm not important!"

There was multiple protests.

"Incorrect Doctor"

"Aw Bones your the best out of all of us."

Bonus: For extra credit use "When a good man goes to war"

[ao3feed-spirk]

by The_Norsiest

TOS Western Au... do i need to say more? (I really should)

When man on the run James T. Kirk comes upon a Vulcan mission and discovers a tragedy commonplace in the wild west he feels compelled to help. What ensues thereafter is a tale of rough riding, gun slinging and a love that develops between two lonely souls. With the help of Doctor McCoy, Sheriff Sulu, Saloon girl Uhura, Schoolmarm Chapel, Engineer Scott, and deputy Chekov this band of frontiersmen will face down bandits and evil alike.

Excerpt: "There was no smoke from fires, no sounds of prayer, and no signs of life he observed as he brought the horse to a halt. The large wooden gates creaked on their iron hinges, not closed but not fully open. The place was eerily quiet. Kirk reached out a hand and pushed the door, opening it to reveal the courtyard. The bells high in their steeple swayed in the rough wind but not enough to chime, and Kirk’s eyes went wide to the sight before him..."

Words: 990, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Trek: The Original Series

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, M/M

Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Nyota Uhura, Christine Chapel, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Kor (Star Trek), Marla McGivers, Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek: The Original Series), Janice Rand, Harry Mudd

Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, Christine Chapel/Nyota Uhura

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Western, Western, spirk, Chapurah, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, gun slinging, Outlaws, Train Robbery, Saloons, Romance

[440mxs-wife]

Mail Order Bride, Part 5: Married Life

Pairing: Sheriff!McCoy x Paige Stone (OFC). Other characters: Nyota Uhura, Jocelyn Treadway (ex-Mrs. McCoy), Hikaru Sulu, Deputy Jim Kirk

Word Count: 4884

General warnings:  As the title implies, mail-order bride arrangement, parent’s illness, outlaws, overprotective sister, Wild West-level violence but some fluff as well. Each chapter will have individual warnings as needed.

Chapter warning: Talk of married life and of children, allusion to “sexy times”, some angst due to a run-in with the first Mrs. McCoy, dangerous weather conditions.

A/N: This is set around the 1930′s in the Western U.S. I will endeavor to remain as true to the historical timeline as I can. There may be some....bending of history to fit the narrative, but hopefully nothing major. This is, after all, a work of fiction. :) Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future chapters!

As always, thank you for reading. Enjoy!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Paige woke the next morning to the sunlight streaming through the curtains of the bedroom she now shared with her husband. Husband, she thought. That may take some getting used to hearing, but I like it, she smiled to herself. She tried to stretch, but the weight of Leonard's arm draped around her midsection prevented her from moving too far. Each time she tried to move, he curled his arm tighter around her, pulling her back closer to his chest. "Aw, come on baby, go back to sleep," he mumbled, his eyes still closed as he nuzzled into the back of her neck.

"Leonard, I have to use the bathroom," Paige giggled. "I promise I will come back to bed right after."

"M'okay, but don't be too long, sweetheart," he pouted and reluctantly released his wife from his hold.

Paige sat on the edge of the bed, arched her back and stretched, then turned to look down at her husband. She walked around to his side of the bed, leaned over him and kissed him on the side of his head. "I won't be, I promise, Len," she replied.

By this time, Leonard was wide awake and openly admired Paige's naked form as she made her way to the bathroom. He noticed she was walking a little stiffly at the moment and Leonard felt a sense of pride at knowing and being the cause of it. He was sure that her condition was due to the multiple rounds of lovemaking they engaged in until the wee hours of the morning. A satisfied grin crossed his face at the memories.

To say Leonard enjoyed making love with his new wife was an understatement, because the truth was, he reveled in it. When he was with Jocelyn, she viewed marital relations as somewhat perfunctory, like a chore or some duty to perform. She wasn't happy being married to him, but always thought that as the sheriff's wife, she deserved more. Jocelyn was also less than understanding about how much time he spent at work. Unfortunately, her unhappiness spilled over into the intimacy part of their marriage.

With Paige, though, it couldn't be more different, because she was so much more open and receptive. Since she was a virgin when they married, everything was new to her--the sights, the sounds, the sensations. Because of this, Leonard was granted the opportunity to view it all through her eyes, and it was a rewarding experience for him. Every fiber of his being yearned for his wife's touch, to feel her lips follow wherever her hands led.

After a few minutes, Paige returned and slipped back under the sheets with her husband. She turned over to face him, a soft smile on her lips. "Hi," she whispered, caressing his cheek with her hand. She leaned in to place a kiss on the end of his nose and snuggled up to his side. "I'm so happy to be your wife, Leonard," Paige murmured. "I'm a truly lucky woman to have a big, strong, handsome man for my husband."

Leonard chuckled lightly as he took Paige's hand in his and kissed the inside of her wrist. "Believe me, darlin', if anyone is lucky, it's me to have such an intelligent, compassionate, and beautiful woman for my wife," he replied. "Don't know what I did to deserve you, sugar, but I promise to do everything within my power to make you happy."

"Oh, Leonard, you already do make me happy, and I'm proud to be married to you. You rescued me from my horrible situation with Jed Matthews, and you helped my family as well. I would love for them to meet you someday, but for now, I'd at least like to send them a picture of us from our wedding," she requested.

Leonard was overcome with emotion at Paige's words. He couldn't help but once again compare his current marriage to his previous one, and as expected, it was no contest. Jocelyn's family seemed to barely tolerate him during social occasions. He always found himself dreading the encounters and not wanting to be around her family for them.

He had a feeling that Paige's family was different, just from what she's told him so far about them. Not only that, but they were responsible for raising her and guiding her into who she'd become. The woman he'd grown to love. Leonard would absolutely welcome his wife's family with open arms, should they ever decide to visit him and Paige in Boulder.

Paige held Leonard's chin between her thumb and forefinger, locking her gaze with him. "Len, honey, is everything okay? Where did you go just then? You looked lost in thought," she asked with a concerned tilt of her head.

A warm smile spread over Leonard's face. "I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if your family were somehow able to visit sometime. I would love to meet them, seein' as how you've met mine," he grinned, rubbing up and down her arm.

"Absolutely, that would be amazing if they could visit. I mean, I understand how you can't just pick up and be gone from here for too long, because the town needs its sheriff. Maybe someday, we can make it happen, where my family travels here. I would love that just as much," Paige replied. "For now, though, can I make you some breakfast? How's about I make us some pancakes and scrambled eggs?" she suggested.

"Mmm, that sounds so appetizing, sweetheart, but I was thinking of something else for breakfast. Something a little more....simple and readily available," he growled as he attacked Paige's neck with kisses. She squealed in delight which gave way to a throaty moan when Leonard nipped and sucked at the spot behind her ear. His beard tickled the skin under her jawline, sending ripples of electricity through her body.

Paige's fingers threaded through Leonard's hair while he continued to drop open-mouthed kisses across her neck, her cheeks, anywhere he could reach. With one hand, Leonard pulled the blankets up around them while he explored his wife's body with the other. "I suppose--food can wait," Paige whispered passionately.

"Now you're talkin'," Leonard rumbled in agreement.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The months flew by, with Leonard and Paige settling into a routine. For Paige, her days were spent taking care of the house. During what was left of the spring and on into summer, she tended to their flower, vegetable, and herb gardens. In the hottest parts of the day, she took a break, sipping on lemonade in the shade of the porch, reading or relaxing. Then it would be time to start on the evening meal, putting it on the table nearly to the minute of Leonard walking in the door.

Leonard's days were occupied with sheriff's duties, whether it be mediating disputes between neighbors, or rounding up lawbreakers. Every once in a while, he would have an opportunity to leave work early, putting one of his deputies in charge until morning. The town was fairly quiet in the evening hours, except for the occasional bar fight or two.

On those early days, he liked to bring something home for Paige, some flowers, candies, or a small trinket to let her know he was thinking of her. She'd always blush and say thank you, then add how he didn't have to do that. He'd always counter that he knew he didn't have to, but that he wanted to. That usually earned him a rather ardent exchange of kisses with his wife, which is another reason he continued to follow this tradition.

Once a week, Paige would accompany Leonard into town to run errands. She visited the shops to pick up supplies and other items for the house while Leonard was at work. Paige also stopped by the post office to check for letters and other correspondence.

Paige was hoping for some sort of news from her family, especially after sending the funds from the marriage contract. Even if the only news was that everyone was doing well with nothing spectacular to report, she still wanted to know. So far, no word from Ohio yet, but Paige never missed a stop at the post office, just in case.

Around noon, Paige and Leonard usually had lunch together at the local café, run by Nyota Uhura. She'd become a good friend to Paige, taking time out of her day to chat with the sheriff's new wife and bemoan the lack of a good man in her own life. Paige always assured her that there was someone out there for her, and that he would likely show up when Nyota least expected. She laughed and put a hand on Paige's shoulder, then moved on to serve her other customers.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

One summer day, Leonard accompanied Paige on the walk from his office to Nyota's café. When they arrived, Nyota was sitting out front and had been waiting for Paige to arrive. Nyota explained it was closed for the day, so Paige invited her to join her in her errands. Before leaving, Leonard took his wife into his arms, gave her a romantic kiss goodbye, then wished her and Nyota a good day. Paige, in turn, told her husband to stay safe and that she would meet him at his office when it was time to go home.

After Leonard had gone, Paige continued to stare after him, a dreamy look in her eyes. When she turned around to face her friend, Nyota was smiling and shaking her head. "Girl, you are so gone for that man. Not that I blame you, of course, but he definitely only has eyes for you," she grinned.

"Yeah, I know," Paige replied softly. "He's a wonderful man and a thoughtful husband, Nyota. He shows me every day in so many ways that he cares about me, and I know I love him," she admitted. When she realized what she'd said, Paige gasped sharply, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"What? Something wrong?" Nyota asked, alarmed.

"No," Paige whispered. "Except....I'm in love with my husband," she finished.

Uhura rolled her eyes. "Well, of course you are! You married him, didn't you? Had to be some feelings between you and our dear sheriff. I mean, for him to just take over the marriage contract on the first day you met? No man does that without there being some sort of attraction, sweetie. And you wouldn't have agreed to marry him if you didn't have feelings for him as well, hmm?"

Paige thought back on the day they met, when she was supposed to meet Jed Matthews at the train station. Seems karma had a date with the man first, which was part of how Paige ended up becoming the sheriff's wife instead. She remembered her first impressions of Leonard were quite favorable, that he seemed a fair and honorable man. Not only that, but there was definitely a physical attraction to him, even at first.

"You're right, I had feelings for him from that first day we met, and they just grew from there. I should find a way to tell him," Paige remarked. By this time, the two ladies had walked into the grocery store, and each grabbed a cart.

"Good morning, Mrs. McCoy, Ms. Uhura!" the manager, Hikaru Sulu greeted. "Anything in particular I can help you find today?" he asked.

"No thank you, Mr. Sulu. Here to do the weekly shopping, that's all. Have a good day!" Paige replied.

A few aisles over, Jocelyn Treadway, the former Mrs. McCoy, listened intently at the exchange between the new customers and the manager. She had heard that Leonard had remarried, but mostly she ignored the news. She didn't really care anymore, having been divorced from him for almost ten years. However, her curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself wandering over to meet the new Mrs. McCoy.

Paige and Uhura were picking through the peaches when a woman approached them and bumped Paige's cart. Paige turned her attention to the newcomer, who gave her a half-hearted apology. "Oops, I'm so sorry. Guess I should probably watch where I'm going," Jocelyn remarked.

"No harm done," Paige responded warily. She thought the woman would leave, but it seemed she had other ideas.

"You must be new in town, I don't remember ever seeing you around anywhere. What's your name?" Jocelyn demanded, eyes narrowed.

Paige stuck out her hand in greeting. "My name is Paige. Mrs. Paige McCoy. And you are....?"

Something clicked in Jocelyn's mind that this was the mail-order bride her friends had told her about. "Oh, so you're the one everyone's been talking about. Shame what happened to your first 'mail-order husband', but it seems you lucked out. You know, after the sheriff took pity on you by marrying you," Jocelyn sneered.

"Jocelyn, you don't know what you're talking about," Uhura snapped. "I suggest you stick to your shopping and leave us alone." She tugged on Paige's hand, intent on leaving the area.

"Wait, Jocelyn? As in Leonard's ex-wife, Jocelyn?" Paige queried. "He told me a little about you, before we got married."

"Oh really? Did he tell you why we got divorced? No? Well, let me tell you why. For one thing, being sheriff in town is a highly respected position. With his profession, I believe there's a certain standard of living that should be upheld and should come with certain benefits, a few luxuries. Only Leonard didn't exactly see it that way. He was always saying to 'make do with what we have' and that the house we have is perfectly adequate," Jocelyn bitterly explained.

"Well, I come from a big family, so 'making do with what we have' is pretty much the only way I know. And I see nothing wrong with our home, it's cozy, perfectly decorated and serves its purpose as a roof over our heads," Paige retorted, her anger rising a bit.

"Hmm, you're such a child, and quite naïve," Jocelyn shot back. "I'm partial to a somewhat larger house. Regardless of size, don't be surprised if your home is rather lonely and empty, what with all the time Leonard spends at work," she snarled.

"You know, it's a good thing I'm so understanding about his dedication to law and order in this town. Because if I wasn't, people might think I was a difficult woman to deal with," Paige replied.

"Excuse me??" Jocelyn squawked.

"No, I don't think I will. You see, Leonard is a kind, decent man, and I love him. Anyone who doesn't share that opinion should steer clear of us," she warned. Then Paige took a step closer to Jocelyn until there were only mere inches between them. "Good day to you, Ms. Treadway." Paige turned on her heel and continued with her shopping, with Uhura following closely behind her, a knowing smirk clearly on her face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Deputy Kirk was not exactly one to pay attention to gossip, but when it involves his boss' wife, his ears tended to perk up a bit. He was in the general store, checking out some new boots when he overheard Jocelyn yapping to someone about her encounter with Paige at the grocery store.

Jim didn't usually put a lot of stock in what Jocelyn had to say, mostly because he couldn't stand her when she was married to the sheriff. But when she said that Paige had threatened her, Kirk was all ears, because this did not sound anything like Leonard's new wife.

"Hey, boss? There's something I need to talk to you about. Can we please speak in private?" Kirk asked.

Puzzled, Sheriff McCoy nodded and gestured with his hand for Kirk to meet him in his office. "So, what's on your mind, Jim?" he wondered as he closed the door.

"Well, sir, it's about your wife. Your new wife, Paige," Kirk hastily added. "Seems there was a small um....'incident'? Today in the grocery store between your first missus and your new missus. Jocelyn said Paige threatened her," Kirk explained.

Sheriff McCoy let out a bark of laughter. "That's ridiculous, Paige doesn't have a threatening bone in her body," he dismissed.

"Exactly what I thought, so I asked Mr. Sulu, the manager, about what he knew. He acknowledged that the two women had a 'conversation' and are at least aware of each other now. He did say that Jocelyn approached Paige, not the other way around," Kirk mentioned.

"Of course she did," McCoy muttered. "Probably told Paige all about the 'evils' of our marriage and how everything I did was wrong," he grumbled.

"Well, Jocelyn may have tried that, but Paige wasn't havin' it. Sulu was on the other side of the aisle and overheard Paige defending you and your life together. You married a good woman, Sheriff. I doubt Paige made any threats, but if she did, I'm sure it was with the intent of protecting you and/or your reputation," Kirk remarked.

"I'll....have a talk with Paige on the way home, see if I can get to the bottom of this right away. Thank you, Jim, for the information," Leonard's mouth twisted into a wry smile as Kirk walked out of the office.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The ride home from town was a quiet one, with Leonard holding Paige's hand while he drove. Every so often, Paige would turn her head and find Leonard looking at her with a smile on his face. It triggered a soft smile of her own, but it didn't seem to meet her eyes. Then she returned her attention to the scenery in front of her.

When they reached home, Leonard helped bring the groceries into the house, while Paige started putting everything in its place. Few words were exchanged as they danced around one another in the kitchen while they restocked their shelves. After Leonard could no longer stand the silence, he took hold of Paige's hands and led her to the table, where they each took a seat.

"Somethin' happen today that you want to talk about, sweetheart?" he asked.

Paige focused her eyes on her hands that were resting in her lap. "Finally met Jocelyn," she mumbled, refusing to meet Leonard's gaze.

Leonard nodded, mostly to himself. "And?" he wondered.

Paige took a deep breath before answering. "She's not a nice person, Leonard," she stated, finally looking up at her husband. "She said....never mind," Paige muttered.

Leonard picked up Paige's hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "What did she say, sweetheart?" he inquired gently.

"It's not important, Leonard. Could we please finish putting things away?" Paige replied.

"Darlin', it is important, whatever it is, because I can see how upset you are. You know you can tell me anything. Will you tell me what she said? Please?" he implored.

"Jocelyn....said that because of what happened with Jed that you took pity on me, and that's why you married me," she replied in a small voice.

Leonard's heart dropped at hearing of his ex-wife's cruel remark. "Oh, baby," he whispered. "That was not the reason I married you." He leaned forward, using his index finger to turn her face so her eyes were locked on his. "When we first met, I remember thinking how strong and courageous you were, to take a train ride by yourself from Ohio to here. I admired your compassion for your family, especially your mother, to marry a man sight unseen."

His hand drifted to cradle her face, his fingers working through her hair from where she'd pinned it up off of her neck. He watched as Paige closed her eyes and as soon as her hair was unpinned, she shook her chestnut tresses loose and Leonard was mesmerized. "Then, the more time we spent together, the harder it was to ignore how I felt about you. Paige darlin', you've bewitched me, and I wouldn't change a thing about how we became husband and wife."

Paige choked out a sob, letting a few tears out, unable to hold them back any longer. She knew deep down that Jocelyn's comments were only words, with no truth behind them. However, those words landed on the sliver of doubt Paige already had about herself and grew. Fortunately, Leonard's remarks erased those fears and reinforced his commitment to her and their marriage.

"I wouldn't change a thing either, Leonard. On that day we met, if I recall correctly, I was curious about what you looked like without your hat on," Paige  admitted with a watery chuckle. "I also thought about what a strong and confident man you are, and how it would feel to have your arms around me. I feel safe, warm and loved when I'm in your arms," she replied softly.

Leonard gave his wife a sheepish grin and his cheeks turned pink. "So, uh, what else did Jocelyn say?"

Paige relayed the rest of her conversation with Jocelyn, where the ex-Mrs. McCoy revealed the reason for the divorce. "Whatever I said made no difference, she disagreed with me about everything, and talked badly about you. I was not about to let that stand, no matter what," she declared hotly.

Leonard's eyebrow raised at the vehemence in Paige's statement and briefly wondered what was said in his defense. "Oh? What was it that got you all upset?" he inquired.

"Basically, she made comments about how you didn't share her opinion on what lifestyle the town's sheriff and his wife should have. She mentioned how the house will probably seem empty and lonely because of all the time you spend at work," Paige huffed.

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Yes, I remember how my work was always a point of contention between us, but--"

"But I understand how your job doesn't always fit regular hours!" Paige interrupted. "I don't care about the fancy stuff, that's not how I was raised. With so many of us in the household, we had to make the best out of what we had. And I don't regret any of it," she affirmed.

Leonard pulled his wife onto his lap and held her tightly in his arms. "My little spitfire," he chuckled. "I appreciate you defendin' me, darlin'. Means more than you'll ever know." He leaned in and captured her lips in a lingering kiss.

"Mmm. I did more than that. I told her that you were a kind and decent man, and that I love you. Then I got right in her face and warned her that anyone who didn't share that opinion should steer clear of us," Paige remarked.

Leonard was stunned at Paige's declaration in defending him to his ex-wife. "Y-you said what, now?" he asked.

"I warned her that anyone who didn't--" Paige started but Leonard interrupted.

"No, no, before that. You love me?" he whispered.

Paige's eyes grew wide at realizing she'd let such an important announcement fall from her lips so easily, then she gave him a soft smile. "Of course I love you, Leonard. Although I meant to tell you first, not for it to slip out like that in a rant to your ex-wife," she added sheepishly.

Leonard knew even though his marriage to Paige appeared to some people to be one of "convenience", he couldn't help how he felt about his wife. There was no question in his mind he was physically attracted to her. Still, it went beyond that, to an emotional and intellectual connection as well.

Her kindness and generosity endeared her to him, and the way her mind worked completely fascinated him. He had hoped she would grow to love him as the years passed, and was happy to start out and be friends for awhile. As it turned out, they didn't need years, because they were in love with each other now.

His hand slid back to cradle behind her head, then he dove forward and crashed his lips hard into hers in a kiss that was hungry and full of emotion. Paige placed her hands on either side of his face to keep them connected as their mouths moved frantically with each other. A wanton moan escaped Paige as Leonard's tongue darted through her slightly parted lips and deepened the kiss.

When the need for oxygen became too much, they broke apart, leaving husband and wife trying to catch their breath. "I love you so much, sweetheart," Leonard whispered. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, and I thank the stars above for bringing you into my life," he murmured. "And now I'm going to show you how much I love you." He scooped Paige up into his arms and carried her to their bedroom, where they slowly took each other apart, piece by piece.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Paige laid next to Leonard on the bed, her head resting on the left side of his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it had returned to normal. Leonard's arms were wrapped around his lovely wife, his thumb grazing up and down on the skin of her upper arm. Paige's left arm draped around Leonard's middle, holding their bodies close together. A question that had been nagging at her lately decided to make itself known.

"Leonard? Have you ever....I mean, do you think about....having children?" Paige asked.

"This is one of those questions we probably should've gotten out of the way before we got married, huh?" he chuckled, then took a more serious tone. "Hmm. I can definitely see having a family with you. I know you would make an incredible mother," Leonard remarked. "What about you? Do you think about having children?"

"Sure, I do. And it wouldn't matter to me if we had a boy or girl, as long as the baby was healthy. Although I would want him or her to have your strong character, your compassion, dark hair and playful hazel eyes," Paige mused.

"If our baby had your sense of wonder, your intelligence and your generosity, I think that would be darn near perfect," Leonard remarked as he turned to face Paige. "And you, my love....will look so gorgeous, your belly round with my child," he uttered huskily.

"Well then, maybe we should get started on making this 'darn near perfect' child," Paige suggested.

"Sounds like a plan, darlin'," Leonard grinned. He leaned over and captured Paige's lips in a slow, passion-filled kiss, then pulled the blankets over their bodies.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A few weeks later

Leonard wandered out to the porch one night after dinner to check on the weather. Paige followed soon after, embracing her husband from behind, laying her head on his back. Over the past couple of weeks, the weather around Boulder had been hot and dry. Residents were being asked to conserve water as much as possible, given the near-drought conditions. The main concern was making sure there was enough water for emergency services, like the Fire Department.

They noticed the storm clouds that had started to gather. The two of them hoped that the rain the town so desperately needed was contained within them. Vivid flashes of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by the rumble of thunder. However, the vital precipitation did not fall, making this a dangerous electrical storm.

As they watched from their front porch, Paige and Leonard grew increasingly worried at the lack of rain accompanying the storm clouds. "With everything as dry as a bone, we'll just have to pray that a stray lightning bolt doesn't cause a fire somewhere," Leonard grimaced.

Paige walked around to stand in front of her husband and kept her arms wrapped around his midsection. Leonard put his arm around her shoulders and tucked her close to his side. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head then resumed his scan of the stormy sky.

As Leonard's eyes continue to search the horizon, Paige felt his body tense as he held her. Her eyes followed his, which was locked on a rider on horseback approaching their house.

"Stay here, darlin'," Leonard directed. He stepped off of the porch and towards the unknown visitor.

"Sheriff!" the man called. Paige and Leonard breathed a sigh of relief when they recognized Deputy Kirk's voice. Jim dismounted quickly and ran over to Leonard and Paige were standing. "There's a fire over at the Campbell farm. Lightning struck the barn, and it burst into flames, which caught on to some of the nearby trees. The wind blew some of the embers onto the roof of the house."

"Paige, sweetheart, I need you to stay here while I go with Jim over to the farm. I'll be back as soon as I can," Leonard promised then turned to Jim. "Is the Fire Department on site?" he asked.

"I believe so, and neighbors are doing the best they can with pumping water for a bucket brigade," Kirk replied.

Paige placed a hand on her husband's arm. "Leonard, I'm going with you. I can help carry water, keep people company, something. Please," she begged him.

Leonard silently debated allowing Paige to accompany him. He didn't want to take the chance that she could become injured or worse if the fire got too out of control. However, he also knew how capable she was, and even if all she did was provide comfort, it would be worth it to have her with him. "All right, let's go," he relented, his hands on her upper arms. "But you have to promise that you will do exactly as I say while we are there. I can't lose you, my love," he whispered the last part as he touched his forehead to hers.

Paige laid her hand on his cheek. "I promise," she replied softly then pressed a kiss to his lips. The three of them climbed into Sheriff McCoy's car and drove to the Campbell farm. Nothing could've prepared them for the level of destruction that greeted them upon their arrival at the farm.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags:

@marvelouslytrekking​ @writercole​ @spacedancer1701​ @anna-phora​ @hlabounty96 @darkestfireee​​ @rooweighton​​ @phoenixisred​​

[data-monkey]

AO3 stats project: tags

In this post, we'll discuss tags on the Archive of Our Own! Please note: because the works on the Archive include explicit material, some of the tags discussed in this post may not be appropriate for your workplace.

The Data | Basic Questions | Fandoms | Tags | Correlations | Kudos | Fun Stuff Thanks to @eloiserummaging for beta reading these posts; any remaining errors are my own.  A Python notebook showing the code I used to make these plots can be found here.

The Archive of Our Own has one of the best tagging systems around. You can read more about it here, here, here, or here. For our purposes, the important part is that users can tag their works however they want, and then a group of people called "tag wranglers" sort those tags, either adding them as synonyms of existing tags or creating new canonical versions for them. What I'll be showing here is the "canonical" version of the tags. For example, a work tagged "flufffffff" or "so fluffy!" would have those two tags assigned to the canonical tag "Fluff", so I will consider both of those tags as being "Fluff" to get the most accurate count.

The other important thing about AO3 tags is that they come in four flavors. The first one is "warnings", the content warnings required by the Archive (plus the default tag indicating you're abstaining from the warnings system). The second flavor is "Characters", tags describing the characters in the work. The third is "Relationships", tags describing the platonic or romantic relationships depicted in the work--typically, "X/Y" indicates a romantic and/or sexual relationship between characters X and Y, while "X&Y" means a platonic relationship, although this usage isn't universal and isn't enforced. The final category is "freeform", aka everything else.

Again, the tagging system is freeform and optional. In particular, I'll note that "character" tags and "relationship" tags don't necessarily imply each other: you can have a work tagged "Sherlock Holmes/John Watson" that only features Mycroft Holmes, or that features John and Sherlock but doesn't tag them as characters, only as the relationship. So remember that--while it's pretty good on average, because people tag their works so readers/viewers can find them--the number of uses of a character tag isn't the same as the number of works that feature that character, for example.

Okay! So what are the most popular freeform tags on the Archive? If you read a lot of fanfiction, I doubt you will be surprised by anything on this list. Left column is the top 15 tags by number of uses, while right column is the top 15 tags by the cumulative hit count on every work tagged with that tag.

Are these tags consistently popular over time? For reasons of space, I’ll just plot the top 10 by number of works:

If you look back at the works vs time plot in the second post, you'll see that yes, the shape of these trends is similar to the total number of works, so trends in fannish tastes haven’t changed much over the time the AO3 has been in existence. (These show a little more bumpiness because there are fewer works in each plot.) Some of these have gained a little more recent popularity vs earlier works--smut, fluff, and the two specific alternate universes are a little more weighted towards later times, while humor and general AUs are falling a little behind--but the differences aren’t as large as we saw for fandom trends in the previous post.

I'm sure you're curious about characters and relationships. Here are the top character tags, omitting the catchall character tags of “Original Character(s)”, “Original Male Character(s)”, “Original Female Character(s)”, and “Reader” (all of which would otherwise appear in the top 15). Also, remember this is missing some of the data from 2018 and 2019, as described in the first post, so BTS characters should probably be higher:

And here are the top relationship tags (again, excluding the catchall “Minor or Background Relationship(s)”):

And in particular, here are the top characters of color (excluding works with fictionalized race/ethnicity power systems--um, more than modern-day Western society’s power systems are made up--and characters from Voltron Legendary Defender, since I wasn’t able to find enough information on them):

Park Jimin (BTS)

Min Yoongi | Suga

Jeon Jungkook

Kim Taehyung | V

Kim Namjoon | Rm

Jung Hoseok | J-Hope

Kim Seokjin | Jin

Zayn Malik

Katsuki Yuuri

Sam Wilson (Marvel)

Magnus Bane

Nick Fury

Midoriya Izuku

Bakugou Katsuki

Erica Reyes

And here are the top relationships that are not M/M:

Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan

Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak

Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin

Clarke Griffin/Lexa

Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov

Pepper Potts/Tony Stark

Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan

Kylo Ren/Rey

Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley

Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper

Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Allison Argent/Scott McCall

James Potter/Lily Evans Potter

Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Here are the top ten freeform tags for the top ten fandoms. Different fandoms seem to produce different kinds of fanworks--which you'd expect, based on the variety in the source material.

AU = alternate universe, AU - CD = Alternate universe - canon divergence, AU - C/U = alternate universe - college/university, AU - HS = alternate universe - high school, BJs = blow jobs, ER = established relationship, H/C = hurt/comfort, PWP = plot what plot/porn without plot, RPF = real person fiction, SPN = supernatural.

Finally, for fun, here's the top 200 tags of all kinds, sorted against each other. You can find a lot of fun things on this list. Some of my favorites:

Supernatural is so big, and so focused on so few characters, that Dean Winchester is the sixth most popular tag on the entire AO3.

Clint Barton is way higher than I would have expected.

Sherlock Holmes is slightly less popular than anal sex.

Original female characters are more popular than anal sex.

Similarly, cuddling is more popular than A/B/O.

Harry Styles is less popular than 3/7ths of BTS (at least as of sometime in 2018); Louis Tomlinson barely tops Draco Malfoy.

Alcohol comes between Katsuki Yuuri and Viktor Nikiforov.

Leonard McCoy is below songfic. Please join me in picturing how pissed off he’d be.

The one-two punch of “Spanking” and “I’m Sorry” is pretty amusing.

If I had put up the top 201 tags, 200 and 201 would have been “Flirting” and “Murder”, so Hannibal is almost on this list.

Fluff

Angst

Alternate Universe

Romance

Hurt/Comfort

Dean Winchester

Humor

Established Relationship

Smut

Sam Winchester

Steve Rogers

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

Tony Stark

Friendship

Original Female Character(s)

Anal Sex

Drabble

Original Characters

Sherlock Holmes

Fluff And Angst

Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot

Castiel/Dean Winchester

One Shot

John Watson

Stiles Stilinski

Castiel

Harry Potter

Oral Sex

James "Bucky" Barnes

Natasha Romanov

Blow Jobs

Clint Barton

Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Drama

Derek Hale

Reader

Slow Burn

Original Male Character(s)

Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

First Time

Alternate Universe - College/University

Kissing

Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

First Kiss

Angst With A Happy Ending

Light Angst

Violence

Family

Park Jimin (BTS)

Min Yoongi | Suga

Jeon Jungkook

Crossover

Harry Styles

Crack

Friends To Lovers

Love

Fluff And Smut

Kim Taehyung | V

Louis Tomlinson

Other Additional Tags To Be Added

Draco Malfoy

Alternate Universe - High School

Explicit Sexual Content

Masturbation

Hermione Granger

Pining

Bruce Banner

Anal Fingering

Kim Namjoon | RM

Canon Compliant

Thor (Marvel)

Domestic Fluff

Jung Hoseok | J-Hope

Keith (Voltron)

Kim Seokjin | Jin

Depression

Character Death

Sexual Content

Happy Ending

Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Canon-Typical Violence

James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers

Lance (Voltron)

Cuddling & Snuggling

Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics

Dirty Talk

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Post-Canon

Loki (Marvel)

Christmas

Hand Jobs

Scott Mccall

Niall Horan

Sex

Mycroft Holmes

Blood

Shiro (Voltron)

Liam Payne

Rimming

Rough Sex

Zayn Malik

Cute

Original Character(s)

Original Character

Castiel (Supernatural)

Dubious Consent

Phil Coulson

Severus Snape

Ron Weasley

Character Study

Mpreg

Lydia Martin

Explicit Language

Slash

Grief/Mourning

Polyamory

Future Fic

Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Minor Character Death

Greg Lestrade

Steve Rogers/Tony Stark

Peter Parker

Mutual Pining

Swearing

Eventual Smut

Sirius Black

Dom/Sub

Pre-Slash

Sad

Love Confessions

Unrequited Love

Alternate Universe - Soulmates

Remus Lupin

Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester

Falling In Love

Jealousy

Spanking

I'm Sorry

Pepper Potts

Death

Keith/Lance (Voltron)

Spoilers

James T. Kirk

Hunk (Voltron)

Sans (Undertale)

Emma Swan

Gabriel (Supernatural)

Fluff And Humor

Magic

Torture

Alternate Universe - Human

Bruce Wayne

Isaac Lahey

Levi (Shingeki No Kyojin)

Eren Yeager

Clarke Griffin

Self-Harm

Slow Build

Victor Nikiforov

Alcohol

Katsuki Yuuri

Suicidal Thoughts

Implied Sexual Content

BDSM

Nightmares

Canonical Character Death

Action/Adventure

Sam Wilson (Marvel)

Developing Relationship

Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Bondage

Friendship/Love

Tooth-Rotting Fluff

Dark

Sheriff Stilinski

Mental Health Issues

Allison Argent

Reader-Insert

Slice Of Life

Allura (Voltron)

Kurt Hummel

Getting Together

Kidnapping

Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov

Dick Grayson

Merlin (Merlin)

Panic Attacks

Heavy Angst

Comfort

Alec Lightwood

Pre-Canon

Ficlet

Kid Fic

Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir

Implied/Referenced Character Death

Songfic

Leonard Mccoy

First Meetings

Flirting

[marvelousandproud]

Dammit, Jim. I’m a doctor not a gunslinger.

[entermedic]

What's Leonard's house and property look like?

ask me qs about mccoy ! accepting

okay so , before i get into this headcanon i wanna go full disclosure with you: i don’t know jonathan squat about what starfleet personnel are able to have/afford (i don’t yet fully understand their moneyless w/ money economic system), where they can have it, if they can have it, etc.* so all of this headcanon is based on a whole bunch of hypotheticals. but it will be applicable to aus that would involve leonard having a house. so that’s important as well.

leonard lives alone. this is a very important thing to consider. because of that he prefers to live in a neighborhood, but isn’t too fond of the suburbs. so i’d imagine, if he could live anywhere, he’d move just north of georgia (about 2-5 hours) into western north carolina. some place like a small town just outside of asheville or cherokee would suit him just fine. the winters are cold but the spring and summer are rewarding. his house would be a modest two-story with modern baroque architecture, luxuries where it counts, but simple overall.

the downstairs is very open. it’s designed to allow light into the home. the open floorplan includes a gourmet kitchen1, a dining room and a living room. the kitchen is toward the back, aligned with the dining room, the living room in front of those. in the empty corner where the kitchen and living room adjoin there is a pair of french doors on either side that lead to a small patio. through a corridor at the front of the living room there is half bath to the furthest left , and a laundry/storage room beside of it. there is a staircase that is to the right when standing on the outside of the front door, which is to the furthest right and just inside to the right hand is a coat closet.

the upstairs is much more closed off. directly ahead there is an office space. a guest room to the left of that and a full bath between them. then around to the left of that is a sitting/bonus room, and to the furthest left/behind the top of the staircase is a master bedroom/master bath2.

the house sits on an acre of land with houses on either side, made more private by the trees between them. the sun rises at the furthest end of the house so that if you were to stand at leonard’s front door the sunrise would be to your right and the sun sets just behind his bedroom windows.

*please, if you can answer these questions or know where to find answers send links or whatever. i just want know all i can

1 on occasion, leonard likes to entertain. even when alone he enjoys being able to cook in a professional space and when he does have guests over, the open floor plan ensures that even while he’s in the kitchen he can be involved with what’s going on in the living and dining areas

2 leonard’s room. do not enter under penalty of being hypo’d

[ao3feed-johnharrison]

The Good, The Bad, and The Klingon

by The_Norsiest

TOS Western Au... do i need to say more? (I really should)

When man on the run James T. Kirk comes upon a Vulcan mission and discovers a tragedy commonplace in the wild west he feels compelled to help. What ensues thereafter is a tale of rough riding, gun slinging and a love that develops between two lonely souls. With the help of Doctor McCoy, Sheriff Sulu, Saloon girl Uhura, Schoolmarm Chapel, Engineer Scott, and deputy Chekov this band of frontiersmen will face down bandits and evil alike.

Excerpt: "There was no smoke from fires, no sounds of prayer, and no signs of life he observed as he brought the horse to a halt. The large wooden gates creaked on their iron hinges, not closed but not fully open. The place was eerily quiet. Kirk reached out a hand and pushed the door, opening it to reveal the courtyard. The bells high in their steeple swayed in the rough wind but not enough to chime, and Kirk’s eyes went wide to the sight before him..."

Words: 990, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Trek: The Original Series

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, M/M

Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Nyota Uhura, Christine Chapel, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Kor (Star Trek), Marla McGivers, Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek: The Original Series), Janice Rand, Harry Mudd

Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, Christine Chapel/Nyota Uhura

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Western, Western, spirk, Chapurah, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, gun slinging, Outlaws, Train Robbery, Saloons, Romance

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/23597989 via AO3 works tagged 'Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek - All Media Types)' https://archiveofourown.org/works/23597989

Remember to check out the John Harrison fanworks community on livejournal and dreamwidth. Follow ao3feed-johnharrison for all your John Harrison needs including fanfic involving the character in any pairing, crossovers, fanart and links.

[thatsnotcanonpodcasts]

Apollo, E3 2019 & The Division

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – Nerds Amalgamated Go! We are here once again with your irregular dose of fun, news, entertainment and educational synopsis that we like to call a show. We hope everyone is surviving the rigours and tortures of university, college, school, work, life, or whatever else it is you do. This week we have another exciting show for you all filled with space, games, and some viewing material to look forward to. We hope you enjoy and let us know what you think, we do listen.

            First up it is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions and Buck has brought us links to a number of different stories regarding them. Also, some of the myriad events that are happening around the world involved in the celebration for everyone to enjoy.  We also talk about the movies inspired by events and documentaries about the rock stars who ride the bullet into space. What is your favourite Apollo story, movie, mission, or general piece of trivia? Drop us a line or post in the comments on the facebook page.

            Next up we look at this year’s less than stellar E3. The major highlight moments were the Keanu Reeves appearance at the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Where he showed once again that indelible charm that makes everyone love him when people yelled out from the crowd. Why can’t he be the President of America? He would be a darn tooting sight better than almost everyone they have had for a long time. We also take a moment to acknowledge the fabulous Ikumi Nakamura, the director of Ghostwire Tokyo who just had fun. We also take a moment to glance at Devolver Studios and the madcap mayhem that is the ongoing saga of their E3 show. It is still so much more fun then must be legal. The biggest failure was the announcement that Bethesda is making Fallout 76 a battle royale (yayyyy, another one…yawn) in an attempt to save the game from becoming a complete failure (too late).

            This week the DJ has the story of Netflix planning a new series based on Tom Clancy’s The Division. The discussion runs through the idea, worrying at the potential failure of yet another game to cinema/television cross over. Further the potential overload of too many post-apocalyptic shows (no, not with zombies either, we discussed that). We do know two of the cast members Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal, so it starts with two beautiful people surviving… or do they?

            This week’s games are:

            Buck is playing Assassins Creed 2 (Not Unity).

            Professor is still playing Cataclysm: Dark days ahead (Listen in for how he dies this week).

            DJ is once again playing Apex Legends

            We have the usual list of shout outs, remembrances, birthdays and special events. Hidden somewhere in the show is Buck telling us about a delightful Pug that doesn’t like being licked in return. Listen out for that, we have the link provided, it is funny. Other than that, we just wish to say thank you once again for listening and supporting us. We do appreciate it. Please remember to take care of yourselves and look out for each other, and drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Peace out.

EPISODE NOTES:

Apollo 50th Anniversary

                - http://www.astronomy.com/bonus/apollo_home

                - https://www.nasa.gov/specials/apollo50th/events.html

E3 2019 - https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jun/10/e3-2019-biggest-news-xbox-bethesda-ubisoft-nintendo-square-enix

The Division now on Netflix - https://variety.com/2019/film/news/jessica-chastain-jake-gyllenhaal-the-division-movie-netflix-1203238700/

Games Currently playing

Buck

– Assassin Creed 2 - https://store.steampowered.com/app/33230/Assassins_Creed_2_Deluxe_Edition/

Professor

– Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead - https://cataclysmdda.org/

DJ

– Apex Legends - https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/apex-legends-ps4/

Other topics discussed

[un]featured Articles (That’s Not Canon Podcast)

- https://thatsnotcanon.com/ufapodcast

Margaret Hamilton (Software engineer)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)

The Dish (2000 Australian movie)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dish

Past Apollo programs

- Apollo 8 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8

- Apollo 13 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13

List of Apollo missions

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Apollo_missions#Crewed_Apollo_missions

Funny Flat Earth and Anti Vax Shirt

- Picture - https://image.spreadshirtmedia.com/image-server/v1/mp/products/T812A1MPA3140PT17X10Y30D1021097368FS5253/views/1,width=550,height=550,appearanceId=1,backgroundColor=F2F2F2,modelId=1237,crop=list,version=1557984561,modelImageVersion=1554797138/anti-vax-flat-earth-mens-premium-t-shirt.jpg

- Purchase Link - https://www.spreadshirt.com/shop/design/anti+vax+flat+earth+mens+premium+t-shirt-D5c662501f937645575149bc8

Mars One

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_One

How long does it take to go to Mars from Earth?

- https://www.universetoday.com/14841/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-mars/

Falltout 76 battle royale: Nuclear Winter

- https://www.gamesradar.com/au/fallout-76-battle-royale-mode-nuclear-winter/

Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2

- https://www.gamespot.com/articles/legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-2-revealed-for-/1100-6467700/

Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077

- https://www.gameinformer.com/e3-2019/2019/06/11/keanu-reeves-is-more-than-a-cameo-in-cyberpunk-2077

Battle Royale game from Devolver Studios: Fall Guys

- https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/12/fall-guys-is-a-kinder-gentler-battle-royale/

Devolver Bootleg

- https://store.steampowered.com/app/1066260/Devolver_Bootleg/

Ikumi Nakamura captures internet hearts

- https://www.cnet.com/news/e3-2019-ghostwire-tokyo-director-ikumi-nakamura-captures-the-internets-heart/

Netflix games announced on E3

- https://www.techradar.com/au/news/netflix-teases-new-games-at-e3-2019-including-a-location-based-stranger-things-mobile-rpg

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics

-  https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/11/dark-crystal-age-of-resistance-tactics-announced-e3-2019

Collection and Trials of Mana now available on the Switch

- https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2019/06/12/collection-of-mana-is-now-available-on-the-switch-and-trials-of-mana-is-released-next-year/#4b9cd85b4876

Revolution (TV Series)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_(TV_series)

Prince of Persia : The Sand of Time (2010 film)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Persia:_The_Sands_of_Time_(film)

Prince of Persia (game franchise)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Persia

Movies Jake Gyllenhaal acted

- City Slickers (1991 movie) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Slickers

- Zodiac (2007 movie) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_(film)

- Nightcrawler (2014 movie) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightcrawler_(film)

Movies Jessica Chastin acted

- Lawless (2012 movie) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawless_(film)

Pug doesn’t like being licked

- https://www.reddit.com/r/Whatthefuckgetitoffme/comments/77pqrb/pug_doesnt_like_to_taste_its_own_medicine/

Michael Jordan (American former professional basketball player)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan

Wayne Gardner (Australian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle and touring car racer)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Gardner

Lady Godiva, Countess of Mercia

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Godiva

Shoutouts

8 Jun 2019 - Ashleigh Barty Wins the French Open - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/sports/french-open-ashleigh-barty-marketa-vondrousova.html

11 Jun 1955 - The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France on 11 June 1955. A major crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Bouillin (who raced under the name Pierre Levegh) and injuring nearly 180 more. It was the most catastrophic crash in motorsport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to retire from motor racing until 1989.

11 Jun 1963 - Buddhist monk Quang Duc publicly burns himself to death in a plea for President Ngo Dinh Diem to show “charity and compassion” to all religions. - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/buddhist-immolates-himself-in-protest

Remembrances

11 Jun 1979 - John Wayne, nicknamed 'Duke', was an American actor, filmmaker and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. He was among the top box office draws for three decades. He starred in 142 motion pictures altogether. According to one biographer, "John Wayne personified for millions the nation's frontier heritage. Eighty-three of his movies were Westerns, and in them he played cowboys, cavalrymen, and unconquerable loners extracted from the Republic's central creation myth." He appeared with many important Hollywood stars of his era and made his last public appearance at the Academy Awards ceremony on April 9, 1979. He died of stomach cancer at 72 in Los Angeles, California - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne

11 Jun 1999 - DeForest Kelley, known to colleagues as "De", was an American actor, screenwriter, poet and singer known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and film series Star Trek (1966–1991). He died of stomach cancer at 79 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeForest_Kelley

12 Jun 2003 - Gregory Peck, was an American actor. He was one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s. Peck received five Academy Award for Best Actor nominations, and won once – for his performance as Atticus Finch in the 1962 drama film To Kill a Mockingbird. Peck also received Oscar nominations for his roles in The Keys of the Kingdom, The Yearling, Gentleman's Agreement, and Twelve O'Clock High. Other notable films in which he appeared include Moby Dick (1956, and its 1998 mini-series), The Guns of Navarone, Cape Fear (1962, and its 1991 remake), How the West Was Won, The Omen (1976), and The Boys from Brazil. U.S. President Lyndon Johnson honored Peck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 for his lifetime humanitarian efforts. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck among Greatest Male Stars of Classic Hollywood cinema, ranking him at No. 12. He died in his sleep at home from bronchopneumonia at 87 in Los Angeles, California - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Peck

13 Jun 1871 - Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, was a French magician. He is widely considered the father of the modern style of conjuring such as second sight, the ethereal suspension, the marvelous orange tree, robert-houdin's portfolio, the light and heavy chest. His reputation was so great that he was requested during the 1850s by the French government to help put down a tribal rebellion in Algeria using his skills. This is surely a feat that not many magicians can boast about. He died of pneumonia at 65 in Saint-Gervais-la-Forêt  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Eug%C3%A8ne_Robert-Houdin

Famous Birthdays

11 Jun 1910 - Jacques Cousteau, French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water. He co-developed the Aqua-lung, pioneered marine conservation and was a member of the Académie française. Cousteau described his underwater world research in a series of books, perhaps the most successful being his first book, The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure, published in 1953. Cousteau also directed films, most notably the documentary adaptation of the book, The Silent World, which won a Palme d'or at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. He remained the only person to win a Palme d'Or for a documentary film, until Michael Moore won the award in 2004 for Fahrenheit 9/11. He was born in Saint-André-de-Cubzac - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Cousteau

11 Jun 1933 - Gene Wilder, American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, singer-songwriter and author. Wilder began his career on stage, and made his screen debut in an episode of the TV series The Play of the Week in 1961. Although his first film role was portraying a hostage in the 1967 motion picture Bonnie and Clyde, Wilder's first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1967 film The Producers for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was the first in a series of collaborations with writer/director Mel Brooks, including 1974's Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, which Wilder co-wrote, garnering the pair an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Wilder is known for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and for his four films with Richard Pryor:Silver Streak, Stir Crazy,See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Another You. Wilder directed and wrote several of his own films, including The Woman in Red. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wilder

11 Jun 1959 - Hugh Laurie, English actor, director, singer, musician, comedian and author. Laurie first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with his friend and comedy partner Stephen Fry. The duo acted together in a number of projects during the 1980s and 1990s, including the sketch comedy series A Bit of Fry & Laurie and the P. G. Wodehouse adaptation Jeeves and Wooster. Laurie's other roles during the period include the period comedy series Blackadder (in which Fry also appeared) and the films Sense and Sensibility, 101 Dalmatians, The Borrowers and Stuart Little. Laurie portrayed the title character in the U.S. medical drama series House on Fox, for which he won two Golden Globe Awards. He was listed in the 2011 Guinness World Records as the most watched leading man on television and was one of the highest-paid actors in a television drama, earning £250,000 ($409,000) per episode of House. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2007 New Year Honours and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours, both for services to drama. He was born in Blackbird Leys, Oxfordshire - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Laurie

11 Jun 1969 - Peter Dinklage, American actor and producer. Dinklage studied acting at Bennington College, starring in a number of amateur stage productions. His film debut was in Living in Oblivion (1995) and his breakthrough came with the comedy-drama The Station Agent (2003). He has since appeared in movies like Elf (2003), Underdog (2007), Death at a Funeral (2007),The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Pixels (2015), and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), which earned him his first Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2018, he appeared as Eitri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Infinity War among other movies. Dinklage received universal acclaim for portraying Tyrion Lannister on the HBO television series Game of Thrones, for which he won three Primetime Emmys from seven nominations. He also received a Golden Globe for the role in 2011. He was born in Morristown, New Jersey - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Dinklage

Events of Interest

11 Jun 1959 - Postmaster General bans D H Lawrence's book, Lady Chatterley's Lover (overruled by US Court of Appeals in Mar 1960) - https://www.onthisday.com/history/events/june/11

11 Jun 1976 - Australian band AC/DC begin their 1st headline tour of Britain - https://www.onthisday.com/date/1976/june/11

11 Jun 1982 - "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial", directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, is released in the United States. It opened at number one with a gross of $11 million, and stayed at the top of the box office for six weeks; it then fluctuated between the first and second positions until October, before returning to the top spot for the final time in December during a brief Holiday Season re-release of the film. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial#Release_and_sales 

12 Jun 1942 – Anne Frank receives a diary for her thirteenth birthday. - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/anne-frank-receives-a-diary

Intro

Artist – Goblins from Mars

Song Title – Super Mario - Overworld Theme (GFM Trap Remix)

Song Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GNMe6kF0j0&index=4&list=PLHmTsVREU3Ar1AJWkimkl6Pux3R5PB-QJ

Follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NerdsAmalgamated/

Email - Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/NAmalgamated

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Nux69rftdBeeEXwD8GXrS

iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/top-shelf-nerds/id1347661094

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[440mxs-wife]

Mail Order Bride, Part 4: Wedding Night

Pairing: Sheriff!McCoy x Paige Stone (OFC). Other characters: Thomas Morgan (OMC, mentioned)

Word Count: 5155

General warnings:  As the title implies, mail-order bride arrangement, parent’s illness, outlaws, overprotective sister, Wild West-level violence but some fluff as well. Each chapter will have individual warnings as needed.

Chapter warning: Slightly NSFW (16+ only) Paige’s first time, body-image/insecurity, unprotected p in v sex, Leonard is an awesome husband

A/N: This is set around the 1930′s in the Western U.S. I will endeavor to remain as true to the historical timeline as I can. There may be some....bending of history to fit the narrative, but nothing major. This is, after all, a work of fiction. :) Enjoy and please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future chapters!

A/N 2: This is somewhat of a “filler” chapter, in that it is entirely about the wedding night activities. Now that I’ve crossed this hurdle, the story can get moving once again. But, if you aren’t comfortable with the subject, you can skip it and it won’t detract from the story as I post more chapters.

As always, thank you for reading. Enjoy!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Welcome home, Mrs. McCoy," he remarked.

Before entering their home, Leonard had scooped Paige up into his arms to carry her across the threshold. Just as the newlyweds stepped through the doorway, Paige meshed her lips with Leonard's in a passionate, lingering kiss. He could taste the sweetness of the wedding cake they'd consumed earlier in the evening. She detected a hint of the bourbon he'd sipped during the toast to their nuptials.

"Leonard," Paige sighed, and he hummed in response. "Don't you think you oughta put me down now?" she asked.

Leonard pulled back to gaze lovingly at his new wife. "Never, darlin'," he grinned. "I gotcha right where I want ya, and that's here in my arms, always," he smirked as he peppered her face with kisses.

Paige squirmed in his hold, giggling at his playfulness. This side of him was her favorite, the one who smiled the easiest, who wasn't burdened by the gravity and importance of his profession. Although, she wondered which side was in charge of him when he agreed to marry her and take over the contract and send the money to her family. That's a problem for another day, Paige thought. This is my wedding day and wedding night, so I'm going to enjoy it.

Leonard studied the facial expressions as they flitted across his new bride's face. Though he'd only known her for just over a week, he had learned some of her tells. Right now, Leonard was certain she'd had something on her mind, but she'd chosen to dismiss it for the time being. We have a whole lifetime to figure each other out. I only hope I can make her as happy as she's already made me, he thought with a soft smile.

Paige placed her hand alongside her new husband's cheek, gently grazing his face with her thumb. "What're you thinking about, Leonard?" she wondered.

Without breaking eye contact with Paige, Leonard bypassed the question as he pressed a kiss to her palm and heard the hitch in her breathing. "You like that, sugar?" he murmured and watched Paige slowly nod her head. "Trust me, this is only the beginnin'. And I can't wait to kiss your silky skin all over and mark you as mine," he whispered.

Paige let out a shuddering breath at the thought of Leonard seeing the parts of her body she was so used to keeping covered up. Tendrils of doubt began to creep in and threatened to burst the bubble of bliss they were in as they inched closer to the wedding night activities. Will he like what he sees? How does my body look compared to other women, to his ex-wife, Jocelyn? What if he's completely disgusted by my body? These and other thoughts were among the ones raging through her head at the moment.

Leonard sensed a shift in Paige the moment he talked about more intimate matters between them. "Paige? Sweetheart, are you all right?" he asked.

Paige dropped her hand and her gaze from Leonard's face. "I'm fine, Leonard," she replied. "It's been a long but wonderful day. I think it's all catching up with me, that's all," she explained.

Leonard carefully released Paige from his hold and placed her feet on the floor. He hooked his index finger under her chin, tilted it up and held it until Paige's eyes finally met his. "Now, sugar, we may have only been married for a matter of hours, but I can tell somethin's botherin' you. Whatever it is, I promise, you can tell me," he added.

Paige took a deep breath before answering as she tried to stave off the sting of tears. "What if...." she started then looked away, twisting her hands together. Leonard waited patiently for her to continue, which she did after another stabilizing breath. "I know you've been married before, and probably courted others before that, so....what if you don't like what you see? Of me," she finished.

Leonard's heart nearly broke at how small Paige sounded, at the thought that he would ever reject her. If she only knew how many of the past few nights he had laid awake, thinking of her just down the hall. How soft her skin would be under his rough, calloused hands. He couldn't wait to breathe in the scent of her perfume as his lips traced a path, mapping every part of her body. From her lips to her neck, upon her collarbone, right over her heart, across her stomach, down her thighs, all the way to the tips of her toes.

As much as he desired her, craved being close to her in that way, he was determined to let Paige set the pace. If the farthest she wanted to go tonight was to sleep in the same bed and for them to hold each other, then that's what would happen. Leonard's main concern was to make sure Paige felt safe with him. He wanted her to feel secure enough to explore certain avenues of intimacy without fear of rejection.

"Oh my darling wife," Leonard murmured. "You have no idea how utterly enticing you are to me. From your eyes that saw past a gruff, sarcastic sheriff and that light up whenever I enter the room. To your hands that have done so much to make this house a home for us. These same hands are the ones I long to hold and have exploring every inch of me. And your lips....oh, sweetheart, this is where I can't even begin to describe the effect your lips have on me. I can't wait to show you all that I can do to you with my lips. My imagination is running wild thinking of how it will feel when you do the same for me," he remarked.

Paige had been letting Leonard take the lead in their brief courtship, because that's how she was raised, that the man was in charge. Over and over, Leonard proved to her otherwise, with his thoughts on their marriage being more of a partnership. He was the more experienced partner, and yet he was willing to let her control their path to intimacy. Anything that happened was going to do so on her timetable, which gave her a sense of empowerment she'd never had before.

She didn't know if what else she was feeling for Leonard could be called "love" at this point. There was so much more to learn about him, parts she couldn't wait to explore. She was certain that whatever the sentiment, it was considerably more than what she'd felt for that boy back home. Paige had grown up with her former beau, Thomas Morgan, and been friends since they were in grade school. However, in the end, he chose another. Leonard was a loyal, trustworthy, patient and honorable man. And she couldn't help but be physically attracted to him.

Paige rose up on her toes and surged forward, crashing her lips to Leonard's, knocking him half a step back in astonishment. He quickly recovered as his hands instinctively flew to her waist, tugging her body so that it was flush with his. A moan of pleasure escaped from Paige but it was quickly swallowed by Leonard's mouth as his hands roamed up and down her back. Her hands cradled Leonard's neck and her fingertips teased the hairs at the base of his neck, while her thumbs caressed his jawline.

Leonard decided to test the waters with his new wife by deepening the kiss. His tongue darted out to trace the seam of Paige's lips, which caused her to gasp in shock. He took advantage of her surprise and slid his tongue into the wet, heated cavern of her mouth. At first, her tongue was unmoving, almost rigid, but Leonard persisted. When her tongue slipped over into his mouth to explore, a groan of pleasure rumbled through his chest. The sound seemed to have emboldened Paige, because her kisses grew more heated, and her grip on his hair tightened.

As eager as he was to continue, Leonard was bound by his unspoken promise to let Paige lead. He gently pulled his lips from hers and reached up to tenderly cup her cheek with his large, capable hand. At the separation, a flicker of uncertainty crossed Paige's sweet face as she met his eyes. "Leonard? I-is everything okay? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, I've never--"

Leonard rushed to reassure Paige. "Darlin', you did nothing wrong, not at all. I loved every second of what just happened," he replied softly. "I know I may have given you a little nudge into some new territory, but I gotta tell ya sweet girl--everything about that was perfect," he affirmed. "I only wanted to make sure you were still on board with how things were moving. Are you okay?"

Paige nodded then smiled shyly and her cheeks grew rosy at his praise. Her confidence growing, she slid her hands up the back of his head and around to the brim of his hat. "Do you s'pose maybe we could take this hat off?" she asked breathily. Without waiting for his answer, she lifted the hat from his head and carefully set it in the chair next to her.

When she met with no resistance from Leonard, she took it another step. At the thought that he may want to undress her at some point, she felt a little dampness down below. "Maybe loosen up this tie a little," she suggested. Her fingertips danced across his neck until they were poised beneath his Adam's apple. Paige slowly worked at the knot until it released, then she pulled one end of his tie until it completely slipped out from under his collar.

Leonard marveled at the change he was seeing in Paige after such a short time. He wanted to see how far she would go at undressing him before allowing him to return the favor. He watched as her nimble fingers unbuttoned his jacket next, then her hands blazed a path up his broad chest. When the tips of her nails grazed his peaked nipples, it sent a shudder through his body as he moaned at the sensation.

Paige's eyes flew up to his to check that she didn't hurt him, but the look on Leonard's face showed anything but pain. She wasn't sure what caused his reaction, so instead of taking off his jacket, her hands traveled up his sides, along his rib cage. When they moved back over his nipples again, he groaned louder at the pleasurable sensation.

Realization dawned on Paige that if Leonard was sensitive there, what would it be like when he touched her in the same place? Her breasts were of an average size, nothing she considered remarkable, but larger than Leonard's pecs were. Suddenly, she was aching to find out how it would feel to have his hands on any part of her breasts for any amount of time. The thoughts only added to the wetness in her panties, which she was sure were nearly soaked.

"Not nice to tease, darlin'," Leonard playfully warned. He captured her hands by the wrists and kissed each fingertip, one by one. Then he positioned her palms on his upper chest, just under his jacket and watched as she pushed it off of his shoulders. She caught it behind his back and carefully draped it across the back of the chair where she'd deposited his hat.

"Not teasin', just uncovering you, layer by layer," Paige replied. "Help me with my boots, Len?"

"Of course, sweetheart," he responded. Leonard dropped to his knees in front of his wife and placed Paige's hands on his shoulders. Then he lifted her left foot to remove her boot, repeating the motion for her right foot. Before he stood up, he ran his hands up and down the lower half of her legs eventually, stopping at the knee. His nose was at the same height as her center and when he inhaled deeply, he could smell the sweet scent of her arousal.

"May-maybe we should go to the bedroom?" Paige suggested.

Leonard caught her hands in his. "We can do that, but we don't have to do anything you don't want to do, sugar. If all you want to do tonight is fall asleep in each other's arms, that's all right with me, I promise I won't be upset. I'm not gonna lie though, I've been looking forward to this night all week, but it's about what you want, what you're comfortable with," he affirmed. "I just want to make you feel good, darlin'."

"I do feel good with everything we've done so far, but I know there's more. I feel safe with you. Cherished, respected even. I want....I want you to show me, Leonard. Will you show me more? Please?" she whispered.

Her soft plea was enough for him. Leonard scooped Paige back up into his arms and she wrapped hers around his neck for the short trip from the living room to the bedroom. Once inside, he lowered her feet to the ground so that she stood before him. Her face was turned upward, searching for and was granted eye contact with him. His hand cupped her cheek, the pad of his thumb gently stroking her skin. "We can stop any time you want. Any time, no matter what, and I won't be angry. Okay?" he murmured.

Paige nodded. "Words, baby. I need you to tell me you want this," he insisted.

"I want this Leonard, want you," Paige confirmed. "Make me yours," she begged him.

Still holding her hands, Leonard started walking backwards towards the bed, gently tugging Paige with him. When the backs of his legs hit the mattress, he untucked his shirt from his trousers then sat down and released her hands. He bent down so that he could remove his boots and socks.

Paige took a half step back to give him more room, and when he was done, she moved closer to him. She placed her hands on his cheeks and tilted his head up to meet her gaze. Slowly she threaded her fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp and his eyes drifted closed. She smiled at the hum of contentment emanating from her husband. When he nuzzled his nose into her midsection, she giggled.

Leonard lifted his eyes but rested his chin on her tummy. To Leonard, her laughter was the sweetest sound in the world, one he'd never tire of hearing. Paige's nimble fingers started to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. As his shirt was pushed from his broad shoulders, his eyes drifted to the left side of her dress and the row of buttons concealing the zipper. He kept her gaze until he heard her say, "yes" ever so softly in permission.

Rising to his feet, Leonard pivoted around Paige until he was standing behind her. His right hand settled at her waist, while his left hand glided over her curves to the bottom button. One by one, Leonard worked at unfastening each of the twelve satin-covered buttons. At the top, he slowly and carefully pulled down the zipper, thus loosening the dress that was previously clinging to Paige's curves.

Leonard's hands left her waist and ghosted a path up her sides, cupping the undersides of her breasts. His thumbs gently grazed her already pert nipples. It caused her to nearly double over and drew a cry of ecstasy from her at the unexpected but not unwelcome sensation. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"'M fine, didn't expect that, is all. It was....an amazing feeling," Paige whispered.

"Oh, we're just getting started, sugar. Relax baby, I've got you. Gonna take good care of you," Leonard murmured in the delicate shell of her ear. His hands rubbed up and down Paige's arms, then settled on her shoulders. His thumbs hooked under the lace of her dress and lazily eased it off of her shoulders.

Leonard started leaving wet, open-mouthed kisses on the newly exposed surface. He lightly nipped the area where Paige's neck met her collarbone before sucking his mark onto her skin. He softly blew across the moistened area, and was pleased to see the goosebumps that formed on her creamy, delicate flesh. Paige closed her eyes and shuddered at the effect that Leonard's mouth was having on her. "Feels....so good," she rasped.

The dress was pushed further down her arms and over her chest, where Leonard again paused, this time to gently squeeze her breasts. Paige leaned into his touch, and a moan escaped when she felt Leonard's lips on her bare right shoulder. She could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing against her backside. Once the dress was past her hips, it dropped to her ankles in a puddle of white lace, leaving her in her white satin slip and undergarments.

Out of instinct, Paige's hands flew up in an effort to cover herself as she turned to face her husband. Leonard lightly shook his head and tugged her arms to uncover her body. "No no, sweet girl, I wanna see all of you, and I want you to see all of me," he remarked. "Besides, you have nothing to be ashamed of, darlin', you're absolutely gorgeous."

Paige took stock of the man she married, standing shirtless in front of her. His muscular, toned chest had a smattering of dark curly hair on his pecs and a trail down the middle to his waist. She could see places where the skin was pink and puckered, indicating an injury as a result of his often dangerous profession. Her fingertips ghosted over the scars and she reverently kissed any she could reach. She felt Leonard shudder in response this time, bringing a smile to her face.

Leonard was in awe of the woman before him, how tenderly she was grazing his skin, and how responsive she was to his touch. Since they had entered what was now their bedroom, he had seen her confidence grow little bits at a time. She let him remove her wedding dress, and at the same time, learn about her body so he knew how to bring her the most pleasure possible.

When his shirt was removed, she didn't turn away from him and wasn't put off by his scars or any other imperfections, real or imagined. Although he didn't know why she felt the need to hide her body from him. His new wife was completely breathtaking and from this moment forward, he intended to worship her in the manner she deserved.

Before he could reach for the spaghetti straps of her satin slip, Paige leisurely slid them down off of her shoulders, one by one. She saw Leonard's eyes darken with desire as he watched the slinky fabric drop from her body to join her dress on the floor. As she reached behind her to unclasp her bra, Leonard caught her hands in his. "Wait. Allow me," he added huskily.

Paige nodded and stepped closer to Leonard. Her arms wound around his neck, while his hands met in the middle of her back to release the clasp for her bra. Leonard drew the straps down her outstretched arms and away from her body, revealing her exquisite breasts. His blood shot due south at the sight of her pink pebbled nipples and couldn't resist taking one in his mouth.

The moment his lips closed around her sensitive peak, Paige threw her head back and closed her eyes in unbridled pleasure. Her breathing came out in short puffs as her mind scrambled to keep up with the new sensations flooding her body. "Oh, Leonard!" she panted.

Leonard released the nipple with an audible pop as he turned his attention to the other breast, lavishing the same treatment. Paige was breathing heavily now, with her head lolled back and her mouth open in absolute ecstasy. The wetness in her panties seemed to have increased tenfold, like there was a waterfall between her legs. "Leonard, please," was all Paige could manage to say.

He disengaged his mouth from her breast, noticing how it glistened with moisture. He blew across the surface, causing the nipple to stiffen once more and a shiver to run through Paige. "You're so beautiful, sweetheart, so responsive," he crooned. Leonard trailed his hands down Paige's ribcage until he reached her waist, where the top seam of her panties rested. He waited until she met his gaze and waited for permission, which she granted with a whispered "yes".

Leonard hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties and slowly dragged them down her legs. She stepped out of them, placing her hands on Leonard's shoulders to brace herself. As he rose to stand again, Leonard's hands swept up the backs of her calves and thighs. He molded his hands to her backside, then gave a quick swat to one cheek. Paige gasped both in surprise and at the brief sting of pain, then relaxed as it morphed into pleasure.

"Hmm, you like that darlin'? Maybe we can revisit that some other time," Leonard smirked. He gripped Paige's thighs and lifted her, then placed her gently in the middle of the bed. "You are exquisite, and all mine," he added.

"All yours, always," Paige echoed. She reached out with her hand, beckoning him to join her in the bed.

"I'll be right there, sugar. Just have to get m'self ready for you. Now that I can see all of you, I want you to see all of me," he replied softly. Leonard slowly unbuckled his belt and withdrew the leather band from the loops on his trousers. He rolled it up and placed it neatly in his top dresser drawer. He returned to stand at the side of the bed, where Paige was laying on her side, propped up on one elbow.

Without breaking eye contact, Leonard unbuttoned his trousers, then slowly slid the zipper down to reveal his dark blue boxers. He dipped his thumbs inside the waistband of his boxers and pushed them and his pants past his hips, down his legs and dropped them to the floor. He bent down to pick up his trousers and Paige's remaining articles of clothing and draped them over the chair next to his dresser.

When Leonard was about to climb into bed, he was stopped by the perplexed look on his wife's face. "What's wrong, darlin'? You okay?" he asked. His eyes followed her wide-eyed gaze, which had dropped to focus on the situation occurring between his legs. Leonard fought back the urge to chuckle, as it wasn't her fault she was innocent in the ways of marital relations.

"Is....is it....that's not going to fit, Leonard," Paige whispered. She felt like it was all over before it even started, because if her body couldn't accommodate him, then she'd already failed him as his wife.

"Of course it will, sweetheart, but I've got to prepare you," he replied as he knelt on the bed. He nudged her shoulder so that she was laying on her back, with him hovering over her.

Paige reached out with her hand, then glanced up at Leonard. "Can I touch it?" she wondered. Before her fingers could graze any part of him, he caught her hand in his. She quickly retracted her hand and dropped her gaze, fearing she'd done something wrong again.

Leonard at once realized his mistake and gently cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry darlin', you didn't do anything wrong. As good as it would feel for you to touch me there, I'm afraid that if you did, this would all be over before it started," he explained with a grin. "This is your first time, and I want it to be special for you," he added lovingly.

Paige covered his hand still resting on your cheek and pressed a kiss to his palm. "And it will be special, Leonard, because it's you," she remarked. "I'm ready for you to show me," she affirmed.

Leonard bent down and captured Paige's lips with his own, his mouth moving languidly with hers. At the same time, his hand was trailing over her legs, reaching between them to nudge them open. His finger breached her folds, gathering her arousal and spreading it around to prepare her to be able to take him.

Paige gasped at the unexpected intrusion, her hand immediately grasping Leonard's forearm to anchor herself. She rolled and bucked her hips as if by instinct, creating a friction that drove her passion to a higher level. Leonard continued with his ministrations, his thumb grazing her bundle of nerves and nearly sending her into orbit. "Oh, Leonard! Don't stop, please d-don't st-stop....fee-feels good," she babbled.

Leonard's mouth traced a path from Paige's lips to her jawline, then down the valley of her breasts and back to nip the skin at her neck. He inserted one finger into her tight, wet channel, quickly adding a second in a scissor-like motion to work her open. "Oh, baby, you look so beautiful like this, so receptive," he soothed. Seeing his wife's reactions to his caresses furthered his enjoyment as well.

As Leonard's fingers continued to stroke Paige in her most intimate area, she felt an unfamiliar, pressure-like sensation building in her lower body. "Leonard," she moaned. "Some--something's happening--" she panted.

Leonard realized Paige was close to reaching her peak. "Let go, sweetheart. Just relax and let it happen," he assured. He rocked his two fingers in and out of her, then pressed on her sweet spot with his thumb and watched her come apart. Her body writhed beneath him, while her legs shook with the intensity of her first ever orgasm. A series of incoherent babbles fell from her mouth, with Leonard's name dropping from her lips like a prayer.

While Paige was coming down from her high, it felt more like her soul was returning to her body, as if it was floating back to earth. Her breathing was gradually returning to normal, though she shuddered from oversensitivity when Leonard withdrew his hand. "Leonard, that was....it was unbelievable, you were incredible," she remarked breathily. As she looked down, Paige noticed that her husband was still in a state of arousal.

Leonard followed her gaze and reached over to take her hand in his. He rose up on his knees and guided Paige's hand to wrap around his throbbing member. He moved her hand up and down along the shaft, covering her thumb to help spread the moisture leaking from the tip. He relished not only the feeling created by the friction, but from having his wife's hand on his most sensitive part. "Just like that, baby. Ohhh, that feels so good, sweetheart," he whispered as his eyes closed in pleasure.

Paige kept moving her hand up and down, and Leonard soon let go once she got into a rhythm. When she tried to change the angle of her wrist, she twisted her hand as she stroked his velvety steel shaft. " "Darlin'...sugar...baby...angel," he chanted, followed by a drawn-out moan of satisfaction. "Whoa whoa, hold on a minute, sweetheart," he panted. "I want to be inside you," he remarked. "You know, like earlier with my fingers but--"

"With your....?" Paige's eyes dropped to view Leonard's aching manhood. He nodded, then she whispered, "Yes....please."

Leonard wasted no time moving to kneel between her legs, while Paige rolled over onto her back. She held her arms out in acceptance of what was about to happen as well as to embrace her lover, her husband. Paige knew a little more about what to expect based on her earlier experience, and she implicitly trusted Leonard to take care of her.

After lining himself up with her entrance, Leonard began to slowly push forward, inch by glorious inch. He kept his gaze on Paige, checking for any signs of discomfort. With it being her first time, there was a little pain to be expected, but he wanted to make sure there was no more than absolutely necessary.

As Leonard continued to press himself further within her walls, Paige took note of  how full she felt and the slight burn of the stretch as he moved inside her. When he was almost fully sheathed, she felt a pinch of pain, but it soon gave way to a pleasurable sensation. Leonard braced himself above her, an elbow on each side, so he didn't rest all of his weight on Paige.

When he had buried himself to the hilt within her, Leonard began to rock his hips to create a rhythm, which Paige met stroke for stroke. The friction between them elevated their desire for one another and built layers of passion, each one higher than the last. Leonard hooked Paige's legs around his hips, which changed the angle and allowed him to drive even deeper.

Blissful moans and whispers of praise and adoration reverberated filled the room as they edged towards their peaks. It wasn't long before Paige began to feel the pressure building in her lower body, as it did before. "Oh! Leonard--it's--I'm gonna--" she rambled. By now, Paige was clinging to Leonard like a koala, her legs locked behind him at the ankles, still meeting his thrusts.

"Almost there with you, darlin'," he panted as his hips rocked faster and increased the friction. Leonard reached between their bodies to rub circles around her bundle of nerves, which sent Paige tumbling over the edge with a shout of his name. Another few thrusts and he was following her, with spurts of his warm seed painting her velvety walls as he chanted her name.

Still connected, Leonard carefully rolled them over so they were on their sides, facing each other. A blissful smile graced Paige's face, prompting Leonard to wear one as well. They basked in the afterglow, holding each other, waiting for their breathing and heartbeats to return to normal.

Once they did, Leonard carefully eased himself out of her, then padded to the bathroom to clean up, returning with a washcloth to do the same for his wife. He draped the washcloth on the edge of the laundry basket then climbed back into bed with Paige. Leonard lay on his side, propped up on one elbow, his free hand grazing Paige's cheek. "You are so beautiful," he murmured.

"And you are the best and most incredible husband I could ever have asked for," she replied warmly. "I loved every second of today, especially the last part. When can we do that again?" she asked brightly.

Leonard chuckled lightly. "It's going to take me a little time to recover, sweetheart. Besides, I'm a bit tired from everything that went on today. Getting married to you," he grinned, tapping the end of her nose. "Celebrating afterwards with our friends, then carrying you through the door and makin' you mine," he remarked.

"Now that you mention it, I am somewhat tired myself," Paige admitted while trying to stifle a yawn. Her fingers threaded through his hair, then traced a path down the side of his face and came to rest by cradling his neck. She pressed a kiss to the end of his nose. "Goodnight, Leonard," she whispered.

Leonard in turn kissed her forehead, then her cheek before finally capturing her lips with his own. "Goodnight, Mrs. McCoy," he murmured softly.

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