#nice boat animation | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

acourtofquestions · 7 months ago

Text

Kingdom of Ash

Chapters 36-37

Had it been like that in the iron coffin?

Aelin gave no indication that the smothering dark bothered her, and had shown no inclination to illuminate their way. Hadn't even summoned an ember.

But the Little Folk, it seemed, had come prepared. And within heartbeats of entering the pitch-black river passage, blue light had kindled on a lantern dangling over the curved prow. Not light, not even magic. But small worms that glowed pale blue, as if they'd each swallowed the heart of a star. They'd been gathered into the lantern, and their soft light rippled over the water-smooth walls. A gentle, soothing light. At least, for her it was so.

Before Aelin had been given an ancient Faerie Queen's crown, her birthright and heritage.

The queen had stashed Mab's crown in one of their packs, as if it were no more than an extra sword belt. She hadn't spoken, and they had not asked her any questions, either.

Instead, she'd spent these past few hours sitting in the back of the boat, studying her unmarked hands, occasionally peering into the black waters beneath them. What she expected to see beyond her own rippling reflection, Elide didn’t want to know.

He'd crawled after Maeve on the beach to save Aelin. And he had found her during her escape-had ensured Aelin made it out. Did it wipe away what he'd done in summoning Maeve in the first place? Even if Maeve had set the trap, even if he hadn't known what Maeve intended for Aelin, did it erase his decision to call for her?

The last time they'd spoken as friends, it had been aboard that ship in the hours before Maeve's armada had arrived. He'd told her they needed to talk, and she'd assumed it was about their future, about them.

But perhaps he'd been about to tell her what he'd done, that he'd been wrong in acting before Aelin's plans played out. Elide stopped twisting the ring.

He'd done it for her. She knew it.

But the queen sitting silently behind them, no trace of that sharp-edged fire to be seen, nor that wicked grin she'd flashed at all who crossed her path ... Two months with a sadist. With two sadists. That had been the cost, and the burden that Aelin and all of them would bear.

That silence, that banked fire was because of him. Not entirely, but in some ways.

The collar had not been real. But the army Maeve had summoned was.

A blink into the gloom was the only indication that he was aware of her every movement. Aelin breathed in his scent, let its strength settle into her a bit deeper.

Their paths would meet again, or they would not. And if he found the final key and then brought it to her, she would pay what the gods demanded. What she owed Terrasen, the world.

Yet if Dorian chose to end it himself, to forge the Lock ... her stomach churned. He had the power. As much as she did, if not more so.

It was meant to be her sacrifice. Her blood shed to save them all. To let him claim it ... She could. She must. With Erawan no doubt unleashing himself on Terrasen, with Maeve's army likely to cause them untold grief, she could let Dorian do this. She trusted him. Even if she might never forgive herself for it. Her debt, it was supposed to have been her debt to pay.

Perhaps the punishment for failing to do so would be having to live with herself.

Having to live with all that had been done to her these months, too.

The blackness of the subterranean river pressed in, wrapped its arms around her and squeezed.

Different from the blackness of the iron box. The darkness she'd found inside herself.

A place she might never escape, not really.

Her power stirred, awakening. Aelin swallowed, refusing to acknowledge it. Heed it.

She wouldn't. Couldn't. Not yet. Until she was ready.

She had seen Rowan's face when she spoke of what his deception with the collar had prompted her to do. Had noted the way her companions looked at her, pity and fear in their eyes. At what had been done to her, what she'd become.

A new body. A foreign, strange body, as if she'd been ripped from one and shoved into another. Different from moving between her forms, somehow. She hadn't tried shifting into her human body yet. Didn't see the point.

Sitting in silence as the boat was pulled through the gloom, she felt the weight of those stares. Their dread. Felt them wondering just how broken she was.

You do not yield.

She knew that had been true—that it had been her mother's voice who had spoken and none other.

So she would not yield to this. What had been done. What remained. For the companions around her, to lift their despair, their fear, she wouldn't yield.

She'd fight for it, claw her way back to it, who she'd been before. Remember to swagger and grin and wink. She'd fight against that lingering stain on her soul, fight to ignore it. Would use this journey into the dark to piece herself back together-just enough to make it convincing.

Even if this fractured darkness now dwelled within her, even if speech was difficult, she would show them what they wished to see.

An unbroken Fire-Bringer. Aelin of the Wildfire.

She would show the world that lie as well. Make them believe it.

Maybe she'd one day believe it, too.

Days of near-silent travel passed.

Three days, if whatever senses Rowan and Gavriel possessed proved true. Perhaps the latter carried a pocket watch. Aelin didn't particularly care.

She used each of those days to consider what had been done, what lay before her.

Sometimes, the roar of her magic drowned out her thoughts. Sometimes it slumbered. She never heeded it.

They sailed through the darkness, the river below so black that they might as well have been drifting through Hellas's realm.

She hadn't asked him why he remained in his wolf's body. No one asked her why she remained in her Fae form, after all.

Rowan straightened, eyes sparking at her question-or at the fact that she'd spoken at all.

He'd kept by her these days, a silent, steady presence. Even when they'd slept, he'd remained a few feet away, still not touching, but just there. Close enough that the pine-and-snow scent of him eased her into slumber.

Silence at the order, even from Rowan. Aelin pointed to the lip of shore by the cave mouth. "Stop the boat," she repeated.

The queen had been reckless before Cairn and Maeve had worked on her for two months, but it seemed she'd had any bit of common sense flayed from her.

"Well, I don’t have any, so forgive me if I remain alert." No, she'd once told him that while magic flowed in the Lochan bloodline, she had none to speak of. He'd never told her that he'd always considered her cleverness to be a mighty magic on its own, regardless of Anneith's whisperings.

"It will take time for her to readjust."

She stared at him with those damning eyes.

He braced his forearms on his knees. "We got her back. She's with us now. What more do you want?" From me, He didn't need to add Elide straightened.

Elide straightened. "I don't want anything." From you.

This was where they'd have it out, then. "How much longer am I supposed to atone?"

"Are you growing bored with it?" He snarled.

She only glared at him. "I hadn't realized you were even atoning."

"I came here, didn't I?"

"For whom, exactly? Rowan? Aelin?"

"For both of them. And for you." There. Let it be laid before them.

"I told you on that beach: I want nothing to do with you."

"So one mistake and I am your eternal enemy?"

"She is my queen, and you summoned Maeve, then told her where the keys were, and you stood there while they did that to her."

"You have no idea what the blood oath can do. None."

"Fenrys broke the oath. He found a way."

"And had Aelin not been there to offer him another, he would have died." He let out a low, joyless laugh. "Perhaps that's what you would have preferred."

She ignored his last comment. "You didn't even try."

"I did," he snarled. "I fought it with everything I had. And it was not enough. If she'd ordered me to slit your throat, I would have. And if I had found a way to break the oath, I would have died, and she might very well have killed you or taken you afterward. On that beach, my only thought was to get Maeve to forget about you, to let you go-"

"I don't care about me! I didn't care about me on that beach!"

"Well, I do."

This was what came of opening that door to a place inside him that no one had ever breached. This mess, this hollowness in his chest that made him keep needing to make things right.

"Resent me all you like," he said, damning the hoarseness of his words. "I'm sure I'll survive."

Hurt flashed in her eyes. "Fine," she said, her voice brittle.

He hated that brittleness more than anything he'd ever encountered. Hated himself for causing it. But he had limits to how low he'd crawl.

He'd said his piece. If she wanted to wash her hands of him forever, then he would find a way to respect that. Live with it.

Somehow.

Gratitude shone in her eyes.

Rowan only gave her a nod. Don't worry about it.

Yet Aelin turned away, shutting off that silent conversation as she surveyed the space.

Time. It would take time for her to heal.

Even if he knew his Fireheart would pretend otherwise.

So, Rowan looked, too. Across the tomb, beyond the sarcophagus and treasure, an archway opened into another chamber. Perhaps another tomb, or an exit passage.

"We don't have time to find a way out,"

Rowan murmured as she strode into the tomb.

"And the caves remain safer than the surface."

"I'm not looking for a way out," she said in that calm, unmoved voice. She stooped, swiping up a fistful of gold coins stamped with forgotten king's face. "We're going to need to fund our travels. And the gods know what else." Rowan arched a brow. Aelin shrugged and shoved the gold into the pocket of her cloak. "Unless the pitiful clinking I heard from your coin purse didn't indicate you were low on funds."

That spark of wry humor, the taunting … She was trying. For his sake, or the others' maybe her own, she was trying.

Rowan gave the Lion a slashing grin. "You heard the lady."

A flash ruptured from where Fenrys had been sniffing at a trunk of jewels, and then a male was standing there. His gray clothes worn, but intactin better shape than the hollowed-out look in his eyes.

Aelin paused her looting.

Fenrys's throat bobbed, as if trying to remember speech. Then he said hoarsely, "We needed more pockets." He patted his own for emphasis.

Aelin's lips curved in a hint of a smile. She blinked at Fenrys—three times.

Fenrys blinked once in answer.

A code. They'd made up some silent code to communicate when he'd been ordered to remain in his wolf form.

Aelin's smile remained, just barely, as she walked to the golden-haired male, his bronze skin ashen. She opened her arms in silent offer.

To let him decide if he wished for contact. If he could endure it.

Just as Rowan would let her decide if she wished to touch him.

A small sigh broke from Fenrys before he folded Aelin into his arms, a shudder rippling through him. Rowan couldn't see her face, perhaps didn't need to, as her hands gripped Fenrys's jacket, so tightly they were white-knuckled.

A good sign—a small miracle, that either of them wished, could be touched. Rowan reminded himself of it, even while some intrinsic, male part of him tensed at the contact.

A territorial Fae bastard, she'd once called him. He'd do his best not to live up to that title.

"Thank you," Aelin said, her voice small in a way that made Rowan's chest crack further.

Fenrys didn't answer, but from the anguish on his face, Rowan knew no thanks were in order.

They pulled away, and Fenrys cupped her cheek. "When you are ready, we can talk."

About what they'd endured. To unravel all that had happened.

Aelin nodded, blowing out a breath. "Likewise."

She resumed shoving gold into her pockets, but glanced back to Fenrys, his face drawn. "I gave you the blood oath to save your life," she said. "But if you do not want it, Fenrys, I ... we can find some way to free you—"

"I want it," Fenrys said, no trace of his usual swaggering humor. He glanced to Rowan, and bowed his head. "It is my honor to serve this court. And serve you," he added to Aelin.

She waved a hand in dismissal, though Rowan didn't fail to note the sheen in her eyes as she stooped to gather more gold. Giving her a moment, he strode to Fenrys and clasped his shoulder. "It's good to have you back." He added, stumbling a bit on the word, "Brother." For that's what they would be. Had never been before, but what Fenrys had done for Aelin .. Yes, brother was what Rowan would call him. Even if Fenrys's own—

Fenrys's dark eyes flickered. "She killed Connall. Made him stab himself in the heart." A pearl-and-ruby necklace scattered from Gavriel's fingers.

The temperature in the tomb spiked, but there was no flash of flame, no swirl of embers.

As if Aelin's magic had surged, only to be leashed again.

Yet Aelin continued shoving gold and jewels into her pockets.

She'd witnessed it, too. That slaughter.

But it was Gavriel, approaching on silent feet even with the jewels and gold on the floor, who clasped Fenrys's other shoulder. "We will make sure that debt is paid before the end." The Lion had never uttered such words not toward their former queen. But fury burned in Gavriel's tawny gaze. Sorrow and fury.

Fenrys took a steadying breath and stepped away, the loss on his face mingling with something Rowan couldn't place. But now wasn't the time to ask, to pry.

Aelin continued picking her way amongst the treasure, however. She'd been more selective than the rest of them, examining pieces with what Rowan had assumed was a jeweler's eye. The gods knew she'd owned enough finery to tell what would fetch the highest price at market.

"We should go," he said. His own pockets were near to bursting, his every step weighed down.

She rose from a rusted metal chest she'd been riffling through.

Rowan remained still as she approached, something clenched in her palm. It was only when she stopped close enough for him to touch her that she unfurled her fingers.

Two golden rings lay there.

"I don't know the Fae customs," she said.

The thicker ring held an elegantly cut ruby within the band itself, while the smaller one bore a sparkling rectangular emerald mounted atop, the stone as large as her fingernail. "But when humans wed, rings are exchanged." Her fingers trembled-just slightly. Too many unspoken words lay between them. Yet now was not the time for that conversation, for that healing.

Not when they had to be on their way as swiftly as possible, and this offer she'd made him, this proof that she still wanted what lay between them, the vows they'd sworn ...

"I assume the sparkly emerald is for me," Rowan said with a half smile.

She huffed a laugh. The soft, whispered sound was as precious as the rings she'd found for them in this hoard. She took his hand, and he tried not to shudder in relief, tried not to fall to his knees as she slid the ruby ring onto his finger. It fit him perfectly, the ring no doubt forged for the king lying in this barrow.

Silently, Rowan grasped her own hand and eased on the emerald ring. "To whatever end," he whispered.

Silver lined her eyes. "To whatever end." A reminder-and a vow, more sacred than the wedding oaths they'd sworn on that ship.

To walk this path together, back from the darkness of the iron coffin. To face what waited in Terrasen, ancient promises to the gods be damned.

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I'll make the tattoo again." She swallowed, but nodded. "And," he added, "I'd like to add another. To me—and to you."

Her brows flicked up, but he squeezed her hand. You'll have to wait and see, Princess.

Another hint of a smile. She didn't balk from the silent words this time. Typical.

He opened his mouth to voice the question he'd been dying to ask for days now. May I kiss you? But she pulled her hand from his.

Admiring the wedding band sparkling on her finger, her mouth tightened as she turned over her palm. "I'll need to retrain."

Not a single callus marked her hands.

Aelin frowned at her too-thin body. "And pack on some muscle again." A slight quiver graced her words, but she curled her hands into fists at her sides and smirked at her clothes—the Mistward clothes. "It'll be just like old times."

Trying. She was dredging up that swagger and trying. So he would, too. Until she didn't need to any more.

Rowan gave her a crooked grin. "Just like old times," he said, following her out of the barrow and back toward the ebony river, "but with far less sleep."

He could have sworn the passageway heated. But Aelin kept going.

Later. That conversation, this unfinished business between them, would come later.

#Chapter 36 #Kingdom of Ash #Sarah J. Maas #Aelin Galathynius #Rowan Whitethorn #Elide Lochan #Lorcan Salvaterre #Gavriel #Fenrys #first read along with me no spoilers please more spoilers in further notes with tags quotes reacts annotated etc perspective 1 Elide #The way they all keep asking is that what she felt like-Finally dozing-Therapy boat time-They stole something beautiful&bright #If not even Elide can standup it’s short-The quiet time space-Forgive urself4him-Lets give it all2Erawan-Not fragile-Not hiding well #Never yield-the fact the lilfolk were prepared for no magic-it gives Jess day meets Millie Bobby brown princess movieWhealing glowworms #is Elide afraid of the dark?she did say rattle the stars-always heartbeats to measure timeWlilfolk-eyes gleamingWanimalistic brightness #Fenrys dozing@queens feet-get they snuggled close-position of honor at feet-Gabriel explains golden hair silvered by moonlight (beam?)#the ring-none of them want to know-knowing where to find HER-Closer2her than he'd sat in weeks-sending her attention (knowing where 2 find)#4long heartbeats she let herself look at him-she knew it 2 #P2Aelin-4long heartbeats she let herself look at him-she knew it 2-inky black hair spilling over a coat of whitest snow #Her fingers curled in her lap-the fact living has begun to feel like punishment-a better lie-the swagger fire back #Chapter 37-perspective Aelin pt 1-if only there was tech-3days time-whats the tell?So long travel-let him take it so she can kill Erowan #Not the weights again-the avoided speech like Lys-To answer questions that he was perhaps not yet ready to discuss.#Might begin simply screaming and screaming at what had been done to them to Connall-is the far her animal form-THEM-but as the blue light #of the lantern touched it gold glittered along the rocky floor.Ancient gold-genius-stop the boat-they listened to her Cadre-didn’t wait or #stay or care-Aelin didn't bother to see who obeyed as she strode into the cave-Lorcan refrained from saying that;good pick-Not firelight #She hadnt shown an ember since theyd entered the cave-power notes-Her dark eyes slid to him-from you-why river?-knees!#reverse Lysaedion-well I care u idiot-looked away looked anywhere but at him-life with ur #reverse Lysaedion-well I care-looked away looked anywhere but at him-lifeWoff what had needed2stop she needed2see he could only guess #Kings has made it-watched-As if she wouldnt couldnt touch her power-he saw every side-my last/accent-wait hug notice #Unravel it-fill in-pretend-where?-pirating is nice-another mark theirs&loved enough tove said it-whatever end-known-silver lined #u wish-what isn't recognized-Sardothien swagger-leashing the power-as close to a wedding4them as we’ll get

3 notes · View notes

bunny-jpeg · 3 months ago

Text

peach gummies

john "soap" mactavish

tags: smut/pwp, recreational drug use, aphrodisiacs, high sex, needy!johnny, missionary position/mating press, body worship, praise & dirty talk, breeding kink

"there are going to be fun, right?" you asked as you watched johnny pull out the bag of gummies. you felt a little anxious taking something like this.

you knew they were just a fun little upper to have a good evening together, but still, the most you ever had was half a joint and that made you stomach upset for the rest of the evening. to try something as intense as gummies was a little anxiety inducing. but you had johnny there and you trusted him with your life.

"of course, hen." he said as he playfully pinched your cheek, "only the best for you." he licked his lips at the sight of you looking at him. he would always take care of you, through everything. he promised, "not cut with anything bad. just a little stimulant gummy for a nice night in." he held one of the up to you, "see they're peach flavour, your favourite!"

you trusted johnny with your whole heart. until the heat took over.

there was something in those gummies, something a lot more than a good time. because within the hour of taking them, johnny was next to humping you against the kitchen counter.

you had only gotten up to grab some water. but he had every intention of keeping you within arms reach. it didn't help that the painful erection in his grey sweatpants was more appitizing than anything you had in your cupboard. you tried to reach for the glass of water but he had to properly pinned to the counter with him rubbing up against you behind. it felt good, it left you soaked in your panties. it was the drugs, there had to be something else in them.

"johnny... johnny.. mactavish! relax!" you whined but before you could state your point,he he turned your head enough to give you a sloppy kiss. it was like two animals trying to kiss rather than two people. he continued to rub against you.

"not now. not now." he said, "quiet yer whinin'. can't take it." he groaned, his breathing was getting heavier with the more he became needy for you. there was a wet patch at the front of his sweatpants from all the pre-cum his heavy cock was drooling, "come to bed. get you water later." he managed to have enough brain function to keep from railing you against the counter.

but it didn't last long. he had you shirt off and was working at your bra with his nose in your neck as he steered you towards the bedroom. once he got the grey sports bra off and tossed onto the floor, he pushed you onto the bed and got on top of you. "always so hot, bonnie. look at ya, all of ya." he groped your breasts as he caged your thighs between his strong legs.

he was panting like a dog and you couldn't help but be aroused. he was desperate for you as you were of him. there was heat in his cheeks and his erection strained in his pants.

you laid out under him. he wrestled to get you out of your clothes between heated kisses. the two of you moved together perfectly, you felt the leap in your chest as he got you completely nude before his tight t-shirt was off of him. the gummies made your blood burn with sexual desire as you eyed your lover.

johnny was built. all that training refined his body into muscle and a bit of fat to keep warm on a cold night. he loved his pub nachoes and his large pints. he was covered in a hair bit of thick dark hair too. from across his broad chest to a nice happy trail down to his cock that was leaking through his white briefs. it left a stain across the front of the thick pre-cum that dribbled out.

you were in a similiar boat, he had to peel the panties off of your pussy because they were so slick with your sexual desire. you felt the heat radiate through you, you shakily exhaled when you wet pussy hit the cool air. it made you feel a tad stimulated, in all fairness everything made you aroused.

from the soft bedding to johnny's rough hands on your skin. you shuddered and made a soft whimpering noise which only made your boyfriend more aroused. it felt hot between you two, like molten lava flowing between you two.

"look at ya, angel. my slice of heaven. all mine." he purred as he got between your legs and hiked up your hips to be leveled with his cock. but then he got greedy, he pushed your knees towards your chest to expose more of that glistening pussy of yours to the low light of the bedroom. he licked his lips, "that's ma girl, all mine. right? how ya feelin'? feelin' hot like me?"

his voice was a rumble of thunder that you could feel in your soul. you held onto your knees and allowed him to sink into you quickly. and with how wet you were, there was little resistance for him. he was soon able to plant his hands on either side of you. he squished you under his strong, hairy body and rocked against you.

"my sweet, sweet bonnie."

you often joked that johnny was like a puppy, but as he fucked up into you without any sense of rhythm, he just needed to feel you cunt around him. he needed to devour you sexually as he rutted against you feverishly. he fucked up into you, it felt like his cock was slammed against the beginning of your womb. it felt like he was deeper than anyone else had ever been and that made him even more excited.

"fuck, johnny." you shakily exhaled as the pleasure raced through him. it excited you, wound you up sexually. you panted and moaned, your noises got strained in the best way possible as he fucked you. the buzz of the drugs only made your brain feel overwhelmed with the pleasure in your core.

"maybe i should knock ya up. get ya nice and pregnant with my bairn. you'd look nice and pretty with my little guy at your hip. cookin' me meals, keepin' your man fed and warmed. comin' home to ya. settlin' down. maybe that's what we need. a nice place to raise 'em." his thrusts grew quicker as he placed more weight on top of you. he kept you pinned under him in a mating press as he rutted against you like a dog in heat.

you reached for him and held onto his shoulders. he moved against you quickly and placed messy, wet kisses on your face. he felt you shudder under him and he only worked himself further into you. he fuck with intention even if the pace was messy and his thoughts were drowned in sexual need. he wanted to fuck you, he wanted that pleasure in his body. he wanted you badly.

"you feel good under me, baby. you feel good with this wet fuckin' cunt. type of pussy to come home to and make sure you don't forget who it belongs to." the drugs only spurred him on further. it drove him to fuck you harder and faster.

"johnny. fuck, that feels good." you whined, your voice got a little higher that the feeling of his cock nudging against all the right spots. he rubbed against your sweet spot and it made your mind unable to process a lot of higher thinking. but that didn't matter, the high felt amazing paired with the sexual gratification you were getting.

you reached and held onto his short hair. his mohawk was in your grasp as you tried to meet his pace but he only pinned your hands to the bed to let him work your body on his own terms. the pleasure was like heavy bass in a loud song, the type of thing to excite your blood as the two of you fucked roughly. you knew that your insides would be a bit bruised but you didn't care. you just needed johnny.

you two shared another heated kiss. and you laid your head back on the pillow and let him move against you. he held onto your hands tighter and worked himself up against you. he panted heavily and had this look in his blue eyes that only aroused you more.

"fuck, need you. fuckin' need you. look good with my kid, little mactavish runnin' around, causin' problems for ma. don't worry, come home every night to put 'em to bed. but then i'll put the wife to bed too, just a little differently." he licked his lips, "maybe i'll get some 'er milk too." he licked his lips, "promise i'll be gentle. fuckin'..." he groaned as he felt close to climax.

it didn't take much longer before he came inside of you with a heavy groan and his cock buried all the way inside of you. but even though the stretch in his legs told him to stop, he couldn't. the burn of the drugs in his brain only pushed him to continue to fuck you. he continued to fuck you. his thrusts became even more unfocused but the stimulation pushed you over your sexual edge too.

you clutched onto his hands and arched your back a little bit as your hole fluttered around his cock. you came around him and felt the heightened sense of pleasure as it muddled your brain further. you couldn't help it, it was hot. it was erotic as the two of you continued to fuck even through your orgasms.

but as the night wound down, you felt that you two would be at it well into the next morning. because despite the heat and sweat of your fucking. nothing seemed to quell the intense lust that you had for him.

johnny didn't think much of the gummies till a week later when he was seated in a meeting for an upcoming assignment. his eyes went wide when he reached the bottom of the page with the photos of the drugs that they were looking for.

"these look like candies, but contain enough of an aphrodisiac to take someone out for at least eleven hours." price explained, "turns out our enemies found a different way to push their drugs. don't make them overdose but aroused enough to keep them coming back for more."

the tips of johnny's ears went red. he looked to price and raised his hand, "do they have a specific flavour, captain? to watch out for, of course!" he swore he heard kyle snicker to himself.

price replied, "peach." <3

#bunny writes #call of duty smut #call of duty x reader #john soap mactavish smut #john soap mctavish smut #john soap mctavish x reader #john soap mactavish #john soap x reader #john soap mctavish x you #soap call of duty #call of duty #soap smut #soap mactavish #soap mactavish x reader #soap x reader

489 notes · View notes